BEIJING: As of 10 p.m. on Saturday, China’s summer box office revenue had surged past 20 billion yuan (2.78 billion U.S. dollars), a new record high for summer box office sales in the country. From a pre-pandemic high of nearly 17.8 billion yuan in 2019, China’s summer box office revenue has rocketed to a new level of 20 billion yuan, …

SHANGHAI: The cultural tourism market in east China’s metropolis of Shanghai witnessed rapid growth in the first half of this year, surging in terms of traffic and revenue, data from local authorities shows. In the first six months, Shanghai received more than 139 million domestic visitors, generating tourism revenue of more than 155 billion yuan (about 21.56 billion U.S. dollars). …

COPENHAGEN: Defending champions Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan of China took a straight-game victory over Apriyani Rahayu and Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti of Indonesia in the Badminton World Championships women’s doubles final here on Sunday, becoming the first women’s pair to win four golds in the tournament’s history. The top seeds, playing their fourth final in six appearances at the …

BEIJING: Chinese institutes have released a complete assembly of the reference genome of Nipponbare rice, according to the Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen (AGIS). In 2005, the reference genome of the current commonly used Nipponbare rice was initially released, confirming that this rice research had entered the era of genomics. However, there was a long-standing barrier that had hidden three …

URUMQI: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday stressed the importance of firmly grasping the strategic positioning of Xinjiang in the overall national situation and building a beautiful Xinjiang in the process of pursuing Chinese modernization. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when he …

BEIJING: China’s major industrial firms reported a smaller profit decline in July, official data showed Sunday. Industrial firms with annual main business revenue of at least 20 million yuan (about 2.78 million U.S. dollars) saw their combined profits in July down 6.7 percent from a year ago, narrowing from the 8.3-percent drop in June.

BEIJING: China handled a total of 910 million passenger trips via commercial transport last month, a surge of 47 percent year on year, said the Ministry of Transport. A total of 8.21 billion passenger trips were made in urban areas in July, an expansion of 14.7 percent year on year, data showed. Fixed-asset investment in transport reached 348.6 billion yuan …

BEIJING: The Agricultural Bank of China, one of the country’s largest commercial lenders, has scaled up support for the private economy sector. By the end of July, the bank’s outstanding loans to private businesses exceeded 5 trillion yuan (about 694.6 billion U.S. dollars), 800 billion yuan more than at the beginning of the year, according to the bank. The bank …

YINCHUAN: A flight carrying over 260 passengers took off Sunday from Yinchuan, capital of northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, heading for Dubai. This marked the resumption of the Yinchuan-Dubai direct flight route, which was previously suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The air service will run once a week on a Sunday. The outbound flight will leave Yinchuan at …

URUMQI: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday urged firmly grasping the strategic positioning of Xinjiang in the overall national situation and better building a beautiful Xinjiang in the process of pursuing Chinese modernization. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when he was briefed …

DALIAN: At 8 a.m., Liang Zeye, 48, a former fisherman, set off in his speedboat to the waters near Haxian Island in Changhai, a border island county composed of 195 islands in northeastern China’s Liaoning Province. His mission? To reunite with his “old friends.” “Look over there! That’s ‘Little Grey.’ You can easily spot him with those distinctive patterns on …

JINAN: China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) industry has experienced rapid development in recent years. Data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed that the output and sales of NEVs rose to 3.79 million and 3.75 million units, respectively, in the first half of this year. The association also estimates that China’s vast countryside has a market potential of 500 billion …

MAUI, Hawaii: The devastating wildfires that ravaged the Hawaiian island of Maui were a bitter blow to the island’s tourism industry, but local residents and business leaders expect more tourists will come back as the island embarks on a long road ahead for recovery. The wildfires, which started on Aug. 8 and have claimed the lives of at least 115 …

VIENTIANE: Aliya Xabphaysarne, an 18-year-old student from Lao’s Savannakhet province, was awarded the Chinese government scholarship for the 2023-2024 school year, a step closer to her dream of studying in China. After a farewell party on Thursday for the Lao students who were awarded the scholarship, Aliya, together with her fellow students, will embark on a new study journey in …

