Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday said China hopes the British side will provide Chinese enterprises with a fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment, and foster a sound atmosphere for the development of bilateral ties and the deepening of cooperation between the two countries, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when holding the 11th China-UK Strategic Dialogue with UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper in Beijing.

Noting that the leaders of both sides agreed to develop a long-term and consistent comprehensive strategic partnership when British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited China at the beginning of this year, Wang said that at present, exchanges and cooperation in all fields between the two countries have been fully restored and are gradually getting back on track.

As permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China and the UK should take the lead in following the right and impartial path, safeguard the fruits of victory in World War II, abide by the UN Charter, adhere to true multilateralism, and jointly promote the building of a more just and reasonable global governance system, Wang noted.

Cooper said that the long-term and consistent comprehensive strategic partnership is of great significance and in line with the interests of both sides. At a time when the international situation is turbulent and complex, it is more important than ever for the UK and China to strengthen dialogue and cooperation to jointly address global challenges, she added, according to Xinhua.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations with China, the policy pursued by the UK on the Taiwan question has remained unchanged and will not change, Cooper said, adding that the British side is willing to continue to engage in candid dialogue with the Chinese side, handle differences constructively and properly, and promote the healthy and stable development of UK-China relations. 

Cooper's visit is widely seen as a follow-up to the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries during Starmer's visit to China in January, with the aim of translating political understandings into concrete outcomes, Li Guanjie, a research fellow at the Shanghai Academy of Global Governance and Area Studies under the Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

"Economic and trade cooperation remains the cornerstone of China-UK relations. Bilateral trade has remained steady in recent years, but maintaining that scale has become increasingly challenging amid global economic uncertainties. Against this backdrop, both sides are expected to focus on consolidating existing cooperation while exploring new growth areas, like science and technology cooperation, as the UK seeks to gain a better understanding of China's technological development and identify potential areas for future collaboration, Li said.

British media have also closely followed Cooper's visit. In a report published on Monday, the Independent said that Cooper had arrived in Beijing for in-depth talks on global security as the UK seeks to strengthen diplomatic relations with China.

Cooper's trip, which runs from Monday to Wednesday, includes visits to Beijing and Shenzhen in South China's Guangdong Province for a program focused on science and technology, according to Reuters. Cooper's visit is a "trip to focus on tackling global challenges," Reuters said.

Cooper's trip is understood to be aimed at building on previous Government visits with the most extensive senior foreign policy discussions since Labour came to power, said the Independent.

In another article published on Tuesday, the Independent noted that the UK government "sees engagement with major economies like China as key to protecting Britain's security at a time of heightened global instability, insisting the UK will cooperate where it can and challenge where it must."

At a time when geopolitical tensions, regional conflicts and protectionist tendencies continue to create uncertainties worldwide, maintaining dialogue and expanding areas of consensus between major countries could contribute to international stability, which is important for countries like China and the UK, Li said, adding that issues such as climate change, artificial intelligence and multilateral governance are likely to become important areas where the two sides can further deepen cooperation in the future.

Fabricating excuses and spreading disinformation cannot serve as a justification for the US' brutal blockade and illegal sanctions against Cuba, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Thursday. 

Mao made the remarks when asked to comment on media reports that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a senator said that US intelligence agencies during the Biden administration had found no evidence of Cuba supporting terrorism. Rubio reportedly responded that Cuba had "sponsored" almost every left-wing, radical, violent terrorist group in the Western Hemisphere and that no evidence was needed. He also reportedly claimed Cuba needs new leadership to achieve serious reforms so that it will no longer pose a threat to Washington. On the same day, media reports said that due to the US oil embargo on Cuba, transportation difficulties in Cuba have prevented the smooth distribution of 20,000 tons of food that the UN planned to provide to Cuba. 

The US has long imposed unilateral sanctions and a blockade on Cuba, severely affecting Cuba's economy and people's livelihoods and causing great suffering to the Cuban people, which has been widely opposed by the international community, said Mao.

