The world is changing fast, but you can learn it at a slower pace.
You're listening to Special English.
Here's the news.
South China's Hainan Free Trade Port has initiated a plan to develop zero-carbon industrial parks, as outlined in a joint notification from five provincial government departments, including the Development and Reform Commission and the Department of Industry and Information Technology.
The initiative aims to phase in low-carbon and zero-carbon transformations across various parks, with qualified zones prioritized to achieve zero-carbon status.
A key focus is building a robust zero-carbon energy infrastructure by integrating renewable sources such as wind solar, biomass and nuclear power from surrounding areas.
This will involve deploying energy storage systems to ensure the stable supply of heat and electricity, promoting direct green power connections and developing smart microgrids compatible with the main grid to enhance flexibility and security.
The plan encourages industries to adopt carbon reduction technologies, including carbon capture, utilization and storage technologies, and supports research on new materials and future energy solutions.
It also accelerates the growth of emerging low-pollution, high-value sectors and fosters a green manufacturing approach where renewable energy produces eco-friendly products.
Beyond energy and industry, the strategy covers energy efficiency improvements to buildings, low carbon transportation systems, smart carbon management platforms and long-term governance pathways.
On December 18th, China launched island-wide special customs operations in the Hainan Free Trade Port, allowing the freer entry of overseas goods, expanding zero-tariff coverage and introducing more business-friendly measures.
This is Special English.
Hong Kong's Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles scheme was recently implemented.
Under the scheme approved, private car owners from South China's Guangdong Province with confirmed travel bookings may drive into Hong Kong's urban area via the Zhuhai Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.
The first phase of the scheme covers the cities of Guangzhou Zhuhai, Jiangmen and Zhongshan, and will be expanded to other cities across Guangdong Province after six months.
Applications for Guangdong private cars to enter Hong Kong's urban area opened at 9 am local time on Dec.
With an initial daily quota of 100 vehicles, each Guangdong vehicle may stay in Hong Kong for up to three days per visit.
You're listening to Special English.
As winter chill spreads across the northern hemisphere, demand for down jackets surges.
Unknown to many consumers.
The cozy coats they zip up likely trace their origins to Pinghu in East China that experiences little snowfall.
Situated in Zhejiang Province.
Pinghu is home to a population of just over 700000, yet annually produces more than 200 million down jackets.
The city dominates China's women's down jacket market, accounting for 80 of the country's production, with over 2000 merchants and a supply chain that employs more than 100000 people in production, design and logistics.
Pinghu has evolved from a garment processing base into a thriving hub for the down economy.
In the 1980s, leveraging its proximity to the economic powerhouses of Shanghai and Hangzhou, Pinghu became a hub for garment processing.
For decades, it served domestically and international brands.
However, the traditional, original equipment manufacturer model eventually hit a bottleneck.
Rising labor costs and escalating raw material prices began to squeeze profit margins, leading to a noticeable decline in orders.
The turning point arrived in 2014, when local merchants noticed that down jackets were outperforming other garment categories in both sales and profitability.
Guided by local government support and market forces, over 1000 manufacturers pivoted their operations.
They integrated production lines and focused exclusively on the high-value down jacket segment, cementing a specialized industrial cluster.
Today, logistics fees for the market alone exceed 1 billion yuan, approximately 1418 million US dollars.
Annually, underscoring the immense volume of goods flowing through the city.
In recent years, Pinghu has made substantial investments in branding and design.
The city has engaged over 1400 designers to establish a high, protects intellectual property rights and encourages innovative styles, positioning design as a key growth driver.
To maintain consumer trust.
Pinghu has pioneered a transparent quality control system, cooperating with 17 organizations across seven provinces and municipalities.
Pinghu has released a white paper on the quality grading of down jackets, classifying products based on five core indicators, including down content and fluffiness.
Now premium jackets feature tags with QR codes that enable consumers to verify the invisible engineering inside their coats.
Looking ahead, Pinghu is intensifying its focus on the fashion pinghu regional brand initiative by establishing intellectual property protection centers and launching industry revitalization plans.
The city is committed to upgrading its pillar industry to ensure it remains a strong force in the global down jacket market.
This is Special English.
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in South China's Guangdong Province recently saw its annual passenger throughput surpass 80 million for the first time, with that figure including over 166 million international travelers.
The airport achieved the feat following the launch of its Terminal 3 and a new runway on October 30th, enabling operations across three terminals and five commercial runways.
The airport became the first Baiyun Airport passed the 70 million passenger trip mark in 2019 and 76 million in 2024, amid the recovery of aviation markets.
The airport leverages its strategic location in the Guangdong area Hong Kong-Macau-Greater Bay Area to strengthen domestic connectivity and expand international routes.
With more international passenger routes launched and resumed this year, the airport has extended its global network to over 100 destinations.
You're listening to Special English.
Archaeologists have identified a roughly 13-kilometer section of the ruins of Qingzhi Dao, a military road built in the Qin Dynasty over 2200 years ago, in northwest China's Shanxi Province.
The discovery was made during an archaeological survey launched in 2024 by the Cultural Relics Protection Research Institute in the city of Yulin to document the distribution and current condition of the ancient road ruins in the region.
Historical records indicate that Qingzhi Dao was a strategically important military road built under the orders of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, who unified China for the first time.
