Japan's former House of Representatives speaker Yohei Kono, who served as president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and foreign minister, passed away on Monday at the age of 89, according to Japanese media reports. He was widely known for issuing the landmark 1993 Kono Statement acknowledging Japan's wartime responsibilities and had been working for China ties.

Chinese experts noted that Kono represented a generation of Japanese politicians who were willing to confront historical facts and promote friendly ties with China despite huge domestic political pressure. At a time when China-Japan relations remain strained due to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks regarding Taiwan, Japan should reflect on Kono's political legacy rather than continue down a wrong path.

According to TBS News, Kono was born in 1937. In 1976, he left the LDP after criticizing the party's money-driven political culture and founded the New Liberal Club, before returning to the LDP. In 1993, as chief cabinet secretary in the Miyazawa Cabinet, he issued the Kono Statement.

The full text of the Kono Statement has been publicly released on the official website of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The statement acknowledged the Japanese military's direct involvement in the establishment of "comfort stations" on the Korean Peninsula, in China and other places, as well as the coercion of local women into serving as "comfort women," and expressed apologies and remorse over the issue.

The Kono Statement, together with the 1982 Miyazawa Statement and the 1995 Murayama Statement, constitutes the most important set of official statements by the Japanese government reflecting on historical issues stemming from its wartime aggression.

"These three statements were particularly valuable given the broader political climate in Japan at the time, when much of the political establishment avoided confronting historical responsibility and remained reluctant to face their mistakes of the war," Lian Degui, director of the Center for Japanese Studies at Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times.

"The three statements represented the official position of the Japanese government. They constituted a rare and full official acknowledgment of issues related to Japan's war of aggression in the postwar era," Lian said.

Lü Chao, a professor at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that the statements demonstrated that there had once been a group of clear-minded and historically responsible figures within Japan's political establishment.

"The core of today's Japanese right-wing politics is characterized by extreme populism and narrow nationalism, while the three statements challenged such erroneous thinking from the very beginning," Lü said, adding that Japan should face history squarely. "Peaceful and friendly relations across generations remain the shared aspiration of the Chinese and Japanese peoples," Lü said.

Major Japanese media outlets reported on the death of the former LDP president, with some highlighting the significance of the Kono Statement in their coverage of his death. 

Japan's Mainichi Shimbun specifically referred to the Kono Statement on the comfort women issue and noted that Kono had issued the statement acknowledging the responsibility of the former Japanese military and apologizing over the matter.

Yomiuri Shimbun noted that Kono became speaker of the House of Representatives in November 2003 and served for 2,029 days. In September 2008, he announced that he would not run in the next House of Representatives election.  

International media coverage focused heavily on Kono's role in addressing Japan's wartime past. AP News ran the headline "Yohei Kono, who apologized for Japan's wartime sexual abuses of 'comfort women,' dies at 89," while noting in the article that Kono had placed great importance on promoting friendly ties with China, South Korea and other Asian countries that suffered Japanese atrocities before and during World War II.

The Kono Statement led to Japan's broader apology over its wartime atrocities in a 1995 statement by then prime minister Tomiichi Murayama. Both statements were regarded internationally as signs that Japan had come to terms with its wartime past, and they helped to improve relations with its Asian neighbors, according to AP. 

"But the statements have become unpopular among Japanese conservatives who say Japan should stop focusing on negative history to restore national pride," AP reported.

Beyond historical issues, Kono was also widely recognized for his longstanding commitment to improving China-Japan relations. After stepping down as the speaker of the Japanese House of Representatives, Kono devoted his efforts to strengthening Japan-China relations, Yomiuri Shimbun reported.

In 2018, Kono attended an event held as part of the third Understanding China Conference. According to the China Institute for Innovation & Development Strategy (CIIDS), which hosted the event, Kono said he had maintained ties with China for more than 50 years and had visited China many times.

The Mainichi Shimbun reported that Kono was serving as chairman of the Association for the Promotion of International Trade (JAPIT) and had planned to lead a delegation to China later this month. Meetings with senior Chinese officials were reportedly under discussion.

According to the report, official visits to China by major Japanese business organizations have largely stalled following erroneous remarks made by Takaichi regarding Taiwan in November last year. Had the association's visit taken place, it would have been the first such trip since those remarks.

Observers had been closely watching whether Kono's planned exchanges with the Chinese side could help ease tensions in bilateral relations, the Mainichi Shimbun reported.

A person who accompanied Kono on multiple visits to China told the Global Times that Kono was approachable and down-to-earth in daily interactions and devoted decades of efforts to promoting exchanges between the two countries.

The source said Kono made substantial contributions to bilateral relations and, because of his stance, he often faced attacks, smears and criticism from Japanese right-wing forces. Nevertheless, he consistently defended China-Japan relations in public settings.

The source recalled attending an event in Tokyo where a Japanese diplomat made inappropriate remarks about China. Kono immediately reminded the diplomat to "mind your words."

"At a time when bilateral relations have been severely damaged by Takaichi's erroneous remarks and by Japanese right-wing forces, it is even more valuable to have politicians in Japan committed to friendship with China, and continued to push back against the current anti-China tendencies within the Japanese government," Lü said.

"Kono was one of the most representative figures. He consistently advocated friendship with China, faced historical facts directly, and publicly apologized over sensitive historical issues such as the 'comfort women' issue. Such vision and sense of responsibility are rare in Japanese politics and stand in sharp contrast to the short-sighted approach of the Takaichi administration, which prioritizes short-term political gain over long-term regional peace," Lü said.