COPENHAGEN: China secured places in the women’s and mixed doubles finals at the BWF World Championships on Friday. Two Chinese pairs in each category reached the last four and will encounter each other in the semis. In the mixed doubles, three-time winners Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong needed only 27 minutes to ease past South Korean duo Kim Won-ho and …

BEIJING: China is promoting Chinese modernization with high-quality development, which will bring new opportunities for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, an official said Friday. Vice Minister of Commerce Li Fei told a press conference that China and ASEAN have upgraded economic and trade cooperation in recent years and achieved fruitful results. “As the dividends from the Regional …

BEIJING: China’s National Meteorological Center on Friday renewed a blue alert for rainstorms as heavy downpours are expected to lash multiple regions of the country. From 2 p.m. Friday to 2 p.m. Saturday, heavy downpours and rainstorms are forecast to hit regions such as Sichuan, Chongqing, Shaanxi, Hubei, Henan, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Gansu, Qinghai and Tibet, according to the …

TAIYUAN: Visitors asked questions and expressed praises for the hand-made cloth tigers as they gathered around an intangible cultural heritage products stall in a scenic area in Licheng County, north China’s Shanxi Province. The Lihou Tiger, a national intangible cultural heritage, originated from the folk custom of using tigers as totems in the Shang and Zhou dynasties (1600 BC-256 BC) …

BEIJING: The 15th BRICS Summit that concluded in South Africa on Thursday demonstrates the vibrancy and appeal of the BRICS mechanism and the bigger role it will play in promoting development, safeguarding multilateralism and improving global governance. In a historic expansion, six countries — namely Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — were invited to …

BEIJING: China’s top market watchdog will step up supervision efforts to ensure the safety of aquatic products in China, according to the State Administration for Market Regulation on Friday. On the basis of the investigation and rectification of imported food safety risks at an earlier stage, the administration will deploy local market regulation departments to further strengthen food safety supervision …

WUHAN: An Airbus A350 took off from the central Chinese city of Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, with 270 passengers bound for London’s Heathrow Airport on Friday morning, marking the resumption of the direct flight route from Wuhan to Europe after the pandemic. Operated by China Southern Airlines, this air service will run once a week on Fridays. The outbound …

BEIJING: President Xi Jinping returned to China on Friday after attending the 15th BRICS Summit and paying a state visit to South Africa. Cai Qi, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and director of the General Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC …

BEIJING: A spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) on Thursday made remarks on U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo’s upcoming visit to China, which is scheduled to take place from Aug. 27 to 30. China will state its position on economic and trade issues of concern to the U.S. side, and looks forward to in-depth discussions on resolving economic and …

HANGZHOU: As the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou marked its 30-day countdown on Thursday, some 37,600 volunteers for the Games were revealed at a ceremony held at Zhejiang University Zijingang Campus. After several rounds of recruiting, training and practicing, the volunteers are ready to provide various services during the Games, including but not limited to competition operation services, registration and …

YINCHUAN: At a staggering size of 8 meters in length, 8 meters in width and 17 centimeters in height, the largest piece of tofu in China was produced Wednesday by a company in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Officials from the Shanghai China Records Headquarters declared the triumphant accomplishment during the tofu challenge held at the Tofu Culture Tourism Festival in …

BEIJING: China will suspend the imports of all aquatic products originating from Japan starting from Thursday to prevent risks from Japan’s discharge of nuclear-contaminated wastewater. The General Administration of Customs (GAC) said in a statement that it has decided to take the emergency measures to comprehensively prevent radioactive pollution risks caused by Japan’s discharge of the contaminated wastewater, protect the …

BEIJING: Chinese stocks closed higher on Thursday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index up 0.12 percent to 3,082.24 points. The Shenzhen Component Index closed 1.02 percent higher at 10,256.19 points. The combined turnover of stocks covered by the two indices stood at 785.7 billion yuan (about 109.3 billion U.S. dollars), up from 705.9 billion yuan on the previous trading day. …

