Podcasts about Hainan

On April 13, 2018, when President Xi Jinping announced that China would support Hainan, a tropical island about the size of Taiwan province off China's southern coast, in exploring the creation of a free trade port with Chinese characteristics, the message traveled far beyond China's southern shores.2018年4月13日，习近平主席宣布，中国将支持位于中国南部沿海、面积与台湾省相当的热带岛屿海南，探索建设具有中国特色的自由贸易港。这一消息迅速传遍中国南方海岸之外。It reached Atyrau, a city on Kazakhstan's Caspian coast, where Ruslan Tulenov, then working at a local chemical company after spending more than a decade studying and living in China, followed the news closely.这一消息传到了哈萨克斯坦里海沿岸城市阿特劳。当时，在中国学习和生活十余年后、正在当地一家化工企业工作的鲁斯兰·图列诺夫，密切关注着这条新闻。The moment Xi's announcement was broadcast, Tulenov knew it was the right time for him to return to Hainan, where he had completed his undergraduate studies.习近平讲话播出的那一刻，图列诺夫便意识到，重返他完成本科学业的海南，时机已经成熟。"I was constantly observing this country — how it developed and where it was heading," Tulenov recalled. "I wanted to find my own career chance in that process."“我一直在观察这个国家——它是如何发展的，又将走向何方，”图列诺夫回忆说，“我希望在这一进程中找到属于自己的职业机会。”Speaking that day at the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the founding of Hainan province and the Hainan Special Economic Zone, Xi highlighted Hainan's special advantages, including its status as China's biggest SEZ, its unique geographic location and the best ecological environment in the country, as reasons to make it a test ground for reform and opening-up.在当天举行的海南建省办经济特区30周年庆祝大会上，习近平强调了海南的独特优势，包括其作为中国最大经济特区的地位、独特的区位条件以及全国最优的生态环境，并指出正是这些优势，使海南具备成为改革开放试验田的条件。The decision to build a pilot free trade zone and eventually a free trade port was, Xi stressed, a major move by the Communist Party of China Central Committee to signal China's resolution of further opening up and promoting economic globalization.习近平强调，建设自由贸易试验区并逐步探索建设自由贸易港，是中共中央着眼于进一步扩大对外开放、推动经济全球化作出的重大战略部署。On Thursday, the Hainan FTP will officially launch island-wide special customs operations — a move that Xi has described as a landmark step by China to unwaveringly expand high-standard opening-up and promote the development of an open world economy.周四，海南自由贸易港将正式启动全岛封关运作。习近平将这一举措称为中国坚定不移扩大高水平对外开放、推动开放型世界经济发展的标志性一步。China's plan for the island's future also opened the door for young talent like Tulenov. When the Hainan International Economic Development Bureau, established in 2019, launched a global talent recruitment campaign, he applied right away.中国对海南未来发展的系统规划，也为图列诺夫这样的青年人才打开了机遇之门。2019年成立的海南国际经济发展局启动全球人才招聘计划时，他第一时间提交了申请。The bureau is the first government agency of its kind at the provincial level dedicated to attracting global investment for the Hainan Free Trade Port.该机构是中国首个在省级层面专门负责为海南自由贸易港吸引全球投资的政府机构。After rounds of tests and interviews, the multilingual Kazakh became the bureau's first foreign employee, reflecting Hainan's growing international orientation.经过多轮考试和面试，这位精通多种语言的哈萨克斯坦人，成为该局首位外籍员工，体现出海南日益增强的国际化取向。As policies for the Hainan Free Trade Port continued to take shape, China released a master plan in June 2020 to build Hainan into a globally influential, high-level free trade port by the middle of the century.随着海南自由贸易港相关政策不断完善，中国于2020年6月发布总体方案，提出到本世纪中叶，将海南建设成为具有全球影响力的高水平自由贸易港。The document said that supporting Hainan's construction of a free trade port system with Chinese characteristics is a significant move designed, arranged and promoted by Xi.文件指出，支持海南建设具有中国特色的自由贸易港体系，是习近平亲自谋划、亲自部署、亲自推动的重大战略举措。Two years later, in 2022, Tulenov found himself standing in the audience at the Yangpu Economic Development Zone in Hainan, listening as Xi spoke about Hainan's development path.两年后的2022年，图列诺夫站在海南洋浦经济开发区的会场中，现场聆听习近平阐述海南的发展路径。The province, Xi said, had spent decades debating its industrial positioning. Now, the priorities were clear: tourism, modern services, high-tech industries, and tropical high-efficiency agriculture, he said.习近平指出，海南在产业定位问题上探索多年，如今方向已经明确，即重点发展旅游业、现代服务业、高新技术产业和热带特色高效农业。As China's only tropical province and a major maritime region, Hainan had natural advantages in developing these four industries. The four sectors already accounted for 67 percent of Hainan's GDP in 2024.作为中国唯一的热带省份和重要海洋区域，海南在发展这四大产业方面具备天然优势。到2024年，这四个产业已占海南地区生产总值的67%。During that trip, Xi also raised expectations: Hainan would become a paradigm of reform and opening-up in the new era, he said.在那次考察中，习近平还提出更高期望，指出海南要成为新时代改革开放的示范样板。At the China International Import Expo, the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference and the G20 Leaders' Summit, the Chinese president has, on many international occasions, highlighted China's efforts to develop the Hainan Free Trade Port and develop new systems for a higher-standard open economy. Xi said that all are welcome to share in the vast opportunities of the Chinese market.在中国国际进口博览会、博鳌亚洲论坛年会以及二十国集团领导人峰会等多个国际场合，习近平多次介绍海南自由贸易港建设进展和中国构建更高水平开放型经济新体制的努力，并表示欢迎各方共享中国市场的巨大机遇。In December last year and again this November, Xi returned to the province to hear detailed work reports from local officials — trips that highlighted the central leadership's close attention to the FTP's progress.去年12月以及今年11月，习近平两次赴海南听取地方工作汇报，凸显了中央对自由贸易港建设进展的高度关注。This focus is especially significant as the Hainan FTP will officially launch island-wide special customs operations on Thursday.在海南自由贸易港即将启动全岛封关运作之际，这种高度重视尤显重要。