Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has expressed hope that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) would adopt a rational and pragmatic approach, develop an objective and accurate perception of China, and pursue a positive and responsible policy toward China.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte here on Friday on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

Wang said that China is a force for maintaining peace and stability. It's the largest contributor of peacekeeping personnel among the permanent members of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, and the second-largest financial contributor to UN peacekeeping operations. On issues of peace and security, China has the best track record among major countries, he added.

Amid ongoing escalating geopolitical conflicts, Wang urged NATO to remain committed to its role as a regional defensive organization and contribute constructively to global and regional peace.

Rutte acknowledged China as a great nation with remarkable development achievements. He said that NATO, as a regional defensive organization, has no intention of expanding into Asia and will not do so. Rutte added that NATO is willing to enhance dialogue and communication with China to deepen mutual understanding and trust.

The two sides exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis. Rutte said that NATO highly values China's influence and role, and hopes that China will play a significant role in pushing forward a peaceful resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict as soon as possible.

Wang elaborated on China's principles and stance, reaffirming China's commitment to continue working with all parties to play a constructive role in promoting a political settlement of the crisis and building a balanced, effective, and sustainable security framework in Europe.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Monday urged Japan to be cautious in its words and actions regarding the Taiwan question and avoid taking petty actions, following reports that Japan's Ministry of Justice will allow "Taiwan" to be listed as a place of origin on its family registry whereas residents from Taiwan island are currently registered as Chinese residents. 

Bloomberg reported that under current rules, residents can only list nations as their place of origin, but the new change will allow for people to register regions such as Taiwan and Palestine as well, according to a public copy of the revision available on the Justice Ministry's website. Japan does not recognize Taiwan as a nation.

Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits are all Chinese people, and Taiwan question is purely an internal affair of China that brooks no interference by any external forces, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, in response to a media inquiry on the matter. 

Japan, which had committed aggression and conducted colonial rule over Taiwan island, bears a serious historical guilt toward the Chinese people. It should be all the more prudent in its words and actions. We urge the Japanese side to abide by the one-China principle and the spirit of the four China-Japan political documents, and to refrain from taking petty actions on the Taiwan question or sending contradictory and wrong signals, Guo said. 

Bloomberg reported that Japan's Ministry of Justice described the revision as a mere technical adjustment.

Guo pointed out that Japan's adherence to the one-China principle and the spirit of the four China-Japan political documents constitutes a solemn political commitment from Japan.

"I would like to emphasize once again that the Taiwan question is purely an internal affair of China, which brooks no interference from any external forces."

Chinese scientists have achieved high-temperature superconductivity in nickel oxide materials under ambient pressure conditions. The discovery establishes nickel-based materials as the third high-temperature superconducting material system, following copper-based and iron-based materials, the Global Times learnt from the researching team. 

Superconductivity is a physical phenomenon where certain materials exhibit zero electrical resistance and perfect diamagnetism when cooled below a critical temperature. It holds great promise for applications in advanced fields, including energy transmission and storage, medical imaging, transportation, precision scientific instruments, and power systems. 

The research team co-led by Xue Qikun, an academician from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and president of Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) and Chen Zhuoyu, associate professor from the Department of Physics of SUSTech, has enabled nickel oxides, one of the promising candidates for high-temperature superconductors, to achieve superconductivity under ambient pressure and at temperatures above -233 C, a milestone that scientists have pursued since superconductivity was first discovered in 1911. 

Many materials achieve superconductivity only at temperatures below -250 C, while materials capable of maintaining a superconducting state above -233 C qualify as high-temperature superconductors, according to a report from China Central Television on Tuesday.

Previously, high-temperature superconductivity in nickel oxide materials could only be achieved under extremely high pressures - reaching several hundred thousand barometric pressure, comparable to conditions inside the Earth, Chen told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

It took about three years for the research team to overcome challenges and successfully created a nickel oxide thin film that achieves superconductivity under ambient pressure, establishing nickel oxide as only the third known material system capable of superconductivity under ambient pressure, following copper-based and iron-based high-temperature superconductors. 

By conducting comparative studies of these three types of high-temperature superconductors, researchers can develop a more comprehensive understanding of the fundamental mechanisms behind high-temperature superconductivity, providing a key to solving the scientific problem of superconducting mechanisms, Chen said.

The breakthrough in superconducting mechanisms is expected to pave the way for transformative advancements in energy, information technology, and medicine, ultimately fostering productivity growth and accelerating technological innovation, according to Chen. 

According to Xue, the research, conducted entirely using domestically developed equipment, achieved an atomic-scale thin film growth technology with ultra-strong oxidation capabilities, marking a major breakthrough in China's independent experimental capabilities. 

The scientists aim to leverage their specialized experimental techniques to explore new materials capable of superconductivity above liquid nitrogen temperatures under ambient pressure. 

The joint research carried out by SUSTech, the Quantum Science Center of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Tsinghua University was published in the academic journal Nature on Tuesday. 

Chinese research institutions have completed testing and analysis of samples independently collected by Chinese experts near the release outlet of Fukushima's nuclear-contaminated water, detecting no abnormalities in the radioactive concentration of radionuclides such as tritium, cesium-137, and strontium-90. 

According to information from the China's National Nuclear Safety Administration, October 2024 marked China's first independent sampling of the Fukushima nuclear wastewater release.

As per the workflow of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), specific data will be compiled and released by the IAEA.

Experts stated that independent sampling of Fukushima nuclear wastewater discharge by China and other stakeholders helps the international community obtain accurate and reliable data, monitor the impact of the discharge in a timely manner, and cross-verify results with IAEA and Japanese monitoring. This represents a key aspect of implementing international oversight over the discharge. 

Based on various monitoring data available so far, there is no indication that the discharge has affected marine life in the relevant waters.

Experts also emphasized that there is no precedent for the release of Fukushima's nuclear-contaminated water. Japan's unilateral decision to initiate the discharge lacks legitimacy and reasonableness, and a cautious approach should always be maintained from a scientific perspective. 

Single-test results have limited reference value, and international monitoring under the IAEA framework is a long-term effort. Stakeholders such as China will continue to participate and conduct independent sampling and monitoring.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Thursday afternoon inspected a steelmaker in Benxi City, northeast China's Liaoning Province.

Xi visited a cold rolling mill of Bensteel Group, inspected its control center and production lines, and learned about its efforts to accelerate transformation and upgrading and promote high-quality development.