As the G7 summit and a key EU leaders' meeting draw near, a series of communication signals has emerged in China-EU economic relations, even as Brussels weighs tougher trade tools against China and some European politicians sharpen their rhetoric on the bloc's second largest trade partner.

The European Commission said on Thursday that contacts with Beijing "continue at various levels", while making clear that securing results from dialogue with the Chinese government remains its "priority", according to media outlet EFE, citing Olof Gill, deputy chief spokesperson of the commission.

Gill's remarks were made in response to a Financial Times (FT) report claiming that China had recently canceled two planned high-level diplomatic meetings with the EU in Beijing this month in protest against measures being considered by Brussels.

The same week, Chinese and German officials met in Berlin to discuss China-Germany and China-EU economic and trade relations, while Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing, addressing a France-hosted video summit, called for economic cooperation, inclusive growth and a free and open trade environment.

Analysts said the mixed signals show that dialogue is a practical need for both sides. If the EU wants results from engagement with China, they said, it should not allow new protectionist tools and negative political rhetoric to erode the trust needed for those results to emerge.

Channels remain open

In response to a question regarding the cancellations reported by FT, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a press briefing on Thursday that "as we've learned, China and the EU are in communication on relevant dialogue."  

China's Vice Minister of Commerce Ling Ji, also the deputy China international trade representative, met with Ditte Juul Jorgensen, director-general of the Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security of the European Commission on Tuesday. The two sides held in-depth and comprehensive discussions regarding the preparations for the establishment of a China-EU trade and investment consultation mechanism, according to a statement on China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) website on Wednesday.

The statement came after the Global Times learned from a source who is familiar with the situation, Ling is visiting the EU headquarters from June 9 to 14 to discuss with European officials the relevant arrangements for establishing the China-EU Trade and Investment Consultation Mechanism.

This move demonstrates China's willingness in implementing the consensus of China-EU leaders and properly handling differences and frictions through dialogue and consultation, according to the source, who declined to be named.

Ling also held talks in Berlin on Thursday with senior German officials on economic and trade issues, MOFCOM said on Friday. Ling said China has consistently advocated resolving differences through dialogue and consultation, and urged the German government to play a constructive role within the EU.

The German side said it opposes trade wars and supports China-EU dialogue and consultations to properly address each other's concerns and prevent an escalation of economic and trade frictions, while expressing willingness to strengthen communication with China on economic and trade policies.

Jian Junbo, director of the Center for China-Europe Relations at Fudan University's Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Friday that the recent communication signals are important because they show that both China and pragmatic voices in Europe still see dialogue as necessary, even as Brussels hardens its trade and economic-security approach toward China.

"The bloc faces internal divergence, declining industrial competitiveness and weakening growth momentum. Turning such anxieties into restrictive tools will not solve Europe's structural problems but could instead add uncertainty to China-EU cooperation," Jian said.

In an exclusive video interview with the Global Times on Thursday, Esko Aho, former Finnish prime minister and chairman of the board at the China Office of Finnish Industries, said Europe's challenges are linked to its capacity to create competitiveness and to invest in science, technology and innovation, while stressing that Europe also needs to create a better-functioning internal market, where weaknesses still remain.

Against the backdrop of Europe's internal challenges and growing global fragmentation, Aho said the EU and China share an interest in ensuring "a rules-based economic and political system," adding that challenges and risks also present opportunities.

Complexity remains

The recent pragmatic signals are unfolding at a difficult and complex moment for China-EU economic ties, as Europe ramps up pressure to impose trade restrictions, and weighs broader "economic security" tools seen as directly affecting China.

Reuters has reported that Brussels is weighing rules to cut reliance on single suppliers - notably in China - as part of a broader review of trade-defense tools.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday that the EU must defend itself against unfair trade practices, signaling greater openness to recent European Commission proposals for a tougher approach to China, Politico reported. 

Without mentioning China specifically, Merz said EU leaders meeting next week in Brussels will discuss ways to better equip the bloc's trade "toolkit" as it looks to reset its trade relationship with China, according to Bloomberg.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, described by news website Euractiv as being "at the forefront of the debate about China's impact on the European economy", has urged European leaders to develop a "serious strategy" against what he claimed was China's drive for economic domination, Euractiv reported on Tuesday.

