Sinologists discuss global significance of Chinese modernization at Dunhuang forum

China

Sinologists discuss global significance of Chinese modernization at Dunhuang forum

2026-06-05 17:28 Last Updated At：18:37

About 150 scholars from around the world gathered at a forum in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, on Thursday to discuss the significance of Chinese modernization to shared global development.

The forum was held as a parallel session of the World Conference of Sinologists, which took place from Tuesday to Thursday, with discussions focusing on poverty elimination, technological innovation, green transition, and social governance.

During the event, many participants said that China offers valuable experience to countries pursuing their own paths to modernization, not only in terms of economic development, but also the balance between development and social stability.

"I would also emphasize the significance of China's social modernization. How China developed so fast without creating social strains and without polarizing society, for many countries, this is a challenge. Again, it's clear that every country is unique, you cannot simply copy, you cannot cut and paste the Chinese experience. But definitely, it's worth coming here and study the specific models, specific algorithms of the Chinese development to utilize it back in your country," said Andrey Kortunov, former director general of Russian International Affairs Council.

Saheli Chattaraj, an associate professor of China Studies at Somaiya Vidyavhar University in India, said Chinese development shows that modernization does not necessarily mean following a Western path. That idea has attracted growing attention among developing countries, she noted.

"We should not always confuse westernization with modernization in terms of implementation of policy. We adopt the policies based on our national requirements. But at times, the implementation part of the policy becomes a challenge for us. So I think in this part, also, the Chinese model of governance is a very useful lesson for developing countries on the Global South," Chattaraj said.

Hosting the forum in Dunhuang, a historic hub on the ancient Silk Road, provided a fitting backdrop for these discussions. The location served as a reminder of the long history of exchange and learning between cultures. The forum highlighted that sharing experiences and understanding different approaches to development remains essential for global cooperation.

China conducts fry release events to increase fish stock, protect environment

Fish breeding and release activities were carried out across China's five major river basins, including the Jinsha, Yalong, and Lancang rivers, on Thursday -- the World Environment Day, as part of a national drive themed "Comprehensive Green Transition for a Beautiful China". In the upper reaches of the Jinsha River, five hydropower stations, including Yebatan, Batang, and Suwalong, jointly carried out a fry release event for the first time. More than 680,000 fry of rare fish were released in the River.

Before being released, these fry of rare fish were given otolithic thermal marking or fluorescence markers -- a process akin to issuing an ID card for each fish. No matter where they swim in the future, they can be accurately identified, providing precise data to support scientific evaluation of the release effect. In this round of fish release, the Batang hydropower station in southwest China achieved 100 percent full coverage of tagged fish for the first time in a nationwide release activity.

In order to accurately track the migration of fish, engineers developed a "fish-face" recognition system. This system uses underwater high-definition cameras and other equipment, combined with AI recognition algorithms, to accurately identify each fish's species, size, and other information.