Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) successfully ignited its independently developed 600-kilogram thrust-class high-end turbofan engine on Friday, according to a statement published by the company on its official WeChat account on Saturday.
This engine can operate at an altitude of 15,000 meters and a speed of Mach 0.8. It also feature capabilities such as long endurance, and high reliability. It is primarily intended for use in high-end unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other applications.
From initial design to manufacturing, assembly, and first successful ignition, the engine was completed in less than eight months. According to the plan, the engine is expected to make its first flight in June 2025, with final certification to be completed by 2026. This will significantly enhance China's capability in the 1.5 to 4-ton UAV category, according to the statement.
Song Tao, head of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, and Ma Ying-jeou, former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang, attended the opening ceremony of the cross-Straits youth ice and snow festival in Harbin, Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, on Thursday, China Central Television (CCTV) reported.
During the opening ceremony, Ma noted that the festival offers Taiwan youth a rare and valuable life experience. Despite the icy and snowy external environment, the exchanges between youth from both sides of the Taiwan Straits are warm and vibrant — a phenomenon we hope to see,Ma said.
Ma emphasized that such enthusiastic interactions can melt even the hardest ice and snow, deepening friendships and paving the way for a brighter future across the Straits, according to the report.
A delegation of young people from China's Taiwan island led by Ma is in Harbin for a nine-day cross-Straits youth exchange program running from December 18 to 26.
The cross-Straits youth ice and snow festival, scheduled to take place from December 18 to 24 in Harbin and other cities in Heilongjiang, is featuring a range of activities, including the screening and awarding of short videos created by young people from both sides of the Straits, alongside immersive winter sports experiences.
About 1,000 individuals from Taiwan, primarily young people, are expected to participate in the event, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
Wang Ping-chung, a Taiwan political news commentator and former spokesperson of the New Party, told the Global Times that through exchanges between young people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, it is increasingly important for them to realize that people on both sides share a close kinship, and that the future of Taiwan is closely intertwined with the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Through Ma's visit, more people in Taiwan are expected to learn about the city of Harbin, and a wave of enthusiasm for ice and snow is expected to rise on the island in the future, Wang said.
Apart from attending the opening ceremony of the cross-Straits youth ice and snow festival, the delegation led by Ma visited Harbin Electric Corporation on Thursday. They listened to the introductions of the latest developments in China's energy industry and technological advancements, the Global Times learnt at the scene.
On Thursday morning, Song and Ma experienced snow carving and participated in the building of an "Ice Great Wall" in Harbin. Ma and young people from Taiwan also recited a poem about snow from the Tang Dynasty (618-907).
Ma and his delegation are expected to visit Southwest China's Sichuan Province on December 22 after the trip in the northeastern region, according to udn.com.
The visit to mainland provinces of Heilongjiang and Sichuan is Ma's third visit to the mainland in two years. In April 2024, Ma took along some Taiwan youth to the mainland for a trip he described as "journey of peace."
An elder has spent some 500,000 yuan ($68,000) online purchasing counterfeit collectibles, as live-streamers marketed the items with claims of miraculous effects and high value, exploiting reputations and emotional appeals for sales. The police have initiated an investigation into the live-streamed collectible scams targeting the elderly.
According to Liu Dan, the daughter of the elder, the products her mother purchased mainly fall into two categories. One includes amulets, ornaments, and jewelry with auspicious meanings, while the other consists of calligraphy, paintings, coins, porcelain, and stamp albums. Both types of items were sold for prices ranging from a few dozen to several thousand yuan (approximately several to hundreds of dollars).
For instance, an ordinary scroll, labeled with a "pawnshop seal" and identified as a "painting master’s scroll," was sold for 899 yuan ($123) during the live broadcast. Similarly, a piece of jade encased in a cloth bag was sold for 999 yuan ($137) after being attributed with auspicious meanings.
According to Liu's estimates, her mother has spent over 300,000 yuan ($41,000) on the collectibles. Additionally, she was later deceived out of more than 200,000 yuan ($27,000) under the guise of "recovering the collectibles." In total, she was defrauded of over half a million yuan ($68,000).
During pre-sale activities, live-streamers build a “positive energy” image by sharing emotional stories of helping resolve disputes and mediating family conflicts. Afterwards, they affectionately refer to the elderly as "dad and mom" or "uncle and aunt," thereby bridging the gap between themselves and the elderly, laying the groundwork for fraud.
Once they have earned the trust of the elderly, live-streamers start recommending a variety of products. For instance, when selling items like bracelets, they claim miraculous benefits, such as promoting family health, well-being, and career success. When promoting jade, coins, and bronze artifacts, they allege those items have significant potential for appreciation.
Live-streamers claim that purchasing those items is just for the elderly to preserve them, promising future exhibitions where the items would be bought back at higher prices. However, the high buyback prices advertised by the live-streamers are nothing more than a deceptive lure. They use the tactic to extract high fees for exhibition tickets and appraisals.