Industry insiders warned that the EU's "economic security" toolbox targeting China is gradually moving from concept to implementation, with related policy frameworks taking shape at a faster pace, from supply-chain diversification to upgraded trade-defense measures.

Chinese authorities have repeatedly made clear their firm position on the EU's moves. After the European Commission's May 29 discussion on relations with China, MOFCOM said that "if the bloc insists on unilaterally introducing new trade tools and adopting discriminatory restrictions, China will firmly counteract them and take effective measures to safeguard its legitimate interests."

Aho said Europe has realized the need to avoid excessive dependence in critical areas, but the real challenge is where to draw the line between legitimate national interests and limits on global trade. "There are many areas where we can work together without feeling restricted," he added.

As generative artificial intelligence technology moves further into education, the annual gaokao season, China's college entrance examination period, which will kick off on Sunday, is also seeing new changes.

For some students and teachers, AI may have begun to move beyond the role of a simple answer-finding tool. In certain study scenarios, it can be used to help students review mistakes, understand knowledge points, polish essays or receive revision suggestions. But this may also raise new questions for schools during the exam preparation period.

On Friday, the Ministry of Public Security's cyber police bureau said in a WeChat post that police in Yichun, Jiangxi Province, had handled a case in which a suspect used videos of so-called "gaokao exam paper bags" to claim he had access to "leaked 2026 gaokao questions and answers." The suspect allegedly attempted to sell the fake papers for 2,000 yuan ($281) each, and the account was shut down, according to the post.

China's Ministry of Education issued a warning on June 2, reminding students and parents to be alert to false advertising such as "famous teacher predicted exam questions" and "AI predicted exam questions," the China News Agency reported.

At the same time, several AI platforms in China have announced or indicated corresponding adjustments during the gaokao period to prevent the technology from being used for exam cheating, media reports said.

The discussion around AI and the gaokao has just begun.

AI use on campus

In daily exam preparation and classroom tutoring, some teachers and students in China have already begun exploring how AI technology can be used in practice.

In Shanghai, where educational resources are highly developed, frontline teachers are beginning to test the practical boundaries of AI in language teaching, while also seeing its limitations.

Wu Xinyi, an English teacher at a high school in Shanghai, told the Global Times that AI can be used to revise essays.

"I think it is acceptable to use AI to polish an essay. You can input a specific prompt, and it can make the language sound more advanced. In fact, some teachers now also use AI to assist with essay grading," Wu told the Global Times.

"Sometimes, we deliberately compare essays written by AI tools with those written by students. You can see that it does have some very good, even impressive parts, but many parts appear rigid and formulaic," she said.

Compared with discussions in more developed regions over AI-generated text, compliance and depth of thinking, the application of such technology in less-resourced grassroots schools faces more basic thresholds.

Xiao, a teacher at a county-level high school in East China's Shandong Province, told the Global Times that AI has been included in some teaching-related tasks, and relevant departments have been actively advocating its use. But in actual grassroots teaching, implementation remains difficult.

A document Xiao showed the Global Times about an AI competition organized by local education authorities suggested that local schools are being encouraged to explore AI-related teaching practices.

"Every step is a hard threshold, from improving teachers' understanding and changing their mindset to upgrading the school's overall hardware facilities, especially for rural county-level schools with limited resources like ours," Xiao said.

Meanwhile, overreliance on AI in relation to gaokao has also drawn warnings.

China's Ministry of Education issued a warning on June 2 for the 2026 gaokao, reminding students and parents to be alert to false advertising such as "famous teacher predicted exam questions" and "AI predicted exam questions," to take the exam with integrity and strictly observe legal boundaries, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

The ministry said gaokao questions have continued to undergo reform in recent years, with directions and exam content constantly changing and innovating. Relying on AI or "experts" to predict questions in order to obtain high scores is unrealistic, the ministry said.

Fairness in the exam room
As AI is increasingly used in daily learning, how to prevent it from being used to cheat in a gaokao exam has become a matter of public concern.

Sichuan-based Red Star News recently reached out to several AI platforms in China. For instance, Doubao customer service said that Doubao could be used normally during the gaokao period, but photo-based question answering and similar functions would be unavailable, with specific arrangements subject to the actual page display during the exam.

