Chinese President Xi Jinping has recently replied to teachers and students of the U.S. youth pickleball cultural exchange delegation from Montgomery County, Maryland, who have visited China under the initiative of inviting 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs in a five-year span.

Xi congratulated the delegation on its successful visit to China, saying he was pleased to see that pickleball has become a new bond for youth exchanges between China and the United States.

The future of China-U.S. relations depends on the youth, said Xi, expressing the hope that the delegation members will become a new generation of ambassadors for friendship between the two countries and make greater contributions to enhancing the friendship between the two peoples.

Earlier, the teachers and students of the delegation sent a letter to Xi, expressing their gratitude for the "50,000 in Five Years" initiative he put forward.

They shared their experience of visiting China and engaging in pickleball exchange activities in April, saying that they forged unforgettable friendships with Chinese youths during the trip.

They expressed their hope to invite Chinese young people to visit the United States.

Faced with US tariff pressure, China stands firm in defending its own rights and interests and upholding international fairness and justice, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said here on Monday.

Li made the remarks when meeting with Director-General of the World Trade Organization Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on the sidelines of the 17th BRICS Summit.

The 3D-printed Minimalist Lightweight Micro Turbojet Engine, which was developed independently by the Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC), successfully completed its first flight test in North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Tuesday, AECC announced on its official WeChat account on Wednesday.

According to the AECC, the engine is the first of its kind in China to complete a flight test, with a thrust level of 160 kilograms. The engine, which utilized multidisciplinary topological optimization and additive manufacturing technology, represents a revolutionary integration and innovation in aviation engine design and manufacturing processes, filling a domestic gap in the full-scale engineering application of this technology.

The flight test was conducted according to the planned scheme. It reached a maximum altitude of 4,000 meters above sea level, which fully verified the engine's reliability and stability under real flight conditions. The success of the test marks significant progress in China's application of deep integration of multidisciplinary topological optimization design and additive manufacturing in aviation power engineering.

The engine’s development team tackled key technologies such as multidisciplinary topological optimization design tailored for additive manufacturing and integrated design of components, significantly reducing the engine's structural weight and achieving remarkable improvements in key performance indicators. To ensure the success of the flight test on the first attempt, the engine had completed critical ground tests, including performance standards and engine life, before the test flight.

This successful maiden flight will lay a more solid technical foundation for the development of subsequent advanced aviation engines, said AECC.

China is confident in and capable of maintaining rapid economic growth, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said Wednesday, vowing that the country will always keep the doors wide open and warmly welcome businesses from all countries to invest and deepen their roots in China.

Li made the remarks when addressing the opening plenary of the 16th Annual Meeting of the New Champions (AMNC), also known as the Summer Davos, in North China's Tianjin.

Themed "Entrepreneurship for a New Era," the event, held from Tuesday to Thursday, is gathering around 1,800 leading figures from more than 90 countries and regions to explore how entrepreneurship and emerging technologies can unlock more dynamic and resilient economies, Xinhua News Agency reported.

President of Ecuador Daniel Noboa, Prime Minister of Singapore Lawrence Wong, Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Aleshovich Kasymaliev, Prime Minister of Senegal Ousmane Sonko, and Prime Minister of Vietnam Pham Minh Chinh would also attend AMNC this year, according to an earlier announcement of Chinese Foreign Ministry.

"Over the years, no matter how the international environment has changed, China's economy has consistently maintained a good momentum," Li said, noting that China's GDP grew by 5.4 percent in the first quarter of 2025 despite facing significantly heightened external shocks this year.

China's economic development is not about short-term spurts, but sustained progress toward long-term goals, Li added. He also noted that China is moving toward becoming a high-income country as a whole, driven by strong demand for consumption upgrades in the world's second-largest consumer and import market.

Li said China's sustained breakthroughs and advances in innovation will inject fresh vitality into global development, which will accelerate global economic growth, per Xinhua.

He also called on the international community to take constructive actions in international economic and trade cooperation.

"Constructive actions mean we need to proactively take measures to safeguard free trade and multilateralism and promote the stable development of the world economy," Li said. The premier called for resolving disputes and differences through dialogue.

Li further said China will continue to deepen its integration and connectivity with the world market and strengthen industrial collaboration with various countries.

Premier Li's speech has drawn broad positive response at the Summer Davos, as many international attendees recognize the achievements of China's high-quality development and major contributions to global trade and economic growth, eyeing greater opportunities from China's massive market and pioneering innovations.

Confidence in economy

During the Summer Davos, World Economic Forum President Borge Brende shared an optimistic outlook on China's economic prospects.

"I'm relatively optimistic for the Chinese economy, both in the medium-term and long-term. China has already diversified, in addition, China is pivoting from manufacturing of goods to more services and digital trade. We are also seeing a lot of new technologies being applied. China is doing very well in artificial intelligence (AI), on robotics," he said, reported Xinhua.