The shift will raise the share of zero-tariff goods in the Hainan FTP from 21 percent to 74 percent, while further opening sectors such as tourism, modern services and high-tech industries.封关运作后，海南自由贸易港零关税商品比例将从21%提升至74%，同时进一步扩大旅游业、现代服务业和高新技术产业等领域对外开放。"The launch of island-wide special customs operations will provide Hainan with the foundational conditions to advance opening-up across a broader scope and at a deeper level," Xi said during his trip to Hainan last month, stressing the need to free minds, advance reform and explore new ground, and promote reform and opening-up across various sectors more proactively.习近平在上月考察海南时指出，全岛封关运作将为海南在更大范围、更深层次推进对外开放提供基础条件，并强调要进一步解放思想、深化改革、勇于探索，在各领域更加主动推进改革开放。For Tulenov, each of Xi's visits carries a personal meaning. "Every time President Xi comes, we feel encouraged," he said.对图列诺夫而言，习近平每一次到访都具有特殊意义。“每次习近平主席来，我们都备受鼓舞。”他说。As the International Economic Development Bureau's global press officer, Tulenov has traveled extensively, promoting Hainan's advantages to companies and investors across the world.作为海南国际经济发展局的全球新闻官，图列诺夫走访多国，向全球企业和投资者推介海南的优势。"I always tell them that Shenzhen was where China first opened to the world. Now Hainan is the next chapter," he said. "Personally, I benchmarked the FTP against Hong Kong and Singapore. I firmly believe Hainan will become a port like those — it just takes time and steady steps."“我总是告诉他们，深圳是中国对外开放的起点，而海南正书写着新的篇章，”他说，“就我个人而言，我将海南自由贸易港对标香港和新加坡。我坚信，海南终将成为类似的国际港口，只是需要时间和稳步推进。”Thursday also marks the 47th anniversary of the third plenary session of the 11th CPC Central Committee — the milestone meeting that launched China's reform and opening-up. Observers said the latest move represents another significant step in the opening-up of the world's second-largest economy, even as unilateralism and protectionism intensify globally.周四同时也是中共十一届三中全会召开47周年纪念日。这次具有里程碑意义的会议开启了中国改革开放的历史进程。观察人士指出，在全球单边主义和保护主义加剧的背景下，海南的新举措标志着世界第二大经济体进一步扩大开放的重要一步。"The Hainan Free Trade Port occupies a uniquely prominent place in China's reform agenda," said Matteo Giovannini, an Asia-Global Fellow at the University of Hong Kong. It is one of the national strategies reaffirmed by President Xi, underscoring its role as a test ground for the next stage of high-level opening-up, he said.香港大学亚洲全球研究员马特奥·乔万尼尼表示，海南自由贸易港在中国改革议程中占据着独特而突出的地位，是习近平反复强调的国家战略之一，凸显了其作为新一轮高水平对外开放试验田的重要作用。Hainan's performance is likely to become a key reference for how China balances deeper openness with economic security amid global uncertainty, Giovannini said.乔万尼尼表示，在全球不确定性加剧的背景下，海南的发展实践有望成为中国在深化开放与维护经济安全之间寻求平衡的重要参考。"Lessons from Hainan may inform reforms in areas such as cross-border capital flows, data governance, services trade and green finance, offering models that could be scaled up elsewhere," he said. "In this sense, Hainan is not just a regional experiment, but a signal of how China sees reform evolving under more complex external conditions."他说：“海南的经验可能为跨境资本流动、数据治理、服务贸易和绿色金融等领域的改革提供借鉴，并形成可在其他地区推广的模式。从这个意义上看，海南不仅是区域性试验，更是中国在复杂外部环境下推进改革方向的重要信号。”Wang Ying, a researcher at the Academy of China Open Economy Studies at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, said that the strategic emphasis placed on the Hainan FTP reflects China's confidence in its development path and commitment to globalization.对外经济贸易大学中国开放经济研究院研究员王颖表示，中央对海南自由贸易港的战略重视，体现了中国对自身发展道路的信心以及持续推进经济全球化的坚定承诺。She said that the FTP, which serves as a platform for engagement with frameworks such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement, also signals China's determination to align with top-tier international trade rules.她指出，海南自由贸易港作为对接《区域全面经济伙伴关系协定》《全面与进步跨太平洋伙伴关系协定》《数字经济伙伴关系协定》等框架的平台，也释放出中国主动对标高标准国际经贸规则的明确信号。By taking a pioneering approach, Hainan is positioned to contribute Chinese solutions to the evolution of international economic rules and help guide the development of global standards, Wang added.王颖补充说，通过先行先试，海南有望为国际经济规则演进提供“中国方案”，并在全球标准制定中发挥引导作用。Giovannini noted that Hainan is well positioned, both geographically and strategically, to become a connective node between China and Southeast Asia, with its focus on services trade, logistics, tourism, and digital and green industries closely matching ASEAN's growth priorities.乔万尼尼指出，从地理和战略层面看，海南具备成为连接中国与东南亚的重要枢纽的有利条件，其重点发展的服务贸易、物流、旅游以及数字和绿色产业，与东盟的发展重点高度契合。"If regulatory credibility and policy consistency are maintained, the FTP could evolve into a meaningful gateway for two-way flows of capital, talent and services, connecting China more deeply with ASEAN and other emerging markets," he said.他说：“如果能够保持监管可信度和政策连续性，海南自由贸易港有望发展成为资本、人才和服务双向流动的重要门户，使中国与东盟及其他新兴市场实现更深层次联通。”free trade port (FTP)自由贸易港island-wide special customs operations全岛封关运作zero-tariff goods零关税商品economic globalization经济全球化regulatory credibility监管可信度

Hainan is making headlines these days, because of the island-wide special customs operations at Hainan Free Trade Port. Behind the policy language and tariff schedules, we ask a simpler question: how will this reform change people's daily life? For businesses, workers, investors, and residents, Hainan's customs transition is more than just about trade, but also cost, opportunities, mobility, and a new future for the island. On the show: Niu Honglin, Laiming & Yushun

A two-tier customs system will facilitate freer trade between Hainan and overseas markets, while maintaining standard customs controls and tariffs on goods moving between the island and the rest of China.

