A woman with a total of 74 mobile phones tied to her body entered the country via the Gongbei Port in Zhuhai, South China’s Guangdong Province, and was seized on the spot by customs officers recently, according to the General Administration of Customs of China on Tuesday.
The person, surnamed Yang, who was wearing a white blouse and loose trousers, entered China through the green channel of the passenger inspection hall, according to the customs.
Officers at the scene noticed that the woman was walking with a heavy pace and stiff posture, so they intercepted her for inspection.
After the inspection, the officer seized a large number of old mobile phones tied with plastic film around her thighs and calves. A total of 74 cell phones were seized.
If individuals attempt to hide, disguise, conceal, falsely declare, or use other methods to evade customs supervision, and transport, carry, or mail goods or items prohibited or restricted from entering or leaving the ports, it constitutes smuggling, customs officers said.
If the circumstances are serious enough to constitute an offence, the person may face criminal charges as per the law.
Severe storms have recently hit several regions in Spain, including Valencia and Castile-La Mancha, resulting in significant casualties and property damage, while reports have indicated that among the affected individuals are Chinese nationals, according to the Chinese Embassy in Spain on Thursday.
The Spanish government declared three days of official mourning starting from Thursday, according to the embassy. Meanwhile, the embassy also reminded Chinese nationals in Spain about severe weather conditions and offered advice to ensure personal safety.
Heavy rainfall has caused traffic disruptions in some areas. It may be difficult to conduct business, go shopping, attend work or school or seek medical care in some areas in the coming days, according to the embassy.
The Global Times learned from several individuals who live in Spain that local authorities have responded promptly, and rescue efforts are underway in an orderly manner. However, some railway and highway services have been suspended.
Helen Huang, a Chinese national who is now living in Valencia, one of the heavily affected regions, told the Global Times on Thursday that their house in the downtown area has been relatively affected. However, in the suburbs, the roof of their parking garage has been torn off.
Fortunately, the area they are living in is still accessible by car, but for some heavily affected areas, vehicles can't get in until the floodwaters completely recede, said Huang.
At least 95 people have been killed due to the flooding as the torrential rain battered Spain's eastern region of Valencia and neighboring provinces of Albacete and Cuenca, according to Xinhua News Agency on Thursday, citing an official.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez pledged full government support on Wednesday after the devastating floods, Xinhua reported.
More than 60 roads have been closed due to flooding, including major highways along the eastern coast and between Madrid and Valencia. Local train services have been halted, and the high-speed rail connection between Valencia and the capital is also suspended, according to Xinhua.
"The mutual support and unity among the Chinese community is truly heartwarming. Many suppliers are offering free replacements for the damaged goods in the affected stores, which is also commendable," a Chinese national surnamed Qiu, who is now in Spain, told the Global Times, on Thursday.
Some residents are buying daily necessities such as flour, milk, beer and snacks.
The local Chinese community is supporting each other. For example, residents who need help can call a local number for information and assistance. The community is also helping find missing relatives, Qiu said.
The Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council recently announced penalties against separatists Puma Shen Pao-yang, Robert Tsao Hsing-cheng, and their "Kuma Academy" after receiving numerous tip-offs about the academy from residents across the Taiwan Straits.
Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the office, said in a statement that the Kuma Academy has openly fostered violent "Taiwan independence" secessionists under the guise of training and outdoor activities, with backing from DPP authorities and external forces.
The academy has actively engaged in separatist activities, making it a clear stronghold for "Taiwan independence" elements, Chen noted.
The sanctions have been applauded by people across the Straits, and many netizens on the island of Taiwan commented on social media that they have felt disgusted for the academy for a long time.
The academy is an illegal money-making entity, which touts separatist slogans, one X user commented. "They are all bad people, nothing but trash," criticized another.
