Former Chinese national football team head coach Li Tie was sentenced to 20 years in prison in a first-instance verdict on Friday for a number of charges including offering and accepting bribes.

The verdict was made by the Intermediate People's Court of Xianning, Central China's Hubei Province.

From 2019 to 2021, Li, taking advantage of his position as the head coach of the Chinese men's national football team, accepted bribes totaling over 50.89 million yuan ($7.04 million), the Beijing Daily reported, citing revelations from the courts.

On the same day, Du Zhaocai, former deputy director of the General Administration of Sport of China and former Party secretary of the Chinese Football Association, was sentenced to 14 years in prison and fined 4 million yuan for accepting bribes.

The Wuhan Intermediate People's Court in Central China's Hubei Province publicly sentenced Du in a first-instance trial for accepting bribes worth over 43 million yuan, according to the CCTV news.

Du used his position to seek improper benefits for football clubs in matters such as relocating home stadiums and player transfers, severely disrupting the fair competition order and industry environment in the football field. He also sought job promotions and adjustments for others, which warranted a heavier sentence.

After Li and Du's sentencing, Chinese Football Association (CFA) Vice President Yang Xu on Friday reaffirmed the zero-tolerance stance on corruption in football at a media briefing on the domestic football leagues. He highlighted the CFA's efforts to combat illegal practices during the 2024 season.

"We will continue to adopt a high-pressure approach to combat match-fixing, gambling, and other illegal activities," Yang said.

Yang also emphasized the importance of tightening admission standards for financial management to ensure financial stability for clubs and safeguard the rights of players, clubs, and youth training institutions.

"We must further tighten the league admission standards … Efforts to address unpaid wages and overdue payments will protect the legitimate rights of players, clubs, and training institutions," Yang was quoted as saying by the Xinhua News Agency.

A total of 20 key members of telecom and online fraud criminal gangs have been handed over to Chinese authorities from Myanmar. The operation underscores the strong resolve and cooperation between China and Myanmar to combat transnational telecom fraud and jointly uphold security and stability, according to the criminal investigation bureau under the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) on Sunday.

The 20 major suspects were escorted by Chinese police officers back to China via a charter flight, the MPS said.

For a long time, some of the suspects have clung to the criminal gangs in Kokang in northern Myanmar, and controlled armed forces and established telecom fraud dens. 

They have targeted Chinese nationals, engaging in rampant telecom and online fraud activities, and they are also suspected in serious violent crimes such as intentional homicide and injury. Their criminal activities are extremely severe, posing significant harm to society, said the MPS.

As the criminal gangs in northern Myanmar faced devastating crackdowns, some of the suspects have fled to places like Yangon and Mandalay. Chinese and Myanmar authorities captured all the criminal suspects thanks to a detailed work plan after gathering relevant leads. The suspects have now been handed over to the public security organs for further investigation in China, according to the ministry.

Ming Guoping, Ming Julan and Ming Zhenzhen, ringleaders of a telecom and online fraud criminal gang in northern Myanmar's Kokang, were arrested in November 2023, and the chief criminal of the gang Ming Xuechang has committed suicide, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Online telecom fraud is a global challenge that requires strengthened international law enforcement cooperation. Recent actions have further promoted the normalization of the joint anti-fraud mechanism between China and Myanmar, according to the MPS.

Public security authorities will continue to enhance international law enforcement cooperation models, deepen practical collaboration with more countries and regions, and rigorously combat cross-border telecom fraud that affects Chinese nationals, safeguarding their legal rights and interests, according to the MPS.

The EU has implemented measures aimed at restricting Chinese products through new rules, investigations and potential tariff policies. Now, it has its sights set on Chinese hydrogen electrolyzers. Chinese experts on Saturday said that it is "a move of self-limitation" that will undermine Europe's green transition goals.

The EU will conduct a second phase auction valued at 1.2 billion euros ($1.34 billion) through its hydrogen bank from December 3, and winning projects will have to limit the sourcing of electrolyzer stacks from China to not more than 25 percent of total capacity, according to the European Commission's auction guideline published on Friday.

