China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said on Thursday that Chinese and Thai police recently worked together to bust a major cross-border credit card fraud ring targeting Chinese citizens, arresting nine suspects.

The operation, jointly carried out by the MPS and Thailand's Royal Thai Police headquarters, resulted in the arrest of four Chinese nationals and five Thai nationals, the ministry said in a statement.

The two sides coordinated the timing of the crackdown and dismantled several criminal sites, leading to the arrest of the suspects, the ministry said.

According to the statement, Chinese police uncovered the transnational criminal ring in 2025 and promptly shared information about the case with their Thai counterparts and sought their assistance.

Investigations found that two of the suspects had conspired, with one allegedly operating a shop in Thailand as a front for illegally obtaining victims' credit card information, while the other allegedly used the stolen data to make counterfeit cards and recruited people to use the cards for fraudulent transactions and launder the illicit proceeds for profit. Authorities have so far identified more than 5 million yuan (about $736,500) in financial losses linked to this case.

The operation marked the first coordinated joint law enforcement action by police from the two countries in recent years targeting economic crime, the ministry said.

It added that the two sides will explore establishing a regular cooperation mechanism to combat cross-border economic crimes, with plans to deepen collaboration in areas including information sharing, exchange of expertise, joint analysis, the pursuit of suspects, and the recovery of illicit proceeds.

A decade ago, Chinese animation was an afterthought, overshadowed by Hollywood and dismissed as mere children's entertainment. Yet homegrown animated features now command nearly half the market, matching any studio for technical ambition and narrative daring, as evidenced by the latest summer release. 

China will continue to impose anti-dumping duties on imports of single-mode optical fiber originating from India for five more years starting August 14, 2026, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

This decision came after a review of the anti-dumping measures that began in August 2025, initiated at the request of China's domestic industry, the ministry said in a statement.

At the Qinzhou Municipal Archives in China's southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is a collection of wartime publications that document the Japanese army's landing at Qinzhou Bay in the 1930s. Printed by the invaders to boast of their military power, these materials now expose Japan's aggression against China, serving as clear evidence of its war crimes.

"Stop people from getting sick in the first place," says Dr. Camillo Ricordi. 

In a conversation with CGTN, Dr. Camillo Ricordi, a leading expert in diabetes research and regenerative medicine, said future medicine should focus on keeping people healthy, not just treating them when they fall sick. AI, he says, is key: it can spot invisible risks years before they become disease.

Dr. Ricordi is a professor of surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, director of its Diabetes Research Institute and head of its Cell Transplant Program. He is one of the world's top scientists in cell transplantation and regenerative medicine.

His vision aligns with the Healthy China 2030 strategy. Dr. Ricordi pointed to China's AI-driven hospital models as a leading example of proactive healthcare, a practice that echoes the global goal of living healthier for longer.

As China's summer movie season gathers pace, one of Beijing's oldest landmarks is offering a different kind of movie experience. Located along Beijing's historic Central Axis, the Drum Tower is welcoming audiences after dark, and transforming the 700-year-old monument into an open-air cinema.

The Ergun River forms part of the border between China and Russia. From the Chinese bank in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia, visitors can look across the river to Russia, while a border river cruise from Shiwei offers a different perspective, allowing them to take in the scenery on both sides from the water.

Departing from a tourist dock, the cruise travels upstream to the China-Russia Friendship Bridge, the first permanent bridge on a China-Russia border river, before turning back. Along the route, passengers can enjoy views of Shiwei on the Chinese side and Olochi on the Russian side of the river.

Since August, a series of immersive folk activities has been taking place at Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province, offering visitors a taste of local culture this summer.

With Tianmen Mountain's dramatic peaks as a backdrop, traditional Tujia customs have been brought to life through live performances. On the 999-step stairway to Tianmen Cave, Tujia women in traditional dress staged a fashion show. They also performed traditional toasting songs and serve Tujia rice wine in bamboo tubes, offering visitors firsthand experience of Tujia hospitality.

At Tianmen Cave Square, lion dances, bamboo pole dances and Tujia martial arts performances have kept the crowds entertained. Visitors are also invited to join in, adding to the lively atmosphere.

Since July, Tianmen Mountain has welcomed 97,000 international visitors, marking a year-on-year increase of 54%. To manage the summer crowds, the scenic area has added multilingual signage, volunteer service points, timed entry and shaded rest areas.

A few photographs can preserve a history that some people would rather forget. On August 15, 1945, Japan announced its unconditional surrender. Eight decades later, the Chinese film Dead to Rights, released in 2025, is bringing renewed attention to a collection of wartime images and the people who risked their lives to preserve them.

Set in 1937, shortly after Japanese forces captured Nanjing, the film follows the staff of a local photo studio who discover photographs documenting crimes committed by Japanese soldiers in Nanjing during World War II. Facing danger, they make a difficult choice: to protect the images and ensure the evidence survives.

The photographs at the center of the film are more than personal records; they serve as historical evidence preserved under extraordinary circumstances. Through the story of a small photo studio, the movie focuses on the choices made by ordinary people during wartime and their efforts to protect the truth.

Since its release in 2025, Dead to Rights has drawn significant attention among Chinese audiences. Viewers have praised the film for its unique perspective and its focus on civilians rather than only major historical events. The movie has also sparked discussion about how films can help the younger generations understand the past.

As economic ties continue to deepen, Chinese companies are expanding their presence in ASEAN countries beyond exports, moving into investment, local production, technological cooperation and regional operations.

China and ASEAN have been each other's largest trading partners for several consecutive years. In the first half of 2026, bilateral trade reached 4.34 trillion yuan (about $643.44 billion), an increase of 18.2% year on year.

However, ASEAN is far from a homogeneous market, with member states differing in development priorities, industrial strengths and policy approaches. For Chinese companies expanding across the region, the key question is how to navigate these differences and turn them into opportunities for more effective regional cooperation.

In a recent interview with Bridging News, Kat W. Wong, executive director at the Center for Advanced Studies and Research Malaysia, proposed the concept of "ASEAN Synergy." She said ASEAN countries share many similarities, but each has its own priorities. If they compete for the same industries, investments and projects, competition within the region is inevitable.

A more effective approach, she said, is to identify complementary roles across countries. Two or three countries, for example, could collaborate in the same industry, each contributing to different parts of the value chain and sharing resources and processes.

Cross-border energy cooperation offers one example. Laos provides electricity, Thailand and Malaysia connect regional power grids, and Singapore provides market demand. Each country plays a different role based on its own strengths. In January 2026, power authorities from Laos, Thailand and Malaysia signed a second-phase transmission agreement to further advance the four-country power trading arrangement.

For Chinese companies, investing in one ASEAN country does not have to mean operating in a single market. It can also provide access to resources, production and markets across the region, allowing companies to participate more deeply in ASEAN value chains.

Malaysia offers a case in point. Huang said the country's multilingual, multiethnic society and open market are among its key attractions for international investors. But Malaysia is looking for more than capital and projects. Foreign investment, she said, should also bring technology, expertise and spillover benefits to local industries.

The numbers underline the importance of foreign investment. In 2025, Malaysia approved 207.1 billion Malaysian ringgits ($50.65 billion) in foreign investment, accounting for 48.5% of total investment. China was the country's second-largest source of foreign investment.

The partnership between China's Geely and Malaysian automaker Proton shows how foreign investment can support the local economy. Since Geely acquired a stake in Proton, the companies have cooperated on vehicle and technology development, intellectual property, local parts production and supplier participation. The partnership raised local content in some Proton models to 82%, Malaysian Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani told local media outlet The Star.

Huang said China's advances in areas such as artificial intelligence could also benefit Malaysia. AI is already being used in demand forecasting, production planning, order management and logistics, helping businesses improve efficiency. But she stressed that cooperation should go beyond technology transfer. Malaysia ultimately needs to build its own technological and innovation capabilities.

She sees further opportunities for China and Malaysia to cooperate in AI, local innovation and talent development. Technical and vocational education and training, or TVET, could play an important role by promoting knowledge exchange, skills training and greater participation of local talent in industrial development.

This shift from market entry to joint technology and capacity building is gaining momentum in China-Malaysia cooperation, and China's southwestern Chongqing Municipality can offer a vivid example.

Chongqing-based Zonsen, a major Chinese industrial manufacturing company, has strengthened market and industrial cooperation with Malaysian partners, while the Harbin Institute of Technology's Chongqing Research Institute has worked with Malaysian universities in areas including AI and intelligent manufacturing.

Huang said Chongqing has strong capabilities in efficient, large-scale manufacturing, while Malaysia seeks to add more value to products and services and is well positioned to connect with markets across Southeast Asia. Their complementarity therefore goes beyond a simple model of "made in Chongqing, sold in Malaysia." It could extend across manufacturing, technology, talent, services and regional markets.

(Report by Huxin Luo, Junxiang Zeng, Yuan Dai, Sang Jian)

China's air and water quality continued to improve in the first seven months of 2026, as the country strengthened efforts to curb air pollution and protect water resources, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment said on Thursday.

The average density of PM2.5, a key indicator measuring air pollution, dropped by 1.8 micrograms per cubic meter in the first seven months of the year compared with the same period last year, a decrease of 6.2%, Huang Runqiu, China's ecology and environment minister, said at a press conference.

In the same period, the proportion of days with good air quality rose by 3.9 percentage points year on year.

The ministry also revealed that during this period, 86.5% of the surface-water sections and sites monitored by the country were graded Class I to III, indicating good quality, up 2.4 percentage points from the same period last year.

China classifies surface water quality into five grades, with Class I being the best quality.

August 12 marks World Elephant Day, a day to raise awareness about the protection of these endangered animals. In southwest China's Yunnan Province, the population of wild Asian elephants has grown significantly in recent decades, from around 150 in the 1980s to nearly 400 today. What’s behind this growth?

As deserts nurture new hope, mountain forests carry forward age-old wisdom, and oceans pave the way for a circular future. Across China, an exploration centered on humanity and nature is unfolding. Stretching across wastelands, woodlands and coasts, China is writing a brand-new chapter of coexistence between people and nature. Symbiosis brings you true stories of green development in China. Witness how ecological conservation generates value, as humans and nature move hand-in-hand toward tomorrow. Coexistence is not merely a choice, but a way of life for the future. Symbiosis premieres on CGTN on August 14.

As the saying goes, "When a nation is strong, the frontier is secure. When a nation is weak, the frontier is vulnerable."

This episode of "Potala Palace" frames Xizang's modern history in the broader international context of the late 19th century to the first half of the 20th century, during which imperial powers expanded into East Asia, the Qing Dynasty declined, and British and Russian influence extended into Xizang.

Through resilience and sacrifice, the people of Xizang showed that the destiny of the snowy plateau has always been closely bound to that of the Chinese nation.

China's green transition is gaining momentum as renewable energy expands and ecological resources are finding new pathways to create economic value. The implementation of the Ecological and Environmental Code on August 15 is set to provide stronger legal support for this ongoing transformation.

Across the country, renewable energy is reshaping both the energy mix and industrial landscape. 

In north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, rich wind and solar resources are supporting the construction of large-scale renewable energy bases, while driving the development of equipment manufacturing and related industries. 

By the end of 2025, China's installed capacity of wind and solar power had reached 1.84 billion kilowatts, according to the National Energy Administration.

The green transition is also creating new opportunities for rural and regional development. 

China is exploring ways to turn the ecological value of forests, wetlands and other natural resources into sustainable economic benefits. 

In January 2026, a national standard for assessing the economic value of terrestrial ecosystems was introduced, providing a unified framework for measuring such value.

From clean energy production to the sustainable use of natural resources, green industries are becoming an increasingly important link between ecological conservation and economic development. 

Tiny yet precious, saffron, also known as Zanghonghua, has long been treasured in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for helping the body relieve stagnation and regain its natural rhythm.

In TCM, saffron is traditionally used to activate blood circulation, dispel blood stasis and calm the mind. It is often chosen when discomfort is linked to "stagnation," whether that means lingering bruises, amenorrhea or emotional distress.

The flower behind the remedy

The medicinal saffron is the crimson stigmas from Crocus sativus L., a member of the iris family.

Each flower produces only three stigmas, and every one must be picked by hand during a brief flowering season before being carefully dried. This labor-intensive harvest is one reason saffron has long been regarded as one of the world's most valuable botanical products. 

A note for use

Like many herbs that promote blood circulation, saffron is not suitable for everyone. According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, it should be used with caution during pregnancy. People who have recently undergone surgery or have active bleeding should consult a qualified healthcare professional before use. As with all herbal medicines, saffron is best used under the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional, who can determine whether it is appropriate for an individual's condition.

Executive producer: Zhang Jingwen

Producer: Yang Sha

Editor: Chen Hongyu

Comic: He Yunhe

Cover: Liang Qian

 

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The Chinese and Indonesian navies have completed a naval navigation exercise in waters east of China's Taiwan Island on Wednesday, according to Chinese military authorities.

The exercise involved the Chinese naval vessel Honghe and Indonesian Navy frigate KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai, a military statement said.

During the exercise, the two warships formed a naval formation and conducted practical drills covering maritime communications, formation maneuvers and underway replenishment.

Following a prearranged exercise plan, the two sides maneuvered flexibly, coordinated closely and successfully fulfilled all scheduled objectives, the statement said.

It added the exercise demonstrated the two navies' willingness and capability to conduct practical cooperation and jointly contribute to regional peace and stability.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Wednesday urged relevant countries to stop abusing multilateral arms control mechanisms.

According to reports, during the Conference on Disarmament held on Tuesday, the US and relevant countries made a joint statement alleging that recent missile testing activity in the Pacific area did not follow the "standard practices" to provide advance notice, which increases the risk of miscalculation and undermines stability in the region, and that relevant countries should implement the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation. It is believed that the joint statement is directed at China's test fire of a submarine-launched ballistic missile in July.

When asked to comment, spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the so-called joint statement by the US and relevant countries at the conference, which brandished the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation and alluded to China's missile test launch, was driven solely by political motives and fully reveals their hypocrisy and double standards.

China urges relevant countries to create conditions necessary for enhancing dialogue and exchanges in the area of arms control, said Guo.

In 1972, then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai presented White Rabbit milk candies as a state gift to visiting US President Richard Nixon. More than half a century later, the Shanghai sweet is making another journey abroad – this time through its wrapper.

Earlier this month, an X user posted two photographs. One featured a White Rabbit candy in its familiar red, blue and white wrapper; the other showed the paper unfolded and laid flat.

"This absolute masterstroke of graphic design..." wrote the user.

Within days, the post had drawn about 6 million views and 265,000 likes. The replies were soon filled with images of White Rabbit tattoos, T-shirts, phone cases and wrappers preserved in notebooks.

The two moments tell different stories about how Chinese culture travels. Once presented as a diplomatic gift, White Rabbit is now being discovered, shared and remade by ordinary people.

A design rediscovered

For many Chinese, the overseas excitement came as a surprise. What was being celebrated as a design discovery was simply the wrapper of a childhood sweet – once flattened inside schoolbooks and kept for its faint milky scent, or discarded after the candy was eaten.

Now, this object so deeply embedded in Chinese people's cultural consciousness has entered another sphere, where people are admiring it, collecting it, and making it their own. What a heartening development!

