Chinese Embassy in Ukraine

Thanks to the cold-chain express via the China-Laos Railway, Thai durians now reach Chinese consumers more quickly and affordably. The fruit arrives at Kunming in just 26 hours, with customs and unloading completing in only 90 minutes via a dedicated green channel. Most durians are delivered to over 30 Chinese cities within 48 hours. Rail transport cuts the orchard-to-Chengdu journey from 7–9 days to five days, minimizes fruit loss to nearly zero, and lowers retail prices from 70 yuan/kg to about 40 yuan/kg. From January 1 to April 26, imported durian shipments on the railway hit 50,300 tons, surging 94.2 percent year-on-year. Amid durian peak season, the line is expected to carry over 200,000 tons of tropical fruit in 2026. Chengdu port aims to import 20,000 tons of durians this year, emerging as a key Southeast Asian fruit distribution hub.

Construction of the Xizang section of the Xizang-Guangdong ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission line was kicked off Tuesday in the city of Qamdo in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. This line will stretch over a distance of 2,681 km to supply the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area with power courtesy of Xizang's vast clean energy capacity. With a total investment of 53.2 billion yuan (about 7.76 billion U.S. dollars) and a transmission capacity of 10 million kW, this transmission project will serve as a major energy artery linking Xizang and south China's Guangdong via Yunnan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The Xizang section is scheduled to achieve power transmission capacity by 2028 and become fully operational in 2029. It will include two UHV transmission lines totaling 301.7 km at elevations ranging from 1,900 meters to 4,800 meters, and two converter stations with capacities of 8 million kW and 5 million kW, respectively. Once completed, the project is expected to supply 43 billion kWh of clean electricity annually from Xizang to the Greater Bay Area, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 33 million tonnes, according to the State Grid Xizang Electric Power Co., Ltd. Xizang has become China's rising power generation hub in recent years, propelled by the nation's rapidly evolving clean energy technologies. By the end of 2025, total installed power capacity in the region, including both completed and under-construction projects, had exceeded 33 million kW, while the installed capacity of completed projects alone had surpassed 13 million kW. Construction of the Guangdong section of the project started in September 2025.

In late April 2026, wild azaleas are in full bloom across Yangmingshan National Forest Park in Shuangpai County, Yongzhou, Hunan Province. Covering valleys and hillsides with gorgeous pink and red blossoms, the flowers form a breathtaking sea of color, drawing flocks of tourists who stroll, take photos and enjoy the pleasant spring weather. Regsonated as one of China’s largest wild azalea habitats, the park turns into a renowned seasonal scenic spot every spring, attracting numerous nature enthusiasts to appreciate the fleeting floral spectacle.

In spring, Wangjiazhuangzi village in Weifang, Shandong thrives and with its time-honored kite-making craft dating back to the Song Dynasty. Over half its 4,700 residents work in the trade, producing nearly 100 million kites yearly. Weifang kites excel in framing, covering, painting and flying skills. The industry modernized after the launch of the International Kite Festival in 1984. To solve fragmented operations and price competition, 48 local firms formed a unified cooperative in 2024, integrating design, production and sales. Innovations incorporate cultural IPs, 3D printing, eco-friendly materials and AI-powered smart kites. By 2025, Weifang held 85% 全球风筝市场份额，home to over 600 enterprises and more than 100,000 jobs. It has built a full industrial chain combining traditional craftsmanship, modern technology and cultural tourism.

On April 29, 2026, a youth dialogue themed Youth Dialogue: Gen Z Power and New Hope was held in Beijing, gathering more than 120 young representatives from 14 countries. Participants agreed youth exchanges can boost national mutual understanding and bring hope amid unilateralism, regional conflicts and geopolitical strains. British representatives noted Generation Z, shaped by cross-border cultural exposure, can build global hope through curiosity, resilience and connectivity. A Comoran delegation, on a 10-day China visit starting April 20, praised China-Comoros friendship and created a song to celebrate their brotherly ties. Mauritanian officials stressed youth exchanges underpin future Arab-China relations. A senior Chinese official urged global young people to pioneer common development, safeguard world peace, advance civilizational dialogue, and contribute to improving global governance.