"Chinese production capacity is already more than 50 percent of global production… it is assessed that there is a significant risk of increased and irreversible dependency of the EU on imports of electrolyzers originating in China, which may threaten the EU's security of supply," reads the guideline.

"Europe is currently in a contradictory position. Economically speaking, using Chinese products or bringing Chinese industries into its energy transition plans would be the most cost-effective choice," Cui Hongjian, a professor at the Academy of Regional and Global Governance with Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Saturday.

However, with its focus on the so-called reducing dependence and de-risking policies, Europe has effectively imposed self-limitations, thus avoiding the most economically viable path, Cui said.

Electrolyzers are key devices that use electrical energy to split water molecules and generate hydrogen. They account for about 50 percent of the total cost of hydrogen production systems. 

Hydrogen electrolyzers could potentially be China's fourth major new-energy export products, following batteries, photovoltaics and electric vehicles, according to media reports.

"The development of China's new-energy sector is a result of our strong technology, robust market and full-fledged industrial chains. China's exports of related products have contributed significantly to the global response to inflation and climate change," Mao Ning, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a routine press briefing on April 10. 

"Protectionism does not solve one's own problems," Mao said.

The South China Sea is the world's most open sea, with tens of thousands of ship-days of surface force presence, sorties of military aircraft, hundreds of large-scale exercises, and thousands of smaller drills conducted annually by countries both within and outside the region. The Chinese military does not engage in confrontational encounters except in a few exceptional scenarios, including foreign military forces entering Chinese territorial waters and airspace, according to a latest think tank report.

The real threats to maritime freedom in the South China Sea come from the so-called freedom of navigation operations conducted by the US military, close-in reconnaissance operations, and intrusions into other countries' military exercise zones, while the disputes over islands and reefs in the South China Sea have little impact on navigation and overflight, the report said.

Beijing-based think tank South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI) released the report on the navigation and overflight situation in the South China Sea on Friday.

Countries both within and outside the region maintain a presence of over 20,000 ship-days and around 30,000 sorties of military aircraft in the South China Sea each year, along with hundreds of large-scale drills and thousands of various exercises, according to data released by the SCSPI.

Military activities by coastal countries are increasing, and extra-regional countries, particularly the US military, are conducting significant operations in the South China Sea. Every year, the US Navy maintains approximately 1,600 ship-days of surface vessel presence and an undisclosed number of submarines (combat vessels) in the South China Sea, as well as over 3,000 ship-days of auxiliary vessel activities. Overall, US Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Army conduct approximately 8,000 sorties of aircraft annually in the region, including reconnaissance aircraft, transport aircraft, refueling aircraft, fighter jets and bombers, the report said.

Air and maritime encounters between military forces, particularly between China and the US, occur frequently in the South China Sea. Over 10 China-US encounters occur daily and thousands annually, the SCSPI said, noting that the majority of these encounters are professional and safe.

For foreign military vessels and aircraft entering China's jurisdictional waters and surrounding airspace, the report said that the Chinese military follows and monitors the situation based on international practice for safety and security reasons. Frictions primarily arise only when foreign forces approach the Chinese mainland or Hainan Island territorial waters and airspace, when the US military enters the territorial waters and airspace of Xisha Qundao for so-called freedom of navigation operations, when foreign forces enter within 12 nautical miles of Chinese-controlled features in the Nansha Qundao and Huangyan Dao, and when foreign forces excessively approach or intrude into Chinese military exercises.

Some foreign militaries often complain about being intercepted by Chinese forces, portraying the South China Sea as restricted and unsafe. However, they conveniently avoid discussing essential information such as the specific locations of encounters and the reasons behind such incidents, clearly indicating a biased narrative, Hu Bo, director of SCSPI, told the Global Times.

Any country facing challenges similar to the scenarios above-mentioned would take decisive measures, with countries like the US responding even more assertively, Hu said.

The true threats to maritime freedom in the South China Sea stem from extra-regional military operations, including the US military's so-called freedom of navigation operations, provocations that approach or intrude into the coastal state's territorial waters and airspace, and intrusions into temporary military exercise areas of other countries, according to the SCSPI report.