White Rabbit adopted its current name and rabbit design in 1959, replacing an earlier Mickey Mouse design used by a Shanghai candy factory. Its wrapper received a national packaging award in 1983 and remains in use ever since.

Unfolded, it has the coherence of a miniature poster. At the center, a white rabbit sits against a red background. Rows of smaller blue-and-white rabbits run along either side while Chinese characters share the space with English lettering.

Zhang Di, a professor at Renmin University of China who studies cross-cultural content diffusion, told The Straits Times that the design's visual language requires no specific cultural knowledge for interpretation and is aesthetically accessible across cultures. Viewers can be drawn in before they know its history.

The history gives the image another layer. In China, White Rabbit evokes an era when sweets were scarce, and it was a special treat during family gatherings and festivals, its milky flavor and chewy texture a delight for young children. By contrast, today's young overseas consumers often encounter it in a different context. To them, it looks fresh precisely because its classic design has endured: a piece of commercial art untouched by the polished uniformity of much contemporary packaging.

Its handmade quality may also hold new appeal. At a time when AI can produce a polished picture in seconds, the hand-drawn rabbit and old-fashioned lettering bear the imprint of a particular designer and era. Wu Weihua, a professor at the Communication University of China, has argued that vintage designs with cultural depth can resonate in an age increasingly filled with AI-generated content.

Yet enduring design alone cannot explain why a wrapper overlooked for decades has suddenly captured so much attention.

Why now?

The rediscovery comes amid growing overseas curiosity about China. Social media users in the West have recently embraced "Chinamaxxing," adopting habits such as drinking hot water and wearing house slippers. Chinese apps, games, food brands and toys have also become more visible abroad.

As Chinese products become more familiar overseas, consumers may begin to look beyond their practical uses. Curiosity about an object can prompt questions about its design, history and origins.

Algorithms accelerate that process. Zhang said recommendation systems have carried content from Chinese diaspora communities to wider audiences, turning a wrapper associated with one community's memories into an image seen on millions of screens.

The result is a broader picture of Chinese culture abroad. Alongside ancient monuments, martial arts and cuisine, ordinary objects are entering the conversation. Reproduced on clothes, phone cases and even skin, the White Rabbit wrapper has shed its original function and become a visual symbol in its own right.

A quiet influence

Formal cultural promotion usually begins by explaining why something matters. Online discovery often works in reverse. Someone first notices the rabbit, saves the photograph or buys the candy. Questions about its origin come later. The encounter feels like a discovery rather than a lesson.

White Rabbit has pursued collaborations and launched new products over the years, yet the element attracting attention today is the very part it chose not to replace. Shi Anbin, a professor at Tsinghua University who studies China's cultural influence, sees the design's longevity as evidence that original Chinese designs can cross generational and cultural boundaries.

Its appeal suggests that going global does not always require a brand to hide where it came from. The wrapper that caught the world's attention was not redesigned for an international audience. It was the same wrapper that generations of Chinese children had peeled from their candy.

This brings the story back to the two photographs. In the first, the wrapper still held the sweet. In the second, it's been unfolded for a closer look.

The sweet would soon disappear. The image has already begun another journey.

At the Seventy‑Two Wonder Tower scenic area in Zhangjiajie, you can often spot a young girl chatting with foreign visitors. Eight‑year‑old Li Anqi is a native of Zhangjiajie. She enjoys acting as an English guide, introducing foreign tourists to Tianmen Mountain, the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, as well as traditional Chinese culture. To her, this is a wonderful chance to share the voice of her hometown.

Located in northwest Hunan Province of central China, Zhangjiajie is famed for its distinctive quartz-sandstone pillars, mist-wrapped peaks, and deep ravines that inspired the floating "Hallelujah Mountains" in the blockbuster Avatar.

In the first half of 2026, Zhangjiajie welcomed 699,200 inbound tourists, generating $79.41 million in foreign exchange revenue. With its warm and welcoming hospitality, the city is attracting more and more international visitors.

China's car exports topped 1 million units in July for the second month running, and new energy vehicles (NEVs) are driving the boom.

NEVs made up more than half of exports for two months in a row, with 553,000 cars shipped overseas, up 145.5% on last year.

Total exports hit 1.043 million, up 81.3% year on year, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

China's auto industry broke the 1 million-unit barrier in June, and held it in July, after shipping over 900,000 in April and May.

That is no accident. China's full industrial chain, from lithium processing and battery manufacturing to electric motor controls and final assembly, gives the country a cost and capacity edge few can match, a CAAM official said.

Smart features like driver-assistance systems and AI-powered cockpits are helping win overseas buyers, the official added.

"Exports are becoming a key stabilizer and core growth engine," said Chen Shihua, deputy secretary-general of CAAM.

Former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji died of illness at the age of 98 in Beijing at 11:06 a.m. on Wednesday.

Zhu had served as a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 14th and 15th Central Committees of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

An obituary, jointly issued by the CPC Central Committee, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, extolled Zhu as an excellent Party member, a time-tested and loyal communist fighter, and an outstanding proletarian revolutionist, statesman and leader of the Party and the state.

Zhu was born in October 1928 in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province. He studied in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Tsinghua University from 1947 to 1951. He joined the CPC in October 1949.

From 1951 to 1983, Zhu worked at various places and held a series of posts related to economic affairs in regional and central government departments and institutions. He served as deputy director of the now-defunct State Economic Commission from 1983 to 1987.

Between 1987 and 1991, he served successively as deputy secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee, mayor of Shanghai, and secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee.

In Shanghai, he urged the municipality to readjust its industrial structure, cultivate new development strengths, enhance its international competitiveness, and pursue an export-oriented development path.

In 1991, Zhu was appointed vice premier of the State Council.

In October 1992, Zhu was elected a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and its standing committee, and took charge of the State Council's day-to-day work.

In June 1993, he concurrently served as the governor of the People's Bank of China.

He actively championed the implementation of the principles outlined in Deng Xiaoping's remarks during Deng's 1992 southern China tour and worked hard to promote reform and opening up as well as China's modernization drive.

He organized campaigns to resolve the problem of debt chains known as the "triangular debts."

Also, he studied and developed approaches and measures to strengthen and improve macroeconomic regulation, making significant and effective contributions to curbing an overheated economy, reining in inflation and achieving an economic "soft landing."

He pushed forward efforts to rectify and restore order in the fiscal and taxation sectors, accelerated fiscal and tax reforms and helped improve China's financial regulation system.

In September 1997, Zhu was re-elected a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and its standing committee.

In March 1998, Zhu was appointed premier of the State Council. Facing the impact of the Asian financial crisis and the catastrophic flooding in China, he implemented the plans of the Party Central Committee to shift from a moderately tight fiscal and monetary policy to a proactive fiscal policy and a prudent monetary policy, expand domestic demand and deepen reforms in key areas, thereby sustaining steady and rapid economic growth.

He introduced a series of policies and measures to broaden opening up and encourage exports, while firmly preventing the devaluation of the renminbi. He also took measures to actively attract foreign investment and better utilize both domestic and international markets and resources, and firmly safeguarded the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong as an international financial center.

Zhu worked to establish the basic living security system for laid-off workers from state-owned enterprises, the unemployment insurance system, and the minimum living guarantee system for urban residents. He also made great efforts to address issues such as wage arrears and the re-employment of laid-off workers.

During Zhu's tenure as vice premier and premier of the State Council, China was in a critical period of transitioning from a planned economy to a socialist market economy.

Under the firm leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Jiang Zemin at the core, Zhu spearheaded reform of the fiscal and taxation systems, carrying out a major overhaul of the tax regime centered on fairer tax burdens and a simplified tax system. He introduced a tax sharing system based on a rational division of fiscal responsibilities between the central and local governments, and launched pilot reforms of taxes and fees in rural areas. He actively promoted the reform of the financial system, further regulated the functions of the central bank, deepened reforms of commercial banks, the foreign exchange system, and the securities and futures markets, and promoted the establishment of a nationally unified and open financial market system with orderly competition and strict regulation.

Zhu took the reform of state-owned enterprises as the central link of economic structural reform. He stressed that every effort must be made to promote the re-employment of laid-off workers and strengthen the social security system.

He advanced housing reform, gradually replacing the allocation of housing to employees with monetary housing benefits. He helped establish and improve a multi-level urban housing supply system with economically affordable housing as the main component.

He also promoted the establishment of the basic framework for a socialist market economy, oversaw the completion of the arduous negotiations for China's accession to the World Trade Organization, and advanced the country's opening up in both scope and depth.

Zhu had deep affection for the people. He emphasized that government officials must always bear in mind that they are public servants and should have the courage to speak the truth, not fear giving offense, and refrain from seeking special privileges, the obituary said.

He stressed the need to take the initiative, with a strong sense of responsibility, to shoulder heavy burdens, take on tough problems and go all out to deliver real results for the people, it added.

In March 2003, Zhu no longer served as premier of the State Council.

After retiring from leadership posts, he steadfastly upheld and supported the CPC Central Committee with Hu Jintao as general secretary, and then the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at its core. He continued to care about the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics and firmly supported efforts to improve conduct, promote integrity and fight corruption.

Zhu's life was a revolutionary, fighting and glorious one. His death is a great loss to the Party and the state, the obituary said.

Eternal glory to Zhu, it added.

China's homegrown C919 large passenger aircraft landed safely at the new Ulaanbaatar airport in Mongolia on Wednesday afternoon after departing from Beijing Capital International Airport, marking the completion of the aircraft's first scheduled international commercial passenger flight.

A grand water salute ceremony was held at the airport. Passengers gradually disembarked from the aircraft, watched a unique ethnic dance performance, and were greeted by a procession of attendants dressed in traditional Mongolian attire.

This is the first international route opened for the C919 since the aircraft entered commercial operation, marking the official transition of China's domestically developed mainline passenger jet into a new era of regular international operations.

According to available information, the international route is operated under flight numbers CA723/CA724, with daily scheduled flights connecting Beijing and Ulaanbaatar.

As China's first domestically developed large passenger jet for civilian use, the C919 has been successfully operated on multiple domestic routes since entering commercial service. It has gained widespread market recognition due to its reliable flight performance, comfortable cabin experience and high safety standards.

The operation of this flight on the China-Mongolia international route demonstrates that the C919 has successfully passed the verification of bilateral international civil aviation operating standards, thereby officially acquiring the qualification for regular international commercial passenger operations.

In the forests of northeast China, the Siberian tiger is coming back, from 27 in 2017 to 72 today, while Amur leopards number 115 from 42. 

Other wildlife populations are also making a comeback – Asian elephants, snow leopards and Yangtze finless porpoises –  in 87.1% of the country's nature reserves. 

The numbers come as China marks its fourth National Ecology Day on August 15, when the country's first Ecological and Environmental Code takes effect. 

The new code provides a legal framework for protecting habitats and rare species.

Nature reserves are becoming safer for wildlife. Of 452 national-level nature reserves assessed during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), 236 were rated "excellent" and 211 "good."

Habitat restoration means improving forest health and opening wildlife corridors, with an integrated monitoring system using cameras and sensors tracking wildlife.

Plants tell a similar story. The critically endangered Baishanzu fir, once represented by just three trees in the wild, now numbers more than 4,000.

Spicer's slipper orchid numbers over 200 plants, while more than 300 endangered species, including cycads and orchids, have been returned to the wild.

A nationwide survey in January recorded 6.324 million wintering waterbirds of 167 species – the highest total since monitoring began. More than 81% were found in protected areas.

Baer's pochard has doubled from 1,000 in 2012 to 2,555, while green peafowl have surpassed 1,000.

China is reviving habitats and bringing species back from the brink with five national parks at the heart of a network of more than 120 protected areas. 

The new Ecological and Environmental Code consolidates these efforts and gives them legal weight.

For more:

A greener path: How technology is reshaping China's path toward greener development

China has preliminarily determined that imports of pecans, or Carya illinoensis, originating from the United States and Mexico are being dumped and will impose interim anti-dumping measures, the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Monday.

In a statement on its website, MOFCOM said such dumping practices by the two exporting countries have caused material injury to China's domestic industry, with a direct causal relationship existing between the dumped imports and the sustained industrial damage.

The ministry said it has decided to adopt interim anti-dumping measures in the form of security deposits, effective from August 11, 2026.

The preliminary ruling comes after MOFCOM launched the investigation on September 25, 2025.

A spokesperson for the ministry said on Monday in a separate statement that it followed China's anti-dumping laws and World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, and adhered to principles of fairness, impartiality, openness and transparency throughout the probe.

The ministry has ruled dumping margins for Mexican companies range from 17.8% to 51.6%. With no US companies participating in the probe, the ministry set a dumping margin of 54.3% for all American firms in accordance with Chinese laws and WTO rules.

China exercises prudence and restraint in the use of trade remedy measures and remains committed to fair and free trade, the spokesperson said.

China will continue the investigation in accordance with the law, fully safeguard the rights of all interested parties, and issue an objective and fair final ruling based on the investigation results, the spokesperson added.

(With input from Xinhua)

August marks the annual Liangshan Torch Festival, one of the most spectacular cultural celebrations of the Yi people, in China's southwestern Sichuan Province. Thousands gather to light the flames, share traditions, and celebrate a night filled with joy and hope. Our reporter takes you on an immersive journey to experience the unforgettable atmosphere of this ancient festival.

Several Chinese listed companies have reported receiving US tariff refunds and interest since early July, as the United States moves to return duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

Guizhou Tyre Co., Ltd. said on August 7 that its overseas wholly owned subsidiary had received a total of $11.98 million in tariff refunds and interest from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

On July 8, Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. said it had received a total of $14.23 million in tariff refunds, which were expected to affect its 2026 net profit by about 96.87 million yuan based on the yuan's central parity rate that day. On the same day, Hitevision Co., Ltd. said its subsidiary had received $4.07 million in tariff refunds.

Canature Health Technology Group Co., Ltd. said on July 13 that it had received $4.55 million in tariff refunds, including interest.

On July 28, WINBO-Dongjian Automotive Technology Co., Ltd. said it and its wholly owned subsidiary had received $3.39 million in tariff refunds and interest.

Greenworks (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. and Newtechwood Corporation have also said they had received partial tariff refunds, without disclosing the amounts. Shenzhen Hello Tech Energy Co., Ltd., Hansong (Nanjing) Technology Limited, and Zhejiang Dingli Machinery Co., Ltd. said they had submitted refund applications or started the relevant procedures.

The refunds come as the US Supreme Court ruled on February 20 that President Donald Trump's tariff policies under the IEEPA are unconstitutional. The unilateral tariff measures have drawn opposition both at home and abroad, with concerns that they violate international trade rules and undermine the global trading order.

By the end of July, the Trump administration had returned around $100 billion of tariffs to US importers, a court document stated. The CBP was projected to hand out up to $175 billion of IEEPA tariffs in total, according to an earlier estimate issued by Penn Wharton Budget Model at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Typhoon Dolphin has weakened after making landfall twice in east China's Zhejiang Province on August 9. However, heavy rain and strong winds continue to affect many parts of eastern and central China.

Heavy rain has increased the risk of floods, flash floods and landslides. Zhejiang, Anhui and Henan provinces are among the areas at high risk.