What is the "Kuma Academy?" What roles do Shen and Tsao play in it? In this story, the Global Times delves into their wrongdoings and attempts to discredit the Chinese mainland and split China, their connections with the secessionist DPP authorities, as well as possible collusion with anti-China forces in the US. A camp of separatist forces
Founded in late 2021, the Kuma Academy, or Black Bear Academy, has been a source of controversy on the island of Taiwan.
Claiming to be a grassroots organization aiming to "promote civil defense education to 3 million people within three years," the academy turns out to be a camp of separatist forces that brainwashes Taiwan residents, especially the youth, with anti-China ideology, so as to cultivate violent secessionists, experts on Taiwan studies reached by the Global Times pointed out.
The academy website shows that it mainly focus on basic first aid and evacuation skills of civilians. But online posts from participants and media coverage of some offline events revealed that the organization focuses more on military, political, and ideological agitation, disseminating misinformation against the Chinese mainland.
The Kuma Academy organized events at universities, which had sparked huge controversy, with critics arguing that it violated the spirit of political neutrality on campus, wrote a university student from New Taipei City, in an opinion piece published by Taiwan-based newspaper the United Daily News in May.
Having personally participated in the academy's workshop in university, the student surnamed Lin said the workshop follows an obvious script. It claims Beijing's reunification actions as malevolent, while perceiving the intervention from the US or other countries as a means to "rescue" the island of Taiwan.
"The Kuma Academy's courses package ideological confrontation as knowledge, misleading the public with a mixture of lies and half-truths," Lin wrote, calling the academy an "anti-China narrative camp."
Lin also mentioned a controversial course offered by the academy that teaches participants to "collect internal negative comments" on the current separatist authority on the island, widely seen by many Taiwan netizens as a means for the DPP forces to suppress differing political views.
The course Lin mentioned is most likely an "OSNIT (open-source intelligence)" lecture that frequently appears on the academy's calendar on its website.
At one "OSNIT" lecture in August, Shen, co-founder of the academy, bluntly said that what the island of Taiwan needs to do now, is to "enable more people to learn open-source intelligence gathering skills," and "contact similar communities abroad, especially in cooperation with the US, Japan, and Eastern European countries," without any concealment of his conspiracy to strengthen collusion with foreign forces.
Obviously, the "OSNIT" lecture has little to do with teaching first aid or rescue skills as claimed by the academy, but rather an attempt to have participators to learn intelligence gathering skills, turning them into informants for the DPP and overseas anti-China forces, said Wang Jianmin, a research fellow at the Institute of Taiwan Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
A DPP-backed political tool
The Kuma Academy claims, on its website, that its goals "extend[s] beyond any partisanship" on the island of Taiwan, but experts said it is no more than a feeble lie.
"While the academy claims to be a civilian organization, it's actually permeated from beginning to end by the DPP's political agenda under their support," Zhang Wensheng, deputy dean of the Taiwan Research Institute at Xiamen University, told the Global Times.
Zhang noted that the DPP supports the Kuma Academy with the aim of using this platform to spread anti-Beijing propaganda on the island, suppress opposition parties advocating for peaceful cooperation and exchanges across Taiwan Straits, and mobilize grassroots citizens into their voter base.
"The DPP and its manipulated organization, the Kuma Academy, deceive and divide Taiwan people, mislead international public opinion, collude with anti-China forces, and directly harm cross-Straits relations," Zhang emphasized.
Shen and Tsao, respectively head and main sponsor of the academy, are typical examples of the deep ties with the DPP.
Available information shows that Shen once studied in the US and, after returning to the island of Taiwan, served as an associate professor at the Graduate School of Criminology at the National Taipei University. Before 2018, Shen's titles primarily included university teaching staff in criminology and columnist, having little to do with the political field.
However, starting in 2018, Shen suddenly transformed himself into a "cognitive warfare expert," frequently expressing his views on the so-called information campaign and cognitive warfare that he claimed were launched by the Chinese mainland against the island of Taiwan in various settings, aiming to incite antagonistic sentiments across the Straits and aligning his rhetoric with that of the DPP.
