Chinese President Xi Jinping has emphasized that "exploring the vast universe and building a strong aerospace nation is our unremitting aerospace dream." Under President Xi Jinping's personal planning and deployment, China's aerospace industry has adhered to self-reliance in science and technology, overcome difficulties, and continuously achieved new successes, making solid strides toward becoming a strong aerospace nation. The starry sky is vast, and the pursuit of dreams never ends. At this moment, Tianwen-2, which is embarking on a space "expedition" lasting about 10 years, is heading towards asteroid 2016HO3, marking a new step for the Chinese people in deep space exploration. In the first five months of this year, China has completed 32 space launches, putting over 140 spacecraft into orbit, steadily advancing towards the goal of becoming a strong aerospace nation step by step. The aerospace dream is an important part of the dream of a strong nation. President Xi Jinping has always highly concerned himself with the development of China's aerospace industry. He has visited launch sites multiple times, held cordial conversations with astronauts, and met with aerospace research and development teams, encouraging aerospace workers to redouble their efforts and seize opportunities to accelerate the building of a strong aerospace nation. The President's instructions and messages have provided strong impetus for China's aerospace industry to constantly venture into deeper and more distant space. In orbit approximately 400 kilometers above the ground, the Shenzhou-20 crew has been stationed in the Chinese space station for over a month, carrying out various tasks including space science experiments and full-system pressure emergency drills. From Shenzhou-1 to Shenzhou-20, from unmanned tests to long-term stays, from one person for one day to multiple people for multiple days, from in-cabin space experiments to extravehicular activities, from single spacecraft flight to stable composite operation, and from those born in the 1960s and 1970s to those born in the 1980s and 1990s, China's manned spaceflight has continuously marked new "Chinese heights" on its journey of dreaming for nine days. Today, the Chinese space station has been operating stably in orbit for four years, successively overcoming a series of difficulties and mastering a large number of core technologies with independent intellectual property rights, such as on-orbit spacecraft composite control and management technology, and control moment gyroscope technology for precise attitude control. As of the end of last year, the Chinese space station had implemented more than 180 scientific research and application projects, with over 4,000 space application achievements widely used across various industries. Not only the Chinese space station, but China's aerospace industry has also ventured into deeper space. "Beidou" networking, "Chang'e" lunar exploration, "Tianwen" Mars exploration, and "Xihe" solar pursuit have led to comprehensive breakthroughs in China's space science, space technology, and space applications. In Shanghai, the low-cost cargo spacecraft "Qingzhou" is being urgently developed and will make its maiden flight this year; on the Moon's south pole, "Chang'e" is about to usher in new explorations. While continuously exploring, China's international cooperation in aerospace is also expanding. So far, China has signed nearly 200 aerospace cooperation agreements with more than 50 countries and international organizations, covering various fields such as Earth observation, lunar and deep space exploration, and satellite development. Looking to the future, the manned lunar landing mission is progressing smoothly, with the Long March-10 carrier rocket, Mengzhou manned spacecraft, Lanyue lunar lander, Wangyu lunar suit, and Exploration manned lunar rover undergoing prototype development and testing as planned. Major aerospace engineering projects such as Mars sample return, Jupiter system exploration, and the international lunar research station are also accelerating their advancement. China's aerospace industry is forging ahead on the journey of comprehensively building a strong aerospace nation with a brand new posture and high spirits!
