Drainage of 210-million-cubic-meter standing water in the flooded Tuanzhou dike region due to spillover from the rain effected Dongting Lake in Central China’s Hunan Province fully started on Tuesday morning, after the breached dike was successfully repaired late on Monday night, thanks to on-site rescuers racing against time to plug the 226-meter breach within 77 hours, well ahead of schedule. 

Drainage equipment was promptly dispatched and deployed to the flooded Tuanzhou township, Huarong county in Hunan Province. As of Tuesday morning, a variety of submersible equipment, electric pumps, along with other necessary drainage tools had been delivered to the Tuanzhou embankment to carry out drainage operations. 

At around 7 am on Tuesday, a team specializing in handling waterlogging from the Hunan provincial firefighting and rescue force arrived at the Tuanzhou embankment to start drainage work.

China’s National Fire and Rescue Administration also dispatched firefighting and rescue forces from Central China’s Hubei Province, Southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality and Guizhou Province to the scene on Tuesday morning to provide cross-provincial support. 

Drainage work deployment began on late Monday night to lower the level of the standing water within the flooded Tuanzhou dike region, in order to reduce the flood control pressure on a 14.35-kilometer-long embankment. 

Multiple cases of dike piping were identified along the embankment on Monday morning, with more than 300 armed police officers, firefighters, and other rescue personnel urgently dispatched to address the situation, effectively and promptly controlling the piping hazard. 

As of Monday evening, a total of 24 hazardous incidents such as piping and water seepage reported along the embankment had all been resolved, Zhu Dongtie, director of Hunan Provincial Department of Water Resources said during a press briefing on Monday evening, noting that as the time extends, the pressure on the embankment will increase considerably.

On late Monday night at 10:31 pm, rescue personnel successfully sealed the breached dike at China’s second-largest freshwater lake, from which a total of 210 million cubic meters of water, equivalent to the volume of water of 15 West Lakes, remained within the Tuanzhou dike region, flooding 47.64 square kilometers out of the region, forcing six villages and one community with a total of 7,680 residents to vacate their homes. 

In order to alleviate the flood defense pressure on “the second line of defense” and quickly restore normal activity within the flooded Tuanzhou dike region, there remains an urgent need to lower the water level inside the embankment and discharge remaining floodwater. 

Experts suggested that the daily drop in water level should not exceed 30 centimeters in a bid to drain the standing water as quickly as possible meanwhile ensuring the safety of the dike, Central China Television (CCTV) reported on Monday. 

Calculated according to the area of 50 square kilometers of Tuanzhou dike region, the daily volume of drainage is estimated to be around 15 million cubic meters of water. Since the terrain of Tuanzhou dike region is characterized by being higher on both sides and lower in the middle, the standing water in the higher terrain will be drained faster while water pooling in lower terrain will be drained more slowly, with approximately a total of 17 days needed to drain all the water in the region, according to CCTV. 

China’s Ministry of Water Resources has required to thoroughly implement all follow-up response measures including continuously analyzing and assessing potential risks such as the prolonged high-water levels as well as the piping, seepage and slope failures at the Dongting dike and other dikes. 
Local officials also reminded the public to remain vigilant for new flood warnings during the drainage process, noting that emergency response tasks remain complex and challenging. 

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's second 10,000 ton-class hospital ship recently embarked on a voyage to islands and reefs in the South China Sea to conduct medical rounds and rescue exercises, with experts saying on Thursday that the vessel will enhance the PLA Navy's logistics capabilities and provide extra public security goods to the international community.

The hospital ship Silkroad Ark set out from a naval port in Zhanjiang, South China's Guangdong Province on Wednesday to conduct medial rounds in the South China Sea, including islands and reefs of Xisha Qundao (also known as Xisha Islands) and Nansha Qundao (also known as Nansha Islands) such as Yongxing Dao (also known as Yongxing Island) and Yongshu Jiao (also known as Yongshu Reef), as well as islands and reefs along the southern coast of the mainland, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Thursday.

