China's first Type 055 10,000-ton-class destroyer, the Nanchang, which was launched eight years ago on June 28, 2017, had once confronted two foreign warships in a "one-versus-two" standoff and forced them to retreat, China Central Television (CCTV) revealed on Saturday, marking the 8th anniversary of its launch.
At 6 am of an unspecified date, the battle alarm suddenly sounded aboard the Nanchang. Two foreign vessels had made sharp turns one after another, attempting to cut through the routine formation of the Chinese naval fleet.
"Our fleet was conducting routine operations in international waters when foreign warships loitered nearby. Their maneuvers showed clear intent to break through our formation. A warship is sovereign territory at sea—this was a blatant provocation," said Xu Wenqian of Nanchang, according to the CCTV report.
Despite repeated warnings, the foreign ships did not respond and continued trying to breach the Chinese formation. The Nanchang was forced to execute tactical maneuvers to block their path, Xu said.
"I could hear the commander constantly issuing helm orders. I made frequent adjustments to alter our ship's direction and stop them from traversing," Xu said.
Faced with the Nanchang's resolute countermeasures, the two foreign vessels found no chance to cut through and eventually left, according to the CCTV report.
The Type 055 missile destroyer marked a breakthrough in large destroyer design, integrating advanced technologies in overall architecture, information systems, and modular construction. With superior situational awareness, air defense, missile interception, and maritime strike power, it epitomizes the current pinnacle of China's naval technology. Its over 100 vertical launch cells can carry a mix of air-defense, anti-ship, anti-submarine, and land-attack missiles, making it the Chinese People's Liberation Army PLA Navy's most heavily armed destroyer to date, per the CCTV report.
Previously, Chinese official media on Sunday released footage documenting J-15 fighter jets taking off from an aircraft carrier at an undisclosed location in Western Pacific to expel foreign aircraft believed to be attempting mock attacks on the Chinese carrier group.
The US State Department issued a "worldwide caution" for Americans on Sunday, saying that the conflict in the Middle East could put those traveling or living abroad at an increased security risk, the AFP reported.
The US attacked three key Iranian nuclear facilities early Sunday local time. US President Donald Trump claimed the operation “obliterated” the sites, but officials are still assessing how significant of a blow it dealt to Tehran’s program, CNN reported.
CNN said B-2 stealth bombers dropped more than a dozen massive “bunker-buster” bombs on Iran’s Fordow and Natanz facilities, while Tomahawk missiles struck Isfahan, according to a US timeline of the attack.
Iran is yet to reveal the extent of the damage caused to its nuclear facilities, or outline its full response, the Al Jazeera reported.
But it launched a fresh barrage of missiles into Israel that wounded dozens and flattened buildings in Tel Aviv, according to the media report.
The Al Jazeera also noted that Israel continues attacks on Iran, carrying out another wave of air raids on Tehran and western parts of the country and claiming hits on missile launchers, satellite facilities and military radar sites.
Trump suggested the possibility of regime change in Iran, after his top officials said the administration wasn’t interested in such a move, the Washington Post said.
Iran’s permanent representative to the UN described the US strikes as a “blatant crime” and accused Israel of drawing Trump into the conflict, adding that Iran’s armed forces will decide the “timing, nature, and scale of Iran’s proportionate response,” according to the Washington Post.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday the US attacks on the country's three nuclear facilities indicated that the US is the "main factor" behind Israel's hostile actions against Iran, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
Pezeshkian said although the US initially was trying to deny its role in Israeli strikes against Iran, it eventually joined the war, Xinhua said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend a gathering marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will deliver a speech at the gathering, which is set to be held on Sept. 3 in Tian'anmen Square, downtown Beijing.
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, has called for continuous efforts to build the manufacturing industry stronger to advance Chinese modernization.
Xi made the remarks during his inspection tour in a bearing producer in Luoyang City, central China's Henan Province, on Monday afternoon.