The report also provided analysis on the impact of the South China Sea disputes on navigation and overflight, saying that the disputes overall remain manageable and have not spilled over to the passage of vessels and aircraft from other countries, adding that the activities of law-enforcement and maritime rights protection are not navigation issues in the first place.

The peace, stability, freedom, and security of the South China Sea are crucial not only for the well-being of the region but also for the development and security of the region and globally. Both regional and external countries should contribute their efforts, play constructive roles, and work together to make the South China Sea a sea of peace, friendship, and cooperation, Hu said.

Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, attended a China-U.S. youth cultural and sports exchange activity at Beijing No. 8 High School on Tuesday afternoon.

During the activity, Peng had a cordial exchange with a delegation of young people from the U.S. state of Washington. She welcomed the teachers and students to visit China, expressing the hope that the young people of the two countries will know each other better and inject positive energy into bilateral relations.

Peng watched a friendly match between Chinese and U.S. youth basketball teams and presented commemorative medals to the players of both sides.

Peng also watched a video documenting the delegation's visit to various places in China. American student representatives shared their unforgettable experiences during the visit, which has helped them learn more about different ethnic customs and the fine traditional Chinese culture.

The visit has a rich and colorful itinerary, helps foster a profound friendship between the American students and their Chinese peers, and will sure leave a deep impression on everyone, Peng said.

Noting that the future of China-U.S. relations rests on the young people, Peng expressed the hope that the American students will share their experiences with their families, friends and classmates when they return to the United States, carry home the friendship of the Chinese people, and help nurture the "tree of friendship" between the two peoples.

At the end of the activity, the Chinese and U.S. teenagers sang Chinese and English songs together. And Peng joined them for a group photo in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

In November 2023, President Xi Jinping announced in San Francisco an initiative to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs in a five-year span.

The delegation of nearly 100 teachers and students from more than 10 high schools in the state of Washington came to China at the invitation of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

After setting up its first branch in Beijing in 2006, the Cervantes Institute opened its second branch in Shanghai on Tuesday, making Spain the first European country to have official cultural institutions in two Chinese cities.    

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez attended the opening ceremony of the Cervantes Institute in Shanghai on Tuesday morning amid his ongoing visit to China.

"Language and culture are the most useful links to unite civilizations and friendly countries like us [Spain and China]," said Sanchez in a speech delivered at the ceremony. The shared interest in languages between the people of the two countries has strengthened bilateral relationships, noted Sanchez. 

Covering an area of 1,200 square meters in the downtown Xuhui district, the newly opened Cervantes Institute in Shanghai was transformed from the former Cervantes Library, which has more than 12,000 books in Spanish, Catalan, Galician and Basque.

The library, now a major part of the current institute, also has a China collection, including translated works from Chinese to Spanish and from Spanish to Chinese, as well as some earlier Spanish books about China.

The establishment of the Cervantes Institute in Shanghai shows the great importance that both the Chinese and Spanish governments and peoples attach to the friendly relations between the two countries, said Luis García Montero, director of the Cervantes Institute, who also attended the opening ceremony.

"I look forward to [seeing] more Chinese people learn about the Spanish language and culture at the institute, so as to further promote two-way communication between China and Spain," Montero told the Global Times in an exclusive ­interview on Tuesday afternoon. 

The Cervantes Institute, or Instituto Cervantes in Spanish, is a public institution created by the Spain government in 1991 to globally promote teaching, study and use of Spanish, and contribute to the dissemination of pan-Hispanic culture.

The three-day Mid-Autumn holidays, which began on September 15, are creating opportunities for the catering industry. Analysts predict that the traditional family reunion holiday will boost local tourism, shopping, and dining sectors, providing a significant boost to economic growth.

As people gather for a big dinner, eating mooncakes, appreciating lanterns and enjoying a light stroll under the full moon, the charm of ancient Chinese festivals has sparked a surge in consumption within the catering industry, fueled by family reunions and holiday celebrations.

Data from the Douyin's local lifestyle services platform reveals an increase of 88 percent increase in searches for "family reunion meals" from September 7 to 13. Additionally, the volume of group meal deals for four or more people has tripled. The platform also reported a 111 percent surge in group orders for mooncakes, according to state-owned news portal southcn.com.

