With a US general again hyping the significance of the US Army's mid-range missile deployment in the Philippines, experts said on Tuesday that the US' move is militarizing the region and harming the interests of all countries in vicinity.

The US Army's recent deployment of a mid-range missile system to the northern Philippines was "incredibly important and allowed American and Filipino forces to jointly train for the potential usage of such heavy weaponry in Asian archipelago conditions," US Major General Marcus Evans, Commanding General of the Hawaii-based 25th Infantry Division, said on Monday, the AP reported.

The US Army deployed the Typhon missile system to the northern Philippines as part of joint combat exercises in April with Philippine troops, the AP reported. It is a land-based weapon that can fire the Standard Missile-6 and the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile.

The Typhon missile system was supposed to be flown out of the Philippines last month, but the two countries agreed to keep the missile system in the northern Philippines indefinitely, according to the report.

The Typhon missile system would be considered a banned weapon had the US not withdrawn from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, as the deployment of such mid-range missiles on other countries' doorsteps would inevitably compress the reaction time of air defense and pose significant threat, a Beijing-based military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Tuesday.

The US deploying mid-range missiles could lead to arms races, tensions, and militarization of the region, which serve the interests of no country in the region, including the Philippines itself, the expert said.

Some Filipino experts have called for the withdrawal of the Typhon, as Anna Malindog-Uy, vice president of the Manila-based think tank Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute, said that the US deployment suggests an offensive strategy rather than mere defense, and the risks of an arms race, diplomatic rifts and military escalation are real and evident, the Xinhua News Agency previously reported.

Wilson Lee Flores, a columnist for The Philippine Star, said in the Xinhua report that the deployment is unfortunate and worrisome because it might trigger an unhealthy arms race throughout Asia and increase geopolitics tensions among major countries and regional countries. 

As the third International Summit on BDS Applications opened in Zhuzhou, Central China's Hunan Province on Thursday, showcasing the latest technological achievements and application cases of China's independently-developed BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), industry insiders hailed the vast potential of BDS application as being "limited only by human imagination," while anticipating its future integration with other advanced technology such as artificial intelligence. 

"BDS applications are rapidly expanding across key sectors of China's national economy, with coverage rates surpassing 90 percent in areas such as transportation, energy, natural resources and emergency response," said Xiang Libin, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission and an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The two-day summit has attracted more than 1,800 Chinese and international researchers, entrepreneurs and officials from various fields, including satellite systems, rockets, operation control, and data applications. It also housed foreign representatives from countries including African Union members, Russia, Laos, South Korea, France, and Cote d'Ivoire.

Approximately 12,000 square meters of indoor demonstration area and an outdoor display area of about 2,000 square meters have been set up to exhibit the latest technologies and applications of the BDS. 

The demonstration zone featured application scenarios for intelligent transportation, general aviation, engineering machinery, smart logistics, smart cities, and public applications. 

A bluebook on the development of the BDS industry was also released during Thursday's opening ceremony. "BDS services and related products have been exported to more than 130 countries, providing users with diversified choices and better application experience and promoting industrial development," the bluebook stated, Xinhua News Agency reported.

In the 1990s, as the US' GPS and Russia's GLONASS each launched over 20 satellites to complete global networking, China made a major strategic decision to independently develop a navigation system of its own in 1994.  

Over the past 30 years, from Beidou-1 to Beidou-3, from dual-satellite positioning to global networking, and from covering the Asia-Pacific region to serving the entire world, China's BDS has become one of the four global satellite navigation systems recognized by the United Nations, serving users in over 200 countries and regions, according to media reports.

'From afar to our side'

How is BDS related to the everyday lives of ordinary people? To many, the launching of satellites and the forming of communication network still seems "high-end, complex, and far away." 

In fact, the smartphones are almost all equipped with BDS chips in China. In Chinese people's daily lives, apps related to online shopping, food delivery, taxi-hailing, and sharing bikes all feature BDS technology to varying degrees.

