Regarding cases where Hong Kong residents are suspected of being lured to Southeast Asian countries and detained to engage in illegal work, the city's Security Bureau (SB) said it has established a dedicated task force to co-ordinate follow-up action by the relevant law enforcement agencies in August 2022 and in view of recent developments, SB officials will lead members of the dedicated task force from the Hong Kong Police Force and the Immigration Department to Thailand on Sunday to further follow-up on the request for assistance cases, according to the city's government.

Since the second quarter of 2024, there have been signs of a resurgence in the situation where Hong Kong residents are suspected of being lured to Southeast Asian countries and detained to engage in illegal work, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said in a statement on Sunday.

To date, law enforcement agencies received a total of 28 requests for assistance in relation to Hong Kong residents alleging to be detained in Southeast Asian countries and unable to leave. Among them, 16 have already returned to Hong Kong. The remaining 12 cases reported restrictions on their movement but were still safe and able to contact their families or the task force.

While in Thailand, members of the task force will meet with officials from the Chinese Embassy in the Kingdom of Thailand, representatives of the Ministry of Justice of Thailand sitting on the Anti Trafficking-in-Persons Committee chaired by the Prime Minister of Thailand, as well as the authorities of Thailand to reflect the relevant assistance cases, exchange intelligence and request the relevant authorities to assist as much as they can in the rescue of those assistance seekers.

Wang Xing, a Chinese actor, entered Thailand on January 3, but lost contact near the Thailand-Myanmar border. The Thai police tracked his movements and successfully rescued him on January 7, identifying him as a victim of human trafficking, media reported.

Wang stated on his Weibo account on Saturday morning that he has returned to the embrace of his motherland, which makes him feel warm, secure, and free. While in a foreign country, it was the strength of his motherland that gave him courage and hope.

He also expressed deep gratitude toward the Chinese government, the Chinese embassies in Thailand and Myanmar, the Chinese and Thai police, and various other law enforcement agencies. Wang had previously gone missing at the Thailand-Myanmar border and returned to Shanghai by plane on Friday evening.

Chinese citizens coming to Thailand should be vigilant not to fall into the trap of "high-paying recruitment," reminded the Chinese Embassy in Thailand on Saturday.

Chinese citizens coming to Thailand should not easily believe in false promises such as "high-paying jobs" and "free air tickets and accommodation" to avoid being deceived, said the statement.

The Chinese embassy expressed its gratitude to the Thai government for prioritizing Wang's case, which was caused by cyber-fraud, and for promptly launching a rescue operation that ensured his safe return.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Monday that China is willing to provide assistance for Grenada's economic and social development within the framework of South-South cooperation, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

The two countries should foster new highlights of cooperation in fields such as new energy, green and low-carbon development, and digital economy, Xi said in Beijing when he met with Prime Minister of Grenada Dickon Mitchell, who is paying an official visit to China.

Mitchell first extended sincere sympathies and condolences to the Chinese government and people over the recent deadly earthquake in Dingri County in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region.

Xi expressed his appreciation for that. Noting that the earthquake occurred in a high-altitude area, Xi said China has completed rescue and temporary resettlement work in the shortest possible time and will carry out reconstruction work as quickly as possible.

"The Chinese government is confident and capable of achieving success in earthquake relief," Xi said.

Xi noted that in recent years, China-Grenada relations have developed steadily, with the two sides treating each other with mutual respect and equality, consolidating political mutual trust, achieving fruitful results in practical cooperation in various fields, and deepening the friendship between the two peoples.

China is willing to work with Grenada to enhance the synergy of development strategies and push for more outcomes of bilateral cooperation to better benefit the two peoples, he added.

China supports Grenada in independently exploring a development path suited to its national conditions, and stands ready to strengthen exchanges of governance experience with Grenada, Xi said.

He said China also supports Grenada in enhancing its capacity in climate change response and disaster prevention and mitigation, and will continue to raise international awareness of small island countries' concerns over climate change and their demands.

He added that China has always attached great importance to its relations with Caribbean countries and will continue to provide assistance within its capacity for the economic and social development of regional countries.

Mitchell expressed appreciation for China's timely assistance after Grenada was hit by a devastating hurricane in July last year, Xinhua reported.

Over the past 20 years, the Grenada-China relations have been continuously deepened, and Grenada firmly abides by the one-China principle and believes that China's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected, Mitchell said.

He said Grenada, having benefited a lot from its relations with China, will continuously strengthen cooperation with China and learn from China's experience in governance.

Stressing China's leading role in the Global South, Mitchell said Grenada will stand firmly with China to implement the three major global initiatives and safeguard world peace and stability.

