The China International Import Expo (CIIE) is a "perfect platform" for exchanging ideas within the global fashion and textile industry, a senior representative of the Spanish fashion giant Inditex told Xinhua in an interview on Thursday.

It will be the fourth time that Inditex, which owns popular brands such as Zara, Bershka, Massimo Dutti and Stradivarius, will take part in the trade fair. CIIE is aimed at economic globalization, and opening the Chinese market to the world.

"The CIIE is a perfect platform for us to keep learning and exchanging ideas with the most inspiring and also relevant industry players, stakeholders and partners," Amy Yu, Inditex's Greater China Head of Communication, told Xinhua.

"This is an international platform that welcomes both domestic and international stakeholders, so it's definitely an opportunity for us to connect both at home and abroad," Yu added.

This year will be the sixth time that the CIIE, which is hosted by China's Ministry of Commerce and the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, will be held in Shanghai's National Exhibition and Convention Center. The trade fair runs from Nov. 5 to 10.

Some 150,000 business professionals from over 100 countries and regions around the world are expected to participate, say the expo's organizers. Events at the fair include networking meetings, seminars and workshops, and new product releases.

Zara opened its first store in China's Hong Kong in 2004, followed by another in Shanghai in 2006, where Inditex's Asia regional HQ is also based. The company now operates 50 stores around China for four of its brands (Zara, Zara Home, Massimo Dutti and Oysho).

"China is not only a retail market where we operate stores and different brands, but also a talent center, and a place where we continuously get inspired," said Yu. "Our business activities started in China as early as the nineties, when we started cooperation with the local textile suppliers."

The Spanish company's involvement in China extends beyond business concerns to social engagement, Yu underlined.

The company worked with the China Youth Development Foundation and 33 schools for the benefit of more than 5,000 students in China, and with the China Environmental Protection Foundation for clothes donation and recycling projects, she said.

The number of China-Europe Chang'an freight train, connecting Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, with Moscow, Russia, has exceeded 20,000 trips since entering service on November 11, 2013, Xi'an International Trade & Logistics Park, the operator of the train service told the Global Times on Saturday. 

The 20,000th Chang'an freight train carrying 165 vehicles departed from Xi'an on September 28, which was also the 3,947th freight train departing from the city in 2023. As of September 28 this year, the number of departures by Chang'an train saw a 29.7 percent increase year-on-year. The freight volume hit 3.5 million tons, up by 34.7 percent year-on-year. 

2023 marked the 10th anniversary of the Chang'an freight train's launch as well as the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In the past decade, the number of the transport routes has grown from one to 17, as the China-Europe freight train service covers the entire Eurasia continent. 

In addition, the category of the Chang'an train service has increased from merely drilling equipment in the beginning to now include textile products, machinery equipment, electronic products, rubber products, auto vehicles and other products. Grain, wood and minerals from the countries joining the Belt and Road Initiative are among the goods being imported to China. 

The maximum capacity of the Xi'an International Trade & Logistics Park can reach 5.4 million standard containers and 66 million tons of freight per year, and can facilitate 15 trains each day. A representative from the park pledged to further improve cargo transport facilities, attract investment and build domestic currencies settlement system, in order to facilitate the development of the BRI.

Chinese scientists and their international partners have learned more about the moon after studies and research into lunar soil samples from the Chang'e-5 (CE-5) mission. In the two latest discoveries, researchers found hints of a new source of water on the moon for future explorers and revealed the activities of young basalt on the moon.   

The Chang'e-5 mission brought 1,731 grams of lunar minerals back to Earth. The landing site in the Northeastern Oceanus Procellarum basin of the moon was considered to have one of the youngest basalt units on the lunar surface with rich heat-generating elements such as uranium, thorium and potassium.

In a report published in Nature on Monday, Chinese researchers and their partners in the UK report the abundance, hydrogen isotope composition and core-to-rim variations of water measured in 32 impact glass beads extracted from lunar soil returned by the Chang'e-5 mission. 

Impact glass beads are major components of lunar soil. But the water inventory of impact glass beads has not yet been investigated in detail, despite these glassy beads being potential candidates for playing a significant role in a lunar surface water cycle. To investigate this possibility, scientists carried out a systematic characterization of the petrography, major element composition, Raman characteristics, water abundance and hydrogen isotope composition on the impact glass beads returned by the CE5 mission, aiming to identify and characterize the missing water reservoir on the moon's surface.

Scientists estimate that the amount of water hosted by impact glass beads in lunar soils may reach up to 270 trillion kilograms. "Our direct measurements of this surface reservoir of lunar water show that impact glass beads can store substantial quantities of solar wind-derived water on the moon and suggest that impact glass beads may be water reservoirs on other airless bodies," according to the report.

