Bai Bing, a popular food review and short-video influencer on Chinese social media, has been penalized for tax evasion exceeding 9 million yuan ($1.31 million), China's State Taxation Administration revealed on its official website on Tuesday.

An investigation based on big data analysis revealed that between 2021 and 2024, Bai underpaid individual income tax, value-added tax, deed tax, and other fees totaling 9.118 million yuan. He did so by reclassifying income and filing false returns, according to the State Taxation Administration.

In October 2025, tax authorities ordered Bai to pay the overdue taxes, late fees, and a fine, amounting to 18.91 million yuan in total, in accordance with the law. All sums have since been fully recovered.

Tax officials stated that evading taxes through reclassifying income or filing false returns not only leads to losses of state revenue but also seriously disrupts economic and tax order. Authorities will continue to strictly crack down on tax violations while optimizing services, in order to promote orderly and healthy development of the live-streaming and online content industry.

Bai Bing has been active on short-video platforms such as Douyin. As of Tuesday, he has over 40 million followers on Douyin, according to a screenshot of his homepage.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Argentina stated that US Ambassador to Argentina Peter Lamelas recently made remarks in an interview in Salta that deliberately attacked and smeared normal China-Argentina and China-Latin America cooperation. The comments disregard facts and are laden with ideological bias, reflecting a Cold War, zero-sum mentality of bloc confrontation and spheres of influence. China expresses strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition, according to a Monday statement posted on the embassy's official WeChat account.

US President Donald Trump has stated that China-US relations are the most important bilateral relationship in the world, describing China as the US' largest partner and saying the US is willing to strengthen cooperation to advance ties, according to the spokesperson.

According to statistics, there are about 73,000 US companies operating in China, with total investment exceeding $1.2 trillion and a compound annual growth rate of 9.8 percent. The vast majority of US firms have said they will continue to deepen their presence in the Chinese market and expand investment, the spokesperson said.

The US should not pursue "America First" while benefiting from cooperation with China, yet apply double standards and interfere with other countries' cooperation with China, the spokesperson said.

The international stage in the 21st century should no longer replay the scripts of the 19th century. The path Latin American countries choose should be decided by their own people, and their choice of partners and cooperation should be made independently by Latin American nations themselves, the spokesperson said.

China-Latin America cooperation is South-South cooperation, characterized by mutual support rather than geopolitical calculations. In its engagement with Argentina and other Latin American and Caribbean countries, China has always adhered to the principles of equality and mutual benefit. It does not seek spheres of influence or target any third party, and such cooperation serves the fundamental and long-term interests of Argentina and the region, the spokesperson said.

We urge relevant individuals to recognize the prevailing trend of the times. Rather than fabricating so-called "China threat" narratives, they should do more to contribute to the development of Argentina and Latin America, according to the spokesperson.

US auto giant Tesla has completed a regulatory filing for its in-car voice assistant system in Shanghai, a move that analysts said reflects its broader push to deepen localization and elevate intelligent user experience in the Chinese market, one of its most important and competitive arenas.

According to information released by Shanghai’s cyberspace regulator, Tesla’s in-car voice model service completed filing on Monday, among a total of 158 AI-powered functionalities and applications that had been registered in the city as of Tuesday.

Tesla’s in-car voice assistant service is expected to connect to ByteDance’s Doubao large language model, chinastarmarket.cn, a Chinese financial news outlet under the Shanghai United Media Group, reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. 

The Global Times reached out to Tesla China and ByteDance on Wednesday but had not received responses as of press time.

Earlier disclosures on Tesla China’s official website, including its updated vehicle voice assistant terms of use, show that certain models will be equipped with both Doubao and DeepSeek models, accessed via Volcano Engine through encrypted API interfaces.

According to the terms, Doubao is primarily responsible for voice command functions such as navigation setup, media playback and climate control, and can also support queries related to the vehicle manual. DeepSeek, meanwhile, enables broader AI-driven conversational interactions to enhance the human-machine experience.

A previous report by Bloomberg said the move “aims to catch local rivals who offer similar features.”