In 2022, Huawei launched the Mate 50 series, which integrated the short message communication function of the BDS, allowing users to send messages and location even without a phone signal. In 2023, the Huawei's Mate 60 Pro became the world's first phone to feature satellite calling, accelerating the push for satellite communication to become a standard feature in smartphones amid widespread acclaim.

In another scenario, smart vehicles equipped with BDS' high-precision positioning and navigation that travel on "smart roads" while transmitting data to a cloud service will enable real-time dynamic information interaction between vehicles and roads. 

Moreover, China is vigorously implementing 10 major projects to deepen the large-scale application of BDS, carrying out demonstrations and achieving extensive use in fields such as construction machinery, modern agriculture, disaster prevention and mitigation, and smart cities.

The BDS is widely utilized in various fields such as power grid management, high-speed rail operations, and even stock market trading, signifying that it has become an integral part of our infrastructure - yet its presence is often unnoticed, much like electricity or water supply, Kang Guohua, a professor of Aerospace Engineering at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

Speaking of its future potential, Kang said BDS serves as the foundation of the future information world, essential for providing time and space data. 

"Its applications are limited only by our imagination, and it can be integrated with various advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence," the expert noted.

A cylindrical object was found floating at Weihai International Bathing Beach in Weihai, and was late identified as a torpedo from the late period of the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895). It is now permanently housed in the Museum of Sino-Japanese War 1894-1895, according to the Weihai City Public Security Bureau in East China's Shandong Province on Thursday.

Recently, a police station under the Weihai City Public Security Bureau received a report from a citizen named Zhang Tingwei about an unknown cylindrical object floating in the sea at Xiao Yao Wan International Bathing Beach. 

Upon receiving the report, police officers immediately went to the scene where locals had already dragged the mysterious object to shore.

The heavily corroded cylindrical object, carrying resembling device with propulsion function and marked with serial numbers, was suspected to be an old torpedo.

For safety, the police quickly evacuated the public and contacted the Museum of Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895).

After a preliminary assessment, the object was confirmed to be a historical artifact from the modern era and was secured for further examination. Experts finally confirmed that the torpedo dates back to the late First Sino-Japanese War and has been permanently collected by the Museum of Sino-Japanese War 1894-1895.

China on Friday expressed grave concerns and strong condemnation over the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF)'s attack on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) observation tower, which injured UNIFIL personnel. 

"Any deliberate attack on UN peacekeepers is a serious violation of international humanitarian law and UNSC Resolution 1701. It is absolutely unacceptable and shall be put to an immediate stop," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday.

Many UN member states have voiced similar condemnation and concerns, which observers believe reflects a strong and common dissatisfaction and opposition from the international community regarding the impact and provocation against the authority of the UN, international law, and the international order.

UNIFIL said on Thursday that an Israeli tank fired on a watchtower in its headquarters in Naqoura, southern Lebanon, injuring two members. 

According to China Central Television, China's 22nd batch of peacekeeping troops in Lebanon is safe and in good condition so far.

"We request investigation into the incident, effort to bring relevant people to account and measures to prevent such incident from happening again. Parties to the conflict must earnestly ensure the safety and security of all UN personnel and property, including the UNIFIL," Mao said.   

"China urges parties concerned, Israel in particular, to take immediate measures to deescalate tensions, ensure the safety of UN peacekeeping personnel, and prevent the conflict from further expanding or even spiraling out of control," Mao said.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday condemned Israeli forces attack in south Lebanon that injured two Indonesian military personnel who are members of the UNIFIL. "I condemn the fact that there was a shooting against a UN premise, wounding two peacekeepers, which is a violation of international humanitarian law," the UN secretary general said.

At the UN Security Council Briefing on the Lebanese-Israeli Situation on Thursday local time, China's permanent representative to the UN, Fu Cong, also said that China expresses grave concerns and strong condemnation regarding the IDF's attack, which resulted in injuries to UNIFIL personnel.

Since the latest round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict broke out last year, Israel has increasingly expressed dissatisfaction with the UN mechanism, often labeling the UN as "anti-Israel," and the relationship between Israel and the UN has also become increasingly tense, observers said. 

