China has recently released the first list of 789 important habitats for terrestrial wildlife animals in a bid to strengthen the protection of terrestrial wildlife populations and their habitats. The list covers 82.36 percent national key protected terrestrial wildlife species, according to China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA).
Based on the importance of the terrestrial wildlife species in China, their population sizes, the significance of their habitat locations, and their special representativeness, the first list of important habitats for terrestrial wildlife is divided into six categories, including the survival and breeding area for rare and endangered species, as well as the distribution areas for wildlife clusters.
These areas are spread across 31 provinces, regions and municipalities, covering the habitats, breeding grounds and migratory sites of 565 species of the national first- and second-class key protected wildlife animals including 127 mammal species, 339 bird species, 62 amphibian and reptile species, and 37 insect species.
According to the requirements under China’s Wildlife Protection Law that strengthens the protection of important wildlife habitats, the NFGA organized experts to collect the information and data of China’s wildlife resources obtained from the surveys conducted over the past two decades.
The experts classified and sorted out the characteristics of the species’ natural distributions, population dynamics, and biological habits of the wildlife animals in China, and formulated the interim measures for the identification of important habitats for terrestrial wildlife animals. The interim measures determine the technical specifications for identification criteria, assessment procedures, file information, demarcation of scope and naming rules for important habitats of terrestrial wildlife.
Through detailed analysis and evaluation, the first batch of important habitats for terrestrial wildlife was selected. Moving forward, the NFGA will further strengthen investigation, monitoring and assessment of areas where habitat conditions have continued to improve but have not been included in the list, and successively include those meet the relevant criteria into the list.
In recent years, China has established a natural protected area system focused on the country’s national parks using nature reserves as its foundation and various natural parks as secondary sites.
This system has incorporated a large number of wildlife habitats into protected areas, ensuring the protection of wildlife habitats and promoting their continuous optimization. It has played a significant role in rescuing precious endangered wildlife and maintaining the development of wildlife populations.
An exhibition themed “Magnificence and Grandeur - Immersive Experience of Grotto Art” was open to the public at the National Museum of China on Saturday. The exhibition covers an area of approximately 1,500 square meters. Combining digital drawing, digital 3D mapping images and AI algorithm technology, artists present the rich meaning of the grottoes including Kizil Caves, Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, Maijishan Grottoes, Yungang Grottoes and Longmen Grottoes. Photos: Li Hao/GT
While the world still remembers the big snowflake from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, the Golden Sun Bird, logo of China Culture Heritage which symbolizes light, strength and hope, hovering over the main stadium of Dong'an Lake Sports Park at the opening ceremony of the FISU World University Games once again amazed a global audience.
With the fireworks of Chengdu city flower hibiscus blossoming in the air, the 31st World University Summer Games opened in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan province, on Friday. The historic city has added a fresh youthful imprint and wrote a new chapter in the world's youth engagement and exchanges.
Golden main stage, sun circle screen... In this grand event, "sunshine" was a creative element throughout the proceeding. With the theme of "Make dreams come true," the Chengdu World University Games strives to present a sunny opening ceremony to the world, showing the joy and style of young college students from all over the world gathering in Chengdu, bathing in the sunshine and accomplishing their dreams. It also calls on university students around the world to promote the realization of the common aspiration for peace and development of all mankind and to realize the common dream of building a global community with a shared future.
Guided by signboards made of Shu embroidery, university athletes entered the stadium. Colorful silk threads were projected onto the runway, forming a weaving "Silk Road," representing the bright future of the participating college athletes and the youth from all over the world.
The opening ceremony is centered on college students, reflecting the values of friendship, fraternity, fair play, perseverance, integrity, cooperation and application championed by FISU. During the athletes' entrance, a college student band performed live classical music from five continents, expressing their respect and love for the cultures and arts of all countries in the world, reflecting cultural exchanges, friendship and inner resonance.
Among the cast and volunteers of the opening ceremony, 99 percent of participants were college students, marking the start of one of the world's premier sporting events for young people.
Raja Randhir Singh, Acting President of the Olympic Committee of Asia, told the Global Times during a news conference on Sunday that he is extremely impressed by the Hangzhou Asian Games, especially with the opening ceremony, the coordination between the OCA and the organizers, and in a clever gadget - contactless ID cards.