During the Dragon Boat Festival, people participate in various activities such as dragon boat racing, making zongzi, crafting scented sachets, and visiting revolutionary sites, to commemorate patriotic sages, continue traditional culture, and cultivate a sense of national identity. Waves splash and dragon boats race. Along the Miluo River in Yueyang, Hunan, local folk dragon boat teams gathered on the Miluo River for fierce competition; in Zigui, Hubei, the "Hometown of Qu Yuan," dragon boat paddlers worked together, guided by the drumbeats, striving for victory. For thousands of years, people have honored Qu Yuan's patriotism in this way. In recent days, from the South China Sea to the mountains and rivers of Northeast China, people have been racing dragon boats, jointly experiencing the charm of traditional Chinese culture. On Yongxing Island in Sansha, Hainan, fishermen adorned their fishing boats to resemble "fishing family dragon boats"; in Shenzhen, Guangdong, 29 dragon boat teams from the Greater Bay Area competed in a display of strength and speed on the vast ocean; people were slicing through waves on the Grand Canal in Tongzhou, Beijing, the Songhua River in Harbin, Heilongjiang, and the Nenjiang River in Da'an, Jilin; in Lotus Lake in Wangjiang, Anhui, and Jinji Lake in Suzhou, Jiangsu, participants paddled hard, earning cheers from spectators on the shore. During the Dragon Boat Festival, the fragrance of zongzi leaves fills the air. In Rong County, Yulin, Guangxi, people gathered in courtyards to wrap characteristic zongzi such as long strip zongzi and ox horn zongzi; in Shanghai and Chengdu, Sichuan, Chinese and foreign tourists visited parks to make and taste Dragon Boat zongzi on site. Various distinctive intangible cultural heritage experiences and folk activities also enriched people's Dragon Boat holiday. At the China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum, the "Dragon Boat Intangible Cultural Heritage Market" brought together more than 30 intangible cultural heritage projects from 12 provinces and cities, with on-site perfume mixing and incense making activities proving popular; in Hanjing Town, Shishi, Fujian, unique activities such as sea duck catching and sea water splashing were particularly lively; in Haining, Zhejiang, people dressed children in tiger clothes and hats, wishing them healthy growth. Cultivating a sense of national identity. This Dragon Boat holiday, in Wuxiang County, an old revolutionary base in Shanxi, tourists walked along the Taihang Mountain roads to visit old anti-Japanese war sites; in Yan'an, Shaanxi, tourists visited Baota Mountain and the Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Hall, watched stage plays, and experienced the fighting spirit of revolutionary martyrs. Hong Kong held the "Stanley International Dragon Boat Championships" today (May 31st), with 200 dragon boat teams from around the world participating. The Hong Kong Cultural Centre also held the "Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage Month 2025" event on the same day, featuring over 80 intangible cultural heritage performances and 60 interactive experience booths for intangible cultural heritage projects, attracting a large number of citizens and tourists to experience them firsthand. The two final events of the Macao International Dragon Boat Race - the International Dragon Boat Invitational Race and the University Invitational Race - were held today at Nam Van Lake in Macao, with 46 dragon boat teams from around the world competing, demonstrating the dragon boat spirit of working together and striving for excellence. Today, in military camps across the country, troops organized various festive activities, with officers and soldiers racing dragon boats in assault boats and dry land dragon boat competitions at training grounds, integrating military elements with traditional customs, allowing officers and soldiers to experience the charm of traditional Chinese culture in a joyful atmosphere. With deep fish-water camaraderie, the troops also invited local residents into the camp, where everyone made and ate zongzi together to celebrate the festival.
The Ministry of Transport announced that on the first day of the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, cross-regional passenger flow across society is expected to exceed 229 million trips, a 10.2% increase compared to the first day of last year's Dragon Boat Festival holiday. This year's Dragon Boat Festival holiday coincided with International Children's Day, and the "double holiday" overlap significantly increased passenger flow. Today (May 31), national railways are expected to send 17.8 million passengers, adding 1,029 trains and increasing the operation of tourist trains and overnight high-speed trains in popular sections and time slots. For road transport, cross-regional passenger flow is expected to exceed 209 million trips, a year-on-year increase of 10.9%. Urban surrounding tours and in-depth rural tours have significantly increased, with transportation departments in various regions increasing capacity allocation for popular scenic spots, adding direct bus services to attractions, and launching customized passenger transport services. At the same time, they strengthened communication and coordination with meteorological departments to ensure smooth travel for tourists. Today's civil aviation passenger volume is expected to reach 1.95 million trips, with multiple airlines increasing capacity on popular routes.
Shenzhou-20 astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie have been on their space mission for over a month, and all tasks are progressing steadily. Today (May 31), the three astronauts celebrated the Dragon Boat Festival in the Chinese space station and sent their holiday greetings to the people of China. In the Chinese space station, 400 kilometers from Earth, on the first day of the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, the Shenzhou-20 crew carried out on-orbit experiments, station management, routine medical examinations, and protective exercises as planned. This also marked the first time the three astronauts spent the Dragon Boat Festival in space. During their time in orbit, the three astronauts collaborated closely and, with the support of ground researchers, successfully completed their first extravehicular activity. Their assigned space science experiments and test missions are progressing in an orderly manner. In addition, they have also carried out platform maintenance and care for the space station, life and health support, and inventory of supplies. Subsequently, the Shenzhou-20 crew will continue to conduct space science experiments and technical tests, as well as perform astronaut extravehicular activities and cargo ingress/egress.
Today (May 31), the National Working Committee of the Chinese Young Pioneers released key statistical data for the Chinese Young Pioneers. As of December 31, 2024, there are 113 million Young Pioneers nationwide, 3.054 million counselors for Young Pioneer brigades and detachments in primary and secondary schools. There are 176,000 Young Pioneer working committees in primary and secondary schools, 179,000 Young Pioneer brigades, and 2.874 million detachments.