Boosted by festival season, the market for local specialties is in high demand. Hairy crabs from Yangcheng Lake in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province, as well as fruits and mushrooms from Southwest China's Yunnan Province, are gaining popularity, according to domestic media reports.

The surging holiday economy, enhanced consumer market confidence, and record high spending further strengthened the role of consumption as a primary engine for economic growth, said experts.

Data from China-based e-commerce platform Meituan reported a 433 percent week-on-week increase in searches for "Mid-Autumn restaurants," with themed group buying orders surging by more than 76 percent. A staff member at a long-established Baikui restaurant in Beijing told the Global Times that the reservations for Mid-Autumn banquets filled up quickly, with patrons lining up for available spots in the main hall.

The Mid-Autumn Festival also drives significant wine demand through gifts and banquets. Lei Yumeng, general manager of the Zhejiang-based wine importer Xuanyi International Trade Co, said his company saw a 30 percent increase in August sales compared to July, driven in part by a large order in preparations for the festive season. He attributed the surge to strong consumer confidence and a return of gift-giving.

"August sales were indeed substantial, showcasing higher demand for quality dining experiences," Lei told the Global Times on Monday.

Listed catering companies are employing innovative marketing strategies to attract more customers. Chinese restaurant chain Quanjude, for instance, launched a creative cultural event featuring activities including mooncake delivery by individuals dressed as Chang'e, the moon goddess in Chinese mythology, and limited-time online reunion meal deals Meanwhile, hotpot chain Xiabu Xiabu has introduced group meal packages to draw in more patrons.

For many young travelers, exploring local cuisine has become a primary motivation for holiday travel. A university student named Zeng Zhao, from Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, told the Global Times that he was inspired by food bloggers on China's popular video-sharing platform Bilibili. He planned to follow in their footsteps and embark on a food-hunting journey.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is not just a celebration of tradition but also a catalyst for economic activity, especially in the catering sector, highlighting the resilience and potential of China's consumption market, veteran industry observer Liu Dingding told the Global Times on Monday.

Official data showed that in the first half of this year, the income from catering was 2.6 trillion yuan ($366.5 billion), up by 7.9 percent year-on-year, accounting for 22.8 percent of the total retail sales of consumer goods.

East China's Zhejiang Province is setting a precedent with its innovative and impactful approaches to integrating biodiversity education and sustainable development into the fabric of daily life and community-driven initiatives. The region's commitment to nurturing environmental stewardship among the youth is not only evident in its educational programs but also in the grassroots efforts that champion eco-friendly practices and sustainable living.

In the heart of Zhejiang Province, the State Grid Taizhou Power Supply Company has taken significant strides in integrating biodiversity education and green development into the fabric of community life. As the world marks the Ecological Day, the company has demonstrated a commitment to ecological civilization through its "Green Development and Low-Carbon Life" initiatives.

August 15 of this year marks China's second National Ecology Day. Lin Muchen, a 12-year-old primary school student, echoed the sentiments of many when she said, "Participating in today's Ecological Day activities has deepened my understanding of the importance of protecting the natural ecosystem. We should all take practical steps to cherish wildlife and protect our green home."

The State Grid Taizhou Power Supply Company seized the opportunity of the second National Ecological Day to launch volunteer activities centered around the "State Grid Green Ark Program," a public welfare project aimed at energy conservation, green environmental protection, and the popularization of safe electricity. The event invited residents to engage with an "energy-saving consumption voucher subsidy" and guided children in creating talent cards and windmill DIYs under the "State Grid Green Ark Program."

The initiative encourages public participation in ecological civilization construction and advocates active involvement in environmental protection to uphold ecological balance, promote harmony between humans and nature, and ensure the sustainable development of biodiversity alongside economic and social progress.

The "State Grid Green Ark Program," a public welfare brand project initiated jointly by the State Grid Public Welfare Foundation and the China Environmental Protection Foundation in 2022, focuses on protecting the habitats of rare species. By developing green power supply systems in and around these habitats, the program provides reliable clean electricity and digital tools for biodiversity conservation research and practical work.

