Sport

A total of 15 Chinese departments including Communist Youth League of China Central Committee and the National Development and Reform Commission on Wednesday jointly issued a document, urging for efforts to ramp up the construction of youth-development-friendly cities in the country.

By 2030, the concept of youth-development-friendly cities will be widely established, and by 2035, China aims to form a "relatively mature and complete system for youth development, according to the document.

It maps out measures to address pressing difficulties and concerns of young people in marriage and childbirth, employment and entrepreneurship, housing and other areas, including efforts to improve the childbirth and care subsidy system, and to explore multi-field linked childbirth support policies in housing, transportation, consumption and other fields.

To ramp up employment of college graduates and other young groups, the document requires relevant organs to provide affordable housing, and associated supportive services to facilitate college graduates' off-campus employment.

And, continuous efforts should be made to consolidate the industrial foundation suitable for youth innovation, and optimize material conditions that underpin youth innovation, so as to stimulate the creativity of young people.

The document also proposes relevant bodies to carry out the "AI Plus" initiative, develop city-specific policies to accelerate growth of modern services, in order to create more job opportunities for young people. Meanwhile, efforts should be made to support young people to play a leading role in major scientific and technological research and development.

In addition, the document encourages different cities to make good use of their schools, public cultural facilities and other resources to run night schools for youth, helping them hone their job skills and pursue lifelong learning.

The 2026 Beijing Book Fair is set to kick off on Saturday and will run till May 17. For the first time, the annual event has been extended to a full month, offering residents and visitors a citywide spring cultural feast infused with the fragrance of books, one of the organizers of the book fair told the Global Times on Friday. 

The book fair will open simultaneously on Saturday at four venues located in the east, south, west, and north of the capital, namely Chaoyang Park, Nanyuan Forest and Wetland Park, Shougang Park, and Yuanmingyuan Ruins Park, according to Capital Culture Technology Group Co (CCTG), one of the organizers of the event.  

Some 2,000 brick-and-mortar bookstores across the city will also participate as coordinated venues, making it the country's first large-scale public cultural event centered on the participation of brick-and-mortar bookstores. A total of 6 million yuan ($879,100) of book purchase vouchers will be distributed, Ji Wenyue, a publicity officer at CCTG, told the Global Times on Friday. 

The fair is part of the efforts to promote public reading and cultivate a book-loving society during the inaugural national reading week. China's newly released Regulation on the Promotion of Nationwide Reading, which took effect on February 1, designates the fourth week of April each year as national reading week, encouraging reading activities nationwide.

The inaugural national reading week also coincides with the 16th Beijing International Film Festival, making the cross-industry integration of "film + reading" a major highlight of this year's event. A dedicated film-themed book section will be set up at the book fair, alongside a special exhibition titled "Where Literature Meets Cinema," according to Ji. 

Visitors who present ticket stubs from the film festival screenings will be able to collect discount vouchers at the four main venues and enjoy reduced prices on book purchases, according to the organizer. 

Guo Fei, a Beijing resident, told the Global Times that she intends to take her 8-year-old daughter to visit the wetland park. "It would be interesting to read books at a wetland park. You're surrounded by reeds, water, and birdsong rather than walls and shelves. It's quiet, open, and immersed in nature. You're not just reading a book, you're kind of living in the moment with it," said Guo.

The Nanyuan Forest Wetland Park centers on a "nature + family reading" theme, featuring leisure and reading activities - allowing visitors to enjoy the pleasure of books and nature in a lush, green setting, the Beijing News reported. 

The Yuanmingyuan venue will focus on the exhibition and sale of books on traditional culture and history, along with a range of cultural and creative products. 

The Chaoyang Park and Shougang Park will feature a rich lineup of performances, from traditional Chinese opera to modern drama, and from folk music to family-friendly acrobatics, allowing visitors to encounter the arts amid the atmosphere of books, Ji noted. 

The third national antiquarian book fair will be held concurrently. Representatives from antiquarian bookstores across 10 provinces and cities, including Shanghai, Tianjin, Hebei, Guangdong and Jiangsu provinces will gather for the event, the organizer said. 

More than 500 activities will be held during the fair across Beijing, such as author autograph sessions, cultural lectures, themed exhibitions, and cultural creative products markets, the organizer said.

The swimming management center of General Administration of Sport of China on Wednesday issued a statement condemning online abuse targeting Olympic diving champion Quan Hongchan, vowing zero tolerance for cyberbullying and defamation that harm athletes' well-being and tarnish the national team's image, as relevant training center reported the case to the police, according to the information released on China Swimming Association's official website.

According to the statement, recent online attacks, malicious comments, and false information targeting Quan and other divers have drawn serious attention from the center. The center said it has coordinated with relevant departments under the Guangdong provincial sports bureau to investigate and address the situation. The Ersha sports training center in South China's Guangdong Province, where Quan trained, has reported the case to police, with authorities pledging full support for protecting athletes' legal rights through legal means.

The statement stressed efforts to firmly resist the erosion of distorted "fan culture," adding that any individuals involved will be dealt with seriously once verified, with no leniency.

