The Chinese embassy in Germany said it has not received reports of casualties among Chinese nationals as a driver killed at least five people when he rammed into a large crowd of revelers at a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg on Friday evening local time.
The embassy reminds Chinese nationals to increase their safety awareness, stay informed about local safety conditions, and avoid gatherings during the holiday season.
According to China Central Television, at least five were killed and over 200 were injured.
One of the dead was a young child, said Reiner Haseloff, premier of the state of Saxony-Anhalt. The incident took place in Magdeburg, the state capital, which is 150 kilometers (93 miles) west of Berlin, Reuters reported.
Haseloff described the attacker as a 50-year-old male doctor from Saudi Arabia with permanent residency in Germany, where he had lived for almost two decades.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who sent his thoughts to those affected in a post on social media platform X, is expected to visit the scene on Saturday together with Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, Reuters reported
Former Chinese national football team head coach Li Tie was sentenced to 20 years in prison in a first-instance verdict on Friday for a number of charges including offering and accepting bribes.
The verdict was made by the Intermediate People's Court of Xianning, Central China's Hubei Province.
From 2019 to 2021, Li, taking advantage of his position as the head coach of the Chinese men's national football team, illegally accepted bribes totaling over 50.89 million yuan ($7.04 million), the Beijing Daily reported, citing revelations from the courts.
From 2015 to 2019, while working at the Hebei Huaxia Fortune Soccer Club and the Wuhan Zall Club, Li bribed other football clubs to cooperate or play passively during matches in order to win or achieve favorable outcomes, with the amount totaling over 39.05 million yuan.
From 2017 to 2019, leveraging his positions as general manager and head coach at the Wuhan club, Li received a total of 26.75 million yuan from the Hebei club to assist it in player transfers and winning matches.
Before the sentencing of Li, media reports show that 15 people have been sentenced in the ongoing anti-corruption campaign in China's football field.
On the same day of Li Tie's sentencing, the case of Du Zhaocai, former deputy director of the General Administration of Sport of China, for accepting bribes is also set to be sentenced. During the public trial in August, Du was accused of using his position to directly or indirectly, through relatives and others, illegally accept over 43.41 million yuan in bribes.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will be in Macao from Dec. 18 to 20 to attend a gathering marking the 25th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will be present at the inauguration ceremony of the sixth-term government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR).
Xi will also conduct an inspection tour during his stay in the Macao SAR.
In his 2024 New Year message delivered on December 31, 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that “We have gone through the test of winds and rains, have seen beautiful scenes unfolding on the way, and have made plenty real achievements.” This year, we have marched forward with solid steps, we have marched forward with robust steps, we have marched forward in high spirits, we have marched forward with great confidence.
October 1, 2024 marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. As we look back at the past 75 years, the remarks in Xi’s New Year message aptly summed up how the country, under the firm leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), marched forward with resolve, tenacity and confidence, and made unparalleled achievements in economic and social development and in overall comprehensive national strength.
To encapsulate such an extraordinary feat, the Global Times publishes this special edition, with in-depth analysis, vivid stories and opinions from foreign experts.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday addressed a ceremony held to award the highest state honors ahead of the 75th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China.
Before his speech, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, presented the Medal of the Republic, the Friendship Medal, and medals of national honorary titles at the Great Hall of the People.
Technical teams from China and the EU are actively negotiating a flexible price undertaking solution, as directed by the consultation of Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao and European Commission (EC) Executive Vice President and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, regarding the EU's ongoing anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), He Yongqian, spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), said on Thursday.
He's remarks came after Wang and Dombrovskis held a comprehensive, in-depth and constructive consultation in Brussels on September 19 on the EU's anti-subsidy investigation into China-made EVs.
During the meeting, both sides clearly expressed their political willingness to resolve differences through consultation and agreed to continue advancing negotiations on price commitments, and to spare no effort to reach a mutually acceptable solution through friendly dialogue and consultation, He noted.
"The technical teams from both sides are currently working diligently on negotiating a flexible price undertaking solution, as directed by the consultation, striving to reach a consensus on the solution before the final ruling," He said, noting that China has the utmost sincerity to properly resolve differences through dialogue and consultation, as well as the firmest determination to safeguard the legitimate interests of Chinese enterprises.
The bloc is currently working to add a provision to the draft legislation to allow talks to keep going, which member states are now expected to vote on by early next month, according to a report by Bloomberg on Wednesday.
The EU's executive arm has repeatedly said that any alternative to tariffs has to have strict requirements. It must align with WTO rules, address the impact of China's subsidies and be something the EU can monitor for compliance, the report said.