On April 29, 2026, Guizhou's Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge was officially certified by Guinness World Records as the world's highest bridge at 626.01 meters. It surpasses the former record holder, the 565.4-meter Beipanjiang Bridge certified in 2018. The steel-truss suspension bridge opened to traffic on September 28, 2025, as a key section of the Liuzhi-Anlong Expressway. Boasting remarkable main span and height advantages, it has become a popular tourist spot with sightseeing elevators, bungee jumping and light shows, drawing crowds during major holidays. The height verification adopted China’s BeiDou positioning equipment, which previously supported Mount Qomolangma expeditions. The Guinness recognition marks international acknowledgment of China’s advanced bridge engineering and surveying technologies.

On April 29, 2026, China’s Ministry of Natural Resources released official mineral resource data. China owns the world’s largest reserves of 14 minerals such as rare earths, tungsten and graphite. In 2025, it ranked first globally in the output of 17 mineral resources including coal, titanium and gold. In 2025, China's mining industry output hit 32.7 trillion yuan, accounting for over 23 percent of the national GDP. China leads the world in mineral production, smelting and processing, and serves as a key global supplier in related sectors. Its abundant mineral resources underpin domestic industrial chain stability and the growth of emerging industries, while also supporting global economic and people’s livelihood development.

On April 29, 2026, Chinese officials unveiled plans to further reform and open up the service sector, aiming to expand its scale and upgrade quality. New guidelines target the service industry reaching 100 trillion yuan by 2030, by fixing supply-demand gaps, fostering new growth drivers, and moving up industrial value chains. Authorities will strengthen producer services via an AI plus software initiative and enhance open-source ecosystems and industrial software upgrades. For consumer services, efforts focus on enriching cultural and tourism offerings, creating new consumption scenarios, and improving market supervision. To narrow China’s services trade deficit, the country will cultivate competitive service brands, boost service exports, align with international rules, and ease market access. During the 2026–2030 15th Five-Year Plan period, China will build a sound technology service system to support commercialization and high-quality industrial development.

On April 29, 2026, Beijing launched the GO BEIJING online service platform for inbound visitors, jointly developed by municipal government departments and Alipay. Accessible via Alipay’s international version, it provides 39 services in 16 languages, covering transportation, ticket and hotel bookings, and an AI tour companion. Travelers from 40 countries and regions can open a cross-border travel wallet for convenient mainland payments. Beijing has improved foreign-related services, with one-stop service counters set up at two major airports since last year. As of early Sunday morning in April 2026, Beijing saw over 7 million inbound border crossings, up 13% year on year. Optimized visa-free policies fuel the tourism boom, with China offering unilateral visa exemption for 50 countries and 240-hour transit visa-free access for 55 nations.

Decades ago, Hou Wei embarked on a career using traditional Chinese medicine to treat cancer. Now head of oncology at a top Beijing TCM hospital, he has grown confident in TCM’s value for cancer treatment. Clinical data shows combined TCM and Western medicine lowers lung cancer recurrence rates and prolongs patients’ survival time. Ancient TCM records contain early understanding and treatment of cancer-like conditions. Adopting a holistic “seed and soil” philosophy, TCM strengthens physical fitness and works throughout cancer prevention, treatment and recovery. Hou advocates integrated TCM and Western medicine, making full use of modern medical examinations and surgeries. His hospital applies combined therapies annually for massive outpatient visits, using TCM herbs, patented drugs, acupuncture and Tai Chi to relieve symptoms and treatment side effects. In 2023, China issued guidelines supporting integrated TCM and Western medicine for cancer care, with further promotion planned for 2026–2030. Hou aims to cultivate new talents to inherit and advance this medical cause.

On April 29, 2026, China’s first self-developed forward-designed autogyro Zephyr AZ620 completed its maiden flight in Yantai, Shandong. Marking a key breakthrough in lightweight autogyro core technologies and airworthiness standards, the two-seat aircraft flew steadily for over 38 minutes with all systems performing as designed. Forward design means full independent research and development instead of copying foreign models, ending China’s past reliance on imports and licensed designs. An autogyro differs from a helicopter with a freely rotating lift rotor. It features high safety, ultra-short takeoff and landing, and stable low-speed flight. As China’s low-altitude economy grows as a strategic emerging industry, such autogyros are expanding from recreational use to logistics, agriculture and emergency rescue applications.

