In his keynote speech at the 23rd Shangri-La Dialogue held in Singapore, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not mention Taiwan — a rare omission — and instead highly praised a series of outcomes achieved during US President Donald Trump's recent visit to China. In response, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Wednesday that the Taiwan question is China's internal affair and brooks no external interference. She said that maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits represents the greatest common interest shared by China and the US.
China Central Television (CCTV) is broadcasting a five-episode documentary series on confidentiality and information security awareness from Tuesday to Saturday, with Thursday's episode focusing on cyberattacks and the potential risks of information leaks hidden in everyday work and life.
Introducing the episode, CCTV News said in a report released on Friday that cyber warfare has intensified worldwide over the past 15 years, with cyber espionage aimed at stealing state secrets emerging as a primary objective behind many attacks.
To illustrate the scale and sophistication of such threats, CCTV News cited a case that unfolded in April 2022, when a Chinese university discovered an unusual Trojan program attempting to illegally obtain privileges within its email system. After the university reported the incident, the National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center, together with relevant authorities, quickly formed a joint technical team to investigate.
The findings, CCTV News said, far exceeded initial expectations. Investigators concluded that the cyberattack originated from a foreign government intelligence agency and was aimed at stealing critical technical data, including configurations of key network equipment, network management information and operational maintenance data.
According to the report, the intelligence agency deployed 41 specialized cyberattack tools in pursuit of objectives such as achieving a single-point breakthrough, gradually penetrating target systems and conducting long-term intelligence theft. Among them were 14 different versions of a backdoor tool known as " SlyHeretic," while the attack chain involved more than 1,100 separate intrusion pathways.
As the investigation progressed, authorities uncovered a highly targeted cyber campaign. The intelligence agency allegedly used a platform known as "FoxAcid" to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks against internal hosts and servers at the university, while a remote-control cyber weapon dubbed " NOPEN" was employed to seize control of multiple critical servers.
Further forensic analysis led investigators to identify another cyber espionage tool called "SecondDate." CCTV News said the software was designed to remain resident on network boundary devices such as gateways, edge routers and firewalls for extended periods, enabling malicious functions including traffic sniffing, session tracking, traffic redirection and data tampering.
The documentary noted that only one year after the exposure of the university case, another key Chinese institution became the target of a separate cyberattack launched by an overseas intelligence agency. The operation reportedly lasted nearly a year and involved the deployment of 42 specialized cyber weapons.
To conceal the source of the attack, the perpetrators allegedly employed high-strength encryption algorithms in an attempt to erase traces of their activities. However, CCTV News said the carefully planned and highly covert operation was detected in time, continuously monitored and ultimately disrupted after relevant organizations upgraded their cybersecurity defenses and severed the attack chain.
Beyond these cases, CCTV News cited several other cyber espionage incidents targeting China. In August 2024, an advanced materials design research institution was reportedly attacked, with more than 270 computers infected by control Trojans designed to steal sensitive information.
In June 2025, the National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center released an investigative report exposing several hacker groups affiliated with the DPP authorities' "Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command" for allegedly conducting cyber espionage activities against the mainland.
CCTV News quoted Du Ye, a professor at Beijing Jiaotong University, as saying that such intelligence-gathering operations primarily target Chinese government agencies, defense sector and scientific research institutions.
"These espionage activities are mainly aimed at important and sensitive sectors including government affairs, military industries and scientific research," Du said. "The targets include not only Party and government organs and the military, but also research institutes, universities, central state-owned enterprises and other state-owned companies."
He added that the primary objective of these operations is to obtain sensitive technological information, core data intelligence and national strategic planning information, with the ultimate goal of containing China's technological advancement and strategic development.
The documentary also highlighted several common cybersecurity risks that could lead to information leaks, including inserting USB drives from unknown sources into workplace computers, charging mobile phones infected with Trojan malware through office computers, installing internet-downloaded software on classified computers without authorization, and clicking on unknown emails or suspicious web links.
By examining both major cyber espionage cases and everyday security vulnerabilities, the documentary seeks to raise public awareness of information security risks and strengthen cybersecurity vigilance across society.
The Shenzhou-21 crew arrived in Beijing by plane on Saturday after successfully completing their mission.
The three astronauts, Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang, returned to Earth safely on Friday evening aboard the Shenzhou-22 crewed spaceship, wrapping up a 210-day stay in orbit.
According to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), they are all in good health and the Shenzhou-21 spaceflight mission is a complete success.
The crew will enter a period of medical quarantine, and undergo comprehensive medical examinations and health evaluations, the CMSA said, noting that they will meet the press in Beijing following the end of this period.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Serbian counterpart, Marko Djuric, in New York on Wednesday.
Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is in China for a visit that marks a milestone in bilateral relations.
Serbia has become the first country to issue a joint statement with China on promoting the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative, demonstrating the uniqueness and high level of China-Serbia relationship, he said.
Wang said China firmly supports Serbia's efforts to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and appreciates Serbia's adherence to the one-China principle.
He said the two sides should prioritize the implementation of the important consensus of the two heads of state, enhance exchanges at different levels, advance the Hungary-Serbia railway project, expand cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence and new energy, strengthen coordination and cooperation in the United Nations and other platforms, and carry forward the building of a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era.
Djuric said President Vucic's trip to China is a historic state visit. The two sides signed a string of cooperation documents and mapped out the future development of bilateral relations. Serbia appreciates China's consistent support for Serbia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and will firmly adhere to the one-China principle. No matter how the external situation may evolve, Serbia will remain China's most reliable ironclad friend in Europe.
Serbia is ready to work with China to implement the outcomes of President Vucic's state visit, enhance strategic mutual trust, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, strengthen multilateral coordination, and elevate the Serbia-China community with a shared future to a new level, he said.
China on Saturday morning held a press conference on the Shenzhou-23 manned spaceflight mission, announcing mission details as well as the astronaut crew, which includes Lai Ka-ying, the country’s first astronaut from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to carry out a spaceflight mission. The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) also announced that the Shenzhou-23 manned spacecraft is scheduled to launch at 11:08 pm on Sunday.
The three-member crew consists of spaceflight engineer Zhu Yangzhu, spacecraft pilot Zhang Zhiyuan, and payload specialist Lai, with Zhu serving as commander. Lai is also the first female payload specialist selected from the Hong Kong and Macao regions for China’s space program, while both Zhang and Lai will embark on their first spaceflight missions.
“Astronaut Zhu previously carried out the Shenzhou-16 manned spaceflight mission. Zhang and Lai are from China’s third and fourth batches of astronauts, respectively, and both will perform their first flight missions,” Zhang Jingbo, spokesperson for CMSA, said at the press conference, according to Xinhua News Agency. Zhang noted that before being selected as an astronaut, Zhang Zhiyuan served as an Air Force pilot, while Lai previously worked for the Hong Kong Police Force.
The Global Times learned that Lai was born in Hong Kong in November 1982. Before being selected as a payload specialist in China’s fourth batch of astronauts in June 2024, she served as a superintendent in the Hong Kong Police Force. Following comprehensive assessments, she was selected as a member of the Shenzhou-23 crew.
“Hong Kong and Macao have maintained close cooperation with the mainland in the aerospace sector. Universities and scientific research institutions from the two regions have participated in many space projects, and the Hong Kong astronaut selected for the Shenzhou-23 mission also possesses relevant expertise and a professional background. Therefore, the appearance of an astronaut from the HKSAR on the Shenzhou mission is a natural progression,” Kang Guohua, a senior member of the Chinese Society of Astronautics and a professor of Aerospace Engineering at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, told the Global Times on Saturday.
According to the CMSA, the Long March-2F Y23 carrier rocket assigned to the launch mission will be fueled shortly. The mission will mark the seventh crewed mission during the space station’s application and development stage, as well as the 40th flight mission of China’s manned space program.
Zhang also revealed that an astronaut from the Shenzhou-23 crew will carry out a one-year-long in-orbit stay experiment. The Shenzhou-23 mission’s primary objectives include completing an in-orbit crew rotation with the Shenzhou-21 astronauts, continuing space science and application experiments, conducting extravehicular activities, carrying out cargo transfer operations, and installing and recovering external payloads and equipment.
After entering orbit, the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft will carry out autonomous rendezvous and docking procedures with the radial port of the Tianhe core module, forming a combined structure of three modules and three spacecraft.
Following the in-orbit handover, the Shenzhou-21 crew will return to the Dongfeng landing site. As of Saturday, the Shenzhou-21 astronauts had remained in orbit for 203 days and are expected to set a new national record for the longest in-orbit stay by a Chinese astronaut crew.
At the press conference, Zhang also responded to questions regarding China’s first emergency launch-readiness exercise, saying that “over the course of 20 days, the emergency response operations went smoothly and efficiently.”
“We now have a much clearer understanding of the space debris environment and what it takes to protect orbiting spacecraft from it. The upcoming Shenzhou-23 spacecraft has already been adapted with improvements to its window protection against space debris, which enhances its ability to withstand impact,” Zhang said.
