The US and the UK's support for anti-China rioters exposed their ill intention to destabilize the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at Friday's regular press briefing, in response to the latest remarks by US and UK politicians regarding the issuing of arrest warrants for five fugitives that have fled the HKSAR to overseas.

China strongly deplores and firmly opposes certain countries' flagrant slandering against the national security law for Hong Kong and interference in the rule of law in the HKSAR, and the issuing of arrest warrants for the five fugitives is in line with international law and common practice, said Mao.

The National Security Department (NSD) of the Hong Kong Police Force said on Thursday that the police have put on the wanted list five individuals who have fled overseas and are suspected of having committed offences under the national security law for Hong Kong.

The five are Cheng Man-kit, Hui Wing-ting, Joey Siu, Fok Ka-chi and Choi Ming-da, according to the HKSAR.

The HKSAR government also on Friday strongly opposed and condemned certain countries' remarks on the issuing of arrest warrants for the five individuals.

The police issued arrest warrants of these five individuals according to the law, which is necessary and legitimate, said Mao. The national security laws of other countries including the US and the UK also have extraterritorial effect. These five individuals, under the pretext of "democracy" and "human rights," have engaged in activities that undermine China's national security, Mao said.

The Commissioner's Office of Chinese Foreign Ministry in HKSAR also expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition on Friday. The spokesperson from the Commissioner's Office said that the extraterritorial application of the national security law for Hong Kong is fully in line with the principles of international law and common practice, and is a necessary and justified measure to ensure Hong Kong's long-term stability and order.

Meanwhile, the 2023 Implementation Rules for Amending the Implementation Rules for Article 43 of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region took effect on Friday.

"The amendments are technical in nature and the scope of the proposed amendments is extremely narrow: it only aims at making clear provisions in respect of the validity period of freezing notice, without changing the basis or principle for issuing such notice," said a spokesperson from HKSAR on Friday.

The amendments can make sure that the freeze notice of property related to offenses under the national security law for Hong Kong remains valid until the legal proceedings conclude, according to the HKSAR.

Lawmaker Elizabeth Quat Pui-fan supports the revision of the implementation rules. The lawmaker told the Global Times on Friday that it can "effectively combat serious crimes that endanger national security."

Anti-China figures are still using various means to deny and evade their crimes that endanger national security. The anti-China forces in the US and the West are eager to continue stirring up trouble and messing up Hong Kong, the lawmaker emphasized.

Authorities are launching a direct strike against anti-China elements and those who disrupt Hong Kong, by pursuing the criminal acts of Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and his peers in accordance with the law and freezing their assets. They have brought this upon themselves and HKSAR is obligated to handle it in accordance with the law, Quat said.

It is necessary to uphold the rule of law in governing HKSAR, using legal means to maintain stability and uphold social justice, the lawmaker said.

Mao, the foreign ministry spokesperson, reiterated that Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs that brook no interference from any external forces. China maintains firm resolve in safeguarding the nation's sovereignty, security and development interests. Relevant countries should respect China's sovereignty and the rule of law in HKSAR and stop interfering in China's internal affairs, she said.

The US-led joint patrol in the Red Sea following Houthi militia attacks against ships heading toward Israel shows that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in Gaza is not only affecting the whole region, but also the international community. Chinese analysts pointed out that the root cause of the trade route problem is the ongoing conflict in Gaza, and only a sustainable cease-fire and allowing humanitarian aid to enter Gaza via land and sea routes can solve the problem in the Red Sea. 

China will pay close attention to the situation, and Chinese naval vessels that conduct UN authorized anti-piracy missions in the region will keep performing their duty, analysts said, adding that China will stick to the priority of realizing a cease-fire and clear the way for humanitarian aid for the people in Gaza, rather than joining the US to conduct any military operations without UN authorization to escalate the crisis in Gaza. 

The US and a host of other nations are creating a new force to protect ships transiting the Red Sea that have come under attack by drones and ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Tuesday in Bahrain, the AP reported.

The UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain have joined, Austin said. Some of those countries will conduct joint patrols while others will provide intelligence support in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

The Houthi militia attacked two commercial ships in the Red Sea with naval drones on Monday. The recent attacks have caused concerns about the impact on the passage of oil, grain and other goods on what is an important global trade route, and have pushed up the cost of insuring and shipping goods through the Red Sea, Reuters reported.