A Tencent staff member said that, during last year's gaokao, Tencent's Yuanbao had made clear that it would not answer exam-related questions. An iFlytek staff member also said there was no definite information yet, but that large models would likely have their limits. Baidu's relevant business department said it had not yet received notice of restrictions on some Wenxin functions during the gaokao period, the report said.

According to a report by Xiaoxiang Morning Herald based in Central China's Hunan Province, in 2025, some users posted online that Tencent Yuanbao could not be used normally during the gaokao period.

After users sent image-recognition summary requests, Yuanbao replied that "this function is unavailable during gaokao hours." Other common AI tools such as Kimi, DeepSeek and Doubao also had related arrangements during the gaokao period.

The Ministry of Education reminded candidates that bringing a mobile phone, smart watch or bracelet, smart glasses and any other banned device into an exam room constitutes cheating, even if the device is switched off.

In April, the "AI + Education" action plan was issued by the Ministry of Education and other government departments, requiring in particular that AI applications be safe, trustworthy and controllable, the Beijing Youth Daily reported.

The report quoted Xie Yongjiang, director of the Institute of Internet Governance and Law at Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, as saying, "If there is even the smallest loophole in the organization of the exam, AI tools could magnify it infinitely and cause incalculable negative consequences. Restricting AI answering functions is meant to block the possibility of AI-assisted exam-taking and ensure absolute fairness in the exam."

From the perspective of international comparison and academic ethics, Estelle Qiu, a young scholar based in Australia, said AI is challenging intellectual property and human thinking while offering convenience.

Qiu told the Global Times that at the Australian university where she works, undergraduate students are allowed to use AI. In principle, the school allows them to first complete their own writing and then use AI for polishing, but students must clearly declare such use.

"However, there are two major pain points in AI use. First, it may undermine confidentiality to some extent. Second, when it comes to deeper academic papers, AI still cannot really get how the human mind works," she said.

The Beijing News said in a recent commentary that AI is evolving rapidly, with computing power and algorithms constantly improving and technological dividends being released. "But the faster it develops, the more necessary it is to respect rules and uphold bottom lines," the commentary said.

A viral stress-relief toy known as "Natasha" has sparked widespread controversy in China after videos showing users smashing, stomping on, piercing and otherwise "abusing" the baby-shaped toy spread across social media platforms.

According to the China Youth Daily, a growing number of primary and secondary schools across the country have issued notices banning the toy from campuses. As of Saturday, several major e-commerce platforms had removed promotional videos that marketed the product with violent content. However, some sellers were still using images of clenched fists and violence-oriented slogans to advertise the toy.

Sun Hongyan, a researcher at the China Youth & Children Research Center, a national institution specializing in youth and adolescent work research, warned that based on observational learning theory, children and adolescents could internalize behaviors by observing and imitating others. Violent ways of playing with the toy may be perceived by youth as entertaining and could normalize aggressive behaviors among young people, Sun said.

Sun noted that the toy's baby-like appearance amplifies its potential negative impact. Baby dolls symbolize vulnerable lives that deserve care and protection. As minors are still developing moral judgment, marketing messages such as "the harder you throw it, the more stress you relieve," combined with social media algorithms rewarding increasingly extreme content, may lead some young people to believe that bullying the weak is acceptable, gradually blurring their moral boundaries, according to Sun.

Yu Xukun, Executive Director of Beijing Children's Legal Aid and Research Center, also cautioned that repeated exposure to simulated violence in interaction with such toys could become psychological preparation for real-world aggression under certain circumstances.

"In cases we have handled, some children who suffered domestic violence came to believe that violence could solve problems and later directed such violence toward others, eventually facing legal consequences," Yu said.

Fang Zengquan, professor at School of Journalism and Communication at Beijing Normal University and director of the Center for Minors' Digital Literacy, criticized the marketing strategy behind the toy.

"Linking a baby-shaped toy directly to stress relief and promoting it with slogans such as 'Squeezing a baby is more stress-relieving than raising one' essentially turns the image of an infant into a gimmick," Fang said. "It encourages users, particularly adolescents, to derive pleasure from physically squeezing, pinching and deforming the toy, treating babies as objects for emotional release or entertainment."

Fang warned that repeatedly associating infant imagery with destructive behavior could weaken young people's empathy and protective instincts toward real babies and, in extreme cases, foster unconscious aggressive impulses toward living beings.