China firmly supports Cuba in safeguarding its national sovereignty and security and opposes external interference. The US should listen to the call of the international community and immediately and fully end its blockade, sanctions, coercion and pressure against Cuba, Mao said.

After a historic 210-day orbital stay that set a new record for the longest in-orbit duration by a Chinese taikonaut crew, the Shenzhou-21 astronauts concluded their extraordinary space journey on Friday by returning to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft.

The return capsule of China's Shenzhou-22 spaceship carrying the Shenzhou-21 astronauts touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 20:11 on Friday, with on-site medical and health support personnel confirming the taikonauts are in good physical condition, making the Shenzhou-21 spaceflight mission a complete success, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

At 20:59, taikonauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang of the Shenzhou-21 crew left the return capsule, all in sound health. This marks the successful conclusion of their space mission, with Zhang Lu now holding the record for conducting the most extravehicular activities among China's taikonauts. Meanwhile, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang have accomplished their maiden space flights, the CMSA said.
Zhang Lu, who is also the commander of the three-member Shenzhou-21 crew, shared his thoughts after out of the capsule. According to China Central Television (CCTV) News, Zhang Lu said "Tomorrow is the National Science and Technology Workers Day. We brought back an apple from the space station to give it to all tech professionals. Thank you for your dedication and hard work! May China's aerospace endeavor thrive endlessly, and may all our future missions stay safe and successful!" CCTV footage showed the apple bears the Chinese characters Pingan (safety).

Having docked with the China Space Station on November 1, 2025, the three taikonauts of the Shenzhou-21 crew stayed in orbit for 210 days, setting a new record for the longest single mission duration by a Chinese astronaut crew, per the CCTV News.

"The entire return went off perfect. Guided by the spacecraft's GNC (Guidance, Navigation and Control) system, the return capsule maintained steady flight throughout and landed with pinpoint accuracy," a developer from the Fifth Academy of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation told the Global Times.

According to a statement by the 502 Research Institute of the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) shared with the Global Times, the Shenzhou-22 mission marks China's second three-orbit fast return for a crewed spacecraft. The three-orbit fast return was first successfully accomplished during the Shenzhou-21 mission, wrapping up in just 5.5 hours.

The mature application of the three-orbit fast return technology fully demonstrates the leaps and flexibility of China's manned spaceflight capabilities. It also greatly boosts the safety and reliability of manned space missions.

According to developers, this technology enables the Shenzhou manned spacecraft to better tackle major malfunctions during autonomous flight and complex assembly flight phases. It ensures taikonauts can return to safety in the shortest possible time. Additionally, it cuts down the emergency response time for unexpected anomalies aboard the space station, provides an efficient evacuation route for on-orbit crews, and strongly underpins the long-term stable operation of China's space station.

China launched the Shenzhou-21 spaceship on October 31, 2025 to send the Shenzhou-21 crew to its space station for rotation with the Shenzhou-20 crew. However, the Shenzhou-20 crew later found that the Shenzhou-20 spaceship's return capsule viewport window suffered a suspected impact from space debris during its mission and was unfit for the crew return mission.

On November 14, 2025, the Shenzhou-20 crew returned safely aboard the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft. On November 25, China launched the Shenzhou-22 spaceship to provide a return vessel for the Shenzhou-21 crew.

The crew reaped remarkable achievements throughout their stay. According to previous announcement from the CMSA, the Shenzhou-21 crew aboard China's orbiting space station completed a total of three extravehicular activities (EVAs) during their mission. The first was carried out on December 9, 2025, with the crew working for approximately eight hours, while the second on March 16, for roughly seven hours.

On April 17, the crew completed their mission's third series of EVAs, working for roughly 5.5 hours and completing the installation of space debris protection equipment and the inspection of extravehicular equipment.

The CMSA disclosed that since the second EVAs, the Shenzhou-21 astronauts have been steadily advancing their experimental missions in space life science, human body research, and microgravity physics. They have continued to conduct station environmental monitoring, equipment inspection and maintenance, and supply organization. The crew has also completed full-system pressure emergency drills, in-orbit emergency rescue training, and EVAs preparations.

