The second World Humanoid Robot Games will be held in Beijing from August 22 to 26, the organizers announced at a press conference on Tuesday. The event, co-hosted by the Beijing municipal government and China Media Group, will take place at the National Speed Skating Oval stadium. 

The Games will feature two main categories and 32 events, divided into competitive and scenario-based contests.

The competitive category encompasses nine disciplines and 26 events, such as athletics, football, gymnastics, weightlifting, martial arts, street dance, sport dance, tug-of-war and pitch-pot. The scenario-based category comprises six events, covering home, hotel, industrial, emergency response, hospital and retail settings.

In the competitive events, alongside traditional highlights such as the 100-meter race, football and martial arts, the Games will introduce new contests including robot tug-of-war, which requires coordinated teamwork to generate maximum force; pitch-pot, derived from a traditional Chinese ritual and testing precision control and perception; and weightlifting, which challenges upper-body load capacity, showcasing the rapidly advancing overall capabilities of humanoid robots, Jiang Guangzhi, director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, said. 

Notably, robot football players this year are capable of dribbling while in motion and making diving saves, with their competitive level expected to advance from that of "preschoolers" to the "youth" stage, Jiang said.

The scenario-based events will also take place in real-world settings, comprehensively testing humanoid robots' coordination of "brain, eyes and hands" in environmental perception, decision-making and precise manipulation.

The aim is to cultivate task-capable humanoid "workers" such as workshop operators, household assistants and firefighters, and to explore a new model that links competition with industry by "winning medals first, and securing orders," according to Jiang.

"The rapid progress of robotics has raised our expectations for this year's Games, and we expect robot athletes to deliver more impressive performances in three areas," Jiang said.

"First, it's about greater autonomy. The level of embodied intelligence has improved significantly, so the 100-meter race has been upgraded to a fully autonomous event, with rules also encouraging teams in scenario-based competitions to adopt fully autonomous approaches for positioning, recognition and operation.

"And it's about greater dexterity. This year's events feature more tasks requiring fine manipulation, such as sorting clothes in home settings, firefighting in emergency scenarios and food preparation in retail environments.

"Third, it's about greater practicality. Scenario-based events will no longer be held in simulated venues but in real-world settings such as factories, hotels and model homes, enabling robots to autonomously and continuously perform long-horizon tasks in complex environments — moving from 'demonstration tools' toward 'practical productivity.'"

In addition to organizing the competitions, Beijing has rolled out supportive policies such as "first-use trials" for robots and a "challenge-based bidding" mechanism for key components.

The city is also advancing the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center to build four major platforms covering common technology research and development (R&D), embodied intelligence data, pilot testing and validation, and public industrial services. Multiple robotics industrial parks and pilot-scale testing bases are being developed across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, alongside a government investment fund of 100 billion yuan ($14 billion) to systematically support the growth of the humanoid robotics industry in Beijing.

As a result, Beijing's robotics sector is entering a new wave of innovation, shifting from technological leadership to real-world application. The city's innovation ecosystem continues to improve, with breakthroughs across motion control, embodied artificial intelligence (AI) models and biomimetic interaction, placing it among the national leaders in innovation density, Jiang said.

The World Robot Games test mobility, joint flexibility, heat dissipation, and more. This year's results are significantly better than last year's, reflecting Chinese companies' all-round R&D and manufacturing progress, which has also drawn public attention and strengthened the supply chain, Ma Jihua, a veteran tech industry insider, told the Global Times.

Robots are moving from "show" to "use." Performance gains come from software and hardware advances that apply beyond sports. Open competition reveals strengths and weaknesses, fostering mutual learning. These agile robots will find many real-world uses in life and work, and may even enable innovations once beyond human imagination, Ma said.

Chen Jing, a vice-president of the Technology and Strategy Research Institute, told the Global Times on Tuesday that from the half-marathon to the World Humanoid Robot Games, the competition logic has shifted from "physical fitness" testing to an integrated assessment of "fitness + intelligence." With more than 30 events—far beyond a single long-distance race — the 100-meter event has become fully autonomous, abandoning remote control to test embodied intelligence and real-time decision-making. This marks a transition from asking "can it run?" to "how does it run and decide?"

