Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, returned to Beijing on Tuesday afternoon after concluding his state visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday.

On Tuesday afternoon local time, Xi departed from Pyongyang. Kim Jong-un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and president of the State Affairs of DPRK, and his wife went to the airport to see Xi and his wife off and held a grand farewell ceremony in their honor, per Xinhua.

This year marks the 65th anniversary of the signing of the China-DPRK Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance. In recent years, under the strategic guidance of the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries, China-DPRK traditional friendly and cooperative relations have maintained sound and steady development, Xinhua wrote in an article published on Monday.

Exchanges and cooperation in areas including the economy, culture, education, and youth affairs have produced fruitful outcomes, delivering benefits to both countries and their peoples, injecting new vitality into the traditional friendship between the two nations, and making positive contributions to regional peace and development, per Xinhua.

China-DPRK relations in new era

Xi said on Tuesday that he reached important consensus with General Secretary Kim on developing relations between China and the DPRK in the new era, the Xinhua reported on Tuesday.

The two sides also had in-depth discussions on safeguarding peace and stability in the region and the world, Xi said when he and his wife Peng Liyuan attended the luncheon hosted by Kim and his wife Ri Sol-ju, per Xinhua.

Xi thanked Kim for the warm hospitality and thoughtful arrangements for the visit, noting that through the visit, the warmth and friendship extended by the DPRK party, government and people toward the Chinese party, government and people is felt even more deeply.

The mutual understanding between China and the DPRK has become deeper and more comprehensive, and the future development direction has become clearer and more definite, Xi said.

Xi said that he is ready to work with Kim to jointly lead China-DPRK relations to greater development and inject new and strong impetus into the socialist cause of the two countries.

For his part, Kim said that Xi's visit was a complete success, sending a positive message to the world that the DPRK and China are further strengthening their friendly cooperation, and attracting widespread attention from various sides.

Xi's visit was of great significance to bilateral relations and the future development of the region, Kim said, noting that the DPRK side stands ready to earnestly implement the important consensus reached during the visit, promote new tangible outcomes in bilateral cooperation, and advance DPRK-China relations to a new and higher level.

Great friendship through generations

Xi and Kim agreed on Tuesday that the two countries should carry forward their great traditional friendship from generation to generation.

Xi paid homage to the China-DPRK Friendship Tower with his wife Peng, in the company of Kim and his wife Ri.

Xi and Kim also agreed that the years when China and the DPRK fought side by side in the 1950s are an eternal historical memory shared by both sides.

The Friendship Tower was built in 1959 to honor martyrs of the Chinese People's Volunteers in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea.

Three massive gilded Korean characters reading "Friendship Tower" adorned the facade of the stately monument, gleaming in the summer sunlight.

After the national anthems of China and the DPRK were played, and honor guards laid the flower basket, Xi approached the flower basket and arranged the ribbon, which read, "The martyrs of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army live forever."

In a solemn atmosphere, all present paid silent tribute to the martyrs. Afterward, Xi and Kim watched a march-past by the honor guard.

Since the tower's erection, it has been expanded by the DPRK and renovated several times. Commemorations have been held at the site on key occasions, including anniversaries of the CPV's entry into the DPRK to fight in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, the Korean War armistice, and China's Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day.

The two leaders pledged to jointly maintain memorial facilities dedicated to the Chinese People's Volunteers martyrs, carry out distinctive programs on revolutionary traditions and youth education, and carry forward the great spirit of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea.

On Tuesday morning, Xi, accompanied by Kim, visited the Central Cadres Training School of the WPK in Pyongyang.

In the wooded area between teaching buildings, Xi and Kim jointly planted a fir tree. The fir tree remains evergreen throughout the year, symbolizing the enduring and ever-renewing friendship between China and the DPRK. 

In recent years, China-DPRK economic and trade cooperation has shown a positive development momentum. According to Chinese official statistics, bilateral trade volume reached $2.735 billion in 2025, according to Xinhua on Monday.

The Guomenwan trade zone in Dandong, a city in Northeast China's Liaoning Province, has witnessed increasingly close economic and trade exchanges between China and the DPRK. In 2025, the zone recorded 168 million yuan ($24.8 million) in imports through border residents' trade, with a total of 22,000 participants engaged in such transactions over the course of the year.

Prior to this, on March 12, an international passenger train from Dandong arrived in Pyongyang, marking the resumption of international passenger train services between China and the DPRK.