Hui Hejiu, a professor at Nanjing University, told the media that in the future deep space exploration by human beings, impact glass beads may be used as a candidate water source to provide supplies when the efficiency of collecting glass beads and extracting water is high.

In another report published by Astrophysical Journal Letters in early March, Chinese scientists said they combined Fe and Mg isotope analyses with a comprehensive study of petrology and mineralogy on two CE-5 basalt clasts, the Global Times learned from the Nanjing-based Purple Mountain Observatory under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.  

CE-5 basalts are the most evolved basalts to date on the moon. 

"Our new Fe-Mg isotope data indicate that the young CE-5 mare basalts possess a hybrid mantle cumulate source that incorporates both early- and late-stage LMO cumulates, which may play an important role in the generation of the late lunar volcanism," read the article.

On Sunday afternoon, China successfully launched the Macao Sicence-1 space satellite for scientific use , the first of its kind. The  satellite was jointly developed by mainland and Macao agencies, Global Times learned from China National Space Administration (CNSA.)

The satellite was successfully launched into preset orbit via a Long March-2C carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China at 4 pm on Sunday. 
This was the 474th flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series. A scientific experiment satellite named Luojia-2 was sent into space at the same time.

As the world's first low-latitude geomagnetic field and space environment scientific detection satellite, the Macao Sience-1, featuring the highest geomagnetic field detection accuracy  in China, will significantly improve the level of the country's space magnetic measurement technology, the CNSA said in a statement to the Global Times on Sunday. 

The project was jointly initiated by the CNSA and the government of China's Special Administrative Region (SAR) of Macao and the detection data will be shared by both sides, the CNSA noted. 

Such project explored a new path for cooperation between mainland and the Macao SAR, adding new impetus to the regional development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the high-quality development of aerospace technology, the CNSA said. 

After the satellite is launched into orbit, it will be able to function as a good complementary observation point together with the European Swarm satellite and the Zhangheng-1 satellite, realize the measurement and research of the Earth's low-latitude magnetic field and space environment changes and monitor the temporal and spatial changes of the magnetic field in the South Atlantic geomagnetic anomaly area. 

Additionally, the satellite will provide valuable observational data for human beings to study the evolution of the geomagnetic field for a long time, to further promote China's research progress in the fields of lithospheric magnetic field, origin of geomagnetic field, space weather forecast, geomagnetic navigation, spacecraft space operation safety and  high-precision satellites. 

"Venezuela is going to the Moon!" Gabriela Jimenez, Venezuela's vice president and minister of science and technology, wrote with great excitement in a twitter post on Tuesday after she signed a joint statement on the China-led International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) with Zhang Kejian, administrator of the China National Space Administration (CNSA) on Monday via video link. 

According to Jimenez, Venezuela has become the first country in Latin America to join the project. 

According to the CNSA official release, the joint statement says the two sides will engage in extensive and in-depth cooperation in the areas of ILRS demonstration, engineering implementation, operation and application, including jointly demonstrating scientific goals, joint design, instrument development, scientific instrument deployment, scientific and technological experiments, data sharing and analysis, education and training. 

China and Venezuela have a long history of cooperation in the aerospace field and have achieved remarkable results. The signing of this joint statement marks a new step in the cooperation between the two countries and has significant implications for promoting scientific and technological progress as well as economic and social development, read the statement.

Monday marks the 11th International Memorial Day for the "Comfort Women," which refers to victims forced into sexual slavery by Japanese troops during World War II. More than 200,000 Chinese women were tortured between 1931 and 1945 with fewer than 20 survivors still alive today in the Chinese mainland. 

The "comfort women" system was an organized and planned action directly orchestrated by the then Japanese militarist government during World War II and was executed by the Japanese troops. 

The victims of the "comfort women" system were not limited by race or borders. About 400,000 Asian women from China, the Korean Peninsula, Southeast Asia and the European and American countries were forcibly conscripted as "comfort women." 

In a video released by the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders on its Sina Weibo, a Chinese "comfort women" survivor recalled her experience and fear of being imprisoned by the Japanese invaders. 

Many netizens left messages online to call on the public not to forget the suffering of "comfort women." 

One netizen said that history will not fade with the passage of time, and facts will not disappear due to eloquent denials, noting that revisiting history is not about indulging in suffering and hatred, but about ensuring that peace endures and justice prevails. Another netizen said that war is like a mirror that allows people to better understand the preciousness of peace. 

