The National Disease Control and Prevention Administration has issued the "technical guidelines for chikungunya fever prevention and control" (2025 Edition), listing South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region as a Category I risk area for chikungunya fever, the same risk level as Guangdong. 

Authorities at all levels have implemented multiple measures to strengthen transmission barriers. Guangdong Province has largely brought its chikungunya fever outbreak under control, with 1,387 new cases reported over the past seven days, the Yangcheng Evening News reported on Sunday, down from close to 3,000 weekly new cases in previous two weeks.

The disease control and prevention department in Nanning, capital of Guangxi has established a closed-loop mechanism featuring "2-hour core epidemiological investigation + 4-hour risk assessment + 24-hour response feedback," and formed three municipal-level rapid response teams operating in shifts with 24/7 standby to ensure suspected cases undergo complete epidemiological investigations within two hours and disinfection of core outbreak zones is completed on the same day. 

Chikungunya fever is an acute infectious disease caused by the chikungunya virus and transmitted through the bite of Aedes mosquitoes, with transmission patterns and epidemic characteristics similar to dengue fever and Zika virus disease. It does not spread from person to person, but the virus can circulate in a "human-mosquito-human" cycle. In China, the primary vectors are Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito) and Aedes aegypti (yellow fever mosquito), according to the administration.

After an Aedes mosquito bites an infected human or animal during the viremic phase, the virus replicates inside the mosquito and migrates to its salivary glands. Following an extrinsic incubation period of two to 10 days, the mosquito becomes capable of transmitting the virus. A small number of patients may develop severe complications such as hemorrhage, encephalitis, or myelitis, and in rare cases, the disease can be fatal.

According to the "technical guidelines for chikungunya fever prevention and control," 

Category I regions are defined as areas with a longer active period of Aedes mosquitoes, higher historical incidence of local dengue fever cases, and an elevated risk of clustered outbreaks. Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, and Yunnan are listed as Category I regions for chikungunya fever risk.

India announced on Wednesday that it will open tourist visa applications to Chinese citizens from July 24, 2025. It was the first time in five years since the South Asian country suspended Chinese citizens' tourist visa applications in February 2020.

The Embassy of India in China announced via its Sina Weibo account on Wednesday that, starting from July 24, 2025, Chinese citizens can apply for a tourist visa to visit India after completing an online application, scheduling an appointment, and personally submitting their passport and other required documents to three Indian visa application centers in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou in South China's Guangdong Province.

Responding to the related inquiry, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Wednesday that "we take note of this positive move. Easing cross-border travel is widely beneficial. China will maintain communication and consultation with India to further facilitate travel between the two countries.''

Chinese experts said the latest move taken by the India marks a phased milestone in the easing of relations between the two countries, and creates favorable conditions for further strengthening bilateral people-to-people exchanges.

On February 2, 2020, India temporarily suspended its e-visa facility for Chinese travelers and foreigners residing in China amid coronavirus outbreak, according to the Times of India.

Before the pause, both tourist and business visa applications to India by Chinese nationals recorded positive year-on-year growth in 2019, according to data sent from Chinese online travel platform Trip.com to the Global Times on Wednesday. Indian media estimated that in 2019, the country issued about 200,000 visas to Chinese nationals, while the number was just 2,000 in 2024, said another report by the Times of India.

A staff member at the Consulate General of the Republic of India in Guangzhou confirmed the news to the Global Times on Wednesday, saying, "We received the notice from Beijing today. Starting tomorrow, we will also be awaiting more detailed instructions from the embassy regarding the visa application process."

Easing bilateral ties

Relationship between China and India has been on positive recovery path recently. Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited China on July 14 and 15, his first dedicated visit since the 2020 military standoff in the western sector of the China-India border.

As two neighboring Eastern civilizations and major emerging economies, the essence of China-India relations lies in how to coexist harmoniously and achieve mutual success, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi when holding talks with Jaishankar on July 14.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that both sides should adhere to the direction of friendly neighborliness, achieve the "Dragon-Elephant Tango" and find a way for mutual respect and trust, peaceful coexistence, common development and win-win cooperation.

