Chinese Premier Li Qiang said here Thursday that China is willing to work with Egypt to optimize the development of bilateral trade and create more highlights of cooperation as well as new drivers of economic growth.
The two countries can expand cooperation in emerging fields such as new energy, electric vehicles, artificial intelligence and digital economy, Li said during his meeting with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Kamal Madbouly.
China has always prioritized developing relations with Egypt in its Mideast diplomacy, Li said.
In 2024, China and Egypt jointly celebrated the 10th anniversary of their comprehensive strategic partnership and the two meetings between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi provided guidance for the future development of bilateral ties, Li said.
In 2026, China and Egypt will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. At this pivotal juncture, China is willing to maintain close high-level exchanges with Egypt, strengthen strategic dialogue, consolidate political mutual trust, and deepen practical cooperation, Li said.
He called on both sides to support each other on the path to modernization and bring greater benefits to their peoples.
Li pointed out that China is willing to strengthen the alignment of development strategies with Egypt, expand and enhance investment and cooperation within the framework of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and effectively implement livelihood improvement projects.
The two sides should enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges and mutual learning, deepen cooperation in areas such as culture, tourism, media, youth and local affairs, and further strengthen the public support for friendly cooperation between the two countries, he said.
China supports Egypt in playing a greater role in international and regional affairs and is willing to closely coordinate and cooperate with Egypt within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to practice genuine multilateralism, safeguard economic globalization and international economic and trade order, defend the common interests of developing countries, and promote peace and stability in the Middle East and the world, Li added.
For his part, Madbouly noted that Egypt and China have been enjoying long-standing and profound relations, with traditional friendship deeply rooted in the hearts of the two peoples.
In recent years, under the leadership of the two heads of state, the Egypt-China comprehensive strategic partnership has shown a strong momentum, and is at its best in history, he said, adding that Egypt firmly upholds the one-China principle, respects China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, firmly supports China's stance on the Taiwan question and issues related to Xizang and Hong Kong, and resolutely opposes any interference in China's internal affairs.
Expressing gratitude for China's assistance in Egypt's economic and social development, Madbouly said the country is willing to expand political mutual trust with China, strengthen cooperation in traditional areas such as trade, investment, finance, industry and infrastructure, expand collaboration in emerging fields including new energy, green economy and space, enhance people-to-people exchanges, and promote more achievements in Africa-China and Arab-China cooperation.
Egypt highly appreciates China's just and fair stance on Mideast issues and stands ready to strengthen coordination with China within the United Nations, the BRICS and other multilateral frameworks to safeguard common interests and uphold regional peace and stability, he said.
After the meeting, Li and Madbouly jointly witnessed the signing of multiple cooperation documents in such areas as e-commerce, green and low-carbon development, development assistance, finance and health.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday in Berlin, according to a statement from Chinese Foreign Ministry.
According to the statement, Merz told Wang Yi that the German side is willing to work with the Chinese side to maintain openness and mutual benefit, promote fair trade, and jointly address crises and challenges, which is in the interests of both sides. The new German government adheres to the one-China policy.
During the meeting with Merz, Wang said China stands ready to work with Germany to maintain close high-level exchanges, utilize consultation mechanisms in various fields, and promote the sustained, healthy, and stable development of China-Germany relations, which will not only be conducive to both sides but also benefit Europe and the world.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, is on a trip to Europe with France as his next stop after Germany.
During the meeting, Wang said that the Chinese side appreciates the new German government's willingness to promote the further development of China-Germany relations with a constructive attitude and pragmatic spirit, according to a release from Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Wang stated that China welcomes Germany's development and prosperity, as well as its greater role in Europe and the world. He said he believes that the new German government will view China's development positively, adhere to a rational and pragmatic policy toward China, genuinely respect China's core interests, support China's national reunification just as China unconditionally supported German reunification, and continue to uphold the one-China principle.
China is committed to building a higher-level open economic system, with its doors of openness only widening further, and is willing to share market opportunities with Germany to create new prospects for development, Wang said.