Lin Jian, spokesperson of China's Foreign Ministry, told a press conference on September 18 that China has, since the very beginning, shown utmost sincerity, been committed to settling the issue through dialogue and consultation, and made flexible proposals.
"We hope that the EU will show sincerity, take action and take a serious look at the Chinese EV sector's legitimate concerns and proposals," Lin said.
If the EC is bent on making the wrong decision, China will take what is necessary to firmly safeguard the lawful rights and interests of our companies and the EV sector, Lin noted.
Saudi Arabia is working with international partners and prioritizes cooperation with China to achieve its goal to a regional hub, Saudi Arabian Ambassador to China Abdulrahman Ahmad Al-Harbi told the Global Times.
He also expressed a willingness to welcome more Chinese companies to invest in Saudi Arabia across various sectors such as the petrochemical and oil, the automotive industry, and infrastructure, which, he pointed out, would be in the interests of Saudi Arabia and China.
Al-Harbi made the above statement during an interview with reporters at Saudi Arabia's 94th National Day Reception event held in Beijing on Monday.
He noted that the bilateral relationship between Saudi Arabia and China is an outstanding example of inter-state relations, characterized by deep friendship, mutual trust, and respect for each other, continuously advancing forward. In recent years, high-level exchanges between the two countries have been frequent, and cooperation in various fields has yielded remarkable results.
Saud Arabia and China signed the implementation plan for the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 in 2022. The Saudi diplomat said the plan laid a strong foundation for bilateral cooperation, and noted that both sides not only share many common interests but also match in various sectors.
According to him, both sides have already cooperated across various sectors, including petrochemicals and oil, the automotive industry, technology, logistics, and infrastructure.
"We believe there are many sectors and sub-sectors in which we have common interests. Joint investments have already taken place between both sides, and we welcome more Chinese investment," he said.
When discussing the role of China-Saudi Arabia cooperation in addressing the challenges of conflicts in the Middle East and achieving regional peace and security, Al-Harbi said that the two countries share similar positions on many regional and international issues. Both countries' foreign policies support the realization of global security and peace, respect for the sovereignty of other nations, and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. As important members of the international community, Saudi Arabia and China have significant influence globally. Their productive cooperation has already had a notable positive impact on regional and international stability, and is expected to play an even more important role in the future.
According to Saudi Arabia's media reports, the Saudi Ministry of Education recently officially announced the inclusion of Chinese language courses in the country's primary and secondary school curriculum, designating Chinese as one of the main teaching languages. The aim is to teach students the basic skills of reading, writing, and conversing in Chinese. The Ministry of Education has begun to take necessary measures to adjust the curriculum and class hours, as well as provide professional teachers to accommodate the new teaching system.
In that regard, Al-Harbi further explained that learning Chinese is of great significance for enhancing mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries, and cultural exchanges fully reflect the friendly bilateral relations between them. More than 170 Chinese teachers have recently arrived in Saudi Arabia to teach Chinese in public schools. Additionally, about 100 Saudi students have gone to China to study Chinese, preparing for future careers as Chinese language teachers in Saudi Arabia.
Moroccan Ambassador to China Abdelkader El Ansari hosted a welcome ceremony at the Moroccan residence in Beijing on September 6 for the cyclist Karim Mosta, who had successfully cycled from Casablanca, Morocco, to Beijing.
Celebrating Mosta's cross-continent cycling journey, the Ambassador lauded the determination of the 70-year-old Moroccan cyclist, saying that the ride is so amazing that it is a vivid example of friendly people-to-people exchanges between Morocco and China.
Riding the entire route, Mosta also went through a number of countries that have joined the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The Ambassador said that the BRI has promoted the interconnection and economic development of these countries through the construction of infrastructure including roads, airports, ports and rail. Through his journey, Mosta witnessed the fruitful results of the joint efforts.
Ambassador Ansari said that the two countries have a long history of friendly exchanges. In the 14th century, Ibn Battuta, a famous Moroccan traveler, visited China along the ancient Silk Road. It took him many years to reach China by camel, boat and on foot. In the 21st century, when airplanes, automobiles, trains and other means of transportation have been widely used, Mosta's bike ride from Casablanca to Beijing is a testament to his strong willpower and determination.
The Ambassador noted that this ride has many positive implications.
Several districts in Shanghai, China's financial center, have suspended classes, work and public transportation in the face of Typhoon Bebinca, which could become one of the strongest typhoons to hit the city since 1949. The typhoon landed in Shanghai on Monday.