Lü added that China-Japan relations have now reached their lowest point since the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

"If Takaichi does not retract and apologize for her erroneous remarks concerning Taiwan, there will be no possibility of restoring China-Japan relations, " he said, adding that "this situation is also deeply saddening for the generations of Japanese politicians and people who have worked to promote China-Japan friendship and improve bilateral relations over the decades."

China has noted that Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. is still confusing black and white and launching smear attacks. His words and actions are not his self-proclaimed "defending national dignity", but rather a grandstanding show aimed at reaping personal political gain, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said in response to a foreign media inquiry on that according to a Reuters report, following China's imposition of sanctions against Teodoro and his relatives, Teodoro claimed on Friday that he will keep doing his duties in the face of China's "wickedness."

It is precisely the irresponsible and reckless actions of a handful of people like him that will lead to the escalation of China-Philippines disputes, the deterioration of bilateral relations, and ultimately harm the interests of the Philippines and its people, said Lin. 

Over the past 30 years, 89-year-old Lei Yueqin has created seven hand-drawn maps documenting the revival of the Guancheng River in Guiyang, Southwest China's Guizhou Province. Her oldest faded colored drawings still bring a sparkle to her eyes whenever she flips through them.

A national role model for ecological progress and an exemplary volunteer, Lei has spent decades patrolling the river on her own initiative. On her first map, drawn in 1994, she marked the Guancheng River in red to indicate pollution. In a 2004 drawing, the waterway was shaded gray and labeled as a "dead river." Between 2008 and 2015, she produced four more drafts, again depicting it as "dead river," with no sign of flowing water in the remaining stretches.

Her lifelong wish was simple: access to clean drinking water.

Stretching 7.5 kilometers, Guancheng River cuts 3.3 kilometers across old downtown Guiyang before feeding Nanming River. The Nanming winds 160 kilometers into Wujiang River, which travels another 540 kilometers to join the Yangtze River. Yet starting in the 1990s, rapid urban expansion and competing demands for land polluted the river, gradually burying it out of locals' sight. Authorities capped roughly 2,400 meters of its main channel with thick concrete slabs to build parking lots and food stalls, leaving merely 592 meters of open river.

In 2018, extra slabs were laid over tributary ditches amid central environmental inspections, turning most open water into a covered underground drain.

Officials faced a critical test of sound performance mindset: was this 7.5-kilometer tributary trivial or vital to Yangtze conservation? Would local governments keep hiding pollution under concrete or tear up covers for thorough restoration?

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, laid out clear guidance for promoting the development of Yangtze River Economic Belt: Ecological priority, green development, joint protection and no excessive development. No economic activities should cause any damage to the environment.

Guiyang kicked off river dredging in May 2019. The all black, odorous water along the basin was eliminated by November 2020. In September 2021, the city resolved to remove concrete caps over the main channel, and in January 2024, the long-lost Guancheng River flowed in open air again.

In 2025, Lei finished her seventh map, painting clear sparkling waters across the page.

Fixing flawed development ideas

Liu Zhu, a veteran urban planning official, recalled reckless urban expansion left insufficient sewage infrastructure. Guiyang built its first wastewater treatment plant only in 2003. Its karst terrain holds little surface water, mixing rainwater and raw sewage directly into rivers. Foul odors triggered heavy public complaints, prompting hasty capping as a quick fix around 2000.

The Guancheng River's main channel has limited flow capacity. To ease flood pressure, engineers built a diversion tunnel upstream, effectively shifting the problem downstream by channeling mixed sewage directly into the lower Nanming. The flood bypass became an open sewage outlet.

In 2017, a central environmental inspection found that 400,000 tons of untreated domestic wastewater drained into Nanming River daily. A 2018 national pollution audit listed Guancheng and five feeder trenches as severely contaminated, mandating urgent rectification.

"We looked into a complete fix - citywide sewer separation - but we were concerned about the massive infrastructure backlog and the high costs," admitted Zhong Tayong, then vice mayor of Guiyang in charge of environmental protection.

"At the time, the Guancheng River's main channel had essentially become a sewage conduit; many people didn't even think of it as a river anymore. Some proposed simply integrating it into the municipal pipeline network, covering it all up - that would have been the fastest way to meet compliance targets…" recalled an official involved in drafting the remediation plan.

In 2019, Guiyang's capped, diversion-based cleanup plan failed to get approval from the central government, making it the only provincial capital missing its national pollution remediation task.

Quick-fix capping and water diversion stemmed from formalism and misplaced performance mindset.

The priority was to root out a wrong mindset. With course correction made at the leadership level, remediation of the Guancheng River and its side channels was restarted.

Guiyang revised its renovation blueprint with expert reviews and third-party oversight. Workers cleared nearly 20,000 cubic meters of accumulated sludge upstream, inspected hundreds of drainage outlets, cut off pollution sources and separated rainwater from sewage. National inspectors confirmed full removal of black odorous water by late 2020.

Uncovering the buried channel

2021 marked the centenary of the CPC, when the CPC Central Committee launched a campaign on Party history learning and education among all of its members.

Ahead of that year's Spring Festival, President Xi visited the Liuchong section of the Wujiang River in Guizhou. Xi asked Guizhou to adhere to the two bottom lines of ensuring development and ecological progress, and strive to forge a new path of giving priority to ecological conservation and pursuing green development.

