分类： world

China’s strategic implementation of visa waiver policies has catalyzed a remarkable upswing in international travel, fostering deeper global connections and cultural exchanges. As of November 2025, Beijing’s ports have processed 19.35 million inbound and outbound travelers, reflecting an 18% year-on-year increase. Notably, foreign nationals accounted for 5.78 million of these movements, a staggering 35% rise, with 60% benefiting from visa exemption or temporary entry permits. This trend is mirrored across the nation. In Xiamen, Fujian province, passenger numbers exceeded 5.4 million, including a record-breaking 960,000 foreign nationals. Inland cities like Datong, Shanxi province, have also seen unprecedented growth, with annual passenger volumes surpassing 50,000, supported by new international air routes to Moscow and Seoul. Shen Wenjuan, head of the Gaoqi frontier inspection station, highlighted the role of innovative travel models such as ‘visa-free + cruise’ packages in driving this growth. Additionally, the introduction of an online arrival card system on November 20 has streamlined the entry process, allowing travelers to complete formalities before departure and present a QR code for swift clearance. Marcia Raquel, a Portuguese traveler at Beijing Daxing International Airport, praised the system’s efficiency. Since December 2023, China has progressively expanded its unilateral visa-free entry trials, initially for six countries, to now include 48 nations and establish mutual visa exemption agreements with 29 countries. Furthermore, the addition of 10 airports to the 24-hour direct transit ports list since November 5 has enhanced international connectivity, with 65 entry ports now offering 240-hour visa-free transit. These measures have significantly reshaped China’s global interactions, as evidenced by the National Immigration Administration’s report of 178 million inbound and outbound passenger trips in the third quarter of 2025, with Chinese mainland residents accounting for 89.37 million. This vibrant two-way flow underscores the success of China’s visa facilitation initiatives.

Rescue operations intensified across Indonesia’s Sumatra island Thursday as emergency teams battled challenging conditions to locate survivors of catastrophic monsoon-triggered flooding. The disaster has claimed at least 69 lives with 59 individuals still unaccounted for following torrential rains that submerged entire communities and triggered devastating landslides.

According to the National Disaster Management Agency, Tuesday’s extreme weather event caused rivers to overflow throughout North Sumatra province, sweeping away residents and submerging over 2,000 structures. The deluge forced nearly 5,000 inhabitants to evacuate to government-operated shelters as waters rapidly inundated mountainous villages.

Provincial police spokesperson Ferry Walintukan confirmed the rising death toll while highlighting significant operational challenges. ‘Mudslides, power outages, and compromised telecommunications infrastructure are severely hampering our search efforts,’ Walintukan stated, adding that the fatality count would likely increase as teams reach isolated areas.

The devastation extended across multiple regions with South Tapanuli district reporting 17 fatalities and Sibolga city documenting 8 deaths. In Central Tapanuli, landslide incidents claimed the lives of at least four family members, while Padang Sidempuan city reported one flood-related casualty.

Television footage captured rescue personnel employing jackhammers, industrial saws, and manual tools to dig through debris fields characterized by thick mud deposits, rock accumulations, and uprooted vegetation. Inflatable rescue boats navigated swollen rivers to evacuate stranded residents, including children and elderly individuals who had sought refuge on rooftops.

The crisis extended beyond North Sumatra with neighboring provinces reporting significant impacts. Central Aceh district recorded nine fatalities from Wednesday landslides, with district chief Halili Yoga requesting excavator equipment to recover at least two individuals buried under mud. The Aceh Disaster Mitigation Agency reported approximately 47,000 residents displaced by flooding, with 1,500 requiring emergency shelter.

West Sumatra province experienced particularly severe impacts with Padang Pariaman district documenting over 3,300 submerged homes and 12,000 evacuated residents. Rescue teams near Anai Valley Waterfall recovered seven bodies, including one child, from debris fields. In Agam district’s Malalak village, relief coordinator Hendri confirmed 10 fatalities with five residents still missing.

Survivor Lingga Sari described the terrifying moment floodwaters struck her community while she was attempting to soothe her restless infant. ‘A progressively intensifying rumbling sound preceded the sudden torrent that forced us to evacuate toward higher ground,’ she recounted.

Agam district chief Benny Warlis reported approximately 200 residents remain isolated in landslide-affected Jorong Taboh village, with all access routes completely blocked. ‘We face considerable difficulties verifying casualty data due to the complete isolation of this mountainous community,’ Warlis explained.

Indonesia’s geographical vulnerability to seasonal precipitation patterns between October and March regularly produces flooding and landslide incidents across its 17,000 islands, where significant populations reside in flood-prone valleys and mountainous terrain.

The highly anticipated Gaza reconstruction conference, initially scheduled for November in Cairo, has been postponed indefinitely due to escalating violence in Gaza and the West Bank. This delay has cast a shadow of uncertainty over the next phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly had previously confirmed Egypt’s readiness to host the event during his speech at the G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, but did not specify a date. According to Arabic outlet Asharq Al-Awsat, an Egyptian source revealed that the conference’s postponement stems from the ongoing Israeli escalation and repeated violations, which have left many countries demanding guarantees against future destruction in Gaza. These guarantees remain unsecured, further complicating the situation. Recent weeks have seen both Israel and Hamas accusing each other of breaching the truce, with the United Nations and various media outlets reporting Israeli strikes resulting in civilian casualties, including children. The Israel Defense Forces have justified their actions by claiming that Hamas fighters are emerging from underground tunnels and posing threats to their troops. Meanwhile, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office has emphasized that Hamas must uphold its commitments to mediators and return all hostages, including the remains of two captives still missing in Gaza. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged parties to maintain the ceasefire and capitalize on the diplomatic momentum, describing the October agreement as a ‘glimmer of hope.’ However, the postponement of the Cairo conference coincides with a new UN report highlighting the dire economic crisis in the occupied Palestinian Territory, which has erased 69 years of human development. The report estimates that the cost of Gaza’s reconstruction exceeds $70 billion, placing it among the top 10 worst global economic crises since 1960. Omer Behram Ozdemir, a lecturer at Ibn Haldun University in Turkiye, stressed that prolonged negotiations have exacerbated Gaza’s infrastructure damage and eroded its commercial potential. He called for significant funding from Gulf countries and Egypt to restore normalcy in Gaza, emphasizing that mere reconstruction of the city will not suffice.