BEIJING: China’s industrial application of biological breeding has been advancing steadily, the country’s agricultural authorities have said. Major progress has been achieved in gene mining, genetic transformation, variety breeding, as well as safety evaluation and management, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said in a Q&A on Thursday. A number of genetically modified varieties, based on a full evaluation …

KIGALI: The Chinese government has this year provided 80 scholarships to Rwandan students to pursue their tertiary education in China, the highest number in recent years, an embassy official announced Wednesday. Among them, 75 students are to pursue master’s degrees, two doctorates and three bachelor’s degrees in science, technology and economics among other disciplines. Speaking at a farewell ceremony in …

CHONGQING: Two leading cultural heritage institutions in China and Pakistan have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at boosting cooperation on cultural protection, with a particular focus on ancient cave temples. The Memorandum of Understanding on Establishing Friendly Relation and Cooperation was inked this week by China’s Academy of Dazu Rock Carvings and Pakistan’s Directorate of Archaeology and Museums of …

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday expressed China’s willingness to deepen solidarity and cooperation with other emerging markets and developing countries to push for a more just and equitable world order. As a developing country and a member of the Global South, China breathes the same breath as other developing countries and pursues a shared future with them, and …

LANZHOU: A conference on the evolution of Silk Road civilization, climate change and environmental change was held on Wednesday in Lanzhou, the capital of northwest China’s Gansu Province, attracting over 200 experts from across the world. Scholars from countries such as China, Germany, Russia, Iran, the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain and Mongolia gathered at the ANSO (Alliance of …

BEIJING: “The hope and foundation of the China-U.S. relationship lie in the people, and its future lies in the youths,” Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his reply to a letter from the U.S.-China Youth and Student Exchange Association and friendly personages from all walks of life in the northwestern U.S. state of Washington. Xi’s heartfelt reply has deeply resonated …

XINING: The management bureau of Sanjiangyuan National Park in northwest China’s Qinghai Province released a master plan on Wednesday, with an aim to ensure further protection of the park. With 2021 as the base year, the plan covers the period from 2023 to 2030. According to the plan, by 2030, the grassland vegetation coverage of the park will increase to …

HANGZHOU: With just 30 days left before the 19th Asian Games open in Hangzhou, China, nations and regions across Asia eagerly anticipate the upcoming sports event. Yasuhiro Inomata, deputy secretary-general of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organizing Committee, expressed high hopes for the Hangzhou Asian Games, believing they will undoubtedly be a success. “Every venue is fantastic, and the staff as …

XI’AN: For farmer Song Naihong, July and August are usually a slack period after the summer harvest. However, she rarely has time to relax. Wearing a vest-style uniform with a badge bearing her English name “Emily,” she skillfully operates the bean grinder and coffee machine at the Two Tree Coffee in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, and completes the latte art …

URUMQI: Loaded with goods such as walnuts and steel pipes, five vehicles bearing TIR signs departed from northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region for Pakistan on Tuesday. Their departure marks the first TIR transport operation between China and Pakistan since they established diplomatic relations in 1951. The move enriches Xinjiang’s cross-border transportation and opens up a new international logistics route …

COPENHAGEN: Tokyo Olympic champion Chen Yufei began her fifth World Championships with a strong start as the third seed overcame Pai Yu Po of Chinese Taipei in straight games on Tuesday, setting her sights on her maiden world title. Last year in Tokyo, the 25-year-old reached the world championships final but was defeated by Japanese standout Akane Yamaguchi. In her …

CHONGQING: Over 100 cultural heritage conservation experts and scholars from home and abroad recently gathered in southwest China’s Chongqing for a forum which focused on cave temple conservation. The first International Forum on Cave Temple Conservation was held from Aug. 19 to 21 in Chongqing’s Dazu District, home to the renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site Dazu Rock Carvings. The Dazu …

TIANJIN: Deals for 19 projects involving a total investment of 4.9 billion yuan (about 673 million U.S. dollars) were signed Tuesday at a cross-Strait trade fair in north China’s port city of Tianjin. The four-day Tianjin-Taiwan trade fair attracted about 300 people from Taiwan, including officials and entrepreneurs, with an aim to build an investment platform for Taiwan enterprises and …