Hainan Province has begun its special customs operations, a milestone in China's high-standard opening up (01:04). China says Japan's recent actions have cast doubt about whether it is intentionally stirring up troubles and provocations to justify its military buildup (14:28). The U.S. president says he wants to take back oil he claims stolen by Venezuela, while Caracas says Venezuelan oil and soil are rightfully theirs (23:24).

This is a big moment as Hainan, the Free Trade Port in South China, officially launches its special customs arrangements that will allow more goods, services, investments, data, and people to move more freely into the island. This is a major policy move, demonstrating China's resolve to become more open and inclusive in this new era. How will all this work in reality? What will these special customs operations mean for global investors and companies?

① Hainan Free Trade Port begins special customs operations. What does this signal for China's further opening-up? (00:48) ② Russia vows peaceful solutions while asserting military initiative in Ukraine—what does this mean for the prospects of peace talks? (24:40) ③ The unemployment rate in the U.S. rose in November to a four-year high—what does this reveal about the economic struggles behind everyday Americans' livelihoods? (36:27) ④ CATL discusses Chinese battery innovation—how will it reshape the future of energy and mobility? (45:08)

A large tropical island off China's southern coast will gain independent customs status on Dec. 18 – a move Chinese leaders hope will jump-start development in Hainan and pioneer new levels of openness for the rest of the country, despite the rise of protectionism. Also: today's stories, including how a charter school in Hawaii offers a paradigm shift around AI's role in education; how beef prices have hit record highs in the United States; and the 10 best movies of 2025, according to our film critic. Join the Monitor's Stephanie Hanes for today's news.

China's central bank says it has completed the financial preparations for the start of island-wide special customs operations at the Hainan Free Trade Port on Thursday.

On December 18th, China's Hainan Province will officially launch its island-wide special customs operations. What does this move mean in China's pursuit of high-standard opening-up? What tangible opportunities will it bring to local residents, entrepreneurs, and international investors? How will it shape Hainan's economic and social development, as well as its cooperation with the Chinese mainland and neighboring regions?

Hey before I begin I just want to thank all of you who have joined the patreon, you guys are awesome. Please let me know what other figures, events or other things you want to hear about in the future and I will try to make it happen.   If you are a long time listener to the Pacific War week by week podcast over at KNG or viewer of my youtube channel you have probably heard me talk about Tomoyuki Yamashita, the Tiger of Malaya quite often. It goes without saying when it comes to Japanese generals of WW2 he stands out. Not just to me, from the offset of the war he made a large impression on westerners, he achieved incredible feats early on in the war. Now if you look up books about him, you will pretty much only find information in regards to his infamous war crimes trial. Hell it was so infamous the legal doctrine of hierarchical accountability for war crimes, whereby a commanding officer is legally responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by his subordinates, was created. This is known as the command responsibility or “the Yamashita standard”. His court case was very controversial, he remains a controversial figure, certainly to the people of territories he campaigned in, but I think what can be said of him the most is he was special amongst the Japanese generals. Anyways lets get the show on the road as they say.   So who was Yamashita? When he was 59 years old commanding forces in the Philippines against General Douglas MacArthur, he weighed 220 ls and stood 5 feet 9 inches. His girth pressed out against his green army uniform. He had an egg shaped head, balding, wide spaced eyes and a flat nose. He wore a short mustache, sort of like Hitlers, until it grayed then he shaved it off. He was not a very attractive man, Filipinos referred to him as “old potato face” while Americans called him “a florid, pig faced man”.   Tomobumi Yamashita was born in 1885, he was the second son of Dr. Sakichi Yamashita and Yuu Yamashita in Osugi village, on Shikoku island. Like most males of his day he was indoctrinated into military preparatory school from a young age. Yamashita had no chosen the army as a career, in his words ‘my father suggested the idea, because I was big and healthy, and my mother did not seriously object because she believed, bless her soul, that I would never pass the highly competitive entrance examination. If I had only been cleverer or had worked harder, I would have been a doctor like my brother”Yamashita would graduate from the 18th class of the IJA academy in november of 1905, ranked 16th out of 920 cadets.    In 1908 he was promoted to the rank of Lt and during WW1 he fought against Imperial German and Austro-Hungarian forces in the famous siege of Qingdao, which if you are interested I did an episode over on my Youtube channel about this battle. Its a very overlooked battle, but many histories firsts occurred at it like the first carrier attack. In 1916 he was promoted to captain and attended the 28th class of the Army War college to graduate sixth in his class that year. He also married Hisako Nagayama in 1916, she was the daughter of the retired General Nagayama.    It seems Yamashita's brush against the Germans in 1914 had a huge influence on him, because he became fascinated with Germany and would serve as assistant military attache at Bern and Berlin from 1919-1922. He spent his time in Germany alongside Captain Hideki Tojo, both men would run into each other countless times and become bitter rivals. Both men toured the western front, visiting Hamburg and witnessed first hand the crippling inflation and food prices that came from Germany's defeat. Yamashita said to Tojo then “If Japan ever has to fight any nation, she must never surrender and get herself in a state like this.” He returned to Japan in 1922, was promoted to major and served a few different posts in the Imperial Headquarters and Staff College. Yamashita became a leading member of the Kodoha faction, while Tojo became a leading member of the rival Toseiha faction. In 1927 Yamashita was sent again to Europe, this time to Vienna as a military attache. Just prior to departing he had invested in a business selling thermometers starting by one of his wife's relatives, the business failed horribly and Yamashita was tossed into debt, bailiffs literally came to seize his house. As told to us by his biographer “For a regular officer to have contracted such a debt, however innocently, was a disgrace. He felt he should resign his commission.” Yamashita's brother refused to allow him to quit, instructing him to leave for Vienna, while he resolved his debts. His days in Vienna were the best of his life, professed Yamashita. He studied economics at Vienna university and made friends with a Japanese widow, who introduced him to a German woman named Kitty and they had an affair. This would spring forward his reputation as an eccentric officer. Yamashita was obsessed over hygiene,and refused to eat fruit unless it was thoroughly washed. He avoided ice water, hated dancing and never learnt how to drive a car. One of his most notable quirks was his habit of falling asleep often during meetings where he legendarily would snore. Like I may have said in previous podcast and youtube episodes, this guy was quite a character, often described as a big bear.    