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.
Recently, placing marriage announcements in newspapers is gaining popularity among young people in China, with numerous netizens sharing their own announcements. Many describe the new trend as evoking a sense of vintage romance.
According to a report by the People's Daily, newlyweds can customize their announcements by submitting text and photos to the newspaper, with fees ranging from 520 yuan ($71.5) to 9,999 yuan ($1,373) depending on the size of the chosen layout.
Couples have varied reasons for choosing to publish their marriage announcements in newspapers, said the report.
Some people said that publishing their marriage in a newspaper is a meaningful and romantic way to mark the occasion. A woman surnamed Yang from Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, said that she noticed other couples sharing marriage announcements in newspapers and found it intriguing, prompting her to commemorate her own wedding using this method.
"My husband and I believe that once a publication is issued, it becomes a permanent and unchangeable record, which makes it deeply romantic," Yang said.
Others said that announcing their marriage in the newspaper symbolizes their love. A netizen surnamed Jin said that seeing marriage announcement in the newspaper feels like a declaration of their love to the world. "The printed words not only convey the joyful news of our marriage but also serve as a lasting token of our love," said Jin.
Another woman surnamed Yang opted to publish her marriage announcement on the day she received marriage certificate. "Publishing in the newspaper means inviting history and law to witness this special day," Yang said.
In addition to marriage announcements, sharing celebratory news has been a long-standing tradition for some newspapers. Several newspapers have reintroduced specialized announcement services, including marriage announcements, birthday wishes, and congratulatory for academic achievements. The fees vary depending on the size of the layout occupied by the different types of announcements.
Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister of Grenada Dickon Mitchell in Beijing on Monday.
Mitchell extended sincere condolences to the Chinese government and people over the recent earthquake in Dingri County in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region.
Xi expressed his appreciation for that. Noting that this earthquake occurred in a high-altitude area, Xi said China has completed rescue and temporary resettlement work in the shortest possible time and will carry out reconstruction work as quickly as possible.
"The Chinese government is confident and capable of achieving victory in earthquake relief," Xi said.
Xi noted that in recent years, China-Grenada relations have developed steadily, with the two sides treating each other with mutual respect and equality, consolidating political mutual trust, achieving fruitful results in practical cooperation in various fields, and deepening the friendship between the two peoples.
China is willing to work with Grenada to enhance the synergy of development strategies and push for more outcomes of bilateral cooperation to better benefit the two peoples, Xi added.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called on China and Vietnam to step up connectivity, jointly build frontier platform for new quality productive forces cooperation, and build stable and smooth cross-border industrial and supply chains.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks during his phone talks with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam.
Xi said he is glad to hold phone talks with To Lam at the turn of the year and on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties, recalling that during To Lam's state visit to China last August, the two leaders had in-depth exchanges and reached broad consensus on deepening relations between the two parties and the two countries, as well as jointly promoting the development of socialist cause.
The year 2025 marks the conclusion of China's 14th Five-Year Plan period, and a key year for the preparation of 14th National Congress of the CPV, Xi said, noting it is a year of great significance for both countries that serves as both a point of continuity and a new starting point. The two sides should continue to rejuvenate and strengthen the two parties, deepen exchanges of socialist theory and practical experience, and promote the development of the socialist cause amid great changes unseen in a century, said Xi.
The two sides should carry out warm and down to earth people-to-people and cultural exchanges that connect people's hearts, and strengthen exchanges and cooperation in areas such as media, culture and tourism, as well as between the youths of the two nations and at the sub-national level, creating more projects that win the hearts of the people, Xi said.
It is believed that under the leadership of the Central Committee of the CPV headed by Comrade To Lam, the party, the state and the people of Vietnam will focus on ensuring the 14th National Congress a success, and firmly advance toward Vietnam's two centennial goals, Xi said
Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Wednesday that China and Vietnam "are not only neighbors but also comrades" that share common interests in many fields, and the two economies are also very complementary. It is therefore important for top leaders and senior officials of the two countries to maintain deep and frequent exchanges.
