"China and Africa Can Create Amazing Value"——Interview with Mehdi Laraki,President of the Morocco Chinese Business Council

"hina and Africa can create amazing value,because Africa or Morocco and China have a lot of common points,and the 2024Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) can make the relationship between Africa or Morocco and China even stronger."In an interview with China's Foreign Trade,Mehdi Laraki,President of the Morocco-China Business Council said,"I've been here (China)more than 65 times,but I always feel like a child every time,it's just like a miracle.

Enhancing Mutual Trust and Tapping into New Areas and Potentials for Bilateral Cooperation——Exclusive Interview with Namibian Ambassador to China,Elia George Kaiyamo

The 2024 Forum on ChinaAfrica Cooperation Summit was held in Beijing from September 4 to 6.Economic and trade cooperation serves as the"ballast stone"and"propeller"of China-Africa relations.During an exclusive interview with China's Foreign Trade conducted in Beijing recently,Namibian Ambassador to China,Elia George Kaiyamo,discussed Namibian-China bilateral trade and twoway investment,stating that since the establishment of diplomatic relations in1990,China and Namibia have made remarkable achievements in both economic and trade cooperation,which have become the most dynamic and potential components of bilateral relations.

"Australian Companies Remain Committed to the China Market"——Exclusive Interview with David Olsson,President and Chairman of Australia China Business Council

This year marks the10th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Australia,and the development of bilateral relations are getting back on the right track.Recently,David Olsson,President and Chairman of the Australia China Business Council,stated his comments,when accepting an exclusive interview with China's Foreign Trade.

From Historical Landscapes to the Contemporary City: Interview with Professor Tim Bunnell

1.Chong Xu:It is my great honour to have this opportunity to interview you.You were trained as a geographer at the University of Nottingham in the UK.Can you talk to us about why you have chosen urban studies as your main research area?

The Impact of Street Interviews on Chinese EFL Undergraduates’Intercultural Communicative Competence

The study adopts Byram’s Intercultural Communicative Competence(ICC)model as the theoretical framework,and structured interviews were conducted to explore the impact of street interviews on the participants’ICC.Analysis results revealed street interviews help students acquire knowledge in intercultural attitudes,intercultural knowledge,skills of discovery and interaction,and critical cultural awareness,aligning with the four components of Byram’s ICC model.Meanwhile,they have positive perceptions of street interviews.Therefore,street interviews have a positive effect on the development of participants’ICC.

Effect of joints on microwave fracturing of the Bukit Timah granite using an open-ended antenna

Microwave fracturing of rocks before mechanical breakage could improve the performance of mechanical excavators and reduce environmental impacts.Previous research focused on the microwave fracturing of intact rock blocks.By using an open-ended antenna,this paper investigates the effect of pre-existing joints on the microwave fracturing of the Singapore Bukit Timah granite blocks.The results show that the specimens are weakened in the manners of cracking,spalling,melting,or a combination of them.The crack number and the total crack length produced by microwave treatment of jointed rock blocks are slightly smaller than those in the intact rock blocks.The interaction between joints and microwave-induced cracks can be summarized into the following four patterns:(1)microwave-induced cracks become arrested so that the crack propagation is terminated;(2)microwave-induced cracks penetrate the joints and continue to propagate;(3)microwave-induced cracks become deflected along the joints;and(4)microwave-induced cracks propagate forward following the joints.The smaller the approach angle between the microwave-induced crack and the preexisting joint is,the more microwave-induced cracks tend to be arrested at the joint.Increasing the approach angle between the microwave-induced crack and the joint can increase the chance of microwave-induced crack penetrating the joint.The results also show that the smaller the distance is between the microwave radiation point and the joint,the easier it is for microwave-induced cracks to penetrate the joints;otherwise,the microwave-induced crack is more likely to be arrested at the pre-existing joint.

Study on the squeezing effect of open-ended pipe piles

During the installation of a pipe pile,the soil around the pile will be squeezed out. This paper deals with this squeezing effect of open-ended pipe piles using the cylindrical cavity expansion theory. The characteristics of soil with different tension and compression moduli and dilation are involved by applying the elastic theory with different moduli and logarithmic strain. The closed-form solutions of the radius of the plastic region,the displacement of the boundary between the plastic region and the elastic region and the expansion pressure on the external surface of the pipe piles are obtained. When obtaining these solutions,the soil plug in the open-ended pipe pile is considered by employing an incremental filling ratio to quantify the degree of soil plugging. Moreover,the effects of the ratio of tension and compression moduli,angle of dilation and incremental filling ratio on the radius of the plastic region and the expansion pressure on the external surface of the pipe pile are investigated. The parametric analyses show that it is necessary and important to consider the difference between the tension modulus and compression modulus,dilation angle and incremental filling ratio for studying the squeezing effect of open-ended pipe pile installation. It is concluded that the analytical solutions presented in this paper are suitable for studying the squeezing effect of open-ended pipe piles.