This year's event integrates traditional Chinese sports into competition, adding pitch-pot after martial arts to test precision and posture control. More crucially, the "win medals first, then orders" model designs events based on real needs from factories and hospitals. Robots must autonomously complete long-horizon tasks, pushing them from demonstration tools to practical productivity, Chen said.

Another highlight is the "dexterous hand" already installed on some robots, Chen said. It is a key bottleneck for commercialization and the next competitive frontier. Whoever demonstrates stable, precise dexterous manipulation in complex events will likely secure industry orders first, truly turning robots into trustworthy "workers" or "assistants," Chen added.

China's Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate on Wednesday issued a judicial interpretation on the application of law in cases involving the safety of civil aviation, which provides for severe punishment for acts such as disruptive "air rage" and fabricating terror information, according to a press conference held by the Supreme People's Court on Wednesday, CCTV News reported.

The document consists of seven articles and will take effect on Thursday. In response to current conditions and key issues in punishing criminal offenses that endanger the safety of civil aviation in accordance with the law, the interpretation sets out how to apply the Criminal Law and implement relevant policies, according to the report.

First, it elaborates on the punishment of disruptive "air rage" acts, such as the unauthorized opening of civil aircraft cabin doors and fighting or brawling inside the cabin. According to the interpretation, not all acts of the unauthorized opening of civil aircraft cabin doors constitute criminal offenses. Only when a cabin door is opened without authorization while the civil aircraft is moving under its own power or during flight, and poses a risk to public safety, can it be considered constituting the crime of endangering public safety by dangerous means.

The interpretation adopts a list-based approach to define standards for conviction and sentencing for the crime of violence endangering flight safety, which applies to violent acts committed on a civil aircraft in flight. It specifically clarifies that acts involving violence against civil aviation crew members may constitute the crime of violence endangering flight safety. 

Second, it calls for the strict punishment of crimes involving the fabrication and deliberate dissemination of false terror information related to the safety of civil aviation.

The interpretation stipulates that if an individual's act affects the normal operation of civil aviation flights or civil airports, or prompts public security, armed police, fire rescue, health quarantine and other departments to respond, it will be treated as a criminal offense. If it causes a serious social impact or significant economic losses, it will be deemed to have caused serious consequences, and a sentence of imprisonment of more than five years will be imposed.

Third, it clarifies the principles of territorial jurisdiction for criminal cases involving threats to the safety of civil aviation.

The interpretation specifies that for criminal cases occurring inside a civil aircraft, if the individual is apprehended during the flight, the case will fall under the jurisdiction of the people's court where the aircraft first lands after the incident. When necessary, jurisdiction may be exercised by the people's courts in the place of departure, stopover, or destination of the civil aircraft, to avoid possible jurisdictional disputes in practice.

"The issuance of the judicial interpretation is of great significance," Wang Yanan, editor-in-chief of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Essentially, by clarifying judicial standards, it addresses the long-standing issue of ambiguous penalties for violations such as disruptive "air rage" and brings acts that seriously endanger the safety of civil aviation within the scope of criminal regulation, thereby responding to society's dual demands for the safety of civil aviation operations and judicial fairness, Wang said.

In 2025, China's civil aviation industry handled 770 million passenger trips, representing a 5.5 percent year-on-year increase.

China National Space Administration (CNSA) on Friday outlined plans for this year's China Space Day celebrations while unveiling a series of major missions for 2026, including crewed Shenzhou spacecraft flights and flight tests for multiple reusable rockets. A Chinese expert said the agenda shows that both state-led and commercial space programs are advancing rapidly, with lunar exploration expected to become a key focus in the next stage of development.

International cooperation missions were also highlighted at the press briefing. China and Europe will launch the Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE), a joint satellite project aimed at revealing the interaction processes and patterns between the solar wind and Earth's magnetosphere. China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite cooperation will also continue, extending nearly four decades of friendship and collaboration between the two countries.