The China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing and the National Bureau of Statistics announced today (May 31) the China Purchasing Managers' Index for May. The manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) showed a relatively significant rebound month-on-month, indicating an acceleration in business activities and an improvement in the overall prosperity level. China's manufacturing PMI for May was 49.5%, up 0.5 percentage points from the previous month. Looking at the main sub-indices, the production index was 50.7%, an increase of 0.9 percentage points from the previous month, returning to the expansion range and indicating an acceleration in manufacturing production activities. From the perspective of key industries, new kinetic energy production activities maintained rapid growth, with the high-tech manufacturing PMI remaining in the expansion range for four consecutive months, continuing a good development trend. The prosperity levels of the equipment manufacturing and consumer goods industries both rebounded, with their PMIs rising to the expansion range in May, supporting the overall recovery of manufacturing production activities. Large enterprises recovered relatively quickly, with their PMI at 50.7%, returning to the expansion range after slowing down last month. The prosperity level of small enterprises also improved. In addition, the expectation index for production and business activities in May was 52.5%, an increase of 0.4 percentage points from the previous month, indicating increased confidence among manufacturing enterprises in market development.
Currently, China is optimizing its departure tax refund services to make shopping more affordable and convenient for foreign tourists in China, further stimulating new vitality in inbound consumption. Recently, Beijing launched its first batch of "buy-and-refund-immediately" centralized tax refund points, where overseas travelers can apply for on-site tax refunds with tax refund application forms issued by any departure tax refund store in Beijing. Jordan, a tourist from the United States, collected his tax refund at a centralized refund point immediately after purchasing goods. Currently, the optimized departure tax refund service is being promoted nationwide. Beijing has raised the "buy-and-refund-immediately" service limit from the previous 50,000 yuan to 220,000 yuan. Overseas travelers who purchase tax-refundable goods under 220,000 yuan can receive cash tax refunds on site after providing credit card pre-authorization as a guarantee. Shanghai launched the country's first self-service tax refund machine, which can identify passport information with one click and generate a tax refund application form by scanning the invoice QR code. Guangzhou has achieved online "in-store buy-and-refund-immediately" for departure tax refunds, allowing overseas travelers to upload relevant information and vouchers directly from their mobile phones in the store to complete the tax refund process in one go. Sichuan has released a list of must-buy tax-refundable items, including characteristic products like panda cultural and creative products, offering foreign tourists more quality Chinese goods to purchase. Driven by various favorable policies, departure tax refund businesses in many regions are maintaining a high growth momentum. Data shows that in the first month of implementing the new policy, Beijing added 176 departure tax refund stores, with sales of tax-refundable goods increasing by 90% year-on-year; Shanghai added over 60 "buy-and-refund-immediately" stores, with tax-refundable sales increasing by 86% year-on-year; and Zhejiang, Sichuan, and Shenzhen saw their tax-refundable sales increase by over twofold year-on-year.
Wheat harvesting is currently in full swing across China, with summer planting and management also underway. Various regions are leveraging technology to boost production capacity and contribute to a bountiful grain harvest for the entire year. Wheat harvesting is intensifying in the Huang-Huai-Hai and Northwest wheat-producing regions. In Jiangsu, over 36 million mu of wheat are gradually ripening. In Hai'an City, major grain growers and family farms are seizing the clear weather to fully engage in mechanized harvesting operations. The local area expects to deploy over 5,000 units of combine harvesters, grain dryers, and other machinery to ensure every grain is collected. Shaanxi's over 14 million mu of wheat have also begun to be harvested. In the Guanzhong Plain, this year's wheat harvest started 3 to 7 days earlier than in previous years. Agricultural departments are scientifically dispatching agricultural machinery through smart platforms to efficiently carry out harvesting operations. Spring plowing in Northeast China is nearing its end. Liaoning's rice transplanting progress has exceeded 84%. In Yingkou, nearly half of the over 5,300 transplanters deployed this year are unmanned transplanters, with a planting speed of 40 meters per minute and a single machine operating over 5 mu per hour, improving efficiency by 30%. Spring production in Heilongjiang has basically concluded and is gradually transitioning into field management. The province's total grain crop planting area exceeds 220 million mu, and this year, high-performance planters are being widely used for precision sowing, greatly enhancing sowing speed and quality. Leveraging technology for production capacity, "summer management" relies on meticulous scientific management. In Yichang, Hubei, newly planted mid-season rice seedlings are entering a critical growth period. Farmers can check the growth of their seedlings through a mobile agricultural smart application. When the crop growth heat map indicates suboptimal seedling growth, farmers can also call agricultural technicians for guidance. Over 13 million mu of early rice in Guangdong have entered the field management stage. In Qingyuan City, multi-spectral smart patrol drones equipped with AI visual models are patrolling rice fields. They can intelligently identify crop growth, pests, and diseases, and predict trends. This year, Guangdong is vigorously promoting the application of drones in agricultural production to help achieve abundant grain harvests.