The development comes as Tesla works to defend its share in China, the world’s largest auto market, amid intensifying competition from domestic EV makers rapidly rolling out AI-driven features to lure increasingly tech-savvy consumers.

Liu Dingding, a veteran tech industry observer, told the Global Times on Wednesday that if multinational companies adopt local AI models in China, it would reflect a pragmatic approach shaped by both market demand and regulatory considerations. 

“Working with leading local AI models could significantly improve the intelligence and responsiveness of in-car systems, enhancing user experience and engagement. At the same time, such an approach would better align with China’s regulatory requirements, potentially forming a practical model that balances market efficiency, compliance and user value. It could also offer a replicable reference for future cross-border collaboration,” Liu said.

The reported move has also sparked discussion among Chinese netizens, with some saying it could help Tesla “close gaps in its smart features” and further advance its localization efforts, while improving convenience for users.

Tesla’s recent performance in China has remained resilient despite intensifying competition. Reuters reported that the company’s China-made vehicle sales rose 23.5 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, marking a second consecutive quarter of growth.

Sales of Model 3 and Model Y cars made in Tesla's Shanghai factory, including exports to Europe and other markets, rose 8.7 percent from a year earlier, data from the China Passenger Car Association showed.

The trend is also evident in rising partnerships between global automakers and Chinese tech firms, as demand for tech-rich driving experiences drives foreign carmakers toward localized, AI-enabled features.

In March 2025, BMW deepened its cooperation with Alibaba Group to integrate the Qwen large language model into its next-generation vehicles to be produced in China from 2026, according to a company statement.

Liu said that these companies’ expanding cooperation in China highlights how real-world business decisions tend to follow market logic, despite efforts by some countries to impose restrictions on technology cooperation.

“Global supply chains remain deeply connected with China’s manufacturing and innovation ecosystem. Companies such as Tesla and Apple continue to maintain extensive cooperation with China, which shows that engaging with the Chinese market is a mutually beneficial choice.”

Beyond AI model integration, cooperation between global automakers and Chinese tech firms is also extending into autonomous driving. Mercedes-Benz said it will integrate a driving assistance system co-developed with Chinese firm Momenta into multiple models, including the S-Class, according to Reuters.

“As the auto industry shifts toward greater intelligence, more international automakers are adopting Chinese technologies, reflecting the strength of China’s innovation ecosystem and its deep integration into global industrial chains,” Liu said, adding that such collaboration is set to become more mainstream, helping global brands adapt to the Chinese market and expand globally.

The iconic British landmarks of Big Ben and the red double-decker bus are perhaps the first impressions that most young Chinese people have of the country, for these two symbols once graced the covers of the English textbooks used during their school days. 

Now, the students who turned those pages have grown up and journeyed to the very places that once appeared only on their textbook covers. 

Recalling the books that first sparked their dreams, they initiated a delightful "textbook relay" along the banks of the River Thames: The book was hidden in "secret spots," and whoever found it could take a commemorative photo with the real-life Big Ben, then leave messages in the margins - expressing the fulfillment of a long-held dream, a longing for home and hopes for the future. 

Unexpectedly, this activity has also captured the attention of many foreigners, who, moved by the sense of unity and romantic spirit of China's younger generation, even joined in the relay themselves.

Time-turner tales
Currently involving over a hundred participants, the "textbook relay" first sprang from a personal graduation wish of Yin Yansu, a Chinese student pursuing her studies at the Royal College of Music. 

As she pondered how to gift herself a one-of-a-kind, regret-free graduation memento, she thought of that very junior high school English textbook with Big Ben emblazoned on its cover. For young people of her generation, it was a trusted companion for learning English and discovering foreign cultures, and one of the earliest bonds that tied their youthful selves to the wider world overseas.

Therefore, Yin specially had this English textbook shipped over from China, planning to take photos with it in front of Big Ben to bring her study journey in the UK to a perfect and fulfilling end.

