Stories from China

High-quality boutique homestays and hotels in Shenzhen's coastal areas have seen bookings from Hong Kong travelers increase by over 120% year-on-year. New home sales in Shenzhen increased by 31% year-on-year during the May Day holiday. Data from the Shenzhen Leyoujia Research Institute also indicated growth in the second-hand housing market.

The period will feature a 'Magic Resonance Action' designed to promote synergy between artificial intelligence models and data resources. The announcement covers 20 key sectors including petrochemicals, non-ferrous metals, automotive, and aerospace. Passenger traffic at major international airports is expected to rise significantly for the upcoming holiday. Daily passenger throughput at major international airports is expected to reach 2.25 million, with a single-day peak potentially exceeding 2.4 million. Daily passenger counts at Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou Baiyun, and Beijing Capital airports are expected to be 102,000, 55,000, and 49,000 respectively. Major international airport ports in China are seeing growth in passenger traffic ahead of the May Day holiday. Single-day customs clearance is expected to exceed 2.4 million people during the upcoming May Day holiday.

The Zicai Bridge in Guangxi has undergone upgrades to its main structure. The main bridge width increased by 4.5 meters and the length extended by 587 meters. The bridge clearance height was raised by 9.3 meters. Engineer Yuan Mingyang from Guangxi Pinglu Canal Construction Co., Ltd. stated the bridge serves both maritime navigation and daily commuting. The new design retains the aesthetic style of the original bridge spanning the Qingjiang River.

Ideal Auto CEO Li Xiang stated at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show that the Ideal L9 Livis is at least two generations ahead of the SAIC Volkswagen ID.ERA 9X. SAIC Volkswagen marketing executive Li Jun responded by contesting the claim, noting Li Auto's advantages are limited to pricing and specific factors. Li Jun, Executive Director of Brand Marketing for SAIC Volkswagen, directly responded to Li Xiang's claim that the Li L9 Livis is two generations ahead of the ID.ERA 9X. Li Jun, SAIC Volkswagen's Executive Director of Brand Marketing, issued a direct rebuttal backstage at the SAIC Volkswagen press conference. Li Jun argued that the perceived technological lead is limited to two specific areas, primarily pricing.

Hawk technology allows mobile phone systems to provide forged latitude and longitude coordinates instead of real locations when apps request positioning. A new technology called Hawk allows for silent copying of contact files from mobile devices. The technology can link virtual locations with real network IP addresses or hotspot information through big data comparison. This process can potentially expose the location of military facilities. A technology known as Hawk can transform devices into intelligence-gathering tools by enabling precise location spoofing. The spoofing can simulate precise coordinates for military facilities and surrounding environmental features. The technology poses a risk of exposing sensitive details such as specific work locations.

China has removed Shuo Chuo Chua, the Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, from its sanctions list. The South China Morning Post reported the change. Chua was originally placed on the list five years ago following a motion he submitted as a member of parliament regarding the Uyghur genocide in Xinjiang. He was also a proponent of strengthening ties with Taiwan.

A Zhejiang-based company and an Indonesian procurement group signed a partnership agreement to expand investment and production in Indonesia.

A new lighting drone capable of operating in harsh electromagnetic environments was showcased.

A court ruled that an IoT company's lawsuit against a former technical director, Zhao, for violating non-compete obligations failed. The court ruled the company's refusal to pay the individual, identified as Li, lacked reasonable basis under the existing labor contract. The court found that employers cannot use the lack of trade secret access as a basis to refuse payments. Judge assistant Huang Qiuyue analyzed that extending non-compete restrictions to workers without access to commercial secrets is improper. The ruling supports workers' requests to invalidate non-compete clauses when employers fail to provide compensation. The court noted that some employers have improperly conflated trade secrets with the personal knowledge, skills, and experience accumulated by workers.

Chinese universities are implementing a major restructuring of academic programs, including the addition of 11 existing professional categories such as digital trade and smart economy. A Spanish media article suggests that the world's oldest universities may have originated from Chinese academies. A Spanish media article suggests that China's academies, known as 'Shuyuan,' may represent the world's earliest universities. These academies are described as the earliest universities globally, embodying one of the most formal methods of knowledge transmission. The article said the deep connection and affection foreigners feel towards China, stemming from their experiences there. The concept of 'Shuyuan' has significantly influenced traditional Chinese culture. The report highlights China's long-term vision and its people's historical emphasis on education.