By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

On April 21, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, in her capacity as prime minister, presented a ritual offering known as a masakaki to the Yasukuni Shrine, a site that enshrines Class-A war criminals from World War II and carries a notorious legacy. 

In this year marking the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the Tokyo trials, such an act, taken in defiance of global opinion, constitutes a deliberate affront to human conscience, a blatant profanation of historical justice, and an arrogant provocation against the outcomes of victory in World War II. 

The forces that stand for justice worldwide should remain highly vigilant against such regressive moves and make clear-eyed judgments about Japan’s strategic trajectory.

The Yasukuni Shrine has never been a purely religious site; it is a symbol of Japan’s militarist past and, in fact, a shrine for war criminals. Among the 14 Class-A war criminals enshrined there are figures such as Hideki Tojo, No.1 war criminal and warmonger; Kenji Doihara, major culprit of aggression against China; Iwane Matsui, top perpetrator of the Nanjing Massacre; Osami Nagano, order-giver of the Pearl Harbor attack; and Kuniaki Koiso, mass murderer on the Korean Peninsula. They are all major war criminals responsible for atrocities against the people in Asia and the rest of the world. 

The Tokyo trials have long passed a just ruling on Japan’s war of aggression and militarist atrocities, branding these war criminals forever infamous in history. No matter how elaborate her excuses are, Takaichi’s reverence for these historical culprits cannot cover up her ulterior motives and harmful implications: denying the validity of the Tokyo trials, whitewashing Japan’s aggressive history, and defending war criminals.

This latest offering once again exposes the deeply flawed and dangerous right-wing historical outlook held by certain Japanese politicians. For years, visits to the Yasukuni Shrine have served as a symbolic act for right-wing forces seeking to revive militarism. As early as 2007, Takaichi visited the shrine as a cabinet member, and since 2014 she has paid homage more than 10 times, revealing the depth of her fixation. 

At its core, such worship amounts to tacit endorsement of the so-called “Yasukuni view of history” promoted by the shrine’s core facility, the Yushukan Museum. This narrative distorts facts to obscure the history of aggression, attributes the outbreak of war to alleged “provocations” or “pressure” from the United States, the United Kingdom, and even China, and portrays Japan’s wars of aggression as efforts to “liberate Asia” and build a “Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere,” glorifying military exploits and the so-called “Bushido spirit.”

These absurd claims that whitewash militarism stand in stark contradiction to the broad consensus of the international community on historical issues. Recently, an alarming incident occurred in which an active-duty member of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces, influenced by extremist ideology, illegally broke into the Chinese embassy in Japan armed with a knife. This exactly underscored the depth and danger of such distorted thinking.

That a sitting Japanese leader would insist on offering tribute at a site that glorifies militarism reflects a broader strategic attempt by Japan’s right-wing forces to further break through the constraints of the post-war international order and domestic legal frameworks. 

For some time, Japan has taken a series of dangerous provocative moves. Takaichi has openly made erroneous remarks concerning Taiwan, blatantly meddling in China’s internal affairs. Japanese Self-Defense Forces warships have sailed across the Taiwan Strait to flaunt military strength and deliberately stir tensions.

Japan has also deployed long-range missiles allegedly capable of enemy base strikes in Kumamoto and Shizuoka prefectures. Meanwhile, the Japanese government has revised its Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology and relevant implementation guidelines, opening the door to overseas exports of lethal weapons.

All these acts are essentially identical to paying homage at the Yasukuni Shrine. They demonstrate that Japanese right-wing forces are abandoning peaceful development and engaging in reckless resurgence of neo-militarism. Driven by such forces, Japan is abandoning its posture as a peaceful country and posing growing threats to regional peace and stability.

A Japan that fails to fully come to terms with its history of aggression cannot establish itself in the international community, no matter how it attempts to disguise itself. A correct understanding and handling of history is the political foundation for Japan’s relations with its neighbors.

The Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed deep disappointment and regret over Takaichi’s offering to Yasukuni Shrine, urging Japan’s leadership to adopt a responsible attitude, face history squarely, and engage in genuine reflection with humility and concrete actions. 