Italy officially protested with Israel on Thursday for targeting UNIFIL deployed in south Lebanon, which hosts UNIFIL headquarters and two Italian bases. Italy's Defense Minister Guido Crosetto contacted his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant to complain, describing the events as "unacceptable to the Italian government."

Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said Moscow fully supports the security of peacekeepers, who are being subjected to "unpredictable risks" due to Israel's presence on the Blue Line. "We all understand that this is a war crime. It deserves the most decisive reaction from all of us," Nebenzya reportedly told a UN Security Council meeting on Thursday.

France's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs condemned the attack and said it was waiting for an explanation from Israel as to why it took place. "France expresses its deep concern following the Israeli shots that hit [UNIFIL] and condemns any attack on the security of UNIFIL," the ministry said in a statement.

Israel's attack on UNIFIL has been met with strong condemnation from the international community, including some Western countries, indicating a strong common opposition to such disregard for international law and order, Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times.

According to Niu Xinchun, executive director of the China-Arab Research Institute of Ningxia University, Israel's attack, which also undermines the authority of the UN and the safety of UN peacekeeping personnel, has further intensified the dissatisfaction of the international community.

Notably, among the global reactions, the White House said the US was deeply concerned by reports that Israeli forces fired on UN positions and was pressing Israel for details, according to Reuters.

Observers believe that the statements from the US may reflect a sense of helplessness, which also highlights the duality in its policy toward Israel - supporting and indulging it on one hand, while on the other having disagreements on many issues and not wanting to be drawn into the conflict. "Therefore, the US stance is kind of weak and may lack significant practical meaning," Liu said.

China's State Council Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office congratulated Sam Hou Fai on being elected by an overwhelming majority as the sixth-term chief executive designate of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Sunday.

The successfully concluded election is "significant" for implementing the principle of "patriots administering Macao" and advancing the successful practice of "one country, two systems" with Macao characteristics, the office said in an article posted on its website.

Taking place ahead of the 25th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland, the election fully reflected the Macao society's wholehearted support for the "one country, two systems" principle and its strong confidence in the development path of the Macao SAR over the past 25 years, the article said.

It has also demonstrated the Macao society's widespread recognition of Sam and high expectations for Macao to achieve further development under the leadership of the new chief executive, it added.

The article noted that Sam had received broad public support for his deep affection and sense of responsibility toward Macao and the country, willingness to collaborate with various social groups and sectors, and commitment to promoting socio-economic development and improving the well-being of Macao residents.

Sam, who previously served as president of Macao's Court of Final Appeal, has handled a number of major cases and effectively safeguarded national security and the constitutional order of the Macao SAR, the article said.

The Macao society has confidence in Sam to safeguard both the overall interests of the country and the fundamental interests of Macao, and ensure the steady and sustained practice of "one country, two systems" with Macao characteristics, it added.

The article also said Sam demonstrates his capability of adapting to changes and seeking transformation, and the will to seize opportunities and pursue reform.

The new chief executive designate is expected to unite and lead the Macao society to create a better future and make greater contributions to building China into a stronger country and achieving national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization, the office said in the article.

Sam, who announced his candidacy on Aug. 28, won the election on Sunday with 394 votes in favor out of 398 valid ballots.

During the weeklong National Day holidays, Baotu Spring in East China’s Shandong Province, one of the famous attractions, was crowded with tourists. However, a scene of a security guard holding a chubby carp and persuading tourists not to overfeed the fish has recently gone viral.

This scene then triggered public debate on civilized travel, as some netizens who watched the video said the fish “was indeed too fat to swim.”

The security guard, Zhang Shoujun, said he was trying to gently remind visitors not to overfeed the fish because the water resources there are very nutrient-rich, enough for the fish to survive, according to China Central Television (CCTV).

Due to the large influx of visitors during the National Day holidays, many tourists were drawn to the fish and wanted to feed them, Zhang said. 

This led to instances of overfeeding, which negatively impacted the water quality and overall environment of the pool.

To prevent tourists from over-feeding the carp in the pond, the scenic area has implemented measures such as setting up reminder signs and increasing the number of volunteers in the area to guide tourists towards responsible behavior, as reported by the CCTV.