Jaishankar's visit follows the recent visits of India's Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to China, The Hindu reported.

The positive signs of easing bilateral times also came at a time when the US is waging tariff wars against most nations in the world, including its close partners such as India, Xie Chao, an associate professor at the Institute of International Studies, Fudan University, wrote in an opinion article in the Global Times on July 16.

On June 20, a group of 39 pilgrims from India arrived in Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, marking the resumption of pilgrimages to Mount Gang Renpoche and Lake Mapam Yun Tso in the region after a five-year hiatus, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Xu Feihong, the Chinese Ambassador to India, said in a recent interview with an Indian newspaper The Hindu that the government departments of both China and India, as well as major airlines, have done a lot of work for the resumption of direct flights. We hope that it will be launched as soon as possible.

Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the Chinese and Indian economies are highly complementary. "If bilateral relations continue to warm, it will not only benefit both countries but also have a positive impact on the broader region and even the world," he noted.

Managing perception

Previously, India was among the destinations preferred by some Chinese tourists, with some travel agencies maintaining partnerships with Indian side, Jia Jianqiang, founder and CEO of Beijing-based online agency 6renyou, told the Global Times on Wednesday, while noting that the suspension of visa issuance had resulted in the gradual disappearance of India from Chinese tourists' itineraries over the past few years.

While the resumption of tourist visa issuance is a welcome move, Jia said it is only a first step. "Whether the market can recover depends on further support from relevant authorities," Jia said.

A former Chinese business representative in India told the Global Times on Wednesday that although tourist visas have resumed, work visas remain difficult to obtain due to a lengthy approval process, extensive documentation requirements, and increasingly strict background checks.

Qian emphasized that China-India ties represent a new type of relationship between two neighboring emerging powers, and the first and most crucial step in managing it is aligning strategic perceptions from both perspectives.

"Like buttoning the first clasp on a shirt - the Indian side should not see China as a threat, but as a partner. Only on this basis, aligned with economic needs and public demand, can the bilateral relationship develop steadily," said Qian.

Responding to a question regarding the news that India's Foreign Ministry has agreed with China to expedite the process to resume direct flights between the two countries, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said during a press conference on June 13 that the resumption of direct flights is conducive to ensuring cross-border travel, exchanges and cooperation between China and India, which is in the interest of the two sides.

"China is positive toward it. We hope India will work with us to resume flights as soon as possible and ensure safe and orderly mutual visits between the two countries," said Lin.

Chinese corruption suspect Zhou Jinghua, one of the 100 fugitives listed on the Interpol Red Notice, has been extradited from Thailand to China in July under the coordination of Chinese authorities and the joint judicial cooperation between China and Thailand, CCTV News reported on Thursday.

Zhou is the 63rd "100 most wanted fugitive" to be brought to justice since the launch of Operation Sky Net. Her extradition means that all the Asia-based corrupt officials on the Interpol red notice have been hunted down.

Zhou, born in September 1969, was the former manager of Thailand Project of Real Estate Development Co., LTD of Yunnan Copper Group, on suspicion of crime of embezzlement. After fleeing abroad, she has resisted capture and refused to return to face charges. In September 2012, Interpol issued a Red Notice for Zhou.

The Macao Judiciary Police recently arrested a couple from the Chinese mainland in the Macao Special Administrative Region on suspicion of drug trafficking, with authorities discovering cannabis concealed in the male suspect's tailored underwear, according to a police report.
Acting on intelligence, anti-narcotics officers from the drug crime investigation unit conducted interdiction operations targeting inbound flights. They identified and intercepted the suspects — a Chinese mainland man and his wife — upon their arrival from Bangkok, Thailand on the evening of July 17.

Authorities uncovered five packets of cannabis flower weighing approximately 321.9 grams and 11 packets of cannabis residue, totaling around 333.8 grams hidden inside the man’s modified underwear, the police report said. 

In his luggage, police also confiscated four boxes of cookies—packaged in ordinary biscuit tins suspected to contain cannabis—weighing a total of 2,818.8 grams, along with a packet of cannabis-laced gummies weighing 829.4 grams.