China's Balance of Payments for Goods and Services Trade Volume Increased by 6% Year-on-Year in April. The latest data from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange shows that in April, China's international balance of payments for goods and services trade volume reached 4.3706 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 6%. Among these, the surplus in goods trade was 446.4 billion yuan, and the deficit in services trade was 113.8 billion yuan. Inclusive small and micro enterprise loans maintained stable growth in Q1. The People's Bank of China announced on May 30 that as of the end of the first quarter, the outstanding balance of RMB inclusive small and micro enterprise loans was 34.81 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 12.2%, maintaining stable growth; 267,100 high-tech enterprises received loan support, with a loan coverage rate of 57.7%, indicating strong support for sci-tech innovation enterprises through loans. China's Port Container Throughput Increased by 7.9% Year-on-Year in First Four Months. The Ministry of Transport announced that in the first four months, China's port cargo throughput reached 5.755 billion tons, a year-on-year increase of 3.7%; port container throughput exceeded 110 million TEUs, a year-on-year increase of 7.9%. China's major port operating indicators maintained stable growth. China Significantly Lowers Credit Reporting Service Fees. The National Development and Reform Commission announced that starting from July 1, the benchmark service fee for commercial banks and other institutions to query enterprise credit reports will be reduced from 20 yuan per copy to 9 yuan, and for querying personal credit reports, it will be reduced to 1 yuan per copy; individuals can query their own credit reports online for free, and through counter inquiries, the first two times per year are free, with subsequent queries costing 5 yuan per time. This round of credit reporting service fee reduction is expected to save users approximately 1.1 billion yuan annually. The 2025 National SME Service Month to be Held in June. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced that the 2025 National SME Service Month will be held in June. Relevant departments and service agencies at all levels will organize 42 key activities, including market expansion, talent recruitment and training, financing promotion, and digital transformation, for key groups such as specialized, refined, unique, and innovative "little giant" enterprises, innovative SMEs, and gazelle companies, to support the development of SMEs. Xinjiang Duku Highway Reopens. The Xinjiang Duku Highway reopened today (May 31). The Duku Highway is a section of National Highway G217, stretching 561 kilometers from Dushanzi in the north to Kuqa in the south. It traverses various terrains such as snow-capped mountains, grasslands, and canyons, and is a scenic route that spans the Tianshan Mountains. Due to climatic and geological conditions, the Duku Highway is only open for approximately four months each year. The 2025 China Dragon Boat Race (Bazhong Enyang, Sichuan) Concludes. The 2025 China Dragon Boat Race (Bazhong Enyang, Sichuan) concluded today (May 31), with 19 championships across 6 categories finding their winners. Among them, the Lecong Team from Shunde, Guangdong, won all four championships in the professional men's group. In the newly established U16 special group, the Second Junior Experimental Middle School of Yancheng District, Luohe, Henan, won both the 100-meter and 200-meter championships. They also became the first U16 champions in the history of the China Dragon Boat Race. The 21st China International Cartoon & Animation Festival "Golden Monkey King Award" Announced. The 21st China International Cartoon & Animation Festival "Golden Monkey King Award," hosted by China Media Group, was announced last night (May 30) in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. This year's "Golden Monkey King Award" attracted 108 entries from 20 countries and regions, including China, France, and Russia. Ultimately, 35 works, including "Nezha: The Demon Child Descends" and "New Big Head Son and Small Head Dad – Take You to See China," won awards.