During the voyage, troops stationed on islands and reefs will board the hospital ship to receive diagnoses and treatment, and the ship's medical staff will also disembark from the ship to make rounds of visits to the troops' combat positions, CCTV reported.

The vessel will also conduct exercises for rescuing the wounded at sea, the report said.

The mission demonstrates that the Silkroad Ark is now in active service with the PLA Navy, observers said.

The Silkroad Ark is the second 10,000 ton-class far-seas capable hospital ship domestically developed by China, after the Peace Ark. The Silkroad Ark shares the same design as the Peace Ark but has a larger displacement and a longer endurance, according to CCTV.

In wartime, it will conduct maritime rescue and evacuation missions, while in peacetime, it will engage in medical rounds for residents and troops on islands and reefs, deliver international humanitarian aid services, join major disaster relief and emergency medical rescue operations, as well as participate in foreign military medical exchange and cooperation missions, CCTV reported.

Amid tensions in the South China Sea, the Silkroad Ark's voyage will provide strong logistics support and boost the morale of Chinese frontline personnel, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Thursday.

The move will also demonstrate China's actual jurisdiction and control over the islands and reefs in the South China Sea, the expert said.

Chinese military expert Zhang Junshe told the Global Times on Thursday that the Silkroad Ark and the Peace Ark will enable the PLA Navy to deploy two hospital ships in two different regions, contributing to overall combat readiness.

Both vessels are far seas-capable, meaning that they can sail to other parts of the world and provide humanitarian aid, fulfilling China's international obligations as a responsible major country, Zhang said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Umaro Sissoco Embalo, president of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, in Beijing on Wednesday.

The world's first 300-megawatt compressed air energy storage project in Yingcheng, Central China's Hubei Province, will be put into commercial operation soon, Song Hailiang, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of China Energy Engineering Corporation Limited (CEEC), told the Global Times. 

Song made the remarks after Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced that China will strengthen the construction of ecological civilization and promote green and low-carbon development in 2024 when he delivered the government work report on Tuesday.

As the national team and main force in energy and power and infrastructure construction in China, CEEC is dedicated to contributing more optimal energy construction solutions to building a low-carbon, smart, and harmonious beautiful world, Song noted. 

He stated that in the field of comprehensive energy storage, we have successively built compressed air energy storage power stations in Hubei, East China's Shandong Province, Northwest China's Gansu Province and Northeast China's Liaoning Province, taking the lead in technology routes, solutions and industrial ecology. 

Among them, the Yingcheng project in Hubei is the world's first 300-megawatt compressed air energy storage project, which will be put into commercial operation soon. The Jiuquan project in Gansu is the world's first 300-megawatt artificial cave compressed air energy storage project, solving the world's geographical constraints on compressed air energy storage, according to Song. 

In the process of China's all-round opening up, CEEC is one of the world's largest comprehensive solution providers in the power industry and infrastructure investment and construction contractors. Song said that currently, CEEC's business covers more than 140 countries and regions worldwide, with over 100,000 international business personnel, ranking among the top five in contract amounts among Chinese enterprises undertaking foreign projects. 

Over the past five years, the cumulative contract amount of CEEC with countries associated with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has exceeded 500 billion yuan, accounting for over 10 percent of the proportion of contracts signed by all Chinese enterprises, according to Song.

According to Song, CEEC's overseas projects have three major characteristics. First, they are large in scale, such as the Nestor Kirchner-Jorge Cepernic Hydroelectric Power Plant located on the Santa Cruz River in Argentina, which is the largest overseas power project undertaken by Chinese enterprises, demonstrating the strong resource integration capabilities of Chinese enterprises. 

Second, the advantages of the entire industry chain are well utilized, with strong integrated service capabilities from survey planning and design to investment construction and operation. Third, the technological level continues to upgrade, accelerating the transformation from traditional energy to new energy, especially in the integrated construction of wind, solar, hydro, and storage energy, he added. 