Officials said this year marks the 11th China Space Day and coincides with the 70th anniversary of China's space industry. Main events will be held around April 24 in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The program will include science popularization exhibitions, the China Space Conference and a series of technical exchange activities. Leaders and academicians from central government departments, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Engineering, universities and aerospace enterprises are expected to attend, alongside foreign guests from 26 countries, regions and international organizations. Brazil has been invited as the guest country of honor.

At the briefing, Liu Yunfeng, an official with the CNSA, introduced several major tasks planned for 2026. He said Tianwen-2 will approach its target asteroid and carry out close-range exploration. China's manned space program will implement missions including the Shenzhou-23 crewed spacecraft. Multiple types of reusable rockets will undergo flight verification tests, while commercial aerospace will pursue high-quality development under high-standard safety guarantees.

"China has a number of important space missions ahead, and both the national program and commercial space sector are advancing rapidly," Kang Guohua, a senior member of the Chinese Society of Astronautics and a professor of Aerospace Engineering at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, told the Global Times on Friday.

"At the national level, Tianwen-2 will carry out asteroid sampling tasks, while Chang'e-7 will launch for lunar exploration. It can be expected that a series of lunar missions will become a major focus of China's next phase of space development," Kang said.

On the commercial side, recoverable and reusable rockets will remain a major point of attention, he said.

"Commercial aerospace will continue experiments involving recoverable rockets. Once technical verification succeeds, I believe it will quickly drive an expansion of private-sector space delivery capabilities," Kang added.

On international cooperation, Liu said the China-Europe SMILE mission is intended to reveal the interaction process and changing patterns between the solar wind and magnetosphere, while the China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite program will continue to deepen long-standing bilateral ties.

Speaking to media, Liu said China-Brazil space cooperation is regarded as a model of "South-South cooperation" in high-technology fields.

He said the CNSA and the Brazilian Space Agency have signed multiple cooperation plans. The China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite program, launched in 1988, created a successful precedent for cooperation in the aerospace field among developing countries, serving the socioeconomic development of both nations and effectively promoting advances in space science and technology.

Liu said satellite data has benefited countries across Latin America, Africa and Asia, contributing positively to the progress of human civilization.

He added that with Brazil invited as the guest country of honor for this year's China Space Day, the two sides will deepen cooperation, including advancing the CBERS-06 satellite as scheduled and refining technical plans for CBERS-05.

"China's space program is unlike many Western-led projects that tend to involve a narrower group of developed countries cooperating mainly among themselves," Kang said.

"After developing its own capabilities, China has extended benefits for developing countries such as Brazil and Pakistan. For example, China previously announced it would arrange for one Pakistani astronaut to carry out a short-term mission as a payload specialist, while maintaining long-term cooperation with Brazil," he said.

Kang added that China has also maintained cooperation with Europe in the space sector, citing SMILE as an example, and said China has consistently attached importance to international collaboration in aerospace.

Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT), led a KMT delegation on Wednesday morning to pay homage to the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu Province, according to the Xinhua News Agency. 

The mausoleum is located in the eastern suburbs of Nanjing. Sun Yat-sen, a founding figure of the KMT and revered revolutionary leader who played a pivotal role in overthrowing imperial rule in China, died in 1925. His remains were buried here in 1929, Xinhua reported.

"Today, after 21 years, I returned to the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, and my heart is filled with emotion," Cheng said in a speech that lasted about 18 minutes at the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, according to a video of the visit published by Taiwan media outlet United Daily News (UDN) on its YouTube channel on Wednesday. 

Cheng choked up at one point during the speech. She said that 21 years ago, in early 2005, cross-Straits relations were extremely tense, and then chairperson of the KMT Lien Chan hoped to represent mainstream public opinion in Taiwan and break the ice across the Straits, Cheng noted, adding that she was deeply moved by this, and at Lien's invitation, formally joined the KMT and served as a spokesperson, according to the video.

Cheng's trip marks the first time in a decade that a KMT chairperson has led a delegation to the Chinese mainland. The visit is regarded as an important part of the exchanges and dialogue between the KMT and the Communist Party of China (CPC) under current circumstances. Paying homage to the mausoleum has long been an important part of KMT chairpersons' visits to the mainland, per Xinhua. 

