By Lyu Shaogang, People’s Daily, He Qian, People’s Daily Online

On London’s Oxford Street, one of the busiest shopping areas in the UK, pedestrians frequently pause to capture moments with their smartphones. A closer look reveals that many of these devices are from Chinese brands.

Inside a retail store operated by a British telecommunications carrier, several customers were browsing at an HONOR smartphone counter. “This model was launched in May last year. It features advanced AI functions and performs very well in photography and videography. It’s quite popular with consumers,” said an assistant sales manager surnamed Kevin at the store.

With nearly four years of experience in mobile phone sales, Kevin has been a witness to the development of the HONOR brand in the UK. “In the past, customers questioned what HONOR represented. Now, our phones have become the first choice for many buyers,” he said.

Since entering the UK market in late 2021, HONOR has launched multiple premium models priced between £700 ($945) and £1,700, all targeting the high-end segment. 

According to Zhang Bin, CEO of HONOR UK, the market presents two distinctive characteristics: high-end models account for 70% of the market, and carrier channels contribute to another 70%. The market also features strong brand loyalty, robust premium demand, and highly concentrated distribution channels, Zhang added.

Addressing these dynamics, HONOR prioritizes foldable smartphones featuring lightweight designs, enhanced performance, and extended battery life. 

“Compared with similar products, these foldable phones are thinner, lighter, and more stylish, which attracts many consumers to inquire about them,” Kevin said.

At the same time, HONOR has worked closely with telecom operators to roll out bundled promotions combining smartphones and tablets. At present, its products are available in more than 2,600 offline retail outlets across the UK.

“Market cultivation requires patience and long-term commitment,” Zhang Bin noted. Consumers need time to build trust; operators need time to verify cooperation models; and brands need time to gain reputation.

To enhance its brand image, the company has continuously optimized product design, partnership models, and customer services. For example, in response to Europe’s multiple-operator and multi-frequency environment, HONOR devices ensure full-spectrum 5G coverage to guarantee stable signals; the company has also worked to address operators’ inventory concerns and streamlined after-sales services by replacing multi-step call transfers with one-touch direct connections.

According to Gao Xiang, marketing manager at HONOR, the company has expanded its business to nearly 30 European countries, including the UK, France, Germany, and Spain. In addition to smartphones, its laptops, tablets, and smart watches have also entered international markets.

“Our supply chain includes not only outstanding Chinese companies but also many partners from Europe and the United States,” Gao said. “We have also established research and development centers in countries such as Japan and France, enabling a globally distributed and deeply integrated innovation system.”

Beyond smartphones and tablets, a number of niche Chinese electronic products have also found popularity overseas.

SmallRig, an imaging accessories brand under Shenzhen Leqi Innovation Co., Ltd. in south China’s Guangdong province, has successfully entered the European market with a range of products designed for diverse imaging scenarios. Europe now accounts for over 30 percent of SmallRig’s global revenue. Its products, covering tripods, selfie sticks, batteries, lighting equipment, microphones, and more, are available in more than 300 photography equipment stores and supermarkets across over 30 European countries.

Zhou Yang, founder of the SmallRig, said his entry into the imaging accessories sector was inspired by a specific request from a European user. In 2010, while working in cross-border trade in Shenzhen, Guangdong, Zhou was asked by a German photography enthusiast to find an accessory that could securely fix a power supply to photography equipment. After searching extensively through electronics markets and factories in Shenzhen without success, he decided to develop one himself.

“If I couldn’t find it, I decided to create it mysel,” Zhou said. That decision marked the beginning of his first customized imaging accessory business for overseas markets. Since 2017, the company has collaborated with more than 1,300 photographers to develop over 2,700 customized imaging accessory products.

Leveraging the strong manufacturing supply chain in the Pearl River Delta region, SmallRig has developed a “fast manufacturing” capability characterized by small batches, high frequency, multiple categories, and rapid iteration. From project initiation to warehousing, some products can be completed in as short as 21 days. In 2025, the brand launched more than 600 upgraded products, an average of 1.6 new products per day, and currently offers over 1,000 products on the market.

