分类： society

Two French adventurers, Loic and Benjamin, have successfully concluded an extraordinary 400-day journey on foot from France to China, covering more than 10,000 kilometers across diverse terrains and cultures. Their remarkable expedition, which commenced in September 2024, took them through over ten countries before finally reaching Chinese soil.

Throughout their arduous trek, the pair experienced firsthand the renowned hospitality of the Chinese people, often receiving unexpected kindness from complete strangers. They expressed particular admiration for China’s striking contrasts between ultramodern urban centers and breathtaking natural landscapes, noting the country’s impressive cultural richness and geographical variety.

“China has revealed itself to be both diverse and profoundly warm,” the travelers remarked, reflecting on their experiences navigating through various Chinese regions. Their journey not only served as a physical challenge but also as an immersive cultural exchange, allowing them to witness the rapid development and traditional heritage that coexist within contemporary China.

As they approach their final destination of Shanghai, the French walkers continue to document their observations of China’s unique blend of ancient traditions and cutting-edge modernity. Their expedition stands as a testament to human perseverance and the power of cross-cultural understanding through direct engagement with different societies and environments.

The remote village of Saihantaohai, nestled within Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region’s Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, is poised to emerge from isolation as new transportation infrastructure reaches completion. Located in Hejing county at a remarkable elevation of 2,400 meters, this secluded settlement will become significantly more accessible to visitors when new highway and expressway connections open next year.

Saihantaohai, whose Mongolian name translates to ‘beautiful valley,’ resides deep within the expansive Bayanbulak Grassland, surrounded by dramatic snow-capped mountains. The village’s stunning natural environment features towering spruce forests that rise like layered pagodas and a meandering river that cuts through lush meadows and woodlands. This pristine habitat supports rare wildlife including the Tianshan red deer (Cervus elaphus songaricus), which can occasionally be spotted grazing or moving through the landscape.

The enhanced connectivity represents a strategic development initiative that will facilitate tourism growth while providing economic opportunities for local residents. By reducing travel barriers to this previously isolated region, authorities aim to showcase Saihantaohai’s unique ecological and cultural attributes to a broader audience. The transportation improvements are expected to create sustainable tourism pathways that balance visitor access with environmental preservation in this fragile high-altitude ecosystem.

A 13-year-old girl from China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region has become an internet sensation after executing a daring rescue of a young child from freezing lake waters. Li Jiating, a resident of Wuzhong city, demonstrated extraordinary courage on December 6th when she encountered a life-threatening emergency at approximately 3:00 pm.

While cycling near a local lake, Li witnessed a critical situation unfolding—a 4-year-old boy had broken through thin ice and fallen into the frigid water. Multiple bystanders had already contacted emergency services but remained hesitant to attempt direct rescue due to concerns about the unstable ice conditions.

Displaying remarkable presence of mind, Li assessed the situation and volunteered for the rescue mission, declaring “I’m lightweight. Let me save him!” She strategically employed a plastic pipe as her primary rescue tool, carefully maneuvering across the precarious ice surface to maintain both her safety and that of the victim.

The ingenious rescue operation saw Li extending the pipe toward the struggling toddler while maintaining a safe distance from the compromised ice area. She successfully guided the child to grasp the implement and systematically pulled him to secure ground. Emergency responders arrived shortly after to provide medical attention to both children.

Local authorities and netizens nationwide have celebrated Li’s quick thinking and selfless actions. The People’s Daily official WeChat account featured images of the thoroughly soaked but triumphant teenager following her heroic intervention. The incident has sparked widespread discussions about youth bravery and emergency response preparedness in winter conditions.

In a landmark demonstration of China’s intensified anti-corruption campaign, former China Huarong International Holdings general manager Bai Tianhui was executed on Tuesday, December 9, 2025. The execution followed the Supreme People’s Court’s final validation of his death sentence for accepting bribes exceeding 1.1 billion yuan ($156 million).

The Tianjin No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court carried out the sentence after formally notifying Bai of the supreme court’s decision and granting him a final meeting with family members. This concludes a legal process that began with his initial conviction on May 28, 2024, when he received the death penalty, lifetime deprivation of political rights, and confiscation of all personal assets.

According to judicial authorities, between 2014 and 2018, Bai systematically exploited his executive positions to illicitly benefit certain entities in project acquisitions and corporate financing operations. The Supreme People’s Court characterized the case as exceptionally severe, noting the ‘extremely large’ bribe amounts, ‘extremely serious’ offense circumstances, ‘extremely negative’ social impact, and ‘extremely huge’ losses to national and public interests.

The case represents the second major execution within China Huarong Asset Management’s leadership, following the 2021 execution of former chairman Lai Xiaomin for accepting 1.78 billion yuan in bribes. China’s legal framework requires all death sentences to undergo mandatory review by the Supreme People’s Court before execution, ensuring judicial oversight of capital punishment cases.

This development occurs amidst heightened judicial scrutiny of corruption cases, with top courts recently demanding severe penalties for grassroots corruption offenses, signaling continued commitment to anti-graft measures across all levels of society.