As Yin held up her textbook to take photos beneath Big Ben, some Chinese passersby noticed her, with some passing Chinese students asking to borrow the textbook for a photo, and a few even explained to curious foreign onlookers: "This is a compulsory education textbook from China, and the cover is right here!" 

As Yin looked at the handwriting of these warm-hearted compatriots she had never met before, a tender thought arose in her mind: "Why not leave this book here for other students to take commemorative photos with, and to preserve a precious memento for fellow countrymen dwelling in a foreign land?"

Yin recalled to the Global Times that worried that they might be taken away, she chose two hidden yet accessible spots: one behind a red lifebuoy on the bridge, and the other behind an unassuming trash can. 

At first, the pair of textbooks lay quietly in their hiding spots until a few days later, when a netizen posted on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu: "I actually found two Chinese junior high school English textbooks under Big Ben! [I] couldn't believe [it]!" 
From that moment on, a "textbook relay" utterly free of self-interest began. 

On the fifth day after having left the books, Yin returned to the spots where she had hidden the books. To her surprise, despite the rainy day, a long line of Chinese students and tourists was still waiting just to flip through those two textbooks from their cherished memories. 
"When I queued up to get my textbooks back, they had changed from brand-new blank books into the ones covered with writing on every single page," Yin said.

"What once felt like a distant world in my textbooks is now right before my eyes." "The world lies right at my feet." "May all that you have wished for become yours.…" 
These are just some of the notes written in the books, expressing the fulfillment of young Chinese who have realized their dreams, along with their hopes for the future.

Names and coordinates from every corner of the land, the hardships and perseverance of studying abroad, nostalgia for family, encouragements to strangers, and hopes for the future have all been wrote on these relayed books.Some Chinese students, worried that there wouldn't be enough room in the two books for all the warm messages, even had several new textbooks shipped from China and hid them in the same secret spots.

A netizen surnamed Xu joined the "textbook relay" over the weekend, writing in the textbook: "May everyone who learns about the world from books get to see it with their own eyes." 

Xu shared with the Global Times that when she held in her hands that very English textbook and watched the city she had dreamed of in her childhood unfurl vividly right before her eyes, it felt as if she had crossed the boundaries of time and space, gently meeting her younger self: the earnest, starry-eyed kid who once buried her nose in the book, longing for the distant land depicted on its cover. "I felt I had completed a full circle in my journey of learning," she said.

Gentle magic
The relay has also piqued the curiosity of foreigners, some of whom have even taken part in this warm and delightful activity. 

Shantay (pseudonym), a Malaysian student studying in the UK, is one of them. Through her own searching and with clues from Chinese friends, she tracked down a total of four textbooks hidden near Big Ben. She also brought along a textbook that had connected Malaysian students like her to the world in their childhood.

"While the landmarks pictured in our textbooks aren't Big Ben, I too used to dream of traveling the world when I studied from this book as a child," Shantay told the Global Times. She added that bringing her old textbook here made her truly understand the emotions of the Chinese students - it felt just like a "dream finally come true."

She said that some people had placed the textbooks inside folders to keep them from getting soaked in the rain, while others had tucked postcards, small gifts, and even amulets into the document pouches.

"Chinese students are so creative and thoughtful. In that moment, all I felt was warmth and kindness, and it was incredibly healing," Shantay noted.

Shantay also expressed her sincere gratitude to the united Chinese students who started this activity. "Cultural shock and academic pressure are always unavoidable when we are [studying] abroad, yet this activity brings back memories of the efforts I devoted to realizing my dreams and inspires me to keep moving forward."

Yin said she believes the core reason people are drawn to this relay is that "with just a pen and paper, our emotions are linked together in the purest way." She added that "this is also the romance and connection shared among Chinese people."

Caroline Gao has lived in London for nearly a decade. One day, as she was taking a walk along the River Thames, her husband Kale Evans curiously asked why a group of Chinese people were gathered around a book, waiting to take photos. 

After Caroline explained the story behind the activity, Kale was first astonished that the textbooks had stayed in such good condition despite being passed hand to hand so many times, and then impressed by the ingenuity of China's young generation.