Zhou noted that user diversity is taken into account from the very beginning of product development. For example, tripod heights and handle ergonomics are optimized to suit the body characteristics of European users, while battery technologies capable of withstanding extreme cold are applied to meet the needs in Northern Europe. 

“We believe the European market will continue to provide strong momentum for the brand’s long-term development,” Zhou said.

By Zheng Yi, People’s Daily

At 10:55 p.m. on Jan. 14, Nie Weiping, honorary president of the Chinese Weiqi (Go) Association, former head coach of the Chinese national weiqi team, and widely known as the “Go Master,” passed away in Beijing at the age of 74. His departure has left the Go community in deep mourning.

A representative figure in China’s Go development, Nie devoted his entire life to the game. His legacy includes achieving the historic 11 consecutive victories in the first four editions of China-Japan Go Challenge Series to his unwavering efforts in promoting the sport well into his seventies, Nie remained committed to his passion and steadfast in his pursuit of excellence.

Born in 1952, Nie learned Go in his childhood through family influence before studying under masters Lei Puhua and Guo Tisheng. After joining the national training team in 1973, he rapidly ascended to domestic dominance, winning multiple major titles.

During the 1970s-1980s when Japanese players dominated international Go, Nie emerged as China’s standard-bearer. His 1976 tour of Japan saw consecutive victories against top professionals, earning him the nickname “Nie Whirlwind.”

The 1984 inaugural China-Japan Go Challenge Series became Nie’s defining moment. With China trailing significantly after six straight losses, Nie faced elimination as the last Chinese contender.  Against overwhelming odds, he defeated Koichi Kobayashi and Masao Kato before overcoming anchor player Hideyuki Fujisawa on November 20, 1985 — clinching a landmark victory for Chinese Go.

This first Chinese triumph ignited unprecedented nationwide jubilation, transforming Go into a national sensation. Veteran Wang Runan recalled how “every match became must-watch drama across Chinese society.”

During the second Supermatch, Japan led 8-4 before Nie achieved five consecutive victories to defend China’s title. In the third edition, with teams tied 8-8, he defeated Kato again to secure China’s third consecutive championship.

At that time, the Supermatch’s cultural impact in China transcended sports. Through three successful championship defenses, Nie forged an enduring legacy with masterful play, indomitable spirit, and deep patriotism. The “Nie Whirlwind” became a national hero.

Inspired by Nie, a nationwide craze for Go swept across China, encouraging many young people to take up the game. In 1988, Nie was awarded the title of “Go Master” by the then-State Physical Culture and Sports Commission of China and the Chinese Weiqi Association, an honor unique in China’s weiqi community to this day. “This is something I have both taken pride in and felt uneasy about for decades,” Nie once said candidly.

As the years passed and age inevitably affected his competitive strength, Nie took on the role of a mentor and an educator. He devoted himself to nurturing younger generations, guiding top players such as Chang Hao and Gu Li with his expertise. The Nie Weiping Go Academy, founded in 1999, has produced numerous world and national champions over the past two decades, including Ke Jie, Gu Zihao, and Zhou Ruiyang, and nearly 300 other professional players.

With the China-Japan Go Challenge Series as a turning point, a series of international tournaments were subsequently established, and the world Go scene evolved into a tripartite landscape involving China, Japan and the Republic of Korea. 

Since 2013, when China claimed six world titles in a single year, a new generation of players born in the 1990s and 2000s has risen to the forefront of the global stage, a development that gave Nie great satisfaction, as he witnessed the sport’s continued growth and dominance.

After decades of deep engagement with weiqi, Nie devoted all his energy to the inheritance and development of the game. Even after undergoing major surgery in 2013 due to serious illness, he remained active in various tournaments and activities, tirelessly promoting the sport by explaining matches, offering guidance, interacting with young players, and expanding the game’s social influence.

Accompanying Go throughout his life, Nie always maintained a calm and open-minded attitude,  both on and off the board. Whether in success or adversity, he approached the game with  optimism and composure, always adhering to the principles that guide life, study, and work. As he once remarked, “The wisdom of the board applies to all aspects of life. Even in the age of AI, human beings still need Go.”