Wang has also met with Günter Sautter, Foreign & Security Policy Advisor to the Federal Chancellor on Friday in Beilin, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
On Thursday, Wang co-chaired the eighth round of China-Germany Strategic Dialogue on Diplomacy and Security with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul.
Wang said that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-EU diplomatic relations, and the China-Germany all-round strategic partnership has also embarked on a new decade, Xinhua reported.
Facing the current turbulent international situation, particularly the prevalence of protectionism, anti-globalization, and unilateral bullying, China and Germany must strengthen strategic communication and coordination, Wang stressed.
This marks Wang's first visit to Germany after the new German government was formed, and China has higher expectations for the stability of Germany's China policy, Cui Hongjian, director of the Department of European Studies, China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Friday.
"This is because the Merz government positions itself as 'more stable and efficient,' making this strategic dialogue an important opportunity for Germany to showcase the stability and effectiveness of its policies," Cui noted.
The two sides need to engage in strategic dialogue to "align" their positions—mutually identifying concerns, clarifying stances, and exploring to what extent they can move forward together, Cui noted.
Analysts believe that Wang's trip to Europe lays a solid foundation for strengthening exchanges across all areas in the future, but also for future high-level interactions between China and Europe, demonstrating a sincere and concerted effort to address mutual concerns. They noted that in the long run, maintaining institutionalized and regular strategic communication between China and Europe reflects the resilience of the relationship, indicating that both sides still have strong mutual needs.
China-EU relations in focus
According to the AFP, Wadephul voiced concerns over China's export restrictions on rare earths.
Addressing the issue, Wang told a press conference alongside the dialogue that rare earth exports have never been, and should not become, an issue between China and Europe, emphasizing that as long as export control regulations are followed and necessary procedures are fulfilled, the legitimate needs of European companies will be guaranteed.
"This meeting fully demonstrated China's foreign policy toward Germany and Europe: we approach Germany and Europe with a sincere and open attitude, not avoiding any sensitive issues, including the Ukraine and rare earths issues," Dong Yifan, an associate research fellow at the Belt and Road Academy of Beijing Language and Culture University, told the Global Times on Friday.
China has always regarded Europe as a strategic partner and actively takes a constructive approach to strengthening communication with European countries, reducing misunderstandings and conflicts, and promoting cooperation, with a focus on solving problems, Dong noted.
Wang said that China's position on the Ukraine crisis has been open and consistent, which includes insisting on peace talks, not providing lethal weapons to the parties in the conflict, and controlling the export of (civilian/military) dual-use items, including drones, according to Xinhua.
China has not only fulfilled its international responsibilities, but also established the "Friends of Peace" group with Brazil and other Global South countries at the UN, mobilizing greater efforts for a ceasefire and an end to the conflict, Wang said, adding that China's objective and fair position has been widely recognized by the international community.
China-German relations hold a significant position in the broader China-Europe relationship, and many issues involving Europe could be addressed more easily if China and Germany reach a consensus, such as the recent hot topics in Europe regarding electric vehicles and rare earths, Cui noted.
Following the visit to Germany, Wang is scheduled to visit France for talks with the French Foreign Minister and the meeting of the China-France high-level dialogue mechanism on people-to-people exchanges, according to an earlier announcement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
In France, Wang will meet minister for Europe and foreign affairs Jean-Noel Barrot, who visited China in March, according to AFP.
Although this visit will mainly focus on cultural exchanges, it is clear that during his time in France, Wang will engage in extensive contacts with various sectors of the French government, including not only diplomatic counterparts but also potentially higher-level French leaders, Cui noted.
"China has always valued strategic communication and coordination with France. Currently, France, and Europe as a whole, face a core question: do they have a clear and defined strategic goal?" Cui said, noting that as relationships with major powers like the US, Russia, and China undergo profound changes, it is even more important for China and France to reaffirm certain fundamental consensuses.
In the current international landscape of major power relations, China-France and China-Europe relations should be among the most stable, with the greatest potential to contribute positively to global stability and certainty, the expert said.
China's Central Archives on Monday opened over 57,000 documents to the public to mark the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
The newly accessible material includes more than 40,000 items specifically chronicling the resistance period from September 1931 to September 1945.