"Faced with the new pattern and trends of global energy development, we are facing a valuable window of opportunity," Song noted.

He suggested that, in the future, China should further optimize the top-level design at the national level, continue to adjust and improve the financial support system, accelerate the establishment of a large investment platform for joint development of production, finance, and technology, and jointly create joint venture platforms and alliance organizations composed of Chinese enterprises, local enterprises, and international enterprises in order to jointly promote the stable and far-reaching development of the BRI.

China's stable economic growth and opening-up will continue to make the country an engine for global growth and promising destination for foreign investment. China welcomes foreign enterprises to continue to invest in the country, deepen their presence and be successful, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Friday.

The remarks came following the European Commission recently upgrading its forecast for China's 2024 economic growth to 4.8 percent, up by 0.2 percentage points compared with its previous projection.

In the first quarter of the year, the Chinese economy got off to a strong start, with GDP growth hitting 5.3 percent year-on-year. In April, the country's purchasing managers' index (PMI) for the domestic manufacturing sector was reported at 50.4. Last month, the country's foreign trade soared 8 percent to 3.64 trillion yuan, hitting a new high compared with corresponding historical period, official data showed.

The upward recovery momentum has made the international community positive on the Chinese economy and increase investment in China. Recently, international financial institutions including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and UBS have upgraded their forecasts for China's economic growth this year.

The Asian Development Bank data estimated China will account for 46 percent of growth in developing Asia in 2024-25.

Foreign investors' confidence in China is on the rise. The country improved its ranking as an attractive destination to invest over the next three years, jumping to the third place from the seventh in 2023, and continuing to lead emerging markets, according to a report recently released by consulting firm Kearney.

China seeks development amid continued opening-up, and welcomes the world to share China's opportunities, Wang said at a regular press conference. China's stable economic growth and continuous opening-up will make the country a global economic growth engine and a promising investment for companies from all countries, said the spokesperson.

While external forces have complicated relations among China, Japan and South Korea, the new challenges facing regional economic development have also spurred them to seek new avenues for cooperation in the current global political and economic landscape. This has been a key factor in the increasing signs of warming trilateral cooperation.

The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Japan Business Federation and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade plan to co-host a trilateral business summit later this month in Seoul, the Yonhap News Agency reported on Monday.

The gathering has been held since 2009 with the goal of expanding Northeast Asian economic cooperation and exchanges. Most recently, the event was held in 2019 in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Although the resumption of the gathering has not been officially confirmed, the eagerness of South Korea to advance trilateral cooperation is palpable. However, the future of trilateral cooperation will ultimately depend on the determination of Japan and South Korea to expand their cooperation and their ability to resist pressure from the US.

There is no question that China, Japan and South Korea possess the necessary foundation for economic and trade cooperation. Enhancing economic cooperation among the three countries is not only essential for regional development, but will also be crucial in promoting peace and prosperity in East Asia and globally. However, it is geopolitical factors, rather than economic considerations, that have impeded their collaboration.

As a result of the recent "decoupling" push by the US, Japan and South Korea, as key Asian allies of the US, have aligned their stance with the US on various issues, including taking a tough approach toward China in areas such as supply chains, science and technology. However, this misjudgment has had a significant impact on their own economies and trade.

For instance, South Korea's exports decreased 7.4 percent year-on-year in 2023, and it also recorded a trade deficit of $18 billion with China in 2023, its first such bilateral shortfall with China in 31 years, according to media reports.

Facing growing economic pressure and risks from following the US "decoupling" push, Japan and South Korea appear to be reassessing the significance of their relationships with China and are more inclined to enhance communication with China.

However, to achieve effective trilateral communication and cooperation, Japan and South Korea need not only to demonstrate sincerity in improving relations, but more importantly, the three parties need to find innovative ways to collaborate amid the US push for "decoupling" and "breaking chains," as failure to do so will result in consequences for all parties involved.