Mitchell is on an official visit to China from January 11 to 17, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. It is the first foreign leader to visit the country in 2025, CCTV said. 

Making Prime Minister of Grenada, an island nation located at the southern tip of the Windward Islands in the eastern Caribbean Sea, the first foreign leader China hosts in the new year demonstrates that Beijing attaches great importance to Global South countries and developing nations, said Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University. 

Li told the Global Times on Monday that the emphasis China places on fostering relations across various fields with Global South countries underscores its role as a responsible major power committed to promoting fairness, justice, and sustainable development.

According to the Xinhua News Agency, on Monday morning, Mitchell laid a wreath at the Monument to the People's Heroes on Tian'anmen Square in Beijing.

Mitchell's itinerary in Beijing also included a visit to the Beijing new energy vehicle technology innovation center on Saturday, where he participated in a test ride. Mitchell described the experience as "impressive," and said he asked the Grenada ambassador to China to buy one for him, per a video released by the CCTV's Leaders Talk program on its WeChat account.

 In addition to Beijing, Mitchell will visit East China's Zhejiang Province and Shanghai, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Given that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the reestablishment of diplomatic ties between China and Grenada, the visit helps to summarize the development of relations from the past two decades, and is also expected to lay out the plan for the development of future bilateral ties, Wu Hongying, director of the Latin American office of the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times on Monday.

China's top political advisor Wang Huning on Tuesday met with a delegation of Japan's ruling coalition, led by Secretary General Hiroshi Moriyama of the Liberal Democratic Party and Secretary General Makoto Nishida of the Komeito Party.

Wang Huning, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said the ruling parties of the two countries should carry out in-depth exchanges, deliver on the common understandings between the two countries' leaders, make joint efforts to develop bilateral relations, and promote the prosperity and development of the region and the world, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

"The CPPCC National Committee is ready to make positive contributions to this end," said Wang Huning.

Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese foreign minister, said Tuesday during his meeting with the delegation of Japan's ruling coalition that China and Japan are close neighbors, and that strengthening exchanges and cooperation in various fields is in the best interests of both sides.

Currently, there is an important opportunity for the improvement and development of China-Japan relations. The ruling parties of both countries should take the lead in advancing bilateral ties, and it is hoped that Japan's Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito Party will play a proactive role in this regard, Wang Yi said.

Senior members of the CPC and Japan's ruling coalition gathered in Beijing for the ninth meeting under an exchange mechanism, calling for enhanced exchanges between the ruling parties of the two countries.

Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, said China was willing to work with Japan to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, adhere to peaceful coexistence and promote the building of a constructive and stable China-Japan relationship that meets the requirements of the new era, according to the Xinhua.

The ruling parties of the two countries should strengthen dialogue and communication and take concrete actions to promote the sound and stable development of China-Japan relations, Liu added.

Secretary General Hiroshi Moriyama of the Liberal Democratic Party and Secretary General Makoto Nishida of the Komeito Party said that the resumption of the meeting would play an important role in the improvement and development of bilateral relations.

They said they were willing to keep closer inter-party exchanges with China, enhance national friendship and deepen practical cooperation in various fields. 

Moriyama and Nishida are leading a group of Japanese ruling bloc lawmakers on a three-day trip to China through Wednesday. 

According to a readout released by the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, multiple consensuses were reached by the two sides. 

They agreed to adhere to the principles established in the four political documents between China and Japan, follow the direction indicated by the leaders of both nations, and make joint efforts to comprehensively advance the relationship of mutually benefit between China and Japan and endeavor to build a constructive and stable relationship fit for the new era. To this end, the ruling parties of both countries will continue to strengthen dialogue.

Both sides confirmed that regardless of the circumstances facing China-Japan relations, they should maintain close dialogue and communication, strengthen exchanges between the ruling parties, political leaders and young politicians of both countries, enhance mutual understanding and trust, and lay a solid political foundation for improving and developing China-Japan relations, thereby building a constructive and stable relationship.

The two sides exchanged views on issues such as the discharge of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water and Japanese seafood imports. They agreed to promote the implementation of the consensus reached by the two governments, accelerate communication and consultation and properly address each other's concerns.

Both sides confirmed their commitment to continue promoting practical cooperation through the exchange mechanism to achieve results, and tentatively agreed to hold the 10th meeting of the China-Japan ruling party exchange mechanism in Japan this autumn.

The latest meeting comes less than a month after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Takeshi Iwaya held talks in Beijing in December 2024, reaching an agreement on promoting people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, according to the Xinhua News Agency. 