That September, Guiyang officially put the Guancheng River concrete-slab removal project on the agenda.

City officials, specialists and citizen representatives held dozens of workshops to solve core hurdles. Where does the treated water go? With scarce land available in the mountainous city, conventional wastewater treatment plants were not an option. Instead, Guiyang opted for a tailor-made solution: retrofitting the city center with an underground, compact water reclamation plant.

When does the money come from? The project pooled central special funds, eco-grants, bank loans and private investment.

In July 2022, the city adopted a comprehensive plan for the full "uncovering the river."

Construction started on the first 182-meter uncovered stretch on Taiping Road. The concrete slabs were a full meter thick. Regular saws bounced off; crews had to use high-pressure water jets laced with industrial diamond grit, chewing forward inch by inch.
On January 26, 2024, Taiping Road was thronged with local residents and tourists standing in dense layers of crowds. As the golden curtain covering the river was pulled aside, clean running water began to flow.

Standing amid the onlookers, 68-year-old Jiang Yu wiped away his tears quietly.

Jiang grew up right by the river. He still remembers the old days when long lines of villagers queued up on Longjing Bridge to fetch and carry river water. His 34-year-old son Jiang Jinwen lives at No.80 Guanchenghe Road. For a long time, though he crosses the river's route every single day, he had never laid eyes on an open river channel before.

As a resident representative, Jiang Jinwen took part in the unveiling ceremony. Once the event wrapped up, the father and son wandered back and forth along the restored riverbank.

Watching the running water, they felt as though a fresh spring was flowing through their hearts.

Refining urban development paths

The block upgrading was designed and advanced alongside the uncovering project of Taiping Road.

Full-scale large demolition and reconstruction, or refined micro-renovation?

"The initial proposal was impressive: full river navigability allowing boat cruises through the old town downstream past 24 riverside scenic spots," said Guo Jiesi, former head of the special working group for "One River, One Corridor and Two Historic Districts" in Yunyan District.

However, the proposal was rejected upon submission.

A mountainous city, Guiyang features sharp water level fluctuations; at least three ship locks would be required for waterborne traffic. To optimize sightseeing, the river channel had to be widened by an extra 200 meters. Docks, locks and scenic sites plus land acquisition would push total investment above 10 billion yuan.

"The plan far exceeded local fiscal capacity and ran counter to national regulations restricting large-scale demolition and construction," Guo said.

Authorities at Guiyang municipal and Yunyan district levels drew practical solutions from theoretical learning.

"President Xi's remarks enlightened us," said Liu Renhao, district head of Yunyan. The renovation along Guancheng River would avoid citywide large-scale investment and blaze a new trail of cultural empowerment and featured development.

Drawing wisdom from heritage to enrich modern life, local authorities finalized the blueprint: ecological foundation plus cultural empowerment via targeted micro-renovation, to carry forward urban heritage, upgrade block functions and elevate living standards.

Renovation of the river kick-started the district's urban renewal drive. Stretching 7.9 kilometers, the riverside footpath links Wenchang Pavilion and Cuiwei Garden historic quarters. The 37-project cluster of "One River, One Corridor and Two Districts" has forged a distinctive urban cultural precinct.

On weekends, open-air roadside concerts unfold beside the over-400-year-old Wenchang Pavilion.

Professional troupes interact closely with locals and tourists amid a blend of traditional charm and modern vibes. Over 600 performances have drawn more than five million visitors, birthing Guiyang's new cultural IP as a City of Music.

Unique local signature drinks - prickly pear coffee, houttuynia cordata beer and pitaya milk tea - have made Taiping Road a trendy landmark for out-of-town visitors and a testing ground for local youth to boost cultural confidence via national chic.

Having resided riverside for 69 years, Zhou Jinhua once endured messy surroundings. At community open-air forums, he voiced his wish for downstairs leisure green space; soon a pocket garden was built nearby. Micro-renovation covering 244,100 square meters of existing buildings benefited 628 households.

In March last year, the project was listed as a national exemplary urban renewal case. The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development commented: "Through innovative practice, the project has pioneered a sustainable urban regeneration path balancing livelihood improvement, cultural inheritance, economic revitalization and governance upgrade."

Anchoring sound performance in practical results
What lessons has Guancheng River's restoration brought?

"It's an eye-opening masterclass: genuine governance accomplishments are delivered for the people through down-to-earth work," said Wang Hong, Mayor of Guiyang.

Construction of Liuguangmen Underground Water Reclamation Plant required excavation of a 30-plus-meter pit; to spare nearby residents from blasting disturbance, crews relied on round-the-clock crusher work amid tough construction bottlenecks.

From a macro perspective, the plant constitutes a core component of comprehensive Guancheng River remediation, a concrete action to upgrade ecological protection and fulfill Guizhou's obligation to shield the upper reaches of the Yangtze and Pearl Rivers.

"We re-mobilized the team, kept daily site inspections and pressed full steam ahead," Li Wenyu said.

Dedicated onsite delivery spawned dozens of technical innovations, turning Liuguangmen into China's deepest fully underground reclamation plant and a national benchmark for green low-carbon development.

"The Party spirit serves as the decisive underpinning for fostering a correct view of governance performance. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, all rounds of centralized Party education have highlighted pragmatic delivery as core guidance," said Huang Chaochun, Party Chief of Guizhou Academy of Social Sciences. "Guancheng River's spectacular rebirth stands as vivid proof."