The wartime records -- sourced from Party-led government bodies, organizations, military units and mass groups -- feature telegrams, announcements, summaries, reports and other records highlighting the Communist Party of China's leadership role.
These documents can be accessed at the Central Archives upon presentation of an ID card or relevant credentials.
July 1, 2025, marks the 104th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Looking back on more than a century of striving, it is under the Party's strong leadership that the Chinese people have continuously turned the "impossible" into the "possible." The historic transformation of the Chinese nation - from standing up, to growing prosperous and becoming strong - has been fundamentally driven by the leadership of the CPC.
The book series of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China contains multiple important speeches on upholding and strengthening the Party's leadership. In the article "Maximize the Institutional Strength of CPC Leadership" included in Volume III of the book series, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, emphasized that governing a large country with more than 1.3 billion people, the Party must improve its leadership systems and mechanisms, give full play to the great strength of leadership by the Party, and shoulder the major responsibilities of carrying out our great struggle, developing our great project, advancing our great cause, and realizing our great dream. Only in this way can we ensure national reunification, uniform laws and policies and consistent market management, achieve economic development, clean political administration, cultural prosperity, social justice and healthy ecosystems, and smoothly advance the causes of Chinese socialism in the new era.
In Volume IV, Xi further stressed in the article titled "Speech at the Ceremony Marking the Centenary of the Communist Party of China" that the leadership of the Party is the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics and constitutes the greatest strength of this system. It is the foundation and lifeblood of the Party and the country, and the crux upon which the interests and wellbeing of all Chinese people depend.
Looking ahead, only by upholding and strengthening the Party's overall leadership can we fully build a great modern socialist country in all respects as scheduled and achieve the grand goal of national rejuvenation.
In the seventh installment of the special series "Decoding the Book of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China," the Global Times, along with People's Daily Overseas Edition, focuses on the theme: "Upholding CPC's overall leadership is China's greatest political advantage." We continue to invite Chinese and foreign scholars, translators of Xi's works, practitioners with firsthand experience, and international readers to explore the CPC's institutional strengths and real-world results in theoretical innovation, political development, organizational structure and its people-centered approach - and to collectively answer the question of our times: "Why is the CPC successful?"
This is the sixth article of the "Scholars' Perspectives" column, which features Xu Bin, director of the Marxist Institutional Theory Research Center of Beijing Normal University, also a professor of the School of Marxism at the university.
The leadership of the Party is the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics and constitutes the greatest strength of this system. Since entering the new era, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, with profound historical insight and a strong sense of mission, has led the CPC to innovate in theoretical development, political construction, and the mass line, shaping a strong and resilient proletarian party.
The CPC Central Committee, with Xi Jinping at its core, attaches great importance to the study and adherence to the basic theories of Marxism. For instance, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee has organized multiple collective study sessions, focusing on key theoretical works such as dialectical materialism, historical materialism, Marxist political economy, and the Communist Manifesto. At the same time, classic works by Marx and Engels are widely recommended to Party members and cadres, emphasizing to start from the most fundamental theories of Marxism to accurately understand and grasp its essence.
Building on the basis of adhering to the basic positions, viewpoints, and methods of Marxism, the CPC has also continuously advanced theoretical innovation in the new era. Our Party has made many original and fundamental theoretical contributions to Marxism. For example, in the Communist Manifesto, Marx introduced the concept of "world history," pointing out that the development of capitalism broke the boundaries of nations and regions, leading human history to move toward globalization.
Building on this foundation, socialism with Chinese characteristics has put forward the significant concept of "building a community of shared future for mankind." This concept emphasizes strengthening exchanges and mutual learning with countries around the world, and jointly promoting the construction of shared human values. This is not only an inheritance of Marx's "world history" theory but also an important development and elevation in contemporary conditions, reflecting our Party's deepening and innovation of Marxism's fundamental theory.
Marx consistently emphasized the human standpoint, with its core being the pursuit of the liberation of the global proletariat, that is, the liberation of all humankind. Since its founding, the CPC has always adhered to this fundamental position. However, under different historical conditions and in response to various historical tasks, this position has been continuously enriched and expanded.