The press conference also provided updates on China’s lunar exploration program. Zhang disclosed that the Chang’e-7 probe arrived at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in South China’s Hainan Province in April and is currently undergoing pre-launch testing and preparation work, with all tasks progressing as planned ahead of a launch scheduled for the second half of this year.
The Chang’e-7 mission will adopt integrated methods including orbiting, landing, roving and flyby operations to study the environment and resources at the moon’s south pole. There will also be international cooperation involved, Zhang said.
We will also proceed as planned with major tasks including the Long March-10 carrier rocket technical-verification flight, as well as the maiden flights of the Mengzhou crewed spacecraft and the Lanyue lunar lander, making every effort to achieve the goal of landing Chinese astronauts on the moon before 2030, he added.
Zhang also introduced the latest progress in international space cooperation, saying that two Pakistani astronauts have entered the astronaut research and training center to train alongside Chinese astronauts. According to the current plan, one Pakistani astronaut will serve as a payload specialist on a short-term space mission and they are currently undergoing both basic and specialized training as planned.
“With the further expansion of China’s space station and the execution of more missions, we can expect to see more international cooperation projects aboard the station, allowing it to become more ‘international,’” Kang told the Global Times.
As US President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on May 13, a brief moment on the tarmac quickly captured global attention: amid the deafening roar and gusts from Air Force One, a People's Liberation Army ceremonial guard stood perfectly still. The footage, shared by Daily Mail's White House reporter and viewed millions of times online, sparked widespread praise for the soldier's discipline and composure, with many saying it reflected the precision and China's ceremonial dignity.
The soldier in the viral video is 23-year-old Liu Zhencheng. On camera, he stands resolute, upright and perfectly still; yet in person, he reveals a more youthful, relaxed side, occasionally breaking into a shy smile. When speaking to the Global Times about his role as a "national gateway ceremonial guard" — what he calls the "first post" of diplomacy — his expression turns firm, his voice filled with pride and confidence. "When I stand there, I am not only representing myself. I am also representing the image of Chinese soldiers and major-country diplomacy. It is like the first calling card handed out in major-country diplomacy - we must present China's and Chinese soldier's image well to the world. That is why I must maintain an unshakable posture," Liu Zhencheng told the Global Times.
Recalling the scene at the time, Liu said the aircraft was less than 20 meters away from him at its closest point. The noise caused temporary ringing in his ears, while the heat from the engines pounded against his back, making his body instinctively lean forward.
"It all comes down to our daily training — relying on physical stability to hold ourselves steady," he said.
Asked about the wide attention the footage of his duty assignment drew on overseas social media, Liu admitted that it came as something of a surprise.
"For us, it was just an ordinary duty assignment, no different from daily training," he said. Liu noted that their routine training is already conducted according to real-combat standards. Only by treating the training ground like a battlefield, he said, can they maintain a steady mindset and calmly complete every mission when the real task comes.
The Global Times learned that, becoming a national gateway ceremonial guard requires a rigorous selection process. The first requirement concerns physical appearance: candidates are generally required to be between 1.85 meters and 1.90 meters tall, with a well-proportioned and upright build — neither too heavy nor too thin.
After being selected, they face daily intensive training. Their daily routine includes around two hours of standing-at-attention drills. To better simulate real duty conditions, training also includes strong winds, noise and other real combat-like scenarios, requiring the ceremonial guards to maintain standard military posture, physical stability and the best possible image of a soldier under pressure and interference.
Due to the special nature of their duties, the guards follow strict uniform requirements: they do not wear single-layer clothing in summer or padded clothing in winter; ceremonial uniforms and military boots are their standard attire. Over the past six months, leaders or heads of government from all other four of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council have visited Beijing — a rare diplomatic scene in the more than 80 years since the end of World War II. As foreign heads of state and political dignitaries continue to arrive in China one after another, Liu and his fellow soldiers stand firm on the front line of major-country diplomacy, with their duties becoming more frequent and their training and support tasks more demanding.
China's diplomatic engagements have become so frequent that "tracking China's diplomatic schedule" has itself become a popular topic in public discourse. According to media statistics, leaders of all G7 countries except Japan have visited China. The list of visiting leaders from developing countries is even longer, including General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, Vietnamese President To Lam, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Mozambican President Daniel Chapo, and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, among others.
For Liu, behind the increasingly busy schedule lies the pride of a Chinese soldier personally witnessing the country's diplomatic moments. "I believe the increasingly frequent diplomatic activities demonstrate the continuous rise of China's comprehensive national strength," he said.
Liu said he will continue to stand every post well. "As a Chinese soldier, I have the confidence and ability to complete every duty assignment in the future, and to continue presenting the image of Chinese soldiers and the image of major-country diplomacy," he said.