"There has been a 5.4 percent year-on-year growth in China in the first quarter this year, and the premier said key economic indicators continued to improve in the second quarter. Even though there are a lot of challenges, China is able to overcome them. That's very positive," Bassam Al-Ibrahim, a representative from General Retirement and Social Insurance Authority of Qatar, told the Global Times on the sidelines of the forum on Wednesday.

Now, China is probably at the forefront of innovation from all the technological aspects, and innovation is going to be one of the driving forces for China, especially AI, Al-Ibrahim said.

Joel Ruet, president of the Bridge Tank in France, said Premier Li's speech continued the theme of his speech delivered at last year's Summer Davos - promoting the country's high-quality development and firm commitment to opening-up.

It's reassuring to see continuity in countries including China and within the ecosystem of entrepreneurs, because we live in a world where we perceive many abrupt changes taking place, Ruet told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Driven by the notable strides in advancing innovation-driven development, China's economy has advanced steadily, and demonstrated robust resilience and development potential.

A recent report released by the World Bank showed that China's economy maintained growth momentum in early 2025, and in response to global trade uncertainty, the government has implemented accommodative monetary and fiscal policies. Recently, international institutions, such as J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs, have revised up China's growth prospects.

Call for cooperation

As the world economy is confronted with a worsening growth predicament due to the escalation of geopolitical conflicts and policy uncertainty, global leaders from government, business, academia and other fields at the Summer Davos also called for win-win cooperation and close collaboration to deal with challenges.

Robert Koopman, Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer with the School of International Service of American University, especially highlighted Premier Li's emphasis on global trade and cooperation and coordination.

"I think there's a deeply ingrained understanding of the importance of access to global markets, of access to global technology, and the positive spillovers that come from that kind of access and cooperation," Koopman told the Global Times on Wednesday.

"This is my first time participating in the Summer Davos, and I'm happy to be here to see the various discussions and collaboration between different governments, public, and business parties from around the world," Hisham Aljadhey, president of Saudi Food & Drug Authority, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The event provides an important platform for dialogue where governments and businesses are talking about many key economic issues that matter to the world today, seeking understanding and consensus, according to Aljadhey.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government strongly condemned on late Thursday night the latest remarks made by US Consul General to Hong Kong Gregory May that totally disregarded the spirit of the rule of law and deliberately misled the public and smeared the National Security Law (NSL) for Hong Kong and the work of the HKSAR safeguarding national security including the case of Jimmy Lai.

With at least 21 pieces of laws in the US safeguarding national security, US politicians have displayed hypocrisy and exposed their double standards by pointing fingers at the HKSAR's legal system and enforcement mechanisms to safeguard national security, while entirely disregarding the constitutional duty and practical needs of the HKSAR to legislate, and the positive effects brought by the enactment of the relevant national security legislation on economic development and protection of human rights, a spokesperson from the HKSAR government said.

The American diplomat in Hong Kong on Thursday criticized Hong Kong's national security law and the jailing of Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, and engaging in the so-called "transnational repression" of activists abroad, Reuters reported.

As the legal proceedings of the case involving Lai are still ongoing, it is inappropriate for any person to comment on the details of the case, the Hong Kong spokesperson said. The HKSAR government strongly urges US politicians to immediately stop interfering in the HKSAR's internal affairs and the independent exercise of judicial power by the courts of the HKSAR, the spokesperson added.

May also criticized attempts by Hong Kong authorities to "pressure overseas Hong Kong activists" including the issuing of arrest warrants for national security violations and offering bounties of HK$1 million ($127,393) each, Reuters said.

Extraterritorial effect for the offences under the NSL for Hong Kong and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance fully aligns with the principles of international law, international practice and common practice adopted in various countries and regions, the HKSAR government spokesperson said.

It is both necessary and legitimate, and is also in line with those of other countries and regions around the world. As the law enforcement department of the HKSAR safeguarding national security, the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) are duty bound to pursue the liability of those who have endangered national security overseas, the spokesperson said.

Those absconders hiding in the US and other Western countries are wanted because they continue to blatantly engage in activities endangering national security, including inciting secession and requesting foreign countries to impose "sanctions" or blockade and engage in other hostile activities against the country and the HKSAR, the spokesperson continued.

More so, they continue to collude with external forces to cover for their evil deeds. It is necessary for the HKPF to take all lawful measures to strongly combat the acts of abscondment, and such actions are fully justified, necessary and legitimate, the spokesperson said.

Traces of a sea turtle coming ashore to lay eggs were recently discovered on a beach near a community in Yongxing Island, Sansha City, South China's Hainan Province, marking the first such discovery on the island in years. 