The chorus of criticism from the international community once again demonstrates that justice, light, and progress will ultimately prevail over evil, darkness, and reactionary forces. Any attempt to deny the history of aggression or challenge international justice will inevitably meet with broad opposition.

Japan’s militarist wars of aggression brought catastrophe to the peoples of Asia and inflicted profound suffering on the Japanese people themselves. Today, if right-wing politicians such as Takaichi persist in clinging to erroneous historical views and continue down a path that departs from peace and justice, they will once again face serious scrutiny from the international community and the judgment of history.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)

By He Yin, People’s Daily

On April 21, 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Security Initiative (GSI), with the aim of addressing the root causes of international conflicts, improving global security governance, and encouraging the international community to work together to bring greater stability and certainty to a turbulent world. 

Today, as the international landscape grows more complex and regional conflicts continue to erupt, the practical significance and contemporary relevance of the GSI have become even more evident.

In recent years, structural and deep-seated challenges in the global security domain have continued to accumulate, leading to heightened tensions worldwide. The recent outbreak of conflict in the Middle East is a stark illustration of these severe security dilemmas. 

According to the Report on the Global Security Situation (2025) recently issued by the China Institute of International Studies, the global peace deficit is widening, accompanied by a marked escalation in international conflicts and regional turmoil.

In a world marked by overlapping crises and uncertainties, the GSI provides clear direction and a cooperative framework for addressing security challenges and safeguarding global stability.

The GSI responds to the pressing need of the international community to maintain peace and prevent conflict. It advocates a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, upholds the principle of indivisible security, and promotes the building of a balanced, effective, and sustainable security architecture. Together, these principles offer conceptual guidance for achieving long-term global peace and stability. 

Recently, Xi put forward a four-point proposal on promoting peace and stability in the Middle East, underscoring China’s consistent commitment to promoting peace, stopping conflict, and resolving differences through dialogue. 

In recent years, China has taken the lead in implementing the GSI and has actively facilitated peace efforts worldwide. In the Middle East, China helped facilitate the historic reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, as well as the signing of the Beijing Declaration by Palestinian factions; it has also issued, together with Pakistan, five proposals on restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and Middle East region. 

In response to the Ukraine crisis, China has promoted the establishment of the Group of Friends for Peace to create conditions for a political settlement. China has also worked to support peace efforts between Thailand and Cambodia, and has continued to play a constructive role on issues related to Afghanistan and Myanmar. 

These practical efforts demonstrate that dialogue and negotiation are effective, and indeed the only viable pathways to resolving disputes and maintaining peace.

The GSI aligns with the shared aspiration of countries worldwide to uphold multilateralism and strengthen unity and cooperation. Rooted in true multilateralism, the initiative advocates win-win cooperation in addressing security challenges and provides a clear roadmap for improving global security governance. Its core concepts have been widely recognized by leaders of United Nations agencies and incorporated into documents of relevant multilateral mechanisms. 

From actively participating in UN peacekeeping operations to promoting the establishment of multilateral cooperation frameworks; from advancing synergy between the GSI and cooperation under frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, to strengthening regional security cooperation with countries along the Mekong, in Central Asia, and in Africa — China has consistently upheld the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, practiced true multilateralism, and helped build broad consensus and strong collective efforts to address the global security deficit.

The GSI also reflects the shared aspiration of people around the world to overcome challenges together and build a better future. It emphasizes the indivisibility of security and development, advocating sustainable development as a pathway to sustainable security. In doing so, it aligns with the prevailing global trend toward peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, while injecting fresh momentum into efforts to improve livelihoods and promote development. 

China regards development as the master key to solving security issues, actively supports the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and promotes universally beneficial, inclusive economic globalization. Through high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, China has empowered global development and helped other developing countries improve people’s well-being. 

At the same time, China coordinates efforts to safeguard both traditional and non-traditional security. It has advanced international cooperation in areas such as climate change, industrial and supply chains, resource and energy security, and food security, while also launching initiatives such as the Global Initiative on Data Security and the Global AI Governance Initiative to jointly address emerging security challenges.