On March 30, an Air China passenger plane from Beijing arrived at Pyongyang International Airport, signaling the formal resumption of the Chinese carrier's passenger flight operations between the capitals of China and the DPRK. Road, rail and air links between the two countries have all been resumed thus far.

Cultural and artistic exchanges are an important component of China-DPRK friendship and serve as a key means of fostering mutual understanding and emotional connection between the two peoples. Multiple Chinese films have received awards at the Pyongyang International Film Festival, while the DPRK's April Spring Friendship Art Festival has repeatedly invited Chinese art troupes to participate.

China supports Thailand in trying the case in accordance with the law and severely punishing the perpetrators, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday when asked to comment on reports that a Thai court has issued death sentences to two men who were involved in the 2015 Bangkok bombing case.

"We have noticed that the Thai side has delivered a verdict on the relevant case. The terrorist bombing that year killed 20 people, including seven Chinese citizens, and injured more than 100 others. The attackers were utterly inhuman and their crimes were heinous," Lin said.

A cross-party group of pro-Taiwan Japanese lawmakers decided on Thursday to adopt a new name that explicitly includes the word "Taiwan," Japanese media outlets reported on Friday. A Chinese expert said that this move indicates certain right-wing Japanese lawmakers, emboldened by the Takaichi administration's hostile attitude toward China, are meddling in Taiwan-related issues more blatantly, which constitutes a malicious provocation against China and reveals their attempt to collude more closely with Taiwan separatists.

According to the Japan Today, the group approved the name change at a plenary meeting in Tokyo. In English, the group has been called the Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council. Discussions on the name change were held behind closed doors. The new name is not available in English at this point, according to the group. 

The Japanese media outlet claimed that the renaming is "apparently intended to showcase the lawmakers' resolve to strengthening exchanges" with Taiwan. In announcing the new name, Keiji Furuya of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, who serves as the head of the council, said the group now has more than 300 members, claiming it proof of the "unshakable bond" between Japan and the Taiwan island.

According to a report republished on Yahoo Japan from the Japanese edition of the South Korean media outlet JoongAng Ilbo, Furuya is a representative right-wing politician in Japan. In March, China announced countermeasures against Furuya for his egregious moves including collusion with "Taiwan independence" separatist forces for provocative moves. 

Lü Chao, a professor at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday that there is a bloc of right-wing Japanese lawmakers who lean toward "Taiwan separatists," attempting to keep tight political and economic collusions with them. The act of renaming the group is an open political provocation over China regarding the Taiwan-related issues, sending wrong and dangerous signals to "Taiwan independence" forces, the expert noted. 

The expert noted that since the Takaichi's administration took office, anti-China sentiment has grown stronger in Japan, emboldening these pro-Taiwan groups to act without any restraint.

Regarding the name change, Furuya claimed that "under the tenure of the Sanae Takaichi administration, we decided the time was ripe to push through this renaming," according to the Asahi Shimbun.

"These remarks lay bare that the right-wing Japanese lawmakers are emboldened by the Takaichi administration's hostile stance against China to advance their agenda. They dare to stage such blatant provocations since the Japanese government turns a blind eye and indulges them," Lü said.

This makes it clear that these anti-China lawmakers see eye-to-eye with the cabinet's hardline China policy, working hand in glove while attempting to deepen ties with "Taiwan independence" separatists, Lü said. "Their moves amount to deliberate provocations against China. Japan should be well aware that challenging China over the Taiwan question crosses a red line and will definitely draw a firm response from China," he said.

In response to Furuya's visit to China's Taiwan region in August 2022, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said at the time that to seek selfish political gains, certain Japanese politician has colluded with the "Taiwan independence" forces to make a political stunt just like some others have done. The Japanese government connived at such political manipulation to undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Such behavior of reneging on one's commitment with sinister intention is doomed to fail and will not stop the historic process of China's complete reunification. 

"We urge the Japanese side to deeply reflect on the events of history, abide by the principles of the four China-Japan political documents and the commitments it has made, stop making provocation and stop stirring up trouble on the Taiwan question. Japan must not wade in muddy water and seek selfish gains in the Taiwan Straits. It must stop going further down the wrong path," the Chinese spokesperson said.

Top leaders of China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will exchange views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest in Pyongyang next week, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday.

Mao made the remarks at a regular news briefing when asked about the upcoming state visit to the DPRK by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, scheduled from June 8 to 9.

Xi's trip is at the invitation of Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK.

This visit will be Xi's first state visit to the DPRK in seven years. This year marks the 65th anniversary of the signing of the China-DPRK Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance.