Separately, Japanese farm minister Taku Eto said on Tuesday in Tokyo he will make a three-day visit to China later this week for talks with his counterpart and other officials, Japan's media Kyodo News reported.

The Chinese Defense Ministry announced on Monday that a delegation from the Eastern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army will visit Japan in mid-January under a mutual agreement.  

The recent frequent exchanges between China and Japan indicate that the two sides, especially the Japanese side, intend to further improve bilateral relations in the new year, and are looking forward to expanding cooperation with China in as many areas as possible, Liu Jiangyong, vice dean of the Institute of Modern International Relations at Tsinghua University told the Global Times. 

He pointed out that the Japanese ruling coalition's visit aims to achieve substantial results, such as on the export of Japanese seafood to China, in order to showcase the party's diplomatic achievements to the domestic audience. 

There is strong criticism from right-wing forces in Japan regarding the ruling coalition's efforts to improve relations with China, and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's administration needs to reduce internal constraints by delivering results in relations with China.

On Tuesday, Japanese media Sankei Shimbun published an editorial titled "Why Are Japanese Politicians Heading to China but Not the US," questioning the delegation of Japan's ruling coalition's trip to China. 

"Don't these party bigwigs have their priorities for such high-level visits all wrong? Isn't the first place top officials of the ruling parties supporting the Shigeru Ishiba administration should go, after all, to our ally, the US?" asked the editorial.

Lü Chao, an expert on the Korean Peninsula at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that for China-Japan ties to make real improvement, Ishiba's government needs to first stay clear of the influence of Japan's hawkish factions and pressure from US that seek to hinder Tokyo's interactions with Beijing. 

The crucial question now is whether Japan can effectively continue its current pragmatic approach to China and take advantage of this opportunity to foster warmer ties. By building mutual trust, both nations can bring much-needed warmth to their frosty relationship, according to Lü.

Regarding the incident where a female passenger refused to let the driver take a detour and was forced off the highway, police from Jizhou District, North China's Tianjin, said in a release on Sunday evening that the driver, surnamed Li, has been fined, received penalty points on his license, and has been administratively detained.

The local police authorities found that Li, a 43-year-old man, was operating a rideshare vehicle on the Tianjin-Jizhou expressway on December 30, 2024, around 11 am, while carrying a female passenger. When he attempted to change the route, the woman did not agree, leading to a dispute. Li then verbally abused the woman, stopped the vehicle in the emergency lane of the highway, and forcibly dragged her out of the car and drove away, according to the release.

The female passenger said that her ankle was injured due to being dragged by Li, as reported by The Paper.

The release said that after the passenger reported the incident to the police, local police have initiated an investigation. Currently, the authorities have imposed fines and deducted penalty points on his license for violating relevant traffic safety laws, and have also administratively detained him for violating related public security management regulations.

Earlier on Sunday, Didachuxing, the rideshare platform, issued an official statement indicating that upon receiving the complaint, the platform promptly confirmed the passenger's safety and immediately followed up for verification. Li's account has been 
suspended, and the platform is actively cooperating with the relevant authorities to address the situation, said the statement, according to The Paper.

Some Thai media outlets reported that the missing Chinese actor Wang Xing had been located in Myanmar and is about to return to Thailand. The Chinese Embassy in Thailand told the Global Times on Tuesday that it currently has no further information and is in contact with Wang's family regarding the matter.

On the same day, the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar also told the Global Times that it cannot yet confirm the accuracy of Thai media reports saying that Wang Xing has been found. The embassy is continuing to communicate and verify information with various parties in Myanmar and will remain in active contact with relevant departments to firmly safeguard the rights and interests of Chinese citizens in Myanmar, providing immediate updates once definitive information is available

Previously, the Chinese Consulate General in Chiang Mai confirmed with the Global Times on Monday that Chinese actor Wang Xing has gone missing at the Myanmar-Thailand border, noting that they have maintained good communication with the family and will continue to follow up on the case, ensuring the safety and legal rights of Chinese citizens within the jurisdiction.

The girlfriend of Chinese actor Wang Xing updated her situation on Weibo on Tuesday, revealing the latest developments. After arriving in Bangkok at noon on Monday, she received notification of a case filed by the Shanghai police, along with contact from the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar and the Chinese Consulate General in Chiang Mai.

The Chinese Embassy in Bangkok assigned a representative to accompany her in filing a report at the Suvarnabhumi Airport Police Station. After repeatedly confirming key details of the case, the Thai police issued a case report and expressed a positive attitude toward the case's development.

