10 Great Things About China You Can't Miss (December 7 – 13)

1. China holds central economic work conference to draw up plans for 2025

The annual Central Conference on Economic Work was held in Beijing from Wednesday to Thursday, as Chinese leaders decided on priorities for economic work in 2025.

It was noted at the meeting that the Chinese economy showed generally stable performance while making progress in 2024 and that more proactive and effective macroeconomic policies should be implemented to support the upward trend of the economy. in 2025.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the annual Central Economic Work Conference in Beijing, capital of China. Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi attended the conference. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

2. Three baby giant pandas return to China from Belgium

Three baby giant pandas born at the Pairi Daiza wildlife park in Belgium, “Tian Bao”, “Bao Di” and “Bao Mei”, have returned safely to China, marking an important milestone in the panda conservation program between the two country.

“Tian Bao”, a male born on June 2, 2016, and his twin siblings “Bao Di” and “Bao Mei”, born on August 8, 2019, were accompanied by a team of experts from both countries during their travel to Chengdu, Sichuan Province.

“Bon Voyage” written in French is seen on a truck carrying three giant pandas at Brugelette Airport, Belgium, December 10, 2024. (Photo: China News Service/De Yongjian)

3. Ice-cutting festival heralds promising winter tourism in northeast China

In bitter winds, fur-clad workers wielded steel scissors to attack the frozen surface of the Songhua River, producing a large chunk of crystal-clear ice as spectators cheered in Harbin, capital of China's Heilongjiang (northeast).

The piece of ice, dubbed this year's first ice cream, was harvested amid rhythmic chants from workers, signaling the start of Harbin's annual ice-cutting season on the Songhua River, which winds through the city.

This year, this iconic ice-cutting festival in Harbin, one of China's most popular ice and snow tourism destinations, attracted thousands of Chinese and foreign tourists on this freezing Saturday.

An aerial photo from a drone shows a worker scooping ice from the Songhua River in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang province. (Photo: China News Service/Peng Qiwei)

4. High-rise building fire leaves one dead in Guangdong

One person was confirmed dead after a loud explosion was heard and a fire broke out on Wednesday afternoon at a high-rise building in phase II of the Shenzhen Bay Yuefu residential complex, located in the district of Nanshan in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong province, according to local firefighters. said.

According to a press release from the Shenzhen Fire Department, the fire broke out around 2:46 p.m. and was extinguished at 6 p.m., with no further injuries or casualties reported.

The department dispatched 16 fire trucks and 80 firefighters to the scene, but the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The photo shows the accident site. (Photo: China News Service/Zhou Can)

5. A new maritime passage open to traffic in Guangdong in China

The Huangmaohai route, a maritime passage in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), opened to traffic on Wednesday.

Construction of the project began in June 2020 and is another major sea crossing after the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the Shenzhen-Zhongshan link in the GBA.

The project is designed as a six-lane highway with a speed limit of 100 kilometers per hour. It begins in Pingsha Town, Zhuhai City, and ends in Doushan Town, Taishan City, stretching for about 31 kilometers.

The photo shows the Huangmaohai Bridge in south China's Guangdong province. (Photo: China News Service/Feng Zhuzai)

6. China holds national commemoration for victims of Nanjing massacre

In a solemn commemoration ceremony, Nanjing residents observed a minute of silence on Friday as sirens echoed across the city, marking China's national memorial ceremony to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre.

Despite the cold winter weather, thousands of people dressed in dark clothes gathered in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province, with white flowers pinned to their chests, to participate in the ceremony.

The 11th national memorial ceremony for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre is held at the Memorial for Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu Province, December 13, 2024. (Photo: China News Service/Yang Bo)

7. Ma Ying-jeou to lead Taiwan youth delegation visiting mainland

Ma Ying-jeou, former chairman of China's Kuomintang Party, will lead a youth delegation from Taiwan to visit the Chinese mainland from Dec. 18 to 26, a mainland spokesperson said Wednesday.

Ma Ying-jeou visits the Chongqing Urban Planning Exhibition Hall in Chongqing, southwest China, April 3, 2023. (File photo: China News Service)

8. China's Long March 8A rocket prepares for its maiden flight

The Chinese-developed Long March 8A carrier rocket, the country's main launcher for future medium and low Earth orbit missions, was transported to the Wenchang Launch Center in south China's Hainan Province on Monday. for its maiden flight in January 2025, according to its developer. Chinese Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT).

The Chinese-developed Long March 8A carrier rocket, the country's main launch vehicle for future medium and low Earth orbit missions, is transported to the Wenchang Launch Center in south China's Hainan Province on 9 December 2024. (Photo/Chinese Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology)

9. Drone crash dampens Chinese artist's fireworks display in Quanzhou

Renowned Chinese contemporary artist Cai Guoqiang presented his highly anticipated daytime fireworks display, Red Sail: A Pyrotechnic Plan, on Sunday for the launch of the Cai Guoqiang Contemporary Art Center in his hometown of Quanzhou. However, the event experienced an unexpected interruption during which a large number of drones fell into the sea or crashed to the ground.

The Red Sail Drone Fireworks: A Pyrotechnic Plan for the Launch of the Cai Guoqiang Contemporary Art Center is held in Quanzhou, Fujian. (Photo: Chinese News Service/Ke Ning)

10. China's grain production in 2024 will exceed 700 million tonnes, a record

China's grain production in 2024 reached a record high of 706.5 million tonnes, an increase of 1.6% from last year's output, according to official data released on Friday.

(File photo/China News Service)