Xi visited the company's intelligent manufacturing plant to learn about the performance and applications of various types of bearing products. He inspected the intelligent production lines and had an amiable conversation with the workers.
"China has always adhered to the path of developing the real economy. From the past reliance on imported matches, soap and iron, to now becoming the world's largest manufacturing country with the most complete industrial categories, we have taken the right path," Xi noted.
China must continue to strengthen the manufacturing sector, adhere to the principles of building self-reliance and strength, and master core technologies in key fields, Xi said.
He also urged efforts to strengthen collaboration between industries, universities and research institutes, and cultivate a large number of high-quality talents.
The producer, Luoyang Bearing Group Co., Ltd., is a traditional manufacturing firm that has invested heavily in scientific and technological research and made significant progress in industrial upgrading in recent years. Its wind turbine main bearings now hold over 40 percent of the domestic market share.
The Shenzhou-20 crew members, who are currently on board China's space station, will conduct their first extravehicular activities (EVAs) within the next few days, the China Manned Space Agency announced on Wednesday.
Since entering the Tiangong space station on April 25, the three astronauts have completed a series of tasks in orbit, including the rotation with their predecessors Shenzhou-19 crew members, the maintenance and upkeep of the space station platform, inspections and tests of EVA suits, and medical rescue exercises.
All space science experiments have been progressing as planned, the agency said.
It also confirmed that the three Shenzhou-20 crew members are in good health and the space station is operating smoothly, ready for the upcoming space walk.
On April 29, in response to the US' reckless imposition of tariffs, the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Office released a bilingual video titled "Never Kneel Down!"
Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te's pursuit of "independence" and provocative actions counter to the interests and well-being of the people in Taiwan and will ultimately be rejected by the public, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said at a press conference on Wednesday, warning that his "pro-independence provocations" are the root cause of cross-Straits tensions and instability.
Zhu made the remarks in response to a latest poll, which showed that Lai's approval rating has dropped to 47.1 percent, 10 percentage points lower than results from the last poll, falling below his disapproval rating for the first time since taking office. Zhu said this sharp decline reflects growing public dissatisfaction with Lai's policies.
"The people have a clear sense of judgment. What they want is economic development, social stability, and peace across the Taiwan Straits. But Lai continues to stir up political strife, suppress opponents, provoke cross-Straits confrontation, hollowing out Taiwan's key industries, and selling out Taiwan's interests to incite conflict," Zhu said. His actions will only lead to stronger opposition and, eventually, rejection by the public, she added.
In response to another question about Lai's recent remarks reiterating the "two-state theory" and claiming he is open to cooperation with the mainland "on the basis of dignity and parity," Zhu strongly condemned his comments as a blatant "pro-independence provocation." She labeled him a "troublemaker undermining cross-Straits peace and a creator of crisis in the Taiwan Straits."
"There is only one China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. No matter what Lai says or does, he cannot change this historical and legal fact," the spokesperson emphasized.
Zhu noted that the root cause of current cross-Straits tensions is the island's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities' refusal to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus, which forms the political foundation for dialogue and consultation between the two sides of the Straits. Instead, they have colluded with external forces to push for "Taiwan independence."
Zhu reiterated that as long as both sides uphold the 1992 Consensus and the one-China principle, dialogue can be conducted across the Straits. But if the DPP continues to reject this foundation and pursue separatist goals under the banner of "dignity and parity," cross-Straits talks will be impossible. "Any attempt to promote exchanges based on the 'two-state theory' is doomed to fail," she warned.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday urged the UK's relevant department to stop turning trade into political and security issues, stop groundlessly accusing and going after Chinese high-tech companies, and make more effort that is conducive to the sound and steady development of China-UK relations.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks at a regular press conference when asked to comment on the reported concern raised by the UK government over British companies using Chinese manufactured drones to take high-quality images of important infrastructure in the UK.