Staff from the local marine protected area administration, along with turtle patrol members from Beidao, visited the site and identified the likely nesting location, according to a post on the city's official WeChat account on Friday.

Visible signs at the site included a large pit consistent with the size of a sea turtle and evidence of disturbed sand. Chen Shan, a veteran turtle patrol officer with over a decade of experience, was able to pinpoint the general nesting area based on these traces, the post said. 

"From the trail patterns, we can reasonably determine the location of the nest. After laying eggs, sea turtles typically cover the entire nest with sand. Judging by the condition of the tracks, the turtle likely came ashore about a week ago. At this time of year, it usually takes 40 to 50 days for the hatchlings to emerge," said Chen, as he patrolled the area and pointed at the nesting site. 

The Xisha Qundao, where Yongxing is located, are currently home to China's largest natural nesting ground for green sea turtles. As a national first-class protected species and a flagship animal for marine conservation, sea turtles play a vital role in maintaining ocean biodiversity. Thanks to years of conservation efforts, sightings of sea turtles in the waters around the Xisha Qundao have increased, said the post. 

So far this year, a total of 43 sea turtle nests have been recorded across the Xisha Qundao, with this being the first on Yongxing Island, according to the post.

"According to records, there hasn't been a turtle nesting on Yongxing Island for nearly 10 years. This recent event shows that the environment is improving. We'll mark the nest with a sign indicating the estimated date and assign it a number to remind passersby not to step on it. We'll also be increasing patrols on other islands and reefs," said Yu Yangfei, a staff member with the local marine protected area administration.

3,125 Chinese citizens have been safely evacuated from Iran, including a 10-month-old baby, a 70-year-old senior, and citizens from Hong Kong and Taiwan, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun on Monday when sharing the latest updates on the evacuation of Chinese citizens from Iran and Israel. 

As the Chinese nationals who are willing to leave Iran have all been safely evacuated, the large-scale and well-ordered evacuation of Chinese personnel in Iran has been completed by the Chinese government, said Guo at a regular press briefing on Monday. 

The spokesperson noted that the evacuation was acting on the decisions and plans of the Party Central Committee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China's diplomatic and consular missions in Iran and other countries, the Ministry of Transport and the Civil Aviation Administration.

Guo stated that the China's Embassy in Israel helped and organized the evacuation of over 500 Chinese nationals from Israel to safety, and helped some nationals from the UK, India and Poland safely evacuate. "During the evacuation, countries, including Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Turkey, Iraq, the UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Egypt and Jordan, offered China valuable support. We express sincere appreciation for that," Guo said.

The world grappled Sunday with the US inserting itself into Israel's war by attacking Iranian nuclear sites, AP reported on Monday. According to the report, experts warned that worldwide efforts to contain the spread of nuclear weapons by peaceful means would be at stake in the days ahead, while fears of a wider regional conflict loomed large.

According to the Chinese Embassy in Iran early on Monday, as of Saturday, the vast majority of Chinese nationals in Iran have been safely evacuated, with the remaining few having avoided high-risk areas.

Fu Lihua, minister-counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Iran, said the embassy arranged for vehicles to transport Chinese nationals from Tehran and surrounding areas via land border crossings. The embassy staff have been on call day and night to answer assistance calls, assess the number of personnel, maintain contact with Chinese nationals, provide evacuation route guidance, and dispatch personnel to the Bajgiran border crossing between Iran and Turkmenistan to assist with customs clearance.

Fu said that as the situation rapidly deteriorated, the desire among Chinese citizens in Iran to evacuate grew stronger. The embassy quickly organized a total of 17 buses in four batches to evacuate Chinese nationals via land border crossings, and set up working groups at the Astara border crossing between Iran and Azerbaijan, where outbound personnel are concentrated.

The second flight which departed from Turkmenistan and carried 119 Chinese nationals evacuated from Iran arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport on Sunday morning.

"Still, some Chinese nationals choose to stay in Iran and Israel. Our Ministry reminds them to stay safe. Our colleagues in Chinese diplomatic and consular missions in Iran and Israel have stayed on their post, and will continue to do everything possible to offer Chinese nationals there assistance," Guo said at the Monday press conference.

Many Chinese nationals who have been safely evacuated from Iran thanked their motherland and shared their experience on social media platforms. One of them surnamed Liu was working on trade missions in Tehran and safely returned to Beijing after being evacuated by bus to Azerbaijan. 

Liu told the Global Times on Monday that he heard explosions during the early hours of June 13 while sleeping. At that time, Liu didn't perceive any significant danger nor believe the conflict would be prolonged.

However, Liu recalled that the situation escalated on June 16 afternoon when he could see smoke rising near his neighborhood. By June 17, seeing shops that had remained open in Tehran the previous day all closed down, Liu said he "grew genuinely frightened and started considering evacuation."