Laboratory tests conducted by the criminal technology department confirmed the presence of cannabis and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the seized items, with an estimated total value of MOP 656,000 ($81,145).

Investigations revealed that the male suspect, a habitual drug user, had purchased the narcotics in Bangkok. His wife allegedly helped smuggle the drugs through Macau en route to the Chinese mainland, the police said.

Both suspects have been referred to the prosecutors’ office for investigation on charges of trafficking narcotics and psychotropic substances based on the evidence gathered, the report said.

Torrential rains have resulted in the evacuation of more than 3,000 residents in Beijing's suburban district of Miyun.

The meteorological observatory in Miyun issued an upgraded red alert for torrential rains at 9:06 p.m. on Saturday, the highest level in China's four-tier color-coded weather warning system.

Between 12 p.m. on Saturday and 2 a.m. on Sunday, the district recorded an average rainfall of 73.5 millimeters, with the heaviest precipitation reaching 315.3 millimeters at Huangtuliang Station. This intense and localized downpour triggered flash floods -- disrupting access to roads, power supplies and communication networks in several villages.

The extreme weather forced the closure of 12 major roads in Miyun, seven of which have since reopened. Contact has been established with all the affected villages, with a total of 3,065 residents across 149 villages having been safely relocated as of 5 a.m. on Sunday. No fatalities have been reported -- while evacuation and rescue operations are still underway.

Weather forecasts indicate continued rainfall in Miyun on Sunday. These conditions are expected to ease slightly on Monday, with lingering risks of downpours in mountainous areas of this district.

Meanwhile, the Miyun flood control and drought relief headquarters has activated a Level-I flood control emergency response to carry out relevant rescue operations.

Shenzhou-20 taikonauts who are currently staying and working in the orbiting China Tiangong Space Station have opened the hatch of the Tianzhou-9 cargo spacecraft and entered the craft on Tuesday afternoon. They will carry out work including cargo transfer according to plan, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said on Tuesday.

Packed with a record 6.5 tons of cargo, the Tianzhou-9 spacecraft was launched successfully atop a Long March-7 Y10 carrier rocket from the tropical island province of Hainan early on Tuesday. After a rapid rendezvous and docking operation at 8:52 am with the rear port of the Tianhe core module of the space station that took around three hours, the Tianzhou-9 cargo craft entered the combined flight phase, the Global Times learned from the CMSA on Tuesday. 

The Tianzhou-9 cargo mission marks the fourth of its kind during the application and development phase of the China Space Station. It is tasked with ferrying cargo, including supplies for the astronaut system and platform materials for the space station system, as well as experimental samples and equipment for space applications, aerospace medicine and space technology testing. These supplies will provide strong support for the space station's in-orbit operations and the long-term stay of taikonauts, mission insiders told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

In terms of rendezvous and docking, China has successfully verified and implemented several approaches in orbit, including the 2-day, 6.5-hour, 2-hour, and now the 3-hour schemes. The three-hour rendezvous and docking mode used by the Tianzhou-9 cargo spacecraft is set to become the standard procedure for future Tianzhou missions for the foreseeable future.

Explaining why the three-hour approach is the best one, experts from the state-owned space giant China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC) told the Global Times that it offers a time advantage over the traditional 6.5-hour mode, while being less demanding than the two-hour mode. It relaxes requirements on orbital insertion accuracy, tracking and control precision, sensor and navigation accuracy, and guidance and control systems, thereby improving overall mission reliability, according to the CASC experts. 

Experts pointed out that under China's current level of aerospace technology, the three-hour rendezvous and docking mode strikes the best balance between efficiency and reliability, making it the most cost-effective technical solution.

Having successfully achieved the three-hour fast rendezvous and docking which is the third time this fast-track approach has been achieved, following the Tianzhou-7 and Tianzhou-8 missions, it will pave the way for making this mode a new norm, said Li Zhiyong, a member of the Tianzhou spacecraft development team with CASC.