Reform and Practice of an Engineering Postgraduate Training Pattern in an Open-Ended Base:Taking Foshan Base as an Example

The flawed engineering practice is considered the main factor that is affecting to the development quality of engineering postgraduates.Taking Foshan Base as an example,this paper has analyzed the operational pattern,practice teaching model,and internal governance system of the open-ended base as a new system for engineering practice and proposed several suggestions for the reformation of engineering postgraduates based on the construction effect.

China’s Investors Demonstrate Confidence in Thailand——Exclusive Interview with Mr.Narit Therdsteerasukdi,Secretary General of BOI

China is a key strategic partner of Thailand and plays a vital role in the Thai economy through investment,trade,and tourism.This year marks a decade since the establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership between the two countries.Recently,Mr.Narit Therdsteerasukdi,Secretary General of BOI,participated in an exclusive interview with China’s Foreign Trade magazine to share his views on bilateral investment and future prospects.

THE JAKARTA-BANDUNG RAILWAY BOOST Exclusive interview with Ayodhia Kalake,Secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investment Affairs of Indonesia

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Indonesia.Over the last 10 years,bilateral relations between the two countries have maintained sound momentum of development,and strategic mutual trust has been continuously enhanced.

China-Laos Railway to Upgrade The Lao Economy Exclusive interview with Chairman of the Lao Chinese Chamber of Commerce Yao Bin

On December 3,2021,the China-Laos Railway,a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI),officially began operation.As of August 16,2023,the cross-border railway had made a total of 20.09 million passenger trips including 17.09 million in the Chinese section and 3 million in the Laos section,which has significantly boosted the port economy,cross-border tourism,and cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and Laos.

RESOLVING BUSINESS DISPUTES AT THE EARLIEST STAGE POSSIBLE Exclusive interview with ICDPASO Secretary-General Liu Chao

Business mediation is an alternative dispute resolution method that helps avoid court litigation.An effective means of settling commercial disputes and protecting interests,business mediation allows companies to have an equal say to achieve win-win results based on flexible rules.In recent years,mediation has played an increasingly important role in handling international commercial disputes and optimizing the global business environment.

NEW HEIGHTS OF IRONCLAD FRIENDSHIP Exclusive interview with Dr.Kung Phoak,Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia

The year 2023 marks the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Cambodia,in honor of which the“Year of China-Cambodia Friendship”was designated.Over the years,the two countries have joined hands to nurture their close bond into an ironclad friendship.Under the China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement(FTA),which took effect in 2022,China and Cambodia have actively promoted practical cooperation in six priority areas including politics,production capacity,agriculture,energy,security,and people-to-people exchanges to build a“diamond hexagon”cooperation framework.In the new era,through a deepening comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation,the two countries are giving construction of a China-Cambodia community with a shared future a fresh new look with fruitful results achieved under the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI).

BRI Opportunities for Overseas Chinese Businesses--An interview with Dr.Derek Goh Bak Heng,President of Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI).Countries along the route have been responding enthusiastically to the BRI since it was proposed by China,and many overseas Chinese people have acted as bridges for cooperation.The Teochew people or Chaoshan people,native to the historical Chaoshan region in south China’s Guangdong Province,represent around 20 percent of the entire Chinese population in Singapore.Established in Singapore in 1929,Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan(TPIHK,meaning Chaoshan eight districts association)has a membership of more than 6,000 Singaporeans who have traced their origins to the eight Chaoshan districts including Chao’an,Jieyang,Chenghai。

UPGRADING THE CAMBODIAN ECONOMY WITH CHINESE ASSISTANCE Exclusive interview with Phana Veunida,director of the Asia Pacific and Oceania Countries Department of the Council for the Development of Cambodia

This year was designated the Year of China-Cambodia Friendship as part of activities to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Cambodia.Over the years,China has firmly supported Cambodia’s development in all areas and the two countries have yielded fruitful achievements in cooperation.Their traditional friendship has stood the test of time.