Through the overseas Chinese association in Iran, Liu paid 200 yuan and boarded an evacuation bus which departed from a Tehran Chinese hotel - Fardis Hotel - at 5 pm on June 17. Due to traffic congestion, what should have been a seven-hour journey to the Iran-Azerbaijan border at Astara port took until early morning of June 18, Liu told the Global Times on Monday.

"Staff from the Chinese Embassy in Iran came to coordinate our departure in the afternoon (of June 18), and we finally crossed at around 7pm. Azerbaijan-based Chinese embassy staff sent buses to transfer us to Baku, arriving at around 3am Thursday [June 19]," Liu recalled.

Liu said he had considered staying in Georgia or Baku, but the escalating situation made him decide to return to China immediately.

An article by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on encouraging young people in the new era to bravely take on responsibilities in advancing Chinese modernization, will be published on Thursday.

The article by Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will be published in this year's ninth issue of Qiushi Journal, the flagship magazine of the CPC Central Committee.

The article highlights the role of the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC) in rallying young people as broadly as possible to contribute to building a strong nation and achieving national rejuvenation.

It underscores the importance of strengthening the ideals and convictions of the younger generation. The CYLC is encouraged to organize and mobilize youth to take an active role in China's modernization efforts.

Young people should serve as pioneers and vital forces in areas such as scientific and technological innovation, rural revitalization, green development, social services, and national defense, the article notes.

The article also calls on Party organizations at all levels to strengthen their leadership in youth-related work and to support the CYLC in fulfilling its missions creatively.

China's National Health Commission (NHC) has taken note of the public sentiment arising from the reports concerning Xiao, a thoracic surgeon at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital. The Commission has established an investigation team that adheres to the principles of seeking truth from facts and being objective and fair, according to a NHC spokesperson in a statement on Thursday.

The investigation team will work with relevant parties to conduct a thorough investigation into the individuals involved, including Xiao and Dong, as well as the related institutions. Any illegal or irregular issues discovered will be dealt with seriously in accordance with the law and regulations, the spokesperson said.

Previously, the China-Japan Friendship Hospital issued a statement on Sunday regarding a complaint against Dr. Xiao, an associate chief physician in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, following allegation of personal misconduct and medical ethics violations. The hospital decided to terminate employment with the doctor, according to the statement.

Xiao's wife filed a real-name report alleging that Xiao engaged in affairs with multiple women during their marriage and had left the operating room for extended periods, neglecting anesthetized patients due to emotional reasons, according to media reports. The incident subsequently sparked discussion on social media.

Chinese researchers have systematically assessed the critical role of polar regions in achieving global sustainable development goals, noting that the polar regions may have already emerged as a “bottleneck” to global progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The research, led by Li Xin, professor from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with Guo Huadong, academician from the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals, Cheng Guodong, academician from the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, CAS, and Chen Deliang, academician from Tsinghua University, was published in Nature Communications. The study proposes a set of SDG targets and indicators that incorporate the global climate impacts of the cryosphere and the distinctive vulnerabilities of polar regions.

The paper suggests that, by strengthening global collaborative governance and taking decisive action, polar regions could be transformed into key drivers of advancing global sustainable development.

According to lead author Li Xin, polar regions are highly sensitive to climate change, and environmental transformations in these areas are critical to sustainable development at both local and global scales.

However, the importance of the polar regions has not been adequately represented in current UN SDGs framework.

This oversight stems primarily from long-standing policy misconceptions, which view these regions are sparsely populated, economically marginal and contributing minimally to global sustainability efforts.

The article integrates multi-source observational and modeling evidence to reveal the changing characteristics of key climate elements in these regions.

The results show that Arctic temperatures are rising at a rate of 0.68 C per decade, significantly higher than the global average. Pronounced warming trends are also observed in Antarctica and the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.

As temperatures rise, cryosphere, ecological and hydrological systems in polar regions, have undergone substantial, interconnected, and complex changes, profoundly impacting the achievement of the UN SDGs to combat climate change and its impacts.

The article points out that the melting of polar glaciers and ice sheets directly affects the availability and sustainable management of water resources and sanitation and exacerbates sea level rise, threatening sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. The reduction of polar sea ice is associated with increased extreme weather events, impacting global ecosystems and indirectly affecting biodiversity and ecosystem services.

In conclusion, polar regions represent both a limiting factor and the “weakest link” in achieving the global SDGs and should not be “forgotten” in the global sustainability agenda. Proactive and inclusive measures must be taken to ensure that polar regions are not left behind.

The article calls on the international community to increase attention and resources investment in polar issues, and to strengthen support in key areas such as information infrastructure, long-term monitoring, scientific and technological innovation and capacity building. Through successful cross-border initiatives, global partnerships can be reinforced to advance sustainable development in both polar regions and globally.