In the new era, General Secretary Xi has put forward a people-centered philosophy, emphasizing the principle of "putting the people first" and stating that "the country is the people, and the people are the country." These important remarks elevate the Party's commitment to its people to an unprecedented level.
This series of people-centered development concepts concretely embodies the Marxist stance on the people. These ideas are deeply rooted in the practice of developing socialism with Chinese characteristics and are implemented throughout the historical process of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. They highlight the CPC's unwavering original aspiration and enduring mission.
Throughout the process of reform and opening up, the CPC has consistently upheld that the essence of socialism lies in the liberation and development of social productive forces. In the early stages, the reform policies allowed some people to become prosperous first through legitimate efforts, to spur overall development. This injected strong momentum into China's economic growth. However, as the economy advanced rapidly, a number of deep-rooted issues gradually emerged, such as widening income disparities, corruption, and environmental degradation, which became chronic problems hindering social equity, justice, and sustainable development.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at its core has confronted these challenges head-on. When there were voices in society claiming that "actions would affect stability," the CPC Central Committee, from the perspective of the long-term development of the Party and the people's cause, firmly exercised full and rigorous Party self-governance and a series of deep-seated reforms. With great political courage and historical responsibility, our Party has continuously promoted the fight against corruption, tackled entrenched internal issues within the Party through institutional construction such as the "eight-point decision" and education on ideals and convictions, and gained widespread public support.
When it comes to addressing the issue of wealth gap, the CPC faced a "tough nut to crack" that involves institutional mechanism reforms and adjusting vested interests, requiring arduous efforts. Yet our Party has always adhered to a people-centered stance, committed to safeguarding and improving people's livelihoods through development, and has achieved historic progress in poverty alleviation.
In regard to ecological civilization, the CPC Central Committee has attached great importance to it, promoting a profound transformation from concepts to actions. What impressed me deeply is the obvious improvement in air quality in Beijing and my hometown Shandong Province around 2016. When I went to Canada in 2016 as a visiting scholar, the winter air in Beijing was filled with a pungent smell, but when I returned in 2017, I clearly felt that there were more blue skies and fresher air. My hometown has actively promoted the "coal-to-gas" project, with the government subsidizing farmers to gradually achieve clean heating. I have personally experienced these changes.
These transformations did not materialize overnight, but are the result of our Party's adherence to the people-centered development philosophy and its firm commitment to advancing self-reform and deepening reforms to overcome challenges. The CPC has not only led the country onto the path of prosperity and strength, but also has the courage to address the contradictions and problems in development, ensuring that the fruits of development benefit all the people fairly.
As a scholar specializing in Marxism and institutional philosophy, I have had multiple exchanges with Western scholars. During the May Day holidays in 2024, I visited the US for academic exchanges, making stops at the University of Denver and Stanford University. During the exchanges, we had in-depth discussions on issues such as institutional understanding, values, and national governance.
During my visit, I observed how US legislative bodies operate up close. City council members would discuss specific community issues in various meeting rooms. Although this form of discussion emphasizes democracy in format, it is inefficient—consuming significant time and energy but not necessarily effectively safeguarding public interests. This focus on "procedural democracy" left a deep impression on me.
China's political party system is a system of CPC-led multiparty cooperation and political consultation, with CPC playing a central role. This is the fundamental characteristic of China's new type of political party system. It is the product of integrating Marxist political party theory with China's reality, and can truly, widely and persistently represent and fulfill the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people. It can pool the consensus of various political parties and personages without party affiliation, effectively avoiding the drawbacks of a single party lacking supervision or the vicious competition of multi-party rotation. It can also gather various opinions and suggestions through institutionalized, procedural and standardized arrangements, promoting scientific and democratic decision-making, and effectively avoiding the shortcomings of some political party systems that lead to social division due to decision-making and governance constrained by partisan, social strata, regional and group interests.
I joined the CPC 31 years ago at the age of 26. I was teaching ideological and political education, and history courses, and my job deepened my understanding of CPC's theories and China's education mission, giving rise to my resolve to join the CPC.