Xin Changxing, secretary of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, met with Cheng in Nanjing on Wednesday, during which he extended a warm welcome to Cheng and her delegation. Xin said that Cheng's visit to the mainland has received broad support from the people of Taiwan. It reflects the mainstream public opinion on the island in favor of peace, development, exchanges and cooperation, meets the needs of the development of cross-Straits relations, and accords with the shared aspirations of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, according to a report from Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation.

Cheng thanked Jiangsu for its warm and thoughtful arrangements for the visit, as well as for its long-standing care and support for Taiwan businesspeople and Taiwan-funded enterprises in the province. She added that they will continue to uphold the 1992 Consensus, oppose "Taiwan independence," deepen exchanges and cooperation across various fields, work together to deliver more achievements, and better benefit compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, said the report.

The mainland extended Cheng a high-level reception, which shows that the mainland remains firmly in control of the broader direction of cross-Straits relations. So long as forces in Taiwan uphold the 1992 Consensus and are willing to engage, the mainland will extend appropriate courtesy and keep the door open to dialogue, exchanges and integrated development, despite obstruction from the DPP's anti-mainland stance, Xin Qiang, director of the Taiwan Studies Center at Fudan University, told the Global Times.

According to the itinerary released by the United Daily News, Cheng and the delegation are scheduled to travel to Shanghai for follow-up visits and activities. They are scheduled to travel to Beijing on April 9.

Both sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to one China. People on both sides are Chinese and part of one family. Affairs across the Straits are matters for people on both sides to resolve themselves. Our compatriots on both sides have the ability to properly handle their own issues, Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Wednesday when asked to comment on Cheng's visit to the mainland. 

We are willing, on the common political foundation of adhering to the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence," to work with all political parties, organizations, and individuals in Taiwan island, including the KMT, to promote the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, seek peace in the Taiwan Straits, bring well-being to our compatriots, and achieve national rejuvenation, Zhu said.

Taiwan media extensively covered Cheng's visit to the mainland on Wednesday. For example, regional media "China Times" published a full account of Cheng's speech at the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum.

While media outlet SETN noted that when Cheng paid tribute at the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, she was greeted by mainland residents chanting slogans such as "Welcome, reunification of the motherland," "People on both sides of the Taiwan Straits are one family." Cheng responded with a smile and a wave, and paused to admire the bronze cauldron, exclaiming, "Wow, this is amazing."

KMT spokesperson and legislator Niu Hsu-ting said in an interview on the BCC News Network program on Tuesday that the KMT believes risks across the Taiwan Straits can be managed and conflict reduced through dialogue, and sees this as a path to peace. He said this not only serves social stability, but also aligns with international expectations. If dialogue can help avert war, stabilize the situation, and manage risks, there is nothing wrong with any party choosing to pursue it. That, he said, is the broad and proper path forward.

Since Lai Ching-te took office, cross-Straits relations have remained tense. Cheng's visit responds to concerns among the Taiwan public and sends a signal in support of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits. While it cannot resolve the underlying problems, the trip could still help reduce tensions and create room for further de-escalation, Wang Yingjin, director of the Center for Cross-Straits Relations Studies at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times. 

The current basis for stabilizing cross-Straits relations includes upholding the 1992 Consensus, maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, opposing "Taiwan independence," and restoring exchanges and cooperation across the Straits, including party-to-party platforms, economic forums, and other dialogue mechanisms. Against this backdrop, Cheng's visit is seen as a positive step toward easing tensions, according to Wang. 

The growth of organic rice farming in Meihekou, Northeast China's Jilin Province, offers a useful insight into the shifting dynamics of China's consumer market. 

According to Securities Times on Thursday, local farmers have seen their profits increase by up to five times by moving from conventional green rice to organic varieties. While the average profit from growing green rice is about 400 yuan ($58.50) per mu, organic rice can yield approximately 2,000 yuan. This increase in profitability reflects not only a change in agricultural methods but also a growing demand among consumers for organic, higher-quality goods.

Despite the higher price of organic rice, demand continues to rise. A report from the People's Daily on April 5 cited data from JD.com showing a 25 percent year-on-year increase in organic rice sales this year. 