In South Korea, there left only nine surviving "comfort women" after one survivor passed away in May this year. All the South Korean survivors are now in their 90s. 

On August 14, 2022, which was designated the International Memorial Day for "Comfort Women" in 2012 by the 11th Asian Alliance Conference for "Comfort Women," South Korean people held a protest rally in Seoul with portraits of "comfort women" and their testimonies. 

 Beijing municipal health authorities have started soliciting public opinions  on a set of trial measures aimed at regulating online diagnosis and treatment. The trial measures require medical institutions to strengthen drug management and prohibit the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to generate prescriptions automatically, the Beijing Daily reported on Monday. It is a move to further improve and regulate online medical services in the face of growing demand.

The public can give feedback to the Beijing municipal health commission before September 16.

Based on the trial measures, medical institutions shall conduct real-name certification of medical personnel who carry out online medical services. Doctors who conduct internet medical services should obtain the corresponding qualification, as well as possess more than three years of independent clinical work experience and the consent of their registered medical institutions.

Other personnel or AI software shall not be falsely used or replace a doctor in providing diagnosis and treatment services, according to the trial regulations.

In a bid to promote the sound development of the AI sector and safeguard national security and public interest, China's internet watchdog and several other authorities issued temporary rules for managing generative AI services in July. 

Additionally, online diagnosis and treatment must be implemented under a real-name mechanism. This requires patients to provide their real identity and basic information. They should also provide medical records with a clear diagnosis, such as outpatient medical records before receiving online medical services.

The Beijing municipal health commission will establish a platform to supervise medical institutions that carry out internet diagnosis and treatment. Medical institutions should upload and update relevant practice information in a timely manner and undergo supervision.

More and more people have become interested in remote medical services due to the convenience they provide. Local authorities are also promoting internet-based digital medical services to provide better services to the public. For instance, in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province, a citywide health platform has connected with 10 districts and 3,498 medical institutions, according to Qingdao health authorities on Saturday. 

However, more regulations are needed in the rapidly developing online medical services industry as some platforms lack pricing standards or internet diagnosis and treatment qualifications, according to media reports.

According to the Digital China Development Report 2022 released in May, by October 2022, more than 2,700 internet hospitals had been set up across the country, providing online medical services to more than 25.9 million people.

In March 2022, the country's health authorities released a trial guideline on internet-based diagnosis and treatment. Similar to the Beijing measures, doctors are required to conduct real-name certification before providing medical services. Other personnel or AI software shall not be falsely used or replace a doctor in providing diagnosis and treatment services, the regulation said.

As China experiences post-COVID summer tourism peak, 74.9 percent of respondents have encountered difficulties in making reservations for main attractions or venues, according to a recent survey which interviewed 1,501 participants, revealing that the challenges of reserving scenic spots and their limited operating hours have inconvenienced many parents and children during their travel. 

During the survey, 61.4 percent of the respondents suggested that some attractions and venues should extend operating hours. To enhance the comfort of summer travel, 59.0 percent of the respondents recommended choosing off-peak periods to take a holiday.

The heat of the summer tourism market in 2023 is expected to surpass that of the same period in 2019, according to media reports. During the months of July and August when students are on summer break, the number of domestic tourist trips is expected to reach 1.331 billion, accounting for 20.18 percent of the total annual domestic tourism, according to a forecast model published by the China Tourism Academy.

As the main consumers in the summer tourism market, the significant growth of student and family traveler segments represents a crucial indicator of the resurgence of the peak season activity over the summer months. 

Huangshan Mountain in East China's Anhui Province announced on August 21 that the number of tourists received by the scenic area this year has exceeded 3 million, 60 days ahead of 2019 to break this threshold, and it is also the earliest year in the history of Huangshan Scenic Area to cross the 3 million people market.

At Shanghai Disney Resort, one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city, the waiting time for several rides exceeds 60 minutes, and some even reaches about 240 minutes, according to media reports.

Data revealed that the two age groups of under 18 and 34-43 years old accounted for the highest proportion of tourists, adding up to more than 50 percent, of which children accounted for 10 percent.

"It was impossible to secure tickets for the popular museums and science centers. We had to change our strategy and only managed to secure tickets for a few niche museums," said a mother who brought her children to Beijing for summer vacation.

In addition to the difficulty of making reservations for attractions, the survey also revealed that 71.8 percent of respondents felt crowded, experienced long queue. About 69.0 percent of participants perceived a rise in prices during the peak travel season, leading to increased expenses. Moreover, 63.0 percent of those surveyed expressed concern about the hot weather, with a risk of heatstroke.

