China expanded its greening efforts in 2024, adding 7.67 million hectares through tree planting and land restoration, advancing afforestation and high-quality development, according to a bulletin released by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Wednesday, which is the 47th National Tree Planting Day in China.

A total of 4.446 million hectares of forest were planted in the country, exceeding the 3.998 million hectares afforested in 2023, about 3.224 million hectares of degraded grassland were restored, and 2.783 million hectares of sandy and stony land were treated, bringing the national forest coverage rate to surpass 25 percent and total forest stock volume beyond 20 billion cubic meters, according to report.

In 2024, afforestation enhanced urban and rural landscapes, making cities and villages greener and more livable with more than 6,200 pocket parks around urban areas built, and over 7,300 kilometers green belt in cities constructed. The country also promoted the improvement of rural living environment by setting up farmland shelterbelt networks. While more than 50,000 kilometers of highways were greened last year, the nationwide railway greening rate reached 85.9 percent.

Efforts to protect and restore ecosystems intensified, with 27 projects of the holistic protection and land restoration during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period promoted. More than 5 million hectares of land underwent ecological restoration.

In a significant step toward combating desertification, around 3.80 million hectares of sandy and stony land were rehabilitated last year as part of the effort in promoting the construction of the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, a large-scale afforestation project covering 4.069 million square kilometers in the northeastern, northern and northwestern regions of China, which is close to half the size of the country and is the world’s largest desertification control project.

As advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) continue to unfold, robots are emerging as a transformative force in the elderly care industry across China. With innovations ranging from feeding robots to those designed for rehabilitation and hygiene assistance, an increasing array of age-friendly tech products is being introduced to support seniors.

These cutting-edge solutions are complementing traditional family-based care models, heralding a new era in the way we approach elder care.

Recently, cities such as Shanghai and Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, have launched innovative smart elderly care initiatives aimed at fostering the coordinated development of elderly care services and related industries. This move came in response to the rising interest in smart elderly care.

Many nursing homes in Chinese cities are now integrating intelligent care robots into their operations. For example, at a home care center in Fuzhou, East China's Fujian Province, a group of seniors averaging 86 years old are enjoying a more convenient and vibrant lifestyle thanks to the introduction of "smart nannies." Among the cutting-edge technologies being deployed to assist seniors with disabilities are robotic "caregivers," multifunctional transfer bed-chairs, and fall-detection alarms. These advancements are designed to ease the burden on human caregivers.

In 2024, a resident from Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province, surnamed Xia, invested nearly 30,000 yuan ($4,145) in a toileting care robot for his 80-year-old bedridden grandfather. The care robot primarily serves bedridden elderly individuals with disabilities. It can automatically sense needs and perform fully automated processes such as suction, washing, drying, and sterilization. Since its introduction, this toileting care robot has greatly alleviated the caregiving burden on family members. "It's much less exhausting now. When the drain water tank is full, we just empty the wastewater and refill it with clean water," Xia told CCTV.

He expressed hope for more walking-assist robots, noting that the high cost of current models remains a barrier for many families.

In February, a Shenzhen-based tech company partnered with the Mount Tai Scenic Area in Shandong Province to unveil an exoskeleton robot designed to assist with hiking, garnering significant attention. This exoskeleton robot can also be utilized for fitness, daily walking, and climbing stairs, according to CCTV.

Chen Zhengxiang, an AI model trainer based in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province, has conducted research in many nursing homes across the country. He told the Global Times that current robots on the market still have shortcomings in human-robot interaction. For instance, they struggle to recognize commands spoken in local dialects, and their emotional interactions remain at a superficial, programmed response level.

Chen envisions that with the advancement of AI large models, future elderly care robots will possess the ability to perceive, understand, and respond to human emotions, thereby better meeting the psychological needs of seniors and providing personalized care and companionship.

"It should be like having an 'AI child' by your side; that's the true warmth of technology," he said.

