Main indicators of China's textile industry posted stable growth in the first half of the year, official data showed.
The total value-added output of textile companies above designated size (those with an annual main business revenue of at least 20 million yuan, or about 2.8 million U.S. dollars) went up 3.1 percent year on year during the January-June period, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
During the same period, the per capita clothing consumption expenditure of residents increased by 2.1 percent year on year. And the retail sales of clothing, shoes, hats and needlework textile products of entities above the designated sizes increased by 3.1 percent year on year, while the online retail sales of clothing products grew by 1.4 percent year on year.
From January to June, the country's investment in fixed assets in the textile industry, clothing industry and chemical fiber industry increased by 15.1 percent, 27 percent and 10.6 percent, respectively. The total export value of China's textile and apparel products was 143.98 billion U.S. dollars, a year-on-year increase of 0.8 percent.
At a clothing manufacturer in Zhuji City, east China's Zhejiang Province, workers are working around the clock to complete 50,000 multifunctional reversible down jackets for European clients before the end of August.
"To meet evolving market demands, we've completely transformed our production model to become more customer-oriented," said Wang Zheming, the company's manager.
Garment manufacturers have transformed their business model from "seasonal production for scheduled sales" to "in-season production for on-demand sales'-a strategic shift that has significantly boosted their competitiveness. In the first six months of 2025, functional apparel sales exceeded 50 percent of the firm's total revenue.
"Our H1 data showed multifunctional winter apparel accounted for approximately 50 percent of total sales, generating nearly 170 million yuan (about 23.7 million U.S. dollars) in revenue," said another manager of the company.
Total value-added output of textile industry logs growth in H1
A civil group in Japan held a study session on Saturday to tell the historical truth about the Nanjing Massacre and called on the Japanese government and society to reflect on history and avoid repeating the tragedy of war of aggression.
Saturday marks China's 12th National Memorial Day for the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre which took place when Japanese troops occupied the then-Chinese capital on Dec 13, 1937, killing approximately 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers in one of the most barbaric episodes of WWII over the course of six weeks.
"Japan's army committed a brutal atrocity -- the Nanjing Massacre 88 years ago in 1937. Today, on this important day, let us observe a moment of silence for 30 seconds for the victims," said an organizer of the study session.
This study session was led by Jomaru Yoichi, a former journalist with the Asahi Shimbun, a Japanese daily newspaper. Yoichi compiled numerous articles published in Japanese newspapers after the Nanjing Massacre. Among them, an article published on December 24, 1937 detailed the atrocities committed by the invading Japanese army in China.
"Around 08:00, about 400-500 defeated Chinese soldiers fled. The Japanese soldiers drove them into houses and bamboo groves, setting fires on all sides. Many of them were driven out by thick smokes. The Japanese soldiers killed them one by one with rifles and bayonets. The Japanese soldiers lost track of how many they had stabbed and killed all of them by 16:00," Yoichi recounted.
Many Japanese citizens said the Japanese government and society must confront the truth of history, and it's important to disseminate accurate historical information in contemporary Japan.
"The Nanjing Massacre is a real incident. The remarks that 'The Nanjing Massacre didn't exist' or 'The Japanese army was powerful and righteous' ignore historical evidence and deny the facts outright. I believe these are all attempts to hide the truth of history. I think these are all wrong. Facts are facts, and we must face history squarely," said a participant at the study session.
"I used to teach history in high school. In 1988, I spent two weeks in China and visited for the first time the site documenting the war crimes of the invading Japanese army. On the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the social atmosphere in Japan is gradually becoming strange. We must seriously examine Japan's past history, and disseminating accurate history has become even more important," said another participant.
Some expressed their concern that the Japanese government's historical revisionism, its attempt to cover up the truth of history, and its path towards military expansion will prevent Japan from facing the future.
"The fact that the Japanese army's war of aggression is not taught in social studies or history courses. I have no choice but to learn this myself even now at my age. The idea of upholding the pacifist constitution is becoming increasingly strong. Current Japanese politicians are pursuing a military expansion strategy, which I find incomprehensible," said another participant.
In 2014, China's top legislature designated December 13 as a national memorial day for the massacre victims.
Japanese civil group calls for remembrance of Nanjing Massacre victims
