China in Pictures Page 44

May 30, 2023 19:05 PM

Gallery: China’s Shenzhou-16 Blasts Off
A Long March 2F rocket took off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on Tuesday morning, carrying three astronauts, including a civilian, to the Tiangong space station. Led by Commander Jing Haipeng, the team consisted of Gui Haichao as the payload specialist and Zhu Yangzhu as the aerospace engineer. Over the next five months, they will undertake both in-orbit experiments and space exploration
May 29, 2023 20:01 PM

Gallery: China’s Homegrown Jet Begins Regular Route
China Eastern Airlines began flying the C919, the first China-made large passenger plane, on a regular route from Shanghai to Chengdu on Monday. On Sunday, the jet completed its maiden commercial flight from Shanghai to the capital, where it was welcomed with a ceremonial water cannon salute at Beijing Capital International Airport. China Eastern has signed a contract with Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China to buy five of the aircraft, which will mainly fly out of Shanghai, state media reported
May 26, 2023 18:44 PM

Gallery: London Luxury in Macao
A British-themed luxury resort reopened in Macao Thursday, with a grand opening featuring celebrities such as soccer star David Beckham. The Londoner Macao, formerly known as the Sands Cotai Central integrated resort, had undergone renovation since 2021. With nearly 6,000 rooms, the upgraded resort now comprises five hotels, including two award-winning flagships, The Londoner Hotel and Londoner Court
May 25, 2023 19:27 PM

Gallery: Six Decades of Chinese Envoys to the U.S.
Xie Feng has taken up his role as China’s new ambassador to the U.S. Landing in New York on Tuesday, his goal is to safeguard China’s interests while fostering better communication with Washington. From Huang Zhen, the first director of the People’s Republic of China Liaison Office, to Qin Gang, who in January completed his tenure as ambassador to the U.S., each of Beijing’s envoys has helped shape relations between the two countries
May 24, 2023 19:17 PM

Gallery: Timepieces of the Rich and Famous
A Patek Philippe watch once owned by the last emperor of the Qing dynasty (1644–1911) sold for more than $6 million Tuesday at an auction in Hong Kong. The platinum wristwatch carries an 86-year history, and today, only eight of its kind are known to exist. Items associated with famous figures have long been popular among auction-goers, often selling for several times higher than their market value
May 23, 2023 19:37 PM

Gallery: Science at the Summit
The Peak Mission was sent to upgrade a weather station installed on the top of Mount Everest by a Chinese expedition last year. The team summited the world’s highest mountain, 8,830 meters above sea level, on Tuesday. The final leg of the journey was made by 11 members from a camp at an altitude of 8,300 meters. This year’s scientific expedition focuses on studying the effects of global warming on the mountain and its surrounding areas; more than 170 researchers are participating
May 22, 2023 19:24 PM

Gallery: A Sunken Historical Treasure
A team of researchers discovered two ancient shipwrecks some 1,500 meters below the surface of the South China Sea, the National Cultural Heritage Administration announced Sunday. The wrecks, one filled with porcelain items, are believed to date back to the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). An investigation into the two sites began Saturday and is expected to last through June. Researchers hope the undertaking will produce new insights into China’s sea trade of the time
May 22, 2023 18:06 PM

Gallery: China Smashes Home a Badminton Record
The Chinese national team clinched their third consecutive Sudirman Cup on Sunday with a 3-0 victory against South Korea in Suzhou, East China’s Jiangsu province. The win also marks the country’s 13th cup title in the past 18 competitions. A farewell ceremony for China’s Olympic champion Chen Long, who won three Olympic medals during his career, was also held during the quarter-finals on Friday
May 19, 2023 19:17 PM

Gallery: China’s Budding Artists
The 2023 China Central Academy of Fine Arts postgraduate exhibition wrapped up in Beijing on Monday. On display were more than 3,000 works by 490 students from areas including painting, sculpture, digital art, design and architecture. The school’s graduation exhibition for undergrads is set to open Saturday
May 19, 2023 17:27 PM

Gallery: Hats Through History
The JEFFSUN Hats Museum in Nantong, Jiangsu province, has unveiled a new exhibit showcasing a broad array of headgear from different ages and cultures. Called Guan Mao, the display also features decorative accessories worn by women during the Qing dynasty including ear warmers and ‘cloud shoulders’
May 18, 2023 18:53 PM

