China's research icebreaker Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, returned to Shanghai in east China on Thursday after a 160-day-long voyage which formed part of the country's 42nd Antarctic expedition.

In the glittering backstage of the 2025 Yuewen Global IP Awards in Macao, three young faces stepped into the spotlight. Born between 1997 and 2002, they lifted the "Rising Author of the Year" trophy together — a quiet but unmistakable symbol of a generational handover in one of China's most dynamic cultural industries. Their stories have already racked up blockbuster numbers on the Qidian Reading app, Yuewen's flagship platform. 

Behind the applause lies something deeper: a quiet change in Chinese online literature, driven by Generation Z creators who are rewriting the rules of storytelling for the next decade. This is not just a change of the guard. It is a fundamental shift in who tells China's stories — and how those stories speak to both domestic readers and the world. 

When China's online literature user base first surpassed 400 million in 2018, the dominant voices were still from the post-80s generation. Today, the picture has changed. On Yuewen's platforms, writers born after 1995 now account for 70 percent of contracted writers in 2025. 

Hou Xiaonan, CEO and President of Yuewen, captured the moment perfectly in an internal memo last year, when he launched the "Evergreen Content" strategy. Its core mission aims to build an ecosystem that supports generational renewal. 

"When Generation Z becomes the main creative force," Hou wrote, "the globalization and diversification of online literature will happen naturally." 

He Shou Yue Man Chi, born in 1998, is one of them. His breakthrough novel Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect did not start with fireworks. The debut subscription was a modest 3,000. But the young author wrote with ferocious discipline — waking at 4 am and delivering 8,000 characters every day. 

The reason was starkly personal: his family had gone through a period of financial hardship. "When you owe one or two million yuan," he said calmly in an interview, "self-discipline comes naturally." 

The book eventually hit the industry record of 100,000 average subscribers on Qidian in just 165 days, and thanks to this success, he was able to clear the family debt in seven months. His real-life comeback reads like the ultimate "counterattack" trope his own readers crave.

If He Shou Yue Man Chi embodies gritty realism, 2002-born Ji Yue Ren represents an aesthetic rupture. A public administration student at South China Agricultural University, Ji once struggled with repeated rejections. To understand life better, he took a part-time job at a courier station. There he met a man who worked to pay for his father's medical bills — only for the father to pass away anyway. The encounter shattered Ji's view of fantasy writing. His novel Xuan Jian Xian Zu (The Immortal Mirror Clan) began modestly with 600 subscribers but eventually crossed the 100,000 mark on Qidian. In Ji's world, immortals age, die and fight bitterly over limited resources. Family fortunes rise and fall, spiritual roots are unequal and the heavens show no mercy. Gone is the effortless "everlasting victory" logic of classic web fiction. In its place is a haunting meditation on fate, loss and endurance. Veteran author Ma Boyong praised the work for its "epic sense of generational succession and relentless forward momentum." 

At the same awards ceremony stood 1997-born Canadian writer Awespec (real name D.D. Spec), the first foreign author to win Yuewen's Rising Author of the Year. Writing in English on the overseas platform WebNovel, his Genetic Ascension fuses Western fantasy structures with the classic Chinese "level-up and fight" progression system. He won a silver medal and a bronze medal at the WebNovel Spirity Awards.

Awespec explained he likes reading Chinese web novels, as he's fascinated by their world-building.

He is not alone. By October 2025, Yuewen's global platform WebNovel had nearly 400 million cumulative global users and had nurtured close to 530,000 creators and 820,000 original works from around the world. Among its signed authors, post-00s now account for 50 percent, while post-05s grew 55.9 percent year-on-year. 

Hou Xiaonan described the shift as moving from "content export" to "ecosystem export." Chinese web novels are no longer just translated outward; they are inspiring young creators everywhere to tell stories in their own languages using the emotional grammar China pioneered.