Liu has taken her mother to the police to report the fraud. Police authorities are investigating the case, categorizing it as a fraud targeting the elderly.
The National Supervisory Commission (NSC) carried out in-depth probes into vanity projects, leading to the rectification or suspension of over 700 "unnecessary landscaping" projects, said a report shared during the most recent session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, according to People's Daily on Monday.
On Sunday, the committee's 13th session of the 14th NPC Standing Committee heard a report about addressing corruption and misconduct that directly affects the general public, from Liu Jinguo, director of the NSC.
The report said the NSC focused on efforts to tackle formalism and bureaucratism, aiming to ease the burdens on grassroots governance. It highlighted the NSC integrated approaches of improving disciplinary mechanisms, strengthening oversight and rectification, and publicly disclosing typical cases. The NSC conducted on-site inspections and unannounced visits across 13 provinces, regions, and municipalities.
The report detailed stringent investigations into excessive and frequent inspections and vanity projects, with 32 cases publicly disclosed. Nationwide, over 700 "blindly pursued landscaping" projects were halted or rectified as a result of these efforts.
One case in the report described how Xixian county in Xinyang, Central China's Henan Province, mandated the trimming of roadside weeds and wild trees to an exact height of about 10 cm during rural environmental improvement efforts, sparking significant public outrage.
The NSC conducted covert inspections and direct oversight, culminating in punitive measures against nine officials, including the Vice Mayor of Xinyang and the Secretary of Xixian County Committee of the CPC. The case was publicly disclosed nationwide.
In other cases, the NSC severely dealt with problems such as Liu Kewen, former Secretary of Hejing County Committee of the CPC in Northwest China's Xinjiang, who wasted resources by invalidly painting rural roadside walls white, and Cheng Zhiyi, former Secretary of Jiangjin District Committee of the CPC in Southwest China's Chongqing, who delayed addressing substandard drinking water quality in towns and villages, resulting in its deterioration over time.
The NSC emphasized that these cases underscore the need for cultivating a proper perspective on governance and metrics of success among officials.
Iris photography has emerged as a popular trend among youngsters, with many netizens and vendors posting related photos online, according to a report from China Youth Daily on Wednesday. However, experts cautioned that the new trend should be approached with care from both a legal and health perspective.
The process of capturing iris photographs is similar to eye exams conducted in hospitals. Individuals rest their chins on a tray while strong lights on either side illuminate their pupils. A camera positioned directly in front then takes a close-up shot of the iris, producing a unique image of the person's iris.
However, there are also concerns about the safety. "The iris, like a fingerprint, contains unique personal information through its texture," said Xu Ming, a professor at the college of cybersecurity at Hangzhou Dianzi University.
Also, it is recommended to avoid strong light as much as possible and not to stare at light sources while taking photos, said Yu Pingping, director of the ophthalmology department at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict is at its most dangerous moment, and the more difficult the situation becomes, the more it is needed for Global South countries, such as China and Brazil, to play a greater role, a Chinese scholar said at the Global Times Annual Conference 2025, themed "Moving forward in Partnership: Resonance of Values between China and the World," which is held in Beijing on Saturday.
Explaining why it is at the most dangerous moment, Wu Dahui, a professor of international relations and expert on China-Russia ties at Tsinghua University, said that Putin signed a decree in November ratifying the updated nuclear doctrine, sending a signal to the world: one more step forward could lead to the use of nuclear weapons, not just against Ukraine, but against US military and all NATO bases.
Wu gave an example of a massive attack launched by Russian forces on Friday, one missile came within just 9 kilometers of the Polish border. As 87 percent of Western weapons are continuously flowing into Ukraine through three entry-ports in Poland, is there a possibility that Russia might one day use ballistic missiles to directly destroy these entry-ports? Wu believes that this possibility does exist.
On the other hand, there are significant differences between the US and Russia regarding how the Russia-Ukraine conflict would end. Wu noted that, based on the current situation, there is little possibility of a peace treaty being reached between Russia and Ukraine by the first half of 2025, or even by the end of 2025.
Wu said security is the absence of threats objectively and the absence of fear subjectively; and that peace is a process of reconciliation achieved through dialogue. Only in this way can there be lasting peace.
China is not a party to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and can only do its best within its capacity. China has proposed the "China's Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis" and has reached consensus with Brazil on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. The Chinese value harmony and have always advocated for peace and dialogue. The more difficult the situation, the more needed it is for Global South countries, including China and Brazil, to play a greater role, said Wu.
The renewal of the Agreement Between the United States and China on Cooperation in Science and Technology will advance technological progress in both nations, drive socio-economic development, enhance collaboration on global challenges, and improve the well-being of people worldwide, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated on Monday.