Shen quickly acquired many new titles related to organizations affiliated with or influential to the DPP, such as membership on the Ill-gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee, and directorship of the Central News Agency. Moreover, Shen participated in the initiation of the "Doublethink Lab" in September 2019, which regularly publishes an "influence index" to stigmatize the Chinese mainland. He also collaborated with the DPP legislators in the same year to promote a so-called "Anti-Infiltration Act" targeting Beijing. Through these actions, Shen transformed into a political hitman for the DPP authorities to suppress dissent and demonize the Chinese mainland.
Shen was invited on multiple occasions to give special reports to the DPP officials, Taiwan media sources reported. With his various "anti-China" maneuvers, Shen quickly gained the trust and support of DPP authorities in recent years. In November 2023, Shen was listed as the second nominee on the DPP's list for non-divisional legislative candidates, and became a legislator in 2024, rapidly entering the core political circle of the island of Taiwan.
Cao is also a political clown who keeps anti-China slogans on his lips. Cao, founder of a leading semiconductor foundry on the island of Taiwan who used to hold a pro-reunification stance, became a staunch separatist after retirement. Cao reportedly openly opposed the 1992 Consensus, which embodies the one-China principle.
In 2022, Cao announced a donation of NT$600 million ($18.7 million) to the academy, becoming its main financial backer. He also invested in the DPP-backed secessionist TV drama Zero Day. The drama, depicting a hypothetical conflict in the Straits, is a deliberate attempt to shape public opinion by promoting war fantasies.
In September, the Lai Ching-te administration announced that it would collaborate with institutions including the Kuma Academy so as to train 400,000 citizens in the future. This move has since sparked widespread anger on the island, as former legislator Cheng Li-wen criticized to the media while noting that it is clearly Lai carrying out orders from the US, turning the island of Taiwan into cannon fodder for war.
"The Kuma Academy is a flagrant pro-independence organization engaged in war mobilization in disguise," Ni Yongjie, deputy director of the Shanghai Institute of Taiwan Studies, told the Global Times.
He noted that the DPP utilizes various resources to support the Kuma Academy, particularly mobilizing high-tech enterprises and renewable energy companies. These profitable businesses provide ample financial backing for separatist organizations, posing a serious threat to reunification efforts.
They propagate "anti-China" sentiments with the true aim of tearing apart the local society, and attempting to expand the DPP's support base built around the "resist reunification by force" doctrine, Ni said.
An agent of US?
Worse still, evidence proves that the Kuma Academy is likely linked to external forces from the US in splitting China and betraying the island of Taiwan.
The presence of the US is faintly visible behind Shen's separatist, anti-China moves and slogans. The US military reportedly first proposed the concept of "cognitive warfare" in 2017, and Shen soon shifted his focus to research this field in 2018. In August 2020, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) invited Shen to share thoughts on how to guard against the so-called "propaganda" from the Chinese mainland. In July 2022, Shen attended the 246th anniversary celebration of American Independence Day held by the AIT.
In March 2023, Shen was invited to attend an online hearing by the US Congress, during which he shared the "experience and suggestion" of the island of Taiwan "countering" the Chinese mainland, Taiwan media sources reported. In October 2023, the AIT openly expressed support to and congratulated Shen for becoming a member of the Steering Committee of the so-called World Movement for Democracy, a subordinate organization hosted by the US' infamous National Endowment for Democracy.
Shen's statements on social media are strikingly similar to those of anti-China forces in the West. Apart from the Taiwan question, he slanders Beijing with cliché disinformation filled with buzzwords such as "democracy," "human rights," "Xinjiang," and the "China threat," which closely resemble the narrative strategies used in the West's cognitive warfare against China.
Observing the common tactics used by the US to cultivate "agents" around the world, one notable method includes identifying individuals with a US-related academic history and providing them with support and development opportunities, noted an opinion piece published in December 2023 by Voice of the Strait, a broadcasting company based in East China's Fujian Province.