Wang Dazhao, a Beijing-based sports commentator, blasted the extreme fan behavior and called for fans to keep fair distance with athlete's personal life.

"What truly drew attention during the match is the athletes' technical and tactical performance. However, the extreme behaviors of some fans have disrupted the healthy competition environment," Wang told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Authorities said they will further strengthen national team development and improve mechanisms to safeguard athletes' well-being, aiming to foster a healthy online environment and uphold the positive image of athletes, per the statement.

Earlier, the Ersha sports training center said on its WeChat account that it had reported cyberbullying, malicious attacks and misinformation against Quan to the police. "We will safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of athletes through legal means. Anyone involved, once verified, will be dealt with seriously and without leniency," the notice wrote.

The training center emphasized that athletes are a valuable national asset and representatives of sporting spirit. Any acts of malicious slander, verbal abuse, or spreading false information against athletes and their families have crossed legal and moral boundaries, said the notice, adding that the center opposes any form of online violence and personal attacks, and resolutely rejects the toxic excesses of fan-circle culture.

The notice also calls on sports enthusiasts to focus their attention on sport itself and on the spirit of perseverance it embodies, as respect and understanding are the cheers heard on the field and the tolerance shown at the time of the lowest point. 

In a previous interview published by People magazine on March 30, Quan, who just turned 19, revealed that after the Paris Olympics she struggled with weight management and mounting public pressure, which took a toll on her mental and physical health and even led her to consider retirement.

"I hope those who attack me will stop," she said. "Please don't insult me, my family, or my friends, or they will all distance themselves from me."

Female divers inevitably go through stages of physical development. Encountering growth-related changes after reaching their peak can be especially difficult and painful for the athletes themselves. This is a natural part of human development and should not be met with online attacks or abusive comments, Luo Le, a sports scholar at the Beijing University of Chemical Technology, told the Global Times.

Luo said that fans' admiration and support for athletes can enhance the influence of athletes, however, should have boundaries. 

When unhealthy fan culture takes root, it can disrupt this positive trajectory, resulting in social and economic losses for all parties involved. It undermines the spirit of sports and leaves even ordinary fans feeling disappointed, Luo noted.

Asked to comment on a recent article by Yanis Varoufakis, an economist and Greece's former finance minister, published on Project Syndicate, which pointed out that in order to hide their own failures, Western elites fabricated a false narrative that "China has cheated its way to prosperity," and that the reasons for China's economic success should be viewed from a more objective perspective, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Thursday that "I have also read this article. It is indeed well-reasoned, objective, and rational. I recommend everyone read it."

China's success is not accidental, nor is it achieved through "cheating." It is a reflection of the strength of China's system and the success of the Chinese path, Chinese philosophy, and Chinese model, the spokesperson stressed.

Local government in Gongchangling district in Liaoyang city, Northeast China's Liaoning Province issued a notice on Friday about a sacrificial ritual suspected of involving burying a real car, saying that the district government is handling the case seriously in accordance with the law regarding the individual's suspected violation of relevant laws and regulations.

The brand of the car was not identified in the notice. 

The notice came after a video clip of a funeral suspected of involving a Mercedes-Benz S450L with a rare license plate being buried as a grave good in Liaoyang aroused heated discussions  on the social media platform Sina Weibo on Thursday, according to a report by Chang'anjie Zhishi, a social media account run by the official newspaper Beijing Daily.  

After noticing acts such as replacing tombstones and burying a car during sacrificial activities in Wazigou village, an immediate investigation and response was launched, according to the notice posted on the public WeChat account "Gongchangling1027," the account of Gongchangling Convergence Media Center, a media platform of the local government.  

"According to preliminary verification, the person involved, surnamed Jin, buried the car illegally due to feudal superstition. Following criticism and education from relevant government departments, the individual has fully recognized his mistakes and is actively cooperating with the rectification," read the notice.

Given that the individual is suspected of violating relevant laws and regulations, the Gongchangling district government is handling the case seriously in accordance with laws and regulations, it said.

In the next step, the district will carry out investigations and rectifications of illegal acts in the funeral and interment field throughout the region, actively advocate changing outdated social mores, and resolutely prevent acts prohibited by laws and regulations or those that violate public order and good customs, according to the local government's notice.

In response to a media inquiry for more information of the visit by Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese Foreign Minister, to the DPRK at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at Thursday's press conference that, "Yesterday I introduced the relevant arrangements for Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to the DPRK. If there is any further information, we will release it in a timely manner, and you may also follow our updates. 

"I believe the two sides will discuss issues of mutual concern," Mao said. 

Mao said the previous day that Wang's visit is an important step by both sides to implement the consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and two countries and to promote the development of bilateral relations. China is willing to work with the DPRK to strengthen strategic communication, enhance exchanges and cooperation, and advance the traditional friendly and cooperative relations between China and the DPRK.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson announces:

Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi will chair the tenth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Anning, Yunnan from August 14 to 15. The Informal Discussion Between the Foreign Ministers of China, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Thailand will be held on the sidelines of the LMC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

Chinese entertainer Zhang Yiyang, accused of murdering his 16-year-old girlfriend in 2022, was executed on December 18 in 2024, according to a detailed investigation report recently released by the Intermediate People's Court of Xianyang in North Shaanxi Province. According to media report, this marks the first execution of an entertainer in China's entertainment industry.