On June 1, the China Consumers Association (CCA) stated that violent and sexually suggestive marketing videos related to the toy may violate the law. According to the association, some sellers have posed the toy in sexually suggestive positions and paired it with ambiguous captions or adult-themed props, while others have used violent treatment of the toy to attract traffic and attention.

The CCA said such practices use vulgarity and violence as marketing gimmicks, run counter to core socialist values, violate the principles of common moral code, and can breach laws and regulations including the Cybersecurity Law and the Advertising Law.

The CCA urged businesses, platforms, schools and families not to allow "stress relief" to become a cover for violence or permit internet traffic to reward vulgar content.

Stress-relief toys are fundamentally products for emotional and self-oriented consumption, the CCA said, adding that all parties should work together to foster healthy and sustainable emotional-consumption environments. Online platforms should fulfill their gatekeeping responsibilities by removing and banning content involving violence, pornography and other materials that violate public morality. Manufacturers and sellers should abide by laws and regulations, ensure their products are both entertaining and safe. Meanwhile, families and schools should help minors develop healthy ways to manage stress and identify harmful online content.

The waters slated for "delimitation" by Japan and the Philippines lie east of China's Taiwan island. Their proposed so-called "delimitation negotiations" gravely infringe on China's maritime rights and interests, run counter to international law and the basic norms governing international relations, and are entirely illegal, null and void, Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office said on Wednesday. 

Zhu noted that compatriots across the Taiwan Straits belong to the Chinese nation. They must uphold their national stance, stand for the fundamental interests of the nation, and jointly safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as the overall interests of the Chinese nation. 

Should the DPP authorities collude with external forces to betray national interests, they will surely be spurned by compatriots on both sides of the Straits and punished by history, the spokesperson said. 

64 Chinese nationals who had been detained by Philippine authorities were released on Thursday evening, with embassy staff dispatched to the scene to provide assistance and care, the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines announced in a statement on Friday. Another six Chinese nationals are currently undergoing procedures for their release.

These Chinese nationals had been working at a steel plant in Misamis Oriental Province of the Philippines and were detained by Philippine law enforcement authorities on May 15.

According to the Chinese Embassy, the Philippine Department of Justice recently ruled that evidence was insufficient to support allegations that the Chinese nationals had violated the country's nuclear safety law, immigration regulations and labor laws, and therefore ordered their release.

The Chinese Embassy and consulates in the Philippines attached great importance to the case and repeatedly lodged solemn representations with senior Philippine officials and relevant government agencies, urging the Philippine side to handle the matter in a lawful, fair and expeditious manner and to refrain from infringing upon the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens, according to the statement by the Chinese Embassy.

During the detention period, Chinese diplomatic missions in the Philippines conducted multiple consular visits to the detained nationals and continued to provide them with assistance and support. The embassy said it will continue to make every effort to safeguard the safety, lawful rights and interests of Chinese citizens and institutions in the Philippines, while once again reminding Chinese nationals in the country to strictly comply with local laws and regulations.

On Wednesday, Chinese Embassy spokesperson Ji Lingpeng expressed China's position regarding the frequent detention of Chinese citizens by Philippine law enforcement agencies in recent months.

Ji said China highly values the protection of the personal safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens in the Philippines and has serious concerns over the recent actions taken by Philippine military and law enforcement authorities against Chinese nationals.

For every case involving detained Chinese citizens, Chinese diplomatic missions in the Philippines have lodged immediate representations with the Philippine side, urging authorities to notify Chinese diplomatic and consular missions within four days of any detention, arrest or other deprivation of liberty involving Chinese citizens and to clearly explain the reasons for such actions, Ji said.

He also called on the Philippine side to handle relevant cases in accordance with the law, ensure the personal safety, lawful rights, humanitarian treatment and due process rights of the individuals concerned, and promptly release those found not to have violated Philippine laws, rather than subjecting them to unlawful or prolonged detention.

As long as China and the US adhere to the correct direction, bilateral ties can continue to move forward, veteran Chinese diplomat and former Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai told Global Times (GT) on Friday, after the opening dinner of the Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) 2026 in Singapore.