China and the US on December 13 signed a protocol to amend and extend the Agreement Between the United States and China on Cooperation in Science and Technology. They have agreed to extend the Agreement for additional five years, effective from August 27, 2024, Lin said.
Lin noted that China-US scientific and technological cooperation is fundamentally rooted in mutual benefit and shared success. The China-US Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement is one of the first intergovernmental agreements signed after the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, providing strong support for scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation.
The renewal of the Agreement reflects the consensus achieved during recent meetings between the leaders of the two countries, aligning with mutual interests and global expectations, Lin said. It will not only promote technological progress and socio-economic development in both countries but also enhance cooperation in addressing global challenges and improve the well-being of people around the world.
Lin also expressed hope that the US side can work together with China in the same direction, earnestly implement the agreements and arrangements, and ensure that the outcomes of China-US scientific and technological cooperation truly benefit both countries and the world.
Six people have been detained for suspected criminal involvement in the partial collapse of an ice rink in Baicheng, Northeast China's Jilin Province, the provincial authorities announced on Friday, revealing the investigation result of the collapse.
The collapse on November 18 was caused by substandard construction quality, the Jilin authorities revealed. Apart from the six, other persons responsible remain under investigation, China Central Television reported on Saturday.
The investigation was announced during a provincial production safety meeting chaired by Jilin provincial governor Hu Yuting, Jilin Daily reported. At the meeting, Hu stressed that relevant authorities should address major safety risks while learning from incidents of the same kind elsewhere, and turning lessons into preventive measures.
Hu also urged the need to strengthen accountability for incidents and dig out the roots of the problem. Meanwhile, regular professional inspections should be in place and focus on key issues.
Special attention should be placed on high-risk areas such as commercial venues, large buildings, crowded places, and self-built commercial properties. A comprehensive safety review should be conducted across the province to identify design flaws, construction quality issues, and potential hazards, the governor said.
Further, responsibilities must be clarified to prevent accidents due to negligence, the Jilin Daily report noted.
As the year-end and early-year is a time period of high incident occurrences, Hu said the local government must maintain vigilance, enhance risk assessment, and protect against major accidents.
Part of the roof of an ice rink in Baicheng of Jilin collapsed in the early morning of November 18, with no injuries or casualties reported, according to CCTV. Local officials had said that preliminary findings suggest the accident was caused by deformation of the rooftop steel structure, potentially due to construction quality issues.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for efforts to build a strong, modernized information support force, and to realize the leapfrog development of the Chinese military's network information system.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), made the remarks when inspecting the information support force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Wednesday.
The PLA information support force is a strategic service branch established amid China's efforts to adjust and reform the structure of its military services and arms. Xi presented a flag to the force at its establishment ceremony in April.
During Wednesday's inspection, Xi said that the network information system is playing an increasingly prominent role in modern warfare, and that all relevant personnel should be fully aware that enhancing the system is extremely important.
He called on the force to accelerate its efforts to build the network information system and strengthen its capabilities in serving and supporting the military's combat readiness and capabilities.
Stressing the need for solid work in the development of the network information system, Xi said that the information services guarantee should be enhanced and great importance should be attached to the protection of network information security.
He also called for efforts to facilitate innovation in the command modes and the transformation of combat methods.
Xi demanded the information support force adhere to the fundamental principle of the Party's absolute leadership over the armed forces. He called for efforts to improve conduct, enforce discipline and combat corruption, stressing that the force must be entirely loyal, pure and reliable.
He urged the Party committee of the information support force to shoulder its responsibility in developing the force, and to build a team of highly competent professionals.
Xi requested coordinated efforts from the CMC, as well as other relevant authorities and units, to promote the development of the information support force.
Senior military officials Zhang Youxia, He Weidong, Liu Zhenli and Zhang Shengmin attended the event.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto in Beijing on Tuesday, discussing issues including deepening bilateral cooperation and developing a healthy and stable China-EU relationship.
Both sides highlighted the historic significance of the elevation of bilateral ties to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era in May when Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Hungary.
Noting that Hungary was the first European country to sign a cooperation document on the Belt and Road Initiative with China, Wang said the practical bilateral cooperation has yielded fruitful results, which fully demonstrates that as long as there is mutual respect, trust, and support, economic cooperation between the two sides will enjoy broad prospects.
Wang expressed the hope that the new European Union institutions will adhere to the orientation and cooperative tone of the China-EU partnership, view China's development objectively, pursue a positive and pragmatic policy toward China, and promote the sustained, healthy, and stable development of China-EU relations.
Szijjarto said that Hungary looks forward to expanding and deepening cooperation in various fields with China, facilitating personnel exchanges, and enhancing friendship between the two peoples.
Noting that both Hungary and China support peace and advocate an international system based on mutual respect, Szijjarto said Hungary is committed to promoting the positive and healthy development of EU-China relations and is willing to work with China to promote world peace and stability.
