After being transported to a launch pad at the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site on Tuesday, a new member of China's Long March carrier rocket family, the Long March-12, has been scheduled to undertake its maiden flight in the next few days.

Experts said due to its enhanced overall capacity, the new rocket, which is the country's first single-core liquid carrier rocket with a diameter of 3.8 meters, will gradually replace China's older 3.35-meter diameter series. With better reliability in attitude control, the Long March-12 is expected to become the basic model for future reusable rockets in China.

The rocket, developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, features a two-stage configuration. The first stage is powered by four liquid oxygen/kerosene engines, each with a thrust of 1,250 kilonewtons, while the second stage uses two liquid oxygen/kerosene engines with a thrust of 180 kilonewtons each, China Central Television reported.

Its payload capacity to low Earth orbit is no less than 10 tons, and its capacity to reach a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit is no less than 6 tons. The rocket's fairing is standardly available in diameters of 5.2 meters and 4.2 meters, allowing for multi-size adaptation based on different missions, the report said.

Apart from the 5-meter diameter Long March-5 rocket, the "fatty" in the family, the Long March series typically features a diameter of 3.35 meters, while solid rockets are generally slimmer, with diameters usually below 3 meters. 

The Long March-12 rocket represents a significant advancement in the country's space launch capabilities, as the increased diameter addresses the limitations of the previous 3.35-meter rockets, allowing for more powerful engines, enhanced payload capacity, and better expandability of rocket thrust. Therefore, the Long March-12 is expected to significantly improve overall launch capability compared to previous generations, gradually replacing the older 3.35-meter models, Chinese space analyst Song Zhongping told the Global Times on Tuesday.

According to CCTV, the pioneering shape of the Long March-12 is based on the improved development of China's new generation of main liquid oxygen/kerosene engines, the YF-100 series, and is the result of repeated verification, research, and testing. 

This notable feature allows for both railway transportation to various launch sites and the optimization of compatibility between the rocket's diameter and the number of engines, facilitating capability expansion and thus laying the groundwork for future reusable rockets, experts said.

Song pointed to an important technical parameter for launch vehicles, the length-to-diameter ratio, which affects the rocket's stability during recovery. 

"Theoretically, a more optimal length-to-diameter ratio enhances the stability of a reusable rocket. The previous 3.35-meter rocket was relatively slender and long, making it more challenging to control its attitude. By increasing the diameter, the length-to-diameter ratio can be reduced, making it easier to control the rocket's stability and facilitating recovery," he said. 

The expert anticipates that the Long March-12 rocket will become the basic model for future reusable rockets in China, while allowing for the development of various configurations based on it. This standardization will be crucial for the future of rocket recovery and reuse, Song noted.

Previous media reports said the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site will be equipped with two liquid rocket launch pads. The first launch pad will be dedicated to the Long March-8 carrier rocket, while the other launch pad will provide launch services for the Long March-12 vehicle.

China is planning to develop the next-generation BeiDou system that is technologically more advanced, functionally more powerful and offers higher quality services.

An experimental satellite of the system is scheduled for launch around 2027, while network deployment will begin by around 2029 and be completed by 2035.

China and Russia on Friday conducted their ninth joint strategic air patrol, which saw the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force's latest H-6N bombers flying over the Sea of Japan for the first time on this kind of cruise mission.

Capable of aerial refueling, the H-6N bomber can significantly expand the joint patrol's scope of deterrence and strike, said experts reached by the Global Times.

Following the annual cooperation plan between the Chinese and Russian militaries, on Friday, the two sides conducted their ninth joint strategic air patrol in airspace over the Sea of Japan, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense said in a statement on Friday.

It is the ninth joint strategic air patrol between the two militaries since 2019, with the goal of effectively testing and enhancing the joint training and operating capabilities between the two countries' air forces, the PLA Air Force said in a press release on Friday.

This China-Russia joint strategic air patrol is the second of 2024. The first joint patrol of the year was held on July 25, and saw the two countries' bombers flying over airspace over the Bering Sea, China Central Television (CCTV) reported at the time.

Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times on Friday that the main purpose of the routine joint strategic air patrol by the Chinese and Russian militaries is to enhance strategic mutual trust between the two countries and their armed forces, improve the level of strategic cooperation between the two militaries, increase their ability to jointly address security challenges, and maintain peace and stability in the region and the world.

During the joint patrol, there was no entry into any other country's territorial air space, showing that China and Russia are not seeking military expansion. Instead, they aim to safeguard national security and maintain regional and global peace and stability by strengthening their joint defense capabilities, as they send a message of peace, Zhang Junshe said.

The joint patrol traversed a vast amount of airspace and navigated complex meteorological conditions. The large-scale and high-frequency joint air patrols by the two militaries demonstrate the rapid response and long-range operational capabilities of their air forces, proving the efficient combat readiness of their aircraft under real combat conditions, Zhang Junshe said, noting that the joint patrol enhanced and reinforced the intelligence sharing and collaborative combat capabilities between the two militaries, showcasing the high level of strategic mutual trust between them.
In one session during the joint combat patrol over the Sea of Japan, a Chinese J-16 fighter jet escorted two Chinese H-6N bombers and a Russian Tu-95 bomber. This marks the debut of the H-6N in a combat patrol, China Bugle, an official media account affiliated with the PLA's News Media Center, reported on Friday.

The H-6N was first unveiled as a new type of long-range strategic bomber in the National Day military parade marking the 70th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 2019, the Xinhua News Agency reported at the time.

The H-6N is a home-made strategic bomber capable of midair refueling and long-range strikes, Xinhua reported.

Chinese military expert Zhang Xuefeng told the Global Times on Friday that compared with the H-6K, which participated in previous China-Russia joint patrols, the H-6N has longer range, and through aerial refueling, it can significantly expand the joint patrol's scope of deterrence and strike.

The H-6N likely has also received upgrades in terms of airborne weapons and equipment, making it the most advanced bomber in service with the PLA Air Force, Zhang Xuefeng said. "It also means that after the troops received delivery [of the H-6Ns,] they have already achieved operational capability after strict training," he said.

Song Zhongping, another Chinese military expert, told the Global Times that Russia's participating aircraft, the Tu-95, has a longer range than the H-6K, but through aerial refueling, the new H-6N has the same cruising range as the Russian bomber.

Deploying the H-6N means that China is willing to send its most advanced weapons into the China-Russia joint strategic patrol, Song said. He pointed out that the H-6N bomber represents a stronger deterrent force, showing the two countries' capabilities in safeguarding strategic sea lanes along the first island chain.

After several American universities, including Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania, issued a travel alert to international students and faculty asking them to return before the new US administration takes office in January 2025 over possible re-entry issues, some Chinese students in the US have canceled their travel plans and expressed concern, the Global Times has learned.  

Some Chinese students reached by the Global Times said they had canceled their trips back to China during the Christmas holidays and rearranged other plans in the wake of the advisories. 

Cornell University's Office of Global Learning issued guidance last week to inform and assist international students, faculty and staff as "the immigration landscape is likely to change under the new presidential administration." 

"A travel ban is likely to go into effect soon after the inauguration. The ban is likely to include citizens of the countries targeted in the first Trump administration: Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Myanmar, Sudan, Tanzania, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, and Somalia. New countries could be added to this list, particularly China and India, per the guidance, which was released on the school's website on November 26. 

The guidance advised international students, faculty and staff from the above countries to be back in Ithaca in advance of the semester, which begins on January 21, 2025. 

A Chinese graduate student at Cornell University told the Global Times on condition of anonymity on Sunday that she had canceled a family reunion trip to avoid re-entry issues. Though her return date was before the inauguration, the student decided not to take any risks. 

"In early November email alert started circulating in chat groups. That was when I began thinking of canceling my trip," the student said. 

A PhD candidate in a non-STEM major at Cornell University told the Global Times that he does not plan to return to China during the summer holidays like before until he finishes his studies.    