Cui first attended the SLD in 2005. The question he raised to then US secretary of defense that year remains widely remembered even decades later. 21 years on, if given the opportunity, he said he is prepared to ask three separate questions to the US, Japan, and Europe. These three major concerns directly address China-US relations, the direction of Japan’s development, and the question of who holds dominance over Asia-Pacific security – issues that are also currently the focus of broad international attention.

Question for US secretary of defense: What specific measures will the US take to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state?

In 2005, Cui, then director-general of Department of Asian Affairs of China’s Foreign Ministry, made his debut at the SLD. He engaged in a sharp exchange with former US secretary of defense Donald Rumsfeld on the topic of “China’s rise,” a moment that became a classic in the history of the forum.

At the 2022 SLD, John Chipman, Executive Chairman of The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), which organizes the event, specifically referenced that past encounter: “You asked a very tough question of Secretary Don Rumsfeld. Here you are again 18 years later after having served your country as US Ambassador to China. The floor is yours, Cui.”
This year, when asked by GT reporters what question he would raise to the US secretary of defense if given the chance, Cui replied directly: “If the moderator gives me the opportunity, I would ask: Regarding the consensus reached by the Chinese and US heads of state in Beijing on building a ‘constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability,’ what specific measures does the US prepare to take to promote its implementation?”

This question is also a focal point of concern for China and the international community. During the dinner, Cui sat next to a US deputy assistant secretary of defense. The American official asked him whether he was optimistic or pessimistic about the future of China-US relations. GT reporters had previously posed the same question to Cui.

In his view, judging China-US relations simply as “optimistic” or “pessimistic” is overly simplistic.

“I have always maintained confidence in China-US relations. This confidence stems first and foremost from the strategic guidance of the two countries’ heads of state, which is irreplaceable. The two sides have reached important consensus on a new positioning for bilateral relations and on building a constructive and strategically stable relationship. As long as all parties make every effort to implement this consensus, the prospects for China-US relations are optimistic, and the people of both countries will ultimately make the right choice,” Cui said. From a long-term perspective, he believes this goal will eventually be realized.

At the same time, Cui is soberly aware that the path ahead for China-US relations will not be smooth. It will inevitably encounter ups and downs and even serious challenges. “The future is bright, but the road is tortuous. Without confidence in the prospects, all efforts lose meaning. It is precisely because we firmly believe the future is promising that we are willing to work tirelessly for it. And precisely because we know the road ahead is full of challenges, we must redouble our efforts and advance steadily.”

The veteran diplomat emphasized that as long as China and the US adhere to the correct direction, bilateral relations will surely continue to develop forward.

The Taiwan question is the most important and sensitive core question in China-US relations. During his recent visit to China, US President Donald Trump stated in an interview that “I'm not looking to have somebody go independent. And, you know, we're supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I'm not looking for that.”

“Compared to the past, President Trump’s statement represents some positive progress. Of course, the road ahead is long, and everything must be done step by step,” Cui noted.
Ultimately, all US judgments and decisions are based on its own interests. Being separated from the region by vast oceans, the US should not get involved in this unnecessary conflict to begin with.

Question for the Japanese minister of defense: Can Japan remain committed to the path of peaceful development?

Cui previously served as director-general of Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ambassador to Japan, and ambassador to the US, giving him a deep understanding of the Asian situation as well as Japan and the US.

When asked about the question he intends to pose to Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, Cui said: “In the past, I always believed that Japan’s post-war choice of peaceful development would not be reversed. But now, I am no longer so certain. I want to ask: Can Japan confirm that it will consistently adhere to the path of peaceful development? This commitment must not remain merely rhetorical – it must be demonstrated through concrete actions.”

Japan’s recent series of actions of militarization have drawn widespread international attention. Cui acknowledged that in today’s turbulent world, it is understandable for countries to strengthen their defense capabilities. However, the core issue lies in what worldview they hold and what methods they employ to truly safeguard national security. If a country insists on forming exclusive blocs, creating confrontation, and promoting a new Cold War mentality, it will only find itself in greater difficulty, with its security environment deteriorating further.

Cui added that the world is currently undergoing changes unseen in a century. Against this backdrop, how countries perceive their own interests, position themselves internationally, and handle external relations is of critical importance. “We hope all countries can see the trend of history clearly and make the right choices. However, at present, Japan appears unable to recognize the broader trends and may even make misjudgments, which will seriously harm its own interests. During World War II, Japan suffered greatly due to wrong choices. Repeating historical mistakes will bring no benefit to Japan.”