In 2025, Yuewen's platform attracted 400,000 new writers and generated over 800,000 new novels. The number of post-2000 writers earning over 1 million yuan annually surged by 150 percent. As another batch of post-00s writers uploaded fresh chapters late into the Shanghai night, the message was clear. This is not mere generational transition. It is a systemic transformation in creative philosophy, aesthetic standards and value systems. When young Chinese writers reinterpret "counterattack," "growth" and "power" through their own lived experience, online literature is undergoing a profound paradigm shift.

In giving Generation Z the pen and the platform, China's online literature has already begun writing its next decade — one authentic, ambitious and boundary-breaking chapter at a time.

On March 29, as the final encore faded at Singapore Indoor Stadium, Chinese singer-songwriter Silence Wang's Rise of Romance world tour came to an end. Spanning 31 days across Asia, North America and Oceania, covering five cities and 11 shows, the tour boasted sold-out performances at every stop, marking a landmark moment for original C-pop music's global reach.
The tour kicked off on February 27 with three consecutive shows at the Galaxy Arena in Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), China.

It then headed to North America, where Wang performed two back-to-back sold-out shows at the Barclays Center in New York on March 7 and 8, attracting over 20,000 attendees in total.

This made him the first Chinese mainland singer to hold two fully sold-out concerts at this iconic venue.

The tour continued at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on March 14, followed by two performances at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia on March 21 and 22, before concluding with a three-night finale at Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Notably, this world tour was not a mere replication of Wang's previous domestic concerts. According to the organizers, the stage design, visual presentation, and setlist for the overseas leg were exclusively made in order to deliver a unique musical experience for international audiences.

At the opening show in Macao, the production team incorporated custom large-scale installations to create an immersive stage.

In New York, a giant mechanical "key" served as the visual centerpiece, blended with elements of Eastern aesthetics.

Box office data reflected the enthusiastic response overseas. Public information shows that only one show was originally scheduled for New York, but tickets were sold out rapidly during the presale, prompting organizers to add a second show on March 8, which was also sold out immediately.

In Singapore, all three shows were sold out as soon as tickets were released.

Meanwhile, in Melbourne, Wang debuted his new album track My Answer for the first time globally, sparking a full-venue sing-along and demonstrating the instant appeal of original Mandarin Music in live overseas settings.

"True Chinese pop going global isn't about repeating past glory on foreign soil; it's about planting new trends there with our own hands," Wang explained.

Wang described the tour as telling the story before the establishment of "Romance City," a completely new narrative system.

From Macao to New York, Seattle, Melbourne and Singapore, this intercontinental route reflects a systematic exploration of how original Mandarin music is reaching the world - not only through online streaming platforms but also via high-quality offline performances that bring Mandarin Music production standards and cultural expression to international stages.

Wang firmly believes that "good music knows no time difference."

Whether through the giant mechanical "key" stage at the Barclays Center, the globalized rendition of medleys like "Ring of Time," "Soul of the Sword," and "Legends of the Three Kingdoms," or innovative adaptations of ballads such as "Moli" and "Her story" with local orchestral arrangements, he strives to present "a top-tier hand."

Industry observers note that Wang's world tour success signals a shift in Mandarin Music's global journey from "cultural display" to "market-oriented cultivation."

Moving forward, sustaining overseas influence beyond a single tour will require continued exploration.

But at least this spring, through 31 days of cross-continental travel, one Chinese singer-songwriter proved that good music has the power to traverse mountains and seas.

Ceasefire arrangements should help quell the war and restore peace and stability, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in response to a question about a question about despite the temporary ceasefire announced by the US and Iran, Israel continues to carry out strikes in Lebanon.

China calls on all relevant parties to resolve disputes through political and diplomatic means, remain calm and exercise restraint, and work to ease tensions, Mao said, as the question noted that such actions, which violate the ceasefire agreement, have also introduced uncertainty into the peace talks between the US and Iran, and the Iranian side has stated that it will not participate in peace negotiations unless Lebanon is also included in the ceasefire arrangement.

China's Chang'e-7 lunar probe is scheduled for launch in the second half of 2026, the China Manned Space Agency said Friday.

