At around 20:30 on Sunday, the 110 police hotline received a report that someone was releasing smoke at the entrance of a bank branch on Zhouzhugong Road near Luxi Road in Shanghai’s Pudong New Area. The police soon arrived at the scene and detained the individual. No injuries were reported, according to a release by the Pudong branch, Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Public Security, via its Weibo account, on Monday.

Upon investigation, it was found that the person, surnamed Zhang (male, 17 years old), had ignited smoke canisters purchased online for playing CS games at the entrance. According to his family members, Zhang had a history of multiple psychiatric consultations and had not been taking his medication as prescribed recently, said the release.

Currently, Zhang has been sent to a medical facility for a psychiatric evaluation, and further investigations are underway, said the release.

China's first helicopter-borne geophysical electromagnetic detection has successfully carried out a geological survey mission in high-altitude, frigid, and rugged terrain at 5,000 meters above sea level, marking a significant support for the planning and construction of key national railway infrastructure projects, according to China Central Television (CCTV) on Tuesday.

Developed by the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the system is independently developed with full intellectual property rights which incorporate breakthroughs in high-sensitivity magnetic field sensors, large dynamic range signal reception, and a highly stable airborne pod platform.

It enables the detection of underground faults, fractures, groundwater reserves, and mineral deposits, allowing for precise identification of areas with potential geological hazards, according to CCTV.

Over the course of nearly two months, the research team conducted more than 30 flights, mapping over 5,000 kilometers in harsh conditions marked by extreme cold and high altitudes. The system successfully reached a maximum detection depth exceeding 3,000 meters, providing crucial data support for the planning and execution of major national engineering projects.

Experts said that this technology identifies mineral resources, water reserves, and geological structures by analyzing variations in the electrical properties of underground materials. It offers advantages such as speed, high resolution, and wide coverage, positioning it as a crucial technological asset in resource exploration and engineering assessment. 

The system is especially effective for underground detection in remote or inaccessible areas, such as plateaus, complex terrains, forests, deserts, gobi regions, and swamps supporting the advancement of key national infrastructure projects, as reported by CCTV.

Touhid Hossain, Adviser for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh's Interim Government, began a five-day visit to China on Monday, marking his first trip to China since the formation of the interim government in August 2024. The visit sends a signal that the further development of China-Bangladesh relations will remain unaffected by domestic political changes in Bangladesh, an expert told the Global Times. 

Hossain departed Monday for China on his first bilateral official trip, aiming to forge a new dimension of Dhaka-Beijing relations, according to Bangladesh media outlet The Business Standard.

At the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, Touhid Hossain is scheduled to visit China from January 20 to 24, a spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on January 17. 

Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for Chinese Foreign Ministry said that China, as always, attaches great importance to growing its relations with Bangladesh. The year 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of China-Bangladesh diplomatic ties and the "China-Bangladesh People-to-People Exchange Year." 

China stands ready to work with Bangladesh to strengthen interactions at various levels, enhance political mutual trust, deepen high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and exchanges and cooperation in other fields, and advance the China-Bangladesh comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, Guo said. 

Hossain's visit to China can be seen as part of high-level exchanges between the two countries. The visit is aimed at reaffirming Bangladesh's commitment to continuing and expanding its traditional friendship and cooperation with China. It also sends a clear signal that the further development of China-Bangladesh relations will not be disrupted by domestic political changes in Bangladesh, Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Monday.

Bangladesh was the first country in South Asia to join the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Over the years, the alignment of BRI with Bangladesh's national development strategy has led to substantial and tangible progress. Cooperation in key areas such as major infrastructure projects, trade and economic exchanges, and broader bilateral engagement has seen rapid development, said Qian.

Bangladesh is expected continue prioritizing the implementation of the BRI, focusing on strengthening cultural exchanges, trade cooperation, green economy initiatives, marine ecological protection, and media and think tank collaboration, said Qian.

Bangladesh media New Age cited foreign ministry spokesperson Muhammad Rafiqul Alam as saying that the visit would be very crucial since the bilateral relations between China and Bangladesh was already elevated to "comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership." The report also noted that the adviser would also hold a meeting with a business community of Shanghai for increasing China's investment in Bangladesh.

Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang delivered a special address at the World Economic Forum （WEF）Annual Meeting 2025 held in Davos, Switzerland on Tuesday.

With imminent tariff wars and trade wars, an ongoing tug of war between the forces for and against economic globalization, and intense rivalry between multilateralism and unilateralism, global governance is undergoing profound adjustments, said Ding, noting that we should firm up confidence, uphold solidarity and cooperation, and forge ahead hand in hand despite high winds and choppy waters to build a community with a shared future for mankind, according to the website of Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He also emphasized that reform and opening up is moving up to a higher level as one major trend that characterize the Chinese economy. This is the source of vitality of the Chinese economy. It is through reform and opening up that China caught up with the times in big strides over the past decades, and in order to break new ground in China's modernization drive, we still count on reform and opening up, he added.