A player’s career is finite, but the “record of moves” of skill and spirit can transcend time. Nie’s exemplary influence will continue to inspire generations of young players and keep this ancient intellectual sport vibrant and alive.

By He Yin, People’s Daily

On Jan. 19, China unveiled its economic performance in 2025: the economy surpassed the 140-trillion-yuan ($20.11 trillion) mark for the first time, with GDP growing by 5.0 percent year-on-year. It is estimated that China contributed around 30 percent to global economic growth. 

Amid complex changes both at home and abroad, China’s economy has maintained steady growth, improved structure, and renewed momentum—fully reflecting its resilience and capacity to navigate challenges. This stability injects greater certainty and creates new opportunities for the world economy.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), China’s economy successively reached 110 trillion yuan, 120 trillion yuan, 130 trillion yuan, and 140 trillion yuan. Achieving these consecutive “10-trillion-yuan” milestones highlights the underlying strength and adaptability of the Chinese economy in facing the challenges of the times. 

A foreign media outlet noted that the Chinese economy has withstood pressure in a complex and changing environment, and described it as positive news for the world economy during a difficult period that China, an economy of such massive scale, has met its growth target.

What does China’s economic leap mean for the world? The ongoing World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, Switzerland serves as a great example. 

The meeting, themed “A Spirit of Dialogue,” focuses not only on diagnosing challenges but also on exploring innovative solutions that will shape the future. To that end, the organizers have outlined key priorities: “How can we cooperate in a more contested world?” “How can we unlock new sources of growth?” “How can we better invest in people?” “How can we deploy innovation at scale and responsibly?” and “How can we build prosperity within planetary boundaries?”

Understanding these global concerns leads to better understanding the significance of China’s confidence and opportunities—China’s new endeavors and advances are offering fresh perspectives and setting examples to address common challenges faced by nations worldwide. As noted by a British media outlet, China defines what true growth means.

In 2025, China’s research and development spending intensity reached 2.8 percent, exceeding the average of economies in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for the first time. Value-added from digital product manufacturing grew by 9.3 percent year on year. Major achievements emerged in frontier fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and brain-computer interface. Meanwhile, new energy vehicles accounted for over 50 percent of domestic new car sales. 

The continuous growth of new quality productive forces has supported China’s economy in achieving both “quantitative expansion” and “qualitative improvement,” while also offering valuable insights for other countries that seek new growth drivers. Notably, nearly half of the names on the World Economic Forum’s  MINDS (Meaningful, Intelligent, Novel, Deployable Solutions) list released on Jan. 19 were from China.

In 2025, China’s opening-up strides grew even more resolute. The Hainan Free Trade Port launched island-wide special customs operations. Total goods import and export value grew by 3.8 percent against headwinds, with imports reaching a new high of 18.5 trillion yuan, providing vast market space for countries worldwide. 

Despite rising unilateralism and protectionism, an open China remains steadfast and dynamic, playing a key role in maintaining stable and smooth global industrial and supply chains and promoting deeper economic globalization during challenging times.

In 2025, China’s per capita disposable income rose by 5.0 percent in real terms, keeping pace with economic growth. Positive progress was made in areas such as elderly care, childcare, and health care. Various regions continued to innovate consumption scenarios and improve the consumption environment, with vibrant developments in culture, tourism, entertainment, and sports sectors. 

By ensuring and improving people’s well-being through development, and expanding development space by meeting livelihood needs, China has demonstrated in a tangible way that “investing in people” not only reflects the core values of modernization but also creates new economic potential and unlocks further growth.

China’s economic leap to the 140-trillion-yuan milestone—imbued with innovation, sustainability, and forward-looking dynamism—delivers a powerful boost of confidence to the world and opens up new prospects for future-oriented cooperation. 

As China embarks on the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), the grand blueprint for its economic and social development over the coming five years presents the world with what can be called a “menu of opportunities.” 

By staying committed to high-quality development and high-standard opening up, China will inject greater stability and fresh momentum into the global landscape, fostering shared progress and a future of common prosperity.