10 big things about China you should not miss (Sept. 14- Sept. 20)

1.China's defense minister pledges greater efforts to safeguard world peace at Beijing Xiangshan Forum

Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun Thursday pledged greater efforts to safeguard world peace at the 12th Beijing Xiangshan Forum.

He said that the Chinese military is willing to work with all parties to uphold security with concrete actions, enhance military mutual trust, step up multilateral coordination, and promote high-quality and efficient cooperation while improving related mechanisms, so as to make greater contributions to safeguarding world peace and building a community with a shared future for humanity.

2. China issues white paper on CPC guidelines for governing Xinjiang in new era

China's State Council Information Office on Friday released a white paper titled "CPC Guidelines for Governing Xinjiang in the New Era: Practice and Achievements."

Xinjiang is experiencing the best period of development in its history. The regional government takes a sound approach to protecting the spoken and written languages of all ethnic groups, and encourages them to learn languages from each other.

The central government has allocated more than 4 trillion yuan (about $562.3 billion) in transfer payments to Xinjiang since 2012, including nearly 543.48 billion yuan in 2024 alone, said a white paper released Friday.

The battle against desertification on the fringes of the Taklimakan Desert in Xinjiang has been stepped up, with the desert now entirely encircled with a sand-blocking green belt stretching 3,046 km -- the longest in the world.

3. Film on Japan's Unit 731 opens in China as call to remember history, safeguard peace

A film "Evil Unbound" depicting the atrocities committed by Japan's notorious Unit 731 during World War II opened in theaters across China Thursday, coinciding with the anniversary of the Sept. 18 Incident and presented both in remembrance of past suffering and as a call to safeguard peace.

4. Changchun Air Show opens in north China

The 2025 aviation open-day activities of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force and Changchun Air Show opened Friday in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province.

5. Chinese scientists decode century-old mystery of plant cell totipotency

Chinese researchers have mapped how single somatic cells reprogram into totipotent states during plant regeneration, shedding light on a biological puzzle that has challenged scientists for more than a century.

The findings, led by Professor Zhang Xiansheng of Shandong Agricultural University, clarify how plant cells can regain the ability to form all tissues of a new organism. Researchers said the work could provide a foundation for improving crop genetics and regeneration efficiency.

6. International celebrity KhabyLame experiences lion dance in south China

KhabyLame, a popular TikTok star, visited Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province Wednesday, where he experienced intangible cultural heritage activities such as Cantonese opera, and the lion dance.

7. 22nd China-ASEAN Expo opens in south China

The 22nd China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) opened Wednesday in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

8. China reports over 50 pct surge in visa-free foreigner entries in first 8 months

China saw visa-free entries by foreign nationals surge 52.1 percent year on year to 15.89 million from January to August 2025, the National Immigration Administration (NIA) said Thursday.

During the same period, border inspection agencies processed 51.27 million foreigner entries and exits, up 27.8 percent from a year earlier, with visa-free arrivals accounting for 62.1 percent of the total entries, the NIA added.

9. China's carbon emissions trading market operating smoothly: minister

China has established the world's largest carbon emissions trading market during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), which is now operating stably, Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu said Friday.

Speaking at a press conference, Huang said that the country's carbon emissions trading market covers more than 60 percent of national carbon emissions.

10. China Southern Airlines unveils first aircraft featuring China's 15th National Games

China Southern Airlines’ first aircraft featuring China's 15th National Games was unveiled and put into operation Friday at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, south China's Guangdong Province.