Now this is not a full biography on Yamashita so I cant devolve to far into things, such as his first fall from grace. During the February 26th coup incident of 1936, Yamashita was a leading member of the Kodoha faction and helped mediate a peaceful end to the standoff, however in truth he was backing the coup. He simply managed to not get caught red handed at the time doing too much for the mutineers, regardless he lost favor with the outraged Emperor and many young captains whom he loved like sons killed themselves in disgrace. If you want to know more about the February coup of 1936, check out my series on Emperor Hirohito or General Ishawara, they both talk about it in depth and touch upon Yamashita's role a bit.    The coup led to the dissolvement of the Kodoha faction and the dominance of the Toseiha, led by Tojo. Yamashita tried to resign from the IJA, but his superiors dissuade him. He was relegated to a post in Korea, which honestly was a punishment. Yamashita would say “When I was posted to Korea, I felt I had been given a tactful promotion but that in fact my career was over. Even when I was given my first fighting company in North China, I still felt I had no future in the Army, so I was always on the front line, where the bullets flew the thickest. I sought only a place to die.”  He had some time to reflect upon his conduct while in Korea, he began to study Zen Buddhism. He was promoted to Lt General in November of 1937 and when the China war broke out he was one of those speaking out that the incident needed to end swiftly and that peaceful relations must be made with the UK and US. He received a unimportant post in the Kwantung army and in 1938 was assigned command of the IJA 4th division. He led the forces during in northern china against insurgents until he returned to Tokyo in July of 1940. His fellow officers lauded him as Japan's finest general. Meanwhile Tojo had ascended to war minister and one of his first moves was to send a delegation to Germany. Tojo considered Yamashita a ruthless and forceful commander and feared he would become a powerful rival against him one day. Yamashita would go on the record to say then “I have nothing against Tojo, but he apparently has something against me.” You see, Yamashita had no political ambitions, unlike Tojo who was by nature a political monster. “My life, is that of a soldier; I do not seek any other life unless our Emperor calls me.” In late 1940, Tojo asked Yamashita to lead a team of 40 experts on a 6 month train tour of Germany and Italy, a move that kept him out of Tokyo, because Tojo was trying to solidify his political ambitions. This is going to become a looming theme between the two men.   He was presented to Adolf Hitler in January of 1941, passing along messages from Tojo and publicly praising the Fuhrer, though privately he was very unimpressed by the man  “He may be a great orator on a platform, with his gestures and flamboyant way of speaking. But standing behind his desk listening he seems much more like a clerk.” Hitler pressed upon him to push Japan to declare war on Britain and the US. At the time of course Japan was facing China and had two major conflicts with the USSR, thus this was absolutely not in her interest. “My country is still fighting in China, and we must finish that war as soon as possible. We are also afraid that Russia may attack us in Manchuria. This is no time for us to declare war on other countries.” Yamashita hoped to inspect Germany's military techniques and technology to help Japan. Hitler promised open exchanges of information stating “All our secrets are open to you,”, but this would prove to be a lie. “There were several pieces of equipment the Germans did not want us to see. Whenever I tried to persuade the German General Staff to show us things like radar—about which we had a rudimentary knowledge—the conversation always turned to something else.”   Yamashita met with field Marshal Hermann Goring who gave him an overview of the war in europe. Goring would complain about Yamashita falling asleep during lectures and meetings and he believed the man was drunk often. Yamashita met Benito Mussolini in June of 1941 receiving a similar rundown to what he got in Germany. Yamashita visited Kitty in Vienna for a quick fling, but overall the trip deeply impacted Yamashita's resolve that Japan should stay out of the Europeans war and that Germany made a grievous error invading the USSR in June of 1941. This is what he said the members of the commission “You know the results of our inspection as well as I do. I must ask you not to express opinion in favor of expanding the alliance between Japan, Germany and Italy. Never suggest in your report that Japan should declare war on Great Britain and the United States. We must not and cannot rely upon the power of other nations. Japan needs more time, particularly as there may be aggression against us from Russia. We must have time to rebuild our defense system and adjust the whole Japanese war machine. I cannot repeat this to you often enough.” His report was similar, and it really pissed off Tojo who was trying to develop plans for a war against America. Yamashita would then get exiled to Manchuria in July of 1941, but Tojo's resentment towards him could only go so far, because Yamashita was one of their best generals and in his planned war against Britain and America, he would need such a man.   Yamashita's time in Europe reshaped his views on how to conduct war. He saw first hand blitzkrieg warfare, it seems it fascinated him. He consistently urged the implementation of new proposals calling for the streamlining of air arms; to mechanize the Army; to integrate control of the armed forces in a defense ministry coordinated by a chairman of Joint Chiefs of staff; to create a paratroop corps and to employ effective propaganda. Basically he saw what was working for the Germans against the allies and wanted Japan to replicate it. Tojo did not like many of the proposal, hated the fact they were coming from Yamashita, so he obviously was not keen on making them happen. Luckily for Yamashita he would be given a chance to implement some of his ideas in a big way.   On November 6th of 1941, Lt General Yamashita was appointed commander of the 25th Japanese army. His orders were to seize the Malay Peninsula and then the British naval base at Singapore. The Malaya Peninsula snakes 700 miles south of Thailand, a rugged sliver of land that constricts at its narrowest point to about 60 miles wide. It hold mountains that split the peninsula in half, some going as high as 7000 feet. During this time Malaya produced around 40% of the worlds rubber, 60% of its tin, two resources vital for war. At its very southern tip lies Singapore, a diamond shaped island connected to the mainland by a 1115 stone causeway. Singapore's largest asset was its naval base guarding the passage from the Pacific and Indian oceans. Together Malay and Singapore represented the key to controlling what Japan called the Southern Resource Area.   