"A closer examination of Shen's political actions reveals that, each of his step[s] closely [align] with the strategic intentions of the US, which cannot be mere coincidence[s]," it said.
Also, Ni pointed out that US support for the Kuma Academy's activities doesn't necessarily manifest itself in financial aid, but also takes the form of technical guidance, dispatching instructors, and lectures by think tank scholars. "This aims to strengthen the security and military ties between the US government and DPP authorities," he said.
Wang noted that the US is currently referencing its actions in Ukraine during the Russia-Ukraine conflict, hoping to utilize organizations like the Kuma Academy to enhance their ability to counter the Chinese mainland and potentially continue to further intervene deeply in Taiwan island's affairs.
"And the academy, with support from the US and US-backed DPP, aims to incite innocent Taiwan residents, especially the youth, to take up arms against the mainland's reunification efforts," concluded Ni. "It is inherently malicious."
As this year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Global Times has launched the second volume of its "Wish List" series, which documents ordinary Chinese people's wishes as a window into the changes in and achievements of the Chinese path to modernization.
In this volume, we present five representative stories that capture the aspirations and pursuits of individuals, which reflect the deep connection between national prosperity and people's destinies, illustrating how the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the country prioritize the well-being of the people in their quest for common prosperity, ecological civilization, and social harmony. They also bear witness to how Chinese people have marched forward toward Chinese modernization with high spirits.
This is the fourth installment in the series that tells the stories of "temple caretakers" across generations in Jincheng, North China's Shanxi Province. It explores their dedication to preserving cultural relics, and how they are using their efforts to make more people aware of China's rich cultural heritage today. Wang Gaiying, 76, believes her connection to the Tiefo Temple goes beyond simply earning a living. Over the past decades, as a caretaker, she has meticulously kept this once dilapidated temple, known for its 24 deva statues traced back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), safe and sound in the city of Gaoping, North China's Shanxi Province. She has also witnessed its transformation from an obscure ancient temple to a popular attraction drawing numerous visitors and praise.
With the release of Black Myth: Wukong, a highly anticipated Chinese self-developed AAA game in August, the Tiefo Temple, along with other ancient buildings in Shanxi that served as sources of inspiration for the game, has experienced unprecedented popularity.
As waves of tourists poured into these historical sites, they found themselves captivated, not just by the exquisite relics behind the storyline of the popular game, but also by the stories of dedicated individuals like Wang who carefully safeguard sculptures, murals, and the very essence of China's cultural heritage.
These unsung heroes, once hidden from public view, now confidently share their experiences with curious visitors.
They share tales of change within the cultural landscapes they have safeguarded, reflecting China's commitment to building the country into a powerhouse in culture and constantly enhancing the country's cultural soft power and the appeal of Chinese culture. Brave and persistent guard
"Many people mocked me for 'marrying into the temple,' saying I was wasting my life, but now they see me as a source of pride," Wang told the Global Times proudly.
Now retired, Wang's morning routine still begins with cleaning the temple. This has been her daily habit for 58 years, ever since she married into the temple at the age of 20 and began assisting her mother-in-law in its upkeep.
For Wang, guarding the Tiefo Temple has been the most important and fulfilling aspect of her life.
Wang recalled that her mother-in-law received a wing of the temple compound in 1947 and naturally became its caretaker. When her mother-in-law passed away in 1988, Wang took over the responsibility of caring for the temple.
During her years as a temple caretaker, Wang lived a frugal life, initially receiving only a meager salary from the local cultural relics bureau. However, she diligently performed her duties, maintaining cleanliness, while preventing fires and theft. Even after the death of her husband and witnessing two attempted burglaries at the grounds, Wang chose to remain committed to the temple.
"For me, the Tiefo Temple is home, and I hope that protecting the temple will see our family's commitment passed down from generation to generation," she said.
