As two major time-honored civilizations, developing countries and emerging economies, China and India need to focus on development and engage in cooperation. This serves the fundamental interests of over 2.8 billion people of the two countries, meets the common aspiration of regional countries and peoples, goes along with the historical trend of the Global South growing stronger, and is conducive to peace and prosperity of the region and the wider world, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Tuesday.

Guo made the remarks in response to Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's remarks on Saturday that the India-China relationship is trying to disentangle itself from the complications arising from the post-2020 border situation.

Mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity should remain the basis of the relationship between the two sides, said Jaishankar at the Nani Palkhivala memorial lecture in Mumbai on Saturday, adding more thought needs to be given to the longer-term evolution of ties, according to India's Business Standard.

Guo said that the two sides need to earnestly deliver on the important common understandings reached between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in their meeting in Kazan, including that China and India are each other's development opportunity rather than threat, and cooperation partner rather than competitor. 

"We need to view and handle the bilateral relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective, bring the relations back to the track of healthy and stable development, and find the right path for big, neighboring countries to live in harmony and develop side by side," Guo told a routine press conference.

In global affairs, the two sides need to remain committed to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, practice true multilateralism, advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and make greater contribution to world peace, stability, development and prosperity, the spokesperson said.

The return of Donald Trump to the White House has sparked a sharp debate among experts over the future of China-US relations. Speaking at Davos, a prominent American scholar suggested that Trump's unconventional approach to diplomacy could bring about a surprising improvement in US-China ties, arguing that Trump might not fit the typical mold of a "China hawk." However, this optimistic view was met with opposition from another scholar, who warned that a Trump presidency could instead exacerbate tensions, predicting that bilateral ties could be "materially worse" within a year. This divide underscores the uncertainty and high stakes surrounding the trajectory of one of the world's most critical relationships, an expert says. 

Instead of the widely discussed possible trade war between the two countries, Graham Allison, a professor with the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, said during a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday that ties between the two superpowers could tick up, according to the South China Morning Post. 

"I'm betting this time next year… we'll be surprised on the upside in the relationship," said Allison, best known for his 2017 book, Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides's Trap?

"I have a piece, it'll be published next week, that asks: 'Is Trump a China hawk?' I think, if you look at what he said and did, you'll find it difficult to classify him in those terms."

"I think it is not possible, but likely that President Trump will surprise us in building a more constructive, productive relationship with China," Allison said in an email on Tuesday. 

Allison, who is known for his concept of the "Thucydides Trap," said on a visit to China in December last year that the US and China should avoid falling into the trap and that finding the right way for them to get along with each other is important for both countries and the world at large.

But Ian Bremmer, founder of the Eurasia Group consultancy, another panelist at Tuesday's discussion, sharply disagreed and said ties could be "materially worse" in 12 months.

"China is convinced Americans want to contain it," Bremmer said. "They have ample evidence… Even though Trump is going to make a deal, the ability and the willingness of China are not propitious.

"I would make a fairly strong bet that US-China relations will be in materially worse condition."

The China-US relationship has long been characterized by complexity and significance. Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, shared his insights with the Global Times. Pessimists often overlook the shared interests and intricacies that define bilateral ties between Beijing and Washington, and that Trump's focus on addressing practical issues, rather than fixating on ideological divides, could pave the way for more constructive engagement. Li highlighted that the perspective offered by Allison acknowledges the mutual benefits that can arise from cooperation between the two nations.

Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said that competition between the US and China will grow, although the risk of a "full decoupling" is unlikely at this stage. "We are in a new environment, a more dangerous, more turbulent environment," Wong told university students on Tuesday in comments posted by the Straits Times newspaper. He flagged the risk of new trade barriers or accidents and miscalculations around hotspots like the South China Sea or Taiwan Strait.

In response to Trump's remarks that he would order federal agencies to conduct a study of trade issues while holding off on immediately imposing new tariffs on trade with China, Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday that economic cooperation and trade between China and the US benefit both sides. Keeping business ties sound and stable serves the fundamental interests of both countries and both peoples, and it is also conducive to global economic growth. 

China stands ready to follow the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, strengthen dialogue and communication with the US, properly manage differences, and expand mutually beneficial cooperation. We hope the US will work with us to promote the steady, sound and sustainable growth of bilateral trade and economic ties, Guo said.