Over the past 31 years, I witnessed China's great progress made under CPC leadership, and the vitality unleashed in economic development and institutional reform. This has made me deeply feel that the Party is leading us in continuous exploration and construction on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, a path that stirs my passion and is full of hope.
Over these 31 years, I have also profoundly realized that the CPC represents the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people, has always been committed to safeguarding and developing people's well-being, and contributing to the development of humanity as a whole. These are the principles I most identify with and admire.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, speaking on Thursday in a press conference after taking office last month, vowed to "protect peace and people's lives through practical diplomacy centered on national interests," based on South Korea's alliance with the US, close cooperation with South Korea, the US and Japan and the early improvement of its relations with China and Russia, according to the full text of Lee's speech published by the Maeil Business Newspaper on Thursday.
Improving ties with China under the Lee administration is a necessary matter, and it is crucial for Seoul to sustain economic growth amid uncertainties in trade talks with the US, according to analysts from China and South Korea reached by the Global Times.
According to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency on Thursday, at the press conference held at the former presidential compound of Cheong Wa Dae, known as the Blue House in Seoul, Lee elaborated on his foreign policy.
The Straits Times report noted that Lee pledged a pragmatic approach as the basis for accelerating efforts to improve ties with China and Russia, while saying the alliance with the US was the cornerstone of his foreign policy.
On Japan, Lee pledged to pursue a two-track approach in which past history issues, rooted in Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea, should be dealt with separately from future cooperation in security and economic areas, Yonhap reported.
Lee's latest statement reflects the consistency and stability of his long-advocated pragmatic foreign policy, which has been welcomed by the South Korean public as the rising approval ratings showed, Dong Xiangrong, a senior research fellow at the National Institute of International Strategy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Thursday.
In a recent Gallup Korea survey, 64 percent of 1,004 adult respondents said Lee was doing a good job, Yonhap reported on June 27, about three weeks into his term in office.
Another survey by Realmeter and commissioned by a local news outlet showed on Monday that Lee's approval rating rose for the second consecutive week to 59.7 percent, the Korea Herald reported.
On Thursday, Lee also reiterated his pledge to revive the country's faltering economy and outlined plans to boost growth. However, Lee said that the uncertainty remains for Seoul if its trade talks with Washington can result in a deal before next week's deadline to avert sweeping US tariffs, according to the Bloomberg.
Lee vowed to make his best efforts to produce "mutually beneficial and sustainable outcomes" in the trade negotiations, according to Yonhap.
Lee's economic policies and diplomatic strategies are closely linked. He is committed to improving relations with China while facing obstacles in tariff negotiations with the US, which are closely tied to South Korea's current economic difficulties, Dong said.
According to a May assessment by the Bank of Korea, the central bank of the country, economic growth this year is projected to be only 0.8 percent.
After Lee took office, South Korea's stock market has witnessed significant rise, but such growth is largely interpreted as a boost in market confidence driven by recovering political stability and the elimination of uncertainty, rather than a substantial improvement in economic fundamentals, Dong said. "To achieve sustained economic improvement, tangible progress is still needed in areas such as domestic investment, consumption, and foreign trade."
Improving relations with China is also one of the key and feasible directions of Lee's economic policy, aimed at promoting South Korea's economic recovery through strengthened international trade cooperation, Dong explained.
Woo Su-keun, head of the Institute of East Asian Studies of Korea and president of the Korea-China Global Association, told the Global Times in a recent interview that improving South Korea-China relations under the Lee administration is a necessary matter.
In fact, South Koreans with sound and reasonable judgment are well aware of the importance of South Korea-China relations, regardless of their political orientation, whether they are conservative or liberal, as well as the need for improved South Korea-China relations, Woo said.
Currently, the global economic environment is being distorted by the excessive greed of certain countries. However, South Korea and China, the central core countries of the global society, need to work closely together to maintain the banner of free trade and fair competition, which are essential for the sustainable shared prosperity of the global community, Woo urged.
Immigration enforcement agencies nationwide have solved a total of 205 drug-related cases in border and port areas, arrested 262 criminal suspects, and seized 2.42 tons of various drugs as of June 25 this year, according to CCTV News on Thursday.