Workers are busy filling orders in a textile and clothing production workshop in Jimo district, Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province on October 7, 2024. Through policy guidance, Jimo district encourages enterprises to increase investment in new technologies, processes and products. In the first half of 2024, 85 regulated textile and clothing enterprises in Jimo achieved an output value of 8 billion yuan ($1.14 billion), a year-on-year increase of 3.8 percent. Photo: VCG

The Philippines and South Korea on Monday upgraded their ties to a strategic partnership and agreed to boost defense cooperation. While Western media hyped the move's link to the Philippines' ongoing tensions with China in the South China Sea, Chinese experts urged the two countries not to fall into the US scheme of containing China.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr agreed on Monday to boost defense cooperation as their countries elevated ties to a strategic partnership, Reuters reported on Monday.

In a joint press conference with Marcos, Yoon said his country would actively take part in the latest phase of the Philippines' multi-billion-dollar effort to modernize its military security at a time of rising tensions with China in the South China Sea, Reuters reported.

Reuters noted that South Korea has sold FA-50 fighter jets, corvettes, and frigates to the Philippines.

Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Monday that South Korea has been a key arms supplier of the Philippines, and its position on the South China Sea issue is becoming more obvious after the South China Sea issue was included in the US-Japan-South Korea trilateral summit last year.

South Korea's defense cooperation with the Philippines caters to the US strategy of containing China in the South China Sea, Chen said.

South Korea is not a South China Sea country, and it should not perceive China as a rival. Such a move will only cast a shadow on China-South Korean ties, and will bring further instabilities to the region, observers said.

Even if the Philippines receives more weapons and equipment from South Korea, Japan and the US, Manila cannot change China's position on its islands and reefs in the South China Sea, or the Chinese military's determination and capabilities in defending them, said Chinese military experts reached by the Global Times. 

During the weeklong National Day holidays, the "mysterious" Ailao Mountains in Southwest China's Yunnan Province, off the beaten track, has turned into a hit attraction.

The authority responsible for the management of the site said that the safety of tourists can be ensured as long as they visit the opened areas in accordance with the requirements of the scenic spots. Unauthorized visits, however, may result in a fine of up to 5,000 yuan ($710).

Initially, the Ailao Mountains gained attention through an adventure-themed blurry and mysterious video posted by an online blogger, which contained images of sudden encounters with fog and warning signs like "bears nearby," leaving netizens with a thrilling and creepy feeling. Curious tourists then flocked to the area, leading to blocked mountain roads, CCTV news reported on Monday.

According to a video posted on Sunday by a local account of an aerial shot of the driveway up the Mountains, the highway circling the mountains was packed with small cars stuck in traffic.

The Ailao Mountains were located in the central part of Yunnan, spanning the prefecture-level cities of Chuxiong, Yuxi, and Pu'er. The Mountains were dubbed by some as "Forest of Death" due to its ravines and dense forests, and unpredictable weather, the CCTV news said. It is crowned as the largest, least disturbed, and most intact subtropical montane wet evergreen broadleaf forest ecosystem at this latitude worldwide, according to public information. Its remote location and primitive nature have bred some "mysterious stories" related to this area. 

The peripheral part of Ailao Mountains is open to travelers under administration of Xinping Yi and Dai Autonomous County. As long as the tourists adhere to the scenic area's regulations, their safety can be fully guaranteed, according to the local cultural and tourism department.

Over half a million tourists visit this scenic spot and its neighboring attractions every year. During the National Day holidays this year, a total of 50,000 tourists visited the site, up 15 percent year-on-year, the local cultural and tourism department said.

The deeper, inaccessible areas of the Ailao Mountains, still not open to the tourists, consist mostly of pristine forests without proper roads. These areas often face severe weather conditions, which can cause tourists to experience altitude sickness and hypothermia. The area's anomalous magnetic field can render compasses useless, heightening the risk of getting lost. 

On Sunday, the relevant departments of the scenic area issued notices clearly indicating it is strictly prohibited for any individual or group to enter the area or participate in activities like hiking, trekking, or camping without proper authorization.