Once plagued by acid rain, Guiyang now ranks among China's top-performing 168 key cities for ambient air quality; 100 percent of provincial and national monitored surface water sections meet high-quality standards.

Lei Yueqin is a familiar sight by the revitalized river. The 85-year-old joined the CPC in July 2022.

"I joined the Party witnessing tremendous new-era progress, especially in ecological civilization. My lifelong wish of access to clean drinking water has come true," she explained.

Though initially burdened with grievance and pressure, Guancheng River's transformation has changed her perspective. Lei always bears Xi's words in mind as enlightening theories illuminate reality and guide forward-looking development.

The Adora Magic City, China's first homegrown large cruise ship, departed from Shanghai on Saturday, marking the launch of the country's first-ever cruise-to-nowhere voyage.

Unlike traditional cruises, the new itinerary involves the ship leaving from and returning to its home port, Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal, without making any stops, cruising solely on the high seas.

The three-day, two-night voyage from Saturday to early Monday offers passengers a relaxed, immersive experience without the need to rush from one port to another.

"It feels very relaxing, and I don't have to take extra days off work. I am really looking forward to experiencing the homegrown large cruise ship," said a tourist surnamed Hu, a white-collar worker from Shanghai, as she stepped on board.

The operator has enhanced onboard entertainment, including a stand-up comedy show, magic performances, theme parties and late-night dining. To ensure comfort, the passenger load was capped at 80 percent, with an average age of 47, lower than the usual 55 on regular routes.

On Friday, Shanghai issued China's first entry-exit permit for such cruises. The following day, streamlined customs and border inspection services were in place for travelers.

Tong Danying, an official with the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission, said cruises to nowhere are not a simplified version of traditional cruises, but a brand-new product that turns the ship into the destination itself, creating a new consumption scenario.

Figures show that China has seen booming cruise tourism, with total cruise passenger throughput in 2025 surging 25.3 percent year on year.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has pointed out that interactions between civilizations provide the most solid foundation for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's (SCO) development, and people-to-people exchanges provide the strongest driving force for the organization. Kyrgyzstan will host this year's summit, which marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of the SCO.

On May 27, the 2026 China-Kyrgyzstan Media Cooperation Forum, themed "Deepening China-Kyrgyzstan Media Cooperation for a Brighter SCO Future," was held in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Nearly 100 media representatives, officials from relevant departments, experts, scholars and business representatives from China and Kyrgyzstan attended the forum, engaging in in-depth exchanges and discussions on topics including economic and trade development, cultural exchange and media cooperation. The forum was jointly hosted by the People's Daily and Kyrgyz Tuusu Publishing House.

Media in unity, building consensus for development

"Amity and good-neighborliness are invaluable to a country." Linked by mountains and rivers, China and Kyrgyzstan are good neighbors, good friends and good partners enjoying close people-to-people ties. In recent years, under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the China-Kyrgyzstan comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era has maintained a strong momentum of development. Media outlets from both countries have played an active role in promoting the building of a closer SCO community with a shared future and a China-Kyrgyzstan community with a shared future.

Cui Shixin, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the People's Daily, said that holding the China-Kyrgyzstan Media Cooperation Forum is both an implementation of the important consensus reached by the two heads of state on deepening the China-Kyrgyzstan comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era, and a concrete action to create a favorable public opinion environment and lay a solid public foundation for the upcoming Bishkek SCO Summit. China and Kyrgyzstan are companions on the path to modernization. Media of both countries should build consensus on development to anchor mutual trust, boost mutually beneficial cooperation to pave the way for prosperity, deepen cultural exchanges to nurture the tree of friendship and consolidate institutional foundations to amplify the voice of the SCO. With a constructive attitude, they should build bridges of understanding, present a true, multidimensional and comprehensive picture of China-Kyrgyzstan cooperation, and tell vivid stories of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

Salkyn Sarnogoeva, Deputy Minister of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic, said that the friendship between China and Kyrgyzstan has a long history, and the spirit of the Silk Road has firmly bound the two peoples together. In the digital era, media are a bridge connecting the peoples of the two countries, and it is very important for the two sides to strengthen media exchanges and cooperation. At present, the SCO is in a period of vigorous development, and the media of both countries should jointly respond to the challenges posed by fake news and information disorder, learn from each other in areas such as artificial intelligence applications, creative industry development, and media platform building, and support the growth and development of young journalists.

Since its founding, the SCO has always upheld the Shanghai Spirit of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and pursuit of common development. It has become the world's largest regional cooperation organization in terms of population, geographic area and development potential.

Galina Baitekerek, head of Kyrgyz Tuusu Publishing House in Kyrgyzstan, said that the SCO is becoming an important platform for different civilizations to strengthen dialogue and mutual respect. Strengthening cooperation between Chinese and Kyrgyz media in various fields will help establish an objective image of SCO member states internationally and is of great significance for promoting the development of the SCO. The two sides have broad prospects for cooperation in many areas, including promoting exchanges of experience between journalists and experts, creating joint media projects, advancing digital platforms and new media development, and increasing support for young journalists.

Sun Dapeng, counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Kyrgyzstan, said that media play an irreplaceable role in deepening mutually beneficial cooperation and promoting people-to-people affinity. Media cooperation is also a key direction of SCO cooperation and China-Kyrgyzstan cooperation. This forum is another important achievement of China-Kyrgyzstan media cooperation. He hopes that media from both countries will continue to deepen cooperation, firmly promote the Shanghai Spirit, introduce successful experiences in SCO development, show the bright prospects of cooperation among countries and tell the "SCO story" well.

Mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, broadening path of cooperation

Civilizations become colorful through exchange, and cooperation becomes profound through pragmatism. At the forum, guests from the tourism, aviation, logistics, automotive and technology sectors of both countries shared cooperation achievements and discussed future visions, painting a vivid picture of coordinated development and mutual benefit across multiple fields between China and Kyrgyzstan.

Eduard Kubatov, Director of the State Agency for Tourism Development of Kyrgyzstan, said that China-Kyrgyzstan relations are currently at their best in history, with political mutual trust, economic and trade investment, and cultural exchanges continuing to deepen. Tourism cooperation is an important part of the bilateral friendship. The two sides have already opened direct flights and are actively 8ancient city of Suyab), and will also work with Uzbekistan to build an international tourism hub. He said Kyrgyzstan is willing to take this forum as an opportunity to work with China to advance tourism and cultural cooperation and jointly promote the continued development of bilateral relations.

A representative from Air China's Bishkek office said that Air China will officially enter the Kyrgyzstan market. Earlier media reports indicated that Air China will launch a direct flight between Beijing and Bishkek starting July 17. The opening of this route will pave a smoother "air Silk Road" for personnel exchanges and economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, and the bilateral passenger flow is expected to exceed 200,000 for the first time this year.

Deputy General Director of "Kyrgyz Post" JSC, Uulzhan Masiyanova, said that Kyrgyzstan and China are engaged in close cooperation in political, economic, logistics, digital technology, information and communications, and cultural fields. In particular, cooperation in cross-border e-commerce and logistics has become one of the vivid examples of practical cooperation between the two countries. Their cooperation is reflected not only in the extension of roads and the growth of trade, but also in the integration of information spaces, mutual understanding in the media sector, and deeper awareness and understanding between the peoples of the two countries.

In his remarks, Lu Yunran, CEO of 212 Off-Road Vehicle Co., Ltd., shared the story of how 212 became a flagship independent Chinese off-road model. He said that China's complete industrial and supply chain system, the creativity of millions of engineers and the breakthroughs made by Chinese automobiles in the new energy and intelligent era have provided a solid technological foundation and a broad stage for Chinese brands to go global. At present, 212's global sales network covers more than 80 countries and regions. In the future, the company will deepen cooperation with partners in Central Asian countries and work together with all parties under a "Chinese technology + local market" model.

Ulanbek Satiev, General Director of the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Corporation of the Kyrgyz Republic (NTRK), said that while NTRK has been deeply cultivating traditional television media, it has also built a strong influence on new media platforms. At present, NTRK is also actively embracing cutting-edge technology and has officially introduced artificial intelligence to broadcast daytime news.

Li Dahai, CEO of Beijing MODELBEST Technology CO., LTD, said that artificial intelligence is not only a new round of technological revolution, but also a new development channel, and should become an inclusive infrastructure for common development among countries. Relying on key laboratories and an open-source ecosystem, ModelBest AI has already established the technical chain for "sovereign large models" and created a sample of an intelligent foundation. He looks forward to working with partners in Kyrgyzstan and other Central Asian countries to make AI better understand local languages, be closer to local industries and better serve local people.

People-to-people exchanges, painting picture of future together
Ideas collide to gather wisdom, and dialogue deepens friendship. In the roundtable discussion session of the forum, guests engaged in in-depth exchanges on the topic of "Media building bridges of people-to-people exchanges and empowering cooperation and development between the two countries," sharing experiences, building consensus and offering suggestions to improve the quality and effectiveness of China-Kyrgyzstan media cooperation.

Guan Kejiang, President and Editor-In-Chief of the Global Times, said that language is a bridge for communication, and media can use each other's languages to better tell the stories of their own development, China-Kyrgyzstan cooperation, SCO cooperation and the Global South. This is the proper mission of the media.

Du Hua, Director of the Confucius Institute on the Chinese side at Bishkek State University, has worked in Bishkek for seven years. She said that Chinese brands can be seen everywhere in Bishkek, and the idea of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation has taken root in people's hearts. The media are witnesses and communicators of friendly cooperation, and young students can deepen their understanding of each other's cultures through the media.

Kurmanbek Mambetov, a commentator for Kyrgyz newspaper Kyrgyz Tuusu, said he hopes the media will focus more on practical cooperation projects between Kyrgyzstan and China, such as Chinese investment in Kyrgyzstan, technological cooperation and tourism exchanges, so as to enhance mutual trust and promote cooperation. At the same time, the media need to embrace new technologies to better meet the information needs of local audiences.

Ismail Dairov, an international commentator for Slovo Kyrgyzstana, has long promoted environmental protection ideas through the media. He said China has made great achievements in the field of new energy, and the prospects for cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and China are broad. The Kyrgyz side hopes to learn from China's technological experience to support local green development.

At the end of the forum, Kubat Chekirov, head of the "Kut Bilim" media center, told the Global Times that "as journalists, when we convey new knowledge, new trends and new developments from the other country to our own people, cooperation between the two countries will become closer, and mutual understanding will be further deepened."

As the tide rises over the Tianshan Mountains and the wind fills the sails, hearts and hands joined together move toward the future. Standing at the new starting point of the 25th anniversary of the founding of the SCO, the media of China and Kyrgyzstan will continue to carry forward the Shanghai Spirit, fulfill their media mission, and use the pen as a medium and the camera as a bridge to tell the story of China-Kyrgyzstan friendship and spread the voice of the SCO.