"Almost every scenic spot in Beijing is full of people, and this summer is particularly hot, which impacts the experience," a visitor to Beijing said, adding that summer nights are a good time to visit, but many scenic spots and venues still provide services according to the original business hours, which makes it difficult for tourists.

In order to improve the tourist experience, some popular sites in Beijing have extended their opening hours on the premise of ensuring safety and service quality, and eligible tourist spots have opened night shows and increased night tours.

The Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau announced earlier that in order to meet the needs of visitors during the summer vacation, 46 museums in Beijing will cancel the policy of closing on Mondays until August 31, allowing visitors to visit museums every day.

Additionally, museums in Beijing are proactively adapting their reservation systems based on the number of tourists, exhibition content, and demands of audiences. They are also actively exploring flexible extended opening hours tailored to the tourism experience and visitor needs, all in the pursuit of enhancing the enjoyment of these venues.

Taiwan billionaire and Foxconn founder Terry Gou Tai-ming announced on Monday that he will run in the 2024 elections for Taiwan's regional leader, making next year's vote a complicated four-way race. Analysts said that this is likely to further divide the island's opposition camp in favor of secessionist ruling party candidate Lai Ching-te. 

According to the latest polls conducted in mid August by Taiwan media outlets and institutions, without Gou's participation, ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Lai, who is currently the deputy leader of the island, is now the front-runner with 37 to 42 percent, while Taiwan People's Party candidate Ko Wen-je ranks second with 25 to 28 percent, and Hou Yu-ih of the major opposition party Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) getting 20-22 percent. 

According to Taiwan polls that include Gou,  with Gou's participation, Lai's front-runner position is virtually unaffected while the opposition candidates are impacted significantly, as Ko gets only about 16-17 percent, KMT's Hou gets 15-16 percent, and Gou has only 12 percent. 

Analysts said this doesn't mean the DPP is popular, as most polls show that Taiwan residents who want to end the DPP rule are in the majority, as the combined support of opposition candidates is more than Lai's, but the problem is that the opposition camp is becoming divided due to the power struggle between the two opposition parties, and now the independent candidate Gou is dividing the field further. 

The three opposition candidates are yet to reach a consensus on forming an alliance to run in the elections. Even if they do reach agreement on running together, which is very unlikely as they all refuse to give in and serve as deputy candidate, Lai is very likely to win, and unfortunately, the will of the majority on the island to end the DPP rule might not be realized, Li Fei, a professor at the Taiwan Research Center at Xiamen University, told the Global Times on Monday.

"If Lai gets elected, cross-Taiwan Straits relations will be in danger, so the mainland is preparing for any possible scenario, including the worst one," Li noted. "But there are still a few months to go, and it would still be too early to say who can win eventually." 

In an apparent response to Gou's announcement to run, the KMT said in a post on its Facebook account Monday, after his announcement without mentioning him, that "if we share similar values, then we can work together," but vowed that mainstream public opinion will not accept any act that "hurts comrades and favors adversaries." 

Gou has been labeled by Taiwan media as a pro-mainland figure who has deep business relations in the mainland, and in order to preserve and resume cross-Straits cooperation that significantly benefit Taiwan, he also supports peace and opposes secessionism. However, experts said that his decision driven by political ambition is in fact helping the DPP authorities.

However, many Chinese mainland netizens and pro-reunification Taiwan residents have an interesting theory: If the DPP's Lai wins next year, this could speed up the reunification process, as the mainland will find it easy to completely abandon "the illusion of peaceful reunification" and make tough decisions to solve the Taiwan question immediately. Therefore, these people welcome Gou's act to run for the election, as they believe this will consolidate Lai's advantage.

Zheng Bo-yu, manager of the Vstartup Station of Taiwan, a company serving Taiwan youth seeking to study, work and launch startups on the mainland, said, "Many friends of mine in Taiwan who support cross-Straits cooperation and exchanges made a joke about the current election: Why don't we just vote for Lai and let the DPP win, so that the mainland will have an easier time making the decision to solve the Taiwan question once and for all, so that we don't need to be worried about the uncertain cross-Straits tension and US intervention anymore."

Li said the Chinese mainland has enough measures available to deter and counter secessionists and foreign interference forces, but the mainland is still making great efforts and showing great patience to seek peaceful reunification. 

"But it's possible that, if Lai eventually wins, deeper and more reckless collusion between the DPP and the US will wipe out the possibility of peaceful reunification, and the mainland will be forced to take action," Li warned. 

Got questions about Zika virus? Mosquito-borne diseases? Genetically engineered mosquitoes? Three Science News reporters will be answering questions Friday, March 4, as part of Reddit’s Ask Me Anything series.

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