No matter how the world changes, China will always stand firmly committed to building peace. It will continue to work with the international community to fully and effectively implement the GSI, translate the shared vision of common security into concrete actions, and pursue a new path to security that features dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance and win-win over zero-sum. In doing so, China will continue to contribute to peace, stability, and justice in this turbulent world.

By Wang Haonan, People’s Daily

The 2026 Beijing E-Town half-marathon on April 19 captured widespread attention, as China’s humanoid robots showcased rapid advances in speed, endurance, and autonomy. 

“Lightning,” a humanoid robot developed by the Qitian Dasheng Team, claimed victory with a winning time of 50 minutes and 26 seconds, outpacing the current man’s half marathon world record. Participation surged from 20 teams in 2025 to over 100 this year, reflecting accelerating technological advancement.

Just over 20 teams took part last year, compared with more than 100 this year, reflecting both growing interest and fast-paced technological progress.

“Nearly 40 percent of teams achieved autonomous navigation this year,” said Liang Liang, deputy secretary-general of the Chinese Institute of Electronics. “We’re witnessing breakthroughs across  models, algorithms, design, and hardware integration. The goal is to accelerate both technological and industrial development.”

Performance gains have been striking in just one year. Completion times have dropped from over two hours in 2025 to under one hour this year. Teams attributed the leap forward to major improvements in material durability, system reliability, and joint heat resistance — key factors enabling sustained long-distance operation.

The robot Tiangong Ultra, winner of last year’s inaugural race, ran with steady strides and coordinated arm movement without human guidance. 

“In simulations, tens of thousands of virtual robots logged a combined 27,300 hours of running and went through over 100,000 iterations,” said Xu Zhiyuan, head of motion control at the Beijing Innovation Center of Humanoid Robotics. “At near-professional human speeds, perception and decision-making windows shrink dramatically, requiring major power upgrade, algorithms, and system responsiveness all had to be upgraded.”

For many teams, the race has become a testing ground for innovation.The Taishan Team from east China’s Shandong province experienced this firsthand. At last year’s World Humanoid Robot Games, their robot “Xingzhe Taishan,” standing 1.38 meters tall, drew attention for continuing to run even after losing an arm.

“Since March, we’ve trained our robot at marathon intensity, running a half marathon every day,” said Liu Dayu, head of new technologies at Yobotics, the developer of the robot. To address overheating and mechanical fatigue, we developed a liquid cooling system and reinforced key materials.

Robots competing this year were visibly far more capable than before. Ultra-fast robot battery swapping emerged as a major highlight of the event. Finished in less than 10 seconds, the precise operation was as fast as Formula One pit stops.

“In the past, battery changes took several minutes and requiring a system reboot,” said Xing Boyang, technical director at Humanoid Robot (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. “Now, it takes just seconds, with no interruption.”

Advances in thermal management have also played a crucial role. By combining liquid and air cooling, teams have reduced joint temperatures from 70-80 degrees Celsius to around 60. Meanwhile, upgraded battery technologies have enabled longer continuous operation, significantly improving race performance.

“The competition is driving innovation in batteries and beyond — these are breakthroughs you simply can’t achieve in the lab alone,” Xing noted.

More than a competition, the event serves as an extreme real-world testbed for the humanoid robotics industry. Data collected from the race is expected to accelerate breakthroughs in embodied intelligence, motion control, and related fields.

This year’s competition saw a fivefold increase in the number of participating teams, including five international teams making their debut, adding greater diversity to the field.

Interestingly, many teams used the same robot “base model,” yet their performance varied widely depending on software and system optimization. These “secondary developers” ranged from companies and research institutions to university teams and independent enthusiasts.

“The base model is like a blank shell — we bring it to life through our own ideas,” said Dou Yuhan, a doctoral student from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, whose team developed its own algorithms on the Tiangong 3.0 platform. He believes broader participation is key to advancing humanoid robotics.

Notably, all five international teams chose Chinese-made base models, highlighting a growing trend of “Chinese hardware, global intelligence.”

Only one robot claims the title, but every team that has made it to the starting line is a winner. As the event’s slogan puts it: “Who takes part is a hero; who finishes wins glory.” As sport and technology converge, it is not only the machines that are accelerating, but the pace of innovation itself.