This suggests that more consumers are willing to pay a premium for organic products, reflecting a broader shift toward health-conscious choices.

The demand for organic products extends beyond rice. Organic vegetables, fruits, and even condiments such as soy sauce are increasingly found in both online and offline retail markets. The growing availability of these items indicates that organic products are gradually becoming more widespread.

China's organic product market is expanding rapidly, creating ample growth opportunities. Upgrading consumer demand, higher-value agriculture, and technology-empowered retail channels are driving this shift nationwide.

China's organic product sales reached 124.7 billion yuan in 2024, up 22.79 percent year-on-year, with the country remaining the world's third-largest market for organic consumption, the Beijing-based Farmers' Daily reported in October 2025. 

Organic consumption in China has strong potential for further growth, driven by a range of factors. These are likely to position organic products as an increasingly prominent segment in China's consumer market.

First, as incomes rise and awareness of health and food safety grows, demand for organic products is steadily increasing. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, China's per capita disposable income in 2025 reached 43,377 yuan, a real increase of 5 percent year-on-year. This rising affluence is accompanied by a growing emphasis on health-conscious consumption, with organic foods seen as a safer, higher-quality option. 

Second, the growing demand for higher-end products is creating space for higher-value agriculture. Organic products generally offer higher profit margins than conventional farming, providing strong incentives for producers to upgrade. This dynamic is encouraging a shift toward more sustainable and higher-value agricultural practices, benefiting both farmers and consumers while supporting the broader trend of consumption upgrading.

Third, organic products are reaching a broader range of consumers, unlocking the potential of the lower-tier market. According to official data, express delivery services now cover 95 percent of China's administrative villages. As logistics and warehousing networks extend into county-level areas, fresh food e-commerce platforms and retail channels are expanding rapidly into lower-tier regions.

Fourth, organic consumption is driving growth in related services. Certification bodies, testing and inspection firms, and traceability tools such as QR codes and blockchain all play a role. Together, they form part of the modern services sector. These services help ensure product safety, build consumer trust, and improve the efficiency of the supply chain. In 2025, the number of organic certification labels used in China exceeded 6.66 billion, according to CCTV News.

These factors, along with others, are helping to establish a growing ecosystem around organic consumption, creating an expanding network and supply chain. This development suggests that organic consumption has significant room for continued growth. 

Organic consumption can be considered one of the emerging trends in the broader landscape of new consumption patterns in China. In addition to organic products, numerous other consumption trends are reshaping the market, including a growing demand for higher-quality goods and a rising focus on choices that promote personal well-being. Taken together, these trends reflect the vibrancy and transformation of China's consumer market.

Meihekou's organic rice provides a clear illustration of these emerging trends. While it may be a localized case, it reflects broader changes occurring across China's consumer landscape. As consumer preferences evolve and demand for higher-quality products increases, there will be ample opportunities for businesses to engage with a market that is increasingly focused on quality, health, and personal well-being.

A new direct air route linking central China with Southeast Asia was launched on Sunday, with the inaugural flight departing from Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, to Jakarta. The route marks the first direct connection between the two cities.

Flight MF8683, carrying more than 150 passengers, took off from Wuhan Tianhe International Airport at 4:40 p.m. and headed to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in the Indonesian city.

The route is operated by a Boeing 737-800 Max aircraft and operates four times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

According to Wuhan Tianhe International Airport, the launch filled a gap in direct passenger capacity between Wuhan and Indonesia's core city, further expanding the central Chinese city's network of routes to Southeast Asia.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Thursday that Lebanon's sovereignty and security should not be violated, and the lives and property of civilians must be protected. 

Mao was asked to comment on Israel's launch of large-scale air strikes against more than 100 targets in Lebanon within 10 minutes on Wednesday, and Lebanon has declared on Thursday a national day of mourning, with Iran stating that this act violated the ceasefire agreement and closed the Strait of Hormuz.

China calls on relevant parties to remain calm and exercise restraint to de-escalate regional tensions, Mao said. 