Statistics reveal that Zhejiang has recorded over 6,100 species of 307 higher plants under national key protection, accounting for approximately 17 percent of the national total, and 790 species of terrestrial wild vertebrates, which is about 30 percent of the national total. State Grid Taizhou Power Supply Company has embedded biodiversity protection into every facet of power grid construction, operation, and maintenance, building an eco-friendly power grid that prioritizes natural benefits and continually enhances biodiversity protection measures for a more diverse, stable, and sustainable ecosystem.

Cooperation between China and Egypt is a great model of how partnerships can be developed between two developing countries, Ambassador of Egypt to China Assem Hanafi said.

He made the comment in an interview with the Global Times on the sidelines of the BRICS Forum on Partnership on New Industrial Revolution 2024, held on Tuesday and Wednesday in Xiamen, East China's Fujian Province. 

Hanafi highlighted the positive bilateral cooperation in sectors such as infrastructure and telecommunications through various multilateral platforms and China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), with expectations to further expand cooperation in new energy, and other emerging industries.

Hanafi said that 2024 is a very important year for bilateral relations, as the two countries are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Egypt comprehensive strategic partnership.

Promising partnership

Throughout the past decade, many milestone events have taken place, Hanafi said, highlighting the important consensus reached between the top leaders of the two countries in May on fostering and developing closer partnership between the two great nations.

In May, China and Egypt signed bilateral cooperation documents in various fields, including a plan for the promotion of cooperation in jointly building the Belt and Road, science and technology innovation, enhanced trade and investment cooperation and more, Xinhua News Agency reported. 

"We look up to China in its incredible progress for modernization, poverty eradication, the leap in industrial manufacturing and embracing new technology," Hanafi said.

He noted that it is Egypt's aspiration as a developing country to partner with China and learn the best experience that is geared toward Egypt's developing needs in areas such as building up modern infrastructure, enhancing digital connectivity and poverty eradication. 

Hanafi said that bilateral cooperation is primarily championed through the BRI platform. Egypt plays a pivotal role as a trade hub and stands at a strategic location supported by the Suez Canal, and the country is eager to develop closer partnership with China which will benefit Egypt's future development, he said. 

Currently, a good number of infrastructure projects in Egypt are undergoing, such as the new administrative capital being built in a partnership with Chinese companies, which will help transform the urban landscape of Egypt, according to Hanafi.

In addition, Hanafi said that Egypt has various telecommunication projects being constructed in partnership with Chinese companies. 

Egypt has drafted an ambitious plan to increase local internet penetration and mobile broadband coverage, which includes replacing ageing internet infrastructure with fiber optics, according to Hanafi, adding that Egypt has been cooperating with China and other global partners in the undertaking.  

He mentioned the need to produce affordable and reliable telecommunication devices to cover the needs of the local population, especially the younger generation, who require proper education.

Hanafi stressed the importance of training local labor force, as the know-how is a positive dividend on Egypt's development and the ecosystem. 

He highlighted that bilateral cooperation in port digitalization would significantly boost the capacity and handling capabilities of Egyptian ports along both the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.

In terms of the future cooperation, Hanafi sees growing opportunities in sectors such as new energy development with support from Egypt, including incentives to embrace partnerships with Chinese companies in the emerging industries. He anticipates that the two sides could have fruitful and win-win cooperation in the future. 

Hanafi also hopes to enhance people-to-people exchanges, with more interactions in tourism, culture, education, and other sectors. 

In the first seven months of 2024, China-Egypt bilateral trade reached 68.16 billion yuan ($9.57 billion), with China's exports to Egypt reaching 65.37 billion yuan and imports totaling 2.79 billion yuan, according to data from the General Administration of Customs.

Speaking on China's economic prospects in 2024, Hanafi highlighted the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in July as an important event that came out with important decisions guiding the country's future development. 

BRICS a hope for Global South 

On January 1, 2024, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, and Ethiopia officially joined BRICS, doubling the number of its members from five countries to 10.