Among these cases, 38 involved seizures of over 10 kilograms of drugs, further consolidating the positive momentum in the ongoing fight against drug trafficking at border and port locations.
The head of the Border Inspection and Management Division of the National Immigration Administration said immigration agencies will continue cracking down on drug crimes at ports and borders by analyzing trafficking routes, adjusting strategies, and strengthening patrols.
Efforts will also focus on deepening law enforcement cooperation with neighboring countries and boosting anti-drug publicity to engage the public.
In response to media questions on whether trade between China and Iraq has returned to pre-conflict levels after the ceasefire between Israel and Iran, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Friday that China maintains normal trade exchanges with Iraq. China hopes for a sustained and effective ceasefire to promote peace and stability in the Middle East.
In response to another question regarding US President Donald Trump's claim that China can now continue to purchase oil from Iran and whether China has started importing Iranian oil, Guo said that as previously emphasized, China will take reasonable energy security measures based on its own national interests.
Extreme rainfall in southern China has triggered the largest floods since 1998 in the upper and lower reaches of the Lishui River in Central China's Hunan Province, affecting more than 400,000 people in seven cities and prefectures and forcing the relocation of more than 95,000 people.
As of 5:00 pm Saturday, average precipitation across Hunan since Wednesday had reached 68.5 millimeters, with cities including Zhangjiajie, Changde, Huaihua, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous prefecture recording precipitations over 100 millimeters. In particular, Zhangjiajie recorded the areal precipitation of 331.1 millimeters with the accumulated precipitation in Badagongshan township in Sangzhi county reaching 664.5 millimeters, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Saturday, citing the provincial water resources, meteorological and emergency management departments.
In response to the widespread flooding, local governments across Hunan promptly activated corresponding emergency responses, strengthened early warnings for key locations and regions, issued over 1.39 million targeted alerts and more than 16,000 alert text messages, and reminded grassroots authorities to evacuate more than 95,000 residents.
Mao Weiming, a deputy Party secretary of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee and governor of Hunan Province, visited on Saturday the Hunan Provincial Department of Water Resources to review flood-control efforts and coordinate ongoing work.
Mao also visited the provincial flood and drought disaster prevention center to assess the rainfall and flooding levels. In particular, the northern and northwestern areas of the province have been hit by extremely heavy rainfall since Wednesday. The location with the highest recorded precipitation was 648.0 millimeters at the Wuya station in Longshan county, leading to the formation of the No.1 Flood of Lishui River in 2025.
On Thursday, the second day of the national college entrance exams in Longshan county, heavy rain caused severe street flooding. A video posted by a local resident showed a student in white wading through waterlogged streets to reach the exam. The local education authority said some students were late for the exam due to the heavy rain.
Heavy downpours began on Wednesday night in Longshan county, causing the Guoli River to surge and triggering the largest flood on record. As of Saturday, the flooding had affected 185,000 residents, Xinhua reported.
A local resident surnamed Chen from Longshan county told the Global Times on Sunday that many of the local residential compounds were built along the Guoli River.Compounds in lower-lying areas, including his own, were severely affected by the flooding.
According to Chen, such a major flood had never happened before, local residents lacked experience and didn't take early warnings seriously. When the floodwaters rose early Thursday morning, most residents were still asleep. Although the property management had placed sandbags at the entrance of the underground garage, water still flooded in.
Chen attempted to move his car at 5 am, when water levels were still low. But by the time he reached the garage, it was already halfway up the tires. By around 7:00 am, the water had completely submerged the garage ceiling, about half the vehicles inside the garage weren't moved in time.
Meteorological and hydrological forecasts indicate heavy to torrential rain is expected from Saturday to Monday in central and northern Hunan, with heavy downpours anticipated in southern Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, western Changde, central and northern Huaihua and western Yiyang.
Average rainfall over the next week are projected to reach 100 millimeters over the next week, with around 180 millimeters anticipated in the Lishui and Yuanshui river basins - significantly increasing the risk of major flooding.