Xu Liping, director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday that "China and Vietnam both celebrate Lunar New Year, so the phone call between top leaders of the two countries and the two parties ahead of the festival shows that the two countries share not only similar ideologies but also similar cultures. This makes the bilateral relations very unique for the both sides."
"The two countries will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations and the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges in 2025, and we can expect more, broader and deeper cooperation and exchanges between the two countries this year. In the field of people-to-people exchanges, the tourism and cultural industries of the two nations will benefit, and this will surely be welcomed by the people of the two countries," Xu noted.
Relations between the two ruling parties will guide the stable bilateral ties between the two countries that are able to withstand external impacts and overcome challenges, as the CPC and the CPV will continue to exchange experiences on governance and how to develop socialism and safeguard the socialist system in their countries, Li noted.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Monday met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday in New Delhi. Indian media noted that Sullivan's trip comes amid power transition in Washington.
Before the talks with Modi, Sullivan has met with Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, as the two sides have discussed enhancing bilateral, regional and global cooperation, according to NDTV.
In meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Monday, Sullivan has deliberated on the implementation of the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET), billed as one of the very significant initiatives rolled out during Biden's presidency to expand India-US strategic ties, Indian media reported.
In a speech at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Sullivan emphasized the growing strategic and economic partnership between the two nations. The Indian Today said Sullivan's speech painted an optimistic picture of the India-US partnership as a cornerstone of global stability and innovation.
"Seeing the recent improvement in China-India ties, the US is worried that it may weaken India's role in containing China; therefore, the US hopes to take this opportunity to strengthen its relationship with India, reaffirm the foundation of their cooperation, and exploit potential issues to drive a wedge between Beijing and New Delhi," Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Monday.
During the final phase of the Biden administration, Sullivan's visit is also aimed at consolidating Biden's diplomatic legacy, Qian said. Over the past four years, US-India relations have developed comprehensively across various fields, driven primarily by Washington's geopolitical considerations, especially in Biden's Indo-Pacific strategy, in which India has played an important role, the expert explained.
Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, added that Sullivan's visit also aims to draw India closer, encouraging the South Asian country to promote its functionality in QUAD and maintain a confrontational stance in its China policy.
Meanwhile, by hyping the "China threat" narrative, Washington looks to highlight its "uniqueness" in regional affairs, Li told the Global Times on Monday. "This fear of stability reflects a distinct characteristic of the US approach to China-India relations, with the aim of creating regional turmoil to serve its own strategic interests," Li said.
With efforts from both sides, the relationship between China and India has been thawing. In the first time in five years, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held their formal talks in October 2024 on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit, a move that has strategic significance for the recovery of China-India ties after the border tensions.
In December 2024, the 23rd meeting of Special Representatives for China-India Boundary Question was held in Beijing where six points of consensus were reached. Both sides positively evaluated the resolution and reaffirmed the need to continue implementing the agreement.
In managing its relationship with the US and China, Qian believes India may seek a balance between the two powers. India hopes to break the deadlock with China on border issues; while also seeking to engage in more pragmatic economic cooperation with China to promote its own economic development.
Moreover, India's efforts to improve ties with China reflect its strategic considerations to hedge against the uncertainties with the upcoming new US administration, Qian said.
"India possesses enough strategic wisdom not to be easily exploited by the US," added Li, referring to India's long-standing tradition of non-alignment and a strong sense of independence.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday urged the US to immediately correct its wrong practices and lift illegal unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction on Chinese companies, after several Chinese tech companies including Tencent and battery maker CATL were added to a list of firms allegedly working with China's military.
China stands firmly against the US's practice of overstretching the concept of national security, making discriminatory lists in various names and going after Chinese companies to contain China's high-quality development, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun at a routine press conference.
"The Chinese people's right to development is not to be deprived of or ignored," Guo said.
China will take all measures necessary to firmly defend the lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies and uphold its legitimate right to development, he added.
According to a document published by the US Department of Defense on Monday, it added several Chinese tech giants, such as Tencent Holdings, leading battery maker CATL, artificial intelligence software company SenseTime and CloudWalk Technology, as well as IoT solutions provider Quectel Wireless Solutions, among a number of other Chinese companies, to its Section 1260H list of firms allegedly linked to China's military.
