China and the Vatican have agreed to extend their provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops for an additional four years, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Since it was signed in 2018, the provisional agreement regarding the appointment of bishops between China and the Vatican was extended in 2020 and 2022 respectively. The achievements in the implementation of this agreement have been commended by both sides, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at Tuesday's routine press briefing. 

The two sides, through friendly consultation, have agreed to extend the agreement for another four years. The two sides will maintain contact and talks in a constructive spirit and continue to advance the improvement of China-Vatican relations, said Lin.

Yan Kejia, director of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Religious Studies, sees the extension [of the agreement] as natural progress after gradual development. The two sides can deal with more complex issues and situations and seek solutions in a timeframe longer than two years, particularly on cultural and social topics, Yan said. 

The four-year extension is not simply a longer timeframe, but it means the two sides are moving steadily toward each other, consolidating existing achievements with a vision for the future, Yan said.

There may still be various forms of game, but the space for cooperation can be expanded with the extended timeframe, and this cooperation itself will become more constructive, Yan noted.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in May that "China is ready to work with the Vatican for the steady improvement of relations," in response to remarks from the Vatican's top cardinal that it would like to establish a permanent office in China. 

In recent years, China and the Vatican have maintained engagement, had in-depth communication on bilateral relations and international hotspot issues and increased understanding and trust, the spokesperson said then. 

Xi returns to Beijing after attending 16th BRICS Summit

China has officially launched a fresh round of population and family development survey aimed at understanding family dynamics and reproductive behaviors, ultimately providing data to enhance fertility support policies.

The survey will encompass 150 monitored counties and 1,500 communities, sampling a total of 30,000 individuals. It seeks to identify key factors influencing public attitudes toward childbearing, address the challenges families face and analyze the sentiments of reluctance and fear surrounding having children, ultimately providing scientific evidence to enhance fertility support policies and incentive measures, according to a statement by China Population and Development Research Center, a public institution directly under National Health Commission (NHC), on Thursday.

Song Jian, a demographer from the Center for Population and Development Studies of the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times that since the implementation of the three-child policy and its supporting measures in 2021, the government has established a fertility support policy system, and various regions have actively implemented these measures. We need to understand how families perceive these policies and what unmet needs still exist.

"A nationwide representative sampling survey will provide answers to these questions and help refine the policy framework with data support."

Regarding the extent to which this survey can effectively address the issue of young people "not wanting to have children" or "not daring to have children," Song noted that while the survey itself cannot solve the problem, it can reveal underlying issues and provide data to support solutions. The fertility support policies must be targeted and based on a deep and accurate understanding of family needs, she emphasized.

The last time a nationwide family and fertility survey was carried out was in 2021, according to the center. It said that in 2017, 2019 and 2021, the NHC conducted three national fertility and parenting surveys, providing in-depth analysis and research on population development across various regions, particularly focusing on fertility levels, willingness to have children and parenting needs.

Since 2022, influenced by multiple factors such as changing attitudes toward childbirth and a decrease in the number of women of childbearing age, China has experienced negative population growth, shifting from a phase of population increase to one of decrease. This demographic development is characterized by evident trends such as declining birth rates, an aging population and regional disparities in population changes.

By the end of 2022, the mainland population was 1.41 billion, having decreased by 850,000 from 2021, data released by the National Bureau of Statistics of China (NBS) showed. It is the first time the country's population has recorded negative growth in 61 years since 1962.

It took more than a year to prepare for this new round of survey and was activated following the approval of a comprehensive sampling plan by the NBS on October 11, 2024, the center said.

Song told the Global Times there are some prominent fertility supporting needs waiting to be addressed. For example, do financial subsidies effectively encourage childbirth? How does the fertility status vary across different demographics? And how do families perceive their childcare needs?

According to the center, to ensure high-quality survey results, the first training session for the survey was held in Xining, Northwest China's Qinghai Province from October 14 to15. More than 130 people from 34 monitoring counties in seven provinces and one municipality participated in the on-site training.

As autumn paints the landscape in hues of gold and crimson, a cherished tradition is unfolding across China - the Chongyang Festival, also known as the Double Ninth Festival.

The Chongyang Festival, celebrated on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month of the traditional Chinese calendar, carries profound meaning for Chinese people. In Chinese culture, the number nine, pronounced "jiu," is a homophone for another word meaning "longevity and good health," making this festival a heartfelt tribute to the elderly. This year, the festival fell on October 11, Friday.

Traditionally, families will come together on this occasion to honor their elders, expressing love and respect. They participate in activities such as gathering to admire the beauty of chrysanthemums, donning pieces of dogwood (Cornus officinalis), tasting traditional Chongyang cakes and taking refreshing sips of chrysanthemum wine.