In recent years, China has introduced a series of policies to encourage the development of intelligent elderly care devices, including robots. For example, China's State Council released guidelines in 2024 encouraging companies and industry participants in sectors such as accommodation, healthcare, tourism and financial consultancy to optimize services and products for the elderly.

Currently, there are two main types of elderly care robots on the market: rehabilitation robots, such as those that assist bedridden individuals in standing and walking, and daily care robots, which include devices for toileting and bathing assistance.

To further address the safety and emotional needs of seniors living alone, more robots are being developed. For instance, a smart elderly care robot created by a tech company in Wuxi, Jiangsu, can remind seniors to take their medication, eat, and rest, while also providing services like news updates and online shopping.

The US State Department announced sanctions on an unspecified number of current and former Thai officials on Friday for their role in the repatriation of Chinese citizens in a joint crackdown on illegal immigration. Chinese observers condemned such move as a hypocritical meddling in China's internal affairs under the guise of human rights, which aims to undermine legitimate law enforcement cooperation between China and Thailand. 

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Friday that he was "immediately moving to impose visa restrictions on officials involved in the deportations." No Thai official has been named. The visa restrictions were not explained but can entail a denial of entry to the US, AP reported. 

Rubio claimed that the US is committed to opposing China's efforts to repatriate Uygurs and other groups, alleging they face "torture and enforced disappearances." 

China firmly opposes the use of Xinjiang-related issues to interfere in its internal affairs and disrupt lawful cooperation between China and other nations under the guise of human rights, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said at a routine press conference on February 28.

"Let me stress that the repatriation is carried out in accordance with the laws of China and Thailand as well as international law and common practices. China upholds the rule of law and has well developed laws and regulations and working mechanisms in human rights protection in the judicial area. The achievements are there for all to see. People of all ethnic groups in China, including the Uygurs in Xinjiang, fully enjoy economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights," Lin said. 

The Chinese Embassy in Thailand clarified the truth behind Thailand's repatriation of Chinese nationals. It released a statement on March 2 responding to recent hypes about the repatriation of 40 Chinese nationals to China from Thailand, saying that the individuals repatriated this time were illegal border crossers who had entered Thailand unlawfully (not refugees), and that the repatriation was normal law enforcement cooperation between China and Thailand to combat illegal immigration and human smuggling.

Illegal migration and smuggling are internationally recognized crimes, and repatriating illegal immigrants and human smugglers in accordance with the law is a legitimate sovereign law enforcement action, the embassy said. 

While releasing several photos showing their reunion with their families, the embassy emphasized in a statement on February 28 that both China and Thailand prioritize the rule of law and human rights protection. As previously communicated by the Chinese side to the Thai authorities, the crime committed by the individuals involved was limited to illegal immigration, with no other serious offenses found. After completing the necessary legal procedures, they were released and allowed to return home, which is the best protection of their legal rights. China will also provide further assistance to help these individuals reintegrate into society and resume normal lives.

Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai told at a press conference on February 28 that Thailand acted in accordance with the law, Khaosod English reported. 

The US kept sensationalizing lawful cooperation between China and Thailand on handling illegal immigration. It's true intention is never a concern for Uygurs, but rather a smear campaign against China under the guise of human rights issue, Lü Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Saturday. 

While the US deports illegal immigrants within its own borders, it simultaneously criticizes other countries' actions that align with international and domestic laws, exposing its double standards and political manipulation, Lü criticized. 

Imagine if a group of Mexicans, misled by drug cartels, entered the US, forcing American immigration authorities to bear the burden of looking after them for over a decade - how would Washington respond? Without a doubt, the US' political manipulation will create more complex difficulties for the country in addressing its own illegal immigration challenges, he said.

In a classroom, a large screen displays a conversation in Chinese: in it, two people are adding each other on WeChat. Encouraged by the teacher, Pakistani Muhammad Ajmal, a postdoctoral researcher in mathematics at Shanghai University, stands up, unlocks his phone, and says in Putonghua to another participant seated behind him, “Hello, nice to meet you. May I add you on WeChat?”