The Chang'e-7 lunar probe has been transported to the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern island province of Hainan, and pre-launch tests will be carried out as scheduled, the agency said.

Certain Taiwan media outlets on Thursday reported and touted a bill on space cooperation between the Taiwan region and the US that had passed the US Senate Commerce Committee.  

However, the proposal has drawn sarcasm from some netizens on the island. A Chinese mainland expert said that the US is unlikely to genuinely share advanced technologies in this field with the island of Taiwan, noting that the bill has become a political card for both DPP and some US politicians for political gains.

US Senators Eric Schmitt, Tammy Duckworth, and Michael Bennet claimed on Wednesday local time that the bipartisan "Taiwan and American Space Assistance Act (TASA)" passed out of the Commerce Committee and will now head to the Senate floor, according to a press release published on the official website of Senator Schmitt. 

It also claimed that the so-called TASA helps the US counter so-called threats from China and addresses current gaps in NASA's ability to cooperate with the Taiwan region's space efforts, including satellite programs, space exploration initiatives, and atmospheric and weather research.

Aside from the press release, as of press time, Global Times reporters did not find coverage of the issue in mainstream media in the US. 

Meanwhile, certain pro-DPP media outlets have run reports highlighting that the act "allows exchanges of personnel from the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to carry out cooperation in Taiwan."

For example, Taiwan local media outlet CNA, claimed in a report on Thursday that the bill would expand island's cooperation with NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and provide channels for personnel from the two US agencies to voluntarily travel to Taiwan island's space agency "to further enhance" the island's space capability.

In the final paragraph, the report noted that the bill must still pass the full US Senate and House of Representatives and be signed by the president before it can take effect. The House version was approved by the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology in early February and will next proceed to a full House vote.

In February, some Taiwan regional media outlets had already hyped the bill. Some netizens on the island criticized it as another "daydream". 

For example, a netizen named "Feixue" commented, "So what? Are we going to pay for US astronaut again?" Another netizen, "@Julia-cd7ui", said that "DPP supporters are getting excited again, so does this mean Taiwan is going to hand out money in aid once more?" 

The DPP authorities have long sought to boost island's space industry and broad military sector, through so-called "cooperation" with the US. However, the US is unlikely to genuinely share advanced technologies in this field with the island of Taiwan, let alone hand over critical high-end technologies to the region. "Even if NASA personnel visit the island for exchanges in the future, their role could in practice resemble that of brokers for the US defense industry seeking to profit from the island," Zheng Jian, a professor at the Taiwan Research Institute of Xiamen University, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

While the US has reportedly delayed announcing a package of arms sales to Taiwan island, certain US politicians' recent push for a space cooperation bill may also serve as a gesture to appease the DPP authorities, said Zheng.

According to a report from The New York Times in February, the US administration has delayed announcing a package of arms sales to the island of Taiwan worth billions of dollars. The weapons sale, which includes air-defense missiles, was in an advanced stage. 

Moreover, given the island's limited scale and resources, building a space system capable of countering the mainland is highly unrealistic—a fact the DPP authorities are well aware of, said Zheng, noting that like many other Taiwan-related bills introduced in Washington, the space bill has become a political card for both sides: the DPP uses it for political maneuvering and extracting money on the island, while some US politicians use it to secure enormous profits for US defense contractors and political gains for themselves.

In Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province and host city of the 12th World Games, Canadian powerboater Reanna Deveau danced alongside a giant panda mascot, her twin buns secured by fluffy panda hair clips.

Fresh from a visit to the city's renowned panda research base, she was brimming with excitement: "These creatures are just so adorable."

Her teammate, Mark Andrews, captured the lively moment via his camera phone. These two athletes are among 6,679 participants from 116 countries and regions at this year's Games -- the largest and most diverse field in its history.

The event in Chengdu marks the latest chapter in a series of world-class sporting spectacles hosted by Chinese cities, following the earlier success of the Beijing Winter Olympics, the Hangzhou Asian Games and the Chengdu FISU World University Games.