The Chinese government has never asked and will never ask any company to collect or store data against laws. The Chinese side firmly opposes the relevant side's groundless suspicion and vilification against China which lack a factual basis, said Lin.
The remarks follow UK government officials have reportedly raised fresh concerns over the use of Chinese-made drones at critical national infrastructure sites, warning that such practices may run counter to guidance from the country's security services, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.
Some Chinese experts responded by noting that Chinese drones such as DJI drones are widely used around the world for civilian uses and argued that the security concerns are largely political, lacking concrete evidence of immediate threats. The timing of the accusations, along with renewed attention on British Steel, comes as the two countries are working to improve ties, highlighting internal political discord and contradictions in the UK's approach to China, experts said.
Bloomberg reported that the role of Chinese companies and equipment in critical national infrastructure has been in focus in the UK. It mentioned that National Grid Plc, which operates the nation's electricity and gas networks, uses drones made by Shenzhen-based DJI to take videos, photographs and thermal images of its electricity substations. DJI drones have also been used to survey the construction of Electricite de France SA's Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant, to inspect solar farms, and by Thames Water to monitor reservoirs and the water supply.
The report claimed that deployment of the drones comes despite a warning in 2023 by the UK's National Protective Security Authority, part of the domestic security service MI5, that British organizations managing sensitive sites should be wary of using drones "manufactured in countries with coercive data sharing practices," a reference to China.
National Grid Plc and Thames Water told Bloomberg they adhere to government guidance and take security seriously.
DJI has not answered the inquiry by the Global Times on the matter by the press time.
The report followed recent rhetoric by some British politicians who have been hyping issues surrounding British Steel, the last UK facility capable of producing steel from iron ore, involving a Chinese private company, while calling for a ban on Chinese firms in critical industries.
The renewed focus on drone security also emerged just as Britain's business minister Jonathan Reynolds prepares to visit China later this year to boost trade and investment, according to The Guardian.
Experts said the timing of the report reflects a contradiction within the UK's current political climate. "While the Starmer administration is taking a relatively more pragmatic approach and looking to expand trade with China to cushion global trade turbulence caused by the US, internal discord remains — particularly around national security concerns," Yu Wenjie, Director of the Institute of British and Commonwealth Studies at Nanjing University, told the Global Times on Thursday.
Some in the UK often approach the UK's engagement with China through an ideological lens, with certain media outlets and politicians frequently making unfounded accusations even in the context of normal bilateral economic exchanges or the legitimate operations of Chinese private enterprises in the country, Zhao Junjie, a senior research fellow at the Institute of European Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Thursday.
Zhao described the UK's stance toward China as a "contradictory composite." On the one hand, the UK seeks cooperation with China in areas such as finance, technology, and the green economy; on the other, some media and politicians continue to view China with entrenched hostility and a Cold War mentality. "They want the benefits of engagement with China, while also trying to guard against and criticize it—this results in policies that are often logically inconsistent," he said.
It is important for some UK politicians and media to honor the broad picture of deepening China-UK ties, and remind them not to let their behavior undermine the overall momentum of improving bilateral ties, Zhao said.
China and Spain reached a cooperative agreement on April 11 in the field of synchrotron radiation light sources to promote the research and development of fourth-generation synchrotron radiation light source technologies and facilitate the open sharing of international large scientific facilities, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
The agreement was signed by the Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Consortium for the Construction, Equipping and Exploitation of the Synchrotron Light Source. It is part of the Action Plan for Strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the People's Republic of China and the Kingdom of Spain (2025-2028) as China has vowed to develop the comprehensive strategic partnership with Spain with greater strategic focus and vitality, according to Xinhua.
A synchrotron radiation light source is a source of electromagnetic radiation usually produced by a storage ring.
China is currently building its first high-energy synchrotron radiation light source, the High Energy Photon Source (HEPS). As one of the country's key scientific and technological infrastructure projects, HEPS is expected to become a fourth-generation synchrotron radiation facility with the world's highest brightness and will serve as a research platform for material science, chemical engineering, biomedicine and other fields.