Singapore was known as the gibraltar of the east for good reason. It was a massively fortified naval base. The base had been developed between 1923-1938 and cost 60 million pounds, around 2 billion pounds today. It was 21 square miles, had the largest dry dock in the world, the 3rd largest floating dock and enough fuel tanks to support the entire royal navy for 6 months. She was defended by 15 inch naval guns stationed at the Johre battery, Changi and Buona vista battery. And despite the infamous myth some of you may have heard, these guns were fully capable of turning in all directions including the mainland. For those unaware a myth perpetuated after the fall of Singapore that her large 15 inch guns could not turn to the mainland and that this spelt her doom, no it was not that, it was the fact they mostly had armor piercing shells which are using to hit ships and not land targets. Basically if you fire an armor piercing shell at land it imbeds itself then explodes, while HE shells would have torn any Japanese army to pieces. Alongside the 15 inch monsters, there were countless other artillery pieces such as 9.2 inch guns. By December of 1941 Malaya and Singapore held 164 first line aircraft out of a total of 253 aircraft, but many of the fighters were the obsolete Brewster F2A Buffalo, a pretty slow, fat little beast that could take a licking as it was armored, but against the Zero fighter it was unbelievably outmatched in speed and maneuverability.    The Japanese acquired a major gift prior to the outbreak of war. On november 11th, 1940, the SS Automedon, a German raider attacked the HMS Atlantis which was carrying documents intended for the British far east command. The documents indicated the British fleet was not going to help Singapore; that Britain would not declare war if Thailand was invaded and that Hong Kong was expendable. The Germans gave the documents to the Japanese who were very excited by the information.    Starting in January of 1941, Colonel Masanobu Tsuji led the Taiwan Army Research section based on Formosa to investigate how a campaign could be waged in Malay and Singapore. His findings on the defenses of Malay and Singapore were summed up in these 3 points: 1. Singapore Fortress was solid and strong facing the sea, but vulnerable on the peninsular side facing the Johore Strait;  Newspaper reports of a strong Royal Air Force (RAF) presence were propaganda;  Although British forces in Malaya numbered from five to six divisions (well over 80,000 men), less than half were Europeans.    Now just a little bit about Tsuji as he was to become the chief of staff operations and planning under Yamashita. Tsuji was extremely insubordinate and a political schemer. He was a Toseiha faction fanatic, loyal to Tojo and thus definitely an enemy to Yamashita. Yamashita wrote of Tsuji in his war diary “is egotistical and wily. He is a sly dog and unworthy to serve the country. He is a manipulator to be carefully watched.” Tsuji would go on to have a infamous reputation for ordering atrocities in the name of his superiors, often without them knowing and this would be very much the case under Yamashita. Now using Tsuji's intelligence Yamashita began plans at his HQ at Samah, a port on Hainan island, starting in November of 1941 on how to launch the campaign. He was initially offered 5 divisions for the invasion, but he felt he could accomplish the objective with only three. There are a few reasons why he believed this; first, Tsuji's research suggested the peninsula roads would be the center of the battlefront and that the flanks would extend no more than a km or so to the left or right due to the dense jungle terrain (in fact Yamashita was planning to assault from the jungle specifically); 2nd intelligence indicated the defending troops were not of the highest caliber (the British were busy in Europe thus many of the troops in southeast asia were poorly trained, half were british regulars the rest were Australian, Indian and Malayan); 3rd Yamashita was aware “the Japanese army were in the habit of flinging more troops into the battle than could possibly be maintained” boy oh boy tell that one to the future boys on Guadalcanal. Thus he calculated 3 divisions was the maximum to be fed, equipped and supplied. Based on his recommendations the 25th army was created with 3 divisions; the 5th under Lt General Takuma Matsui; 18th under Lt General Renya Mutaguchi and the Imperial guards division of Lt General Takuma Nishimura. Supporting these would be two regiment of heavy field artillery and the 3rd tank brigade. Something that made Yamashita's campaign quite interesting was the usage and amount of tanks. He was invading with around 200 or so tanks consisting of the Type 95 Ha-Go light tank, type 97 Chi-Ha and Type 89 I-Go medium tanks and Type 97 Te-Ke tankettes. For aircraft he had the 3rd Air division, 459 aircraft strong with an additional 159 aircraft from the IJN to support them. The 3rd air division had a variety of aircraft such as Nakajima Ki-27 Nate's, Nakajima ki-43 Oscars, Kitsubishi ki-51 Sonia's, Kawasaki ki-48 Lily's, Mitsubishi ki-21 sally's, Mitsubishi ki-30 Ann's, Mitsubishi ki-15 babs and Mitsubishi ki-46 dinahs. For the IJN it was the 22nd air flotilla using Mitsubishi G3M1 Nell's, Mitsubishi A5M4 Claudes and some A6M Zeros. To say it was a lot of firepower at his disposal is an understatement, Yamashita was packing heat, heat he could use in a blitzkrieg fashion.   His staff at Samah identified 5 operational objectives: 1 Simultaneous capture of Singora and Patani, Thailand and Kota Bharu, Malaya.  2 Capture of all enemy airfields in southern Thailand and Malaya.  3 Occupation of Kuala Lumpur, Malaya.  4 Occupation of Johore Bahru, and control of Johore Strait.  5 Conquest of Singapore.    Colonel Tsuji, appointed Chief of Operations and Planning for the 25th Army, proposed the following plan which was readily approved:  Land the main strength of the 5th Division simultaneously and without warning at Singora and Patani, and at the same time land a powerful section of the 18th Division to attack Kota Bharu.  The troops disembarked at Singora and Patani to press forward immediately to attack the line of the Perak River Hand capture its bridge and the Alor Star aerodrome.  The troops landed at Kota Bharu to press forward along the eastern coast as far as Kuantan.    The landing at Kota Bharu, the only one in Malaya was expected to be opposed and quite risky. But if it was successful, it would create a useful diversion away from the main force landings in Thailand.   The landings took place around 2:15am local time on December 8th, about an hour and 20 minutes before the attack on Pearl Harbor. The landings went largely unopposed, except at Kota Bahru where the Japanese saw heavy resistance. The British had anticipated this landing point and created operation Matador, a plan to pre-emptively invade southern thailand to secure defensive lines against the Japanese, however this plan was never accepted by British high command for obvious political reasons. But on December 5th, with a Japanese invasion looking certain, suddenly London gave permission to the Far east commanders to decide if Operation matador should be activated or not. The commander in Malaya, General Arthur Percival recommended forestalling it, fearing to violate Thai sovereignty, which ultimately would be the doom of a defense for Malaya.   