When talking about Saturday night's opening ceremony, Acting President Singh used the words "absolutely phenomenal."
Singh said that he would like to congratulate the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (HAGOC) and the Chinese government on the spectacular ceremony.
He expressed a special thanks to Chinese President Xi Jinping on his support during the ceremony.
"It is the finest and most beautiful ceremony I have ever seen," said the OCA Acting President. "I look forward to the great Games following it."
Singh spoke highly of the coordination between the OCA and the Chinese organizers, while answering a question from the Global Times during Sunday's news conference.
"As I have mentioned many times, we have a very good coordination with the organizers, so there is no problem," he said.
Singh said the teamwork has been prominent all the time. "We have a working group and a coordination committee. We are in touch all the time."
"From my side, we have never had a problem," he noted. "And the HAGOC has been in support for all the national committees and the members of the OCA who are looking for any kind of support."
Speaking of what impressed him the most in Hangzhou, the OCA Acting President, who is also the first Indian shooter to win a gold medal in the Asian Games in 1978, surprisingly mentioned a clever gadget.
"What I would like to mention particularly is something that is very new this time," he said. "Normally, you would have to walk around with your participant card and scan and wait for it. But not in Hangzhou."
With Hangzhou's contactless participant ID card, all participants can just walk through any entrance with it hanging around the neck, he said.
"When you walk in the hotel, you just walk in. It saved so much time, especially for the athletes," said Singh. "When they are competing and need to go to another venue, they can just walk in and walk out, and the card is instantly recorded. It is such a brilliant manner that you don't have to waste time. It saves the lines that are useless."
China's tennis ace Zhang Zhizhen looks like he will make more history in his hometown Shanghai as he eyes to progress to the quarterfinals of the Shanghai Masters. If he succeeds, he will become the first Chinese player to reach the stage in the history of the ATP Masters event.
Currently in the last 16 at the hard-court tournament, the 26-year-old will aim to continue his historic run when he plays 16th seed Hubert Hurkacz.
"This is the second time I've been in the second week of the Masters. I'm quite happy," Zhang told media.
"I always wanted to play tennis well in my hometown and in front of my family, and finally this time I did. Hopefully, I can keep going."
Zhang played against Hurkacz at the 2019 event, but was seen off by the Polish player 2-0.
"I still remember that match. I had the opportunity to win the first set, but I didn't grasp it," Zhang said.
"Four years have passed; we are both improving. It's going to be a tough match," he said of his upcoming match against Hurkacz.
To prepare for the match, Zhang skipped his doubles match with his pair Jannik Sinner of Italy against Rajeev Ram of the US and Joe Salisbury of the UK on Monday.
"Our doubles match has been canceled, but of course we both will focus more on the singles, because singles are more important," Zhang said.
"Sinner had a very good performance in China. For me, I've also played a lot of matches in China so far, so both of us think that we need to focus more on singles."
Zhang was referring to the Asian Games matches he played. Ahead of the Shanghai Masters, he won the men's singles gold medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, bagging China's first gold medal in 29 years in the discipline.
He said the victory at the Asian Games has boosted his confidence.
"I am more confident after winning, though the Asian Games were not that intense. But it's still a gold medal, so that definitely boosted myself confidence. It also gives me more confidence in facing difficulties that I might encounter this week."
Zhang became the first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-finalist from China in May at the Madrid Masters and rose to No.52 in the ATP rankings in July after making it into the last 32 in the French Open, the highest position ever held by anyone from the East Asian country.
He beat Casper Ruud of Norway at the US Open to become the first Chinese man to beat a top-five opponent.
Zhang also unveiled his little habits when competing.
"I go to the same place to eat, and then I drink coconut water every day. I think many people have small things that we are obsessed with, especially when we are winning," he said.
Nestled along the banks of the Yellow River, a picturesque ancient village Qikou, which was one of the most prosperous settlements in North China's Shanxi Province, offers breathtaking beauty to visitors. The village, with its traditional architecture nestled amidst rolling hills, exudes an aura of tranquility and timelessness. Travelers from all over the world pass through the ancient town, coming to experience the unique culture of the Yellow River Basin and the picturesque beauty of the ancient villages with distinctive northern characteristics.