The Shanghai-based news website The Paper reported on Tuesday that following other international shipping companies including Denmark's Maersk and France's CMA, Chinese shipping giants like COSCO and Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) also suspended transport through the Red Sea.

Ma Xiaolin, dean of the Institute for Studies on the Mediterranean Rim at Zhejiang International Studies University, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the trade route via the Red Sea is truly important for China as it connects Europe, Asia and Africa, so China will pay close attention to the situation.

"However, although China has naval vessels in the region, their mission is about anti-piracy, rather than intervening in regional issues and other countries' internal affairs. Only a solution to the ongoing crisis in Gaza can effectively solve the problem in the Red Sea," Ma said. 

On December 9, Al Jazeera reported that the armed group in Yemen claimed that "it will target all ships heading to Israel, regardless of their nationality, and warned all international shipping companies against dealing with Israeli ports."

"If Gaza does not receive the food and medicines it needs, all ships in the Red Sea bound for Israeli ports, regardless of their nationality, will become a target for our armed forces," the group's spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday, according to Al Jazeera.

Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the "Houthis are specifically targeting Israel, so it's unlikely it will attack Chinese vessels. China doesn't need to be too worried about the situation and the Chinese warships in the region will stick to their plan."

"China will keep making efforts to realize a sustainable cease-fire and clear the way for humanitarian aid to get into the Gaza Strip. This is the real priority that needs to be done," Wang Jin, an associate professor at the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies at Northwest University, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

If Washington and its allies want to solve the Red Sea problem, they should play a responsible role in the UN Security Council to pass a cease-fire resolution and to put concrete efforts into improving the humanitarian situation in Gaza, which would be more effective than sending warships to conduct joint patrols, experts said. 

The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains severe. According to Reuters on Tuesday, Israeli missiles and air strikes on the Rafah area in southern Gaza struck three houses killing at least 20 Palestinians, Gaza health officials said on Tuesday. Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians have crammed into Rafah on Gaza's border with Egypt to escape Israeli bombardments.

The lack of unity in the UN that is mainly caused by the US is another key reason why the situation is far from easing. The UN Security Council delayed until Tuesday morning a vote on an Arab-sponsored resolution calling for a halt to hostilities in Gaza to allow for urgently needed aid deliveries to a massive number of civilians as members intensified negotiations to try to avoid another veto by the US, the AP reported.

Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a routine press conference on Tuesday that "the UN General Assembly has adopted two resolutions with an overwhelming majority. We hope the US will listen to the voice of the international community, stop single-handedly blocking Security Council resolutions, and play its due role to promote an immediate cease-fire and prevent an even larger humanitarian catastrophe."

China's men's national volleyball team were relegated from the FIVB volleyball Nations League after a disappointing run in the league's preliminary phase, raising questions about the future of the men's national team.

Following Sunday's 3-1 defeat by Canada in the final match of the preliminary phase, China finished the annual international tournament at the bottom of 16 teams with a 2-10 win-loss record. 

The relegation sends China into the FIVB Challenger Cup to be held in Qatar from July 27 to 30. They will be able to return to next season's Nations League only if they win the Challenger Cup, which is a big question mark for the team.

A bigger question mark lies ahead when China turns its focus to the Hangzhou Asian Games in September and then participating in the Paris Olympic Games qualifiers in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, from September 30 to October 8. 

Only the top 24 teams in the world rankings will be eligible for the Olympic qualifiers and China is out of the loop, ranking world No.25 currently.

The relegation sounds the alarm for China's volleyball team to reflect on its missteps and focus on the basics.

Wu Sheng, head coach of the national team, said in June that it would be difficult to emerge from the Olympic qualifiers. If they fail in the qualifiers, the team will have to fight for an Olympic berth through better world rankings. But volleyball fans are of the mind that only miracle could help China qualify for the Paris Olympic Games.

Fans also vented their anger toward the coach for the team's error-strewn performance in the Nations League, blasting him for substitutions, ill-timed challenge calls and his inability to adjust to instantaneous changes on the court.

Wu takes full responsibility for the team's performance but that does not paper over the widening gap between China and world heavyweights that has been laid bare in the league as the team was blown out in serving, reception, blocking, offense and setting. 

Wu said after the relegation that the worst problem lies in setting. 

"I'm not happy with all three setters. We don't have a consistent starting lineup," he said.

When we look up to the other end of the Nations League table, Japan sits second with a 10-2 win-loss record. 