According to National Meteorological Center, the remnants may move north and meet cold air. Terrain in northern China could also increase rainfall. Heavy rain may affect Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei and Shandong from August 12 to 13.

Several districts in Beijing have issued red alerts for torrential rain. Some areas may receive more than 200 mm of rain in 24 hours. Mountain areas face a high risk of flash floods and landslides.

Authorities have also warned of a "wind-rain-tide" risk along the coast. Strong winds, heavy rain and high tides could occur at the same time. This could worsen flooding and seawater intrusion.

China has stepped up its emergency response. The National Commission for Disaster Reduction and the Ministry of Emergency Management activated a Level-IV national disaster relief emergency response for Zhejiang on Monday.

The public have been advised to stay away from beaches, seawalls and other dangerous areas. They also called on residents to follow official instructions and take safety precautions.

A Chinese maritime court has successfully mediated a dispute that had arisen from a collision between two foreign vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) said on Monday.

The case, involving claims reaching 180 million yuan (about $26.5 million), was handled by the Guangzhou Maritime Court (GMC) in south China's Guangdong Province under the guidance of the SPC. It involved the Antigua-and-Barbuda-flagged "Adalynn" and the Liberia-flagged "Front Eagle," both owned and operated by foreign enterprises, according to an SPC statement.

The two ships collided in June 2025, in waters near the Strait of Hormuz. While "Front Eagle" was undergoing repairs in Guangdong's Shenzhen, the owner of "Adalynn" applied to the GMC for an order to arrest the vessel.

Both foreign parties agreed to have the GMC hear the case and selected Chinese law as the governing law for resolving the substantive issues in dispute.

The GMC organized four pretrial meetings between October 2025 and July 2026 and held a public hearing on July 14, 2026, the statement said, adding that it also introduced maritime technical investigators to help ascertain facts regarding the collision, as no official authority had conducted an investigation into the accident and no official conclusions were available.

Through the fact-finding process, the court reconstructed the course of the collision, which helped clearly determine the parties' respective liabilities, according to Wu Guining, the presiding judge of the case.

"In this case, we introduced an innovative mechanism of maritime technical investigators. This helps us overcome the technical difficulties of accidental ship collision cases," Wu told CGTN Frontline. "Through technical investigation, we can quickly establish the facts."

Wu said the case "fully demonstrates China's professional capacity in trying major, complex and difficult cross-border cases."

Through the court's mediation, the relevant parties reached a settlement, and the court organized the liability fund distribution in late July.

Bilov Viacheslav, representative of the shipowner of the "Adalynn," said the company decided to submit the dispute to a Chinese court because of their trust in the impartiality and fairness of the country's legal and judicial systems, a choice that was ultimately proven right.

"The main reason why we decided to sue with Chinese law and jurisdiction is because we wanted an absolutely fair, unprejudiced and unbiased approach," Viacheslav told CGTN Frontline.

He also said that he was impressed by the efficiency of the Chinese court and the professionalism of Chinese maritime experts.

"It would be five out of five," he said of the court's "excellent performance."

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover: File photo of ships in the Strait of Hormuz as seen from Khasab, Musandam Governorate, Oman, June 2025. /VCG)

Editor's note: Li Changlin is a professor at the Human Rights Research Institute in the Southwest University of Political Science and Law. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Article 63 of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress, a fundamental law governing ethnic affairs in China, stipulates that overseas organizations and individuals that undermine China's ethnic unity or engage in acts of ethnic separatism against China shall be held legally accountable in accordance with the law.

Some foreign media have labeled this provision an exercise of "long-arm jurisdiction" or "extraterritorial jurisdiction." Such a characterization confuses two fundamentally different concepts. Protective jurisdiction is a recognized means by which sovereign states safeguard their legitimate interests, whereas the abuse of long-arm jurisdiction by certain countries has become an instrument of unilateralism and hegemonic power.

Protective jurisdiction: A legitimate exercise of sovereignty

Protective jurisdiction refers to a state's authority to apply its laws to acts committed outside its territory that infringe upon the interests of the state, its organizations or its citizens.

This principle is by no means unique to China. It has its roots in two distinct legal traditions: the 19th-century German theory of "state protection," which focused on safeguarding national interests, and the "passive personality principle" reflected in the practice of medieval Italian consular courts, which focused on protecting citizens' interests.

The 1927 Lotus case before the Permanent Court of International Justice affirmed that international law does not, in principle, prohibit a state from exercising jurisdiction outside its territory.

Subsequently, protective jurisdiction has long been recognized in international law and incorporated into the domestic laws of many countries. A number of international treaties and conventions, including those concerning offenses committed on board aircraft, hostage-taking, torture and corruption, recognize forms of protective jurisdiction.

In practice, however, protective jurisdiction does not authorize a state to enforce its laws unilaterally on foreign soil. If an alleged offender does not enter the jurisdiction of the state concerned and the state where the offender is located does not cooperate in extradition, that state cannot unilaterally enforce its laws in the other country's territory, consistent with the principles of non-interference in the internal affairs of other states and the prohibition against law enforcement on foreign territory.

Long-arm jurisdiction: When extraterritorial reach becomes coercive

The modern development of long-arm jurisdiction in the United States was closely associated with the expansion of personal jurisdiction. In the 1945 International Shoe Co. v. Washington ruling, the US Supreme Court established the "minimum contacts" standard, allowing courts to exercise jurisdiction over out-of-state defendants with sufficient connections to the forum state.

Over subsequent decades, the concept was increasingly extended beyond US borders. Through laws such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the USA PATRIOT Act, US authorities have asserted jurisdiction over foreign companies and individuals based on various connections with the United States, including financial transactions, communications infrastructure or business operations.

The United States has also used export controls, financial sanctions and compelled extraterritorial discovery, including demands for information held overseas, to exercise long-arm jurisdiction.

Long-arm jurisdiction is fundamentally different from protective jurisdiction. By bypassing established channels of international judicial assistance and asserting the primacy of domestic law over the jurisdiction of other sovereign states, such practices can undermine their judicial sovereignty and independence and disrupt the international legal order.

Such practices are manifestations of unilateralism and, when used to suppress competitors and preserve a dominant position, of hegemonism.

Respecting sovereignty

China's modern history has made the importance of sovereignty particularly profound. After experiencing foreign intervention and the erosion of national sovereignty in the 19th and early 20th centuries, China has consistently emphasized independence, sovereignty and non-interference in international relations.

The inclusion of protective jurisdiction in the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress reflects China's firm commitment to safeguarding national sovereignty and ethnic unity, and its legal basis and legitimacy are well founded and beyond question.

By falsely labeling the protective jurisdiction provision of the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress as "long-arm jurisdiction," some foreign media outlets are, ironically, helping to legitimize the very double standards they claim to oppose.

Foreign media have a responsibility to distinguish between legitimate exercises of sovereign jurisdiction and coercive extraterritorial practices. Rather than reproducing politically charged labels, they should examine the relevant legal principles objectively and respect the sovereignty and judicial independence of states.

Respect for sovereignty, rejection of hegemonic practices and adherence to international law should be the common foundation of a fairer international order.

The Hulunbuir Grasslands in Inner Mongolia are more than endless stretches of green. Patches of wildflowers quietly bloom among the grass, adding touches of color and a gentle charm to the vast landscape.

China's 2026 summer box office has topped 8.5 billion yuan ($1.26 billion), with daily earnings exceeding 100 million yuan for 30 consecutive days, according to Maoyan, an online ticketing platform.

Three films have emerged as the biggest draws so far. Kung Fu Soccer leads the chart with about 2.2 billion yuan, followed by the animated film All Wishes Come True and Hollywood blockbuster Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Together, the three films have brought in nearly 60 percent of the summer season's total box office.

But the summer lineup is far from settled. More films are joining the competition, including Once Upon a Time in the Middle East, which combines an anti-war story with food and everyday life, as well as the romantic fantasy To Your Island and the action-adventure film The Odyssey.

For moviegoers, the cost of a trip to the cinema has also fallen. The average ticket price nationwide is now 39.6 yuan, 4.3 yuan lower than a year earlier. The government has also launched a year-long campaign to support the film industry, with at least 1.2 billion yuan in subsidies planned to make movie tickets more affordable.

Unitree Robotics, one of China's leading robotics companies, officially launched the subscription process for its listing on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's sci-tech innovation board on Monday.

The company set its offering price at 150.80 yuan (about $22.35) per share, giving it an estimated market capitalization of around 60.99 billion yuan. The initial public offering (IPO) is expected to raise 6.1 billion yuan.

If successfully completed, Unitree will become the first A-share-listed company focused on humanoid robot manufacturing, marking a major milestone for China's rapidly expanding robotics industry.

Who is Unitree?

Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Hangzhou, Unitree Robotics specializes in the research, development, manufacturing and sales of high-performance humanoid robots, quadruped robots, robotic components and embodied intelligence models.

Unitree shipped more than 5,500 humanoid robots in 2025, accounting for about 32.4% of the global humanoid robot market and ranking first worldwide. Between 2023 and 2025, the company sold more than 33,000 quadruped robots, placing it among the global leaders in the sector.

The company first gained international recognition through its relatively affordable robot dogs. In recent years, its humanoid robots, including the G1, H1 and R1 models, have attracted global attention through demonstrations featuring running, dancing and martial arts. Unitree competes with international players such as Tesla and Boston Dynamics, as well as a growing number of Chinese robotics startups seeking to develop machines capable of working in factories, commercial environments and, eventually, homes.

Why has Unitree gained widespread attention?

Unlike many humanoid startups that are still operating at a loss, Unitree has achieved large-scale commercial growth and profitability.

The prospectus shows that from 2023 to 2025, the company's revenue increased from 159 million yuan to 1.699 billion yuan, representing a compound annual growth rate of 226.78%. During the same period, adjusted net profit attributable to shareholders rose from a loss of 18 million yuan in 2023 to 591 million yuan in 2025. Its gross profit margin for core businesses also improved significantly, rising from 44.22% to 60.13%.

Its overseas revenue accounted for more than 40% of sales during each of the reporting periods disclosed in its prospectus, highlighting strong global demand for its robotic products.

Industry observers believe Unitree's listing could become an important valuation reference for the humanoid robot sector, helping investors better assess the commercial potential of the industry.

What are the challenges ahead?

Despite its strong growth, Unitree still faces significant challenges.

According to its IPO disclosures, Unitree achieved revenue of 420 million yuan in the first quarter of 2026, up 68.49% year-on-year, but adjusted net profit declined by 52.55%.

The decline was mainly caused by rapidly increasing research and development expenses. Of the funds raised through the IPO, about 85% will be invested into R&D projects, with about 20.22 billion yuan allocated specifically to the development of intelligence robot models.

Unitree founder Wang Xingxing has said that humanoid robots and embodied intelligence have not yet reached a technological turning point. While hardware capabilities are becoming more mature, the biggest challenge lies in improving the generalization capabilities of embodied intelligence models.

Also, the company's current customer structure shows that large-scale industrial adoption is still in its early stages.

In the first three quarters of 2025, the revenue from the research and education field accounted for 73.6% of Unitree's humanoid robot revenue, commercial consumer applications contributed 17.39%, while industrial applications accounted for only 9.01%.

The humanoid robot market is becoming increasingly competitive. Tesla's Optimus Gen 3 has entered small-scale production, with the company targeting a long-term annual production capacity of 1 million units at its Fremont facility. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has described Chinese companies as "by far the biggest competitor in the humanoid robot market."

Why are robot makers seeking listings?

Developing humanoids requires heavy spending on engineers, robot-training data, AI models and manufacturing capacity – years before demand from factories or households is certain.

Therefore, public markets offer companies the capital to keep developing their technology while government support and investor interest remain strong.

Leju Robotics, which makes the Kuavo humanoid robot, filed an application in May to list on Shenzhen's ChiNext market. Hangzhou-based Deep Robotics filed for an IPO on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's STAR Market. Shanghai-based AgiBot, another leading humanoid robot producer, began preparations for a Hong Kong IPO in July.

(With input from Reuters)

The Torch Festival, a grand traditional folk celebration of the Yi ethnic group, reached its peak on August 8 in Xichang, the capital of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The annual festival, which kicked off on July 19 and runs through mid-August, has featured a host of signature events across the prefecture. But the highlight came on August 8, when 86 bonfires were lit at the carnival venue, sending flames soaring several meters into the night sky. 

Local residents and visitors lit their own torches one after another and joined hands to dance to traditional Yi rhythms along a 3.2‑kilometer street brimming with festivity. According to organizers, approximately 100,000 people participated in the celebration.

Rooted in age‑old local customs, the Torch Festival originated from folk rituals of warding off pests and praying for bumper harvests. Over time, it has evolved into a grand gathering for people to offer blessings and celebrate together, embodying the Yi people's reverence for fire and nature.

While preserving these folk traditions, this year's Xichang Torch Festival has been upgraded to appeal to a broader audience. A major highlight is the integration of a music festival with the traditional torch celebration, adding a contemporary touch to the ancient event.

Editor's note: Qin Mengyao is an editor and podcast producer whose work focuses on Chinese culture, youth and social trends.

This year's International Youth Day theme, "Different Contexts, Common Aspirations," highlights a powerful truth: despite wildly different national realities, young people everywhere share similar hopes for dignity, opportunity and a sustainable future.

One of the most compelling places to observe this is China, where rapid societal shifts have created a unique arena for the younger generation, one filled with both challenges and possibilities for reinvention. To understand how this global pursuit is manifesting in the world's second-largest economy, one of the most revealing places to look is the digital realm.

Across Chinese social media, a highly specific vocabulary has taken root. Words like qumei (祛魅) – disenchantment – and huorengan (活人感) – the feeling of genuine humanity – are far more than fleeting internet slang. From a cultural perspective, they represent a profound generational shift. Rather than outright rejection of the highly structured world they inherited, Chinese youngsters are using this new language to question old orthodoxies, redefining the parameters of a meaningful life on their own terms.

The end of blind reverence

Perhaps no word better captures this shift than qumei. The term describes a willingness to look beyond the aura surrounding things once considered unquestionably desirable, from prestigious careers and elite institutions to social status and symbolic success. It does not mean rejecting expertise or ambition, but refusing to confuse prestige with true value.

This same desire to let go of traditional expectations has driven the rise of ling fuzhai qingnian (零负债青年) – zero-debt youth. It represents a deep-seated urge to reduce unnecessary burdens, whether financial, emotional or social, freeing young people from the crushing weight of traditional adult milestones.

Rebuilding everyday meaning

Beyond chasing traditional milestones of success, many young people are asking a more fundamental question: how should life be experienced?

Renlei fengrong (人类丰容) – human enrichment – offers one answer. Borrowed from zoo terminology regarding animal welfare, the concept humorously suggests that humans, too, require novelty and stimulation to thrive in the "enclosures" of modern routines. It encourages people to explore niche interests and create moments of curiosity simply for the joy of the experience itself.

Meanwhile, huorengan reflects a search for authenticity in an increasingly polished digital world. As AI-generated content and filtered realities become seamless and ubiquitous, imperfections – spontaneous reactions, emotional warmth and small, relatable flaws – have gained premium value.

