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.

Massive wildfires have claimed the lives of at least 16 people and ravaged 37,000 acres in the greater Los Angeles area, destroying entire communities and over 12,000 structures, NBC reported. 

At least 13 people are missing, LA County Sheriff was quoted by NBC News as saying. At least 153,000 LA residents were under evacuation orders overnight. 

The National Weather Service warned of worsening Santa Ana winds that it predicted would pick up Saturday night into Sunday morning in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and again on late Monday through Tuesday morning, bringing sustained winds up to 30 mph and wind gusts up to 70 mph, according to Reuters. 

Amid the ongoing local efforts to stem the devastating fires, a humanitarian team from Mexico arrived at the Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday afternoon. The firefighters will join more than 14,000 personnel already on the ground fighting the fires, ABC reported, noting that aside from Mexico, mutual aid from Canada is also expected to arrive on Monday.

Politicize the fire?

As a series of wind-driven fires ravages Los Angeles County, local government officials have been criticized for not doing enough for the county's emergency response.

On Saturday, Mayor Karen Bass dismissed claims that she had failed the city's fire department by issuing nearly $18 million in budget cuts, a move Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) chief Kristin Crowley previously warned could hinder the city's ability to combat wildfires. Bass was previously also criticized for the timing of her overseas trip in Ghana. 

On Friday, Crowley told Fox 11 that her department is not "properly funded," saying funds that were slashed from the department's budget for the 2025 fiscal year likely impacted "our ability to provide service," according to Forbes.

President-elect Donald J. Trump offered fresh criticism early Sunday of the officials in charge of fighting the Los Angeles wildfires, calling them "incompetent" and asking why the blazes were not yet extinguished, the New York Time reported. "The fires are still raging in LA," Trump wrote on his Truth Social site. "The incompetent pols have no idea how to put them out."

Trump's comments indicated that the fires, and officials' response to them, will likely occupy a prominent place on his domestic political agenda when he takes office on January 20. He has renewed a longstanding feud with California's governor, Gavin Newsom, who in turn has accused Mr. Trump of politicizing the fires, per New York Times.

Calling out the Golden State's leadership, actor and director Mel Gibson told California Governor to "spend less on hair gel," noting he is "not a big admirer" of either executives' leadership in his interview with Fox news. Gibson is among the celebrities who have lost homes to the Los Angeles wildfires. 

"California has a lot of problems that sort of baffle the mind as far as why they do things, and then in the events like this, you sort of look, well - is it on purpose? Which, it's an insane thing to think, but one begins to ponder whether or not there is a purpose in mind," Gibson said. 

"California has the best land but the worst government," a blogger from California Kaizen Asiedu, with about 39 thousands fans on Instagram, claimed in his video. 

California has incompetent politicians who constantly focus on things that sound good while actually going bad. They tend to ignore the second-order consequences, Asiedu said, who added that local policies around water management and clearing deadwood in forests might be exaggerating the effects of these fires. 

"I believe the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) is trying their best to contain but the budget cut and whatever the government was doing on the reserve water were not helping," Travis Trinh, a 34-year-old who lives in Los Angeles, told the Global Times.

Tracy Li, 27, a marketing assistant who has lived in California for over 10 years, told the Global Times that the most frustrating part is that a lot of insurance companies canceled the fire insurance on a lot of big houses recently so some people who were affected can't get their money back. 

Blaming game

Wildfires are an annual occurrence in California, usually starting in June or July and lasting until October. However, Los Angeles experienced record heat in the summer of 2024 with rainfall only about 4 percent of normal time as a result, extending the fire season from October to January, according Xinhua News Agency.

Sun Shao, a senior researcher at Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, told the Global Times that in the recent wildfires, "Santa Ana winds" were exceptionally strong, contributing to the rapid spread of the flames. 

Meanwhile, California is experiencing its driest period on record, with vegetation dry and highly combustible. Changes in high temperatures and rainfall patterns caused by climate change are making vegetation drier, which increases the risk of fire, Sun said. 

County officials announced Friday they are overhauling their emergency alert system, which reportedly issued false alarms, according to the LA Times.

Previously, as crews have fought the fast-spreading fires across the Los Angeles area, they have repeatedly been hampered by low water pressure and fire hydrants that have gone dry, the LA Times reported. 

As California is grappling with devastating wildfires, nonetheless, some US media did not forget to attack China. Titled "On the California wildfires and the Xizang earthquake, China's state media give wildly different coverage," a VOA report demonized how Chinese media covered the California fires with terms like "looks like a war zone" and "Armageddon." 