In 1989, the Chinese government designated the Double Ninth Festival as Senior's Day, blending traditional customs with modern practices to express respect, love, and support for the elderly. In recognition of its cultural significance, the Chongyang Festival was recognized in 2006 as part of China's first batch of national intangible cultural heritage.

In recent days, communities across the nation have also been engaging in a series of activities designed to celebrate and care for their senior citizens, ranging from climbing mountains to organizing cultural performances and providing care services for the elderly. Official statistics show that China has entered a moderately aging society.

There were 297 million people aged 60 and above in the country at the end of 2023, accounting for 21.1 percent of the total population. The number of people aged 65 and above reached 217 million, accounting for 15.4 percent of the total population, according to a Xinhua News Agency report in September.During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), the central government has been providing financial support for a program to enhance home- and community-based basic elderly care services.

To enhance services for the elderly, China is working toward creating a comprehensive support system that aims to significantly improve the quality of life for hundreds of millions of senior citizens, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan told a media conference in September that China will build an elderly-friendly society by improving its social security system, elderly care services and health support. He also noted that an elderly care services system with distinctive Chinese features is expected to become well-developed and smoothly functional by 2035, according to Xinhua.

If the US deploys a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system in Israel, the regional crisis and ongoing conflicts could worsen as the deployment could further break the balance of power in the region, analysts said on Sunday. 

Washington is reportedly considering deploying the system to protect Israel as the US ally's bloody operations in the region have resulted in retaliations from Iran and other armed groups in the Middle East. 

A US official told The Times of Israel that US President Joe Biden's administration is considering transferring the THAAD systems to Israel, "but adds that a decision has not yet been made," the Israeli media reported on Sunday.

Earlier, several Israeli reports claimed that the US will deploy the anti-ballistic missile system in Israel - including sending American troops to Israeli soil to operate it - as part of preparations for the "expected Israeli response to Iran's recent missile attack."

By attacking Iran and other anti-Israel forces in the region, Israel is purposefully building a dangerous security environment for itself and deliberately making as many enemies as possible. This will force the US to spend more resources to protect Israel and will win more support and supplies from the US. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is firm in his belief that the US will unconditionally protect Israel, which is why Israel has no concern about acting so aggressively, analysts said. 

Currently, Israel is closely coordinating with the US, which shows Israel understands the US does not want to be involved directly in the ongoing crisis. Therefore, Israel is taking advantage of the US mind-set to bargain with Washington for more support, such as the THAAD system. Perhaps the reason why Israel is yet to attack Iran is that it is waiting for a US pledge of new support, Li Xinggang, a research fellow at the Institute for Studies on the Mediterranean Rim at Zhejiang International Studies University, told the Global Times on Sunday.

If THAAD is deployed in the region, Iran's deterrent toward Israel will be weakened and Israel will be able to conduct more direct and assertive actions against Iran and other regional countries without concern. This would break the balance of power in the region and will force Tehran to take actions to prevent this from happening, said a Beijing-based military expert who asked for anonymity on Sunday.

Now, US officials have dropped their calls for a cease-fire in the region, arguing that circumstances have changed, Reuters reported on Sunday. "We do support Israel launching these incursions to degrade Hezbollah's infrastructure so ultimately we can get a diplomatic resolution," US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told a press briefing on Wednesday. 

The course change reflects conflicting US goals - containing the ever-growing Middle East conflict while also severely weakening the Iran-backed Hezbollah, Reuters reported. 

Due to tolerance or support from the US, Israel's actions are becoming increasingly outrageous, said experts, as now Israeli forces are firing at UN peacekeeping forces in the region. 

"Israel Defense Forces (IDF) fired on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon early Thursday morning," said the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, the mission operating along the Security Council-mandated "Blue Line" of separation between the two countries which they patrol, according to the UN.

"UNIFIL's Naqoura headquarters and nearby positions have been repeatedly hit," the UN mission said in a statement. "This morning, two peacekeepers were injured after an IDF Merkava tank fired its weapon toward an observation tower at UNIFIL's headquarters in Naqoura, directly hitting it and causing them to fall.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the United Nations on Sunday to evacuate troops in its UNIFIL peacekeeping force from combat areas in Lebanon, Reuters reported.

The more one-sided the support the US offers, the more outrageously Netanyahu's administration will act, and the more dangerous, isolated and hated Israel will be in the region and among the international community, experts noted. 