The WEF kicked off its 2025 session on Monday (local time) in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. This year, the five-day annual meeting convenes under the title Collaboration for the Intelligent Age, with global leaders gathering to address key global and regional challenges. These include responding to geopolitical shocks, stimulating growth to improve living standards, and stewarding a just and inclusive energy transition, according to the WEF's website.

In addition to significant achievements in AI technology and industry, China has made positive contributions to the global governance of AI, said a senior official of the World Economic Forum, according to Xinhua. 

In the next decade, AI will have a profound impact on global economic growth, industrial transformation, social livelihood, climate environment and international cooperation, said Chen Liming, chair of Greater China of the WEF, in a written interview with Xinhua.

Kang Bo, vice president of Chinese NEV maker SERES, told the Global Times that collaboration across industries is essential for innovation in fast-moving tech sectors like electric vehicles. By sharing resources and expertise, companies can create smarter and more advanced products.

"Boundaries between sectors are becoming more fluid, making cross-industry collaboration very crucial. SERES has built partnerships with global automotive suppliers and leading technology companies, boosting its products' intelligence and connectivity," Kang said.

"Cooperation, empowered by digital technologies, can create more business models and industrial development patterns, becoming crucial for driving global economic growth," Lan Qingxin, a professor at the BRICS Research Center at the University of International Business and Economics, told the Global Times.

Additionally, intelligent technologies can also promote exchanges between countries, allowing a smoother flow of production factors and injecting new momentum into the global economy, Lan said.

"Within this more unsettled climate, the only way to address urgent challenges and unlock new opportunities is through innovative, cooperative approaches," said Børge Brende, President and CEO of the WEF, as posted on the forum's website.

Hu Qimu, deputy secretary-general of the digital-real economies integration Forum 50, echoed Brende by saying that in the face of numerous challenges in the world today, cooperation and multilateralism are more important than ever.

According to a WEF report titled Chief Economists Outlook released on Thursday, a majority of chief economists (56 percent) expecting the global economy to weaken over the next year, compared to 17 percent anticipating improvement.

The report revealed that 100 percent of the surveyed economists consider protectionism as one of the factors expected to cause durable changes to trade patterns over the next three years. Supply chain restructuring (93 percent) and conflict, including sanctions (83 percent), are also major factors.

Facing potential isolationism and trade protectionism in the future, the world needs to embrace multilateral mechanisms, where China would play a more active role as the country is a proponent and advocate of multilateralism and international cooperation, Hu told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Hu said he expects more multilateral cooperation proposals from China at the WEF, where countries would send signals on the development of international economic and trade cooperation, making the annual meeting an important bellwether for global economic growth.

In response to a question about whether China has plans to have a phone conversation with the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Thursday that "I have no information to provide regarding this specific question." As a matter of principle, it is necessary for high-level Chinese and American officials to maintain contact in an appropriate way, while China will firmly defend its national interests, Mao added.

Also on Thursday, in response to a US State Department statement claiming new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussing China's "dangerous and destabilizing actions in the South China Sea" with Philippines FM Enrique Manalo over phone and underscoring the "ironclad" US defense commitment to Manila, spokesperson Mao Ning said that the US is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to intervene in maritime matters between China and the Philippines. 

Mao added that "military cooperation between the US and the Philippines should not harm China's sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, and still less endorse the Philippines' illegal claims." China will continue to take necessary measures to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea, said Mao.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokespersons have answered questions related to Rubio several times this week.

In response to a question about whether the recent change by the Chinese side in the official translation of the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's surname indicates that he is no longer under sanction by China, spokesperson Mao Ning said that she had not noticed it but would look into it. She added that what was more important was his English name. 

Regarding the sanction, Mao emphasized that China's sanctions targeted actions and words that harmed China's legitimate rights and interests.

On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun also responded to a question on whether China will consider dropping sanctions against Rubio. Guo stated that China will firmly defend national interests. In the meantime, it's necessary for high-level Chinese and American officials to maintain contact in an appropriate way.

The China Coast Guard (CCG) has expelled two Philippine vessels for unlawfully intruding into waters near Tiexian Jiao of China's Nansha Qundao.

The vessels, which attempted to illegally land on the reef and collect sand samples on Friday, have been warned and driven away, according to CCG spokesperson Liu Dejun on Saturday.

Reiterating that China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Qundao and its surrounding waters, including Tiexian Jiao, Liu said the CCG will continue its law enforcement activities in waters under Chinese jurisdiction, in accordance with the law, to firmly safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.