As respiratory diseases enter a peak period in winter, multiple foreign media outlets have been exaggerating reports of a surge in human metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases in China, claiming that it has overwhelmed local hospitals. Commenting on the matter, the World Health Organization (WHO) told the Global Times exclusively on Wednesday that HMPV is not a new virus, but a common one which usually causes symptoms similar to the common cold.

China's reported levels of respiratory infections are within the usual range for the winter season. Authorities report that hospital utilization is currently lower than this time last year, and there have been no emergency declarations or responses triggered, the WHO said.

In recent days, foreign media including CNN, BBC, and the Washington Post have reported a spike in HMPV cases in China, alleging that it has overwhelmed hospitals, with some attempting to draw parallels to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response to media inquiry on the seasonal spike, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Tuesday that the Chinese government has and will continue to release information about infectious diseases in a timely and transparent way in accordance with law.

The WHO also responded to the concerns, noting that based on what has been reported by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) and meetings between WHO and Chinese authorities, there has been a rise in the number of common respiratory infections in the country, as expected during winter.

The organization assured that China has a sentinel surveillance system for influenza-like illnesses and severe acute respiratory infections. According to China CDC data, the pathogens causing these infections are known ones, and they include the seasonal influenza virus, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), HMPV, and SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19).

Among the pathogens reported by China CDC, seasonal influenza is by far the most common and is increasing. WHO's Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) has registered rising trends in influenza in the Northern Hemisphere, where it is currently winter, across parts of Asia, Europe, Africa and a few countries in the Caribbean.

Regarding HMPV, the WHO said the virus is first discovered in 2001 - it is a common virus that circulates in winter and spring, usually causing respiratory symptoms similar to the common cold. In some cases, it can lead to more severe diseases like bronchitis or pneumonia. The youngest and the oldest are most at risk, along with those who are immunocompromised, that is, those who have weakened immune systems.

The positivity rate for influenza viruses is continuously rising, with more than 99 percent being influenza A, predominantly the A(H1N1) pdm09 subtype, according to the latest data from the China CDC. Traditional Chinese medicine methods are among the approaches recommended for flu prevention, said an expert at a press conference held by the National Health Commission on Sunday.

The level of influenza activity varies across regions, with a more noticeable rise in northern provinces, although it remains lower than the same period last year, showed the latest data released by China CDC for the week from December 23 to 29, 2024.

"Over the past two years, awareness of HMPV infections in China has grown despite the virus being first identified more than 20 years ago, and has been circulating among people for as long as 60 years. The increase of awareness is primarily due to the improvement in our country's respiratory pathogen detection capabilities and the increased public attention toward respiratory infectious diseases," Li Tongzeng, the chief physician of the infection department at Beijing You'an Hospital, told the Global Times.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, nucleic acid testing technology for respiratory pathogens has been significantly promoted in China, and many medical institutions can now conduct such tests, leading to an increase in detection rates for HMPV as well as other pathogens, Li said.

The expert added that another significant advancement in China regarding respiratory infections post-pandemic has been the establishment of a large number of sentinel hospitals to monitor respiratory pathogens.

"As a result, we are now able to see regular updates from the China CDC on the types of respiratory pathogens circulating. Additionally, drug stockpiles have significantly improved over the past two years," Li noted.

Xin Ming Zhu III, a high-speed carbon fiber passenger ferry with a seating capacity of 500, has been officially delivered in Hong Kong on Tuesday, making it a milestone in China's maritime innovation. The ferry is currently the largest carbon fiber vessel in China in terms of passenger capacity, according to the Science and Technology Daily.

This vessel is a carbon fiber, conventionally powered, high-speed passenger ferry featuring an advanced lightweight design, measuring 44.75 meters in length and 11 meters in width.

It has set a benchmark for sustainable and eco-friendly advancements in the maritime transport sector of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Carbon fiber materials provide superior advantages compared with metals such as lighter weight and corrosion resistance. Different from traditional ships, the carbon fiber vessel produces lower noise during operation, further saves fuel, reduces maintenance costs, and delivers substantial environmental benefits through reduced emissions and a lower carbon footprint.

Building upon a mature mother ship design, the vessel was optimized and upgraded to suit the characteristics of Hong Kong's outlying island routes. These improvements effectively enhance the structural strength, ensuring the vessel can withstand diverse operational conditions.

In addition, the ship offers enhanced navigability and operability, allowing it to safely operate in winds up to force 8. 

It is also equipped with lithium battery packs and solar energy storage panels, ensuring the operation of essential electrical systems when docked, significantly cutting fuel consumption and emissions.

On November 4, the vessel had its maiden launch in Nansha, Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province, reinforcing its role as a key player in Hong Kong's maritime network, according to Science and Technology Daily. 