The Global Times learned from IHEP that, by January, HEPS had achieved a world-class electron beam emittance of 93 picometer radians in the storage ring following the achievement of a beam current of more than 40 milliamps, which means that the HEPS accelerator construction is successful.
In late March, HEPS officially launched its joint commissioning phase, marking its final construction stage.
During the joint commissioning phase, multiple beamlines at HEPS are commissioned with the accelerator and perform specialized sample experiments aimed at further optimizing relevant indicators of the accelerator and beamlines, Pan Weimin, director of the HEPS project, told the Global Times.
According to Pan, the HEPS project is expected to complete acceptance and be operational by the end of 2025. When design values are reached, it will be able to emit light that is one trillion times brighter than the sun and will be open to users in fields such as aerospace, energy, environment, life science and pharmaceuticals.
HEPS can provide high-quality light for both domestic and international scientists in these fields, helping them analyze and explore the microscopic structure and evolution mechanisms of materials, covering a wide range of application scenarios. For instance, HEPS can be used for precision testing and lifecycle monitoring of certain materials like titanium alloys; it can be applied to observe how substances change and react during the generation and synthesis of new materials; and it can also be used to observe the scale of nanoparticles, thereby adjusting and enhancing the performance of nanomaterials, according to Pan.
Taking the application of HEPS in life sciences as an example, with the help of the first-generation light source, scientists discovered the molecular structure of the SARS virus. Now, with the construction of this fourth-generation light source, scientists will be able to observe virus more clearly, meticulously, and quickly, according to IHEP.
Construction of HEPS began in June 2019. From an aerial view, the HEPS, located in the Huairou Science City in Beijing, consists of three main buildings, with an overall shape resembling a magnifying glass, symbolizing a tool for exploring the microscopic world.
Experiences and innovative technologies utilized during the construction of HEPS could also pave the way for subsequent light source construction in China, according to Pan. For example, the HEPS construction team innovated a scheme to utilize its booster as both an accelerator and an accumulator, significantly reducing the infrastructure's costs.
These experiences and technologies can be applied to the construction of other large scientific facilities in China, helping future projects to save time and effort, Pan noted.
The Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, located near Peace Park in Nagasaki, Japan, displays historical materials related to the atomic bombing the city suffered in 1945, reminding the world to remember history and prevent the recurrence of war.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the global war against fascism, as well as the 80th anniversary of the Nagasaki atomic bombing. As part of the commemorative activities, the city plans to update the exhibition content of the museum, which has brought to light the contradictions that have arisen in recent years regarding related content: some right-wing groups in Japan are demanding that the museum revise or even erase references to the Nanjing Massacre, provoking opposition from many peace advocates and organizations.
Global Times reporter Xing Xiaojing recently conducted an investigation into this matter, talking to representatives from the Atomic Bomb Museum, the Nagasaki city government, Japanese civic groups, and Chinese experts. The findings reveal that the demands for revisions to the museum's World War II narrative reflect deep-seated contradictions in Japanese society regarding historical awareness and the issue of political rightward shift. A representative from a Japanese civic group stated that this issue cannot be ignored, saying, "Without proper reflection on history, we cannot have a peaceful future!"
Shelved plan, stirred history
Some Japanese media reported in March that to mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing, Nagasaki has planned to update the exhibition content of the Atomic Bomb Museum. The proposed updates include using digital technology and other methods to present the severe impacts of nuclear radiation on the human body in an intuitive and understandable visual format, as well as the lifelong health and psychological damage suffered by the victims of the atomic bombing. The museum also plans to adjust the exhibition area that introduces the historical events leading up to the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki.