Previously, Global Times reporters learned from the Astronaut Center of China (ACC) that two sets of upgraded spacesuits for extravehicular activities, or spacewalks, and a new set of core muscle training devices, as well as around 30 new kinds of space food were onboard the Tianzhou-9 craft, which Yin Rui, an spokesperson of the ACC believes will bring significant enhancements and improvements for the taikonauts who are working and living in orbit. 

The Chinese Academy of Sciences said the scientific and research payload that flew on Tianzhou-9 to the space station includes several firsts and it will shed light on future exploration at the Chinese permanent space outpost. 

Among them, in the field of space life sciences and biotechnology, scientific experiments will be carried out using the biotechnology experiment cabinet aboard the Wentian lab module of the space station. These include new studies on the impact of the space environment on the human blood-brain barrier and brain function using organoid-on-a-chip technology for the first time, research on how the space microgravity environment affects the migration of skeletal muscle progenitor cells and the underlying mechanisms, as well as investigations into the biological functions of nucleic acid-lipid nanocarriers under microgravity conditions.

Regarding the brain organoid-on-a-chip research, Qin Jianhua, chief scientist at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday that unlike traditional silicon-based chips, this brain organoid chip integrates multiple advanced biotechnologies. Derived from human pluripotent stem cells, it constructs a highly realistic miniature brain model on a chip about the size of a credit card, Qin said.

The chip features a rich cerebral microvascular network, neural cells, immune cells, and a structure and functionality that resemble the blood-brain barrier, enabling it to simulate the complex microenvironment of the human brain and its responses to external stimuli, he said.  

Qin noted that this biomimetic model can be used to investigate how the space environment affects the human blood-brain barrier and brain function at the cellular, tissue and organ levels, and to explore the potential underlying mechanisms.

It offers tools for predicting and mitigating health risks associated with long-term spaceflight, he noted.

Gong Yongsheng, with the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told the Global Times that the Tianzhou-9 was to deliver a total of 776.5 kilograms of application payloads including experimental payloads, experiment units, samples, critical spare parts and consumable materials, covering 23 scientific experiments.

The Tianzhou-9 mission also set a first in the manned space engineering sphere, the Global Times learned from the mission contractor CASC. China's space station logistics system has now, like the Shenzhou manned spacecraft system, also established its own "dual insurance" mechanism, further enhancing its emergency supply transport capability. 

Before the launch of the Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft on November 15, 2024, Tianzhou-9 had already completed its full development and had entered a full-vehicle standby state, the first time China achieved a three-month contingency launch readiness for cargo missions. 

By the time Tianzhou-9 was launched on Tuesday, the next cargo spacecraft was already prepared to serve as a mission backup, further boosting the safety and reliability of the space station's operations.

In response to Japan's recently released 2025 Defense of Japan pamphlet, which claimed China as an "unprecedented and the greatest strategic challenge," falsely accused China of attempting "unilateral changes to the status quo by force," and made inappropriate remarks on the Taiwan question, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin said on Wednesday that Japan, in an attempt to find excuse for its military expansion, had fabricated false narratives, grossly hyped the "China threat," and blatantly interfered in China's internal affairs. China expresses strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this and has already lodged solemn representations with Japan.

Japanese militarism once inflicted profound suffering on China and other Asian neighbors. Instead of seriously reflecting on its past, Japan is once again showing dangerous tendencies toward military expansion - significantly increasing its defense budget, steadily loosening restrictions on arms exports, forming small military blocs to promote confrontation, and even suggesting revisions to its Three Non-Nuclear Principles. These actions gravely violate Japan's Peace Constitution and its exclusively defense-oriented policy, severely undermine the post-war international order, and pose a serious challenge to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. They have already triggered deep concern and heightened vigilance among neighboring Asian countries and the broader international community, Jiang said.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's recovery. The return of Taiwan to China in 1945 is an important part of the fruits of victory in World War II and the post-war international order. We urge Japan to profoundly learn from historical lessons, stop smearing and accusing China, earnestly abide by the spirit of the four China-Japan political documents and its commitments on the Taiwan question, and take concrete actions to promote the sound and stable development of China-Japan relations, the Chinese spokesperson said.