This happened on Sunday, during a government-supported non-profit Chinese language class held in Shanghai’s Hongkou district. Targeting foreign talents working in Shanghai, this course is scheduled to continue with classes every Sunday until April 20.

Including Ajmal, over a dozen foreign professionals from universities, research institutions, and foreign-invested enterprises in Shanghai attended the first class on Sunday. There they learned to introduce themselves in a more authentic manner, and to get to know one another in Putonghua.

Ajmal has been in China since 2016 and already had a foundation in Putonghua. When he heard about this course, he signed up right away. “I know a lot of Chinese words, but I’m working on adding more natural, authentic vocabulary to improve my fluency,” he told the Global Times after class.

He explained that, previously he only knew the number “one” as “yi” in Putonghua, but thanks to this course, he learned the number’s informal pronunciation “yao” which is more commonly used in daily life.

Unlike some other language courses, this course focuses more on teaching participants practical and everyday language, as well as elements of Chinese culture and customs, according to the class teacher Zhang Yicheng, a Chinese language instructor at the Shanghai International Studies University.

“For example, about numbers, in this class I taught them the pronunciation, and in the next class, I will explain which numbers are generally favored or disliked by Chinese people,” Zhang told the Global Times.

For foreign participants, this class can serve as a small but vivid window to better understand China and Shanghai, and to connect more effectively with local people. Vietnamese participant HaiSam Mai, who has been working at an international school in Shanghai, believes she can still learn something new from this class, even though she has lived in Shanghai for 13 years.

“Today, for the first time, I learned a more polite way to add someone on WeChat, and the phrases were quite new to me. The topics we discussed in class were all very interesting,” Mai told the Global Times.

The one-month course consists of six classes in total, four of which focus on different topics including food, shopping, transportation, travel, hobbies, and sports. The remaining two are workshops, one dedicated to making herbal sachets and another to making Chinese-style jewelry, allowing participants to experience China’s intangible cultural heritage firsthand, said Zhang.

This Chinese language course is one of the latest initiatives by the Shanghai local government aimed at welcoming foreign talent and helping international professionals living in Shanghai better adapt to daily life, integrate into local culture, and stimulate interest in learning Chinese and understanding Chinese culture, the Global Times learned from the Hongkou District Talent Work Bureau, organizer of the course.

The 61st Munich Security Conference (MSC) is set to commence on Friday, with security measures intensifying across the city. On Thursday local time, Global Times journalists arriving at Munich Airport were met with light rain and a visible police presence. Along the route from the airport to the city center, patrol cars were stationed at key points.

At the Hotel Bayerischer Hof, the main venue of the 61st MSC, the official conference logo is prominently displayed. Global Times reporters observed a prominent security presence around the venue, with police teams patrolling the streets, and TV broadcast vans set up for live coverage. As dignitaries, conference delegates, and media representatives from around the world continue to arrive, Munich has entered "MSC time."

The media center of the MSC is about a five-minute walk from the main venue and will open at 7 am local time on Friday. Reporters from the Global Times have learned that the media center is equipped with approximately 650 workspaces, and information desks to facilitate the use of global media. 

The 61st MSC will be held from Friday to Sunday. Known as the "Davos of Defense," the MSC is one of the most important annual forums in the fields of international strategy and security. Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and China's minister of foreign affairs, will attend the conference and speak at an event on China to share China's position on major international issues.  

On Friday, the conference's main program will start with a focus on global security challenges, including global governance, democratic resilience, climate security, and many more topics. On Saturday, debates will take place on the state of the international order as well as regional conflicts and crises. The future of the transatlantic partnership will also be a focus of the second day of the conference. On Sunday, the conference will wrap up with discussions on Europe's role in the world, according to the MSC website.