In response to inquiries about South Korean media reports suggesting that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is coordinating his schedule and may visit South Korea as early as next month, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that China and South Korea are important neighbors and cooperative partners, and advancing the healthy and stable development of their bilateral relations serves the common interests of both countries.
"As for the next steps in high-level exchanges between the two countries, I don't have any specific details to share," Guo noted.
It has been more than half a year since China's epic Chang'e-6 mission brough back to Earth the first-ever samples from the far side of the moon. What discoveries have been made so far? The China Central Television revealed on Tuesday a number of ground-breaking discoveries, including the volcanic activities on the far side of the moon, and the unveiling of ancient magnetic field of that side for the first time.
Chinese researchers also noted that in 2025, more lunar soil research projects are underway, including the physical property research of the Chang'e-6 samples and lunar evolution research. All these studies are accelerating forward, and with the implementation of subsequent missions like Chang'e-7 and -8, China is poised to usher in a new era of lunar exploration," reported CCTV.
At the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, hundreds of researchers have conducted multi-field analysis and research on 16 grams of the far-side lunar samples. Li Qiuli, a research fellow at the institute, and his team selected the first batch of 108 basalt debris particles. Their goal was to obtain the age information of each particle, as basalt carries key information about volcanic activity.
With the help of ion probes, the "element detective," Li and his team successfully completed the age analysis of the basalt debris in just three months. The discoveries from the analysis have been published in the international academic journal Nature. "Most of the 108 particles are 2.8 billion years old, but one was 4.2 billion years old - it is currently the oldest basalt in the Chang'e-6 return samples. Therefore, we conclude that the magmatic activity on the far side of the moon lasted for at least 1.4 billion years, and the properties of the deep mantle changed significantly during this period. This is the first time of such findings through the Chang'e-6 sample," said Li.
It is currently known that the volcanic activity on the near side of the moon can be traced back to 4 billion years ago, and there were still small-scale volcanic eruptions as late as 120 million years ago. What about the situation on the far side of the moon?
The research results of Chinese scientists based on the Chang'e-6 basalt particles are the first human understanding of the volcanic activity on the far side of the moon, offering critical insights and valuable scientific evidence for understanding the evolutionary history of the celestial body, reported CCTV.
In addition, Chinese scientists have revealed the ancient magnetic field characteristics of the moon's far side for the first time. According to Cai Shuhui, an associate researcher at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, a study on four millimeter-sized basalt debris found that the moon had a magnetic field around 2.8 billion years ago, and this magnetic field showed a tendency to strengthen. "Previous research suggested that the lunar magnetic field experienced a sharp decline around 3.1 billion years ago, and after that, it might have remained in a very low-energy state. Our finding is quite different - We discovered that there was a rebound around 2.8 billion years ago, indicating that after the decline, there were fluctuations and recoveries," said Cai.
Previous studies have indicated that, similar to the Earth, the moon once had a global magnetic field, but this magnetic field no longer exists. There is still no scientific answer to the question of what change processes it went through before disappearing. This finding not only obtained the ancient magnetic field information of the moon's far side but also filled a billion-year data gap in the lunar paleomagnetic records, per experts cited by CCTV.
In 2025, more research projects are underway. Wu Fuyuan, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences said his institution will conduct more research on the physical properties of these lunar samples.
Specifically, compared with Chang'e-5 samples, the Chang'e-6 ones exhibit greater stickiness, a property yet to be fully understood; what's more, Wu is eyeing to analyze the weathering characteristics of these samples in space, as well as possible water existence in the lunar soil to determine whether they can be used as material for the construction of future lunar base.
Liu Dunyi, a senior research fellow at Beijing SHRIMP Center, Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, who have studied three lunar samples - one from the US Apollo mission and two from Chang'e-5 and -6, told the Global Times in an exclusive interview recently that a key focus of the research of the Chang'e-6 samples is whether the geological structures of the samples are from the near side or the far side of the moon will show differences, he said. "My team's research on Chang'e-6 samples has also been completed. It is currently under review and will be published in due course."