However, such terms were not invented by Chinese state media outlets and such phraseology has been used elsewhere by various news outlets. For instance, the LA Times reported that one restaurant owner said the fire that burned Moonshadows, Reel Inn and others was "like Armageddon." And the New York Post published an article with the title: Six Californians describe terrifying moments they lost everything to LA wildfires: 'Like being in a war zone.'"

Even amid disasters, there is still an obsession with denigrating and smearing China, which does not help the US government improve its disaster response and relief efforts. In times of disaster, it is the responsibility of any government to dedicate all its resources to assist those affected, Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times.

Sun, the climate expert reached by the Global Times, offered some suggestions for California to better cope with future fires. He said that it is crucial to enhance infrastructure development by ensuring the maintenance and upgrading of water supply systems and electrical facilities to effectively respond to sudden fire outbreaks.

Development in areas where densely populated regions having flammable vegetation should be avoided. Additionally, increasing the budget and resources for fire departments is essential to ensure they can effectively handle large-scale emergencies, the expert stated.

Dingri County in Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region continued to feel tremors after a 6.8-magnitude quake on January 7, with the strongest aftershock at a magnitude of 5.0 jolting the area on Monday night. No casualties have been reported so far. Major transport lines and power networks in epicenter areas perform normally. 

According to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC), a magnitude 4.9 quake occurred at 8:57 pm on Monday, followed by a magnitude 5.0 aftershock a minute later. Both were shallow quakes with a depth of 10 kilometers. Another 3.2-magnitude quake jolted Dingjie, Dingri's east neighboring county, at 4:14 am on Tuesday at a depth of 10 kilometers, said a report issued by the CENC. 

According to CENC, the 5.0-magnitude shock in Dingri has been the strongest one among all the  aftershocks monitored since January 7.

The tremors have caused the collapse of some already dilapidated houses, but no casualties have been reported so far since local residents have moved into tents and prefabricated houses, said Tashi Dondrup, the county head of Dingri, as reported by the Xinhua News Agency.

According to Tashi Dondrup, local authorities contacted the villages at the epicenters immediately after the two tremors and are assessing the specific situation.

Local transportation and emergency authorities have examined the important traffic channels within the aftershock areas. As of 23:30 pm on Monday, the national highways 318 and 219, as well as the provincial roads 515 and 303 remain unobstructed. The power system in the epicenters also operated normally.

An army aviation brigade under the Chinese PLA Xizang Military Command sent out two helicopters on Tuesday morning to carry out aerial surveys over the townships of Golok, Tsogo and Chamco to examine the destruction of houses and roads, Xinhua reported. 

As Dingri experienced constant aftershocks, the Global Times learned from two local village officials in Dingri on Tuesday afternoon that the current tremors have had little impact on the villagers' access to water and electricity, as well as on the life-supply channels.

Gadan Village official Wu Qixun said that despite the tremors being frequent, the situation is stable with no casualties in the village. "The National Grid staff have been stationed here to make sure the power system works normally. Residents can have access to water. And the roads for transporting life supplies are clear and open. Currently, we are not too worried about the afterquakes as we have enough machinery, working staff and rescue teams," Wu told the Global Times.

Zacun Village official Tenzin Phuntsok told the Global Times that all collapsed houses were examined after the Monday night aftershocks and all villagers were safe. Transportation, local access to water and electricity have not been affected. He said the village has finished building 80 prefabricated houses with 70 more under construction. "Tomorrow morning, after all the houses have been set up and equipped with electricity, our villagers will all be able to move in. Then I'll feel much relieved," said Tenzin Phuntsok.

Given the risks of continued aftershocks, local authorities will conduct further checks on highway infrastructure and the electricity grid in earthquake-affected areas on Tuesday, according to CCTV.

Currently, a total of 407 people have been rescued, and over 47,500 disaster-affected individuals have been properly relocated. The earthquake relief efforts are being carried out effectively and in an orderly manner, CCTV reported on Monday.

According to the Ministry of Emergency Management, as of 12 pm on Monday, the rescue forces have checked more than 6,700 damaged houses and built 1,825 sets of prefabricated houses. Over 199,000 pieces of emergency supplies and more than 260 tons of living materials have been orderly distributed to the affected people.

Tenzin is a 14-year-old boy from Gurum Village in Chamco Township of Dingri County in Xigaze, Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. Following the 6.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Dingri, Tenzin sustained a minor head injury. After being sent to the hospital for emergency treatment, he quickly reunited with his parents. On his way back to the temporary resettlement site in the village, Tenzin noticed a yak that had been unearthed from the rubble of a collapsed building and seemed to have a chance of survival. Together with his 12-year-old friend from the same village, Kunga Tsering, they began to save the yak.

