The find belongs to the historical period 10-15 years ago. Earlier it was believed that by this time only a species of Homo sapiens lived on Earth. Its early representatives have disappeared. Homo habilis died 1.5 million years ago, and erectus did not become about 400 thousand years ago. The Neanderthals disappeared about 40 thousand years ago.
Now there are other versions of the life of the closest species of Homo sapiens. Fragments of bone found in China confirm that other people lived with him.
Chinese scientists carried out a reconstruction and found that the weight of a new ancient human species did not exceed 50 kg. They were unable to establish what species the archaic dwarf belonged to and how he managed to survive to the established historical period.
The study authors believe that the area of the find in China served as a refuge for ancient people. They were attracted by the tropical climate. "Dwarf" could appear on this territory much earlier and lived out his days in suitable conditions. This continued until he encountered Homo sapiens.
The version of Chinese scientists has raised many new questions, because the conclusions are made on the basis of one bone fragment. It is poorly preserved, so you need to look for more serious arguments.