BLACK-AND-WHITE ICON

Chengdu's iconic giant pandas are a must-see attraction for international athletes.

"It was absolutely a highlight," said Fritz Heuscher from Switzerland, his eyes lighting up as he spoke about his visit to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

"Giant pandas are one of China's best business cards," affirmed Li Desheng, chief expert at the Giant Panda Conservation Research Center. "Overseas, people know them well and dream of coming to Sichuan Province to see them."

For many competitors, like Portugal's Miguel Ribeiro, the fascination with pandas goes beyond simply observing them in enclosures. Ribeiro, notably, swapped no fewer than 15 panda-themed pins in a single day.

"This is a great way to connect," Ribeiro said. "Many Chinese people shared their own panda stories with me while exchanging pins."

"Hearing the stories about panda conservation has shown me a side of China that's even greener and cuter than it is in books," he added.

RED HOTPOT, GREEN CITY

Chengdu is a city of contrasts, where the fiery heat of hotpot meets the calming embrace of nature. The city's famed Hotpot Bus offers a vivid snapshot of its energetic spirit.

Athletes, eager to taste one of the country's most beloved dishes, gather on the red bus to enjoy hotpot. The spice levels range from blazing, mild to non-spicy, all tailored to individual tastes.

"Hotpot is a key to cultural exchange," explained Lai Xin, head of city cultural experiences for the Chengdu World Games.

Polish canoeist Mateusz Kaminski, who had never tried hotpot before, discovered the dish's depth. "I thought it was all about spice, but like Chengdu itself, it has layers of flavor."

Amid the city's fiery culinary passions lies a tranquil balance, reflected in Chengdu's expansive green spaces. Home to more than 1,500 parks -- the city boasts 40.5 percent forest coverage and 44.7 percent urban greenery.

Embracing this lush environment, Games organizers chose to host 15 outdoor venues within parks, open water areas and repurposed natural spaces, like meadows and the shores of lakes.

After spending time in the city, Andrews reflected on the connection between Chengdu's greenery and the warmth of its people.

"I think the more greenery you have around you, the happier you feel. Maybe that's why people here in Chengdu are always willing to help and wear a smile," he said.

HEARTS OF GOLD

The hospitality of Chengdu's residents was already evident to Andrews shortly after he arrived, while strolling through the historic cultural and business area downtown. A Chinese police officer greeted him with a smile.

"Welcome to Chengdu, and best of luck in the World Games," the officer said -- fluent English adding to the charm of the interaction.

For Heuscher, the city's welcoming spirit seemed to extend to everyone he encountered. He proudly wore a badge featuring his Chinese name, Fu Qiang, a gift from a staff member at the World Sports Village.

"It sounds like 'Fritz,' my first name," he said.

This personal touch is part of the services provided in the Village, which offer athletes opportunities to learn Chinese culture through interactive activities.

"So far, around 900 athletes have received their Chinese names," said An Xiaoning, head of the program.

"They truly have hearts of gold," said Heuscher. 

The Xiangfen county public security bureau in North China’s Shanxi Province, on Tuesday discovered information circulating online about “someone selling ancient city wall bricks from the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) on e-commerce platforms” and quickly launched an investigation. 

Currently, the sellers, surnamed Wang and Zheng (a couple), are from Beizhonghuang village in Xiangfen county and have been taken into custody by the police. The cultural relics department is organizing experts to assess the seized items, and the public security authorities will take strict action against illegal activities, according to a notice released by the Xiangfen police on Thursday.

The local government in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has formed an accident investigation team to conduct a higher-level inquiry into the incident that killed six university students at a mining company under China National Gold Group Co, Ltd in Hulunbuir. The team aims to quickly determine the cause of the incident, clarify the nature of the accident, and propose corrective measures, according to Xinhua News Agency.

The investigation team has already entered the accident site to carry out relevant work, Xinhua reported on Friday.