Pragmatism over orthodoxy

When it comes to navigating the actual challenges of this new reality, another buzzword, xiexiu (邪修) – unorthodox cultivation – reveals how young people navigate uncertainty. Originally a term from martial arts fiction describing unconventional training techniques, it has been repurposed online as a humorous celebration of creative problem-solving. It describes solutions that seem strange at first glance – but somehow work.

Behind the humor is a highly pragmatic attitude: effectiveness over convention. It is an acknowledgment that societal rules are merely tools to be utilized, not absolute truths to be blindly followed.

Together, these expressions reveal a broader shift: fulfillment is no longer strictly about maximizing achievement, but about curating the conditions for a sustainable, meaningful life. Success and ambition still matter, but they are increasingly viewed as tools for living well rather than the final destination.

A generation reinventing the art of living

Every generation creates words for experiences that previously had no name. The significance of China's youth buzzwords lies not in their novelty, but in what they reveal.

Taken individually, these expressions may look like playful internet trends. But taken together, they breathe life into the core message of International Youth Day. While Chinese youth are navigating their own unique social and economic realities – their "different contexts" – they share a "common aspiration" with their global peers: a resolute desire to live with greater authenticity, flexibility and self-direction.

Language does not merely reflect social change; it helps people understand it. Each new buzzword gives shape to an emerging reality, allowing a generation to narrate its own story. Ultimately, the story these expressions tell transcends internet culture.

It is about a generation quietly reinventing the art of living.

One word at a time.

Global ocean surface temperatures reached a record high for July as developing El Nino conditions helped drive exceptionally warm waters across the tropical Pacific, the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said on Monday.

The average sea surface temperature across the extra-polar oceans, between 60 degrees south and 60 degrees north latitude, reached 20.96 degrees Celsius last month, beating the previous July record of 20.89 degrees Celsius set in 2023, the C3S said.

Sea temperatures were exceptionally high across a large part of the tropical Pacific, where El Nino conditions are present and forecast to strengthen in the coming months.

Waters around Europe were also unusually warm, with record July sea surface temperatures along the Atlantic and western Mediterranean, where widespread strong or severe marine heat waves developed, the C3S said.

Globally, July was the joint second warmest July on record, tied with 2024 and behind 2023. The average surface air temperature was 16.90 degrees Celsius, or 1.47 degrees Celsius above the estimated pre-industrial average for the 1850-1900 period.

Western Europe, meanwhile, experienced its hottest June-July period on record after enduring a succession of heat waves since May, according to the C3S.

The region's average temperature over the two months was 21.62 degrees Celsius, 2.79 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average and above the previous record set in 2022.

"July 2026 was the third consecutive month of exceptional heat in western Europe," said Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.

Persistent high-pressure systems trapped heat over the region, while dry soils reduced natural cooling and allowed temperatures to rise further, she said.

Dry conditions in May and June also persisted and intensified across much of western and central Europe in July. France, Spain, parts of Germany and Britain reported exceptionally low rainfall or soil moisture.

River flows fell well below average across much of the dry regions, with the Seine, Rhine and Danube particularly affected, putting pressure on water supplies, irrigation, river transport, ecosystems and energy production.

The combination of persistent heat and drought also contributed to exceptional wildfire activity across western Europe in terms of both burned area and emissions, C3S said.

"Climate change is increasingly bringing the kinds of hot and dry conditions that favour large, high-intensity wildfires in southern Europe while extending the fire season northwards," said Laurence Rouil, director of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service.

Larger fires can send smoke higher into the atmosphere, allowing it to travel further and affect air quality thousands of kilometers away, Rouil said.

The first phase of China's Bozhong 19-6 gas field, the country's first 100-billion-cubic-meter-scale gas field in the Bohai Sea, has entered full operation, with daily oil and gas output exceeding 5,200 tonnes, China National Offshore Oil Corporation said on Sunday.

The project's commissioning is of great significance for optimizing the regional energy structure and supporting high-quality economic and social development.

Located in the central waters of the Bohai Sea, the Bozhong 19-6 gas field has proven geological reserves of more than 200 billion cubic meters of natural gas and over 200 million cubic meters of oil liquids.

The gas field is buried at depths of more than 5,000 meters and features widely distributed but complex oil and gas reservoirs, as well as densely fractured buried-hill formations, making its development far more challenging than that of conventional offshore oil and gas fields.

China's natural gas reserves are unevenly distributed, with larger reserves in the west and smaller reserves in the east. As the largest offshore gas field in eastern China, Bozhong 19-6 has produced more than 2.8 billion cubic meters of natural gas so far, making it an important contributor to ensuring a stable gas supply for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the Bohai rim area.

China is currently entering a critical period of peak summer energy demand. The full operation of the project's first phase will further help meet the energy needs of local residents and industrial production.

Drilling operations for the second phase of the gas field have been fully launched and are expected to further strengthen the role of offshore oil and gas resources in supporting China's domestic energy supply.

A plant that looks like a giant dandelion is drawing attention in Beijing's Tongzhou District. Yellow salsify (Tragopogon dubius) grows tall and upright and develops a fluffy, fist-sized seed head after flowering.

The district has cleared more than 57,000 of the plants at 148 sites, covering more than 68,000 square meters, using digital technologies to improve invasive species monitoring and ecological restoration.

The Tongzhou District People's Procuratorate identified multiple sites through a public-interest litigation supervision model, satellite remote sensing and expert assessment.

The plant was included in Tongzhou's survey list of invasive species in forests, grasslands and wetlands in 2023. Experts said it has strong adaptability and rapid reproduction, and may, if it becomes widespread, compete with native plants for water, soil nutrients and living space.

Satellite remote sensing was used to estimate its distribution. Authorities then worked with experts to develop a treatment plan combining manual removal, deep burial and replacement with native vegetation.

A follow-up assessment found that the methods had not caused secondary damage to native soil or vegetation. In some areas, native plants were replanted to increase vegetation coverage and help prevent recurrence.

The case highlights the role of digital technologies in invasive species control. The supervision model integrates monitoring data, public complaints and internet information, comparing vegetation imagery from different periods with invasive species lists to identify potential locations.

Satellite remote sensing, drones and geographic information system (GIS) spatial analysis can help determine the distribution and coverage of invasive species, including in areas difficult to access. AI-assisted identification combined with expert assessment can also support species identification and evidence collection.

Similar digital approaches are being used elsewhere. Procuratorial authorities in Jilin Province have established a big-data early-warning platform for ragweed control, while Chongqing Municipality and Hunan and Jiangxi provinces have deployed big-data legal supervision models.

The Ecological and Environmental Code will take effect on August 15. Experts said it will strengthen requirements for environmental supervision through information, digital and intelligent technologies, establish mechanisms for environmental information sharing, and strengthen coordination among government departments.

The code is expected to provide stronger legal support for a full-chain approach to invasive species control, covering monitoring and early warning, treatment, verification, and coordinated prevention and control.

The conflict involving the sixth Dalai Lama over 300 years ago was a bloody chapter in Xizang's history.  

This episode of "Potala Palace" traces the rise and fall of Tsangyang Gyatso, the celebrated "Poet Lama," whose extraordinary life remains one of the most compelling and enduring stories in Xizang's history.

As a livestream promoting local mushrooms gets underway in Qingyuan County, Lishui City, east China's Zhejiang Province, the steady rhythm of packing tape and scanning labels fills the small workshop. Villagers move briskly behind the camera, sorting products, sealing packages and preparing orders for delivery.

This is the Xiangxingu mushroom workshop, run by local entrepreneur Wu Xiaojun. Inside the workspace, shelves of locally grown mushrooms line the walls as workers shift between packaging and managing online orders for customers across China.

Such a workshop is part of Zhejiang's growing network of "common prosperity workshops" – a development model designed to bring jobs, skills and industrial opportunities directly into rural communities. Built through partnerships among village collectives, communities and enterprises, these workshops encourage companies to relocate suitable production and processing activities into villages, enabling residents to earn an income closer to home.

Five years after China designated Zhejiang as a demonstration zone for common prosperity, Zhejiang had established more than 12,700 "common prosperity workshops," providing employment opportunities for 551,000 people across the province.

The emergence of "common prosperity workshops" did not happen in isolation. It reflects a longer transformation in Zhejiang's countryside that began more than two decades ago with the "Green Rural Revival Program."

From village renewal to common prosperity

In 2003, Zhejiang launched the "Thousand Villages Demonstration, Ten Thousand Villages Renovation" initiative, now widely known as the "Green Rural Revival Program."

At the time, many rural areas faced poor infrastructure, limited public services and declining village environments. The initiative focused on improving basic living conditions through upgraded roads, cleaner waterways and better public facilities, reshaping the physical landscape of the countryside.

Over time, however, the program evolved beyond environmental improvement. As villages became cleaner and more livable, development priorities gradually shifted from improving living conditions to building long-term growth capacity.

"Common prosperity workshops" have emerged as one of the latest practical outcomes of this transformation, extending the Green Rural Revival Program from environmental restoration to industrial development and income growth at the grassroots level.

Qingyuan's experience illustrates how this shift has taken shape on the ground. The county has developed a forest-based mushroom cultivation industry that integrates environmental protection with agricultural production, while also linking the edible fungi sector with rural tourism to extend its industrial value chain. In 2024, Qingyuan's edible fungi industry generated nearly 5.8 billion yuan ($800 million) in output value.

Meanwhile, the county, by 2024, has established 54 "common prosperity workshops," creating more than 2,000 local jobs and raising monthly incomes by an average of 1,800 yuan for participating residents.

The broader results of the "Green Rural Revival Program" are visible across Zhejiang. In 2025, rural residents' per capita disposable income exceeded 45,000 yuan, ranking first among China's provincial-level regions for 41 consecutive years, while the urban-rural income gap continued to narrow, from 2.43:1 in 2003 to 1.81:1 in 2025.

A Zhejiang story with global relevance

Zhejiang's experience has also attracted growing international attention.

Long before the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Green Rural Revival Program was already exploring ways to improve living standards while protecting the environment. Its achievements gained global recognition in 2018 when it received the UN's prestigious Champions of the Earth Award.

Beyond international accolades, Zhejiang has increasingly become a destination for foreign leaders seeking insights into China's development path. This year, leaders from Germany, Pakistan, Serbia and Laos have all included Zhejiang in their visits to China, with Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith choosing to travel to Zhejiang's villages to learn more about its approach to ecological conservation and rural revitalization.

Former UN Environment Executive Director Erik Solheim, who has closely followed China's rural development, has repeatedly praised Zhejiang's transformation. During visits to the province, he remarked that what can be seen there is "the future of China, and perhaps even the future of the world."

Back in Qingyuan, that story continues to unfold in Wu's workshop. As mushroom orders leave the village for destinations across China, they carry with them a reminder that economic growth and social equity do not have to be competing goals. Instead, they can reinforce one another.

Chinese illustrator Cai Gao has made history as the first Chinese winner of the Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration. Learn more.

For more, check out our exclusive content on CGTN Now and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The China Report.

The 2026 International Congress of Basic Science (ICBS) opened Sunday at Beijing's Huairou Science City, awarding its inaugural Basic Science Medal to nine scientists whose research spans algebraic geometry, particle physics, flexible electronics and gene editing – four of them women researchers, a notable first for a major basic-science prize of this scale.

Roughly 1,000 participants from over 30 countries and regions gathered for the opening ceremony under the congress theme "Advancing science for humanity." The audience included four Fields medalists – Shing-Tung Yau, Maxim Kontsevich, Martin Hairer and Caucher Birkar – and Turing Award laureate Robert Tarjan, along with some 80 winners of other major prizes including the Shaw, Wolf and Dirac awards.

The nine medalists are French algebraic geometer Claire Voisin, probability theorist Horng-Tzer Yau, mathematician Shou-Wu Zhang, particle physicist Yifang Wang, condensed-matter physicist Xiao-Gang Wen, complex systems physicist Andrea J. Liu, flexible-electronics pioneer Zhenan Bao, super-resolution imaging scientist Xiaowei Zhuang, and CRISPR co-discoverer Feng Zhang. The medals are named after nine pioneers – Emmy Noether, S.S. Chern, Andrew Wiles, Marie Curie, Samuel Ting, David Gross, Chien-Shiung Wu, Steven Chu and Charles Kao – and are divided across mathematics, physics and engineering.

In his opening address, congress chair Shing-Tung Yau, who founded ICBS in 2023, said China has become a hub for basic research thanks to unprecedented funding, policy and talent support. He cautioned that artificial intelligence (AI), while reshaping mathematics and theorem-proving, remains a tool and cannot replace the cross-disciplinary thinking behind scientific revolutions.

The congress runs through August 21 and will host more than 500 academic sessions covering topics from generative AI reasoning to quantum information. It also announced its Frontiers of Science Award, recognizing 111 original papers from researchers in more than 20 countries and regions.

Typhoon Dolphin slammed into another spot on China's east coast on Sunday evening, just over an hour after its first landfall, according to China's National Meteorological Center (NMC).

The center of the 13th named storm reached the shore at about 6:40 p.m. in Yueqing City, east China's Zhejiang Province, with maximum wind speeds of 38 meters per second near the center (Force 13) and a minimum central pressure of 950 hectopascals, the NMC said.

The typhoon had earlier made landfall at around 5:30 p.m. in the same province, as a severe typhoon with 42 m/s winds and a central pressure of 945 hPa.

China is racing to build the computing muscle behind its AI industry, and the pieces are starting to connect. New huge clusters are coming online in central and southern China, a hair-thin fiber is set to quadruple data capacity between key hubs, and more than 60% of the country's AI compute is now visible to a national scheduling platform that entered trial operation recently.

China has switched on its first AI super cluster built from 100,000 domestically produced chips, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said Sunday, marking a new phase in the country's push to scale up computing power.

The cluster went live at the Zhengzhou node of China's national supercomputing network, in the central province of Henan, where engineers have combined traditional scientific computing with AI-focused hardware to prepare for emerging workloads.

The system can hit peak speeds equivalent to all of humanity calculating continuously for 200 years, said Bu Jingde, chief engineer at the National High-Performance Computer Engineering Technology Research Center. It is already running more than 300 computing tasks across 26 fields, including new materials, drug discovery and AI research.

Cluster dedicated for AI models

A second major build-out is underway in the Greater Bay Area, a southern tech hub and one of the national nodes in China's "East Data, West Computing" infrastructure plan. China Telecom has brought a new 10,000-card cluster online aimed at training the next generation of large AI models.

Liu Zhijun, who leads planning for the carrier's Greater Bay Area data center, said Chinese models are moving from hundreds of billions to trillions of parameters, and that the new system can cut training time for a trillion-parameter model from roughly a year to about six months.

China's overall AI computing capacity grew 177% year on year by the end of June, reaching 2,185 exaflops, according to NDRC figures.

The 'four-in-one' fiber

To make better use of capacity scattered across regions, researchers at Pengcheng Laboratory in south China's Shenzhen are developing a new type of optical fiber that packs four separate channels into a single hair-thin strand. "It is designed to break through the capacity ceiling of regular fiber," said Li Chao, an associate researcher at the lab.

The team plans to deploy the new cable along a 1,000-kilometer route linking Shenzhen to southwest China's Guizhou Province, creating a national corridor for moving large amounts of data with minimal delay.

