分类： society

China’s tourism landscape is soaring to new heights with the rise of ‘CityFly,’ a trend that is transforming how travelers experience the country. Moving beyond traditional sightseeing, this innovative approach embraces low-altitude activities such as paragliding, skydiving, and scenic helicopter rides, offering thrill-seekers a vertical perspective of urban and natural landscapes. Emerging as a successor to the popular ‘Citywalk’ trend, CityFly is rapidly gaining traction among young Chinese travelers, driven by the nation’s booming low-altitude economy. In Zhejiang province, for instance, paragliding has evolved from a niche adventure to a mainstream attraction. Li Duo, a Shanghai resident in her early 20s, described her first paragliding experience as ‘breathtaking,’ gliding over bamboo forests and tea gardens on Mogan Mountain. Yang Aiping, manager of the paragliding base, reported a tenfold increase in visitors since 2019, with over 100,000 participants this year. The trend is not limited to Zhejiang. In Sanya, Hainan province, skydiving has become a major draw, with a 20% year-on-year increase in customers during the first quarter of 2025. Official data reveals that Sanya’s low-altitude tourism sector served 287,000 tourists in the first half of 2024, generating 730 million yuan in revenue and creating 2,300 jobs. Zhao Yuehua, an aviation industry expert, attributes this surge to China’s rapidly developing low-altitude economy, which has reduced flight costs from 3,000 yuan per person a decade ago to around 1,000 yuan today. The sector’s growth has been further bolstered by its inclusion in the 2024 government work report, positioning it as a key economic driver. Projections indicate that the low-altitude economy will reach a market size of 1.5 trillion yuan by 2025 and expand to 3.5 trillion yuan by 2035. With 89,000 active enterprises in the sector, including 11,700 new registrations in the first five months of 2025, CityFly is reshaping China’s tourism industry, offering travelers a three-dimensional experience and injecting new vitality into the market.

China’s Supreme People’s Court has reinforced its commitment to stringent firearm and explosive control, highlighting the judiciary’s dedication to eradicating gun-related threats and ensuring public safety. In a recent announcement, the court unveiled six pivotal cases to underscore the necessity of combating gun-related crimes, particularly those involving modified weapons. The court has urged judges across the nation to prioritize the protection of citizens’ lives and property. The court emphasized that firearms, ammunition, and explosives can exacerbate criminal activities, potentially leading to severe violent incidents and widespread public fear. It stressed the importance of rigorous control over such items and a firm judicial stance against related offenses. The disclosed cases primarily involved nail guns, which have increasingly been modified into firearms in certain regions, resulting in serious injuries. Nail guns, commonly used in construction and renovation, are designed to drive fasteners into materials using compressed air, gas, or electricity. However, their ease of modification has led to their misuse as firearms, posing significant public safety risks. In one notable case, two hardware store operators in Qidong, Jiangsu province, knowingly modified and sold nail guns equipped with metal plates, enabling them to fire metal projectiles. The pair sold 36 such devices, earning a profit of 16,324 yuan ($2,290). The local court classified the modified nail guns as firearms under the Criminal Law, sentencing one defendant to 11 years and the other to 12 years in prison. The Supreme People’s Court affirmed that the ruling reflects the judiciary’s unwavering stance against firearm-related crimes, aiming to prevent gun violence, enhance public safety, and maintain social stability. While the court advocates severe penalties for such offenses, it also noted that individuals who collect firearms as a hobby and voluntarily surrender them may receive leniency if they have not engaged in illegal activities or caused harm. The court further encouraged public awareness and reporting of gun-related information to law enforcement.

For over four decades, Song Hengchun and his family have dedicated their lives to maintaining the cleanliness of the Zhaozhuang reservoir in Dongzhaozhuang village, Yiyuan county, Shandong province. The reservoir, constructed in the 1960s, plays a vital role in irrigating local farms and sustaining surrounding communities. In the 1980s, Song, then 30 years old, left his urban job to return to his hometown and take on the responsibility of safeguarding the reservoir. His commitment soon became a family affair, with his wife and later his son joining him in this noble endeavor. Together, they conduct regular inspections of the water quality and, during flood seasons, navigate the reservoir by boat to remove debris and trash. In 2014, Song was officially appointed as the river chief, a role that further solidified his dedication to the reservoir. This past June, his son succeeded him as river chief, ensuring the family’s legacy of environmental stewardship continues for generations.