In recent days, various Dragon Boat Festival activities, such as dragon boat races and zongzi making, have been held in many parts of the world, allowing local residents and overseas Chinese to experience the charm of traditional Chinese culture firsthand. The 11th All-England Chinese Dragon Boat Festival was recently held in Salford, UK, attracting nearly 50 teams from across the UK. In addition to watching the dragon boat races, local residents could also enjoy traditional Chinese cultural performances and taste delicacies such as zongzi. A grand dragon boat race was also held in Frankfurt, Germany, where over 500 dragon boat paddlers from Germany, France, the United States, Italy, and other countries competed fiercely amidst cheers and shouts from the spectators, sharing the precious experience brought by Chinese culture. People on site could also enjoy traditional song and dance performances from various countries, including Chinese folk dances, experiencing the beauty of cultural exchange. During the event, local residents also had the opportunity to experience playing Chinese traditional musical instruments. In Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, in addition to traditional dragon boat races, Dragon Boat Festival activities also featured an intangible cultural heritage exhibition area, where artists from Quanzhou, Fujian, presented intangible cultural heritage performances such as Wuzuquan, attracting many local residents. The Dragon Boat Festival traditional food experience area was also very popular. In Peru, the Confucius Institute at Ricardo Palma University held a unique "Dragon Boat Design Creative Competition." The 26 creative works in the competition integrated traditional and modern, Chinese and Peruvian elements, demonstrating the students' deep understanding of the important significance of cultural exchange.
U.S. President Trump announced on May 30 that he would raise tariffs on imported steel and aluminum from the current 25% to 50%, effective June 4. Trump claimed the move would protect the U.S. domestic steel industry. According to Australian media reports today (May 31), Australian Trade Minister Farrell stated that Australia strongly opposes the U.S. move, calling it an act of economic self-harm that would hurt businesses and consumers relying on fair trade. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported on May 30 that Bruce Caron, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, said on the same day that the U.S. government's action was another direct attack on Canadian workers. Caron urged the Canadian government to take immediate retaliatory action. Reuters reported that the U.S. is the world's largest steel importer, and further U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum could broadly increase steel and aluminum prices, impacting both the steel and aluminum industries and consumers.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces continued their attacks on various locations in the Gaza Strip on May 30, including Jabalia in the north, Deir al-Balah in the center, and Khan Younis in the south, resulting in at least 72 deaths and nearly 300 injuries. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated on May 30 that they had launched airstrikes against dozens of Palestinian armed group targets in the Gaza Strip, destroying a Hamas underground tunnel. Hamas stated that it is consulting with Palestinian factions on a new ceasefire proposal. Hamas said on May 30 that it is consulting with various Palestinian factions regarding a new ceasefire proposal put forward by the United States. Israeli Defense Minister Katz stated on May 30 that Hamas must now choose between accepting the U.S.-proposed ceasefire plan or "being eliminated." According to U.S. media reports, the new ceasefire plan includes a 60-day truce, the release of 10 hostages by Hamas, and the return of the bodies of 18 hostages.
Russia claims continued advancement, Ukraine claims downing new Russian drone. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated on May 30 that over the past week, the Russian army carried out multiple group and precision strikes on Ukrainian defense industry facilities, military airport infrastructure, and other targets, shooting down over 1,400 Ukrainian drones and gaining control of 13 settlements. Ukraine stated on May 30 that the previous day, the Ukrainian military used a mobile air defense missile system developed by Ukraine with the support of foreign partners to shoot down a new type of Russian jet-powered drone. Russia stated on May 30 that the Russian delegation is ready to begin the second round of talks with Ukraine on June 2, and that Russia will bring relevant draft memorandums of understanding and other ceasefire proposals. Ukraine stated on the same day that measures should be taken to ensure progress in the new round of talks. Syrian media reports Israeli airstrike on Syrian targets killed civilians. Syrian media reported on May 30 that Israeli warplanes carried out an airstrike on targets in Latakia province in western Syria that night, killing one civilian. The report added that the Israeli army also carried out airstrikes in Tartus province that night. The Israeli Defense Forces said on the evening of May 30 that the targets of the Israeli attack were weapons storage facilities containing missiles and surface-to-air missile components located in the Latakia region.
The Dragon Boat Festival is one of China's four major traditional festivals and the first Chinese traditional festival to be inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List. As our program concludes, let's appreciate the traditions of the Dragon Boat Festival and savor its folk culture. During the midsummer Dragon Boat Festival, yang energy is at its peak, the summer heat is beginning to rise, and all things are flourishing. The most common explanation for the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival is to commemorate the patriotic poet Qu Yuan, a tradition that embodies the strong sense of national identity embedded in the genes of Chinese culture. Dragon boat racing is the most representative festive activity of the Dragon Boat Festival. To the sound of urgent drums, people paddle vigorously towards a common goal, working together in unity. Today, dragon boat racing is a national intangible cultural heritage and attracts many enthusiasts. Other customs of the Dragon Boat Festival include hanging mugwort and calamus, and eating zongzi. Ancient people believed that mugwort and calamus had the function of repelling insects and warding off evil, and that the glutinous rice used in zongzi was warm in nature, while the zongzi leaves had a cooling effect. Cultural inheritance is a driving force for progress. We wish you a peaceful and healthy Dragon Boat Festival.
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