Nationwide coordination network

More than 60% of the country's computing power is now visible to a new national monitoring and scheduling platform in trial operation, which routes jobs to the most suitable hardware across regions.

China expects the build-out to draw roughly 4 trillion yuan (about $560 billion) in new direct investment during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), mostly from private capital, according to Guo Mingjun, who heads the computing economy division at the NDRC's State Information Center. Funding will flow toward areas such as coordinating data centers with the power grid, and the next generation of large-scale AI clusters, he said.

Since the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" was introduced in 2005, China's ecological protection efforts have continued to evolve, shifting from pollution control toward more systematic governance and green development. 

With the country's first Ecological and Environmental Code set to take effect on August 15, 2026, ecological protection is entering a new stage of more structured and law-based development. Digital technologies are playing an increasingly important role in this transformation.

Technologies such as drones, remote sensing and automated monitoring equipment are also supporting ecological inspections, allowing environmental changes to be observed more accurately and in real time.

Artificial intelligence, big data and intelligent sensing systems are also transforming environmental monitoring.

By collecting and analyzing data from the air, water and industrial sites, digital platforms can help identify pollution risks, trace their sources and improve response efficiency.

Meanwhile, technology is also helping address the environmental impact of the digital economy itself. As demand for computing power grows, projects such as "East Data, West Computing" are exploring new ways to coordinate computing infrastructure with energy resources.

Green data centers are adopting energy-efficient equipment, advanced cooling technologies and renewable energy solutions to reduce energy consumption while improving computing efficiency.

From monitoring ecosystems to powering the digital economy, technological innovation is creating new pathways to balance economic development with environmental protection.

Nagasaki on Sunday marked the 81st anniversary of the US atomic bombing of the southern Japanese city. The event was accompanied by protests from citizen groups across the country. Demonstrators have accused the government of evading their demands for a total ban on nuclear arms. CGTN's Najib Elkhash reports from Nagasaki.  

Historical documents and maps provide ample evidence of China's sovereignty over Huangyan Dao. Most notably, multiple official Philippine documents dating back to the 1990s explicitly acknowledged that Huangyan Dao lay outside the country's territorial boundaries. CGTN spoke to Chen Ping, the team leader of the Huangyan Dao Amateur Radio DX Expedition in the 1990s, to trace the story behind these Philippine documents.

Winding through breathtaking mountain scenery, glacial streams, and alpine lakes, the 209-kilometer Ahe Highway links Altay City with Hemu Village, slashing travel time from six hours to just three. Opening up access to the Kazakh grasslands and the wooden hamlets of Hemu, it has transformed this once-remote frontier into a vibrant corridor for tourism and cultural exchange. 

Typhoons born in the far reaches of the western Pacific usually die over the open ocean and never touch land. But Typhoon Dolphin, which took shape there in late July, has done the opposite: instead of fading, it traveled more than 6,000 kilometers, swelled into one of the strongest storms of the season, and kept that power almost all the way to the China coast.

That is exactly the situation Chinese forecasters are weighing. The red alert they issued on Sunday is not a routine precaution – it rests on a judgment that a storm from this point of origin, at this strength, has no prior counterpart.

After its landfall on Sunday along China's east coast, Dolphin became the first typhoon on record to form near the International Date Line and strike China at tropical-storm intensity or above, based on the analysis of the National Meteorological Center (NMC).

The center said the 13th named storm of the year made landfall at around 5:30 p.m. Sunday in Yuhuan County, Taizhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, with maximum winds of 42 meters per second (Force 14) near the center and a central pressure of 945 hectopascals.

The red alert, issued at 10 a.m. Sunday, is the second issued this year. The first was released at 10 p.m. July 25, hours before Typhoon Noul made landfall in south China's Guangdong Province. Under NMC rules, a red alert is issued when a severe typhoon (Force 14-15) or super typhoon (Force 16 or above) is forecast to affect China's coastline within 48 hours.

At 8:10 a.m. Sunday, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) raised its emergency response to major meteorological disasters – typhoons, torrential rain and severe convective weather – from Level III to Level II.

NMC chief forecaster Dong Lin said Dolphin stands out in three ways. First, the typhoon's long lifespan. The system was formed near the International Date Line and has traveled more than 6,000 km, with a lifespan exceeding 15 days – more than three times that of a typical typhoon.

Second, high and sustaining intensity. The typhoon rapidly strengthened to a super typhoon within 48 hours, peaking at wind speeds of 65 meters per second (Force 17 or above) – the second-most intense typhoon of the year. And it sustained super typhoon intensity for five and a half days and severe typhoon strength (Force 14 or above) for nine days.

The storm is also wide. The radius of its Force-7 wind circle is 420 to 450 km, and the circulation spans roughly 1,300 km, so the East China Sea has experienced strong gales for more than three days before landfall. Torrential rain across much of east China is expected.

Another NMC chief forecaster, Fang Chong, said heavy and torrential rains would spread from Sunday through Wednesday across large parts of eastern, central and northern China. Extreme rainstorms are also expected, accompanied by short-duration intense rainfall and storms with gusty winds.

The three astronauts aboard China's space station – Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Lai Ka-ying (Li Jiaying) – have maintained a packed schedule over the past week, advancing space science experiments, maintaining the station platform and managing their health.

In space science experiments, the crew used an ultrasound diagnostic device to examine several muscle groups and conducted grip strength tests. The data collected will support research on sensitive muscle group remodeling.

In a multi-person collaborative interface experiment, the astronauts wore virtual reality (VR) devices to complete tests, including individual perception experiments and dyadic collaborative experiments.

The trio also interacted with Xiaohang, the station's robot, conducting touch-interaction tests. The data gathered will help engineers optimize movement planning methods for the robot's future in-orbit operations.

Meanwhile, two studies were conducted in parallel: one on long-term in-orbit astronaut kinematics, and the other on treadmill dynamics under microgravity. Footage showed an astronaut using a 3D camera to capture posture data from a crew member running on the space treadmill.

In line with the schedule for microgravity physics experiments, the crew replaced experiment samples in the fluid physics experiment cabinet, cleared samples from the containerless experiment cabinet's chamber, serviced the axial mechanism electrodes and cleaned the viewport cover lenses.

The astronauts also tidied up the station's interior and organized supplies.

In 2016, Lu Wenzhen, the resident Party secretary of Hebei's Yugouliang Village in Liangmianjing Town, Zhangbei County, Zhangjiakou City, first arrived in the village and noticed that the elderly villagers all had the habit of sitting cross-legged on the kang, a traditional heated brick bed. He began linking yoga movements to the villagers' daily chores – working the bellows, sweeping the floor, hand-washing clothes – all of which became sources of inspiration. That's how he created this unique form of "farmer's life yoga."

CGTN host Julian Waghann and Mexican traveler Juan Carlos Cheang Guzman made a special trip to learn from him. Secretary Lu taught them on the spot: the push-and-pull of bellows became arm stretches, the bending of sweeping turned into forward bends, and the rubbing of hand-washing was transformed into twisting poses. The two "students" followed along, clumsy but earnest.

As Secretary Lu puts it: "Yoga isn't about the city – it's about life. You can do it on the kang, in the fields, anywhere."

As of Saturday, China's 2026 summer film season had notched up cumulative ticket sales of more than 4 billion yuan, or over $590 million. A rich lineup of both homegrown and imported films has fueled this robust box office performance. 

Portugal's Iuri Leitao claimed the final stage at the 25th Tour of Magnificent Qinghai, while Ecuador's Jonathan Caicedo sealed the overall title, with the cycling race's eighth stage covering 146 kilometers from Xihaizhen to the Qinghai Lake Scenic Area on Saturday.

The closing leg featured three intermediate sprint points and one category-three climb.

After seven stages, the battle for the sprint classification remained extremely tight, with XDS Astana's Henok Mulubrhan from Eritrea and Li Ning Star's Alexander Salby from Denmark separated by just one point. The three sprint points along the route, along with the final dash to the line, provided key opportunities in their pursuit of the green jersey.

Salby enjoyed a strong start, taking the opening two intermediate sprints to collect 10 points and snatch a temporary lead in the classification. The Danish rider later dropped from the main group during the climb, however, ending his challenge ahead of the final push.

The peloton came back together for a bunch sprint that saw Caja Rural - Seguros RGA's Leitao claim the last stage victory of the race, while Wheeltop Rotor Chengdu's Caicedo came away with the overall title.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's advocacy for a people-centered approach to artificial intelligence (AI) – emphasizing that AI should be a trusted, human-controlled tool for the positive, for good and for all – has won broad international support and acclaim.

In his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance, Xi put forward a fundamental and vital concept that establishes a philosophical anchor for AI development and governance, according to Katleho Moloi, a professor at the University of South Africa.

"Ultimately, we don't want a system that will replace humanity, but we want a system that will improve the quality of life of humanity," Moloi said of the AI technology in an interview with China Media Group (CMG).

In a nod to the Chinese president's stress that AI's development is to be a trustworthy tool for humanity, he said, "The theme that we believe in is how we can make people's life better, not only by producing techniques that will replace them, but produce techniques that will make whatever they do to be more profitable, and more efficient."

Xi on Friday announced the creation of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO), a Shanghai-headquartered body that aims to ensure that AI is beneficial, safe, fair and serves the benefit of all humanity.

"I fully support President Xi's initiative, and this will augur well for the world," said Liow Tiong Lai, chairman of the ASEAN-China Association for the Promotion of Industrial Cooperation and Development and a former Malaysian transport minister, since the world needs "a body that will be able to promote accessibility and equality."

WAICO "will be able to ensure that we train the necessary talent, we provide the necessary infrastructure. We also share our values so that whatever regulations and whatever AI initiative, it is more humane and it is for the humanity," Liow said.

Public goods that answer the needs of the Global South

Analysts have welcomed Xi's pledge that China, as a responsible major country, is always committed to providing international public goods relating to AI.

"We must carry out extensive international cooperation and help Global South countries with capacity building to bridge the AI and digital divides, promote sustainable development, and prevent creating new historical injustice in AI," Xi said on Friday.

President Xi's emphasis on China as a provider of AI public goods is significant, said Haris Bilal Malik, a researcher at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, a think tank in Pakistan.

"It carries a broader meaning that the artificial intelligence is no more an issue of rich countries, or developed countries, or the great powers. It should serve the humanity across the board, across the globe, for every country, especially for the Global South," Malik said.

Donald Ramotar, former president of Guyana, also commended China's key proposals on AI and its push for a governance framework that leaves no nation behind.

China is advocating that the United Nations play a central role in forming "a global AI governance system with broad consensus to benefit all humanity," Ramotar wrote in a recent opinion piece.  "This is to ensure that no country is left behind."

An open approach that builds global capacity, not walls

The international community has also applauded and embraced China's public pledge to roll out a range of practical measures for global AI capacity building over the next five years.

Xi announced at Friday's gathering that China will provide developing countries with 5,000 opportunities in AI training and seminar programs, and enable 30 countries to use the AI-powered meteorological warning system MAZU, to safeguard homes around the world.

China will also develop international AI application cooperation centers with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the League of Arab States, the African Union, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and BRICS.

Blade Nzimande, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of South Africa, hailed the significance of the Chinese concept of building a community with a shared future for humanity and advocating universal participation by all nations in AI development and governance.

African nations lack AI infrastructure, and China has proactively created favorable conditions to enable developing countries to genuinely share in the dividends of AI development, Nzimande said.

Nikki Gastinel, head of the California Software Association, hailed China's approach to AI development as one rooted in openness and the goal of benefiting all.

In expressing her appreciation, Gastinel called on all other nations to build more bridges for communication and cooperation rather than erecting walls that breed division and confrontation.

Xue Lan, dean of the Institute for AI International Governance at Tsinghua University, dismissed the narrative promoted by some in Europe and the United States that frames China and the US as rivals locked in head-to-head AI competition.

Xue said the Chinese president has made it crystal-clear in his speech that China develops AI for the positive, for good and for all humanity, thus spelling out the core purpose of China's AI strategy.

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai on Friday, highlighting China's role in global AI development and cooperation. Here are some of his key remarks.

Artificial intelligence is transforming our world at an unprecedented pace. But will it deepen the global AI divide or become a force for the common good?

Former Slovenian President Danilo Türk has warned that technology must not become the privilege of a handful of nations. Instead, it should be treated as a public good that benefits everyone. In response to this global challenge, China has proposed the Global AI Governance Initiative, advocating for AI development guided by a people-centered approach, respect for national sovereignty, safety and controllability, fairness and inclusiveness, and ethics first. These principles aim to ensure that AI serves as a shared benefit for all humanity. The question remains: Who will AI ultimately serve? The answer may shape the future of us all.

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai on Friday, calling for efforts to seize the opportunities brought by artificial intelligence. Here are some of his key remarks.

Comic artist Ruan Junting once dreamed of devoting herself entirely to art. Instead, she became a teacher at the school she graduated from – the China Academy of Art. Caught between her artistic ambitions and the demands of teaching, Ruan eventually turned her own experience into Chunhui (Spring Sunshine), a graphic novel 13 years in the making.

In Chinese, chunhui literally means spring sunshine. It is a poetic image associated with warmth, care and nurturing.

Following a young art teacher who stays on at her alma mater after graduation, the graphic novel follows her journey through setbacks and self-doubt as well as meaningful connections with her students. She begins to reconsider what it truly means to educate, to love and to accept both others and herself.

"Is what I believe to be right really right for someone else? Is the love we think we're offering actually the love another person needs?" She constantly questions herself.

Through the teacher's story, Spring Sunshine offers a thoughtful reflection on growing up, finding purpose and discovering new possibilities in life.

Executive producer: Zhang Jingwen

Producer: Yang Sha

Director: Chen Hongyu

Videographers: Wang Hongjie, Chen Hongyu

Cover: Zhu Shangfan

For years, the AI industry has worshipped at the altar of benchmark scores. MMLU, HumanEval, SWE-bench – a few points higher on any of these could make or break a model's reputation. But at World AI Conference (WAIC) 2026 in Shanghai, a growing chorus of Chinese AI players is pushing back against the assumption that standardized tests tell the whole story.

"The benchmark race is not the whole point," said Yang Minghui from StepFun, the company behind the popular Step series models. "We care far less about leaderboard scores and much more about whether our model actually works well across our own products – phones, cars and robots. The real test is just using it."

StepFun, which showcased its agent operating system STEPX Neo at WAIC 2026, argues that benchmark homogeneity is especially problematic for companies like theirs that run multiple vertical-specific models. "Each of our models excels in different domains – no single benchmark can capture that diversity," Yang added.

MiniMax's Bai Chuanxu made the case from a different angle. The Shanghai-based firm's flagship M3 – a natively multimodal model with a million context and frontier coding capabilities – competes efficiently despite a smaller parameter count compared to some rivals. "Our model supports images, video and audio natively," Bai explained. "But benchmark scores often fail to reflect that and can even create misleading impressions.”

"With fewer parameters, we require less hardware. That makes us a cost-effective choice, but that advantage doesn't show up on most leaderboards," he told CGTN.

Web giant Baidu, whose universal agent "DuMate" was named a WAIC 2026 official "treasure of the hall," also sees limits in conventional evaluation. Li Jingqiu, product lead for DuMate, put it differently. "The best way to judge a model today is to give it a complex, time-consuming task. Even an ordinary person can tell the difference in quality," she told CGTN in an exclusive interview. Baidu founder Robin Li said the industry should consider daily active agents as a score, just like daily active users in the age of web.