In a sweeping crackdown on transnational organized crime, China’s Ministry of Public Security has launched an international manhunt for 100 high-profile fugitives allegedly orchestrating massive telecom and internet fraud operations. The unprecedented operation, announced on December 9, 2025, targets the masterminds and key operatives behind sophisticated criminal networks that have preyed upon Chinese citizens through elaborate financial scams.

Among the most sought individuals are four family-based syndicate leaders operating from northern Myanmar: Wu Qiping, Wu Qingzheng, Fu Xiaobin, and Ou Changhua. These criminal enterprises have allegedly established sophisticated operations beyond China’s borders, leveraging foreign sanctuaries to coordinate long-term fraudulent activities targeting mainland citizens.

According to investigative findings, these networks have orchestrated complex financial deception schemes resulting in enormous monetary losses for victims. The ministry characterized these operations as particularly malicious in nature, with evidence indicating systematic organization and recruitment of personnel specifically for fraudulent activities.

Multiple municipal public security bureaus across China—including those in Hangzhou, Wenzhou, Quanzhou, Longyan, Pingdingshan, Shenzhen, Kunming, and Chongqing—have jointly issued reward notices for information leading to captures. The coordinated effort demonstrates the national priority being placed on combating cross-border financial crimes.

Authorities are simultaneously pursuing a dual approach: encouraging voluntary surrender with promises of lenient treatment while mobilizing public assistance through financial incentives for information. The ministry emphasized that individuals providing credible intelligence or assistance in apprehending suspects will receive legal protection and monetary rewards, signaling a comprehensive strategy combining law enforcement action with community engagement.

A devastating fire erupted at a seven-story commercial building in central Jakarta on Tuesday afternoon, resulting in at least 22 fatalities as rescue operations continue. The tragedy struck during lunch hour when numerous employees were present inside the structure.

Jakarta Police Chief Susatyo Purnomo Condro confirmed the blaze originated from a lithium battery explosion on the ground floor before rapidly ascending through the building’s upper levels. The property housed a drone manufacturing and services company that specializes in aerial surveying, mapping, and industrial inspections.

Authorities reported a disproportionate number of female victims among the deceased, including one pregnant woman. Preliminary investigations suggest smoke inhalation rather than burns caused most fatalities, as thick toxic fumes quickly filled the upper floors where many workers became trapped.

Fire and rescue services deployed 28 fire engines and approximately 100 personnel to combat the intense blaze. Dramatic rescue operations unfolded as firefighters used aerial ladders to evacuate stranded employees from smoke-engulfed windows. Despite extinguishing the flames, emergency teams face significant challenges accessing the sixth floor where structural integrity remains compromised.

The Jakarta Globe reported rescue teams have completed initial sweeps of lower floors and are now concentrating search efforts on upper levels. Identification procedures for recovered victims are underway while authorities continue gathering comprehensive casualty data.

The incident highlights growing concerns about lithium battery safety in commercial settings, particularly in buildings housing technology companies. This represents one of Jakarta’s deadliest office building fires in recent years, raising questions about emergency preparedness and safety protocols in Indonesian commercial structures.

Chinese authorities have initiated nationwide investigations following the revelation that multiple government documents contained fabricated names directly copied from an online database, exposing systemic flaws in bureaucratic oversight mechanisms.

The scandal emerged when five names—Zhang Jiwei, Lin Guorui, Lin Wenshu, Lin Yanan, and Jiang Yiyun—appeared as expert evaluators for a major government procurement project in Hubei province. Astute internet users discovered these names matched, in identical sequence, the top entries from Baidu’s widely circulated ‘10,000 Common Chinese Names’ database.

Subsequent investigations revealed these fictitious identities have been systematically reused across China in various official contexts since at least 2019. The names have appeared as recipients of university grants in Zhejiang, violators of minor street regulations in Liaoning, and even winners of cultural competitions, earning them the unofficial title of ‘the internet’s five busiest people.’

Legal experts have raised serious concerns about the practice. Huang Dong, a Guangzhou-based commercial litigation lawyer, told China Daily that using fabricated names in official procedures constitutes multiple legal violations, including breaches of China’s Government Procurement Law and Administrative Penalty Law. He warned that responsible officials could face disciplinary action for dereliction of duty and potentially criminal charges for bid rigging if the practice concealed collusive tendering.

State media commentary has characterized the scandal as symptomatic of deeper ‘formalism’ within bureaucracy, where procedures are performed for appearance rather than substance. Professor Liu Dongchao of the National Academy of Governance suggested the phenomenon reflects an overly complex administrative system that prioritizes procedural compliance over substantive outcomes, creating incentives for fraudulent paperwork.

Multiple local governments have canceled affected projects, issued public apologies, and pledged accountability. Reform advocates are calling for implementation of verifiable authenticity standards, independent third-party reviews for major projects, and increased use of AI and big data to detect anomalies in public documentation.