Statistics indicate that it all boils down to basics. It has been Japan's solid reception and defense that enabled it to prevail against physically stronger opponents. Miracles came from years of hard work in honing the team's basic skills.

China's university swimming team concluded their seven-day FISU Games campaign on a high note on Monday as they tallied 18 gold and two bronze medals to sit atop the leader board in swimming.

Butterfly specialist Zhang Yufei remains the biggest contributor to China's medal haul as she scored gold medals out of all nine competitions in which she participated. 

Monday night saw her win two gold medals in women's 50 meters freestyle and 4x100 meters medley relay at the Dong'an Lake Sports Park Aquatics Centre.

The Southeast University student was participating in the FISU University Games back-to-back with the World Aquatics Championships, which ended on July 30, a day before the FISU swimming competition began.

"The University Games competition is more like training for me. Even though I'm tired, I have to wake up when I step into the arena. Regardless of my mental state, once I'm on the competition stage, I have to give my all and take the race seriously," Zhang told reporters. 

The 25-year-old threw all the gifts she received at the award ceremony to the audience on Monday. 

Zhang, also a two-time Olympic champion and a two-time world championship title holder, said she is trying to get used to participating in back-to-back tournaments.

"It can be exhausting joining back-to-back events like the World Championships, University Games and the upcoming Asian Games, but it's all about building myself up," she said. 

"A significant portion of my training is done on dry land. Through these exercises, I enhance my physical fitness to improve my ability to compete in multiple events. Since I will be participating in many events at the Olympics next year, I started preparing from this year, making multiple races a habit for myself," she added.

Distance freestyle specialist Li Bingjie, 21, representing Shanghai Jiao Tong University, also had to swim back-to-back after winning the 400 meters freestyle. 

The last swimmer in the women's relay, she was struggling to stand thus was carried by her teammates after the final as her efforts ended with China leading the second-place Poland team with a one-second-sharp lead. 

Li, a Tokyo Olympics gold medalist and six-time world championship medalist, totaled eight gold medals at the FISU Games, including a clean sweep in the women's 400, 800 and 1,500 meters freestyle.

Li has said that she hopes to narrow the gap between her and the world's most decorated swimmer, Katie Ledecky of the US, in the lead up to the Paris Olympics, but she insists that she will continue to focus on her own rhythm rather than following others.

"I've made mistakes in this aspect before, allowing others' pace to dictate my pace, which ended in the later stages with me losing control of myself," Li told reporters. 

"Now I primarily focus on swimming according to my own rhythm."

Also that night, the Chinese university men's 4x100 meters medley relay team, headed by breaststroke world champion Qin Haiyang, set a new FISU record of 3:32.58 seconds. 

Speaking about the physical fatigue of participating in back-to-back races, Qin emphasized the importance of mental relaxation.

"My primary focus after training is on relaxing my mind. Physical fatigue can be recovered through a good sleep, but mental relaxation is more crucial because training is usually quite intense," Qin, whose given name Haiyang means "ocean," told reporters. 

"As my journey into swimming was also a serendipitous process, I feel that there is a sense of destiny associated with swimming," Qin said, speaking about his given name.

Qin thanked the home audience for their continuing support to the team. 

"The spectators are truly enthusiastic," Qin Said.

"Only during home games can you hear such fervent cheers and shouts!"

At the entrance of the Sanhe town primary school in Shizhu Tujia Autonomous County, in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, stands a larger-than-life soccer ball. Inscribed on the wall of the school are some Chinese characters that can be translated as "Play soccer for a better future."

In the past decade, hundreds of left-behind children developed their passion for soccer at their primary school located deep in the mountains and some of them have kicked their way into big-name universities or even into professional clubs. 

In China, the term "left-behind children" refers to minors under 16 whose parents have left them in their hometown to go and work in urban areas, or minors who are left to the care of only one of the parents but he or she is incapable of guardianship. 

According to a report jointly released by the China Foundation for Rural Development with Beijing Normal University in August, there were over 9 million left-behind children in elementary and middle schools across China's rural areas at the end of 2022.  

The lack of parental care leaves these children vulnerable to social problems and has a negative impact on their emotional development, leading to problems such as depression, anxiety, or aggression.

The Sanhe town primary school is one of the schools in the poverty-stricken mountainous area where most of the students are left-behind children. 

The disadvantaged backgrounds and lack of qualified teachers make it difficult for the students to achieve academic success comparable to that provided by schools in urban areas. 