China and the DPRK will take this visit as an opportunity to promote the bilateral relations to keep pace with the times and achieve greater development, enhance the well-being of the people of the two countries, and make greater contributions to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region and the world at large, Mao said.

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on Saturday called for deeper trade and investment cooperation between China and Belarus for the benefit of the two peoples.

Addressing the opening ceremony of a China-Belarus industrial and investment cooperation forum in Minsk, Han said relations between the two countries have maintained high-level development in recent years, with economic, trade and investment cooperation yielding fruitful results.

Bilateral trade in 2025 was nearly 150 times the figure recorded shortly after they forged diplomatic relations more than three decades ago, he said, adding that the flagship China-Belarus Industrial Park has attracted 178 enterprises and effectively driven local economic and social development.

He called on the two countries to strengthen the alignment of their development strategies, advance the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, explore new drivers of trade growth and expand industrial and investment cooperation.

China will remain committed to high-quality development and high-level opening up, creating broader development opportunities for countries around the world including Belarus, he noted.

The forum was jointly organized by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the China-Belarus Industrial Park and the National Agency of Investment and Privatization of Belarus, with more than 400 people present.

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.

The amount is equivalent to saving 550 million tonnes of standard coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 1.49 billion tonnes, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.

The project's first hydropower generator unit was put into operation to generate electricity in July 2003.

The project has intercepted floods nearly 70 times, demonstrating comprehensive benefits and contributions to high-quality economic and social development.

It has improved navigation of the Yangtze River, with a cumulative cargo throughput of over 2.1 billion tonnes and an annual average economic benefit of 34.4 billion yuan (4.78 billion U.S. dollars).

The project has regulated and supplemented water for the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River for 2,732 days, with a total water supplement of over 360 billion cubic meters. This can help ensure drinking water supply and irrigation for the middle and lower reaches.

The ecological environment in the Three Gorges Reservoir area has improved. The daily sewage treatment capacity has increased by 1.58 million tonnes. The forest and grass coverage in key areas has increased, with a forest coverage rate exceeding 50 percent, thus enhancing soil and water conservation capabilities.

"We have taken note of the most recent political developments in the ROK. These are the ROK's internal affairs, on which I will not comment," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Monday in response to South Korea's National Assembly passing the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol on Saturday. 

"Let me say that China and the ROK are important neighbors and cooperation partners. The sound and steady growth of bilateral relations is in the interest of both sides. China's policy toward the ROK has been consistent, and we have maintained the continuity of that policy. We hope the ROK will continue to make positive efforts with China to actively deepen our friendly cooperation and strategic cooperative partnership," Lin said.

A peaceful and stable Korean Peninsula is in the interest of all parties and requires the concerted and strong efforts of all sides, the spokesperson added.

The ruling party of South Korea is striving to stabilize domestic politics while the government is making efforts to minimize the diplomatic implication caused by the martial law turmoil.

Responding to a question on whether the appointment of a new Chinese ambassador to South Korea will be postponed due to the impeachment, Lin said he has no information to share.

Recently, the footage of a wild Amur tiger captured in the Changbai Mountain National Nature Reserve in Northeast China's Jilin Province has gone viral on social media, igniting discussions among wildlife enthusiasts. Animal experts said it reflects the positive outcomes of China's conservation efforts.

The increase in the number of tigers in recent years is attributed to a combination of robust wildlife protection measures undertaken by both China and Russia. Experts told Global Times that future conservation will incorporate even more technological advancements to protect these tigers.

Endangered tiger spotted

The Changbai Mountain National Nature Reserve has recorded footage of a wild Amur tiger, as well as tracks left by the big cat, according to the provincial forestry and grassland bureau on Tuesday.

The discovery is proof that wild Amur tigers have returned to the hinterland of Changbai Mountain after three decades, and signifies the ongoing expansion of the species' habitat.

Amur tigers, also known as Siberian tigers, mainly reside in Russia's Far East and Northeast China. As one of the world's most endangered species, just over 10 wild Amur tigers were believed to be living in China at the end of the 20th century.

Inbreeding has resulted in low population immunity and population decline, threatening the sustainable survival and development of the tigers, Feng Limin, a professor of Beijing Normal University and director of National Forestry and Grassland Administration Amur Tiger and Amur Leopard Monitoring and Research Station, told Global times on Thursday.