Five years after the passing of two of China's most respected and beloved academicians, Chinese media and netizens on Friday have released tributes and commemorative messages honoring their lasting contributions to the country.
On Chinese social media platforms including Sina Weibo and Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, topics related to Yuan Longping and Wu Mengchao drew widespread attention on Friday. Related topics on Sina Weibo alone had garnered more than 8 million views by Friday morning.
Under hashtags marking the fifth anniversary of their passing, several Chinese state media outlets including the People's Daily, China Central Television (CCTV) and Xinhua News Agency released videos and articles paying tribute to the two scientists and their lifelong dedication to the nation and humanity.
Yuan Longping was known as the "father of hybrid rice," and Wu Mengchao was China's top hepatobiliary surgeon.
Yuan, a pioneer in hybrid rice research, was the first scientist in the world to successfully harness the heterosis of rice. He died of illness in Changsha, Hunan Province, on May 22, 2021, at the age of 91, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
As commemorations continued online and offline, videos circulating on the internet showed that Yuan's cemetery had already been filled with flowers. According to video footage released by China News Service, Yuan's wife Deng Ze visited the cemetery on Thursday.
The video prompted an outpouring of emotion from netizens. "Time flies so fast. Grandpa Yuan has already been gone for five years," one commenter wrote, while another posted, "May Grandpa Yuan rest in peace, and may his family stay safe and well."
Wu Mengchao, known as the "father of Chinese hepatobiliary surgery" and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, also passed away on May 22, 2021, at the age of 99. He established a unique system of liver surgery in China and dedicated his life to saving patients, continuing to operate and treat patients well into his 90s.
Many people also left messages of remembrance and gratitude beneath tribute posts released by Chinese media. In a video posted Friday titled "Five years on, still deeply missed," the People's Daily honored the two scientists by referencing asteroid No. 8117 and asteroid No. 17606, which were named after Yuan and Wu respectively.
The comment section was quickly filled with messages from netizens expressing admiration and remembrance. "In memory, forever remembered! We will never forget them," one highly liked comment read.
When asked about Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos's claim that given the geographic proximity of the Philippines to island of Taiwan, the country could be dragged into any conflict involving Taiwan, spokesperson from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday that a large diaspora population and geographic proximity are not excuse for interference in other countries' internal affairs or involvement in other countries' sovereign issues.
Marcos reportedly stated: "In the Philippines, we do not have a choice because Taiwan is so close to the Philippines and we have almost 200,000 Filipino nationals living and working in Taiwan." What's comment of foreign ministry?
In response, Guo Jiakun, spokesperson from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that China has taken note of the Philippine leader reaffirming the adherence to the one-China policy and stressing that the country would not interfere in issues concerning Taiwan.
Guo emphasized that a large diaspora population and geographic proximity are not excuse for interference in other countries' internal affairs or involvement in other countries' sovereign issues. It is hoped the Philippines will honor its commitments, act consistently, and uphold the one-China principle in practice.
When asked about whether the new vision of building a constructive bilateral relationship of strategic stability reached following the China-US summit would affect mainland's Taiwan-related work, and about the mainland's expectations for future cross-Straits relations, Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Wednesday that the vision provides strategic guidance for bilateral ties over the next three years and beyond, which has been welcomed by the peoples of both countries and the international community, and also clarifies the direction for properly managing differences on the Taiwan question. Building a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability is not a slogan. It means actions in the same direction.
The Taiwan question is at the very core of China's core interests and is the most important issue in China-US relations, one that affects the overall situation, Zhu said. To properly understand and implement the new vision of China-US relations, it is essential to firmly safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, which represents the biggest common denominator between China and the US. "Taiwan independence" and cross-Straits peace are as irreconcilable as fire and water, and the US side must exercise extra caution in handling the Taiwan question.
"We urge the US side to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, and to firmly oppose and refrain from supporting or condoning 'Taiwan independence,' taking concrete actions to help maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits," Zhu added.
"We will fully implement the spirit of President Xi Jinping's important remarks, firmly safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, uphold the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, resolutely oppose 'Taiwan independence' separatist activities, deepen cross-Straits exchanges and integrated development, promote the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, and advance the cause of national reunification," Zhu said.
"We also hope that the vast majority of Taiwan compatriots will clearly recognize the extreme danger and harm posed by the Lai Ching-te authorities' pursuit of 'independence' and provocation for conflict, and will join us in firmly safeguarding peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, working together to create a brighter future for national reunification and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," the spokesperson added.
U.S. President Donald Trump left Beijing on Friday afternoon, concluding his state visit to China.
Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and minister of foreign affairs, saw Trump off at the airport.