China remains committed to building a community with a shared future for mankind and actively promotes the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Civilization Initiative, and Global Governance Initiative. “Across these four major initiatives, the high-frequency keywords are ‘shared interests,’ ‘cooperation,’ ‘mutual benefit,’ and ‘coordination.’ We never advocate confrontation or seek hegemony. We always call on all countries to work together and pursue common development,” Cui said.

“We never force countries to take sides between China and the US, nor do we wish to see conflict and confrontation. We hope that all countries, including China and the US, will stand on the right side of history. The most critical task at present is to recognize historical trends and grasp the momentum of the times,” Cui said.

Question for Europe: Should Europe learn from Asia?

This is Cui’s fifth time attending the SLD. Over the more than 20 years since his first participation in 2005, he has clearly witnessed profound changes in the forum: China’s international discourse power has continued to rise, and the voices of Global South countries have become increasingly prominent.

What impressed him most was that several ASEAN defense ministers publicly stated at the meeting that Asian issues should be resolved by Asian countries using Asian methods. “Such voices were almost unheard of in the early years of the SLD. Now they have become consensus – a very positive change.”

However, one long-standing issue has yet to be fundamentally resolved: The forum is organized by the London-based IISS. This indicates that, from 2002 to the present, security affairs in the Asia-Pacific region have long been dominated by European countries. Europe not only takes the lead in building dialogue platforms and setting agendas but sometimes also adopts a condescending, lecturing attitude toward Asia-Pacific affairs.

“In fact, Europe itself still faces many unresolved problems. In contrast, although the Asia-Pacific has some local hotspots, the region as a whole has maintained peace and stability, with various contradictions kept under control. This fully demonstrates that Asia’s governance concepts and solutions are effective. Europe should abandon any sense of superiority. Although such lecturing rhetoric has decreased, this mindset still exists,” Cui said.

He has also had candid exchanges with European counterparts: In the past, Asia took Europe as a benchmark when developing regional cooperation. In the future, we will continue to learn from Europe – drawing on successful experiences while also learning from failures. At the same time, I would like to ask our European colleagues: Shouldn’t you now also learn from Asia?

Cui believes that even as China and Global South countries gain increasing influence, discussions on Asia-Pacific security issues remain confined within Western discourse systems. “When discourse systems are incompatible, communication naturally fails to address the essence of the issues. From this perspective, China’s decision this time to send a delegation of experts and scholars is a pragmatic and reasonable choice.”

“We do not undervalue the SDL. Rather, we have chosen a participation method that best fits the nature of the platform,” Cui emphasized. The value of participation should not be measured solely by the rank of officials. Multiple voices from military, academic, and think-tank experts, engaging in multiple sessions, can generate equally strong collective impact. In the past, high-level officials often only participated in a single dedicated session. Now, with multiple participants attending the full session and conveying China’s positions across various forums, the Chinese voice has become more multidimensional and carries greater weight.

On the evening of Tuesday, after a full day of activities, Tamara Vucic, wife of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who accompanied him on his state visit to China, arrived in Shanghai. She wore a new water green shawl adorned with Tang Dynasty Bao Xiang Hua floral patterns on the cuffs. The garment was a gift she received earlier that afternoon when visiting the aesthetic space of Chuhe Tingxiang CHUYAN, a brand founded by Chu Yan, a distinguished Chinese fashion designer and professor at Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology.

"I truly enjoy seeing China's cultural heritage reimagined for modern times," Tamara posted a lengthy article on her personal social media account that night. She expressed special gratitude to Chu and her team, and looked forward to hosting a fashion show featuring their creations in Serbia in the future.

On Wednesday, Chu revealed more details of the meeting in an exclusive interview with the Global Times. She remarked that the whole experience still felt incredible to her.

On the day of the visit, the aqua green shawl Chu prepared for Tamara was precisely this piece.

"I'm from Xi'an, so I naturally feel a strong affinity for Tang Dynasty (618-907) culture," Chu told the Global Times. For years, her designs have consistently favored water green tones. The azurite (blue) and malachite (green) hues found in Dunhuang murals and paintings from the Tang Dynasty and Song Dynasty (960-1279) have long served as key sources of inspiration for her expression of Eastern aesthetics.