These critiques come as the industry confronts a well-documented problem: benchmark contamination and saturation. As evaluation platform Singularity Moments recently noted, "benchmark contamination is a persistent issue" and "differences within a few points [on MMLU] are often meaningless" given how easily top models can memorize test data. Industry analyst site 80AJ observed that "static benchmarks are rapidly losing value due to data leakage and overfitting," forcing a shift toward human-preference arenas like Chatbot Arena.

What unites these Chinese voices is a pragmatic turn: AI is not a monolith. There's no one-size-fits-all score. When models are deployed in real products serving millions of users, the metric that matters is no longer a synthetic score – it is whether the model actually delivers.

The Thailand-China (Sichuan) Investment and Economic Forum was held in Sichuan, southwest China, on July 18, bringing together government officials and business leaders from both countries. The event highlighted expanding cooperation in investment, artificial intelligence and technology. It featured the inauguration of the Thailand Board of Investment's Chengdu Office, marking a new milestone in China-Thailand economic cooperation.

Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, chairman of Indonesia's National Economic Council, stated recently that Indonesia will take steps to strengthen investor confidence, noting that China's support and assistance are indispensable, and there are broad prospects for investment cooperation between the two countries.  

He made the remarks when attending the G20 Bali Global Blended Finance Forum in May. 

Luhut noted that with rapid development, Indonesia's national development has entered a new phase, making it vital for the country to expand foreign investment and introduce advanced technologies. 

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has explicitly demanded fostering a favorable business environment for foreign investment and instructed that necessary measures be taken to boost investor confidence.

Luhut said that investment cooperation with China and Indonesia has deepened in recent years. Experience shows that China not only possesses advanced technology but is also willing to share its development experience with Indonesia genuinely, rather than merely offering verbal promises. 

In the future, Indonesia will increase investment in areas such as digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, healthcare and the construction of international financial centers. China's support and assistance will be indispensable, and the two sides have vast potential for investment cooperation, Luhut added. 

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Vince Henderson, foreign minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica, in Shanghai on Saturday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, welcomed Henderson, who is in China to attend the World Artificial Intelligence Conference.

Wang said China stands ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation within the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization with developing countries, including Dominica, and foster steady and robust growth of the organization.

Guided by the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, China stands ready to work together with Dominica to strengthen alignment of development strategies and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, Wang said.

Dominica supports China in closely cooperating with the United Nations to promote artificial intelligence as a fair and inclusive international public good, Henderson said, adding that Dominica is ready to deepen cooperation with China across all sectors.

China on Thursday released a new edition of its annual collection of international artificial intelligence cooperation case studies, featuring 10 examples of China's AI cooperation with partners around the world.

Published for the third consecutive year by the National Development and Reform Commission together with relevant government agencies, the collection covers a wider range of countries and regions, showcases more diverse "AI Plus" application scenarios and places greater emphasis on people-centered, AI-for-good cooperation, presenting China's experience and solutions for global AI development.

One featured case focuses on the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, where Alibaba Cloud helped power a range of AI-driven services.

Based on the Qwen large language model, the International Olympic Committee launched its first official Olympic AI assistant, supporting Games operations in 119 languages while providing real-time information for officials, delegations and spectators.

AI technologies also transformed Olympic broadcasting with intelligent replay systems and immersive visual effects, making Winter Olympic events more accessible and engaging for audiences worldwide.

Another case highlights MAZU, an AI-powered meteorological early warning solution developed under the China Meteorological Administration.

Introduced in Djibouti in 2025, the system combines AI forecasting models, observations from China's Fengyun meteorological satellites and localized weather data to deliver earlier warnings for heat waves, strong winds and heavy rainfall.

The technology has strengthened weather services for ports and cities, helping improve disaster preparedness in the Horn of Africa. Following its deployment, the solution has also been introduced in countries including Pakistan, Ethiopia and the Solomon Islands.

The collection also features an AI-assisted cervical cancer screening system developed by Wuhan Landing Intelligence Medical Co., Ltd. Combining portable scanners, cloud computing and AI analysis, the technology enables rapid pathological screening even in areas lacking specialist doctors.

Already deployed in 12 countries, including Pakistan, Brazil, Ghana, Vietnam and Cambodia, the system has provided screening services to more than 13 million women, improving access to early diagnosis while helping reduce public healthcare costs.

The remaining seven cases demonstrate the expanding role of Chinese AI across a broad range of sectors. They include AI-enabled Earth science exploration, smart farming for Brazilian family farms, autonomous driving in the United Arab Emirates, low-carbon telecommunications in Indonesia, AI applications for Malaysia's rubber industry, intelligent power grid management in Chile and marine biopharmaceutical research jointly conducted by China and Egypt.

Together, the projects illustrate how international AI cooperation is supporting scientific innovation, industrial development and public well-being across different regions of the world.

The 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance is getting underway in Shanghai.

From the establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) to the introduction of concrete action plans that invite the international community to join AI development, the conference moved global AI governance from theoretical discussions to concrete implementation.

Attending experts from academia, research institutions and governments noted that openness, collaboration and sharing, as well as risk prevention, stood out as key features of China's vision for global AI governance.

Xiao Qian, vice dean of the Institute for AI International Governance at Tsinghua University, said the emphasis on inclusiveness and open cooperation, alongside the active promotion of international collaboration on artificial intelligence, has been China's consistent stance.

Embodying this stance, the phrase "open source" appeared repeatedly in the achievements announced on Friday. Data shows that the cumulative downloads of China's open-source large artificial intelligence models have surpassed 10 billion, ranking first in the world.

Yao Xu, associate professor at the Fudan Development Institute and secretary-general of the Center for Global AI Innovative Governance at Fudan University, said the open-source ecosystem is one where everyone can build together and share.  

The core focus now is to ensure that the vast majority of developing nations and Global South countries can access and effectively use AI, securing their basic right to development, Yao emphasized. 

China has demonstrated its commitment to responding to the voices of the Global South, uniting the international community and bridging the digital divide, as it provides 5,000 AI training opportunities for developing countries and delivers the MAZU meteorological early-warning solution that autonomously monitors extreme weather for over 30 countries.

Nomin Chinbat, Mongolia's Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Communications and a Member of Parliament, said China's AI strategy has impressed many partners in the region. She noted that China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) provides a clear roadmap for AI and high-tech development, while initiatives such as the "Eastern Data, Western Computing" program have helped build a comprehensive AI ecosystem spanning scientific research, manufacturing and real-world applications.

She added that Mongolia, with abundant renewable energy resources, including solar and wind power, hopes to become a strong partner for China in data center development, describing the two countries as highly complementary in AI infrastructure.

Beyond openness and inclusiveness, China's Global AI Governance Initiative also highlights risk awareness and management. 

An action plan on international AI ethics governance released on Friday calls on all countries to take action in categorized and tiered risk prevention and control while encouraging stronger policy coordination and practical cooperation in the international community. 

Mario Nobile, director general of the Agency for Digital Italy, said AI governance should encompass the entire AI ecosystem rather than focusing solely on foundation models. He noted that energy, semiconductors, data centers, models and applications are all integral to AI development, warning that countries lacking sufficient energy supplies or data center infrastructure could face disadvantages despite having advanced models. He said internationally recognized AI governance standards are essential for building broader consensus.

Ali bin Amer Al Shidhani, undersecretary for communications and information technology at Oman's Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, said every country can make a unique contribution, and there are many opportunities for China to launch collaborative projects with countries around the world. 

Chinese startup Moonshot AI on Thursday released Kimi K3, a new open-weight large language model featuring 2.8 trillion parameters, making it the world's largest model of its kind by parameter count, the company said.

Kimi K3 natively supports visual understanding and offers a context window of one million tokens. It has been designed for demanding applications including software engineering, knowledge-intensive work, deep research and multimodal understanding.

The company said the larger parameter count provides a higher capability ceiling for tackling complex tasks, while its internal evaluations indicate an overall performance approaching that of leading proprietary AI models.

Industry benchmarks place the model just behind Anthropic's Claude Fable 5 and OpenAI's GPT-5.6 Sol. Kimi K3 also topped a widely followed AI coding benchmark within hours of its release, according to the company.

Its debut is seen as another sign that Chinese AI developers are narrowing the gap with global industry leaders. The release comes amid growing interest in open-weight foundation models, which allow developers and enterprises to customize and deploy advanced AI systems more flexibly.

China opens up AI to all

Industry experts said Kimi K3 reflects a pivot in China's AI development toward open innovation. Rather than limiting access to proprietary systems, an increasing number of Chinese developers are making advanced models openly available, enabling researchers and businesses around the world to build applications on shared foundations. They said open collaboration helps accelerate technological progress while supporting broader access to AI capabilities.

Some observers noted that increasingly capable open-weight models could intensify competition between open and proprietary ecosystems, while others cautioned that performance claims based on company benchmarks will require broader third-party validation as developers begin testing the model in real-world applications.

The release also sparked debate in financial markets over the cost of developing frontier AI models and the scale of infrastructure investment, amid a broader sell-off in AI-related chip stocks.

The launch came as China stepped up its push for an AI commons. On Friday, Chinese authorities released an action plan on international AI cooperation together with a collection of case studies, covering practical collaboration, wider application of AI technologies and the principle of AI for good.

Industry experts said a growing number of Chinese open-source large language models are moving from individual breakthroughs toward collective advances, pointing the way for equitable and inclusive global AI development.

China is closely monitoring the UK government's nationalization of British Steel and will take necessary measures to safeguard its legitimate rights if needed, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Saturday.

The spokesperson made the remarks when asked about reports that the UK government announced on July 16 that it had nationalized British Steel in accordance with the Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Act, taking over the enterprise previously controlled by China's Jingye Group, and would establish a compensation mechanism through secondary legislation, with an independent assessment to determine whether compensation is needed. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that the decision safeguards the future of the UK's steel industry and protects skilled jobs.

"Let me stress that this matter has drawn close attention from the Chinese public. How the UK handles this matter will directly influence how Chinese investors view the investment environment in the UK and its government's credibility," the spokesperson pointed out.

China and the UK have signed an agreement concerning the protection of investments, and the legitimate rights and interests of investors must be fully protected in accordance with the law, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson urged the UK to earnestly respect market principles and the spirit of contract and find solutions on compensation and other issues acceptable to both sides.

"China supports enterprises in safeguarding their legitimate rights and interests through legal means. China is closely following the developments and will do what is necessary to protect its rights," the spokesperson added.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Limpho Tau, minister of foreign affairs and international relations of Lesotho, in Shanghai on Saturday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, welcomed Tau, who is in China to attend the World Artificial Intelligence Conference and sign an agreement on establishing the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) on behalf of the Lesotho government.

In the development of AI, no country should fall behind, Wang said, adding that China's initiative to establish the WAICO was to enhance the capacity building of Global South countries, promote the positive development of AI and benefit all mankind.

Wang said China is willing to encourage Chinese enterprises to invest and start businesses in Lesotho, welcome more characteristic products of Lesotho to enter the Chinese market and promote bilateral relations towards broader fields and higher levels.

Tau said Lesotho is very honored to be a founding member of the organization. He added that Lesotho looks forward to actively participating in the construction of the organization, contributing to the country's economic development and safeguarding the common rights and interests of the Global South countries.

The Lesotho side is willing to promote practical cooperation with China in various fields under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and continuously enrich the connotation of the strategic partnership between the two countries, Tau noted.

Editor's note: Xin Ge, a special commentator for CGTN, is a professor at the School of Public Administration and Policy, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Two years ago, on July 18, 2024, the Communist Party of China concluded the third plenary session of its 20th Central Committee with a landmark resolution on deepening reform to advance Chinese modernization, a blueprint for the coming decade. Some of the initial Western commentary predicted a retreat into self-reliance behind the walls of a fortress economy.

Two years on, the evidence points the other way. 

What critics interpreted as an "inward turn" was, in fact, the groundwork for a structural shift: from opening at the border through tariffs and quotas to opening behind the border through rules, regulations, management and standards. Aligning these systems with international practices does more than lower barriers at the border; it reshapes the institutional framework through which global businesses engage with the Chinese market.

Foreign investors long worked their way into China through a thicket of preferential policies and local workarounds. That patchwork is giving way to a predictable and rules-based environment.

The clearest milestone came in late 2024, when the last manufacturing items were struck from the national foreign-investment negative list. Foreign manufacturers now operate on an equal footing across the entire industrial value chain – not as a matter of local discretion but of national rule.

Market access is only the first layer; institutional opening runs deeper into the machinery of regulation. Two recent measures show what this looks like in practice. The revised Administrative Measures for the Adoption of International Standards, in force since June 2025, requires ISO, IEC and ITU standards to be tracked as they evolve and generally caps their conversion into national standards at 12 months. The Negative List for Local Standard Formulation (2025 Edition), a national first issued last October, bars local standards wherever national or industry versions exist and bans them for industrial products outright. Both strike at a long-standing complaint of multinationals: hyper-local standards that act as trade barriers in disguise.

For multinational companies, entering China has often meant navigating dozens of provincial markets rather than a single national market. Local protectionism, tilted procurement and selective enforcement were rarely codified but often encountered.

That is why a unified national market matters to global business. Far from an exercise in state consolidation, it targets local protectionism itself, pursued from the top down.

The scale of this housecleaning is striking. In 2025, fair competition reviewers vetted 58,000 draft policy measures and ordered changes to more than 10,000 that favored local champions or fenced out outside investors. Since early 2025, spot checks of more than half a million existing measures have forced rectification of 13,000 more. A parallel campaign against arbitrary, profit-driven enforcement corrected 57,000 prominent problems in enterprise-related cases and recovered nearly 29 billion yuan ($4.28 billion) for businesses.

The market access negative list is down to 106 items, a thin gate for an economy of this size. When the same rules apply in Heilongjiang as in Guangdong, transaction costs fall. A product approved in Shanghai can be sold in Chengdu without a second round of provincial clearance.

If the unified market supplies the hardware, national treatment supplies the confidence. In June of this year, the Ministry of Commerce and other central departments issued an action plan to stabilize and optimize foreign investment. Its core demand sounds modest but cuts deep: equal treatment for foreign-invested enterprises in government procurement, bidding and state-backed programs such as consumer goods trade-ins, backed by mandatory fair competition review.

The principle is already taking effect. A three-year procurement overhaul running through 2026 has inspected over 30,000 projects, targeting the bias by ownership and registration that once shut foreign suppliers out of public tenders. Pilots for wholly foreign-owned hospitals are expanding to more regions, and several pilot free trade zones now manage cross-border data flows through concise negative lists instead of case-by-case approvals.

In 2025, against geopolitical headwinds and weak global capital flows, 70,392 new foreign-invested enterprises were registered in China, up 19.1% year on year. Foreign direct investment stock stood near $4 trillion at the end of last year after a steady five-year climb. Capital does not pour into a market it believes is closing. These are long-term commitments, not passing trades.

Such an economy cannot be run on ad hoc decrees; it needs law and predictability, precisely what the reforms launched two years ago set out to build. By anchoring its market in transparent, standardized and legally grounded rules, China is offering global business something more durable than cheap labor ever was: institutional certainty.