Liu said during his researches, his foreign friends who are also experts of the field expressed strong interest in collaborating with China. "Even facing the obstacle of US laws, they still strive to find ways to cooperate. China and the US have obvious complementary advantages regarding lunar scientific researches, and if combined together, humanity's knowledge toward the moon would develop much faster…" Liu noted. "It's a pity that the Wolf Amendment is like a wall standing between the two sides," he said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prince Albert II of Monaco on Thursday exchanged congratulatory messages to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of China-Monaco diplomatic ties.
There have been nine confirmed deaths following a 6.8-magnitude earthquake that jolted Dingri county in Shigatse of Xizang Autonomous Region at 9:05 am on Tuesday, according to Xinhua. But no specific numbers have been released yet. House collapsed in the region, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
The local authorities have mobilized personnel from transportation, water resources, housing and urban-rural development, township officials, and village cadres to carry out rescue operations. At the same time, they are organizing the safe evacuation of residents to prevent the impact of aftershocks, the governor of Dingri county introduced.
According to the Ministry of Emergency Management, at 9:20 am, 75 personnel and six vehicles from the Fire Brigade of Shigatse were mobilized and on standby. A forward team of 15 personnel and three vehicles was also heading toward the earthquake epicenter.
By 9:45 am, a total of 215 people were moving toward the epicenter, including the Xizang Forest Fire Brigade's forward command, consisting of 10 personnel and three vehicles, and 90 members from the Special Operations team.
More than 500 members of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) forces, the Armed Police Forces as well as the militia and reserve forces are fully prepared to mobilize, according to China Military.
The epicenter was monitored at 28.5 degrees north latitude and 87.45 degrees east longitude. The quake struck at a depth of 10 km, said a report issued by the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC), according to Xinhua.
There are seven villages within a 5-kilometer radius of the earthquake and two towns within a 20-kilometer radius. The average elevation within a 5-kilometer area around the epicenter is approximately 4,259 meters, according to CCTV News.
An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 jolted 90 km Northeast of Lobuche, Nepal at 01:05:16 GMT on Tuesday, the US Geological Survey said. The epicenter, with a depth of 10.0 km, was initially determined to be at 28.58 degrees north latitude and 87.39 degrees east longitude, according to Xinhua.
Chinese State Councilor and Director of the China National Narcotic Control Committee Wang Xiaohong spoke with Rahul Gupta, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, via video link on Tuesday.
Wang said under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-US cooperation on drug control has made positive progress over the past year.
Wang added that the two sides should adhere to the correct strategic perception, treat each other as equals, engage in dialogue and cooperation, and promote steady and long-term cooperation in drug control and law enforcement, to better respond to the expectations of the people and demonstrate the responsibility as major countries.
Wang also expressed hope that the U.S. side will show more sincerity for cooperation, and respect and address China's concerns.
The two sides agreed to continue to maintain cooperation and exchanges in the field of drug control.
"This is the first incident that I'm aware of on US soil where ChatGPT is utilized to help an individual build a particular device," said Kevin McMahill, sheriff of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, as investigation into the Tesla Cybertruck New Year's Day explosion outside the Trump hotel in Las Vegas is underway, US media reported.
As attack and explosion in New Year Day in the US have sparked public concerns over the potential application and use of new technology including the generative artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) in planning and execution of crimes, said a Chinese security expert on Thursday, calling on vigilance and targeted prevention to effectively curb the abuse of new technology.
The highly decorated soldier used generative AI including ChatGPT to help plan the attack, Las Vegas police said Tuesday, the AP reported.
A laptop, cellphone and watch are still under review nearly a week after 37-year-old Matthew Livelsberger fatally shot himself just before the truck blew up. An investigation of Livelsberger's searches through ChatGPT indicate he was looking for information on explosive targets, the speed at which certain rounds of ammunition would travel and whether fireworks were legal in Arizona, the report said.
"It's a concerning moment," Kevin the Las Vegas sheriff was quoted in the report as saying, calling the use of generative AI a "game-changer" and said the department was sharing information with other law enforcement agencies.