This outer robe is grounded in traditional Suzhou silk weaving techniques, skillfully blending the graceful grandeur of Tang Dynasty Bao Xiang Hua floral patterns with contemporary minimalist lines.

"Bao Xiang Hua is a classic Tang Dynasty motif," Chu explained. "They don't have a real-life prototype; instead, they fuse the forms of lotus, peony, chrysanthemum, and other flowers. Radiating outward from the center, they symbolize the endless cycle of life and vitality, while also conveying meanings of harmony, fulfillment, and auspiciousness."

After trying on the garment, Tamara repeatedly praised it, exclaiming "Wonderful" and "I love it."

"We were all truly amazed at that moment," Chu recalled. "A distinctly Chinese-style outfit worn by a European, paired with her slender, refined facial features and the Eastern tailoring, created a uniquely captivating charm."

During President Vucic's state visit to China, his wife Tamara accompanied him, and this meeting was facilitated by Serbian Ambassador to China Maja Stefanovic.

"I have known the ambassador for many years," said Chu. In the past few years, she has invited Maja to attend shows at Beijing Fashion Week and a number of traditional Chinese cultural gatherings. "She has always been deeply impressed by our events and designs. When Tamara visited China this time, she hoped to arrange a meeting for her to get an up-close look at Chinese costume culture and design." A studio visit for cultural exchange was then confirmed.

For this event, Chu's team curated experiences of six elegant traditional Chinese pastimes: attire, calligraphy, tea art, flower arrangement, qin music and incense appreciation. They aimed to offer the guests an immersive experience of traditional Chinese lifestyle aesthetics in a short time.

What impressed Chu most throughout the event was the moment when Tamara picked up a brush to write the Chinese character He, which means harmony.

"She wrote the character all by herself before I could give a demonstration," Chu recalled. Originally, she had planned to show Tamara how to write the character in small seal script and guide her through the process. Small seal script features strict strokes and neat lines. It has to be written standing with the wrist raised, demanding solid skills that even seasoned calligraphers need years to hone.

To Chu's surprise, Tamara began writing calmly and finished in one smooth motion before she could start. Her steady, fluent strokes revealed poise and confidence. After finishing, Tamara asked about the meaning of the character and pronounced it in Chinese. She then said something that stuck with Chu: "This is exactly what we need right now."

Chu admitted that before this event, her team had conducted little research on traditional costumes and culture of Serbia and the broader Balkans. "Frankly speaking, we used to focus mainly on Europe and America, especially fashion hubs like the UK and France, and paid relatively little attention to Central and Eastern European countries. This has proven to be a great opportunity."

This opportunity is bringing about new possibilities. During the visit, Madam asked if there were any Serbian international students at Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology. Told that there were none for the time being, she immediately expressed her hope that such students would come in the future. The two sides also discussed advancing cooperation on costume culture, starting with student and faculty exchanges. Tamara additionally proposed holding a China-themed fashion show during Serbia's Expo 2027.

China has dispatched six national mine emergency rescue teams, totaling 345 personnel with equipment, to assist in rescue efforts following a coal mine gas explosion in Qinyuan County, north China's Shanxi Province, the Ministry of Emergency Management said on Saturday.

The Gobi Desert in Northwest China still carried a chill under the moonlight in May, but on Sunday night it was once again illuminated by the passion surrounding China's aerospace program. 

Carrying the Shenzhou-23 crewed spacecraft, China's Long March-2F Y23 launch vehicle took off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 11:08 pm on Sunday. 

After a flight of 10 minutes, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced that the rocket has successfully sent the spacecraft into a preset orbit, marking the complete success of the country's first manned spaceflight mission in 2026. The crew of three taikonauts, led by Zhu Yangzhu, has smoothly embarked on their journey to the orbiting China Space Station.

The line-up of the Shenzhou-23 crew itself has set many firsts in the history of China's manned space program, the Global Times has learned from the Astronaut Center of China (CAC). 

The CMSA unveiled Saturday that Zhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Lai Ka-ying would carry out the Shenzhou-23 crewed mission, and Zhu will be the commander. The three taikonauts are respectively a flight engineer, a spacecraft pilot and a payload specialist. Zhang and Lai come from the third and fourth batches of astronauts respectively, and will embark on their first spaceflight missions.