The record of the past two years is hard to miss: a country doing the slow, unglamorous work of binding itself more tightly to the world economy, rule by rule – and rules outlast the headlines.

Global AI infrastructure continues to expand, with energy supply emerging as a new variable for future development, said a report released on Friday at the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai.

In the AI era, computing power depends fundamentally on electricity, making the availability, reliability, flexibility and sustainability of electricity supply a critical factor shaping the competitiveness of the global AI industry.

Global data center electricity consumption is expected to nearly double from around 485 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2025 to approximately 945 TWh by 2030, driven largely by the rapid growth of AI workloads, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Around the world, governments and grid operators are increasingly confronting the challenge of balancing accelerating AI infrastructure expansion with limited power capacity.

New York State recently became the first US state to suspend approvals for new large-scale AI data centers, citing concerns over grid capacity and future electricity demand. Ireland has also faced significant pressure from data center expansion, with the country restricting new data center developments for most of the past three years to ensure that its power grid can accommodate the sector's growing electricity demand. In Denmark, grid operator Energinet suspended new data center connection applications after receiving power connection requests totaling around 60 gigawatts – nearly nine times the country's peak electricity demand.

The challenges brought by AI expansion extend far beyond electricity demand. It is also emerging as a significant driver of carbon emissions, creating new challenges for the global transition toward a more sustainable energy system.

To address these challenges, China is exploring a new pathway through computing-electricity coordination, integrating computing infrastructure with clean energy systems. The approach focuses on a two-way integration, using electricity to power computing and using computing to optimize electricity systems.

On the one hand, China is leveraging its abundant renewable energy resources in western regions, where wind, solar and hydropower resources are plentiful but consumption capacity remains limited, while eastern regions face strong demand for computing power but tighter energy supply. By deploying computing centers closer to renewable energy bases under the "Eastern Data, Western Computing" initiative, China aims to improve renewable energy utilization, reduce long-distance power transmission losses and address the geographical mismatch between energy supply and computing demand.

A key example is a data center in Zhongwei, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, that operates on 100% green electricity. The project combines a 500-megawatt photovoltaic power station with a large-scale wind power base, providing clean, stable and cost-effective renewable electricity directly to the computing park. By connecting renewable energy generation with computing demand, the project reduces operational costs, improves green energy utilization and lowers carbon emissions.

On the other hand, China is exploring how computing power can empower the energy sector. AI models are being applied to improve renewable energy output forecasting, optimize grid dispatch and increase the utilization of fluctuating wind and solar power. AI-powered energy management systems can monitor grid conditions in real time, identify faults and support intelligent restoration, enabling the power system to become more flexible, efficient and resilient. As AI becomes the "smart brain" of the future energy system, computing is helping accelerate the transformation toward a more intelligent and sustainable electricity network.

A recent Bloomberg report noted that China is accelerating its renewable energy transition at an unprecedented pace, with investment and deployment in solar, wind power and supporting grid infrastructure surpassing those of many other major economies. Analysts said that China's large-scale investment in clean energy not only strengthens its leading position in the global energy transition but also provides a critical foundation for meeting the growing power demands of artificial intelligence development.

Read more:

China launches first AI data center powered by 100% green electricity

World's first prefabricated computing base begins operation in E China

Why is China putting AI data centers under the sea?

(With input from Xinhua)

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto on Saturday in Shanghai.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, welcomed Airlangga to China, where he is attending the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference.

Wang said Indonesia becoming one of the founding members of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization reflects the country's positive attitude toward international cooperation on AI, adding that China stands ready to work with like-minded countries to advance AI development in an inclusive and universally beneficial direction.

China is willing to strengthen coordination with Indonesia in international and regional affairs and push forward the building of a China-Indonesia community with a shared future that carries regional and global influence, Wang said.

Airlangga commended China's global leadership in the AI field, adding that Indonesia welcomes and invites more Chinese enterprises to invest in the country and looks forward to continuously expanding key Belt and Road cooperation projects with China.

China's meteorological authority on Friday announced the launch of a China-Thailand joint laboratory for intelligent prediction and early warning of meteorological disasters, aiming to develop a warning system that will provide sustained meteorological support for cross-border projects in power, agriculture and infrastructure.

The announcement was made at a meteorological sub-forum of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance, held in Shanghai in east China.

As the world's first bilateral cooperation lab in the field of AI-powered meteorological applications, the joint lab will focus on developing intelligent early warning technologies for disasters, including typhoons, heavy rainfall, high temperatures and droughts.

It will be based on China's MAZU intelligent meteorological early warning system, according to the China Meteorological Administration.

Research teams of the joint lab comprise more than 40 experts covering atmospheric science, artificial intelligence, power systems, agricultural meteorology and cross-border regional cooperation.

Imagine a robot without a brain. It probably only knows how to move, but can't handle barriers. The so-called AI world model can make all the difference. It offers a brain to robots that lets AI know the physical world and lets it think. CGTN reporter Chen Tong explains the importance of the world model.

Rain continued to fall in Pengshui, Chongqing, after a major landslide struck the area on July 17, with more rainfall expected in the hours ahead.

Standing near the disaster site, our reporter said the ongoing rain and challenging conditions were adding difficulties to rescue efforts.

The 9th Cross-Strait Youth Development Forum kicked off in Hangzhou, capital of eastern China’s Zhejiang Province, on Friday. Hung Hsiu-Chu, former chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang, attended the opening ceremony and called on young generation from both sides of the Taiwan Strait to break down barriers and build mutual understanding.

Chinese animated feature All Wishes Come True! officially opened in theaters nationwide in China on July 18, one week ahead of its originally scheduled release, joining a packed summer lineup of the country's domestic productions.

The film had initially been slated for release on July 24. Following a series of advance screenings and positive audience responses, the producers announced that the nationwide release would be moved forward to July 18, signaling growing confidence in the film's market potential during the peak summer box office period.

Produced by Pearl Studio and distributed by CMC Pictures, All Wishes Come True!is inspired by the classic Chinese folk legend of the Eight Immortals. Rather than retelling the well-known story of "The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea," the film imagines how eight ordinary people from different backgrounds eventually become the legendary immortals, bringing a fresh blend of fantasy, comedy and adventure to one of China's most enduring myths.

Written and directed by Mu Zhengyang, the film adopts a lighthearted tone that sets it apart from more conventional mythological adaptations. According to the filmmakers, the goal is to present a more relatable story while preserving the spirit of the original folklore.

The release comes as Chinese animation continues to draw on traditional culture for new stories. Recent years have seen a growing number of films inspired by mythology, classical literature and historical figures, with filmmakers increasingly reinterpreting familiar characters through contemporary storytelling.

Industry observers see this creative shift as part of a broader evolution in Chinese animation. Rather than treating ancient legends as fixed narratives, they are exploring new perspectives that make these stories more accessible to younger generations while maintaining their cultural roots.

Beyond the domestic market, All Wishes Come True! is also preparing for an international rollout later this summer, reflecting the growing global ambitions of Chinese animated features. The film is scheduled to open in Malaysia in late August.

On the Bashang Plateau in Zhangbei – the closest pristine grassland to Beijing – the Anguli River, the largest inland river in north China, winds its way through a prairie, with its clear waters nurturing the land for generations. Wind turbines dot ridge lines across the grassland in a quiet dance with the sky, while cattle and sheep roam at ease. Wind rotors sway with the clouds, the river mirrors the sky – this is where the sky meets the grass, and where a prairie shares its most peaceful voice.

As AI advances, the conversation is shifting from what it can do to how it should be governed.

At the 2026 World AI Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, experts from China and abroad discussed the complementary roles of ethics and governance in ensuring AI develops safely and serves society.

In focus was the launch of Yijian 2.0, an upgraded AI ethics review agent unveiled at the Forum on Global AI Governance and Sustainable Development.

Building on its existing research ethics review capabilities, Yijian 2.0 expands into AI ethics, initially focusing on medical AI applications through upgraded knowledge rules, intelligent agent capabilities, and application systems.

Wang Guoyu, vice chair of the International Strategic Expert Committee of the Center for Global AI Innovative Governance, said the system is designed to review both traditional research ethics and the new ethical challenges posed by AI itself.

He said he hopes Yijian 2.0 will help countries in the Global South strengthen their AI ethics review capabilities and narrow the AI divide.

UNESCO Chair on AI and Data Science for Society Lampros Stergioulas stressed the importance of ethics in AI governance.

"Artificial intelligence can be an enabler, but humans must remain in control," he said.

Stergioulas warned that AI carries risks of misuse and unintended harm, adding that governance should go beyond safety considerations to address the technology's broader capabilities and societal impact. Ultimately, he said, the goal is to protect people and ensure AI benefits society as a whole. He also praised China's commitment to advancing AI governance and called for faster progress on a globally coordinated governance framework.

While ethics provide guiding principles, experts said governance also requires clear rules to define the boundaries of AI development and use.

At the 2025 Forum on Global Dialogue and Coordinated Development of AI Rules, the China University of Political Science and Law and the Collaborative Platform for Global AI Governance Rules released the "Global AI Governance Rules Map 2.0," an interactive platform that maps AI regulations, policy tools, and regulatory approaches across major countries and regions.

Former UN High-level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence co-chair Carme Artigas described the platform as a valuable resource for comparing AI governance and legislation in China with approaches around the world.

She said China is among the world's leading countries in AI development while also maintaining a comprehensive regulatory framework, adding that countries should learn from different governance models to strike a balance between innovation and safeguards.

Zhang Linghan, dean of the Institute of AI Law at the China University of Political Science and Law, said AI safety is a shared challenge for all of humanity.

She noted that China was among the first countries to require labeling for AI-generated content. With the establishment of the World AI Cooperation Organization, she said future international collaboration should extend beyond technological innovation to include the joint development of AI governance rules.

China has said it supports building an inclusive global AI governance framework and is committed to providing international public goods related to AI. Discussions at WAIC reflected a growing consensus that effective AI governance requires both ethical principles and robust regulatory frameworks to harness the technology's benefits while managing its risks.

With artificial intelligence advancing at a staggering pace and transforming people's lives, it also brings new challenges. Chinese President Xi Jinping shared his thoughts and observations on how to address challenges arising from AI development while addressing the opening ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance held in Shanghai.

Here are some of his key remarks.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday urged China and Cambodia to carry forward the ironclad friendship forged by the older generations of leaders of the two countries.

Xi made the remarks in his meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, who is in China to attend the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai and for a working visit.

Xi said the two sides should enrich the "Diamond Hexagon" cooperation framework and advance the building of an all-weather China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era to a higher level.

He stressed that the two sides should accelerate the development of the Industrial Development Corridor and the Fish and Rice Corridor, upgrade traditional sectors such as electricity and agriculture, and foster emerging industries, including artificial intelligence and the digital economy.

The two sides should work together to crack down on cross-border crimes such as counterfeiting, smuggling, online gambling and telecom fraud, Xi said.

Xi said consolidating the ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand and gradually building mutual trust serve the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries. He added that China supports Cambodia and Thailand in finding a solution through dialogue and consultation and stands ready to continue playing a constructive role in this regard.

Hun Manet expressed gratitude to China for its selfless support and assistance to Cambodia's economic and social development over the years.

He noted that regardless of shifts in the international situation, Cambodia's policy of pursuing close friendly cooperation with China will never change.

Cambodia firmly upholds the one-China policy and will work with China to deepen political mutual trust, expand bilateral trade, advance cooperation on major infrastructure and other key projects, and intensify efforts to combat telecom fraud, Hun Manet said.

He also thanked China for actively promoting peace talks and advancing a peaceful settlement to the border disputes between Cambodia and Thailand and noted that Cambodia will stick to dialogue and negotiations to ease the situation.

China on Friday rejected claims by US President Donald Trump that Beijing had interfered in US elections, saying the allegations were groundless and aimed at smearing China.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks at a press conference in response to Trump's comments.

Lin said China has always adhered to the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs and has no interest in, and has never interfered in, US elections.

On the contrary, the international community clearly sees who frequently interferes in the internal affairs of other countries, conducts indiscriminate surveillance of governments, companies and ordinary people around the world, and steals large amounts of data from citizens of other countries, Lin said.

He urged the United States to reflect on its own actions, stop making unwarranted accusations against China and avoid using China as a topic in elections.

The US should do more to contribute to the healthy development of China-US relations, he said.

Shanghai is hosting the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) from July 17 to 20. More than 1,100 exhibitors have taken part, showcasing over 3,000 exhibits, with more than 300 products making their global debuts.

The conference also features more than 140 forums and brings together over 1,400 speakers and guests from China and around the world.

Humanoid robots remain one of the biggest attractions. Visitors can see robots designed for practical tasks rather than simple demonstrations. One of the highlights is a human-sized service robot that can greet visitors, answer questions and assist customers in places such as exhibition centers, hotels and retail stores. The growing focus is on robots that can be deployed in real working environments.

The conference also features a wide range of AI technologies, including multimodal AI models, AI agent systems, high-performance computing platforms, advanced AI chips and AI-powered smartphones. Together, they show how competition in AI is expanding beyond software to include computing power and intelligent hardware.

Alongside the technology showcase, the conference is also a platform for discussions on AI governance. As artificial intelligence becomes part of everyday life, this year's event offers a snapshot of how the industry is moving from research to real-world applications.

For Lu Bingrui, this summer is less about lectures and more about learning how to operate a humanoid robot.

The mechanical engineering student from China's Taiwan region is spending his first internship in Guangzhou, where he works alongside engineers at a robotics startup. Lu learns how machines are designed, tested and deployed beyond the classroom.

"I've always been interested in hardware," Lu said. "So I wanted to learn more about the mechanical design and structure behind robots."

The experience has been eye-opening.

"When I first saw the robot, I was genuinely amazed," he said. "It made me realize how much more advanced this field has become and how much there is to learn."

Lu is one of more than 130 university students from China's Taiwan participating in this year's Guangzhou Taiwan Youth Month internship program. Launched by the city as a flagship platform for cross-Strait youth exchanges, the program has placed them at over 50 companies and institutions across sectors including artificial intelligence, robotics, finance, healthcare and advanced manufacturing.

For other students, the experience goes beyond hardware.

Qiu Siqi, who studies data science and artificial intelligence, is spending her internship working on software-related projects.

"I've learned how to work as part of a team and take part in AI and software projects," she said. "It's also given me the chance to apply what I learned at university in a real working environment."

The internship reflects a growing demand for hands-on experience in emerging technologies.

"Embodied AI is one of the hottest technology fields in the world today," said Liu Zhuoyun, co-founder of robotics company Jacobi.ai. "The Greater Bay Area has one of the world's most complete robotics supply chains, making it a natural place for students who want practical experience."

The opportunities available to students also extend beyond startups.

Companies including China Southern Power Grid opened research platforms to young people interested in fields such as smart grids and green energy.

"We hope these students can gain a firsthand understanding of Chinese mainland's advances in energy technology," said Liu Yao, deputy general manager of Zhuhai Hengqin Power Supply Bureau under China Southern Power Grid. "We also hope they can serve as a bridge for future cross-Strait exchanges in science and technology."