At the battle of Kota Bharu, the 9th infantry division of Major General Barstow attempted holding off the Japanese from taking the important Kota Bharu airfield. The 8th brigade of Billy Key had fortified the beaches with pillboxes, barbed wire and land mines. The Japanese took heavy losses, but they were able to find gaps and fill them up until Brigadier Key had to ask permission to pull out. The royal air force at Kota Bharu tossed Hudson bombers to hit the troop transports, but it was a suicide mission to do so. Meanwhile the IJA 5th division landed at Pattani and Songkhla in Thailand while the Imperial guards division marched over the border from French Indochina. The Japanese encountered very little resistance, the leader of Thailand Plaek Pibulsonggram had been trying to get assurances from the allies and Japanese all the way up until the invasion, once the Japanese landed he knew his best option was to play nice and sign an armistice. This basically spelt doom for malaya as the Japanese were given access to Thailand's airfields which they used to smash the forward airfields in Malaya.   The first day of aerial encounters were a catastrophe for the British. General Percival would comment “The rapidity with which the Japanese got their air attacks going against our aerodromes was quite remarkable. Practically all the aerodromes in Kelantan, Kedah, Province Wellesley, and Penang, were attacked, and in most cases fighters escorted the bombers. The performance of Japanese aircraft of all types, and the accuracy of their bombing, came as an unpleasant surprise. By the evening our own air force had already been seriously weakened.” Brigadier Key withdrew after causing an estimated 800 casualties upon the Japanese while taking roughly 465. While Kota Bharu was being fought over, Percival unleashed Operation Krohcol, a 2.0 of Matador seeing British forces cross into Thailand to intercept the incoming enemy. It was an absolute disaster, the British attackers were defeated not only by the Japanese 5th division, but some Royal Thai police also defended their territory. The operation had basically become a race to who could seize the important focal point first and the Japanese took it first thus winning decisively. To add to that misery, force Z, consisting of the battleship HMS Prince of Wales,, battlecruiser Repulse and 4 destroyers tried to intercept the Japanese invasion fleet only to be utterly destroyed by overwhelming Japanese airforces.   Within 4 days of the landings, the 5th division advanced from Singora through the town of Jitra to capture the RAF airfield at Alor star, around 100 miles away. Yamashita managed this using flanking techniques that saw his army take town after town and airfield after airfield. There were numerous natural obstacles to the advance such as dense jungles, very long supply lines, torrential rain and heat, but he had a secret weapon, bicycles. At Jitra Percival made his first major stand. Holding Jitra would safeguard the northern airfields of Malaya, but it was a folly to do so as the airfields in question were not provided adequate aircraft and the British lacked something extremely important to be able to defend themselves, tanks. Colonel Tsuji saw the fighting at Jitra first hand and reported “Our tanks were ready on the road, and the twenty or so enemy armored cars ahead were literally trampled underfoot … The enemy armored cars could not escape by running away, and were sandwiched between our medium tanks … It was speed and weight of armor that decided the issue.” The British had spread themselves far too thinly across a 14 mile front with jungle on their right flank and rubber plantations and mangrove swamps to their left. Yamashita used a innovative blitzkrieg like tactic, he combined his air, artillery, tanks and bicycle infantry to punch holes in concentrated attacks forcing allied defenders to withdraw. As Percival would write later in his memoirs “This withdrawal would have been difficult under the most favorable conditions. With the troops tired, units mixed as the result of the fighting, communications broken and the night dark, it was inevitable that orders should be delayed and that in some cases they should never reach the addressees. This is what in fact occurred … the withdrawal, necessary as it may have been, was too fast and too complicated for disorganized and exhausted troops, whose disorganization and exhaustion it only increased”    Yamashita had ingeniously thought of employing large numbers of bicycles for his infantry so they could keep up momentum and speed with his mechanized forces. Oh and he didn't bring thousands of bicycles over to Malaya, the real genius was that they were there ready for him. His intelligence prior to the invasion indicated nearly all civilians in malaya had bicycles, so when the Japanese came over they simply stole them. Half of Yamashitas troops moved in motor vehicles while the rest road on 18,000 bicycles. As noted by Tsuji “With the infantry on bicycles, there was no traffic congestion or delay. Wherever bridges were destroyed the infantry continued their advance, wading across the rivers carrying their bicycles on their shoulders, or crossing on log bridges held up on the shoulders of engineers standing in the stream.” They Japanese overwhelmed the defenders who were forced to fight, flee into the jungles or flee along the roads where they were simply outsped by the faster Japanese. The defenders left numerous stores of food, abandoned vehicles, and supplies that Yamashita's men would dub “churchill's allowance”. British Lt Colonel Spencer Chapmanwas forced to hide on the sides of roads watching Japanese pedal past remarking “The majority were on bicycles in parties of forty or fifty, riding three or four abreast and talking and laughing just as if they were going to a football match.” The Japanese had the ability to carry their gear on the bicycles, giving them an enormous advantage over the allies fleeing on foot. The Japanese could travel faster, further and less fatigued. When the British destroyed 250 bridges during their flight, “the Japanese infantry (to continue) their advance, wading across the rivers carrying their bicycles on their shoulders, or crossing on log bridges held up on the shoulders of engineers standing in the stream”. The British could not escape the bicycle blitzkrieg as it became known, countless were forced to surrender under constant pressure and relentless pursuit.    Alongside the bicycle warfare, whenever Yamashita faced terrain unsuitable for his tanks, he ordered amphibious landings further south to outflank the enemy's  rear.   Meanwhile the war in the air went equally terrible for the allies. The RAF had pulled back its best pilots and aircraft to deal with the war for Britain against the Luftwaffe. 