The story of Wang's family guarding the Tiefo Temple is often shared by Chang Silong, the first director of the Gaoping city museum.
Chang retrieved a thick stack of handwritten notes during the interview with the Global Times. These notes fully documented his tenure as the museum director when he visited numerous villages in Gaoping to gather information about existing cultural relics.
At that time, individuals like Wang were key sources of information for Chang. Wang emphasizes that in China, a vast amount of cultural relic preservation relied on local villagers who resided near these sites, such as "grave keepers," "tower guards" and "temple caretakers."
"They might not have understood the inherent cultural value of these objects, but they know what they are safeguarding is precious," Chang said. "I witnessed their exhilaration when they realized new protective measures were being implemented." Warm and creative presentation
Wang has had many reasons to feel exhilarated this year.
Following the viral success of Black Myth: Wukong, the Tiefo Temple officially opened its doors to the public on August 24 after being closed for more than a decade to protect its relics. With daily visitor limits set at 500, and increased capacity during the National Day holidays, nearly 20,000 tourists flocked to the temple within seven days.
Joining Wang in handling this newfound popularity is Zhang Jiaqi, a Gen Z village official in Mixi village where the temple is located.
"Over the holidays, tourists waited two to three hours in line, but most were very understanding after their visit and warmly responded to our efforts," Zhang told the Global Times.
Zhang joined the Mixi village committee after graduating from university in September 2022 and started working as a docent at the Tiefo Temple this year.
Before the temple's opening to the public, he mainly interacted with Wang and professionals involved in the temple's maintenance and restoration. He always hoped that one day he could share the charm of the temple with the world.
For a long time, many ancient buildings in Shanxi remained closed to the public due to conservation needs. Scattered across Chinese online forums were posts from passionate enthusiasts who shared strategies on how to "get lucky" while persuading local caretakers to grant them access. These posts had limited visibility and circulated only within specific communities.
In recent years, the national cultural relics protection departments all over Shanxi have gradually opened their doors to the general public. Observing the burgeoning trend of tourism inspired by ancient architecture, Zhang collaborated with paper-cutting artists from the village to create phone cases of the Tiefo Temple's deities.
As the temple prepared for its opening in August, Zhang leveraged his accumulated knowledge to train a group of local volunteers as tour guides.
On the first day that the Tiefo Temple opened to ordinary visitors, Zhang and other docents addressed them confidently and emotionally. Custom mobile phone cases were, unsurprisingly, popular with tourists.
One month after the opening, the village collective enterprise generated 60,000 yuan ($8,420) in revenue from its cultural and creative products.
As Zhang spoke to the Global Times, Zhao Jianfei, a security guard at the temple, attentively listened nearby. With the increasing number of visitors, Zhao maintains order while passionately introducing the temple's history and artistic value to tourists using his local dialect interlaced with humor explanations. After Zhao's explanations, many visitors give him a thumbs-up, and some even ask to take pictures with him.
"Tourists endure long waiting times, so I want to give them something interesting during the wait and enhance their overall experience," Zhao told the Global Times.
As a native of Mixi village, Zhao had always known about the precious artifacts housed within the Tiefo Temple but never had the chance to see them. He said that many villagers shared his curiosity but chose to prioritize visitors' access.
"Before the National Day holidays, villagers spontaneously cleared land overnight to create a temporary parking lot. To accommodate the surge in tourists, they even offered free use of their restrooms," Zhang added.
"The charm of the Tiefo Temple lies not only in its exquisite sculptures but also in Grandma Wang who has dedicated her life to it, in Zhao's warm hospitality, and in each one of us villagers. We hope that both the temple and our efforts live up to the love and appreciation of our visitors," Zhang said.
Visible and perceptible cultural prosperity
Yin Zhenxing, curator of the Colored Sculpture and Mural Museum at the Yuhuang Temple in Jincheng, is also working tirelessly to live up to the love of the growing number of visitors.