In an emailed statement, OpenAI said it was committed to seeing its tools used "responsibly" and that they're designed to refuse harmful instructions.
"In this case, ChatGPT responded with information already publicly available on the internet and provided warnings against harmful or illegal activities. We're working with law enforcement to support their investigation," the emailed statement said.
Just as other new technologies have been used for criminal activities, the use of AI and AR for crime undoubtedly poses new challenges to public safety. Previously, it was observed that terrorists used internet street view maps to plan attacks. Now, AI and AR can be used in the same way, including for crimes like fraud, Li Wei, an expert on national security and anti-terrorism at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times on Thursday.
Human society's progress and technological development inevitably give rise to various criminal issues, such as criminals exploiting new technologies. To effectively prevent such criminals, it is essential to address all aspects of how they use new technologies and implement targeted prevention and enforcement measures, Li noted.
On the same day as the Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas, a suspected terrorist drove a rented ute through crowds in the city of New Orleans, killing 15 people and injuring dozens more. The attacker who drove a truck through New Orleans' Bourbon Street on New Year's Day used Meta smart glasses to scout the scene weeks earlier, according to the FBI, the CNN reported.
According to the report, Meta smart glasses -- which are part of a wider industry push to make hands-free, wearable technology the next big computing platform -- can take photos and use artificial intelligence to answer user questions about their surroundings.
In light of recent unfounded allegations made by the US claiming Chinese hacking of its Treasury Department office or workstations, some Chinese experts suggest that such behavior reflects the unwillingness of certain US departments and individuals to foster China-US cooperation in the cyber domain, preferring instead to turn it into a domain of competition or even confrontation.
An article published by the Washington Post on Wednesday claimed that "Chinese government hackers breached a highly sensitive office in the Treasury Department that administers economic sanctions against countries and groups of individuals - one of the most potent tools possessed by the United States to achieve national security aims."
In the article, an anonymous source said that the targeting of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) as well as the Office of the Treasury Secretary reflects Beijing's determination to acquire intelligence on its most significant rival in the global competition for power and influence.
Such allegation came shortly following the Treasury claimed that Chinese state-sponsored hackers breached the US Treasury Department's computer security guardrails this month and stole documents in what Treasury called a "major incident," Reuters reported on Monday.
The Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu urged that "the US needs to stop using cyber security to smear and slander China, and stop spreading all kinds of disinformation about the so-called Chinese hacking threats," according to BBC on Tuesday.
Responding to questions concerning the previous US Treasury Department allegations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Tuesday that "on this kind of unwarranted and groundless allegations, we've made clear our position more than once. China opposes all forms of hacking, and in particular, we oppose spreading China-related disinformation motivated by political agenda."
BBC in its relevant report on Tuesday pointed out that "the US has not supplied any evidence that China is responsible for the hack."
The Aljazeera on Wednesday pointed out that the alleged hacking comes weeks after Beijing accused Washington of carrying out two cyberattacks on Chinese technology firms.
The Aljazeera report also said that the US department did not "specify the number of workstations compromised, the nature of the files, the exact timeframe of the hack and the confidentiality level of the stations compromised."
These recent reports, which remain unverified by evidence, appear to be politically motivated in nature, suggesting an effort to justify potential US cyberattack escalation against China, Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Thursday.
Such behavior reflects the unwillingness of certain US departments and individuals to foster China-US cooperation in the cyber domain, preferring instead to turn it into a domain of competition or even confrontation. This approach is clearly unhealthy and sick, he criticized.
In December 2024, the Chinese National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team/Coordination Center of China (CNCERT) revealed that it had identified and handled two incidents of US cyberattacks targeting major Chinese tech company and institution to steal commercial secrets.
Previously, the US has repeatedly made groundless accusations about so-called China-backed cyberattacks, aiming to smear China.
On April 15 and July 8, 2024, the National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center, National Engineering Laboratory for Computer Virus Prevention Technology and 360 Digital Security Group jointly released two investigation reports disclosing the US government's narrative regarding Volt Typhoon, which it claimed is cluster of activity of interest associated with a "China state-sponsored cyber actor," is purely a fabrication crafted by the US.