21 airfields were in Malaya and Singapore, few of them had modern facilities, only 15 concrete runways. The heavy rain made the grass airstrips unusable. All the airfields were allocated around 8 heavy and 8 light anti aircraft guns. Quality radar units were completely inadequate. The Super Spitfires and Hyper Hurricanes were mostly in Britain fighting the Germans, while Buffaloes were allocated to Malaya. The Japanese airforces easily overcame the allied opposition and established air superiority quickly. Launching from airfields in Vietnam, they bombed all the airfields into submission and continuously applied pressure to Singapore. . The aerial dominance of the Zero and ‘Oscar' fighters served to undermine the morale of the British infantryman on the ground. As historian H. P. Wilmot has observed, “in the opening phase of the war the Zero-sen was just what the Japanese needed, and the Allies were devastated by the appearance of a ‘super fighter.' To add insult to injury, every airfield taken starting at the most northern going further and further south towards Singapore offered the Japanese new launching points to make for faster attack.   Yamashita's forces reached the southern tip of the peninsula in just 8 weeks, his men had covered some 700 miles, about 12 miles a day on average. They fought 95 large and smaller battles doing so. Multiple lines of defense were erected one after another to try and halt the Japanese advance, to kill their momentum. Starting at the beach landings, to Jitra, then to Kampar, over the Slim river, then Johor. The British failed to employ “leave behind forces” to provide guerilla warfare in lost territories leading not only the Japanese to easily consolidate their gains, the Thai's also came down and grabbed some territory. At the battle of Muar Major General Gordon Bennet deployed the allied defenders south of the Muar River and it was widely believed here they would finally halt the Japanese. Then the Imperial Guards division outflanked them performing an amphibious landing and advancing down the coastal route. The 5th Japanese division followed a parallel route through the center and the 18th division landed near Endau. The allies were thus surrounded and took heavy casualties, countless were forced to flee through swamps and thick jungle abandoned their stuff. Gordons 45th brigade were absolutely shattered, effectively disbanded and left north of the Muar river as the rest of the allies fled south. The defeat at Muar broke the British belief they could hold even a toehold on Malay. Percivals strategy to fight delaying actions until the arrival of reinforcements to Singapore had fatally undermined his troops ability to hold onto defensive positions. As the British governor of the Johore straits settlement, Sir Shenton Thomas would say on January 6th ‘“We … have gone in for mechanized transport to the nth degree. It is a fearsomely cumbersome method. We have pinned our faith to the few roads but the enemy used tracks and paths, and gets round to our rear very much as he likes.”” Yet alongside the conquest came a series of atrocities.    At the Parit Sulong Bridge south of the Muar, Captain Rewi Snelling was left behind with 150 wounded Australian and Indian soldiers not able to trek south. The Imperial guards division herded them into buildings, denied them medical treatment, many of the Indians were beheaded, others shot. This become known as the parit sulong massacre. Its hard to saw what Yamashita would have known about this incident, it technically was under the command of Takuma nishimura. On January 22nd, Nishimura gave the orders for prisoners to be forced outside, doused with petrol and set on fire. Nishimura would be sentenced to life in prison by a Singapore court, but on a flight back to Japan he was hijacked by Australian military police in Hong Kong who grabbed him and held a trial for the Parit Sulong massacre, finding him guilty and hanging him on june 11th of 1951.    When the Japanese reached the straits of Johore, Yamashita took several days to perform reconnaissance, allowing his forces to regroup and prepare to attack the massive fortress. His plan for the invasion would see the Imperial guards perform a feint attack on the northeast side of Singapore, landing on the nearby Palau Ubin island on february 7th. The 5th and 18th division would remain concealed in the jungle until the night of the night of the 8th when they would cross the Johore and hit the northwest side of Singapore. The causeway to Singapore had been blown up by the retreating British, but the ability for Singapore to defend itself from a northern attack was lackluster. When Churchill was told by Wavell the Japanese sat on the other side of the Johore strait ready to attack the fortress he said ““I must confess to being staggered by Wavell's telegram. It never occurred to me for a moment that … Singapore … was not entirely fortified against an attack from the Northwards …””   With barely enough supplies or logistical support for his campaign, Yamashita's rapid advance down the Malay peninsula walked a tightrope of what was possible. His 70,000 men of which 30,000 were frontline troops had overcome a British force double their number. In Japan he garnered the epithet “Tiger of Malaya”, which ironically he was not too happy about. Later on in the war he would bark at a German attache “I am not a tiger. The tiger attacks its prey in stealth but I attack the enemy in a fair play”.   By this point Singapore had swollen from a population of 550,000to nearly a million. Percival had a total of 70,000 infantry of mixed experience plus 15,000 clerks and support staff to man lines if necessary. 38 battalions, 17 Indian, 13 British, 6 Australian and 2 Malayan. He placed his weakest troops west of the causeway, near the abandoned naval base rather than nearby the airfield which he considered was going to be Yamashita's thrust. He placed his best forces over there, which would prove fatally wrong as Yamashita hit west of the causeway. Yamashita meanwhile could only muster 30,000 troops, he was outnumbered 2:1 and amphibious assaults called for the attacker to hold a 2:1 advantage for success. Yamashita's men were exhausted, they had suffered 4565 casualties, roughly 1793 deaths in their 55 day advance south. Worse yet, Yamashita had a critical supply issue. He had greatly exceeded his supply lines and had been surviving on the abandoned churchill stores along the way. His ammunition was critical low, it is said he was down to 18 functional tanks, allowing his men to fire 100 rounds per day, the fuel ran out, and as Yamashita put it “My attack on Singapore was a bluff—a bluff that worked. I had 30,000 men and was outnumbered more than three to one. I knew that if I had to fight for long for Singapore, I would be beaten. That is why the surrender had to be at once. I was very frightened all the time that the British would discover our numerical weakness and lack of supplies and force me into disastrous street fighting.” He told his men of the 5th and 18th division not to build any cooking fires so they could conceal their positions in the jungle as he gathered hundreds of collapsible boats and other crafts to ford the strait. He gathered 40 divisional commanders and senior officers to a rubber plantation and with a flushed red face read out his attack orders while pouring them Kikumasamune (ceremonial wine). He made a traditional toast and said “It is a good place to die; surely we shall conquer”. He had to get the British to surrender quickly, he had to essentially ‘bluff” his enemy. He had to make the British think he was fully armed and supplied for a prolonged siege, how could he do so? He fired his artillery like a mad man, knowing full well they would run out of shells.   