Furthermore, the crew witnessed several historic firsts in China's manned space program during the orbital mission: the first delay of a spacecraft's return due to space debris impact, the first crew return aboard a different spacecraft, and the first emergency launch of a crewed spaceship. They experienced the inspiring moment when all teams across the manned space sector stood united to respond to the emergency, CCTV News reported.

China is set to promote the charging of new-energy vehicles (NEVs) during off-peak power usage by strengthening the interaction between NEVs and the power grids, with a relevant technical standard system established by 2025 and completed by 2030, several Chinese ministries jointly announced on Thursday.

By 2030, the interaction between China's NEVs and the power grid is expected to achieve large-scale application, facilitating the comprehensive promotion of intelligent and orderly NEV charging. The NEV-power grid interaction involves energy and information exchange through charging and discharging devices, enabling NEVs to participate in scenarios like virtual power plants.

According to an implementation suggestion released by four Chinese ministries, connecting NEVs to the power supply network can effectively leverage the flexible adjustment ability of vehicle power batteries as mobile energy storage.

Analysts highlight the significance of this suggestion, supporting the large-scale development of the NEV industry, the construction of new energy systems, and new power systems.

The suggestion sets a target that, by 2025, more than 80 percent of NEV power charged with private charging piles should be during off-peak power usage, with over 60 percent of NEV power charged in the off-peak period for the entire society in pilot cities.

Large-scale pilot demonstrations of NEV-power grid interaction are planned in regions such as the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei-Shandong region, Sichuan-Chongqing region, and other areas with favorable environments. Ministries aim to build more than five demonstration cities and over 50 two-way charging and discharging demonstration projects by the end of 2025.

In addition to the goal of charging NEVs during off-peak periods, the suggestion outlines six major tasks, including technological breakthroughs to extend battery lifetime and improvements in the market mechanism of electricity prices.

Furthermore, the suggestion encourages power suppliers to engage in the construction and servicing of charging facilities in residential areas. Power suppliers are also urged to build terminals integrating solar power generation, storage, and charging facilities based on local conditions, promoting the integrated development of transportation and energy generation.

The Philadelphia Orchestra, which in 1973 became the first US orchestra to visit China, is back in Beijing for a concert with the China National Symphony Orchestra. The joint performance, which will take place on Friday, marks the 50th anniversary of their groundbreaking cultural exchange that helped improve relations between the two countries.

The two orchestras will be led by Li Xincao, the chief conductor of the China National Symphony Orchestra, and Tristan Rais-Sherman, the assistant conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Rais-Sherman, who joined the Philadelphia Orchestra two years ago, told the Global Times after Wednesday's rehearsal that he was honored to be part of this historic event. 

The concert, hosted by China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism and organized by the China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd, will feature a blend of Western and Chinese music. 

Rais-Sherman added that he learned about the history of the Philadelphia Orchestra and China after the cooperation was confirmed nearly half a year ago.

"The Beethoven's Symphony No.5 we are going to play is actually historically connected to our visit as we first played it here in 1973. And we also have Tang Dynasty poetry songs and Erquan Yingyue, the choice of music is a blend of both, which is significant," he told the Global Times.

He also praised the cooperation with the China National Symphony Orchestra, saying it was fantastic to work with them for the first time.

"Every time working with a new orchestra, you don't know what would happen. We didn't really know each other at first. Everyone is finding each other and figuring things out from the beginning. However, by the end of today, the level here is very high. They (the Chinese orchestra) are very enthusiastic, flexible and they are great listeners," he said, adding that it was a privilege to be there.

"I hope that other American orchestras can continue to come back, and I hope this visit is a starting point of restarting the visits," he added. 

"To be a major part of this is a special experience to me."

The Philadelphia Orchestra, which arrived in Beijing on Tuesday with 14 members, will also hold master classes, panel discussions, and a chamber music performance in Shanghai as part of their tour, which will also include stops in Suzhou and other cities.