China's National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center released its third report on Volt Typhoon in October 2024, once again exposing cyber espionage and disinformation operations conducted by US government agencies, including a US cyber weapon that can mislead investigation and frame other countries for its own cyber espionage activities.
The US has a long history of using disinformation against its perceived competitors or enemies, often fabricating stories and lies. The dark side of certain individuals related to US government's China policy has once again been exposed, Li said.
Recently, the United States announced another substantial military assistance and arms sale to China's Taiwan region. Its "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025" includes multiple negative sections on China. These seriously violate the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. Joint Communiqués, interfere in China's internal affairs, and undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Pursuant to Articles 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 15 of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Countering Foreign Sanctions, China hereby decides to take the following countermeasures against seven companies as listed in the attached List of Targets of Countermeasures, i.e., Insitu, Inc., Hudson Technologies Co., Saronic Technologies, Inc., Raytheon Canada, Raytheon Australia, Aerkomm Inc. and Oceaneering International, Inc., and relevant senior executives:
Their movable and immovable properties, and other kinds of assets within China shall be frozen.
All organizations and individuals within China shall be prohibited from engaging in transaction, cooperation and other activities with them.
This decision shall come into force as of December 27, 2024.
China's first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, the Sichuan, left the dockyard on Sunday morning. This marks the completion of the construction of the main ship, and the vessel will soon enter the next phase of outfitting and calibration, China Central Television (CCTV) reported.
The work of outfitting and calibration involves the debugging of the ship's power system, the installation and debugging of various electronic devices and weapon systems, as well as the interior decoration of the ship's compartments. This part of the work will be carried out by factory personnel. After this phase is completed, mooring tests and sea trials will be conducted jointly by the factory and the receiving naval unit, according to the CCTV's report.
The Sichuan was launched in Shanghai on Friday. It has a full load displacement of more than 40,000 tons, is equipped with a double island superstructure and a full longitudinal flight deck, and innovatively applies electromagnetic catapult and arresting technology, according to China Bugle, an official media account affiliated with PLA's news media center.
The Sichuan did not leave the dockyard at the launch day due to a scientific assessment that considered specific conditions such as tide levels, wind strength, and visibility, read the CCTV report.
Specifically, the water level in the dock must exceed a certain level for the ship to fully float, ensuring that the vessel can smoothly rise and leave the dock entrance, and the wind strength should not exceed level 6 on the Beaufort scale, with wind speeds not exceeding 10.8 m/s.
Besides, during the undocking process, the tugboat operators need to have a clear view of the surrounding environment and obstacles to make timely and correct maneuvers. Generally, visibility is required to be no less than 150 meters.
"The ship leaving the dockyard indicating that the hull is in good condition and that the ship's watertightness has been thoroughly inspected," an anonymous military expert told the Global Times on Sunday.
According to Wang Ya'nan, chief editor of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, after leaving the dockyard, the installation of systems related to the entire ship may commence, and the outfitting process may encompass functional systems such as auxiliary power and electronic radar systems.
The anonymous expert noted that the mooring tests will evaluate systems such as the power, electronic, and fire control systems. Additionally, the ship will perform corresponding experiments on its electromagnetic catapult system to prepare for sea trials.
"Mooring tests are very important, as they relate to the overall performance of the hull. When all performance indicators of the tests meet the design requirements, preparations for sea trials can begin," the expert said.
The expert further noted that given the Type 076 amphibious assault ship has adopted many mature technologies, its outfitting and testing time may be shorter than that of the aircraft carrier Fujian.
The PLA Navy's third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, which is China's first warship to utilize the electromagnetic catapult and arresting technology, began the sea trials phase with its maiden voyage on May 1 of 2024 following its launch on June 17, 2022.
Netizens have been actively discussing the Sichuan since its launching, with many expressing their admiration and pride for their motherland. "The Sichuan, breaking waves and riding the wind, moves forward courageously, setting sail toward the deep blue sea!" read a Sina Weibo user's post on Sunday.