Enhancing mutual trust and promoting cooperation can only be achieved through the establishment of more frequent dialogue and communication mechanisms. In order to resist US pressure, China, Japan and South Korea could lessen their reliance on a single external market by enhancing cooperation within a multilateral framework. One way to achieve this is by expediting negotiations for the China-Japan-South Korea free trade agreement to broaden collaboration in trade, investment, technology exchanges and environmental protection. Additionally, cooperation could be bolstered within the ASEAN plus China, Japan and South Korea mechanism to promote the growth of the entire region.

In terms of mitigating risks, China, Japan and South Korea could focus on diversifying their supply chains by identifying alternative sources and improving the connectivity of their internal supply chains.

Additionally, they can address external pressures through policy coordination and information sharing, while also fostering cultural and talent exchanges to seek mutually beneficial solutions that uphold their respective national interests.

Moreover, the three can strengthen cooperation in some non-sensitive or non-strategic areas, such as environmental protection, climate change, renewable energy and public health.

Only by working together can the three countries achieve a mutually beneficial outcome. There is no alternative. Despite the challenges, it is crucial to resist the pressure by the US as a way to promote cooperation and avoid losses by the three parties. As East Asia remains the most vital engine of the global economy, the way in which these three countries collaborate will significantly influence global development.

EHang Holdings, an autonomous aerial vehicle technology company based in China, announced on Monday that its pilotless electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft EH216-S successfully completed its first passenger-carrying demonstration flight in Abu Dhabi, marking the first of its kind in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Middle East. 

The EH216 series pilotless eVTOL aircraft performed several autonomous flights at the Emirates Falcons Aviation Club in Al Ali, Abu Dhabi with the approval by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the UAE. 

"After obtaining approval for the demo flights carrying passengers and completing the inaugural flight, we will closely collaborate with the GCAA and the Civil Aviation Administration of China to accelerate the commercialization of our unmanned aircraft in the UAE. This will mark a significant milestone for Abu Dhabi and the global air mobility industry," Hu Huazhi, chief executive of EHang, was quoted as saying in a statement sent to the Global Times on Tuesday.

EHang's inaugural manned flight of the eVTOL in the UAE not only signifies the advancement of China's drone technology but also underscores growing international cooperation in the field of low-altitude economy.

China's low-altitude economy has been included in the new quality productive forces, according to the Government Work Report for 2024.

The EHang Intelligent EH216-S stands as the world's pioneering eVTOL aircraft to obtain all three certifications - Type Certificate (TC), Airworthiness Certificate (AC), and Production Certificate (PC). Capable of fully recharged within two hours, the EH216-S boasts a top speed of 130 kilometers per hour, with a flight endurance of 25 minutes and a designed range of 30 kilometers.

The pilotless eVTOL aircraft feature a compact fuselage, high redundancy design and intelligent cluster management, enabling safety and efficiency as well as scalable operations, in order to provide safe, autonomous, and eco-friendly air mobility.

Additionally, the EH216-F (for high-rise firefighting) and EH216-L (for aerial logistics) demonstrated their debut flights in the UAE too, showcasing a diverse range of UAM use scenarios of the pilotless eVTOL aircraft.

A technician inspects an automated production line at a local new-energy technology company in Gaoyou city, East China's Jiangsu Province, on May 12, 2024. In recent years, Jiangsu has become a major production base of solar photovoltaic panels that sell well at home and abroad. Photo: VCG

China and France have issued a joint statement on the situation in the Middle East, condemning all violations of international humanitarian law, including all acts of terrorist violence and indiscriminate attacks against civilians.

The statement was released during Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to France, where Xi and French President Emmanuel Macron exchanged in-depth views on the situation in the Middle East.

China and France condemn all violations of international humanitarian law, including all acts of terrorist violence and indiscriminate attacks against civilians. They recall the absolute imperative of protecting civilians in Gaza in accordance with international humanitarian law. The two heads of state expressed their opposition to an Israeli offensive on Rafah, which would lead to a humanitarian disaster on a larger scale, as well as to forced displacement of Palestinian civilians, according to the joint statement.