Cross-border endeavor

As one of the 13 countries where tigers live, China has dedicated itself to preserving this endangered species and helping in the recovery of its population through afforestation efforts, hunting bans and rewilding training programs.

In recent years, China has continuously implemented measures to protect wild Amur tigers, establishing the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park, one of the first national parks. In Russia, the Land of the Leopard National Park and others have also been strengthening the protection of wild tigers, Feng added.

As the tigers frequently move between China and Russia, cooperation between the two sides is of vital importance, said Liu Ming, an associate researcher from the International Society of Zoological Sciences, Xinhua reported.

The world's first cross-border protected natural area for the conservation of wild Far Eastern leopards was established near the borders of China and Russia in May of 2024. The agreement between the China and Russia on the creation of the Land of Big Cats Reserve was signed by the relevant departments of the two countries during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to China, according to the Russian Geographical Society, a non-government organization.

The park, "Land of the Big Cats," combines China's Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park with Russia's Land of the Leopard National Park and Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve.

On August 22, following the 29th regular meeting of the prime ministers of Russia and China held the previous day, a joint communiqué was issued stating that measures will be intensified to protect the populations of the Amur tiger and Far Eastern leopard.

"Work on the creation of a cross-border reserve has been going on for more than 10 years. The agreement marks a new milestone in environmental cooperation between the two countries," said Alexander Kozlov, the Minister of Natural Resources of Russia. "The primary tasks will be the unification of animal counting methods and the establishment of joined photo-monitoring."

Feng said that with the strong support from local border management authorities, we have opened more than 290 wildlife passages along the China-Russia border, removing parts of the border fencing to facilitate the movement of wild animals.

Wang Aimin, the chief representative of the Wildlife Conservation Society Beijing Office, has been working in wildlife conservation for many years. He told the Global Times on Thursday that, on an academic level, Chinese and Russian experts have maintained close exchanges in the conservation of tigers and leopards, conducting seminars, technical cooperation, and experience sharing.

Besides of communications between experts, frontline breeders also learn from each other. Russia started earlier in tiger and leopard conservation and has rich experience, Wang added.

According to data from the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park Administration, the populations of wild Amur tigers and Amur leopards have grown to 50 and 60, respectively. Both species are experiencing a reproductive peak and a period of rapid population growth, with a strong trend of migration and expansion inland. Additionally, more than 50 percent of Amur tiger cubs survive to adulthood.

As wild Amur tigers make a comeback and thrive in the park, the likelihood of encounters between tigers and people living in the area is on the rise.

Deep inside a dense forest in Northeast China, a Siberian tiger cub was cuddling and playing with its mother. This heartwarming scene in the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park was streamed in real-time on an intelligent screen at the park's control room.

Such new technologies, including early warning systems and thousands of smart cameras, have greatly mitigated human-tiger conflicts in the park spanning over 14,000 square kilometers.

According to statistics from the park, since the establishment of the integrated space-aerial-ground monitoring system, over 26,000 sightings of tiger and 34,000 sightings of leopards have been recorded. Additionally, more than 20,000 early warnings regarding human-tiger conflicts have been issued. The system has enabled round-the-clock monitoring of over 30 species, with recognition accuracy exceeding 90 percent for tigers and leopards.

The monitoring system uses satellites, drones, and ground-based methods for ecosystem monitoring. Satellites provide macro-level monitoring with visible light, infrared, and microwave sensors, transmitting data to cloud platforms for further analyses. Drones focus on medium- and small-scale assessments of key areas, while ground-based methods include field surveys and manual sampling for detailed observations, Feng noted.

This is currently the only large-scale monitoring system in the world, equivalent to installing "eyes and ears" capable of seeing and hearing over long distances in a forest area the size of Beijing, Feng said.

Forest rangers are the frontline workers for the "ground" component. Compared with earlier years, patrol work now benefits from more technological support, according to the China News Service. They carry WiFi devices that maintain network signals even deep in the mountains and forests, allowing them to communicate with the base through WeChat. Feng said that China has accumulated lots of successful experiences in tiger and leopard conservation, including the establishment of protected areas and national parks, as well as patrol enforcement. These experiences are gradually being shared and exchanged with over 20 Belt and Road Initiative participating countries.

In the future, new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and robotics, will be applied to tiger conservation, the expert said.

At the same time, new technologies will be developed to monitor the location of tigers and leopards and their distance from humans, providing early warnings of potential human-tiger conflicts and improving the ability to handle emergency situations, Wang stated. "The Earth does not belong to us. We belong to the Earth."