In response to the warning from Friedrich Merz, German Christian Democratic candidate for chancellor, who warned of "great risks" for companies investing in China, Mao Ning, spokesperson from China's Foreign Ministry, said Germany should objectively and rationally view China's development, uphold the tradition of China-Germany friendship, recognize the mutually beneficial nature of China-Germany cooperation, and do more that align with the interests of both countries and peoples.
 
Merz, whose party is currently leading in the polls for next month's elections, stated "I say to all representatives of the German economy that the decision to invest in China is a decision involving great risk," after a policy speech in which he advocated for Berlin to take a more active role on the global stage, according to Financial Times. 
 
In response, Mao stated during Friday's press briefing that China and Germany are comprehensive strategic partners. Over the past 53 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries have developed bilateral relations based on the principles of mutual respect, seeking common ground while reserving differences, mutual learning, and win-win cooperation. This has fostered a story of pragmatic cooperation that has delivered tangible benefits to the people of both countries. 
 
Mao further stated that China hopes Germany to objectively and rationally view China's development, uphold the tradition of China-Germany friendship, recognize the mutually beneficial nature of China-Germany cooperation, and do more that align with the interests of both countries and peoples.
 
We also welcome German politicians to come to China, take a look, and experience the real China, as well as the vitality and dynamism of China in the new era, said Mao.

During the 2025 Ministry of National Defense (MND) New Year Reception for Chinese and International Press held on Friday, when asked whether "the special arrangement of a US piece for the concert signifies a positive expectation for US-China military relations," Wu Qian, spokesperson for the ministry, told the Global Times that the key to developing stable military relations between the two countries is mutual respect for each other's core interests, which is a necessary prerequisite for the stable development of military relations.

This year's media reception for the MND was held for the first time at the headquarters of the Military Band of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), featuring a speech by Ye Jiang, major general and deputy director of the Office for International Military Cooperation of the Central Military Commission.

This media reception was notable for its unique and innovative arrangements, from the invitation card to the event setup. In addition to activities like simulated shooting at the venue, there was also a tour of the dormitories. Upon entering the dormitory, the first thing that caught the eye was the neatly folded quilts on the beds, shaped into standard "tofu blocks" — square, tidy, and wrinkle-free. 

Inside the wardrobes, military hats and uniforms were arranged in an orderly manner. The level of cleanliness made a strong impression on journalists from both China and abroad. What stood out even more was the sound of a piano coming from the far end of the long dormitory corridor. In a room around the corner, a member of the military band, with his back to the door, was playing "Jasmine Flower", a traditional Chinese folk song, on the piano. 

In addition, the media reception also featured a New Year concert themed "Horn of Peace and Friendship." Wu told the Global Times that the concert's arrangements emphasized both a "military flavor" and "soldier spirit," incorporating Chinese military songs. At the same time, it also highlighted internationalism, featuring songs from other countries and regions including a Russian song and a Tanzanian song.

Wu said that the selected pieces for the concert were highly representative, noting "We chose songs from a range of representative countries, including Russia, classic compositions by renowned composers like Beethoven, and pieces from developing countries, such as those from Africa." The world is a vast garden, and a single flower does not make spring, while one hundred flowers in full bloom bring spring to the garden, Wu said.

We hope to use this broad representation to convey a belief to the outside world that the Chinese military is working hard to build a community with a shared future for mankind, Wu said.

For a long time, China-US military relations have been a focal point of global attention. The concert also featured a US song. In response to a question from the Global Times about whether this special arrangement reflected a hopeful expectation for China-US military relations, Wu said that in the new year, China hopes that China-US military relations can develop in a healthy and stable manner, following the guidance of the heads of state of both countries, on the path of mutual respect for each other's core interests and major concerns. 

Wu added that the development of stable military relations requires not only the efforts of one side, but also the joint efforts of both sides. Most importantly, it is essential to mutually respect each other's core interests, as this is a necessary prerequisite for the stable development of military relations, he noted. 

In the background footage of the military band's performance, previous exchanges between the Chinese military and countries such as Russia and Brazil were highlighted. When asked whether the Chinese PLA would engage in more overseas cooperation with the militaries of other countries in the future, Wu responded that in 2024, many Chinese military delegations traveled abroad to engage in exchanges with militaries from various countries. 

Such exchanges will become even deeper and more extensive in the new year, Wu said, adding that the Chinese military looks forward to developing friendships with the armed forces of all countries, fostering cooperation, and contributing to a more harmonious global community. 

The Chinese military is committed to building a world-class military and needs to increase global engagement, convey friendship and goodwill, and promote exchanges and cooperation, Wu added.

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.