China’s first corgi police dog Fu Zai who has attracted people’s attention with his iconic happy face, cute short legs, and outstanding explosive detection skills, has officially transitioned from being a reserve police dog to a certified police dog, according to the public security bureau in Weifang in East China’s Shandong Province on Tuesday.

In accordance with the assessment standards and Fu Zai’s individual capabilities, police customized the evaluation to suit his abilities. Under the guidance of his trainer, Fu Zai successfully completed assessments on obedience, luggage searches, vehicle searches, room searches, and obstacle navigation. 

The good news garnered significant attention from netizens on Chinese social media platforms, with many sending their best wishes to him.

After making his debut in March at the open day event held at a police camp in the city of Weifang, Fu Zai went viral thanks to his iconic smiley face, cute short legs, and impressive skills in bomb search, according to the Xinhua News Agency. 

Fu Zai was spotted at just two months old as his previous owner took him to play in the park. A dog trainer at the police station was surprised to discover that Fu Zai met all the criteria for police dog selection.

Just over 10 months after having set off on its maiden voyage, China's first domestically built large cruise ship, the Adora Magic City, has made 64 voyages and transported about 250,000 passengers, according to state broadcaster CCTV on Monday.

The Adora Magic City, with more than 5,000 passengers aboard, returned to Shanghai on Monday, concluding its 64th voyage since its maiden voyage on January 1, 2024. As of Monday, the ship had carried 250,000 passengers, underlining a marked improvement in the ship's operation efficiency and popularity, the CCTV report said.

CCTV also reported that construction work has progressed smoothly on the second domestically built large cruise ship, with the ship already taking shape and an expected delivery date by the end of 2026. 

Xie Xie, a research fellow at the China Waterborne Transport Research Institute, told the Global Times on Monday that the cruise ship's average customer flow reached 3,900 persons per voyage.

Xie noted that the Chinese cruise market is expected to handle 9 million passengers a year by 2035 and it needs a total of 38 cruise ships in service.

Large cruise ships, often built by European shipyards, are considered one of the "three pearls of the crown of shipbuilding," with the other two being aircraft carriers and large liquefied natural gas vessels.

China's cruise ship industry could contribute 500 billion yuan ($71.24 billion) in output to the country's economy by 2035, the People's Daily reported in August 2023.

Leaders of France, South Africa, Pakistan and other countries have recently sent messages or letters of congratulation to Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

French President Emmanuel Macron said that 2024 marks both the 75th anniversary of the founding of the PRC and the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between France and China, with Xi's state visit to France in May one of the highlights.

Macron said France is willing to maintain the positive momentum for the development of bilateral ties, promote Europe-China dialogue, seek common interests, advance world peace, and jointly address major challenges of our time, such as climate change.

South African President and Leader of South Africa's ruling African National Congress Cyril Ramaphosa said his country looks forward to continuing to strengthen cooperation at all levels and supports China in playing a leading role on the global stage.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said that China will certainly achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Pakistan will always be a trustworthy friend, an iron-clad brother and a reliable partner of China.

Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn said that Thailand is willing to work with China to promote mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, better serving the interests of both peoples and contributing to global peace and development.

Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar said that Malaysia is willing to unite and cooperate with China to achieve common goals.

Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu said that the Maldives firmly upholds the one-China principle and believes that the relationship between the Maldives and China will continue to develop and prosper.

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov said the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Kyrgyzstan for a new era has reached an unprecedented level. Kyrgyzstan is willing to work with China to implement important consensus effectively, consolidate friendship and good-neighborliness and expand mutually beneficial cooperation.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that the friendship between Iran and China has withstood the test of time. Iran is willing to work with China to achieve more progress in their comprehensive strategic partnership.

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said that Tanzania is committed to fully implementing the outcomes of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, deepening the all-weather friendship and cooperation in various fields between the two countries.

President of Seychelles Wavel Ramkalawan said that China has proposed a series of significant cooperation initiatives on global governance, multilateralism, and international collaboration, making positive contributions to achieving shared prosperity, sustainable development and lasting peace.

Polish President Andrzej Duda said that Poland and China have maintained a stable, productive and close ties for a long time, yielding abundant cooperation results. Poland is willing to continue enhancing high-level exchanges with China to inject new momentum into the development of bilateral relations.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said that Finland shares a long-standing friendship with China and stands ready to strengthen friendly cooperation in various fields. Finland wishes China prosperity and the well-being of its people.

Honduran President Xiomara Castro said that since Honduras and China established diplomatic ties, the two sides have witnessed productive cooperation, which has set Honduras on the right development path. Honduras will further deepen its relationship with China based on the adherence to the one-China principle.

