Stories from China

The hospital ship Silu Ark completed a 234-day mission covering approximately 36,000 nautical miles. The mission covered 36,000 nautical miles and is the 11th Harmony Mission since 2010. The hospital ship 'Peace Ark' has completed its 2025 Harmony Mission by docking at a military port in Sanya, Hainan.

Ninth-generation heritage practitioner Zhang Wenzhu is preparing a new batch of Yongchun Rehmannia in Dapu Town. The production cycle for the medicinal product involves specific stages in July and August to ensure quality. High-grade Rehmannia is characterized by a black, oily, and dry texture. In Hushan Town, Yongchun County, artisans continue traditional methods for processing Rehmannia. The process involves storing the medicinal plant in large jars rather than refrigerators to aid maturation. Local households display rows of these storage containers outside their homes following the annual harvest. Following the annual harvest, households in the region display rows of processed goods at their entrances. Unlike many other products, this traditional Rehmannia does not require refrigeration and is stored in large jars to aid maturation.

Pan Gang ironworks successfully utilized a conventional wet-link method to produce molten iron.

China's Przewalski's horse population has risen above 900 individuals. This follows forty years of the 'Wild Horse Return Program' aimed at restoring the world's only surviving wild horse species.

The 2026 Beijing Spring Birdwatching Competition concluded after one week of competition. The competition involved 42 teams and 168 participants over one week. The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Commerce and the Municipal Bureau of Greenery released a recommended list of 55 birdwatching locations across the city. Locations include urban parks, forest parks, Songzhuang Town, Yao Budong Village, and Shunyi Zhang Town. Xue Yang, Director of the Greenery Resource Protection Center, presented the recommendations during the event. The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Ecology and Environment released the 2026 Beijing Birdwatching Guide during the 44th annual spring birdwatching event at the Chaobai Forest Park. The guide recommends 55 specific locations for birdwatching, including urban parks, forest parks, and areas in Songzhuang Town and Shunyi District.

The Tiantan Awards have released their first shortlist of nominated films. A total of 1,826 feature films were submitted from 139 countries and regions. International films accounted for 1,607 of the entries, representing 88% of the total submissions. The jury includes prominent film industry figures such as Zhang Xiaofei and Zhang Yi.

Chinese Foreign Minister stated that US-China relations enjoy bright prospects. The official noted that Chinese products are expanding into the Chinese market with help from Ghana.

Ouyang Minggao suggests integrating electric vehicles with energy networks to create economic value. Vehicles could use onboard batteries to assist in grid regulation rather than just consuming power. This model involves slow charging for profit and rapid charging for long-distance travel. The integration of solar, storage, charging, and swapping is expected to provide foundational support for new energy vehicles.

The third high-level meeting of the Digital Empowerment Forum concluded in Beijing. Over 600 representatives from 140 countries and international organizations attended the event both online and in person. Discussions focused on digital empowerment for the Global South and modernizing developing nations. Participants also addressed climate resilience and sustainable development financing. The forum aimed to build consensus on technological integration for developing economies. Attendees included organizations and specialized agencies from more than 140 countries and regions. China's Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang announced the 2026 Beijing Xiangshan Forum will be held from May 7 to May 9. Journalists from 38 African nations are meeting to discuss media independence.

Scientist Yan Ning claims that peer reviewers stole information from at least two of her CNS papers to publish them prematurely. Yan Ning specifically alleges that at least two CNS (Cell, Nature, Science) papers were stolen by peer reviewers. The allegations have become a trending topic on Zhihu, with the researcher stating via Weibo that at least two CNS papers were stolen by reviewers. Researcher Yan Ning claims at least two papers submitted to the journal CNS were stolen and published by reviewers. The scientist specifies that at least two CNS-level papers were targeted by reviewers who stole information for early publication.