Shanghai's Pudong, Jinshan, Fengxian and Chongming districts issued notices on Sunday, saying that except for government agencies and enterprises to the city's operations, other employers may implement temporary suspensions of work, operations, flights, park activities and business activities, to prepare for Typhoon Bebinca.
The typhoon, which formed on Saturday night, is expected to make landfall on early Monday between areas north of Qidong in East China's Jiangsu Province and south of Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang Province.
All flights departing or landing at either of Shanghai's two airports - Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport - after 8 pm Sunday have been canceled.
A total of 127 inter-provincial bus services from Shanghai to Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces have been suspended. The suspension range may be further expanded to include all services based on weather warnings and conditions.
As of Monday morning, more than 414,000 people have been relocated in Shanghai. Starting from 1:00 am Monday, Shanghai has implemented closed control on all expressways within the city.
More than 2,500 emergency response teams, 56,000 rescuers and 415 flood control material warehouses are fully prepared and on standby. Moreover, 12,000 firefighting and rescue personnel have deployed and are ready for action.
Shanghai's Yangshan Port has also evacuated all foreign container ships in preparation for the typhoon.
Li, a Shanghai resident, told the Global Times that she was woken up by the sound of rain tapping on her window and strong winds roaring through the city on Monday morning, knocking down trees in her compound.
"I feel like my building was shaking," Li said.
After Sunday night, many netizens in Shanghai said that they couldn't order takeout. Several media reported that they have contacted the delivery platforms and found out due to the impact of the typhoon, takeout and fresh food delivery services in Shanghai had been suspended. The timing for resuming activities will depend on the typhoon's actual impact.
On Sunday, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters initiated a Level IV emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention in Anhui Province, while maintaining the Level IV emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention in Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
The headquarters dispatched a working group to Shanghai to assist and guide typhoon prevention efforts, while the previously dispatched working group in Zhejiang continues to work on the front lines.
The Ministry of Emergency Management has mobilized 3,089 engineering rescue personnel, 992 sets of equipment, five helicopters, six drone communication platforms, and 598 social emergency response personnel in key areas such as Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Fujian.
After Typhoon Bebinca makes landfall, it will move further inland. As a result, areas in Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui will experience strong winds and downpour on Monday, with some regions facing torrential downpours.
The city of Haining in East China's Zhejiang Province also warned residents on Monday morning that they should cancel all group activities and schools were asked to suspend classes. All tourists and entertainment venues were closed.
On Monday morning, the expressways in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province were placed under closed management. During the traffic control period, only vehicles for public security, emergency rescue, disaster relief, medical emergencies, essential supplies, and other services related to the national economy and people's livelihoods are allowed to pass.
Over 700 years ago, Italian traveler Marco Polo journeyed through China, documenting his experiences and introducing the splendor of ancient China to Europe in his book. Fast forward to the present day, when people discover China through online videos. With China's visa-free policies and the introduction of 144-hour visa-free transit, a wave of international YouTubers and vloggers has flocked to China.
After exploring gateway cities, where they gain initial insights into China's modern cityscapes and rich cultural heritage, these YouTubers and vloggers soon turn their attention to localized regions, delving into frontier areas, revolutionary sites, and public infrastructure to find the answers to the questions: "What is modern China like, why is it the way it is, and how does it function?"
Through their cameras, they present a real, friendly, and vibrant China to the world. They are affectionately referred to by the Chinese as the "Marco Polos" in the New Era.
Therefore, the Global Times presents this "Marco Polo" Trilogy.
In the third installment, some foreign vloggers who were impressed by China's public healthcare services share with the world why they like the system and what they think other countries can learn from it. "China's healthcare is so bad compared to the US and the West, that is what I often hear in my YouTube comments, but is it true?" a vlogger from the UK whose channel is called "Harvey in China" asks at the beginning of a video he posted on YouTube.
To clear up any misunderstanding and provide detailed insight into specific aspects of China's daily life to more people is the reason driving many vloggers like Harvey to make videos about China's public healthcare system in recent times amid booming travel to China and a growing curiosity about the country around the world.
According to the latest data revealed at a Chinese State Council press conference on Tuesday, from January to July, China recorded 5.722 million inbound international passenger trips, a 403-percent year-on-year increase.
So how is China's healthcare system and is it convenient for foreigners to see a doctor in China? Check what these vloggers say.
A detailed insight
In the less than 10-minute video, Harvey, who has been living in China for about three years, broke down how much it costs to see a doctor in China for the reviewers, how to make an appointment, and what the differences are between China's public healthcare system and those in the UK and the US based on his own experiences and comparisons.