In the proposed updates, the timeline of major events regarding Japan's wars prior to the atomic bombing retains references to "the occupation of Nanjing" and "the Nanjing Massacre." Some conservative groups in Japan have long expressed dissatisfaction with this and have pressured the museum and the local government to modify or even delete these references, resulting in the postponement of this year's exhibition update plan.
Nagasaki initially wanted to complete the update by the end of this year but later announced a delay. The latest news indicates that the city will release the relevant plan in the spring of 2027.
The Global Times recently called the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum for an interview regarding this matter. After explaining the purpose of the call, the reporter was put on hold, and unexpectedly, the call was transferred to the Nagasaki city's atomic bomb disaster prevention department's peace promotion division. The Global Times reporter was informed that this division is responsible for responding to matters related to the museum's exhibition plans.
An official from the division told the Global Times that the current statements in the museum remain unchanged, but adjusting the wording of existing references such as "Japan's occupation of Nanjing" and "the Nanjing Massacre" is "not something that Nagasaki city can decide unilaterally." The Nagasaki government will discuss this with the Atomic Bomb Museum, and an external advisory committee (or review committee) composed of outside members will also participate in the discussions. A final decision can only be made after consultations among all parties, and "the earliest confirmation of the final adjustment plan will not be until after April 2026."
Growing right-wing shift
According to a report by Asahi Shimbun, since 2019, the review committee has been discussing matters related to the exhibition content of the museum, with committee members serving two-year terms.
The Nagasaki city government's official website has made public some of the committee's meeting minutes.
The meeting minutes from December 2020 show that the committee's secretariat noted that in the museum's exhibition room C, under the section "Toward a World Without Nuclear Weapons," a timeline outlines the history from Japan's invasion of China to the end of the Pacific War. This timeline includes entries such as "Occupation of Nanjing" and "Occurrence of the Nanjing Massacre."
At the time, a committee member claimed there are views asserting "the Nanjing Massacre did not happen," and thus "changing the description to 'Battle of Nanjing' would not be incorrect."
The minutes reveal that other committee members immediately countered this, stating: "Japan waged a war of aggression against China at that time, and a large number of Chinese civilians were killed. This is an indisputable fact, so it is necessary to clearly display the acts of harm Japan once committed." The committee chairperson at the time remarked that "the meeting was not intended to reach a conclusion on this matter" but rather to exchange views and opinions, concluding the discussion with this statement.
A set of meeting minutes from 2023 shows that a committee member stated in their remarks that, despite the so-called view that "the Nanjing Massacre did not occur," there are photographs provided by Moriyasu Murase - a Japanese soldier during Japan's invasion of China who took over 3,000 photos between 1937 and 1940, documenting the crimes of the invading Japanese army. After Murase's death, his family donated these historical materials to the Japan-China Friendship Association - as well as evidence he compiled from photo albums and other sources.
"The so-called review committee, composed of external members, has had its members selectively chosen, and in recent years, they have gradually been replaced by individuals from right-wing groups," Tadashi Hirano, the secretary-general of the Nagasaki Prefecture Peace Movement Center, told the Global Times.
For example, during the 2023 committee member rotation, Nobuto Hirano, a long-time advocate for peace activities, was not selected. Nobuto Hirano had consistently argued for the necessity of exhibitions on Japan's war crimes, believing that the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum's displays should include the history of Japan's wartime atrocities.
Thirteen local civic groups argued that the selection process for committee members was subjective and demanded that Nobuto Hirano be added as a supplementary member. However, Takuji Inoue, director of the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, said the selection of committee members was "based on review standards" and conducted effectively by six reviewers, stating it was "not an intentional exclusion of Nobuto Hirano," and thus no re-evaluation would be considered.
"This has a significant impact on us. Nobuto Hirano was a very important figure for us, and his exclusion has made many civic groups acutely aware of the crisis," Tadashi Hirano said. He noted that this reflects a severe constriction of the space for Japanese peace advocates to speak out, especially in decision-making bodies like the review committee, where they have essentially lost their right to voice opinions.