Responding to a question that Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said Moscow is negotiating the restoration of the Russia-India-China format with Beijing and New Delhi, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday that the cooperation among China, Russia, and India not only aligns with the respective interests of the three countries, but also contributes to regional and global peace, security, stability, and progress.

"China is willing to maintain communication with Russia and India to advance trilateral cooperation," Lin said at a press briefing on Thursday.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said that the topic of the trilateral cooperation format "appears in our negotiations with both of them [China and India], Russian media outlet Izvestia reported on Thursday.

Following recent incidents where Chinese nationals were detained, investigated, or prosecuted abroad for photographing sensitive facilities out of personal interest, the Department of Consular Affairs of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday released a notice on its official WeChat account, reminding Chinese tourists to follow the advice of local law enforcement officers, refrain from taking photos of sensitive facilities and figures.

In recent times, some Chinese nationals traveling abroad have been detained, investigated, or prosecuted by local law enforcement agencies for photographing sensitive local sites and facilities out of personal interest or curiosity. As a result, they are unable to return home in the short term.

To prevent such acts from occurring, the Department of Consular Affairs reminded Chinese tourists traveling abroad to always maintain strong legal and risk prevention awareness, abide by the laws and regulations of the destination country, and learn in advance about local regulations on photography, drone use and the like.

In the notice, tourists are advised to pay special attention to warning signs such as "No Photography," follow the advice of local law enforcement officers, refrain from entering restricted areas without authorization, and avoid photographing sensitive locations, facilities, or figures to avoid unnecessary troubles due to negligence.

The Department of Consular Affairs also said that in the event of an emergency during overseas travel, tourists should report to local authorities immediately and seek assistance from the Chinese embassies and consulates in the area.

A Spanish institute on Monday published a survey highlighting shifting perspectives among Spaniards amid the changing world. Among them, one striking result stands out: friendly impression toward the US is now below that expressed towards China. A Chinese expert stated that the shift in attitude stemmed from Spaniards' growing insecurity about the US narrow nationalist policies toward its allies. On the other hand, cooperation with China presents an opportunity for genuine, equal, and mutually beneficial collaboration.

The results were published in the 45th edition of the Barometer by the Real Instituto Elcano. It shows that support for the US in the tension between China and the US has dropped sharply among Spaniards, from 35 percent to 11 percent, according to Spanish media La Razon. 

Most Spaniards believe that there is no risk to the EU in its current trend of rapprochement with China. However, more than a third of those interviewed do see a danger in this approach, either due to fear of reprisals from the US or concerns about becoming overly dependent on China.

According to the survey, Spaniards have reduced their friendly impression towards the US in favor of China after the arrival of the Trump administration.

Moreover, 61 percent believe that US President Trump's second term would have a "negative influence" on Spain, especially in relation to trade tensions.

The perception that the US could pose a threat to Spain has risen to 19 percent, according to the survey.

The current US administration's narrow nationalist stance on Europe's security and economic policies, along with pressuring allies to increase military spending, created a sense of insecurity among ordinary citizens in their dealings with the US, Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times.

However, engagement with China, in contrast, emphasizes genuine equality and mutual benefit, said Li. He noted that more active people-to-people exchange lay a good foundation for interactions at official levels. Moreover, among NATO and European countries, Spain has handled China's bottom line and red lines issues well. Thus, there is a very strong and favorable atmosphere and environment for the friendly cooperative development of relations between China and Spain.

During his visit to China in April, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said China is an important partner of the EU, and Spain has always supported the stable development of EU-China relations, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Noting the EU is committed to open and free trade, upholds multilateralism and opposes unilateral tariff hikes, Sanchez said there is no winner in a trade war. 

Spaniards still largely support remaining in NATO, with 85 percent of respondents in favor of the alliance. On the increase in defense spending, opinions are split: 49 percent support it, while 51 percent oppose it. However, most respondents believe that such spending should come from "Europe" as a whole.

In June, NATO members agreed to raise their defense spending target to 5 percent of GDP, as pushed by the US, but Spain said it would not comply just days before a summit in The Hague meant to be a show of unity, Reuters reported.