They then joined the queue to see what everyone had written. As he flipped through the pages, Kale found himself sometimes amused by the witty, cheerful notes and deeply touched by the more heartfelt ones. What touched him most was a line from an ancient Chinese poem: "A bosom friend afar brings a distant land near."

He said as some young Chinese would exchange knowing smiles with one another at the scene, "That's a look only they understand — it's the very embodiment of that saying."

In Kale's view, romance runs deep in the bones of the Chinese people, yet it is never flaunted or forced. Instead, it finds its most authentic self through simple, fitting gestures and objects. 

"This is one of China's most enchanting qualities," Kale said.

When asked what China's stance is regarding reports that Iranian Ambassador to China claimed that he hopes China can be a guarantor of security in the Middle East, Mao Ning, a spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry, said at a regular press conference on Wednesday that "We hope all parties can properly resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiation. Chinese side will also maintain communication with all parties and continue to make efforts to ease the situation and fully end the conflict."

Asked by foreign media for comment on reports that US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer would engage with Beijing in working-level dialogues and on whether there are any plans or discussions to further extend the rare earth export control measures beyond October 9, He Yadong, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce, said at a regular press conference on Thursday that, according to the consensus reached during the China-US economic and trade consultations in Kuala Lumpur, the relevant export control measures announced by the Chinese side on October 9, 2025, have been suspended until November 10, 2026.

China and the US will continue to maintain communication on their respective concerns through the economic and trade consultation mechanism, said the spokesperson.

China's economy has started the year on a strongly recovering trajectory in the first quarter of 2026, with a series of high-frequency indicators highlighting its resilience and potential to achieve the annual growth target of 4.5-5 percent. 

From robust offline consumption and thriving port logistics to vibrant entrepreneurial activity, the latest data shows the giant economy adapting to global uncertainties.

Between January and March, China's offline consumption payment volume rose 3.4 percent year-on-year, with the rate 2.2 percentage points higher than in the fourth quarter of last year. Over the period, the deadweight of cargo ships on departure and arrival at major Chinese ports rose by 9.6 percent and 5.4 percent year-on-year, respectively. Meanwhile, the country's startup activity rose by 8.8 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, according to a report by the Economic Information Daily on Wednesday.

Overall, the economy has started the year positively, with stronger resilience and steady progress. This momentum is rooted in China's structural strengths - including a complete industrial supply chain, a massive consumer market, and a steadfast commitment to opening-up - which underpin its economic stability.

Following years of high-speed growth, China has firmly established itself as the world's second-largest economy. According to the Government Work Report, China targets economic growth of 4.5 percent to 5 percent this year, with room to outperform. This target reflects China's economic fundamentals.

Aiming for a reasonable growth rate will balance growth in economic scale with improvements in quality. This is important for promoting steady social development, elevating public well-being, and supporting the global growth. Bolstered by its strong resilience, the economic growth target is both realistic and pragmatic, which is achievable.

China's technological innovation has emerged as a key driver of innovation. Through large-scale innovation coupled with a "cost revolution," China has transformed clean energy from a niche product into a mainstream solution. The rapid development of photovoltaics, lithium-ion batteries, and new-energy vehicles has significantly lowered the global costs of green power and electric transportation, accelerating global decarbonization.

China's tech innovation is generating significant spillover effects. By significantly reducing global costs, expanding supply, and fostering new market frontiers, China is effectively reshaping global supply chains and accelerating the dual transition toward green and digital development. Furthermore, China's innovative strides are instrumental in bridging the development gap between the North and the South.

In recent years, China's opening-up has evolved from a model focused on the flow of goods and capital to a comprehensive institutional model focused on rules, regulations, management, and standards. The core of this transition lies in streamlining access, expanding opening-up, aligning with international benchmarks, and protecting legitimate rights and interests.

This institutional opening-up is evidenced in multiple aspects. In terms of foreign investment access, China has fully liberalized its manufacturing sector while ramping up opening-up of the service industry. The negative list for foreign investment has been consistently shortened, while increasing the share of products covered by the zero-tariff policy for the least developed countries that maintain diplomatic relations with China from 98 percent to 100 percent.