In response to the misconception that healthcare service in China is expensive and only available to rich people, for example, Harvey said that, in a recent visit, he spent 30 yuan or around $4, to see a doctor at a hospital in downtown Shanghai, while the average salary in the city is reportedly about 13,500 yuan per month. "So, spending 30 yuan to be seen by a doctor is affordable to the general population."
The level of technological integration in China's public healthcare system also impressed Harvey. "Appointments, prescriptions, [and] even payments can be managed through a single app on the phone. This integration of technology has made the entire process smoother." Conversely, in the UK, "one still has to call at exactly 8 am as soon as the line is open to try and get an appointment to see the doctor."
"The combination of affordability, accessibility, and technological integration makes China's healthcare system a model worth considering for other nations while it is not without its challenges… hopefully we can take a thing or two from China's approach and implement it into our own systems," Harvey concluded.
Harvey's video has been watched nearly 18,000 times as of Tuesday.
It struck a chord with many viewers who also shared their experiences in the comments of how efficient China's public healthcare service is.
"I was in China and my daughter got sick. Being a foreign visitor, I was helped by our host to visit a doctor at a small simple clinic. She was attended to in a second, checked, and prescribed a bunch of medication. [It] cost us 15 yuan all in all and in two days my daughter got well. Amazing system," a YouTube user commented on Harvey's video.
An efficient system
Convenient and affordable medical services are major advantages of China's public healthcare system that have been mentioned by many foreign vloggers.
"I was really impressed by the facilities and efficiency. In one day, I completed all the examinations and received the results quickly," Thibaut Grzelak, a 27-year-old French engineer and vlogger, told the Global Times.
Grzelak has been working at a French company's branch in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang Province, for about one year.
He went to a local hospital for a routine examination and a blood test in July. He said that his only concern before going to the hospital was about the language barrier. "It's always difficult to describe symptoms and feelings, even in your mother tongue, so doing it in English or Chinese is challenging."
Grzelak asked his Chinese girlfriend to go to the hospital with him in case he needed help with translating. But it turned out that most doctors there could speak English. There were also English signs to help find doctors, and many people were willing to help if needed.
"The doctor identified my problem and provided the appropriate treatment. The total cost was very reasonable, at about 100 yuan. If I ever need to go back to the hospital, even for a major surgery, I wouldn't hesitate to do it here!" he said.
Mylene, a French food and fashion influencer, told the Global Times that, in France, it is unimaginable to finish seeing a doctor, conduct examinations, and receive a diagnosis within a day.
France does not have such a system for patients to make appointments and go to a hospital at any time. Moreover, each French doctor only accepts a certain number of patients. When Mylene's gynecologist retired, there was no other gynecologist with available slots for new patients. So, she waited for one to two years until a new gynecologist came to work in the city she lived.
Mylene was also a fan of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It costs about 70 euros in France to see a TCM doctor, but in China it only costs a normal appointment fee, usually 10 yuan, to see an experienced TCM doctor, she said. A vivid China
China has impressed the world with its strength in infrastructure construction and its speed in technological innovation and application.
This time, a growing focus on the country's healthcare system is believed to serve as a specific opportunity that would allow the world to have a real and detailed glimpse into China's achievements in promoting people's living standards as the system is widely viewed as a fundamental aspect of a society that reflects not just the overall well-being of the population, but also the effectiveness of governance.
When vlogger Lizzy tried to search for Chinese hospitals in YouTube in May "there was actually nothing on there."
"There are a lot of bad things that are always on there because of COVID, but there's actually no normal video of Chinese hospitals," said Lizzy, a vlogger from South Africa, who has lived in China for about five years.
Lizzy thus decided to record the process of her seeing doctors at a hospital in Kunming, capital of Southwest China's Yunnan Province, after something went wrong with her knees.
The video did play a role in changing some foreign-held stereotypes about China and allowed more people to learn about the Chinese healthcare system. "Very nice video! You inspire me to visit China," a netizen commented while complaining that the media in their country barely reports positive things about China.
Chinese authorities and industries are also eager to seize this opportunity to expand the country's medical tourism market while showcasing the world its medical capacity and development.
In February, Sanya in South China's Hainan Province optimized its visa-free policy by expanding the reasons for entry without a visa for people from 59 countries to Hainan to include medical treatment purposes.
Famous for its tropical coastal scenery, TCM health preservation industry, as well as distinctive ethnic traditional culture, TCM hospitals in Sanya have been providing medical tourism services since 2002. So far, more than 100,000 international tourists entering China via Sanya have enjoyed the service, as reported by People's Daily on August 9.