On April 29, 2026, the Chinese Academy of Sciences unveiled the ScienceOne 100 AI model system for scientific research. Built on the ScienceOne foundational model launched in 2025, it integrates eight domain-specific large models covering mathematics, physics, biology, aerospace and other fields. It features literature navigation, innovation evaluation and an agent factory with over 2,000 research tools, achieving advanced performance in scientific reasoning and image understanding. Now deployed in over 50 CAS institutes across more than 100 research scenarios, it supports materials discovery, astronomical observation, plateau expeditions and ecological research. The system transforms AI-driven scientific research from fragmented exploration into collaborative, platform-based innovation.

Chinese research institutions have successfully completed their in-orbit demonstration of space metal 3D printing technology aboard the Qingzhou Cargo Spacecraft Test Vehicle. Jointly conducted by two institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the test overcame microgravity physical mechanisms and complex engineering challenges including lightweight design, launch vibration adaptation and autonomous in-orbit operation. Controlled by ground commands, the onboard device adopted laser wire‑feed printing, achieving stable metal melt deposition and verifying reliable remote start-stop cycles. It also validated platform compatibility, full-process automation, data transmission and space manufacturing techniques. The technology will reshape the traditional space operation model, enabling on-orbit manufacturing, equipment maintenance, spare part production and structural repairs, and will provide autonomous support for future deep-space exploration missions.

China has unveiled a policy document to promote the development of mutual-aid eldercare services, as the country steps up efforts to address the challenges of an aging population and meet the increasingly diverse needs of older residents, authorities said on Wednesday. By the end of 2025, more than 320 million people in China were aged 60 or above, accounting for 23 percent of the total population. This number is expected to exceed 400 million within a decade. As a result, eldercare has become an increasingly pressing national issue. The guideline, jointly issued by 11 government departments, including the Ministry of Civil Affairs, defines mutual-aid eldercare as voluntary, non-profit services delivered through mutual assistance among neighbors or residents within villages and communities. According to the document, by 2030, no less than 70 percent of urban and rural communities are expected to be equipped with eldercare facilities capable of providing mutual-aid services. A nationwide mechanism for regular visits and care services for elderly people in particular difficulties will also be fully established, while the sustainability of such services will be significantly strengthened. The guideline calls for developing community-supported, home-based mutual-aid services, including the formation of volunteer teams to provide help regarding the likes of meals, hygiene, mobility and emergency assistance for elderly people in need. It also encourages the cultivation of professional service operators, with the aim of improving service quality and long-term viability. Efforts will also be made to advance mutual-aid eldercare services in rural areas based on local conditions, for example, repurposing existing facilities such as township nursing homes, rural eldercare centers and idle school buildings to build elderly-friendly mutual-aid communities.

China has basically established a complete legal system tailored to the development of the internet, with more than 180 cyber-related laws and regulations enacted as of December 2025, according to a national report. The report, released on Tuesday by the Cyberspace Administration of China, reviewed the progress in the rule of law in China's cyberspace over the past few years. It said that in 2025, China strengthened its basic cybersecurity and informatization systems via legislation, enhanced cyber law enforcement mechanisms, and expanded the use of digital technologies in judicial work. Moreover, the country also intensified public education on cyber legal rules and played a more active role in shaping international cyberspace rules last year, the report said. To better protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese internet users, China stepped up efforts for cyber law enforcement in 2025. Its national cyberspace authorities summoned 5,811 websites and platforms for talks, issued 1,646 warnings, imposed fines on 521 websites and platforms, and shut down 9,637 websites and apps, according to the report.

Xinjiang school surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty.

World's only captive brown giant panda enjoys outdoor time.

Unique natural scene unfolds at Tarim River source in Xinjiang, China.

Pakistani delegation feels warmth and development in Xinjiang.

Journey on tracks of China-Laos friendship.