Several individual New Zealand lawmakers visited China's Taiwan region in disregard of the grave concern and firm opposition of the Chinese side. Their action violates the one-China principle and interferes in China's internal affairs. In accordance with relevant laws of the People's Republic of China, the Chinese side has decided to take measures including an entry ban, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Thursday in response to a question about China banned four New Zealand lawmakers from traveling for one year and demanded an apology after they traveled to Taiwan.

"I need to stress that the one-China principle, a prevailing international consensus and a basic norm in international relations, is also the political cornerstone of China-New Zealand relations. We urge the individuals concerned to earnestly respect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and strictly abide by the one-China principle. Anyone who tramples on the red line and oversteps on the Taiwan question must pay the price," Mao noted. 

The comments were made shortly after the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand said on Thursday that the Chinese side has decided to impose measures, including entry bans, on certain New Zealand lawmakers who insisted on visiting China's Taiwan region despite China's serious concerns, firm opposition and repeated prior warnings.

Recently, a small number of New Zealand lawmakers, despite China's serious concerns, firm opposition, and repeated prior warnings, insisted on visiting China's Taiwan region in their capacity as members of parliament, the embassy said. 

During the visit, they met with a number of local political figures. Their actions and remarks were subsequently reported by local media, creating a negative political impact and sending erroneous signals to the Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities and "Taiwan independence" forces, the embassy noted.  

Following reports from Chinese nationals about harsh detention conditions in Philippine prisons and the tragic death of a Chinese national in custody, the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines said on Friday evening via its official WeChat account that it has lodged solemn representations with the Philippine side, urging a comprehensive investigation into the death of the Chinese national.

The Embassy's statement came after recent revelations by unnamed Chinese nationals on social media over poor sanitation and medical services in Philippine jails, lengthy and costly repatriation procedures for detainees, and the death of a Chinese national while in custody.

According to the Philippine side, a Chinese national detained in connection with Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator died suddenly on Thursday at the Philippine Bureau of Immigration detention facility. The cause of the death remains to be investigated.

The Embassy said that it has taken the matter very seriously and promptly conducted verification to identify the relevant prison. The statement also said that the Embassy has lodged solemn representations with the Philippine side, urging a comprehensive investigation into the death of the Chinese national and demanded that any managerial responsibility or negligence be seriously pursued. 

At the same time, the Embassy has contacted the deceased's family and is assisting with follow-up arrangements, read the statement.

The Embassy said it has always attached great importance to protecting the safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese nationals in the Philippines. Whenever a Chinese national is detained in the Philippines, the Embassy always requests that the Philippine side promptly notify the details of the case, arrange consular access as soon as possible, improve detention conditions, and do its utmost to help detained Chinese nationals resolve practical difficulties.

The Embassy also said it would urge the Philippine side to handle cases fairly and in accordance with the law, and continue to press the Philippine side on matters such as expediting the repatriation process for detained Chinese nationals and lowering related costs, sparing no effort to protect the safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese nationals in the Philippines.

A Dutch frigate, De Ruyter, on Wednesday illegally intruded into China's Xisha Islands waters, and repeatedly launched its shipborne helicopter to violate China's territorial airspace, said Senior Captain Zhai Shichen, spokesperson for the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command, according to the WeChat account of the Command on Wednesday. The Southern Theater Command deployed maritime and air forces and took necessary measures including verbal warnings and warning electronic jamming in accordance with laws and regulations to expel the vessel. A military affair expert told the Global Times that the measures taken by the Chinese side are both necessary and justified, and have demonstrated a high degree of restraint.

The Command said that the Dutch side's actions seriously violated China's territorial sovereignty, maritime and air security, contravened international law and basic norms governing international relations, and undermined peace and stability in the South China Sea, which may easily lead to miscalculations. "We express firm opposition to such acts and warn the Dutch side to immediately stop its infringement and provocation. The Theater Command will maintain a high state of alert at all times and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and regional peace and stability," the spokesperson said.

The PLA's timely and public responses to provocative actions by foreign militaries have become routine. However, the information conveyed in this statement by the Southern Theater Command's spokesperson indicates that the Dutch actions were particularly egregious, especially the Dutch vessel's repeated launch of its shipborne helicopter that intruded into China's territorial airspace. Any measures taken by the PLA are lawful and justified, Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Dutch Navy warship HNLMS De Ruyter is in Manila for a three-day goodwill visit as part of the Netherlands’ intensified efforts to “strengthen maritime partnerships with countries in the “Indo-Pacific,” Philippine News Agency claimed on May 22.

The HNLMS De Ruyter is set to participate in various interoperability activities, including communication and maneuvering exercises with the Philippine Navy, claimed the report.

The report also claimed that the Dutch frigate’s visit forms part of the Royal Netherlands Navy’s five-month Pacific Archer deployment mission, which aims to promote freedom of navigation and maritime security in the “Indo-Pacific.” After its Manila port call, HNLMS De Ruyter will join the 2026 Rim of the Pacific Exercise, which will bring together 31 nations, including the Philippines, in and around the Hawaiian Islands from June 24 to July 31.