European leaders said Sunday that they will join Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday when he meets with US President Donald Trump at the White House, as US President on Saturday split from key European allies and Kiev after his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, backing Putin's plan for a sweeping peace agreement based on Ukraine ceding territory it controls to Russia, instead of the urgent ceasefire Trump had said he wanted before the meeting, according to media reports.

Chinese experts said Trump's major shift prioritizes improving US-Russia ties over a quick ceasefire, as his administration aims to negotiate a comprehensive plan with Russia that aligns with American interests.

Europe, on the other hand, has been trying to sway Trump but finds itself increasingly powerless, as the Trump administration does not see it as an equal counterpart. Trump's change in stance also suggests shifting pressure onto Europe while aiming to detach the US from European security concerns, experts noted.

Trump told European leaders that he believed a rapid peace deal could be negotiated if Zelensky agreed to give up the rest of the Donbas region to Russia, even those areas not occupied by Russian troops, the New York Times reported citing two senior European officials briefed on the call.

The US President wrote on Truth Social early on Saturday that he had spoken by phone to Zelensky and some European leaders after his meeting with Putin. He said "it was determined by all" that it was better to go directly to negotiating a peace agreement without first implementing a ceasefire, according to the report.

Skipping ceasefire discussions would give Russia an advantage in the talks, which are expected to continue on Monday when Zelensky visits Trump at the White House. It will be their first meeting in Washington since the Oval Office fallout in March, which quickly devolved into chaos, media reported.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, President Emmanuel Macron of France, Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain and Finnish President Alexander Stubb were among the leaders who announced that they will join Zelensky in Washington on Monday, according to the New York Times. Giorgia Meloni, Italy's prime minister, will also join, as will NATO's secretary general, Mark Rutte, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Following a phone call with Trump after the summit, Zelensky said the "fire must cease." In a post on X, he added that Russia's refusal to agree to a ceasefire is complicating efforts to end the war, according to the BBC.

In what appears to be rejection of Trump's proposal, Serhiy Leshchenko, an adviser to Zelensky's chief of staff, said that "Our vision is a ceasefire, and then everything else,'' according to CNN.

In an interview with Fox News following Friday's summit, Trump was asked what advice he has for the Ukrainian leader, to which he responded by saying "make a deal."

"Russia's a very big power and they're not," he added.

On the Ukraine issue, the Trump administration's focus has always been on negotiating a comprehensive plan that aligns with American interests. Ceasefire serves only as a lever for his goal, which is to arrange a larger strategic framework with Russia and jointly shape a postwar world order with Russia. Consequently, his goals are at odds with Europe's objectives, Jiang Feng, professor of European Studies at the Shanghai International Studies University and president of the Shanghai Association of Regional and Country Studies, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, added that Trump's shift in stance demonstrates his urgency to repair US-Russia ties. "Currently, improving the strained relations with Moscow is simply more important than pushing for a swift Russia-Ukraine ceasefire," Li said.

"After the Trump-Putin meeting, both sides realized that a rupture in relations would cause irreversible damage, as both hold the world's largest nuclear powers," said Lü Xiang, research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The expert believes the summit's focus was more on strategic balance between the two countries rather than on the Ukraine issue.
Europe frustrated

Following Trump's comments, European leaders issued a statement that did not echo Trump's claim that peace talks were preferable to a ceasefire.

The statement said Zelensky, who was not invited to the summit, should be present during any future talks, and that "it will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory," CNBC reported. Britain, France, Germany and others threatened to increase economic penalties on Russia "as long as the conflict continues."

Ukraine's allies in Europe also expressed concern that Trump was moving closer to Putin's position following their meeting, and Trump's comments indicate a dramatic shift in his position on how to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, media reported.

"Europe is desperately trying to influence Trump but feels deeply powerless," Jiang noted. "With no real military strength or control over nuclear weapons, Europe lacks leverage, leaving it increasingly voiceless in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Critically, Europe has no strategic plan, relying solely on arming Ukraine to prolong the war as its only means to counter Russia, while offering no substantial peace proposals."

"It's even more irritating for Europe to see that Putin, whom they disdain, is now warmly received by Trump, even sharing a car ride," Jiang said.