In an attempt to pull the children out of this plight, in 2012, then head of school Sun Xiaoming made an odds-defying decision that changed the life of many children.

"Elementary school students are short and thin, making it difficult for them to play basketball or volleyball. Soccer, which doesn't require a hoop or a net, can be either played by a team on the field, or practiced alone at home," explained Sun, talking about his idea of selecting soccer over other sports. 

Based on the school's conditions and an overwhelming number of left-behind girls, Sun decided to establish a girls' soccer team that no one imagined would grow into a formidable force in Chongqing and China. 

The first team of the school was made up of 20 girls, 19 of whom have made it into colleges based on their soccer skills. 

Over 200 girls have played for the school team in the past 10 years with many being admitted to elite middle or high schools of Chongqing for their athletic achievements. 

Current school principal Ma Jianwei told the Global Times that playing soccer offered the disadvantaged girls an opportunity to excel and change their fortunes.

"If not for playing soccer, most of the girls would have dropped out of school or bogged down in the daily grind of hard labor. Soccer offered them a path to get ahead and opportunities of receiving higher education," Ma said.

More than a sport

Recently, four alumni of the school team returned to Sanhe to share their experiences with the students on the school opening ceremony and offered them a boot camp. 

Playing soccer was met with skepticism among parents at the beginning when the school did not even have a soccer field. 

"At first, we played with rubber balls on concrete ground. Rain or shine, we kept training every day. We never gave it up even when we were black and blue," said alumnus Qin Furong.

Years of hard work paid dividends. Sanhe made its mark in the Chongqing varsity soccer league in 2015 and went on to win national varsity competitions in the following years. 

Thanks to the donations from the society, an artificial grass court breathed new life into the girls' dream.

Over the past decade, more than 70 students managed to be admitted to elite schools across Chongqing. 

Tan Siqi was selected to be the flag bearer at the 2019 Women's World Cup in France. Ma Qinglin signed with Shanghai Greenland Shenhua club to become a professional player in 2020. 

Their strong performances earned them the nickname "Steel Roses in the Mountain," drawing a parallel to the name of the national women's soccer team. 

"Soccer is more than a sport. It's the spirit that kept students' dream alive and helped them overcome difficulties," said Sun, who retired in 2018. 

"Soccer has changed children's lives, but it's not just about making it to college. They also built a strong physique and developed resilience and independence," he added.

Ingrained in school life

Ma told the Global Times that currently the school has developed a soccer culture with students taking great pride in participating in the sport. 

From grade two to six, every grade has their soccer team and they have training sessions every day through weekends and holidays. 

League and competitions are organized for all age groups every month. Soccer is ingrained in the students' school life, according to Ma. 

Ma said one of the four physical education lessons a week is dedicated to soccer, as the sport has been incorporated into the school curriculum as well. 

Additionally, the school has also struck up partnerships with neighboring middle schools, who will admit 10-15 talented players from Sanhe every year to further their studies and pursue a career in soccer. 

To promote the joint development of campus soccer around the region, the school has hosted an annual tournament since 2018, thus allowing schools from neighboring counties and provinces to connect with each other.

"Our goal is to strive for academic excellence while helping students develop an interest in soccer and offer them more options to get ahead," said Ma.

Team China's record of youngest champion in the Asian Games has been rewritten in less than two days. On Wednesday, 13-year-old skateboarder Cui Chenxi clinched a gold in women's street final, taking the title away from 15-year-old Chen Ye, who was just crowned in men's park on Monday. 

China's Generation Z skateboarders have rocked the Asian Games so hard like no one had imagined - bagging three of four gold medals of the discipline. Alongside Cui, 18-year-old Zeng Wenhui bagged silver in women's street on Wednesday morning. In men's street, China's 16-year-old Zhang Jie snatched a gold while his teammate 19-year-old Su Jianjun won a bronze. In the women's park final held on Monday, Chinese athlete Li Yujuan won the silver medal, while Mao Jiasi won the bronze.

Cui told the Global Times after the final that the title will not put extra pressure on her. 

"I made a mistake in my first run, and on the second attempt, my coach wanted me to be steady, but I was eager to try a riskier maneuver on my own, and in the end it worked out," Cui said.

After winning the final, Cui put on the Chinese national flag on her back and skated around the venue to a loud cheer. In the audience sat her tearing father.