Tadashi Hirano stressed that it is a fact that Nagasaki suffered as a victim of the atomic bombing, and it is equally a fact that Japan invaded other countries. All these facts should be passed down truthfully. He added that they would continue to collaborate with other groups and take all possible measures to urge the government not to alter the current descriptions, saying, "The growing right-wing shift in Japan today is becoming severe, and it cannot continue like this."
'Cannot turn blind eyes'
"The rightward shift in Japan is becoming increasingly severe, and we cannot turn a blind eye to it," said Liu Jiangyong, a professor at Tsinghua University's Department of International Relations.
The controversy surrounding the modification of the Nanjing Massacre description at the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum reflects deep-seated contradictions in Japanese society regarding historical cognition. This incident is not an isolated phenomenon; rather, it is a concentrated manifestation of Japan's political rightward shift since the end of the Cold War, particularly in the 21st century. It involves structural issues such as the incomplete reckoning with history, the long-term infiltration of right-wing forces, and the systematic distortion of textbooks, Liu told the Global Times.
According to Liu, Nagasaki, a symbol of friendship with China, reflects the erosion of Japan's pacifist stance due to right-wing forces, particularly evident in the controversy over its atomic bomb museum. This issue emerged around 2020 amid Japan's political shift to the right, with groups seeking to erase references to the Nanjing Massacre, undermining the Tokyo Trials' outcomes and challenging the post-normalization consensus in China-Japan relations. The delay in updating the museum's exhibition lays bare Japan's societal divisions, balancing right-wing pressures against international public opinion and domestic pacifist sentiments.
Tadashi Hirano emphasized that the current discussions extend beyond Nagasaki and the Nanjing Massacre, representing a broader trend of historical revisionism in Japan that cannot be overlooked.
Distortion, beautification, and dilution of history cannot conceal the truth, yet they only create more problems. "Without a proper reflection on history, we cannot have a peaceful future," he said.
The complete truth
2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Several sources in Japan have revealed that the cabinet of Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba plans not to issue an "80 Years After the War" official statement regarding the World War II. Some right-wing forces in Japan are attempting to reconstruct historical narratives through the statement.
"We strongly oppose such moves [to revise the Nanjing Massacre and other expressions]!" Tadashi Hirano stated. He said the timeline at the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum should accurately document how Japan gradually moved toward the war, and erasing or altering the existing narratives actually dilutes the history. "Several Japanese civic groups, including ours, have repeatedly expressed our concerns to the Nagasaki city council, urging it to take this matter seriously," Hirano said.
According to Nagasaki Broadcasting Company, 21 civic groups, including atomic bomb survivors and citizens, have submitted a petition to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, urging the inclusion of Japan's wartime atrocities in its exhibits. Yutaka Yonemura, head of the Nagasaki Prefectural Peace Movement Center, emphasized that merely depicting the suffering caused by the atomic bombing cannot convey Nagasaki's message to the world. Japan's history of aggression in Asia must not be ignored, and historical facts such as the Nanjing Massacre must not be altered.
Nagasaki Culture Telecasting reported that a recent survey by local civic groups targeting foreign visitors to the museum found that about 93 percent of respondents supported retaining pre-atomic bomb historical exhibits.
"We must prevent any revision of historical narratives, such as the Nanjing Massacre, at all costs ... Only by conveying the full truth can we powerfully demonstrate the preciousness of peace to the world," an anonymous member of a Nagasaki peace group told the Global Times.
The opposition from some Japanese citizens to the museum's revision of World War II-related narratives indicates the presence of pacifist forces in this country, he said.
In the future, the struggle over historical perspectives will intertwine with several matters, including the Taiwan question and Japan's constitutional revision process, becoming a core variable affecting China-Japan relations, said Liu, noting that China should remain vigilant against Japan's attempts to reshape national identity through historical revisionism, and counter its one-sided narrative.