In the past, the Yellow River played a crucial role as a transportation route for goods between northern and southern China. To ensure the efficient operation of this transportation system, Qikou emerged as a significant trading port. Merchants would anchor their ships at Qikou and then transfer their goods onto camel or horse-drawn caravans for further transportation over land. Qikou gained prominence during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1912) dynasties, earning a reputation as one of the Yellow River's most significant ports.
Booming tourism
In recent years, with the enhanced efforts in cultural preservation, governments at all levels have continuously increased investment in the restoration and protection of historical buildings and ancient residences in Qikou, promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism, making it reborn as a "living ancient town." Ancient buildings such as escort agencies, pawnshops, and warehouses tell the story of the town's past prosperity.
Tourists from all over the country flock to the town, allowing the local people to benefit from the booming tourism relying on the unique culture and ecology of the Yellow River.
The locals, with their warm hospitality, proudly share stories of their ancestors who relied on the Yellow River, known as the "Mother River" of China, for their livelihoods. The name "Qikou," roughly translates to mean "moraine" or "a rock in shallow water." The stone walls, weathered by time, stand as a testament to the resilience of the people who called this place home.
In order to protect them from flooding, many of local houses, known as "yaodongs" or "loess cave houses," have been physically carved into the steep hillside along the banks of the Yellow River.
On a slope that stretches for hundreds of meters and is inclined at about 40 degrees, there are rows of cave dwellings arranged in layers, which are both scattered and unique in their own ways. Rock erosion over the years has created a form of beautiful "modern art."
Located about 10 kilometers south of Qikou, the small village of Lijiashan is renowned for its myriad of over 400 yaodongs carved into the cliff-face of Lijia Mountain.
The Global Times has learned that during this year's Golden Week holidays in October, Qikou was a hot destination for domestic travelers, with a daily flow of people exceeding 10,000. The scenic area has also launched traditional folk agricultural cultural performances with hundreds of participants, showcasing scenes of threshing, winnowing, and transplanting, vividly showing the hardworking and agricultural spirit of their ancestors.
"The ancient village here truly showcases the local folk customs, all of which originate from agricultural culture and the most primitive farming life. This is very attractive and novel for visitors from the south, allowing us to experience the charm of the Yellow River," a tourist surnamed Liang from East China's Jiangsu Province who came to Qikou on November 2 for sightseeing told the Global Times.
Caves turned to studios
Nowadays, the authentic Lijiashan village is attracting more visitors as villagers have transformed their idle cave dwellings into art bases, art studios, and art exhibition halls, creating a renowned art creation base both domestically and internationally, forming the brand of the village. They have also utilized vacant houses to develop rural tourism and accommodation industries, seizing the opportunity of rural tourism and expanding their income channels.
The 62-year-old villager Yang Yanmei often uses her spare time as a tour guide to walk on the paths of Lijiashan and telling stories of past generations. As a fan of traditional opera, she and her husband enjoy spontaneously singing Shanxi opera or local traditional melody adapted from local stories. She always wears a sincere and sanguine smile, impressing tourists with her simplicity and humor.
Chen Yuxiang, 58, who lives in the east of village, wears a white headscarf and a green floral jacket, basking in the warm sun while sitting under the eaves and picking coriander, perfectly harmonizing with the yellow earth behind her.
In 2022, the cheerful Chen started using her mobile phone to record her rural life with her husband - farming, cooking, and showcasing various authentic and unique Shanxi cuisine. She has over 200,000 followers on short video platforms.
Chen showcases her joyful life to tourists with a humorous tone and rich expressions, which earns her a lot applause. People are amazed by the resilience and optimism that have been passed down through generations on the lady living on the Loess Plateau.
71-year-old villager Li Yuecheng leads his donkey through Qikou's ancient town while singing local folk songs. He decorates his donkey and offers it to tourists for rides during the low season for agricultural production.
His powerful and vivid performance while singing folk songs always attracts a crowd. Village officials jokingly say that Li has earned a lot of money in the tourism industry with these skills over the years.