By establishing the biggest paleobiology database of early Earth to date and employing cutting-edge analytical tools, including supercomputer and artificial intelligence, an international paleontological research team led by Dr Qing Tang and Professor Shuzhong Shen from the School of Earth Sciences and Engineering at Nanjing University, for the first time, have constructed a high-resolution biodiversity curve spanning from 2 billion to 500 million years ago.
The findings were published in the academic Science journal on Friday. This study reveals that early life on Earth underwent a prolonged evolutionary journey, marked by multiple major radiations and mass extinctions before the formation of complex ecosystems around 500 million years ago.
"This study fills a critical gap in our understanding of the macroevolution of life on early Earth, providing a theoretical basis for elucidating the origins and early evolution of life, exploring the potential existence of extraterrestrial life, and assessing the sustainable development of a habitable Earth," Tang told the Global Times.
Fossils are the most direct evidence of life's evolution. However, when did life, particularly eukaryotes with a membrane-enveloped nucleus, originate and leave its first fossil record more than 500 million years ago? As the ancestors of all modern complex organisms, how did early life cope with environmental challenges and evolve into the diverse biosphere we see today?
These fundamental scientific questions, which are crucial for understanding our origins and future, have remained largely unaddressed for a long time due to methodological limitations, said Tang.
To tackle these questions, the research team spent six years developing a comprehensive paleobiology database of early Earth. By integrating big data analytical tools, such as supercomputing and artificial intelligence, Tang and his colleagues have established the first high-resolution biodiversity curve of early life.
The results indicate that the diversity of eukaryotes maintained low but stable growth since their earliest unambiguous fossil records around 1.7 billion years ago. However, this pattern was disrupted by the emergence of a global glaciation event around 720 million years ago.
Following the end of the glaciation event, life diversity began to increase rapidly and fluctuate frequently, leading to multiple episodes of major biological radiation and extinction.
These include a significant biological radiation event between approximately 635 and 580 million years ago, followed by the first mass extinction event in life history, which resulted in the sharp disappearance of the dominant organism - spiny microorganisms. Following this mass extinction, more complex macroscopic organisms, including animals, underwent rapid radiation. However, these complex macroscopic organisms encountered two significant declines in diversity at the end of the Ediacaran Period (approximately 551 to 539 million years ago), marking the earliest two mass extinction events in the evolutionary history of animals.
This study, by using big data analysis, quantitatively illustrate for the first time the first 1.5-billion-year evolutionary journey of fossilizable eukaryotes on Earth. It delineates the early history of complex life, including its origins, radiation, extinction, re-radiation, and the eventual formation of modern-like ecosystems.
"The findings suggest that extreme climate events, such as global glaciations, severely disrupted the evolutionary trajectory of Earth's early biosphere, leading to mass extinction events," Shen told the Global Times.
Following the end of glaciation events, the subsequent warming of surface temperatures and rise in atmospheric oxygen levels facilitated new radiations of increasingly complex organisms.
"This further confirms that the evolutionary pattern of life from simple to complex is not a straightforward linear process, but rather an alternating pattern of prolonged stagnation and relatively rapid radiation," Shen noted.
This study also highlights the profound impact of abrupt environmental changes, such as fluctuations in surface temperature and oxygen levels, on the evolution of early complex life systems, providing valuable insights for scientists searching for extraterrestrial life in extreme environments and assessing the future habitability of Earth.
"We study the relationship between biodiversity and the process of environmental evolution to better understand Earth's current state. This research helps predict how the planet might develop under environmental changes, offering valuable insights for the future," Shen remarked.
According to Shen, the development of life on Earth, from its origin to the growth of biodiversity, from simple to complex organisms, "provides valuable insights for studying whether other planets have similar conditions."
"Understanding the environmental factors that allowed early life on Earth to thrive and evolve into the biodiversity we see today can offer important clues for exploring the potential existence of life and biodiversity on other planets," he added.
Reviewers for Science journal commented: "This is, in many respects, a long overdue paper to examine the fossil record of the Proterozoic. This is a huge achievement. There will be a plethora of papers following publication of this paper doing just that."