According to the court's report, Zhang began dating the victim in September 2021. However, a dispute arose when his girlfriend proposed breaking up. Zhang had repeatedly threatened her with suicide and on February 26, 2022, Zhang attacked her with a folding knife in a wooded area in Xingping, Shaanxi, rupturing the girl's left carotid artery, jugular vein, trachea and esophagus, which ultimately led to her death due to massive bleeding.

After the muder, Zhang took away the girl's mobile phone and returned home by taxi, changing his cloth, discarding the weapon and related items in a reservoir to destroy evidence.

On the next day, Zhang attempted to commit suicide at a hotel but failed. He was discovered by hotel staffers, who reported to the police and sent him to the hospital. As a result, the case came to light, and the police subsequently arrested him.

After a court trial, Zhang was sentenced to death for "intentional homicide" and was deprived of political rights for life. After the first trial verdict, Zhang appealed, but the second court upheld the original judgment.

The police said that Zhang exhibited paranoid emotional and psychological conditions, with the motive for the crime stemming from long-standing resentment and an inability to accept the breakup, ultimately leading to the tragedy. The court believed that Zhang's actions were cruel and had produced a severe negative impact on society. He was sentenced to death, and the execution was carried out by shooting on December 18,2024.

Born in May 1990, Zhang had been in the industry for many years but remained relatively unknown, but due to his conviction for murder, he has become the first celebrity in the Chinese entertainment industry to be sentenced to death, media reports said.

South Korean Consulate General in Wuhan recently sent a letter to the city of Zhangjiajie in Central China's Hunan Province, expressing its highest respect for a bus driver who demonstrated exceptional professionalism by executing emergency measures to protect South Korean tourists in the coach at a critical moment before losing consciousness. The letter extended deep condolences to the driver's bereaved family, reported the Zhangjiajie Daily on Thursday.

The consulate stated that it learned of the incident, during which 11 South Korean tourists narrowly escaped harm in Zhangjiajie, a popular tourist destination, through local reports by the Zhangjiajie Daily, which was also covered by major South Korean TV networks and newspapers.

According to the newspaper, on the evening of June 29, Xiao Bo - the bus driver who was also a military veteran - was transporting 11 South Korean tourists and a guide back to Zhangjiajie. As the vehicle approached the viaduct on the Zhangnan Expressway in Yongshun county, Xiao suddenly fell critically ill. In his final moments before losing consciousness, he mustered extraordinary resolve to pull up, engage the handbrake and secure the vehicle, ensuring the safety of the passengers onboard. Despite three days of intensive medical efforts, Xiao succumbed to a brainstem hemorrhage and passed away on July 2. 

Xiao was posthumously honored as "Zhangjiajie Good Samaritan" by the city government, and his deed has drawn widespread acclaim. 

The report also noted that the letter from the consulate specifically acknowledged a local travel service company and its representative Kim Sung-joon for their consistent dedication to ensuring the safety of South Korean tourists, and a tour guide Kim Kwang-il, who acted swiftly and decisively on-site to prevent a major casualty accident.

The letter praised their professionalism as exemplifying transnational respect for life, attributing such standards to Zhangjiajie's longstanding emphasis on tourist safety. The consulate reaffirmed its commitment to close cooperation with Zhangjiajie authorities to enhance safety measures for South Korean visitors.

The China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda issued a stern statement on Friday, opposing online harassment targeting its staff and distorting the image of giant panda protection, and resisting the extreme fan culture, or "fanquan," warning that it will pursue legal action against individuals responsible for smearing its personnel and operations.

Since 2024, thanks to joint efforts by public security and cyberspace authorities, the online environment surrounding giant pandas has shown signs of improvement. However, we are deeply saddened to see that some individuals have recently continued to manipulate public opinion both domestically and overseas, smearing China's symbol of friendship—the giant panda—and relentlessly cyberbullying frontline panda staff online, said the statement. 

The center stated that whether under the guise of "public oversight," through online abuse and fan mobilization, or by fueling division to generate hype and pressure professionals to treat giant pandas merely as "cute pets," such unscientific and irrational online frenzies have misled large segments of the public—especially young people—and seriously infringed on the legal rights of staff, violating relevant laws and regulations. 

These actions, it emphasized, are a blatant affront to China's giant panda conservation efforts.

While welcoming public engagement and constructive supervision, the center firmly opposed extreme or illegal actions in the name of "love," rejected the intrusion of "fanquan" culture into wildlife conservation, and stated it would not accept any individual or group engaging in such behavior to be involved in its work.

The statement named several staff members who have become targets of online abuse. The center said it has initiated evidence collection and is working with authorities to hold offenders accountable through legal means. "There will be zero tolerance," it said.