"Europe needs to wake up," said Lü. "Now if it can't join the negotiation table, it should at least avoid becoming a 'dish on the menu.' Europe should realize its role will become increasingly marginal under the Trump administration and its future depends on Europe itself."

Before Zelensky's visit to the White House on Monday, the "coalition of the willing" - a group of countries that have pledged to strengthen support for Ukraine that includes the UK, France, and Germany - will hold a call on Sunday afternoon local time.

The leaders said they were "ready to work" toward a trilateral summit with European support.

During an interview with public broadcaster ARD on Saturday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that a trilateral meeting involving Putin, Zelensky and Trump is expected to follow Monday's meeting, though uncertainties remain, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Trump reportedly told European leaders in a post-summit call that he wants to arrange a trilateral summit with Putin and Zelensky as soon as next Friday, according to Axios citing sources.

"Ukraine and Europe may face more challenges in managing their relations with the US following Trump's shift in stance, which signals the US government's transfer of pressure onto Ukraine and Europe," Li told the Global Times.

A delegation of more than 70 members of the Youth Division of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has reportedly arrived in the island of Taiwan on Sunday for a visit scheduled to run through Wednesday, including a meeting with Lai Ching-te. Chinese observers on Monday slammed the move as a reckless provocation that seriously violates the principles of diplomatic relations between China and Japan and shall not be tolerated. 

Led by LDP Youth Division director Nakasone Yasutaka, the delegation includes four sitting members of Japan's Diet and is scheduled to meet Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te and other senior regional officials, according to Taiwan's local media.

Taiwan's so-called foreign affairs department welcomed the delegation, saying the visit demonstrates Japan's strong commitment to maintaining "close ties" with the island of Taiwan.

Lü Chao, president and associate professor at the Institute of American and East Asian Studies at Liaoning University, described the LDP Youth Division as a representative right-wing organization that consistently maintains an anti-China stance and frequently engages in political interactions with Taiwan's regional authorities.

The LDP Youth Division has sent delegations to Taiwan annually over the past few years, according to the island local media, and that includes meeting with Lai in May and August last year, and with former president Tsai Ing-wen in April last year, August 2023 and May 2022.

The LDP Youth Division's large-scale, high-profile political interaction with the authorities on the Taiwan island is a deliberate provocation against China, aimed at emboldening the "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces. The latest delegation's visit is once again a reckless provocation to the bottom line of the Chinese people, Lü told the Global Times on Monday.  

"We will never tolerate such actions that severely violate the principles of China-Japan diplomatic relations between China and Japan, and we will resolutely condemn them and take countermeasures," said the expert. 

Commenting on reports that the head of Taiwan's so-called foreign affairs department recently made a "private" trip to Japan and met with Japanese politicians, including former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi and the director of the LDP Youth Division Nakasone, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on July 28 that by allowing Lin Chia-lung to make the so-called "private" trip, Japan provided a platform for "Taiwan independence" forces to engage in anti-China separatist activities, seriously violated the basic norms governing international relations and the principles in the four political documents between China and Japan, and sent out a gravely wrong signal. China strongly deplores and firmly opposes it. We've lodged serious representations to the Japanese side in Beijing and Tokyo and made strong protests.

We urge Japan to abide by the principles in the four political documents between China and Japan, act on its solemn commitment, deeply reflect on and learn lessons from history, act all the more prudently on the Taiwan question, not to harm China's sovereignty in any way and not to send any wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces. Japan should never underestimate the firm resolve, will, and ability of the Chinese people to safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity, Guo said then.

The Chinese Consulate General in Khabarovsk told the Global Times on Thursday that regarding the case of a Russian plane reportedly gone missing with about 50 people on board, the consulate is still verifying the facts and cannot confirm yet whether any Chinese nationals are on board. 

The consulate added that it will provide updates in a timely manner if any new information should emerge.

The Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday afternoon, citing media outlets, that a Russian plane with about 50 people on board is missing.

Debris of the missing Russian passenger plane has been discovered in the Eastern Amur Region, Xinhua reported, citing media.

According to the latest report cited by Xinhua from media, there is no survivor found in crashed Russian passenger plane.