Notably, the high-quality construction of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has created new opportunities globally.

In the first two months of this year, the China-Europe freight trains operated 3,501 trips and transported 352,000 standard containers of goods, marking year-on-year growths of 32 percent and 25 percent respectively, official data showed. Trade with the BRI partner countries has become an increasingly important driver of China's stable trade growth, which has helped reduce reliance on any single market, foster a more diversified trade structure, and significantly enhance the resilience of the country's foreign trade.

Extending from the BRI, China and Asian countries have significant scope for cooperation in a wide range of sectors, as they share similar development experience and goals.

For example, by staying the course on cooperation and development, China and ASEAN have worked together to advance the building of a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future. China and ASEAN have remained each other's largest trading partners for consecutive years, making it one of the most dynamic economic regions.

Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), China and ASEAN countries are poised to deepen cooperation across five core pillars including institutional opening-up, connectivity, industrial chains, digital-green transition, and financial security. By implementing the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement 3.0 and leveraging the benefits of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the China-ASEAN partnership is creating even more powerful engines for growth.

The article is compiled based on an interview with Li Renliang, deputy dean for Academic Affairs, Graduate School of Social Development and Management Strategy, National Institute of Development Administration, Bangkok, Thailand.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday that the strategic guidance of top leaders of the two parties and countries is the greatest political advantage and strongest guarantee for the development of relations between China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in talks with DPRK Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui.

The flood control authorities in South China’s Guangdong Province and East China’s Fujian Province have upgraded their emergency typhoon response from Level III to Level II, in anticipation of the arrival of Typhoon Podul, according to the local authorities on Wednesday.

In Guangdong Province, the provincial authorities ordered intensified effort to relocate personnel in hazardous areas, and ensure that all be moved to safety by 6 pm on Wednesday. They also called for fully implementing and refining precautionary measures, and effectively ensure the safety of people’s lives and property, according to the Guangdong authorities.

Typhoon Podul, the 11th of the year, made landfall in China’s Taiwan region around 1 pm on Wednesday, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said. It is forecast to make landfall again along the coastal areas from Xiamen, Fujian to Shantou, Guangdong, during the night of Wednesday to the early morning of Thursday, according to the NMC.

In Chaozhou, Guangdong Province, the city announced Wednesday the suspension of classes for all primary and secondary schools, kindergartens, nurseries, and training institutions due to the typhoon.

Ferry services in parts of Shantou were also suspended on Wednesday due to the typhoon, according to provincial authorities.

It is expected that from Wednesday to August 15, there will be a strong rainfall event in South China and southern Jiangnan. Some small and medium-sized rivers in the heavy rainfall areas may exceed warning levels and experience flooding. The Ministry of Water Resources initiated a Level-IV emergency response for flood control for the provinces of Fujian and Guangdong, South China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and Central China’s Hunan Province, at 11 am on Wednesday, according to CCTV News.

NBA superstar and Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry has been invited to attend a drone light show in Chongqing, Southwest China, and explore downtown Chongqing this August, according to Guan Hong, a local official, Chongqing Today reported.

During a press event on July 21, Guan announced that Curry will take part in relevant events in Chongqing, with invitations extended for him to enjoy the drone light show and the iconic Chongqing Two Rivers Tour, as seen in the video released by Chongqing Today. 

Curry's Chongqing tour will be livestreamed in an interactive way, the official added. 

From August 18 to 20, 2025, Stephen Curry @StephenCurry30 of the NBA Golden State Warriors, will attend the brand's annual blockbuster event at Chongqing International Expo Center during his Asia tour, according to a post by iChongqing, the city's information run by the Western China International Communication Organization on X. 

Stephen Curry, the NBA's all-time leader in 3-point scoring, is among the most popular NBA players in China, boasting over 5.8 million followers on Sina Weibo, China's X-like platform. 

According to the Golden State Warriors' website, Curry received an enthusiastic welcome upon arriving in China for his 2024 Curry Brand Tour.