Hanafi noted that Egypt has joined the BRICS after a process of adhering to the "BRICS Plus" mechanism and engaged in a series of consultations with member economies, adding that Egypt appreciated the role played by China and other leading BRICS member states in encouraging its membership and support the bid for the membership. 

BRICS also represents greater hope for the Global South developing economies. The current financial and political order in the world needs a strong voice from the developing countries, and platforms like the BRICS could help in coordinating among member economies for more representation and a more prominent voice in the global architecture, Hanafi said. 

The aggregate GDP of the BRICS member countries now accounts for about 28 percent of the global economy, hitting $28.5 trillion, while their population, at 3.5 billion, accounts for about 45 percent of the world's total population, according to media reports.

The Ministry of Public Security of China released details of four cases of combating and rectifying illegal activities related to toxic fan culture in sports on Thursday. Since the Paris Olympics, the cybersecurity departments of the Public Security Bureau have been paying close attention to this issue and have been combating related illegal activities.

Among these cases, a suspect, He, was found to have posted defamatory content about table tennis players and coaches on social media, causing significant social harm. The Beijing Public Security Bureau took criminal compulsory measures against her on August 6. 

Another suspect, Wang, was found to have repeatedly posted abusive and defamatory content about table tennis players and coaches on social media, causing significant social harm. The Guangzhou Public Security Bureau took criminal compulsory measures against her on Tuesday. 

Suspects Gai and Xu were found to have created and widely spread an article questioning a Paris Olympic champion on social media. This article caused negative social impact. The public security bureaus in Shandong and Hebei respectively have imposed administrative penalties on them. 

Another suspect, Yang, was found to have publicly abused a gymnastics athlete on social media, causing a negative social impact. The Henan Public Security Bureau has imposed administrative penalties on her.

These posts are malicious and false, posing significant risks. Recent actions have led social media platforms to clean up thousands of posts related to controversial discussions and malicious attacks.

“Most of these so-called fans do not understand or appreciate the professional skills or talents of famous athletes. Instead, they tend to focus solely on the athlete's image and appearance,” Wang Dazhao, a Beijing sports commentator, told the Global Times.

To support their idols, fans in this toxic culture see no teammates, only enemies. Anyone who hinders their idol's pursuit of victory becomes a target for attack, Wang noted.

Recently, some toxic fans have been aggressively leading discussions and attacks on various social media platforms, organizing and spreading derogatory comments, even fabricating scandals and spreading conspiracy theories.

“Those who invade others’ privacy should be punished, while those who do not violate criminal laws should be guided and warned through positive and healthy education,” Wang said.

Previously, some irrational fans were detained by the police for posting inflammatory and defamatory comments against Chinese athletes and coaches after the women's singles table tennis final at the Paris Olympics. The General Administration of Sport of China and the Chinese Olympic Committee condemned these comments, and the impact was limited.

The intrusion of toxic fan culture into the sports arena is not new and is not limited to summer sports; winter sports also face similar issues.

“In the past two years, there has been a phenomenon of sports becoming fan-centric, which has caused significant distress to some athletes,” Yang Yang, China's first Winter Olympic gold medalist, noted in a recent interview.

Table tennis player Fan Zhendong has also faced harm from toxic fans, including illegal intrusion into hotel rooms, exposure of personal information such as ID cards and phone numbers, and harassment at the airport.

Not only athletes but many sports enthusiasts and even viewers are harassed by these toxic fans for merely mentioning or commenting on their favored individuals.

“I faced cyberbullying because I mentioned an athlete’s poor performance online,” a person who was once targeted by extreme sports fans told the Global Times on condition of anonymity.

The anonymous victim expressed concern that such online behavior could lead to real-world violence. “I was worried that I might be ambushed when going out one day and was also concerned that my family might be harassed,” he noted.

Chinese swimming champion Pan Zhanle, who recently broke a world record at the Paris Olympics, disbanded his only fan group on Monday. 

He previously mentioned in a CCTV interview that many people were waiting downstairs at the hotel to get his autograph. 

The 20-year-old swimming prodigy is using his own way to say “no” to toxic fan culture.

“Be more low-key and keep things quiet,” Pan advised his fans.