News

Cornerstone for World Peace

July 4， Moscow， Russia： Visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin. Noting that China and Russia are good neighbors， friends and partners， Xi told Putin during the talks that the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination is in the fundamental interest of both peoples and countries， which together create huge development potential and the ability to withstand international ups and downs.

The two leaders pledged to build strong China-Russia ties into the cornerstone of world peace and stability as the two countries seek to coordinate even more closely.

Carrier for National Pride

July 11， Hong Kong： The People’s Liberation Army naval formation led by aircraft carrier Liaoning ends its first port call in Hong Kong after a five-day visit to mark the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China.

As the first aircraft carrier to enter active service in China， the Liaoning represents a milestone for China’s national defense. For Hong Kong， the ship is much more than an impressive piece of military hardware as it signifies the importance of the special administrative region to the central government.

Mobike Rolls Out in UK

June 30， Manchester， England： Girls ride Mobike’s shared bikes. Mobike， one of China’s largest bicycle-sharing companies， launched service in Greater Manchester on June 29， its first major expansion outside Asia. About 1，000 bikes were put into use， some of which were unloaded overnight in key locations such as train stations， transportation hubs and popular destinations for food， shopping， leisure and entertainment.

Mobike’s move in Manchester is just one example of how China’s burgeoning sharing economy is spreading globally. The company has huge ambitions to expand its service to 200 cities in 2017， mainly by expanding internationally. Its arch-rival Ofo Inc. has also joined the race for global expansion.

Their services， which allow bicycles to be rented with a smartphone and parked anywhere after use， have redefined short-distance travel and spawned fierce competition in the Chinese market and abroad.

Beating the Heat

July 15， Wuhan， Hubei Province： People play in a water park. A lengthy heat wave drove many citizens to the water park for cool fun. China entered Toufu， the first phase of Sanfu Days， also known as the dog days of summer， on July 12.

“Fu” means lying with one’s face down， a reference to weather so hot that people rest on the floor to keep their body cool. “Sanfu Days” refer to the hottest days of the year， which are split into three periods： Toufu （first fu）， Zhongfu （middle fu） and Mofu （last fu）. This year， Sanfu Days last for 40 days stretching from July 12 to August 20.

When the Sanfu Days arrive， many Chinese people line up at clinics to receive Sanfutie， a bandage made of traditional Chinese herbal medicine that is used to treat coughing， asthma and arthritis. In many parts of China， it’s a tradition to eat special dumplings on the first day of Toufu， that is， Toufu Dumplings.