Zhaotong, a city in Yunnan province, has emerged as a beacon of rural revitalization, leveraging its unique agricultural products to drive economic growth and improve living standards. Once part of China’s 832 poverty-stricken counties, Yiliang, a county within Zhaotong, has transformed its fortunes through the cultivation of specialty crops such as gastrodia elata, apples, and Sichuan peppers. The city now leads Yunnan in agricultural output, with last year’s total value exceeding 150 billion yuan ($21.06 billion) and projected to reach 180 billion yuan this year.

Delhi, India’s capital, faced a severe air quality crisis following the Diwali festival, as firecrackers exacerbated the city’s already toxic atmosphere. Despite a Supreme Court directive to use less-polluting ‘green’ fireworks and restrict their use to specific time slots, residents defied the orders, bursting traditional firecrackers late into the night. On Tuesday, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi reached 360, categorizing the air as ‘very poor.’ The AQI measures PM 2.5 levels—fine particulate matter that can cause respiratory and other health issues. The World Health Organization recommends PM 2.5 levels should not exceed 15 micrograms per cubic meter over 24 hours, but Delhi’s levels were 24 times higher in some areas. The city’s pollution problem intensifies during winter due to crop stubble burning in neighboring states and low wind speeds that trap pollutants. Although firecrackers were banned in Delhi since 2020, enforcement has been lax, and traditional crackers were openly sold in shops. Critics argue that even ‘green’ crackers, which emit 20-30% fewer pollutants, still release harmful substances. Residents reported thick smog and poor visibility, with many expressing resignation over the recurring issue. Experts fear that relaxing rules around firecrackers could undermine efforts to raise awareness about air pollution dangers. Authorities have implemented measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to curb emissions, but the situation remains dire.

New Delhi, India’s bustling capital, was shrouded in a thick layer of smog on Tuesday, following the vibrant celebrations of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. The revelry, marked by the widespread use of fireworks, exacerbated the city’s already precarious air quality, pushing pollution levels to hazardous heights. By Tuesday morning, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in several neighborhoods had soared above 350, a threshold classified as ‘severe’ by the World Health Organization (WHO), posing significant health risks to the city’s inhabitants. The dense haze reduced visibility, obscuring streets, high-rise buildings, and historical landmarks, leaving residents and tourists alike in dismay. ‘I have never seen anything like this before. We can’t see anything here because of pollution,’ remarked Vedant Pachkande, a visitor to the city. Despite the Indian Supreme Court’s recent decision to permit the use of ‘green firecrackers’—designed to reduce emissions by approximately 30%—during specific hours, the regulation was largely ignored, mirroring the pattern of previous years. New Delhi, home to over 30 million people, consistently ranks among the world’s most polluted cities, particularly during the winter months when Diwali fireworks, crop residue burning, and stagnant weather conditions converge. Authorities have implemented temporary measures, such as restricting construction activities and diesel generator usage, but environmentalists argue that long-term solutions, including cleaner energy sources and stricter vehicle emission controls, are imperative to address the annual pollution crisis. A recent study published in Scientific Reports highlighted the broader implications of rising air pollution, noting a steady decline in sunshine hours across India, which could adversely affect solar power generation, agricultural productivity, and public health.

A tragic incident unfolded in Wellington, New Zealand, on Tuesday as a man lost his life after being struck by a falling tree branch amidst severe stormy weather. The victim, who was injured on Mount Victoria—a popular trail in the city—succumbed to his injuries, highlighting the dangers posed by the tempest. The storm, characterized by ferocious winds reaching speeds of up to 120 kph (75 mph) in Kelburn, wreaked havoc across the capital and neighboring regions. Wellington, already renowned for its gusty conditions, experienced winds that were exceptionally strong even by its standards. The adverse weather disrupted air travel, with flights into and out of Wellington canceled for several hours before resuming under turbulent conditions. Passenger ferry services were also suspended. Authorities issued warnings urging residents to avoid parks and reserves due to the risk of falling trees. A dashcam video captured a pedestrian being blown into the road by a powerful gust, narrowly escaping oncoming traffic. The storm’s impact extended beyond the capital, with approximately 10,000 properties in the rural Wairarapa region left without electricity. Schools and businesses in the area were forced to close for the day. The lower North Island, including Wellington, and much of the South Island were under wind or rain warnings throughout Tuesday. In Christchurch, gales disrupted flights in the afternoon. State highways on both islands faced closures due to flooding and landslides, while in Hawkes Bay, a truck was overturned by the wind, injuring one person and shutting down the road. New Zealand’s geographical location in the southern latitudes, coupled with its mountainous terrain, often leads to extreme weather conditions. MetService indicated that the storm would ease by Wednesday, but a more severe weather system was anticipated to hit on Thursday.