On the way to the village on Monday, the Global Times reporter observed the two boys feeding grass and water to the severely injured yak by the roadside. The boys told the Global Times that they had discovered the yak two days earlier and started trying to rescue and take care of it. However, despite their efforts, they found the yak's injuries were extremely severe, leaving it with little chance of survival. Even so, they refused to give up, continuing to feed it grass and water on schedule.

"If we don't feed it, it will starve to death," the two boys told the Global Times. Although the yak is not theirs and it is unlikely to survive, they still wanted to help it.

In the earthquake-affected areas of Dingri County, the Global Times observed that livestock, such as yaks, as part of the affected residents' property, have also been a focus of rescue efforts by emergency response teams amid the disaster. Dead livestock retrieved from collapsed buildings have also been professionally handled by epidemic prevention teams.

The Global Times learned that following the earthquake, the Animal Disease Control Center of the Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Xigaze city immediately deployed personnel to the disaster-stricken areas. Their routine tasks include carrying out the safe disposal of dead livestock carcasses.

"This work can effectively eliminate the source of animal epidemic transmission and prevent the occurrence of major animal diseases and zoonoses. As long as we find the carcasses of livestock, we will conduct burying or other harmless disposal measures. This ensures the healthy development of the livestock industry and public health safety," Tseten Ngodrup, director of the center, to the Global Times.

During the rescue and cleanup operations, the rescue teams would make every effort to minimize the economic losses of the affected residents, and that healthy livestock discovered would be returned to their owners. Severely injured animals beyond saving, found during cleanup operations, would be dealt with according to the owners' wishes and local customs, with harmless disposal carried out after the livestock had died, he said. 

In response to a question regarding China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi's official visit to four African countries this week and China's view on the future development prospects of African nations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that Chinese foreign ministers have made Africa their first destination for visits at the beginning of a year for 35 consecutive years, reflecting the enduring and revitalized traditional friendship between China and Africa, as well as China's consistent commitment to friendly cooperation with the continent. 

Guo noted that China has always believed that Africa is not a "forgotten continent," but a "source of vitality" and a "land of development."

Gou further pointed out that Africa contributes transformative power to global governance. Under the guiding of Pan-Africanism, African countries are accelerating their process of unity, self-reliance, and integrated development and revitalization, playing an increasingly important role in international affairs. Africa also provides significant momentum to the global economy. 

According to the African Development Bank Group, Africa's economic growth rate is expected to rise to 3.7 percent in 2024, surpassing the global average. Among the 20 fastest-growing economies worldwide, African nations will account for 10.

As one of the cradles of human civilization, Africa is the youngest continent, with 70 percent of its population under the age of 30, brimming with energy and hope. Guo emphasized that, in the face of unprecedented global changes, the Global South represented by China and Africa, is thriving and profoundly shaping the course of world history. A growing and thriving Africa will undoubtedly make greater contributions to world peace and development.

Responding to an inquiry related to respiratory diseases in China, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Tuesday that the Chinese government insists on promptly releasing transparent information about infectious diseases in accordance with the law. 

For the specific question, Guo recommended consulting relevant authorities in China for further information. 

According to the latest monitoring data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), the positivity rate for influenza viruses is continuously rising, with more than 99 percent being influenza A, predominantly the A(H1N1)pdm09 subtype. 

Health authorities in multiple regions have also issued urgent reminders, calling for enhanced personal protective measures, the report said. 

The latest data released by China CDC indicates that for the week from December 23 to 29, 2024, influenza remained the most detected pathogen among patients of respiratory diseases in both northern and southern regions, across outpatient and inpatient cases. The level of influenza activity varies across regions, with a more noticeable rise in northern provinces, although it remains lower than the same period last year.

Other prevalent pathogens include rhinovirus and human metapneumovirus (HMPV), according to China CDC. The Center noted a recent rise in HMPV-positive cases, with a more noticeable increase in northern provinces, the Life Times reported. 

HMPV is a common virus that can cause acute respiratory infections. Similar to most respiratory viruses, it is mainly transmitted through droplets and contact. Winter and spring are peak seasons for HMPV outbreaks, and it is more likely to spread in crowded environments like schools, hospitals, and nursing homes, according to the Life Times.

The virus can cause repeated infections and poses a significant threat to children, as it is a leading cause of acute respiratory infections in children under five, the report said. 

The report added HMPV may cause severe lower respiratory tract infections among children under 5 years old, the elderly, and people with low immunity.