Just 30 kilometers from the Tiefo Temple, the Yuhuang Temple has also seen a surge in tourists attracted by its 28 exquisite Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) constellation sculptures and the inspiration behind the characters in Black Myth: Wukong.
On a weekend visit to the Yuhuang Temple, Global Times reporters observed an orderly scene: Visitors swiped their ID cards at the entrance and then picked up tour maps from the volunteer service desk to embark on their tours.
This smooth operation is attributed to Yin and his team of over 40 staff members who attentively patrol and care for every detail within the temple complex.
Yin recounted his first experience starkly contrasted with his arrival at Yuhuang Temple in 2003. "Back then, it was just a temple with muddy grounds and rudimentary accommodations for staff," Yin recalled.
However, with increasing national emphasis on cultural relic protection, the Yuhuang Temple has undergone a remarkable transformation. It now boasts a fully staffed team, state-of-the-art security and fire safety systems, and advanced technologies like carbon dioxide detection and digital preservation for architectural sculptures and murals.
In the temple's staff lounge, the Global Times saw a basketball hoop in the spacious courtyard, with employee-planted chili peppers and flowers decorating the underground fire water storage tank.
"Everyone integrates their work with their daily lives, viewing this as their responsibility and calling," Yin said.
As Yin led the Global Times through the temple, he spotted a local social media influencer specializing in traditional Chinese culture photographing artifacts.
Reflecting on his over two decades of experience, Yin notes the growing cultural awareness and appreciation for China's heritage among its people. He said that visitors, particularly young ones, are increasingly knowledgeable about ancient architecture and sculptures.
Statistics show that China now has more than 3,300 public libraries, and over 10,000 cultural centers and museums. Nearly all public libraries, cultural centers, art galleries, comprehensive cultural stations, and over 90 percent of museums offer free admission.
After witnessing the Global Times' visit and interview, a group of student volunteers from the Shanxi Institute of Science and Technology expressed their desire to promote the Yuhuang Temple globally, hoping that more people will visit and benefit from their volunteer efforts.
"Now, countless students in our school line up to be volunteers at the Yuhuang Temple," Zhang Zhipeng, a student at the institute revealed. "At this moment, standing in the Yuhuang Temple's volunteer post, I have become a 'temple caretaker' in the new era, and feel very proud," he said.
In the café in Yuhuang Temple, countless visitors left messages on sticky notes: "Chinese civilization spanning 5,000 years might seem distant, but Shanxi's culture is within reach."
"I am full of hope that in the future, more visitors from around the world will find Chinese culture accessible and engaging. Such a day is not too far away," Yin said.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Army recently held live-fire shooting exercises with a new type of self-propelled air defense system integrated with a rotary cannon and missile launchers, with experts emphasizing the weapon's potential against drone threats.
In an exercise by air defense troops from a brigade affiliated with the PLA 71st Group Army, the newly commissioned missile-and-gun weapon system conducted simulated air defense training, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Tuesday.
The system is characterized by its high mobility, high accuracy and extended range, CCTV reported.
"This new weapon is equipped with a fire control system that can calculate the targets' trajectories based on their movement, achieving accurate tracking and guidance to successfully engage the targets," said Zhao Jiayi, a member of the brigade at the PLA 71st Group Army.
It has become a new layer of defense for the brigade's terminal air defense, Zhao said in the report.
In another recent live-fire tactical exercise, when multiple waves of different targets were approaching from multiple directions under a complex environment of electromagnetic interference, the troops rapidly reacted and conducted precision strikes against incoming aerial targets, CCTV reported.
The new equipment not only complements the terminal air defense against low-altitude, slow-moving, and small targets, but also establishes a mobile terminal air defense network for attack troops and support forces in systematic combat operations, said Liu Xinpo, another member of the brigade.
Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military aviation expert, told the Global Times that the new self-propelled missile-and-gun weapon system is needed in mobile and field air defense, because it can conduct interception operations while in motion. It can switch from using missiles against targets from far away and the gun against close-range and low-flying targets for the best results.