This makes it abundantly clear that the HNLMS De Ruyter deliberately detoured to China's Xisha Islands on its way from the Philippines to the Hawaiian Islands to carry out provocative actions, brazenly infringing on China's sovereignty. The vessel and its shipborne helicopter illegally intruded into China's territorial waters and airspace with clear reconnaissance and probing intent, seriously violating international law and basic norms governing international relations, and deliberately disturbing the stability of the South China Sea situation, Zhang said.

Unlike previous practices, the PLA Southern Theater Command spokesperson this time explicitly disclosed countermeasures such as verbal warnings and warning electronic jamming, demonstrating the legality and compliance of China's actions.

Zhang said that the Dutch missile frigate HNLMS De Ruyter, along with its shipborne helicopter, intruded into China's Xisha territorial waters and territorial airspace. This action is by no means so-called “freedom of navigation.” Rather, it constitutes a serious violation of China's territorial sovereignty and a deliberate provocation. In response, China adopted measures including verbal warnings and warning electronic jamming, measures that are both necessary and justified, with an overall response that has shown considerable restraint.

The warning electronic jamming deployed by the PLA in this case is generally divided into two types: passive and active. Passive jamming involves deploying chaff and other materials to interfere with radar signals, disrupting the opposition’s reconnaissance and provocative activities. Active jamming uses electronic equipment to emit electromagnetic waves to interfere with and suppress the opposition’s radar reconnaissance systems, Zhang explained.

If the Dutch side continues to escalate its provocative actions, the Chinese military might take even more powerful countermeasures, including warning shots, to resolutely defend national territorial sovereignty and maritime and air security, the expert added.

On Tuesday, the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI) released the "Report on the Military Activities of Non-US Extra-Regional Countries in the Western Pacific in 2025." At the press conference, Hu Bo, Director of the SCSPI, noted that extra-regional countries other than the US often lack a clear understanding of the red lines and bottom lines of many sensitive areas and the countries concerned in the Western Pacific, making their behavior more aggressive and thus more likely to trigger miscalculations or even armed clashes.

Domestic carmaker SAIC Motor delivered its 100 millionth vehicle in Shanghai on the afternoon of Thursday, becoming the first Chinese automaker to surpass 100 million units in cumulative production and sales, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Industry insiders pointed out that the landmark achievement filled the gap for Chinese automakers in the "100-million-unit club." According to Xinhua, previously, only automakers from countries like the US, Japan, Germany and the South Korea had reached the 100-million-vehicle milestone.

Industry experts believe that SAIC Motor's achievement is underpinned by the systemic advantages accumulated by China's automotive industry over decades. These include a vast domestic market, a complete and independent industrial chain, highly clustered industrial ecosystems, mature supporting capabilities, and the advantages of opening-up and cooperation, per the experts.

SAIC Motor's achievement as China's first "100-million-unit carmaker" symbolized the remarkable transformation of the country's automotive sector over more than 70 years - from starting from scratch to becoming a global powerhouse, according to the Xinhua report.

This landmark also represented a significant milestone for "Made in China," said Xinhua.

Profound transformation

Industry insiders said SAIC Motor's success showcases the profound transformation of China's automotive industry.

In 1955, its predecessor, the Shanghai Internal Combustion Engine Parts Manufacturing Company, was established. In 1958, the first Phoenix-brand sedan was successfully produced, marking Shanghai's breakthrough in passenger vehicle manufacturing, according to SAIC Motor's website.

Over the decades, SAIC evolved from a small workshop-style factory to a modern intelligent manufacturing giant, Zhang Xiang, secretary-general of the International Intelligent Vehicle Engineering Association, told the Global Times on Thursday.

"From complete reliance on imported technology to mastering core technologies; from a domestic focus to building a global ecosystem. SAIC's growth over more than 70 years is a microcosm of Chinese manufacturing's remarkable rise and breakthrough," said Zhang.

What contributed to SAIC Motor's success is China's complete industrial ecosystem built over the past decades.

China has built the world's most comprehensive automotive supply chain, covering everything from raw materials and power batteries to electric motors, controllers, chips, vehicle assembly, and after-sales services. This system offers unmatched efficiency, cost control, and iteration speed, Hu Qimu, a professor at the Maritime Silk Road Institute of Huaqiao University, told the Global Times on Thursday.

For example, Ningde-based CATL leads the global battery market. Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory is also an example of the resilience of China's supply chain, as it has achieved a production pace of one vehicle every 30 seconds, according to the company's statement sent to the Global Times.

In terms of the speed of research and development (R&D), major automotive clusters in Shanghai, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region have compressed new vehicle development cycles dramatically - from the global average of 36 months to under 20 months, according to industry insiders and relevant media reports.

While traditional giants like SAIC, FAW, Dongfeng, and GAC continue to transform, new carmakers such as BYD, NIO, XPeng, Li Auto, Zeekr, and Xiaomi are emerging as powerful innovation engines.

BYD became the first domestic automaker to fully transition to electrification, halting fuel vehicle sales in 2022. New forces such as Nio and Xpeng have created differentiated advantages in battery technology, battery swapping, high-level intelligent driving, and smart cabins, observers noted.

"Innovation is also a crucial factor of China's current automobile industry," said Hu.

As BBC reported on Thursday, Chinese tech giants like Xiaomi, Huawei and Alibaba are now making EVs, bringing consumer technology into the car industry. As cars increasingly rely on software, from driver assistance to entertainment systems, these companies are giving Chinese carmakers yet another edge. "They're not racing the West anymore. They are racing each other," per BBC report citing an analyst.