The CAC highlighted that this will be the first crew led by a taikonaut from China's third batch of astronauts. One crew member will also work and live aboard the China Space Station for an unprecedented full year. In addition, payload specialist Lai will become the first taikonaut from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), as well as the first member of China's fourth batch of astronauts, to carry out a manned spaceflight mission.

Zhu, who had previously participated in China's Shenzhou-16 space mission, will make history as China's first flight engineer to serve as commander of a Shenzhou-23 mission. Facing the potential physiological and psychological challenges of a year-long orbital stay, Zhu remained calm and composed. He described the 365-day mission in space as a "Space Long March," saying there was no need to dwell too much on the distant future. Instead, one should focus on doing everything in the present to the highest standard - performing each experiment with precision, carrying out every operation by the book, and taking good care of his own and his teammates' physical and mental well-being, Zhu told the Global Times at the meet-and-greet ceremony in Jiuquan on Saturday. 

Zhang, who was previously a first-class pilot in a unit of the People's Liberation Army Air Force, was selected as a spaceflight pilot in China's third batch of astronauts in September 2020. At the Shenzhou-23 crew meet-and-greet with the media held on Saturday, he said that the journey from having a dream to realizing it is a long march paved with faith and perseverance.

Lai, before being selected, worked in the Hong Kong Police Force. Lai at the same event on Saturday expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity. "As an ordinary person from Hong Kong, being able to join the astronaut team and be selected for this mission is an opportunity I never dared to dream of. My heart is full of gratitude and honor," she said, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

"Every astronaut around me is outstanding," Lai noted. "I feel truly fortunate to have learned, trained and become friends with them. Their companionship, encouragement and shared progress have meant so much to me." 

According to an official release on the HKSAR government website on Sunday, HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee held a video conversation with the city's first astronaut and congratulated her on being included in the crew for the Shenzhou-23 mission.

Lee said that Lai's participation in the mission shows national recognition and also the country's trust in and support for Hong Kong. He urged Lai to rest well, stay in good condition and relax her mind, and wished her a successful mission.

The Global Times has also learned from the spacecraft developer that the vehicle will attempt to make a 3.5-hour rapid rendezvous and docking with the China Space Station, and if successful, it will mark a historic first for China's crewed space program. 

In the past, the Shenzhou spacecraft could only carry about 50 kilograms of payload when returning to Earth, meaning scientific samples had to go through a strict selection process. This time, the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft's return capacity has increased to over 100 kilograms, and its payload volume has expanded to three times its previous capacity. 

In addition, to enhance the spacecraft's safety, the team has focused on optimizing details of the products. For example, they have added redundant backups to certain "single-point" locations that previously had no backup. 

Also, to meet the working and living needs of a female astronaut returning to the Chinese space station after a one-year absence, the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft has also specially carried some living facilities tailored for female astronauts.

China is willing to work with Moldova to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and deliver benefits to the two peoples, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when holding talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Moldova Mihai Popsoi in Beijing.

Noting that China and Moldova are friendly partners, Wang said China cherishes the traditional friendship between the two countries, and stands ready to work with Moldova to further cement mutual trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, inject impetus into the growth of bilateral ties, and bring benefits to the two peoples.

Wang said that as a responsible major country, China firmly upholds the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

China appreciates Moldova's correct stance on issues involving China's core interests, supports Moldova in pursuing a development path chosen by its own people and suited to its national conditions, and welcomes greater participation from Moldova in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, said Wang.

He called on both sides to expand economic and trade exchanges, enhance cooperation in emerging sectors such as green energy and digital economy, and step up exchanges in education, culture, tourism and exchanges among youth.

The two sides should jointly implement the four global initiatives, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the vast number of developing countries, Wang added.

Popsoi said that Moldova attaches great importance to growing its relations with China, commending China's leading role in international affairs.

Moldova firmly abides by the one-China principle, and looks forward to strengthening the mutually beneficial and win-win partnership with China, said Popsoi, adding that Moldova is ready to work closely with China on multilateral platforms including the United Nations, to jointly uphold multilateralism and the international rule of law.

The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis. Wang reiterated China's position of promoting peace talks.