Since the program was launched in 2018, more than 2,200 university students from China's Taiwan region have participated in internships and exchanges in Guangzhou.

For many of them, the experience is not only about gaining workplace skills. It is also an opportunity to see how emerging industries are developing in the Greater Bay Area, and where they might fit into that future.

Artificial intelligence has spent the past three years chasing increasingly powerful models. A walk through the exhibition halls at the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai makes it clear that the industry's priorities are changing.

The largest crowds still gather around humanoid robots and the latest foundation models. But across the exhibition halls and forums, the conversation has broadened. AI agents capable of completing complex tasks, embodied intelligence, computing infrastructure, scientific applications and AI governance have emerged as recurring themes. Together, they point to a broader transition: AI is moving from demonstrating what models can do to deploying them in the real world.

China is using this year's conference to showcase that transition. Alongside new technologies, it is emphasizing industrial applications, open collaboration and international governance. On the eve of WAIC, representatives of 29 countries signed the Agreement on the Establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization in Shanghai, reflecting growing efforts to coordinate AI development as the technology becomes increasingly capable.

More than any individual product launch, that shift defines this year's conference.

From large models to AI agents

Perhaps the biggest change at WAIC this year is that AI is no longer being presented primarily as a chatbot. Instead, AI agents appear throughout the conference, with forum discussions and exhibition demonstrations increasingly focusing on systems capable of planning, reasoning and completing multi-step tasks with limited human intervention.

The emphasis marks an important shift for the industry. During the generative AI boom, progress was largely measured by benchmark scores and conversational ability. Increasingly, developers are asking a different question: Can AI independently complete useful work? That shift – from answering questions to accomplishing tasks – runs through much of this year's conference and naturally leads to the next frontier: bringing AI into the physical world.

From the digital world to the physical world

Humanoid robots remain among WAIC's most popular attractions, but the demonstrations themselves tell a different story from previous years. Rather than simply showcasing robots that can walk or dance, exhibitors are increasingly emphasizing machines capable of perceiving their surroundings, manipulating objects, and collaborating with people in factories, warehouses, and other real-world environments.

That evolution reflects the growing importance of embodied intelligence. It also reflects China's approach to AI development. Rather than treating robotics solely as a research challenge, many demonstrations focus on industrial deployment, highlighting how AI can be integrated into manufacturing, logistics, and other sectors where China already has significant industrial strengths.

Together, AI agents and embodied intelligence suggest that the industry's ambitions now extend well beyond digital assistants. Bringing AI into the real world, however, also requires something less visible: computing infrastructure.

From models to computing infrastructure

While robots and AI agents attract the headlines, another thread runs through many of the discussions at WAIC: computing infrastructure. Several forums focus on AI chips, intelligent computing centers, and inference systems, reflecting growing recognition that increasingly autonomous AI requires a different kind of computing foundation.

The challenge is no longer simply training larger models. AI agents must continuously reason, robots must respond in real time, and scientific AI demands enormous computing resources. Those requirements are shifting attention toward computing efficiency, scalable infrastructure, and inference capabilities – technologies that receive far less public attention than foundation models but increasingly determine whether advanced AI can be deployed at scale.

That infrastructure is enabling what may be the conference's most significant transition: moving AI from demonstrations to deployment.

From demonstrations to deployment

Perhaps the strongest signal emerging from WAIC is not a single technology but where AI is being applied. Across WAIC, discussions increasingly focus on scientific computing, healthcare, manufacturing, and industrial design, illustrating how AI is moving beyond consumer-facing applications into fields where it can improve productivity and accelerate research.

That emphasis also aligns with China's priorities. Rather than presenting AI as a tool for generating text or images, many exhibitors frame it as a technology for upgrading manufacturing, advancing scientific research, and supporting the real economy. In other words, the industry's attention is shifting from what AI can generate to where AI can deliver value.

As AI becomes embedded in more critical systems, however, deployment raises another challenge: ensuring these increasingly capable technologies remain trustworthy.

Innovation and governance

The more capable AI becomes, the more frequently governance appears in the conversation, and that theme extends well beyond policy forums. As AI agents interact with software platforms, robots operate in physical environments, and AI systems become integrated across industries, questions surrounding data security, digital identity, privacy protection and system reliability become practical rather than theoretical.

China has increasingly positioned WAIC as a venue for discussing both technological innovation and international AI governance. The signing of the agreement establishing the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization reflects that ambition.

Xiao Qinghai, chief technology officer of Fisherman Info, said deeper integration among AI models, computing platforms and application services would require stronger safeguards throughout the AI life cycle. Technologies that protect sensitive data, verify digital identities and improve the trustworthiness of AI systems, he said, will become increasingly important as AI deployment accelerates.

Beyond the next model

Every major AI conference captures a snapshot of where the technology stands, but WAIC 2026 offers something more.

Rather than focusing on a single breakthrough, this year's conference reveals an industry entering a new phase in which success is increasingly measured not by the size of a model, but by whether AI can be deployed safely, efficiently and at scale. That shift is visible throughout WAIC, from AI agents and embodied intelligence to computing infrastructure, industrial applications and international governance.

Taken together, these developments suggest that the next chapter of artificial intelligence will be defined less by building ever-larger models than by integrating AI into the real world.

Walk into shopping malls and cultural venues across China this summer, and you will spot a striking shift in how people spend money. Instead of simply buying clothes, snacks or daily goods, young consumers are flocking to immersive IP experiences, interactive cultural carnivals and scene-based entertainment.

This small but vivid lifestyle shift is the most intuitive symbol of China's ongoing consumption upgrade. It also sets the tone for the country's solid economic performance in the first half of 2026.

According to official data, China's GDP reached 69.57 trillion yuan (around $10.28 trillion) in H1, growing 4.7% year on year. Notably, retail sales of goods increased by 1.1%, while service retail sales grew by 5.3%, signaling a deeper shift in China's consumption landscape, as buyers move from fulfilling basic needs to pursuing emotional resonance and a more meaningful life.

China's summer movie season is entering its busiest weeks. But beyond the race for box office, industry observers say a deeper transformation is underway. As audiences become more discerning, cinemas are reinventing the moviegoing experience, while filmmakers are being challenged to tell stronger, more meaningful stories.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Friday that the world has entered an unprecedentedly vigorous period of innovation in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, bringing great opportunities and governance challenges.

Delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai, Xi said humanity must answer the questions of the times.

He raised questions about how humans can get along with thinking machines, how security can be ensured when algorithms are involved in decision-making, how ethical challenges posed by technologies can be tackled through adaptive governance, and how AI for all can be realized when the divide keeps widening.

Xi said these questions demand serious consideration and answers from the entire international community.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday presented four observations on artificial intelligence (AI) development and governance while addressing the opening ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance.

First, adhering to the principle of openness and win-win cooperation while boosting innovation-driven development.

Second, strengthening risk awareness and ensuring that AI is secure and controllable.

Third, encouraging inclusiveness and promoting mutual learning among civilizations.

Fourth, advocating solidarity and improving global governance.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday announced the establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization.

China will provide developing countries with 5,000 opportunities for artificial intelligence (AI) training and seminars over the next five years, President Xi Jinping said on Friday.

Xi made the announcement when delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance held in Shanghai.

He said China will develop international AI application cooperation centers with ASEAN, the League of Arab States, the African Union, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS.

China will also help 30 countries utilize the AI-powered MAZU meteorological early warning system to protect people's lives and property around the world, Xi added.

A landslide struck a section of road in Pengshui Miao and Tujia Autonomous County, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, early on Friday morning, trapping an unknown number of people and damaging nearby buildings, local authorities said.

Nine trapped people have been rescued and taken to hospital, China Media Group reported, and rescue operations are ongoing. Nearby residents have been safely relocated.

China's Ministry of Emergency Management has dispatched 100 personnel to the affected area, while 206 firefighters have also been deployed to assist with rescue efforts.

A total of 8,000 pieces of relief supplies, including tents, folding beds, blankets and emergency kits, have been allocated to support rescue efforts and the resettlement of affected residents.

Can the 2016 South China Sea arbitration withstand true legal scrutiny? Ten years on, a new report by top Chinese maritime experts argues the tribunal drastically overstepped its jurisdiction, producing a ruling that lacks fundamental legal validity.

CGTN reporter Feng Yilei breaks down the findings with legal scholars, exploring:

The fatal flaws in the tribunal's jurisdiction

The report's critique of the ruling's legal merits

Why direct negotiation is the real way forward

Watch the full video to uncover the geopolitical manipulation behind the 2016 arbitration, and learn why direct dialogue is the only viable path to lasting regional stability.

As people age, many experience memory decline and slower cognitive processing, along with a higher risk of cerebrovascular disease and cognitive impairment. One important question in aging research is how changes in the brain's blood vessels contribute to cognitive decline.

Scientists from the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have identified a mechanism by which aging weakens the blood-brain barrier, the brain's protective interface with the bloodstream.

The study was published in Neuron under the title "TGF-β1-induced endothelial transcytosis drives blood-brain barrier leakage during aging."

The blood-brain barrier, or BBB, acts as a selective security system. It allows essential nutrients to reach the brain while preventing potentially harmful substances in the blood from entering brain tissue. Damage to this barrier has been linked to cognitive aging, cerebral small vessel disease and several neurodegenerative disorders.

Scientists have traditionally attributed BBB leakage mainly to damage to the tight seals between cells lining brain blood vessels. However, the new study found that another process occurs earlier during aging.

By examining mice at different ages, the researchers found that BBB leakage was already detectable in middle-aged mice and worsened in older animals. The change appeared early in the hippocampus, a brain region important for learning and memory.

At this stage, the seals between blood vessel cells remained largely intact. Instead, the cells' internal transport system became abnormally active, allowing blood-borne substances to pass through the cells and enter brain tissue.

"Rather than first leaking through gaps between cells, the aging blood-brain barrier appears to lose control over transport pathways inside the cells," the researchers said.

The team identified a protein called Mfsd2a as an important part of this protective system. Mfsd2a normally limits unnecessary transport across brain blood vessels. Its levels declined with age, while Caveolin-1, a protein involved in the formation of transport vesicles, increased.

When the researchers restored endothelial Mfsd2a expression or knocked down Caveolin-1 in aged mice, abnormal vesicle transport and BBB leakage were significantly reduced.

The researchers then investigated why Mfsd2a declines during aging. They found that levels of TGF-β1, a signaling molecule involved in inflammation, tissue repair and aging, increased in both the brain and the bloodstream as mice aged.

Excessive TGF-β1 reduced Mfsd2a expression in the cells lining brain blood vessels, causing their transport activity to increase. Raising TGF-β1 levels in young mice caused them to develop several features normally seen in the aged BBB, including increased leakage.

By contrast, blocking TGF-β signaling in aged mice reduced BBB leakage and improved their performance in memory-related behavioral tests.

The findings suggest that age-related BBB damage is not simply the result of passive wear and tear. Instead, it involves biological signals that alter how brain blood vessel cells transport substances.

The study may help explain how vascular changes contribute to cognitive aging. It also points to potential approaches for protecting the aging brain, including maintaining Mfsd2a function or preventing excessive activation of TGF-β signaling. Further research will be needed to determine whether these strategies can be safely translated into treatments for humans.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai.

Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai on Friday.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar in east China's Shanghai on Thursday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, welcomed Dar, who is in China to attend the upcoming World Artificial Intelligence Conference and sign an agreement on establishing the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) on behalf of the Pakistani government.

Pakistan's accession to the WAICO will serve the long-term interests of Pakistan and its people, Wang said.

Wang noted that China, as a responsible major country, promotes the establishment of the organization with like-minded countries, aiming at building international consensus, advancing practical cooperation and enhancing capacity building, so that all countries, especially Global South countries, can benefit equally from the development of artificial intelligence.

China and Pakistan should jointly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and accelerate the building of a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future, Wang said.

Dar said establishing the WAICO is a great initiative proposed by China, adding that Pakistan is honored to be a founding member of the organization, and looks forward to strengthening cooperation with China in the field of artificial intelligence.

Dar said Pakistan stands ready to make all-out efforts to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel, institutions and projects in Pakistan and promote the continuous development of bilateral relations.

Take a look at how these drones created a dazzling display of pandas, cities, and more over the Chongqing sky.

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Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand Anutin Charnvirakul arrived in Shanghai on Thursday evening to attend the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance. He will pay an official visit to China from July 16 to 20.

This is Anutin's first official visit to China since taking office, showcasing that both sides attach high importance to the development of China-Thailand relations.

In 2025, China and Thailand signed a memorandum of understanding to deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), aiming to strengthen collaboration in AI development and governance and promote AI technology to benefit the people of both countries.

In June, hundreds of people besieged Lidl supermarkets across Paris, scuffling for portable air conditioners as temperatures breached 40 degrees Celsius. As the heatwave swept Europe, a different trend emerged on social media: "Traveling to China to escape heat waves." Data from Chinese travel service Qunar showed arrivals from Greece surged 9.5-fold year on year, while visitors from Sweden, Finland and Mexico more than doubled.

The appeal runs deeper than cheap air conditioning.

China's forest coverage has reached 25.09%, expanding for 40 consecutive years, according to data from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. In Saihanba, four generations of foresters turned barren desert into 80% forest cover, now supplying 137 million cubic meters of water and 545 thousand metric tons of oxygen to Beijing and Tianjin annually. In the Kubuqi Desert, vegetation cover rose from 16.2% to 53%, lifting 102,000 residents out of poverty. This greening has measurably improved local microclimates – more shade, cooler summers.

Several cities have turned climate into a brand. Liupanshui in Guizhou, sitting at 1,800 meters on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, averages 19.7 degrees Celsius in summer and was named "the Cool City of China" in 2005 – the first city in China to be designated by its climate. Once a coal-mining hub, it now hosts a summer tourism festival that has run for 22 consecutive years and welcomed 6.5 million overnight visitors in 2025, local government data shows.

China's topography makes such diversity possible. Mountains, plateaus and hills cover nearly 70% of its land, creating a natural temperature gradient. For every 1,000 meters of elevation gain, temperature drops roughly 6 degrees Celsius. Qunar data shows arrivals to Yining in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Linzhi in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region – both highland destinations – surged 6.3-fold year on year.

Cool nights have also spawned a distinctive “night economy.” Dali in Yunnan, at about 1,970 meters high, received 28.4 million visits in 2025, with 63% citing local markets and street culture as their primary draw, local government data shows. Night food streets, craft stalls and the Torch Festival extend social life well past midnight, merging commerce with what travelers describe as emotional renewal.

The story of China as a summer sanctuary is not really about air conditioning. It is about a country that reshaped its landscape, leveraged its geography and reimagined its nights – and in doing so, offered the world a place to breathe.

On July 17, 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed efforts to promote the building of a beautiful China in all respects and to accelerate the advancement of modernization that features harmony between humans and nature.

One of the most visible aspects of this strategy can be found in China's cities, where greener public spaces are reshaping everyday life. More parks and green spaces are bringing nature closer to people's daily lives, while expanding greenways are creating new spaces for recreation and exercise.

At the same time, the rapid growth of new energy vehicles, charging infrastructure and public transport is making low-carbon travel an increasingly common part of daily life.

The following figures offer a snapshot of how China's push for greener development is reshaping its urban landscape and everyday living.