The gold medalist said that she is aiming for the Paris Olympics. "First I will concentrate on getting there, then I can make a big attack," she told the Global Times. Her teammate Zeng also said she will concentrate on qualifying for Paris. 

Zeng expressed her wishes to Cui, who is five years younger than her, saying she is quite excellent. 

"You are the future of Team China," Zeng said, facing Cui. "I will work harder with you in the future, too."

In the women's street final, the Philippines' Mergielyn Didal was the only competitor over 18. Unfortunately, the defending champion could not deliver her best performance due to injury. Nonetheless, she received overwhelming support from the Chinese audience even when she failed to land the tricks.

"The venue is overwhelming," Didal told the Global Times after the match. "Since we arrived here in Hangzhou, everyone is always cheering you. It's exciting to see the people welcoming you."

During the match, Didal was often seen cheering her young opponents. 

"That is just how unique skateboarding is," she told the Global Times. "I'm just hying them up. Even if we were competing against them, we don't treat them like enemies. We've got to cheer for each other."

Different from traditional sports, there is no fixed action pattern in skateboarding. It requires skaters to freely use their imagination and creativity, which is challenging and highly interesting.

Skateboarding made its Asian Games debut in Jakarta, Indonesia, in 2018, but later received more mainstream attention as a competitive sport after its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games in 2021.

Throughout the four days of the skateboarding competition, there was a friendly, young and relaxed atmosphere in the arena. As the Chinese skateboarding team sees the emergence of several young players with great potential at the Hangzhou Games, China's public attention on skateboarding is growing and the street spirit the sport brings is infectious.

All these teens showed confidence and ease as well as very high standards. Fifteen-year-old new Asian champion Chen Ye told the Global Times that he now has the confidence to pursue higher goals.

"Now that I've won the championship in an Asian event, I hope to perform better in global events and participate in more high-level competitions. In the future, I may participate in more Olympic ranking events," Chen said.

Zhang Jie, 16-year-old, the newest winner of men's street final on Wednesday afternoon, also said that his goal for Paris 2024 is to enter the top eight.

Veteran Shanghai soccer coach Xu Genbao on Monday has called for his former students with club Shanghai Port, which was crowned as the Chinese Super League (CSL) champions a day earlier, to focus on propelling Chinese soccer onto the global stage. The veteran sextet also paid tribute to the legendary coach.

Led by forward Wu Lei, the famed "East Asia Six Tigers" - Wu, Yan Junling, Zhang Linpeng, Wang Shenchao, Cai Huikang, and Lü Wenjun - made a special visit to pay their respects to coach Xu, the man who played a significant role in their careers while they attended his academy on Chongming Island as part of Shanghai East Asia FC. 

"The dream we cherished as teenagers, we did it together! It feels good to have everyone together," Wu wrote on social media on Monday, celebrating the league win with his fellow Shanghai East Asia teammates and coach Xu. 

Xu, a legendary figure in Chinese soccer, founded the soccer training base at the beginning of the 2000s. This Chongming Island school has been instrumental in nurturing and developing a generation of talented players who are now leading the way for Chinese soccer on both the domestic and international stage. 

"From today on, the happiness after winning the league championship is over. True happiness is helping Chinese soccer excel in Asia and propelling the team onto the global stage," Xu told his former students, who are now in their 30s.  

The players, who were the key players in Shanghai Port's previous league triumph in 2018, except for Zhang who was with Guangzhou FC, are all past their prime now. Zhang, Wang, Lü, and Cai are now 34 years old, while Wu and Yan are two years younger.

Zhang's departure to Guangzhou was mainly because the club was facing financial issues and selling promising players remains a practical way to generate revenue in club operations. But now the sextet has regrouped all together at Port, though their careers are declining due to age. 

The players are expected to represent China at the upcoming FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers in November, when they will visit Thailand on November 16 before hosting South Korea on November 21.

"As the players approach the twilight of their careers, adding another CSL title to their list of accomplishments not only further enriches their soccer stories, but also reinforces the idea that long-term youth development pays off," Mao Jiale, a Chengdu-based sports commentator, told the Global Times.

"Their triumphant journey is a testament to Xu's legacy, who spent two decades dedicated to youth development on Chongming Island."

After spending three seasons overseas, Wu has topped the domestic scoring list by 16 goals. 

"You should have a bigger goal [rather than winning domestic championship]," Xu told Wu. 

During their meeting, Xu, who is now 80 years old and still actively coaches the local Shanghai youth team, also asked if his former students would consider following in his footsteps by becoming coaches. 