The massive construction project played a significant role in the unification and development of ancient China.
The newly identified section of the road runs through the city's Hengshan district.
Although the remains are poorly preserved, the road still follows a remarkably straight alignment.
Archaeologists have confirmed nine consecutive mountain notches cut in a straight line, a section of rammed earth slope and multiple traces of trampled road surfaces and rammed earth foundations along the road.
According to the Institute, the latest findings provide New evidence for mapping the complete route of Qin Zhi Dao.
This is Special English.
Chinese researchers have recently revealed how surface heat sources in urban clusters contribute to extreme heat events.
That is according to the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The study unveiled the changing characteristics of surface heat sources and their relationship with compound high temperature events, highlighting the importance of surface energy analysis in understanding urban climate change.
Urban clusters are becoming a dominant form of urbanization.
However, The combined effects of global warming and rapid urban development have further intensified climate risks for these areas.
As a direct source of atmospheric energy.
Surface heat sources have been strongly affected by changes in land surface features and human activities during urbanization.
Notably compound.
Extreme heat events now pose significant threats to economic development, social operations and public health.
Aiming to explore the correlation between ground heat sources and compound high temperature events.
The research team examined the temporal and spatial distribution, as well as the evolution, of ground heat sources in four major urban clusters across China.
That is according to Gao Xiaoqing, a researcher at the Northwest Institute who led the study.
These clusters are the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Pearl River Delta, the Yangtze River Delta and the Chengdu-Qiongqing region.
The research team conducted statistical analysis of regional differences in ground heat sources and compound hot events in these urban clusters, while also tracing the correlation mechanism.
The results indicated that surface heat sources in all four urban clusters generally follow a seasonal pattern of being strong in summer and weak in winter.
Moreover, For example, the Beijing Tianjin Hebei region shows a pattern of strong in the south and weak in the north, with the northern part prone to turning into a heat sink in winter.
In the Yangtze River Delta region, Major heat sources are primarily distributed along the rivers, whereas large cities exhibit comparatively lower surface heat levels.
Gao noted that the differences in surface heat sources in these urban clusters reflect the combined regulatory effects of topography, climatic conditions and the level of urbanization.
The study also found that changes in surface heat sources have a significant impact on the frequency of compound high temperature events, but their influence on event intensity is relatively limited.
The findings have been published in the journal Science China Earth Sciences.
Gao said that findings of the study are significant for addressing environmental challenges in urban clusters, enhancing urban climate resilience and improving quality of life for urban residents.
You're listening to special english.
That's the end of this edition of special english.
To recap, i'm going to read two of the news items again.
As Business, Hainan Free Trade Port has initiated a plan to develop zero-carbon industrial parks, as outlined in a joint notification from five provincial government departments, including the Development and Reform Commission and the Department of Industry and Information Technology.
The initiative aims to phase in low-carbon and zero-carbon transformations across various with qualified zones prioritized to achieve zero-carbon status.
A key focus is building a robust zero-carbon energy infrastructure by integrating renewable sources such as wind solar, biomass and nuclear power from surrounding areas.
This will involve deploying energy storage systems to ensure the stable supply of heat and electricity, promoting direct green power connections and developing smart microgrids compatible with the main grid to enhance flexibility and security.
The plan encourages industries to adopt carbon reduction technologies, including carbon capture, utilization and storage technologies, and supports research on new materials and future energy solutions.
It also accelerates the growth of emerging low pollution, high-value sectors and fosters a green manufacturing approach where renewable energy produces eco-friendly products.
Beyond energy and industry, the strategy covers energy efficiency improvements to buildings, low-carbon transportation systems, smart carbon management platforms and long-term governance pathways.
On December 18, China launched island-wide special customs operations in the Hainan Free Trade Port, allowing the freer entry of overseas goods, expanding zero-tariff coverage and introducing more business-friendly measures.
This is Special English.
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in South China's Guangdong Province recently saw its annual passenger throughput surpass 80 million for the first time, with that figure including over 166 million international travelers.
The airport achieved the feat following the launch of its Terminal 3 and a new runway on October 30, enabling operations across three terminals and five commercial runways.
The airport became the first in China to have five commercial runways.
Baiyun Airport passed the 70 million passenger trip mark in 2019 and 76 million in 2024, amid the recovery of aviation markets.
The airport leverages its strategic location in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to strengthen domestic connectivity and expand international routes.
With more international passenger routes launched and resumed this year, the airport has extended its global network to over 100 destinations.
This is the end of today's program.
I hope you'll join us every day to learn English at a slower pace.
Is not he who fights a hundred battles and wins every one of them?
The best military strategy does not lead to the desiccation of the enemy's capital city.
Decoding the Art of War will help you understand why there's no art in war and how Sun Tzu stayed undefeatable using the science of war, with fun stories and insightful breakdown of famous battles.
Find Decoding the Art of War wherever you listen.
From the refreshing cup of tea that starts your morning to the paper that you write on.
The roots of many familiar parts of modern life can be traced back to ancient ideas.
Join us on Made in Ancient China and discover how ideas born millennia ago became some of the world's greatest treasures.
Made in Ancient China brings you stories of human ambition, inspiration, and connection.
Now available on all major podcast platforms.
