标签： Asia

Colombo’s Elphinstone Theatre became a vibrant hub for cultural exchange on December 3, 2025, as Sri Lanka hosted the “China Culture Day – Wushu 2025” event. The gathering brought together martial arts enthusiasts and dignitaries for an immersive celebration of Chinese martial traditions amidst challenging circumstances.

The spectacle featured a diverse array of wushu demonstrations spanning over sixty minutes. Audiences witnessed the meditative grace of tai chi, the dynamic precision of broadsword and staff techniques, and the theatrical flair of Drunken Fist and Drunken Sword performances. The program also included thrilling Sanda combat demonstrations and charming presentations by children’s wushu groups, collectively showcasing the philosophical and physical depth of Chinese martial arts.

Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong emphasized the event’s significance during difficult times, noting that wushu embodies the Chinese philosophy of balancing strength with softness while promoting harmony and coexistence. He expressed heartfelt condolences for Sri Lanka’s recent natural disasters and highlighted the assistance provided by Chinese society to help the island nation recover from devastating floods.

Sunil Kumara Gamage, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, acknowledged China’s generous support during the crisis and expressed hope for strengthened sports cooperation between the nations. The event attracted over 500 guests and served as a powerful demonstration of mutual support and cultural solidarity between China and Sri Lanka.

Xiamen has emerged as a paradigm of ecological restoration through its innovative coastal governance initiatives, as demonstrated during the recent 2025 Xiamen Internet All-Media Tour held December 3-4. Media representatives witnessed firsthand the remarkable transformation of the city’s coastline, particularly at two flagship conservation sites: the picturesque Huandong Romantic Coast and the ecologically significant Xiatanwei Mangrove Park.

The Huandong Romantic Coast now showcases pristine blue skies, expansive sandy beaches, and lush greenery where degraded landscapes once existed. This scenic coastline represents just one facet of Xiamen’s comprehensive ecological modernization program. Meanwhile, Xiatanwei Mangrove Park demonstrates how coastal wetlands can simultaneously function as natural barriers against erosion while providing critical habitat for diverse wildlife species.

Located in Fujian province on China’s eastern coast, Xiamen has achieved remarkable progress in ecological civilization construction—a holistic approach that integrates environmental protection with sustainable development. The city’s methodology combines advanced environmental science with community engagement, creating recreational spaces that also serve vital ecological functions.

The successful rehabilitation of these coastal areas illustrates how urban centers can effectively balance development with environmental stewardship. Xiamen’s model offers valuable insights for other cities seeking to address coastal degradation while enhancing biodiversity and creating public amenities that benefit both residents and visitors alike. This transformation positions Xiamen as a leading example of how determined environmental policy can revitalize urban coastal ecosystems within a relatively short timeframe.

HARBIN—The annual ice harvesting ceremony commenced on the frozen expanse of the Songhua River this Sunday, heralding the beginning of Harbin’s vibrant winter tourism season. Dozens of workers, clad in traditional red cotton coats, meticulously carved and extracted glistening ice slabs from the river’s surface using metal chisels and iron poles. These blocks, prized for their remarkable clarity and uniform density, measure approximately 1.6 meters in length and 0.8 meters in width.

The harvested ice will serve as the foundational material for the Harbin Ice-Snow World, the planet’s largest ice and snow theme park. This year’s edition promises unprecedented scale, spanning 1.2 million square meters and utilizing 400,000 cubic meters of ice and snow. According to Sun Zemin, deputy director of marketing at Harbin Ice-Snow World Park Co., Ltd., the park will introduce innovative attractions including hot spring camps, cross-country skiing tracks, and themed parades.

The timing of the harvest coincides with Daxue, or Major Snow, a traditional Chinese solar term indicating the arrival of deep winter. Meteorological experts confirm that river ice typically reaches optimal harvesting thickness of over 30 centimeters during this period.

The event attracted substantial crowds of local residents and international tourists, including Russian student Alina Dorokhina, who described the ceremony as “stunning” and noted the warmth and vitality of Harbin’s folk traditions despite the cold environment.

Harbin’s winter tourism strategy has generated remarkable economic returns. Last winter, the city welcomed 90.35 million visitors, generating 137.22 billion yuan (approximately $19.4 billion) in revenue—a 16.6% year-on-year increase. Wang Hongxin, director of Harbin’s culture, radio, television, and tourism department, emphasized plans to integrate ice and snow with educational tours, sports, and technology to enhance the city’s appeal as a premier winter destination.

This development aligns with China’s national strategy to expand its ice-and-snow economy, targeting 1.2 trillion yuan by 2027 and 1.5 trillion yuan by 2030. The northeastern region, historically known as China’s rustbelt, is experiencing revitalization through winter tourism. Heilongjiang province alone reported a 266.17 billion yuan ice-and-snow market in 2024, with tourism contributing 182.33 billion yuan.

Chinese authorities have mobilized an emergency response team to northwest China’s Xinjiang region following a series of devastating highway collisions that resulted in multiple casualties. The incident occurred Saturday evening around 10 p.m. local time along an expressway in Usu City, located within Tacheng Prefecture, where rapidly deteriorating weather conditions triggered a chain-reaction accident involving twelve vehicles.

The catastrophic event unfolded as sudden, dense fog combined with sub-zero temperatures created dangerously icy road surfaces within minutes. The resulting low visibility and slippery conditions led to sequential impacts involving five large commercial vehicles and seven passenger cars traveling along the affected highway segments.

China’s Ministry of Emergency Management confirmed the dispatch of a specialized working group to coordinate rescue operations and provide on-site support. Official reports indicate the collisions resulted in nine fatalities and seven individuals sustaining injuries of varying severity.

Emergency management officials have emphasized the implementation of scientifically organized rescue protocols to prevent secondary accidents while prioritizing medical treatment for the injured. The ministry has additionally called for a comprehensive investigation to determine the exact sequence of events and identify contributing factors to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Local authorities continue to manage the aftermath of the incident while examining regional highway safety protocols, particularly regarding rapid weather changes in the area’s challenging winter conditions.