"I can't find someone to take over. Maybe you guys can take into consideration this role," Xu said. "I hope you will come back. I hope I can have a successor."

Xu's achievement is rare in the populous country as the "East Asia Six Tigers" are not only key players for the local Port team, but also once played a pivotal role in the Chinese national soccer team. 

Song Kai, the new president of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), recently stated that youth development should be a top priority in developing Chinese soccer. 

The island, located at the mouth of the Yangtze River, has become the cradle of Chinese soccer talent. The academy was founded on the principle that nurturing young talents from an early age was the key to China's soccer future.

"Xu had instilled in his players the importance of hard work, dedication, and a never-give-up spirit. His legacy is a shining example of what can be achieved through long-term commitment and investment in young talent," Mao noted. 

"The hope is that more coaches and institutions will follow in the footsteps of Xu Genbao and his soccer training school, paving the way for a brighter future for Chinese soccer.

Chinese digital art pioneer ULTILAND has released a new art project aimed at spreading the beauty of Chinese art in Hong Kong SAR. The autumn collection features contributions from 12 artists with diverse artistic backgrounds, including creators of Chinese contemporary abstract art, new media art pioneers, and cutting-edge artists working with mixed materials. Three key themes emerge from their autumn creations: warmth, connection, and eternity.

According to the founder of ULTILAND, art and technology have the power to connect people from different backgrounds.

In addition to the release of new artworks, ULTILAND also bridges the gap between the real and virtual worlds in the name of art, transcending the boundary between WEB2 and WEB3 through innovative narratives and creating new value mappings.

Looking ahead to future plans, ULTILAND intends to establish a main island and themed islands. These themed islands will be overseen by artists and collectors, serving as hubs for art subjects, art creations, and more.

A decade since the first North American Shaolin Cultural Festival in 2013, the Shaolin Temple is once again hosting an official cultural exchange event in the US. 

The highly anticipated "2023 North American Shaolin Games" and a series of martial arts-related activities are scheduled to take place in Los Angeles, the US, on November 11 and 12.

The announcement was made during a press conference held on November 7. 

Organized by the renowned Songshan Shaolin Temple in China, in collaboration with the Shaolin North American Association, the games are expected to serve as a platform for kung fu enthusiasts to show off their skills and promote the popularization of the ancient sport in North America. 

Approximately 500 Shaolin disciples from over 40 states in the US, as well as from countries ­including ­Canada and Mexico will ­participate in the events.

Shi Yongxin, the abbot of the Shaolin Temple, said at the press conference that Shaolin kung fu is famous all over the world. 

Kung fu not only strengthens the body, but also uses martial arts to achieve Zen and enlighten people through wisdom. 

The kung fu competition is a long-standing tradition at the Shaolin Temple, which aims to enable Shaolin disciples to study more diligently and constantly surpass themselves, according to Shi.

During the opening ceremony, dignitaries from various fields will witness the top performers in various categories. 

The 2023 North American Shaolin kung fu stars - the top three in each discipline - will receive medals, trophies, certificates, and accolades as encouragement.

According to Shi, the tradition of Shaolin kung fu competitions has flourished overseas since 2011. 

Events like the European Shaolin Cultural Festival and the North American Shaolin Cultural Festival all regard the Shaolin kung fu competition as core content.

In 2022, the Shaolin kung fu online competition continued this tradition, uniting 5,320 participants from 94 countries and regions across six continents. 

Before coming to the US in 2023, the Shaolin Games had already been held in Zambia in Africa, Singapore in Asia, and Argentina in Latin America.

Shi, leading the visiting delegation, arrived in Los Angeles on November 1 to kick off a series of North American visits. 

During his visit to San Francisco on November 7, he delivered a speech titled "Zen Meets AI" at Meta's headquarters. 

In his address, he emphasized that while AI possesses remarkable data processing and analytical capabilities, and may display similar human perceptions through programs and algorithms, but it cannot replicate the awakened consciousness advocated by Zen Buddhism. 

He encouraged human beings to seek inner wisdom and ­transcendence, even in the face of AI advancements.

According to Shi, Zen ­Buddhism emphasizes that Zen practitioners can gradually improve their state of enlightenment through their own efforts. 

As a tool, AI can search and find relevant classics to solve various doubts that Zen ­practitioners encounter, providing assistance and convenience to Zen practitioners.