Following Nio's launched of its new SUV model on Wednesday, major Chinese EV makers including BYD, XPeng, and Leapmotor are also expected to unveil major products and technology updates during the upcoming Shenzhen Auto Show, Yahoo Finance reported on Thursday, which showcased the fast innovative iteration of China's automobile industry.

Industry insiders have said that the automotive industry is experiencing transformative changes. Technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and big data are deeply integrating with vehicle manufacturing, fundamentally reshaping the competitive landscape and the entire value chain.

Notably, SAIC's 100 millionth vehicle - an IM LS9 Hyper - was delivered to Momenta CEO Cao Xudong, the company told the Global Times on Thursday.

Momenta, a Chinese technology provider of intelligent driving, has been providing autonomous driving software for SAIC's premium IM brand since 2021, exemplifying deepening collaboration between traditional automakers and technology companies.

"Since our founding in 2016, Momenta has been committed to leveraging groundbreaking AI technology to create a better life," said Cao.

New-era cooperation

Momenta is also a partner for many foreign carmakers operating in China. For example, in February, Mercedes-Benz Group and Momenta signed an updated strategic cooperation memorandum of understanding in Beijing and jointly announced that they will further deepen their collaboration in the field of future mobility, according to corporate statements sent to the Global Times.

This was one of the examples showcasing how China's cooperation model with foreign automakers has evolved.

For SAIC, in November 2024, it signed an extension for the joint venture contract with Volkswagen Group until 2040, further strengthening their long-term partnership, both companies said in their statements.

Foreign brands are now actively seeking partnerships with Chinese companies in new energy and intelligent technologies. Volkswagen is also collaborating with XPeng to jointly develop new-energy vehicles, while Audi is partnering with SAIC and Huawei to advance high-level intelligent driving technologies. Mercedes-Benz has upgraded its Shanghai R&D center into a global core innovation hub. Foreign automakers are now increasingly embracing China's intelligent electric vehicle (EV) technologies, achieving mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

This shift from "learning through joint ventures" to "joint innovation and leadership" reflects the growing technological confidence of Chinese automakers, said Hu.

Foreign automakers have also deeply integrated into China's automotive production and supply chains. For example, Taicang, a small city in East China's Jiangsu Province, has developed a comprehensive industrial cluster encompassing more than 700 upstream and downstream automotive parts enterprises, including over 200 foreign-funded companies, according to Xinhua.

Thanks to its well-established industrial and supply chain system, 70 percent of automotive components can be sourced locally within Taicang, which is also an epitome of the industrial chain in the Yangtze River Delta.

"China's advantages in the complete industrial chain, cost optimization, and its leadership in the intelligent EV sector have enabled domestic brands to accelerate their globalization efforts," said Hu.

Industry insiders said that SAIC Motor's milestone is not only a celebration of past achievements but also a new starting point. As China's auto industry continues to advance in intelligence, electrification, and globalization, Chinese brands will play an even more influential role in the global automotive landscape.

A Chinese research team has recently confirmed the discovery of a large-scale dinosaur footprint site in Xuanhua of Zhangjiakou, North China's Hebei Province. Researchers also identified traces of a carnivorous dinosaur moving at just 1 kilometer per hour for the first time at the site, the finding sets a new record for the slowest dinosaur walking speed identified in comparable strata, local media Zhangjiakou Daily reported on Sunday.

The new discoveries help complete the picture of the ancient dinosaur ecosystem, according to the report. For the first time, traces of a carnivorous dinosaur moving at merely one kilometer per hour have been found, providing vivid evidence for reconstructing the ecosystem dating back over 100 million years.

After years of surveys and research, experts have gained a preliminary understanding of the site's overall scale. It covers an exposed area of about 30,000 square meters with over 5,000 preserved dinosaur footprints, further enriching China's dinosaur footprint fossil record.

Sites yielding thousands of dinosaur footprints at one time are rare nationwide, said Gu Zhenfei, a senior engineer from the third geological brigade of Hebei Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources Exploration. With more than 5,000 well-preserved footprints uncovered here, the Xuanhua site ranks among China's largest discoveries of its kind. Among them, Site I was found earlier, famous for mixed tracks of sauropod brontosaurs, medium-sized theropod Asian dinosaurs tracks and small graciliraptors.

Further research uncovered Site II and Site III, 1.5 kilometers and 2.25 kilometers southeast of Site I. Twenty-seven intact three-toed grallator footprints were found here, ranging from 10.1 centimeters to 26.7 centimeters in length, preserving traces of dinosaurs of various sizes. The new findings lift the number of theropod-dominated footprint sites to at least 17, depicting a fuller profile of the ancient dinosaur community.

Carnivorous dinosaurs are commonly perceived as agile and swift, yet the Xuanhua discovery challenges this perception.

Xing Lida of the China University of Geosciences (Beijing), whose research team took part in the study, conducted precise measurements on five well-preserved footprints at Site III. The surprising results show these grallators had a stride length of 32 to 46 centimeters and a walking speed of merely one kilometer per hour, comparable to the pace of an ordinary tortoise. 

This marks the slowest theropod trackway speed recorded in comparable strata and an extremely rare slow-speed dinosaur record worldwide. By comparison, most small dinosaurs living in the same area and period could run at 9 to 14 kilometers per hour.

Such huge speed differences have been explained by researchers. These slow-moving dinosaurs were capable of moving much faster. Instead, they likely slowed down to search for small prey and monitor their surroundings for potential danger, reflecting their actual survival behaviors in ancient times.