Local authorities urged heightened vigilance against river flooding, mountain torrents, and geological disasters, safety risks at small and medium-sized reservoirs, and urban waterlogging.
In South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, heavy to torrential rain fell between 8 am and 8 pm on Saturday in parts of Baise, Fangchenggang, Hechi, Nanning and Chongzuo. As a result, 16 hydrological stations along 14 rivers reported water levels breaching the safety threshold by 0.01 meters to 3.77 meters, according to the local hydrological center, the Chinanews.com reported on Sunday.
Data from the local hydrological center show that water levels at the Liuzhou station on the Liujiang River rose to 82.50 meters at 2:00 pm on Saturday, marking the No.1 flood of the river in 2025. At the Jinchengjiang station on the Longjiang River, the water level peaked at 191.77 meters - 3.77 meters above the warning level of 188.00 meters - the highest since 1983.
Tension is continuously building up in the Middle East as the world is closely watching how Iran will respond to US' strikes on its nuclear sites. Iran issued a stark warning to the US government on Monday, saying that the attack on its nuclear sites expanded the range of legitimate targets for its armed forces, Reuters reported.
Iran and Israel traded air and missile strikes on Monday, meanwhile, a US military base in Hasakah, northeastern Syria, was attacked, sources said, reported Mehr News Agency of Iran. The agency did not specify who fired on this American military base.
On Monday morning, the Israeli military said missiles had been launched from Iran towards Israel. It also said it had attacked six airports in Iran, BBC reported.
Citing an unidentified source, Iran's state television Press TV updated on Monday on X that Iran used Kheyber-Shakan, Emad, Qadr, and Fattah-1 missiles in today's attacks.
Israeli Air Force fighter jets have dropped over 100 munitions on targets in Tehran in the past two hours, according to the IDF, the Times of Israel updated on Monday evening.
In a statement, Israel's military says it carried out an attack to "disrupt access routes" to the Fordow nuclear site that was hit by the US on Sunday, Al Jazeera reported on Monday.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei issued what appeared to be his first public statement since the US attack on Iran, in a post on X on Monday, local time, according to Wall Street Journal.
"The Zionist enemy has made a grave mistake, committed a great crime," the post said, referring to Israel. "It must be punished, and it is being punished; it is being punished right now."
The top commander of Iran's Armed Forces has also issued a strong warning that the US has opened the door to retaliation, saying "we will never back down," in a statement reported by state-run media. Abdolrahim Mousavi, the Armed Forces' Chief of Staff, said on Monday morning "criminal America" had "opened the doors to the warriors of Islam in the armed forces for any action against its interests and army, and we will never back down in this regard," the CNN reported.
Iran's supreme leader sent his foreign minister to Moscow on Monday. Russian President Vladimir Putin has told Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in talks in Moscow that aggression against Iran was groundless, Al Jazeera reported.
Putin made the comments at the start of Kremlin talks and said Russia is ready to help the Iranian people. Meanwhile, Araghchi thanked Putin for condemning the US strikes on Iran, telling him Russia stood on "the right side of history," according to the report.
"Overall, the current situation is in a highly uncertain stage of strategic maneuvering. Clear internal divisions exist within the US, while Iran is actively seeking diplomatic support," Sun Degang, director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Monday. "Whether the tension in the Middle East will further escalate remains to be seen, and depends on the next moves by all parties involved," the expert noted.
China, Russia and Pakistan proposed a draft resolution to the UN Security Council in New York on Sunday local time, calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, protection of civilians, respect for international law, and engagement in dialogue and negotiation, following the US' strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran. China's envoy to the UN also condemned the US for the attacks, and a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Monday that the strike has further intensified tensions in the Middle East.
Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN, said on Sunday at the UN Security Council Emergency Meeting that China strongly condemns the US attacks on Iran and the bombing of nuclear facilities under the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The actions of the US seriously violate the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law, as well as Iran's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity. They have exacerbated tensions in the Middle East and dealt a heavy blow to the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, Fu said.
Divided views
The US move to attack three nuclear sites in Iran has divided US President Donald Trump's supporters in the US and unsettled some allies, the Washington Post reported.