The vessel is the eighth in a series of 11 ships under the Hong Kong Outlying Islands project, commissioned to Guangzhou Shipbuilding Industry Corp, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, for passenger transport in Hong Kong waters.

Passenger ferries play a crucial role in transportation for residents and tourists in Hong Kong. Taking Cheung Chau as an example, over 30,000 residents rely on ferries to travel to and from the island. The daily passenger volume on the Central-Cheung Chau route can reach up to 70,000 people during events. The ferries operated by Hong Kong Sun Ferry Company serve approximately 12 million passengers annually, reported the Nanfang Daily.

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has intensified its crackdown on internet trolls. Since 2024, authorities have removed over 400 websites and platforms, prompting major platforms to delete 4.82 million illegal messages, and disposed 52,000 groups and 2.39 million accounts and online stores, CCTV News reported on Friday.

The reason for the authorities to punish the "internet water army" stems from the fact that for some time, these paid posters have significantly disrupted the online ecosystem through various means, according to the report.

Some criminals have set up self-service ordering platforms, providing services to artificially inflate reviews, likes, and popularity on social media platforms and attempted to evade crackdowns by using multiple redirects and shell websites. Among these, some lure users into placing orders and making payments without providing the promised services. Others try to masquerade their apps as legitimate to pass app store reviews, while in reality, they provide services for traffic manipulation.

In response, concerned authorities have coordinated with several platforms specifically used by internet trolls to close, guiding app stores to take measures such as blocking or removing certain applications. As a result, over 400 illegal websites and platforms have 
been shut down.

Some website platforms struggle with widespread homogenized content, where multiple accounts publish highly similar posts, short videos, and other content, exploiting trending topics to drive traffic and stir divisive sentiments. Some Multi-Channel Network (MCN) organizations have even organized accounts to engage in hype for profit, severely damaging the online ecosystem.

The CAC has imposed administrative penalties on websites and platforms with severe issues and insufficient rectification efforts, requiring them to thoroughly investigate problems and strictly deal with illegal accounts and MCN organizations. Currently, the relevant website platforms have improved their risk models for homogenized content as required, enhancing their ability to identify such cases, said the report.

In addition, some criminals have been using modified formats to post recruitment ads, attracting netizens to join groups to engage in illegal activities related to internet marketers. Among them, some criminals used buzzwords like "easy money" to add friends, then demanded membership fees, effectively committing fraud.

Under the guidance of the CAC, related website platforms have proactively conducted inspections and cleanups, lawfully shutting down illegal accounts and dissolving groups, and forwarding evidence of criminal activity to law enforcement authorities.

For increasingly sophisticated tactics employed by internet trolls, such as using short videos to post QR codes for traffic generation and peddling illegal internet water army services to users through chat and Q&A channels, CAC has urged relevant website platforms to close their shops and accounts, guiding some popular platforms to enhance cross-platform clue sharing and collaborate in combating the issue of internet marketers.

CCTV News also said that some lawbreakers routinely deploy bot accounts to flood comment sections with posts, taking the opportunity to boost rankings and create trending topics. Certain software tools have developed AI writing, group control of accounts, and bulk posting, enabling internet trolls to manipulate accounts and fabricate trending topics.

In response, the CAC has urged website platforms to address non-compliant accounts in line with legal and regulatory requirements, cooperating with relevant authorities to investigate AI tool-related internet water army groups. The authorities have also guided platforms to enhance their technical measures to detect and neutralize group control software and bot accounts promptly to effectively mitigate risks.

The CAC has implemented a long-term governance framework targeting internet trolls in collaboration with multiple departments, strengthening the coordination between administrative penalties and criminal prosecutions, and establishing a collaborative framework to jointly tackle the issue, further improving the online environment.

China consistently respects Panama's sovereignty over the Panama Canal while acknowledging its role as a permanently neutral international passageway, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Friday, in response a question about US president-elect Donald Trump's claim that there are Chinese soldiers stationed at the Panama Canal.

Mao also emphasized Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino's latest statement that the Panama Canal is not under direct or indirect control of any major power.

Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino has denied claims of Donald Trump that there are Chinese soldiers stationed at the Panama Canal, dismissing the claim as "nonsense" and asserting that there is "absolutely no Chinese interference," according to the BBC. 

"There is not a single Chinese soldier in the canal," he told reporters in Panama City.

Mulino also rejected the possibility of reducing tolls for US ships or ceding control of the canal, the BBC report said. "The canal is Panamanian and belongs to Panamanians. There's no possibility of opening any kind of conversation around this reality," he said.