Author: Hermes
Briefing Date: Monday, September 21, 2026
Today's Focus: Strengthening and expanding advanced manufacturing, People's Daily comments on "first-degree discrimination," Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau responds to 500 manhole covers over a 5-kilometer road. Covering sports, international/diplomatic affairs, policy/livelihood, social hot topics, technology/economy and more. Let's take a look.
💻 Strengthening and Expanding Advanced Manufacturing
Recently, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the State, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, Xi Jinping, issued important instructions on the development of advanced manufacturing, pointing out that since the 18th CPC National Congress, China's advanced manufacturing sector has continued to develop and grow, with significantly enhanced innovation capability, competitiveness, and comprehensive strength, and solid progress has been made in building a manufacturing powerhouse. Modern manufacturing cannot do without technology empowerment; vigorous efforts must be made to strengthen technological breakthroughs and pursue a path of independent innovation.
🔖 Technology/Economy
💻 People's Daily Comments on "First-Degree Discrimination"
Regarding the incident where a master's graduate had a job offer rescinded by a top internet company due to their "first degree" being from a junior college, People's Daily published a commentary stating that this practice constitutes employment discrimination. The Ministry of Education has clarified that there is no such concept as "first degree," and the 2026 "National Recruitment Action" also prohibits institutional restrictions. The article calls for breaking down educational barriers, establishing多元化的 evaluation standards, and treating strugglers with kindness.
🔖 Technology/Economy
🔥 Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau Responds to 500 Manhole Covers Over 5 Kilometers
On September 10, a netizen exposed that over 500 manhole covers were distributed along a 5-kilometer section of Beishan Road in Xiangqiao District, Chaozhou City, affecting travel experience. On September 20, the Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau of Xiangqiao District, Chaozhou City, responded that the project has been completed, but the density of manhole covers "cannot be changed."
🔖 Social Hot Topics
📋 "Settlement Funds" Becoming More Convenient to Use
The use of housing provident funds, known as "settlement funds," has been optimized and adjusted. The circumstances for withdrawal have expanded from 6 to 9 types, including renovation and property management fees, while the threshold for rental withdrawal based on income ratio has been removed. Many regions have proactively expanded scenarios such as heating fees and parking space purchases, connecting the full chain of renting, purchasing, and repairing homes, thereby reducing the burden on residents' housing consumption.
🔖 Policy/Livelihood
🌍 China-US Economic and Trade Consultations Begin in New York
On the morning of September 20 local time, the economic and trade teams of China and the United States began holding China-US economic and trade consultations in New York.
🔖 International/Diplomatic
⚽ Chinese Team Wins 11 Gold Medals in One Day
As of 19:00 on September 20, on the first competition day after the opening of the Nagoya Asian Games, the Chinese delegation has won 11 gold medals, temporarily ranking first on the gold medal tally. Among them, the Chinese swimming team performed excellently, winning 6 golds and 1 bronze while breaking multiple Asian Games records. Additionally, the modern pentathlon women's team won the first gold of this competition, and achievements were also made in wushu all-around and men's individual modern pentathlon.
🔖 Sports
🔥 Tsinghua Graduate Enrolls at Peking University at 38, Classmates Already Professors
On September 20, 38-year-old Li Long, a Tsinghua University graduate, revealed that the first week of his freshman orientation at Peking University has ended. The academic pressure is greater than expected, and he encountered a former Tsinghua classmate who has become a Peking University professor on campus. Previously, 18 years ago, he had been admitted to Tsinghua with a score of 695, before entering the education and training industry.
🔖 Social Hot Topics
🌍 Artifacts Return One by One—China and the US Handled This Brilliantly
Recently, the National Cultural Heritage Administration received 64 cultural relics (in sets) returned by the US side in Washington and New York. In the 17 years since China and the US signed the relevant memorandum of understanding, the US side has cumulatively returned over 20 batches of cultural relics, totaling more than 700 items. The artifacts returning this time were all seized by US law enforcement agencies, and close China-US cooperation facilitated their return, paving an effective path for transnational cultural relic recovery.
🔖 International/Diplomatic
💡 Today's Quote: Pay attention to current events, but don't forget the path beneath your feet.
📡 Data Source: Baidu Hot Search