Another announcement released by the local authorities also claimed that tourists who enter the nature reserve without authorization or disobey the management authorities will face penalties by management and can be fined between 100 yuan ($14) and 5,000 yuan ($710).

In November 2021, four geological surveyors sacrificed on duty after entering the hinterland of the Ailao Mountains. After forensic examination and joint on-site investigation, the main reason for the deaths of the four personnel was excessive physical exertion and the loss of body temperature caused by sudden gusts of wind and rapid drops in temperature, according to the CCTV news.

China's National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA) on Friday revealed major advancements at three archaeological sites, showcasing significant discoveries of history and culture from prehistoric period and the Xia Dynasty (c.2070BC-c.1600BC).

The Huangchaodun site is located in Quzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province. It is a settlement from the early to mid-Neolithic period, dating back approximately 9,300 to 8,000 years.

The site, covering an area of about 70,000 square meters, includes two platforms, a surrounding moat, and a rice paddy. Ancient river channels, ponds, and water ditches connecting the ponds to the settlement moat were also discovered.

The rice paddy, located east of the platforms and covering about 15,000 square meters, has revealed ridges and possible wooden remains, with the discovery of carbon-tempered pottery shards. Optically stimulated luminescence dating indicates that the rice paddy dates back to the Shangshan culture - recognized as the world's earliest rice cultivation culture, dating between 11,400 and 8,600 years ago - and extends into the early Neolithic Kuahuqiao culture period.

Lin Liugen, a professor from the School of Art and Archaeology of Zhejiang University, told the Global Times on Friday that the site is characterized by its "distinctive features and unique elements." It is one of the most well-preserved Shangshan-Kuahuqiao culture sites, offering a vivid snapshot of early rice farming communities within the lower Yangtze River region.

"Understanding the relationship between such a large-scale rice paddy field and the settlement is of great significance for studying the early agricultural development in ancient China 9,000 years ago and for recognizing the dietary structure of our ancestors at that time," he said.
The second project, the Caoyangang site in Xinghua, East China's Jiangsu Province, is a mid-Neolithic site, dating back about 7,200 to 6,900 years.

Covering more than 80,000 square meters, the site is covered by a natural sediment measuring nearly 2 meters thick. The unique low-lying wetland environment with waterlogged preservation has allowed for the excellent conservation of a large number of organic artifacts.

Over 200 features, including house sites, ash pits, ash ditches, and wells, have been discovered. In addition, more than 2,800 artifacts made of various materials, including pottery, bone, stone, wood, jade, and shells, have been unearthed. It is worthy to mention that the unearthed fire-drilling tools are the earliest known in China.

Gan Huiyuan, a research fellow at Jiangsu Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, told the Global Times that the Caoyangang site is the earliest known Neolithic site in the eastern Jianghuai region, with a novel cultural aspect, rich connotations, and distinct regional characteristics, filling a gap in the Neolithic archaeology of the Jianghuai area, a region near the Yangtze River and Huaihe River.
The third unveiled Baliqiao site is located in Fangcheng county, Central China's Henan Province. It is a large enclosed settlement of the renowned Erlitou culture, which has been dated between 1700-1600BC.

The site, spanning approximately 1.35 million square meters, is bordered by moats on its north, west, and south sides, with a local river forming its eastern boundary. On the east bank of the Pan River, large-scale cultural remains from the same period have been uncovered. Sacrificial pits have been found around the main building of Site 1, with the discovery of ritual vessels, jade, and turquoise artifacts.

Wu Zhijiang, deputy research fellow of the Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology, told the Global Times that the Baliqiao site is the largest and highest-ranked Erlitou culture settlement discovered in southern Henan Province to date, and bears a close relation with the Erlitou Relics that can be traced back to 3,500 to 3,800 years ago in ancient China's late Xia or early Shang (1600-1046 BC) dynasties.

He noted that the preliminary revelations of the "multi-grid layout" and the discovery of significant remains such as large rammed earth buildings offer new insights into the morphology and social structure of urban settlements in Xia culture. These discoveries mark a significant breakthrough in the archaeology of Xia culture.