Typical low-flying, slow and small targets include rotary wing drones, as observed in recent regional conflicts. The new weapon has potential against drones, according to Fu.
With drones emerging as new threats in modern warfare, anti-aircraft guns remain a very important tool, particularly against swarms of drones, Fu said, noting that low-flying, slow and small targets such as drones have small radar cross sections, making them difficult to detect, and they are also too expensive to be intercepted using costly missiles.
In a unique approach to combat dengue fever, Xiashicun village in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province, has implemented a strategy known as "mosquito control by mosquito." A specialized team releases between 300,000 to 500,000 sterilized male mosquitoes each week.
This method has proven effective over the past seven years, with no dengue cases reported in the village, according to Guangzhou Daily.
"These male mosquitoes do not bite or feed on blood, making them a sustainable solution for reducing Aedes populations," explained researcher Gan Renxian. The strategy aims to lower the population of Aedes albopictus by releasing sterilized males that, when mating with wild females, produce eggs that do not hatch. "We refer to these male mosquitoes as 'benign mosquitoes,'" Gan added.
Some 150 areas in Guangzhou are currently facing dengue fever outbreak risks.
President Xi Jinping has urged east China's Fujian Province to play a pioneering role in the country's modernization drive by staying committed to its development goals.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during an inspection tour in the coastal province on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Following the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by Israel, Khaled Meshal has been appointed as the acting leader, media reported. Experts in China indicated that it would become "extremely difficult" for negotiations between the two sides, warning of potentially escalating hostilities in the Middle East.
In response to Sinwar's death, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said China believes that the pressing priority is to fully and effectively implement relevant UN Security Council resolution, immediately reach a ceasefire in Gaza, earnestly protect civilians, ensure the humanitarian aid and avoid further escalating the conflict and confrontation.
The death of Sinwar is widely viewed as an opportunity for Israel to declare victory and wind down the war in the Gaza Strip. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in a televised address, "The war isn't over," suggesting that he may view Sinwar's elimination as justification for his ongoing military pressure in Gaza.
The operation that resulted in Sinwar's death was not a targeted strike but rather part of a routine military action, media reported.
"It is noteworthy that the elimination of Sinwar will make negotiations between the parties even more challenging in the short term," Liu Zhongmin, a professor from the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times.
Following Sinwar's death, Hamas appointed its new leader, according to Lebanese television LBCI. Liu explained that Hamas and other Islamic organizations have mechanisms for leadership succession. As long as Israel is unable to eliminate Hamas's beliefs, ideology, and organizational structure, it will not be able to eradicate Hamas itself and stop its fighting.
Following Sinwar's death, Hezbollah announced a "transition to a new and escalating phase in the confrontation with Israel." Meanwhile, Iran has shown no signs that Sinwar's killing will alter its support, stating through its mission to the United Nations that "the spirit of resistance will be strengthened" following his death, Reuters reported.
US President Joe Biden expressed clear support for Israel's elimination of Sinwar, also conveying his congratulations to Netanyahu over the phone, describing it as a pathway for the "day after" in Gaza, Wall Street Journal reported.
"Overall, the conflict between Israel and Palestine in Gaza will maintain a considerable intensity, while Israel will also take into account factors related to the US and leave some room for maneuver."
Mao stated that China has, as always, supported Palestine's internal reconciliation and believes this is an important step based on the two-State solution toward solving the Palestinian question and realizing peace and stability in the Middle East.
No matter how the situation evolves, it's all the more necessary for Palestinian factions to strengthen solidarity and the international community to provide firm support. China stands ready to work with all parties to continue working relentlessly to this end, she said.
A spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council expressed on Saturday strong support of relevant government departments’ further measures based on the findings of its investigation into Taiwan's trade barriers.
Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhu Fenglian stated that the responsibility lies entirely with the Taiwan authorities, as initially, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities in the island of Taiwan have failed to lift trade restrictions on the mainland, and fundamentally, they continue to adhere to the "Taiwan independence" stance, refusing to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus. This undermines the foundation for cross-Straits consultations and obstructs the resolution of trade disputes through consultations.
Earlier on the day, the mainland’s Ministry of Commerce, in response to media inquiries, stated that despite the ministry's December 15, 2023 announcement identifying Taiwan's trade restrictions on the Chinese mainland as trade barriers, the DPP authorities have not made any significant moves to lift these restrictions.
Relevant departments are considering further measures based on the findings of the their investigation into these trade barriers imposed by Taiwan, per a written statement by the Ministry of Commerce spokesperson.
On December 15, 2023, the Commerce Ministry determined that the trade restrictions imposed by the island of Taiwan on the mainland constitute trade barriers, after an eight-month investigation.
According to the rules of the World Trade Organization, Taiwan is obligated to provide equal treatment and competitive opportunities to the mainland and other WTO members. The cross-Straits Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) also clearly stipulates that the two sides should gradually reduce or eliminate tariffs and non-tariffs barriers on nearly all goods traded between the two sides.
However, the DPP authorities have adopted unilateral restrictions on a large number of products from the mainland, with the categories of prohibited imports expanding in recent years. By the end of November 2023, the imports of 2,509 items of products from the mainland were prohibited, Xinhua reported.
While the UK spy chief recently warned about China's "significant risk" to the country, Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy is reportedly planning to visit China next week in a bid to reset ties, according to media reports on Wednesday.
The move reflects UK's contradictory mindset that on one hand it seeks to suppress China, while on the other is eying deeper engagement with Beijing, observers said, urging the new Labour government to show sincerity and adopt a pragmatic approach to steer China-UK relations.
The British Security Services known as MI5 published its annual update on the threats faced by the country on Tuesday, in which it primarily warned of the dangers posed by Russia and Iran as well as growing concerns about al Qaeda and Islamic State, Reuters reported.
Ken McCallum, Director General of MI5, said that China still remained a significant risk, "particularly its threat to obtaining sensitive information from businesses and academia," the report noted.
However, McCallum considers that China is "different," and because of Britain's multi-layered complex relationship with Beijing, it requires a more nuanced approach. "The UK-China economic relationship supports UK growth, which underpins our security. And there are also risks to be managed," he said.
Zhao Junjie, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of European Studies, said the remarks by the MI5 chief reflect the contradictory mindset of the UK as well as the whole Western world, as China's rise poses a significant challenge to the rules of the game and global governance dominated by the West.
Yet bilateral interests between China and the UK have never been so deeply intertwined, as the pair finds themselves in a complex relationship characterized by both competition and cooperation, Zhao told the Global Times on Wednesday.
"As a result, the UK has viewed China as an adversary in terms of ideology, prompting various forms of containment and suppression against it, but meanwhile the UK cannot decouple from China as doing so would greatly harm its own interests," Zhao noted.
In a separate Reuters report a day after the report was released, sources said Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who has vowed to overhaul his country's ties with China, is set to visit Beijing and Shanghai next week in an attempt to seek "less confrontational ties."
However, his itinerary has not yet been finalized, another person familiar with the matter said.
Since British Prime Minister Keir Starmer took office in July, the new government has faced grave challenges both at home and abroad with instability in domestic politics, social unrest that saw days of rioting targeting asylum seekers and Muslims following the murder of three young girls, a severe economic crisis, and a passive position that has stuck with the UK following Brexit, said the expert.
To address these challenges, the new government is likely to take a more flexible, cautious and pragmatic approach in its relations with China, rather than simply following the lead of the US or the EU. This is because there is significant room for cooperation between the two sides in many areas of interest, such as green economic transformation, renewable energy, biopharmaceuticals and the creation of jobs, Zhao noted.
Experts urged the UK to demonstrate sincerity and abandon its twisted mindset if it wishes to recalibrate relations with Beijing.