The Global Times checked on websites on multiple other American universities, finding that schools including the University of Pennsylvania, Boston University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst have issued similar advisories asking international students to return prior to the presidential inauguration on January 20, 2025. 

Other students have adjusted or canceled travel plans even though their own schools did not issue a travel alert yet. A student at Duke University told the Global Times on condition of anonymity that she had just canceled a holiday trip outside the US in case of re-entry problems. 

"I don't know what will actually happen after January 20 [2025], but the chilling effect is real and precautions are necessary," the Duke student said.   

China is no longer the top source of international students in the US for the first time in about 15 years, giving its place to India, according to the annual survey by the Institute of International Education (IIE), a report sponsored by the US State Department, released on November 18. 

Lü Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, attributed the trend partly to a hostile political atmosphere. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the 19th G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro on Monday. 

In his remarks on Fight Against Hunger and Poverty at Session I of the 19th G20 Summit on Monday, Xi called for building a just world of common development. 

Xi said China will always be a member of the Global South, a reliable long-term partner of fellow developing countries, and a doer and go-getter working for the cause of global development, according to the website of Chinese Foreign Ministry. 

"Today, transformation of a scale not seen in a century is accelerating across the world. Humanity faces unprecedented opportunities and challenges. As leaders of major countries, we should not let our vision be blocked by fleeting clouds. Rather, we must see the world as one community with a shared future, and shoulder our responsibility for history, take historical initiative and move history forward," Xi said. 

The Chinese leader said there should be more bridges of cooperation, and less "small yard, high fences," so that more and more developing countries will be better off and achieve modernization. 

Xi also outlined China's eight actions for global development in his speech.

Upon arriving in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, Xi expressed readiness to work with all parties for an equal and orderly multi-polar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

In a written statement, Xi hoped for the G20's greater role as an important platform for international economic cooperation.

This year's G20 Leaders' Summit, scheduled for November 18-19, marks the first gathering of the kind since the accession of the African Union (AU) as a full member, a historic milestone that strengthens the voice of the Global South.

"Building a just world requires the G20 to honor the principles of mutual respect, equal-footed cooperation and mutual benefit, and support Global South countries in achieving greater development," Xi said in a signed article published in Brazilian media outlet Folha de S. Paulo on Sunday. "Building a sustainable planet requires the G20 to promote sustainable production and lifestyle as a way to achieve harmony between humanity and nature," he said.

Xi arrived in Rio de Janeiro Sunday for the 19th G20 Summit and a state visit to Brazil. 

He said he looks forward to having an in-depth exchange of views with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on further enhancing China-Brazil relations, promoting synergy of the two countries' development strategies, as well as international and regional issues of common interest.

Xi said he believes the visit will further strengthen the two countries' strategic mutual trust, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields and usher in a new "golden 50 years" for China-Brazil relations.

Close ties on display

The close relationship between the two countries was on vivid display in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, as local residents, including members of the Chinese Brazilian community from across the country gathered at the airport and streets of the city to warmly welcome President Xi, waving Chinese and Brazilian flags.

"We came to Rio to witness this important moment and welcome President Xi," a resident surnamed Chen from the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo told the Global Times on Sunday, as he and others in his group alternated between taking pictures and dancing with samba performers at the Galeao International Airport in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday. 

After learning that the Global Times reporters came from China to cover the summit and that Chen's group came from Sao Paulo, a staff member at a G20 vendor that was set up to help journalists and others who came to Rio for the Summit organized a samba show, drawing many passengers to marvel at the traditional Brazilian dance. 

"The 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Brazil is a significant milestone. It celebrates half a century of cooperation and friendship," Theo Schunck, Executive Secretary of the Rio Metropolis Institute, told the Global Times. "The two nations have built a strategic partnership in various sectors, such as trade, technology, science and culture."