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres extended his warmest congratulations to China, noting that the UN is willing to celebrate this important occasion with the Chinese people and deepen solidarity and cooperation in advancing Sustainable Development Goals, creating a better future for the Chinese people and people around the world.

Those also sending congratulatory messages to Xi include:

Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah;

Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh;

Nepali President Ram Chandra Poudel;

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake;

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili;

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev;

Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan;

President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan;

King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa;

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune;

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa;

Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo;

Guinean President Mamady Doumbouya;

Angolan President Joao Lourenco;

Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe;

Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera;

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen;

Croatian President Zoran Milanovic;

Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar;

Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides;

Vanuatu President Nikenike Vurobaravu;

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo;

Sao Tome and Principe's Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada;

King Abdullah II of Jordan;

Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq Al Said;

Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani;

President of the Libyan Presidency Council Mohamed al-Menfi;

Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde;

Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh;

Cameroonian President Paul Biya;

President of Eritrea Isaias Afwerki;

President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo;

Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina;

Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara;

Beninese President Patrice Talon;

President of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe Carlos Vila Nova;

Burkina Faso's transitional President Ibrahim Traore;

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky;

Moldovan President Maia Sandu;

Dutch King Willem-Alexander;

President of Iceland Halla Tomasdottir;

President of the Dominican Republic Luis Abinader;

President of Trinidad and Tobago Christine Kangaloo;

Guyanese President Irfaan Ali;

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif;

UAE's Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai;

Bahraini Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa;

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan;

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon;

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness;

Bangladeshi interim government's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus;

First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev;

Chairman of the Belaya Rus Party of Belarus Oleg Romanov;

Chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus Oleg Gaidukevich;

President of the African Party of Independence of Cape Verde Rui Semedo;

Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum.

A policewoman helps passengers on the platform at Taizhou Railway Station in Taizhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 6, 2024. China sees a surge in return trips on Sunday as the week-long National Day holiday draws to a close. (Photo: Xinhua)

As one of the events of the 2024 Beijing Culture Forum, "The Temple of Earth and Me" book fair kicked off on Friday and will run through September 23 at Beijing's Ditan Park, also known as the Temple of Earth Park. 

Many eager book enthusiasts flocked to the venue in the morning to embark on a cultural "city walk" that promises to be both enlightening and entertaining. The book coupons issued by the book fair were quickly snapped up.

In a nod to the rising trend of night tourism during the Mid-Autumn Festival, the organizers told the Global Times that the book fair will extend its hours until 8 pm. Meanwhile, some cultural activities, including a poetry event related to the Mid-Autumn Festival, will be held in the central area of the book fair.

According to a press release from the local publicity department, this year's book fair boasts an exhibition and sales area of approximately 18,000 square meters and will feature 10 exhibition areas and host over 160 cultural activities.

The exhibition area has expanded by 3,000 square meters compared to 2023 and now encompasses 10 exhibition areas, three activity zones, and several supporting service points. The fair has gathered over 330 publishers, physical bookstores, and specialty exhibitors from across the nation, offering a vast selection of 400,000 book titles, reaching a new peak in scale.

The book fair boasts 10 sections with different themes, such as a brick-and-mortar bookstore district, a children's books and parent-child reading area, a foreign language book section, and a cultural and creative products area. 

The thematic special exhibition area will focus on hot topics such as the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, recommending key books and reading lists.

One of the highlights is the "Old Books, New Knowledge" section which has arranged a special exhibition called Five Prominent Features of Chinese Civilization - Classical Works, featuring over 60 ancient and rare documents across 42 categories. 

Liu Yichen, the person in charge of this section, told the Global Times that the ancient books with wisdom are vital carriers of the Chinese civilization.

Media has reported that the physical bookstore section has attracted the participation of 135 brick-and-mortar bookstores, which is 1.5 times more than 2023. 

The Palace Museum Bookstore is one of the main attractions. Xu Mei, the person in charge of the bookstore, told the Global Times that they have been the top-selling participant at the book fair for several consecutive years. 

"We sold for over 400,000 yuan ($56,173) last year," she said, noting that the Forbidden City Calendar was the most popular product that often ends up in short supply.

Not far from this cultural icon, the Chengdu Panda Bookstore was also swarmed with visitors, captivating the hearts of many young tourists with its array of panda-themed cultural and creative products. 

In addition to well-known IPs like pandas, the children's picture book district also features popular characters such as Harry Potter, Japan's Detective Conan, and Black Cat Detective from Chinese animation whose books and cultural products are also highly sought after.

With a long history, the Temple of Earth, which used to serve as the site for worshiping the Earth God during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911), is the second largest imperial altar in the city of Beijing.