Tour guides, guesthouse owners, restaurant owners, performers... more and more villagers have gained "new identities" by relying on the mountains and rivers. Some like Yang have even moved back to their ancestral homes on the mountains from the town, hoping to live a better and bustling life through tourism.
The recovery of the tourism industry benefits largely from the local government's significant investment in protection of the area. In recent years, local authorities have carried out protection and restoration of historical buildings and ancient dwellings in the Qikou ancient town.
Today the ancient town has become a popular tourist attraction. More than 5,000 people out of a population of about 30,000 in the town are engaged in the tourism industry.
Over 1,000 ancient stone artifacts dating back to the Paleolithic era, also known as the Old Stone Age, spanning from 2.6 million years ago to 10,000 years ago, have been unearthed at the Xiacun archaeological site in North China’s Shanxi Province, according to a report by China News Agency on Tuesday.
The Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology unveiled their latest findings on Tuesday, the report said, presenting a rich collection of stone tools and artifacts found at the Ganliang site within the Xiacun ruins, which has undergone several large-scale surveys and excavations since its discovery in 1970.
A total of 1,036 stone artifacts were unearthed at the Ganliang site, with 853 belonging to the lower cultural layer and 183 to the upper cultural layer.
The stone artifacts document two developmental stages within the site’s Paleolithic culture: the lower cultural layer represents the earlier phase characterized by stone technology from lithic to microlithic, while the upper cultural layer showcases advanced microlith technology.
The archaeological findings revealed that raw materials for crafting these stone tools primarily included flint and quartzite. Quartzite and black flint were the main materials in use across the upper and lower cultural layers, with quartzite obtained locally near the Ganliang site and black flint sourced from a more distant location.
Notably, in the lower cultural layer, local quartzite was the predominant raw material.
In terms of the lithic technology, the lower cultural layer featured a direct hard-hammer percussion technique without evidence of pre-formed lithic cores, resulting in diverse and less standardized tool shapes. Some specimens bore a resemblance to microlithic blades.
The upper cultural layer employed both direct hard-hammer percussion to detach stone flakes and a pressure technique to extract microlithic blades, suggesting a more refined approach in the late Paleolithic era.
Furthermore, the tool assemblages in the lower and upper cultural layers differ significantly. Heavy tools like stone axes were absent in the upper cultural layer, indicating functional distinctions between the two layers around 30,000 years ago.
Round-edged stone scrapers in the lower cultural layer were primarily manufactured through direct hard-hammer percussion, while in the upper cultural layer, a pressure technique was predominantly used.
These discoveries have enriched the understanding of China’s late Paleolithic cultures and provided valuable insights into the cultural transition and the origins of the microlithic blade technology of the late Paleolithic era, the report said.
Emirati Astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi's mission will continue after his return to Earth to benefit from the scientific experiments he participated in during his six-month mission on board the International Space Station (ISS), according to Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC).
During a virtual news conference today, coinciding with the undocking of the Dragon Spacecraft from the ISS, Salem Humaid AlMarri, Director-General of MBRSC, stated that Sultan AlNeyadi, along with his Crew-6 crewmates, began their journey back to Earth, adding that their spacecraft is projected to touchdown off the coast of Tampa, Florida in the Gulf of Mexico on Monday morning,
AlMarri explained that one of the MBRSC's teams will focus on the safety of the astronauts and their medical rehabilitation to return to normality, which will take a few weeks. He noted that another team will focus on the scientific experiments, while the administrative team will focus on the nature of the mission, administrative and organisational matters, as well as handling discussions with various parties.
Following the undocking, if necessary, a series of orbit-lowering manoeuvres, known as phasing burns, will be executed on the spacecraft to align its ground track with the targeted landing location. Before initiating the deorbit burn, the flight computer will jettison the spacecraft's trunk, a step crucial for reducing its mass and conserving propellant. This will pave the way for the spacecraft's deorbit burn, scheduled to last for 12 minutes.
Upon completion, as the spacecraft re-enters Earth’s atmosphere, it will encounter significant heating and drag, effectively reducing its velocity to a safe point suitable for parachute deployment. At an altitude of 18,000 feet, two drogue parachutes will be deployed, quickly followed by the release of four main parachutes at approximately 6,500 feet. Under the steady guidance of these four main parachutes, the spacecraft is projected to make a gentle splashdown at a speed of 25 feet per second off the coast of Tampa, Florida in the Gulf of Mexico on September 4.