Gallery: China-Central Asia Summit Kicks Off
Presidents from five Central Asian countries have gathered in the capital of Northwest China’s Shaanxi province for a high-profile summit starting Thursday. Ahead of the event, President Xi Jinping held talks with Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Meetings with other foreign leaders, including Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, are scheduled to take place during the summit, which runs through Friday
May 17, 2023 19:40 PM

Gallery: Life After Reality Show Dreams
China’s music idol talent shows, where trainees vie for a coveted spot in a boy or girl band, had for a period been all the rage in the country. In September 2021, China’s top broadcasting regulator put a lid on the production of such programs, to curtail what it felt was bad behavior by fandoms and the promotion of overt commercialism. Photographer Song Lu documented the lives of two former trainees whose lives have transitioned amid the changes to the entertainment scene
May 17, 2023 18:13 PM

Gallery: Stars Shine at Cannes
France’s 76th Cannes Film Festival kicked off Tuesday with filmmakers and movie stars gracing the red carpet, including Chinese actresses Gong Li and Guan Xiaotong. The Chinese drama ‘Only the River Flows,’ directed by Wei Shujun, was selected for this year’s Un Certain Regard category, which showcases films with unique artistic visions and innovative storytelling techniques. The annual event is set to run through May 27
May 16, 2023 18:43 PM

Gallery: Mars on Earth
In the windswept desert wilderness of Northwest China’s Gansu province lies a simulation base that allows visitors to experience a slice of life on the Red Planet. Opened in 2019, the facility occupies an area of more than 11,900 square feet in the Gobi desert. As China chases its space ambitions, bases such as these have sprouted across the northwestern region, providing visitors, particularly school-going children, with an immersive experience of space and planetary exploration
May 15, 2023 20:16 PM

Gallery: Beijing’s Vanishing Urban Village
Huashiying, located in the capital’s central business district, is on the verge of disappearing as the local government has unveiled a plan for its demolition. Built in the 1950s, the village inspires nostalgia among Beijingers due to its small market stalls. It is also a popular place for migrant workers to live due to its affordable rents. Since the plan to make over the area was announced, the once-bustling village has become a ghost town as many residents have agreed to relocate
May 15, 2023 20:10 PM

Gallery: Zelenskyy Seeks Aid and Allies
The Ukrainian president made his first official visits to Italy and Germany since Russia’s invasion. The trip is part of a broader tour of European nations to obtain military and financial support. On Saturday, he met with Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni in Rome and Pope Francis at the Vatican before heading to Germany on Sunday for talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier
May 12, 2023 19:33 PM

Gallery: Sichuan Earthquake — Tales of Survival
On May 12, 2008, China experienced one of the deadliest earthquakes in its history. An 8.0 magnitude temblor struck southwestern Sichuan province claiming nearly 70,000 lives. Fifteen years later, survivors, such as Paralympic gold medalist Tang Xuemei and dance teacher Liao Zhi, have learned to cope with the loss and trauma, though their lives have changed profoundly due to the disaster
May 11, 2023 18:45 PM

Gallery: China Reclaims Ancient Treasures
Two stolen Chinese cultural relics were handed over to China’s Consulate General in New York by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office on Tuesday. The artifacts are stone-carved tomb beds that date back from 1,100 to 1,600 years old. Over the past decade, China has reclaimed more than 1,800 cultural relics lost overseas, including a prized Shang dynasty bronze called Min Fanglei, according to China’s National Cultural Heritage Administration
May 10, 2023 19:51 PM

Gallery: China’s Chess Champ
Ding Liren made history as the country’s first male world champion, winning 2.5-1.5 in a tiebreaker match against Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi at the 2023 International Chess Federation World Championship last month in Astana, Kazakhstan. Born in 1992 in Wenzhou, an esteemed ‘chess city’ in East China’s Zhejiang province, Ding rose to fame in 2009 as China’s youngest national chess champion at the age of 17
May 10, 2023 17:28 PM

Gallery: Russia Commemorates Triumph Over Nazis
Russia held a military parade Tuesday in Moscow’s Red Square to mark the 78th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany during World War II. But with the country locked in conflict in Ukraine, the annual airshow was canceled and less materiel was on display than in previous years. Putin delivered a speech in which he criticized Western countries, while other national leaders including Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev were in attendance