Six university students drowned on Wednesday after falling into a flotation cell during a study visit at a copper-molybdenum ore-dressing plant in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, local emergency authorities have said, Xinhua reported.

The accident occurred at approximately 10:20 am Wednesday at the plant, which is operated by a mining company under China National Gold Group Co, Ltd in Hulunbuir, according to the municipal emergency management bureau, Xinhua reported. The students, all of whom attended Northeastern University, were observing flotation processes when a grid plate collapsed, causing them to plunge into the flotation cell.

All six were rescued from the cell but later pronounced dead by medical personnel. A teacher was also injured in the incident, Xinhua reported.

All production and operational activities in the factory area have been suspended, and the workshop where the accident occurred has been cordoned off, CCTV News reported.

According to the emergency command center for the incident in Hulunbuir, the flotation production internship is an important practical component in the training of talent for the mineral processing engineering program at Northeastern University, CCTV News reported.

The training program stipulates that it is worth two credits and is a required course conducted during the summer vacation. On-site learning in the flotation workshop is a necessary part of the flotation production internship, according to the CCTV News report.

According to the CCTV News report, around 10:20 am on Wednesday, a fall accident occurred while the teachers and students were visiting the flotation workshop. Upon hearing students shout that someone had fallen into the flotation cell, the on-site staff immediately pressed the emergency stop button on the flotation machine and used a walkie-talkie to call for help from colleagues, notifying the control room to stop operations and evacuating the teachers and students to a safe location. During the period, the on-site staff also found the teacher who had fallen from mid-air and implemented rescue measures immediately, according to CCTV News.

At 12:01, the first person was rescued; at 12:40, the last person was rescued, according to CCTV News. It has been reported that the six deceased university students were aged between 20 and 22 years old. The teacher who was injured in the incident is currently recovering, according to CCTV News.

Currently, Zhongjin Gold Corporation has set up an on-site command center, where relevant follow-up work is being carried out, an employee from the company told the Global Times on Thursday, adding that they will provide updates in a timely manner.

Zhongjin Gold announced on Thursday night that the Inner Mongolia mining plant has suspended production. The company will actively and appropriately promote follow-up work, according to Shanghai Security News.

A Chinese envoy on Friday called for continued efforts to promote the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.

Russia and Ukraine have recently continued to implement the consensuses reached in previous rounds of negotiations and promoted the exchange of prisoners of war and remains of fallen soldiers. They also held the third round of direct talks a few days ago in which a new consensus on the continuation of the exchange of prisoners of war and other humanitarian issues was reached, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

"China welcomes these positive developments and calls on the parties concerned to maintain the momentum of the peace talks, continue to build consensus and enhance mutual trust with a view to reaching a comprehensive, lasting and abiding peace agreement," he told the Security Council.

However, Russia and Ukraine have, in the past few days, continued to carry out large-scale drone and missile strikes against each other, resulting in heavy casualties and infrastructure damage and destruction. China is deeply concerned and saddened by this, he said.

China, once again, urges the parties to the conflict to show maximum restraint, comply effectively with international humanitarian law, and refrain from attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure in any circumstances. It is imperative that the two sides make joint efforts to de-escalate on the battlefield at an early date, he said.

Russia and Ukraine have recently appealed to each other to restore peace in Europe and achieve a political solution to the crisis. Major actors in the international community have also repeatedly released positive signals on dialogue, negotiations and the cessation of hostilities, and have continued to engage in diplomatic efforts for peace talks, he noted.

China welcomes all efforts toward peace and encourages both Russia and Ukraine to continue to show political will and flexibility. China encourages the international community to continue to call for peace, build a consensus of peace and carry out efforts for peace. All parties should jointly make practical efforts to promote the political settlement of the crisis, he said.

China has always maintained an objective and impartial stance on the Ukraine issue and has been committed to promoting peace talks and a political solution. China has actively carried out diplomatic mediation and maintained effective communication with both Russia and Ukraine. China will, as always, play a constructive role in the political settlement of the crisis, said Geng.