The prospect of escalation with Iran expanded the divide within the GOP over military intervention, and left some Republicans worried about political fallout, particularly if Iran retaliates by targeting Americans or curtailing crucial shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz, potentially increasing oil prices and undercutting the president's promises to reduce costs, according to the Washington Post.
Trump's decision to launch a military strike on Iran's nuclear sites without fully consulting the US Congress also layered a partisan approach onto a risky action, particularly because the White House briefed top Republican leaders beforehand while leaving Democrats with little information, the AP said on Monday.
From the perspective of US domestic politics, attitudes toward Iran are currently divided, some experts said.
"On one hand, after the military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, certain forces within the US government appeared increasingly emboldened," Sun said.
However, a different view also exists within the US, which argues that as a major regional power, any regime change in Iran could lead to chaos and instability, which could be a scenario that would come with an extremely high cost, Sun said.
Strait of Hormuz in focus
Iran's Supreme National Security Council must make the final decision on whether to close the Strait of Hormuz following the US bombing raids, after parliament was reported to have backed the measure, Reuters said.
The possible disruptions of the Hormuz passage also raised global concerns. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday called on China to encourage Iran to not shut down the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters.
When asked about Iran's parliament reportedly endorsing closing the Strait of Hormuz and China's comments and whether China has held talks with Iran regarding the issue, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Monday that the Persian Gulf and nearby waters are important route for international trade in goods and energy.
Keeping the region safe and stable serves the common interests of the international community. China calls on the international community to step up effort to promote deescalation of the conflict, and prevent the regional turmoil from having a greater impact on global economic growth, Guo said.
Iran has not yet made a formal decision on whether to block the Strait of Hormuz. While the Iranian parliament has expressed support for such a move, the final decision rests with the country's Supreme National Security Council, Liu Zhongmin, a professor from the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Monday.
"From a practical standpoint, this posture appears more like a way for Iran to vent its anger and issue a stern protest to the US and the international community," Liu said.
More substantive potential actions would include Iran announcing its withdrawal from the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) or refusing to cooperate with IAEA inspections, Liu said, noting that these developments could signal a new phase of escalation.
The current situation has entered a highly unstable phase, with a growing risk of a chain reaction that could escalate regional conflicts, Zhu Yongbiao, a Middle East affairs expert and director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies at Lanzhou University, told the Global Times on Monday.
"The adventurist actions of the US and Israel have introduced significant uncertainty to the broader Middle East, and their impact may spill over into other already fragile regions, triggering wider geopolitical turbulence. The path ahead is filled with unknowns and carries substantial strategic risks," Zhu said.
Queqiao-2, China's relay satellite for its lunar landing missions, is set to support future moon exploration endeavors by other countries, according to the country's Deep Space Exploration Lab.
The satellite, which supported Earth-moon communications for China's Chang'e-6 mission that has retrieved samples from the moon's far side, will provide relay services for lunar missions from China and other countries, the lab said on Monday.
Launched in March last year, Queqiao-2, also known as Magpie Bridge 2, is equipped with three scientific payloads -- an extreme ultraviolet camera, a two-dimensional-coded energetic neutral atom-imager and an Earth-moon very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) experiment system.
The satellite has been stably operating in orbit for 14 months, performing scientific tasks including large-scale imaging of Earth's plasma and magnetosphere layers, and VLBI experiments in the Earth-Moon system, according to the lab.
The satellite's extreme ultraviolet camera captured the first global 83.4-nanometer ionosphere image, providing crucial data for studying the impact of solar activity on the plasmasphere.
The satellite's VLBI experiment system, in coordination with the Shanghai 65m Radio Telescope, extended the observation baseline to 380,000 kilometers and successfully observed deep-space targets like radio source A00235 and the Chang'e-6 orbiter.
Queqiao-2 is poised to play a crucial part in the country's future Chang'e-7 and Chang'e-8 missions.
China plans to launch the Chang'e-7 mission around 2026 to explore the environment and resources of the south pole of the moon. The Chang'e-8 mission, set for around 2028, will conduct experiments for the in-situ utilization of lunar resources.