In terms of trade, the two countries have seen rapid growth over the years. China has been Brazil's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years. Over the past three years, China's annual imports from Brazil have exceeded $100 billion. China's trade with Brazil hit 1.14 trillion yuan ($158.33 billion) from January to October this year, including 432.08 billion yuan in exports and 708.15 billion yuan in imports, both registering steady growth, Xinhua reported. 

And the upcoming talks between the leaders of the two countries are significant, "because it represents a new starting point to further strengthen bilateral relations," Schunck said. "This meeting is an important step toward deepening cooperation in various areas and laying the groundwork for a shared future." 

Support for multilateralism

In addition to their bilateral ties, China and Brazil are also close partners in promoting multilateral cooperation, particularly in advancing cooperation within the Global South framework.  

Rodrigo Pires de Campos, a professor of Institute of International Relations, University of Brasilia, noted that both countries are leading significant multilateral initiatives globally, particularly within the Global South and BRICS.

Amid the issues with the current multilateral order and challenges facing the world, "initiatives like BRICS and other Global South initiatives at present are very much strategic," de Campos told the Global Times. 

The close cooperation and coordination between China and Brazil on global issues will also likely be demonstrated at the G20 Summit.

As the host of the G20 Summit this year, Brazil has established the summit theme as "Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet" and made active efforts to advance G20 cooperation in various areas, including fighting hunger and poverty. Brazil has also proposed the establishment of a Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. 

China and Brazil have long collaborated on various fronts, including climate change, poverty alleviation, hunger eradication, inequality reduction, fair trade, financial systems, and development aid, de Campos said. 

And while these efforts take time, "we have to believe that we have the right way and maintain those relations in order to have concrete results in the medium or longer term," he said.

China is ready to maintain a momentum of steady and positive development of China-France relations, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday.

China is willing to work with France to make greater contribution to the sound development of China-Europe relations and world peace and stability, Xi said when meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders' Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The urban management authority of Guangzhou, South China’s Guangdong Province, has started soliciting public opinions on converting some men’s toilets into unisex toilets to deal with the problem of long queues outside of women’s toilets and the unreasonable ratio of male and female toilets. The plan has drawn a lot of attention from the public. 

According to a statement on the website of Guangzhou urban management and comprehensive law enforcement bureau, the city will continue to build more public toilets, rebuild and expand the public toilets, as well as conduct rectification on men’s toilets to cope with the shortage of women’s toilets in some parts of the city, Guangzhou Daily reported on Wednesday. 

The public toilet plan wants to transform some public toilets into unisex toilets for either male or female, converting some men’s toilets into gender-neutral toilets to cope with the unreasonable ratio of male to female stalls and low utilization of male stalls. The plan also includes the renovation of some toilets.

According to the draft plan, the demand for the number of public toilets in the city will be estimated between 6,405 and 10,675 during the period from 2024 to 2035. The current number of public toilets meets the standard requirements of three to five toilets in each square kilometer, but there is an issue of uneven distribution, The Paper reported on Wednesday. 

In addition, the plan also suggests to build children-friendly toilets to cater to the demands from children and provide children with humanized service facilities. 

Meanwhile, the plan in solicitation has aroused heated discussions online with many netizens suggesting to build more toilets for women. 

According to an official from the urban management and comprehensive law enforcement bureau, the unisex toilets or the gender-neutral toilets refer to all-gender toilets that can be used by either men or women. When a unisex toilet is locked by the user, the light outside will be turned on to show it is occupied, Nanfang Daily reported on Wednesday. 

According to the official, Guangzhou has already set up more than a dozen such toilets to flexibly adjust the allocation of stalls for men and women to accommodate different demands at different times, thereby improving efficiency.

According to the plan, 933 toilets will be newly built or expanded by 2035, with 308 among them completing construction or expansion by 2030.

Following the International Criminal Court's (ICC) decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Friday that on the question of Palestine, China always stands on the side of fairness and justice, and on the side of international law, opposes all acts that violate international law including international humanitarian law, and condemns all moves against civilians and civil facilities. 