PROMISING PROSPECTS FOR SUSTAINABLE CHINA-THAILAND COOPERATION Exclusive interview with Thailand’s Ambassador to China Arthayudh Srisamoot

This year marks the 20th anniversary of China’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia(TAC)and the 10th anniversary of China’s proposal of the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI).Over the years,as natural partners in the BRI,China and Thailand have been promoting practical cooperation and deepening friendly relations.China has been Thailand’s largest trading partner,largest export market for agricultural products,and a major source of foreign investment for many years.Since the COVID-19 outbreak,China and Thailand have worked together to meet the challenge while maintaining close cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

SETTLING COMMERCIAL DISPUTES IN BRI COOPERATION Exclusive interview with ICC Belt and Road Commission Chairman Yu Tengqun

Recently,the Belt and Road Commission of the International Chamber of Commerce(ICC)held a conference in Hong Kong entitled“Ten Years of Belt and Road-Noteworthy Experience and Legal Risk Prevention.”Participants shared views through panel discussions on three topics:How Compliance Management Creates Value:Experience of the Belt and Road,Risk Prevention:A Multi-Dimensional Review of the Belt and Road,and Dispute Resolution on“Belt and Road”Disputes:Arbitration and Beyond.

中青年缓解期精神分裂症患者社会疏离体验的质性研究

背景精神分裂症患者在整个生存期常感知到的较为严重的社会歧视,出现自我疏离或者社会性疏离。目前针对中青年缓解期精神分裂症患者社会疏离方面的研究较少。目的描述中青年缓解期精神分裂症患者社会疏离的体验,旨在为缓解该人群社会疏离体验制订支持干预方案提供一定的借鉴和参考。方法采用目的抽样法选取18~59岁,曾在新乡医学院第二附属医院住院且出院后愿意继续接受随访的中青年缓解期精神分裂症患者为研究对象,于2022年5—12月通过对受访者进行面对面半结构式深入访谈,并以内容分析法归纳和提炼主题。结果共纳入18名中青年缓解期精神分裂症患者。通过对访谈资料进行分析,共提炼出3个主题和8个亚主题:中青年缓解期精神分裂症患者社会疏离的表现(包括2个亚主题:负性情感体验、期待与行为之间的退缩);中青年缓解期精神分裂症患者社会疏离的主观原因(包括2个亚主题:自我疏离、自我歧视)、中青年缓解期精神分裂症患者社会疏离的客观原因(包括4个亚主题:社会歧视和被动疏离、药物不良反应的影响、精神疾病引起的生活和照护负担加重、缺乏社会支持)。结论中青年缓解期精神分裂症患者由于生理健康受损、心理状况不良、社会支持不足等存在社会疏离,医护人员应加强对该人群的症状管理和心理疏导,政府及社会各界应积极引导对精神疾病的正向认知并给予一定的社会支持;同时强化家庭内部支持,以帮助其重返和适应社会。

不同首发年龄精神分裂症患者临床特征及影响因素

目的:探讨不同首发年龄精神分裂症患者的临床特征,以及社会人口学影响因素。方法:根据美国精神障碍诊断与统计手册第5版的精神分裂症诊断标准,选取15~70岁患者2016例,由精神科医生采用简明国际神经精神访谈、精神症状维度评定量表(CRDPSS)和阳性与阴性症状量表(PANSS)进行诊断和评估。以18岁和25岁作为精神分裂症早发、中发及晚发的分组界值。采用方差分析、多重相关分析和多重线性回归的方法进行统计分析。结果:早发型患者的PANSS量表总分(73.8±28.0)和CRDPSS量表总分(11.7±5.4)均为最高。女性、受教育程度高、汉族、首发年龄较早、起病形式较慢等特征与PANSS量表和CRDPSS量表总分及其各维度分数正关联(标化回归系数:0.04~0.47),收入水平和吸烟与PANSS量表和CRDPSS量表总分及其各维度分数负关联(标化回归系数:-0.04~-0.14)。结论:早发型精神分裂症患者的症状严重程度更高,女性、受教育水平高、早发病、慢性起病是精神分裂症患者症状严重的危险因素。

LA Skateboarders:An Interview

Monica and Carl are teenagers from Los Angeles in the United States.They both love skateboarding.Read this interview and find out more about their favourite sport.Where can you go skateboarding?Monica:There are skate parks in lots of towns and cities.You can practise jumps and meet other skateboarders.