Stories from China

Authorities in Yitong County are investigating illegal construction projects on arable land and ecological zones. The investigation follows regulations prohibiting construction approvals on farmland and Yangtze River ecological zones. Local authorities confirmed to CNR Voice of China that the projects violate regulations and are urging companies to undergo rectification. The local civil affairs department stated that most companies must complete the conversion of these sites into columbaria by the end of July 2024. One converted site is reported to contain between 60 and 90 individual niches. Villagers claim the land used for the cemetery was previously their farmland. While villagers hold certificates identifying the land as basic farmland, natural resources department databases show the plots were reclassified as general farmland in 2017.

The Chinese government is implementing electricity bill caps for artificial intelligence companies. This measure aims to provide domestic AI firms a competitive advantage over international rivals.

A large-scale super factory for the Lijian-2 heavy-lift launch vehicle has completed construction in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province. The facility is designed to move the Lijian-2 rocket into a mass production phase. This development is described as a milestone for China's commercial space industry, transitioning from technical verification to large-scale production. The Lijian-2 large-scale commercial launch vehicle super factory in Shaoxing, China, became fully operational yesterday.

Chinese Vice Premier and Politburo member Liu Guozhong attended a meeting in Beijing on April 27 to promote normalized poverty alleviation efforts.

Snooker legend Ronnie O'Sullivan was defeated by Jack Lisowski with a score of 13-12. The match took place during the tournament in China. Two Chinese players have advanced to the quarter-finals following the results. Defending champion Zhao Xintong is scheduled to face Murphy in the quarter-finals on the afternoon of April 28. Murphy has recorded 79 century breaks this season. Four-time snooker champion Higgins secured a victory against Sullivan with a final score of 13-12. Four-time champion John Higgins secured a victory over seven-time champion Sullivan.

Chinese television recently broadcast footage of humanoid robots patrolling mountain trails in the Himalayas. These robots are reportedly monitoring the border with India at altitudes exceeding 4,000 meters. The deployment is described as a showcase of Chinese technological capabilities. Humanoid robots have been deployed to monitor the border between China and India at altitudes exceeding 4,000 meters. The robots are being used as border guards to patrol mountain paths. The deployment serves as a demonstration of Chinese technological capabilities in high-altitude environments. Ubi-Tech spokesperson Mika-El-Tam stated the company produced 1,079 humanoid robots last year and sold all units. The company denied reports of production overcapacity, claiming demand remains high. Tourists can approach robots and press a 'Chat with me' button to ask for directions on an interactive screen.

DeepSeek is reportedly considering building its own data center in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, rather than renting computing resources from Alibaba Cloud. DeepSeek is specifically looking at building its own infrastructure in Ulanqab to avoid relying on Alibaba Cloud's computing resources. DeepSeek is expanding its footprint in Inner Mongolia with this specific site selection. DeepSeek is trending in China regarding its decision to build a data center in Ulanqab rather than renting Alibaba Cloud resources. DeepSeek is initiating its first major infrastructure recruitment and construction phase in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, to establish local data center operations. DeepSeek is actively recruiting staff in the city to support its new infrastructure expansion.

Localized heavy rain, short-duration intense precipitation, thunderstorms, and possible hail are expected in certain areas. Rainfall is expected to concentrate in Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong provinces as cold air moves south.

Cities including Wuhan, Changsha, Lanzhou, and Yueyang are co-hosting a 'Cultural Tour' focused on sites such as the Yellow River Tower, Yueyang Tower, Tengwang Pavilion, and Tianxing Pavilion. The initiative invites tourists to visit these landmarks through a collaborative cultural and creative partnership. Liu Xinyuan, deputy director of the Wuhan Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, announced the campaign for the Wuhan metropolitan area.

China's State Administration for Market Regulation is investigating a top food influencer with over 40 million followers for allegedly underreporting personal income since 2021. The investigation has expanded to include 1 billion affiliated enterprises held directly or indirectly by the influencer. Li Minglei, a director at the State Taxation Administration's inspection bureau, stated the influencer used personal image traffic to generate commissions while reporting low personal income since 2021. Li Minglei, head of the third inspection division of the State Affairs General Bureau's Inspection Bureau, is investigating food influencer Bai Bing. The investigation also includes discrepancies regarding several service fee invoices worth millions of yuan. The bureau is currently verifying the nature of the income generated through personal image traffic.