Several Chinese companies being blacklisted refuted on Tuesday the inclusion on the list, with companies such as Tencent, CATL and Quectel Wireless Solutions stating that the move is "a mistake."
As the company is neither a Chinese military company nor a military-civil fusion contributor to the Chinese defense industrial base, it believes its inclusion in the "Chinese military companies" (CMC) list is a mistake, Tencent Holdings Ltd said in a filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Tuesday.
CATL told the Global Times that the company has never engaged in any military-related business or activities, so this designation by the Department of Defense is a mistake.
"Being listed on the Section 1260H list is clearly a mistake," Quectel Wireless Solutions said via its WeChat account on Tuesday. The company emphasized that its business is focused on civilian applications and that it is neither a military enterprise nor a supplier to military enterprises.
Other companies such as SenseTime also refuted the claims. "This decision by the US Department of Defense has no factual basis, and we firmly disagree with it," SenseTime spokesperson told the Global Times on Tuesday.
We firmly deny the relevant accusations and express our strong dissatisfaction, CloudWalk Technology Co said on its WeChat account on Tuesday, adding that the list is based on groundless speculation rather than concrete evidence and has no substantial impact on our business.
Exaggerated 'China threat' narrative
The Section 1260H list is intended to create the impression that these companies pose a threat to US security, but it is rooted in the exaggerated "China threat" narrative, Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Tuesday.
Addressing concern by some companies that the US government made the decision without sufficient communication and without necessary transparency and fair procedures, Zhou said the sudden and poorly researched measure undermines the credibility of the list, disrupts market order, and significantly impacts the normal operations of businesses and the broader market.
Under the pretext of safeguarding national security, US government agencies have created lists targeting Chinese companies they deem problematic, Gao Lingyun, an expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, told the Global Times on Tuesday, noting that the US is using security as a tool to discriminate against Chinese firms.
Gao criticized the move, stating that the lack of compelling evidence to support these accusations undermines the credibility of such actions, especially for a country that prides itself on the rule of law and evidence-based practices. "This inconsistency calls into question the legitimacy of the list," Gao said.
Potential impact
While the addition to the Defense Department's list of "Chinese military companies" does not involve immediate bans, it represents warning to US entities and firms about the risks of conducting business with them and entities blacklisted are restricted from serving as suppliers to the US Department of Defense.
Unlike other lists maintained by the US Government for sanctions or export control measures, inclusion in the CMC list relates only to US defense procurement, which does not affect the business of the Group, Tencent Holdings Ltd said.
It does not restrict CATL from conducting business with entities other than the US Department of Defense and it is expected to have no substantially adverse impact on our business. We will proactively engage with US Department of Defense to address the false designation, including legal action if necessary, to protect the interests of our company and shareholders as a whole, the company said.
This decision has no material impact on our global operations. We remain firmly committed to working collaboratively with the relevant stakeholders to address this matter, and to safeguarding the interests of the company and our shareholders, SenseTime said.
Quectel Wireless Solutions also said the company is taking the matter seriously and responding proactively, adding that the list has no impact on the company's business, and CloudWalk Technology said the list is based on groundless speculation rather than concrete evidence, and has no substantial impact on its business.
CloudWalk Technology also said that the US government made the decision without sufficient communication and without necessary transparency and fair procedures, which has created unnecessary uncertainty in the international business environment.
The US Department of Defense removed Chinese firm Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment Inc. China (AMEC) from its so-called CMC list, after the company sued the department over the designation, Bloomberg reported on December 18, 2024.
In January 2024, the US Department of Defense added the Chinese firm to its so-called CMC list, while, after "extensive efforts to engage with the US Department of Defense in order to clarify the facts and demonstrate that it does not meet any of the CMC criteria" failed to change the designation, AMEC announced on August 16 that it had formally filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Defense in the US District Court for the District of Columbia for "unlawfully" designating AMEC as a CMC, the company said in a statement at the time, the Global Times reported earlier.