The UAE Astronaut Programme is one of the projects managed by MBRSC under the UAE’s National Space Programme and funded by the ICT Fund of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), which aims to support research and development in the ICT sector in the UAE and promote the country’s integration on the global stage.
Nepal adheres to the one-China policy and will never allow any activities that are detrimental to China's interests, said Nepalese Foreign Minister Narayan Prasad Saud in Beijing on Sunday.
Saud noted that Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda's visit to China will further strengthen the Nepal-China relationship.
"Nepal is firmly committed to China's interests, and we appreciate China's continued support for Nepal's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national freedom," he said.
Saud made the remarks during a speech at a welcome ceremony for Prime Minister Prachanda at the Embassy of Nepal in Beijing on Sunday.
At the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Prachanda is paying an official visit to China from September 23 to 30. Prachanda has visited China many times and made important contributions to promoting the development of China-Nepal relations.
Prachanda attended the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, on Saturday. During his visit, he will meet with Chinese leaders and discuss many important issues.
Saud said that Nepal and China have a long history of friendship and cultural exchanges dating back centuries. "We are committed to further strengthening and consolidating our relationship based on mutual respect, trust and understanding."
He also commended the remarkable progress that China's economy has made, while noting that there are great opportunities for cooperation between the two countries in various fields, such as trade, investment, hydropower, tourism, mining, poverty alleviation and connectivity.
China is Nepal's second-largest trading partner and an important source of foreign investment and tourism.
"Connectivity is crucial for the economic partnership between China and Nepal. The Nepalese government is committed to maintaining the normal operation of all border ports between China and Nepal, constructing border infrastructure, establishing well-equipped testing and certification laboratories at the China-Nepal border, accelerating the construction of border customs facilities, and considering it a top priority," Saud said.
"We see numerous opportunities to further strengthen economic cooperation and promote the entry of Nepalese products into the Chinese market."
According to Saud, the Nepalese government is fully committed to providing all possible support for foreign companies investing in Nepal.
Nepalese Ambassador to China Bishnu Pukar Shrestha said at Sunday's ceremony that Nepal-China relations hold more significance as the country is aiming to move out of the category of Least Developed Countries in 2026.
"The incredible leap that China has made on the economic front and its eradication of absolute poverty will serve as a best practice example for the development endeavours of Nepal," said Shrestha.
Broadening the horizons of cooperation in the fields of infrastructure development, trade, digital economy, green energy, agriculture, tourism, investment, education and culture will benefit the people of the two countries, which will pave the way forward for bilateral relations, he said.
Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai reaffirmed China’s resolution in pushing forward the joint campaign against telecom fraud, as he talked with senior officials from the Myanmar government, the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar said on Wednesday.
According to a statement from the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar, Chen met with Yar Pyae, member of the State Administration Council and head of the Home Affairs Ministry in Myanmar, and Than Swe, deputy prime minister and union minister of foreign affairs of Myanmar, in Naypyidaw on Monday and Tuesday.
Both sides made positive comments on the recent joint efforts to combat telecom fraud in Myanmar and analyzed the latest trends in telecom fraud activities in the country.
Chen reaffirmed China’s resolve in combating telecom scams and online gambling crimes, and introduced the strong measures China has taken in recent days.
Chen also expressed appreciation for the transfer of nearly 5,000 suspects involved in fraud crimes in northern Myanmar to the Chinese police by the Myanmar side since September. According to Chen, China will continue to deepen cooperation with Myanmar and will take further actions to effectively safeguard the interests of the people from both countries.
The Myanmar officials said that Myanmar attaches great importance to the serious harms caused by illegal activities and crimes such as telecom and online fraud, as well as China’s stance which has been repeatedly stated on this matter. Myanmar will actively assist and cooperate in disrupting criminal activities and targeting telecom fraud.
Besides, Myanmar will coordinate various relevant departments to further implement the consensus reached between Myanmar and China, as well as with other neighboring countries, and will continue to promote joint actions to safeguard the safety and rights of the people of both countries and create a clear environment for regional exchanges and cooperation.