The two heads of state stressed that an immediate and sustainable ceasefire is urgently needed to enable the delivery of large-scale humanitarian aid and the protection of civilians in the Gaza Strip. They called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and the guarantee of humanitarian access to meet their medical and other humanitarian needs, as well as respect for international law with regard to all detainees, it said.

The two heads of state called on all parties to refrain from unilateral measures on the ground that might aggravate tensions, and in this respect condemned Israel's policy of settlement construction, which violates international law and constitutes a major obstacle to lasting peace as well as to the possibility of establishing a viable and contiguous State of Palestine. The two heads of state reiterated that the future governance of Gaza cannot be dissociated from a comprehensive political settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on the two-State solution, according to the statement.

The two heads of state called for a decisive and irreversible relaunch of a political process to concretely implement the two-State solution, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security, both with Jerusalem as their capital, and the establishment of a viable, independent and sovereign State of Palestine based on the 1967 borders. The two heads of state reaffirmed their commitment to this solution, which is the only way to meet the legitimate aspirations of the Israeli and Palestinian people for lasting peace and security, it said.

China and France reaffirm their commitment to promoting a political and diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action concluded in 2015 is a major outcome of multilateral diplomacy. The two countries are concerned about the risks of escalation, recall the importance of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and facilitation of diplomatic efforts, and reaffirm their commitment to safeguarding the international non-proliferation regime and promoting peace and stability in the Middle East, according to the statement.

The statement was issued as Israeli military forces have taken control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, a key strategic objective and the sole gateway between Egypt and Gaza for humanitarian aid, the Guardian quoted Israeli military officials as saying on Tuesday.

In response to Israeli military operations in Rafah, Lin Jian, spokesperson of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said at a Tuesday briefing that China expresses serious concern over Israel's action, and strongly urges Israel to listen to the overwhelming calls from the international community to cease the attack on Rafah and to prevent a more serious humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip.

The spokesperson stated that the Gaza conflict has been going on for over 200 days, resulting in a shocking humanitarian crisis, which is a test of human conscience. War and violence cannot fundamentally solve problems and bring real security, but only exacerbate hatred. The international community must take action. The immediate priority is to effectively implement UN Security Council Resolution 2728, immediately cease fire, ensure humanitarian aid returns as soon as possible, and return to the basis of the two-state solution to politically resolve the Palestinian question.

Weighing a total of 31.5 kilograms, the sixth batch of scientific samples that was returned to Earth by China’s Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship has been delivered to scientists in Beijing on Wednesday. A day prior to that, the Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. 

The new batch of space samples include 32 types of life experimental specimens like human osteoblasts, a major substance for bone formation, protein crystals and organic molecules. 

Another 18 types of material samples such as high-temperature and extravehicular exposed materials are all contributed to this new batch of off world discoveries. The samples collected will serve around 23 different scientific projects.  

On Wednesday, the precious scientific cargo was handed to researchers at the Technology and Engineering Centre for Space Utilization, Chinese Academy of Science. A process of biological analysis including the transcriptome sequencing and proteomic researches will now be carried out by experts. 

A study of biological mechanisms of cells in a microgravity environment was conducted to assist better understand disease prevention and intervention. Future analysis on collected protein samples may also provide scientific support for new medicine and vaccine development.  

Technical staff from the space program also expect that collected material samples from space can enhance China’s researches on optimizing resource utilization of lunar soil. 

China’s Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship mission marks a new chapter in human-space success following the spacecraft’s taikonauts returning in good health. The taikonauts, Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin had been in orbit for 187 days before returning to earth. 

Amid the Shenzhou-17 mission, taikonauts completed the first extravehicular maintenance task in the history of China’s space program. 

“I believe that the shenzhou-18 crew will succeed us to complete the follow-up mission successfully. I am more convinced that in the near future, we will not only return to the space, but also let the Chinese space exploration go deeper and deeper. China’s aerospace industry is always worth looking forward to,” Tang Hongbo told media.