Spokesperson Lin Jian said the Gaza conflict is still dragging on and unprecedented humanitarian crisis is unfolding. China supports all effort in the international community conducive to realizing fairness and justice and defending the authority of international law on the question of Palestine. 

We hope the International Criminal Court will maintain an objective and just position, lawfully perform its duties, and interpret and apply the Rome Statute and general international law in its entirety, in good faith and in line with uniform standards, Lin said.

The ICC judges said there were reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant were criminally responsible for acts including murder, persecution and starvation as a weapon of war as part of a "widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population of Gaza," Reuters reported. 

Following the ICC's decision, however, a rift appears to be intensifying between the US and its allies over the Gaza conflict, Chinese observers said. 

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell said "It is a decision of a court, of a court of justice, of an international court of justice. And the decision of the court has to be respected and implemented," according to Tehran Times. 

Meanwhile, countries including Canada, Australia, Italy, the UK and France have said they are legally obliged to support the ICC ruling, and the Dutch foreign minister even said "The Netherlands is 100% behind the Rome Statute," media reports said. 

By contrast, US President Joe Biden said in his first statement, "Let me be clear once again: whatever the ICC might imply, there is no equivalence - none - between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security," responding to the ICC decision, which he denounced as "outrageous," according to Times of Israel. 

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the US would not execute the arrest warrants, and called the ICC move a "flawed process," media reports said.

The US' support for Israel is structural and long-term but in fact, there is a serious political divide on the issue, including within the US. Within the Western camp, due to Israel's policies leading to a severe humanitarian disaster, even Canada and some European countries have begun to express differing opinions, Liu Zhongmin, a professor from the Middle East Studies Institute at Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times.

Whether it is regarding the arrest warrants from the ICC or previous condemnations and opposition against Israel, a significant gap has formed between the US and Europe, Liu stated. 

Liu said it remains uncertain whether the arrest warrant will actually restrict the travel plans of Netanyahu and Gallant. 

The US biased support for Israel has positioned it against the international community, resulting in increased isolation and significant damage to its soft power, Ding Long, a professor with the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times.

The US on Wednesday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza, drawing criticism against the Biden administration for once again blocking international action aimed at halting the war, Reuters reported. 

Following the arrest warrant, the ICC reached out to member states for cooperation. The court lacks its own police force to carry out arrests and depends on member states to fulfill this responsibility, which they are legally required to do. Israel, like the US, is not a member of the ICC, according to CNN.

When asked how the conflict will be affected following the ICC arrest warrant, Ding believed that despite facing an international outcry, the Israeli prime minister may continue to strike against Hezbollah and Hamas.

Liu said Israel, having already faced severe isolation internationally, is determined to fully implement its policies of eradicating Hamas, as Netanyahu has previously stated. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday held talks with Peruvian President Dina Boluarte.

Xi flew in earlier in the day to pay a state visit to Peru and attend the 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.

Pet parking spots have been installed by stores near a shopping mall in Shanghai's Xuhui district to allow customers to shop more freely, with some noting that Shanghai is ahead of the times.

The dog park features a red, apple-shaped structure with three bone-shaped handles for securing leashes, according to the Paper, a Shanghai-based media outlet. Dog walkers are provided with the convenience of attaching a leash to the handles to temporarily secure their pets, the Paper said.

A staff member at the store hosting the facility said that the pet parking feature has been available since the store opened to public in August to assist pet owners. "Originally, a feeding bowl was placed next to the facility, but it was later damaged," the sales told the Paper.

The facility quickly generated buzz among netizens. Some praised Xuhui district for its pet-friendly environment and progressive approach. Others expressed concerns about dogs being too close together or the risk of dogs getting lost if not properly secured.

A storekeeper explained that pets are allowed in the store and that the dog park primarily serves to allow customers to shop hands-free. The clerk added that a customer used the facility recently and that staff would help look after pets if requested.

In addition to Xuhui district, other commercial areas in Shanghai, such as Yangpu district that have also set up pet parking spots.