Starting on February 3rd,  Yamashita's artillery supported by aerial bombings hit Singapore for 5 days. On the night of the 7th, 400 Imperial Guards crossed to the Ibin island performing their feint attack. Percivals attention was grabbed to the east successfully, while on the night of the 8th the 5th and 18th divisions assembled carefully at the water's edge. At 8:30pm the first wave of 4000 Japanese troops crossed the Johore strait aboard 150 small vessels. The noise of their engines was drowned out by artillery. The thinly spread Australian lines, 3000 or so men led by Major General Bennet were breached fast leading to pockets of surrounded australian troops. As Lewis Gunner cliff olsen recalled “We were horribly spread out and it was pitch black and they [Japanese troops] were very hard to see. They walked through us half the time.” A beachhead was formed, a soon 14,000 Japanese had crossed by dawn.    Communications broke down for the allies, Percival unwilling to believe the Japanese's main thrust was in the west declined to send reinforcements there. When he did finally realize the main thrust was in the west he began to withdraw troops from quiet sectors and built up a reserve. The Japanese held air supremacy and their artillery was fierce. The big 15 inch guns of singapore held mostly armor piercing shells designed to hit ships, there were few HE shells available. When they fired upon the Japanese the shells would hit the ground they would embed deeply before exploding doing little damage. The defenders had no tanks, basically no more aircraft. The last departing ships fled the scene as everything was burning chaos around them. Morale was breaking for the defenders. By the 9th, Japanese bombers were raining bombs on allied positions unopposed. Bennet was forced to pull men back to a new line of defense from the east of the Tengah airfield to the north of Jurong. Poor communications hampered the northern sector of Brigadier Duncan Maxwell whose troops actually battered the hell out of the Imperial Guards who had landed at 10pm on the 9th. The Imperial guards gradually managed a foothold on a beach, but Maxwell feared encirclement and withdrew his men against direct orders of Bennet. The retreat opened up the flank of the 11th indian division who were overrun. All of the beaches west of the causeway fell to the enemy, when they did Yamashita brought over his tanks to smash the new Jurong line. The Japanese could have potentially stormed the city center at this point, but they held back, because in reality, Percival had created a formidable reserve in the middle. The Australian 22nd brigade took the brunt of the fighting.    Yamashita was running out of reserves and his attacks were reaching their limit, but he needed the battle to end swiftly. Yamashita was shocked and shaken when he received a report that the British troop strength within the city was twice what they believed. With covert desperation, Yamashita ordered his artillery to fire until their last rounds and sent Percival a demand for surrender. “In the spirit of chivalry we have the honour of advising your surrender. Your army, founded on the traditional spirit of Great Britain, is defending Singapore, which is completely isolated, and raising the fame of Great Britain by the ut¬ most exertions and heroic feelings. . . . From now on resistance is futile and merely increases the danger to the million civilian inhabitants without good reason, exposing them to infliction of pain by fire and sword. But the development of the general war situation has already sealed the fate of Singapore, and the continuation of futile resistance would only serve to inflict direct harm and in¬ juries to thousands of non-combatants living in the city, throwing them into further miseries and horrors of war. Furthermore we do not feel you will in¬ crease the fame of the British Army by further resistance.”   Singapore had received another order prior to this from Churchill “It is certain that our troops on Singapore Island greatly outnumber any Japanese that have crossed the Straits. We must defeat them. Our whole fighting reputation is at stake and the honour of the British Empire. The Americans have held out on the Bataan Peninsula against far greater odds, the Russians are turning back the picked strength of the Germans, the Chinese with almost complete lack of mod¬ ern equipment have held the Japanese for AVi years. It will be disgraceful if we yield our boasted fortress of Singapore to inferior enemy forces. There must be no thought ofsparing troops or the civil population and no mercy must be shown to weakness in any shape or form. Commanders and senior officers must lead their troops and if necessary die with them. There must be no question or thought of surrender. Every unit must fight it out to the end and in close contact with the enemy. ... I look to you and your men to fight to the end to prove that the fighting spirit that won our Empire still exists to enable us to defend it.”   What was Percival to do? The Japanese had seized control over Singapore water reservoirs, the population would die of thirst within 2-3 days. Japanese shells were causing fires and death everywhere. People were panicking, trying to get on the very last boats leaving the port, even though that surely meant death to the IJN. An American sailor recalled “There was a lot of chaos and people killed on the docks during these bombardments. Everywhere you looked there was death. Even in the water there were dead sharks and people floating all around.” Defeatism was endemic. Australian troops were overheard saying “Chum, to hell with Malaya and Singapore. Navy let us down, air force let us down. If the bungs [natives] won't fight for their bloody country, why pick on me?” Sensing a complete collapse Percival formed a tight defense arc in front of the city, and by the 13th his commanders were telling him they believed Singapore was already doomed. Wavell was asked for approval for surrender, but he replied  “to continue to inflict maximum damage on enemy for as long as possible by house-to-house fighting if necessary.” Percival then told him the water reservoirs were taken, so Wavell sent back “YOUR GALLANT STAND IS SERVING A PURPOSE AND MUST BE CONTINUED TO THE LIMIT OF ENDURANCE”   On the 15th, Percival held a morning conference reported there was no more fuel, field gun nor bofor ammunition. In 24 hours their water would be done. He told them he would ask for a ceasefire at 4pm, by the end of the day Wavell gave him permission to surrender. Over at his HQ on the Bukit Timah heights, Yamashita was staring at a Union Jack fluttering over Fort Canning. Then a field phone rang, and a frontline commander reported the British were sending out a flag of truce.   Meanwhile back on February the 14th, Japanese forces reached the Alexandra Barracks hospital at 1pm. At 1:40pm a British Lt greeting them waving a white flag and was bayoneted on the spot. The Japanese stormed the hospital and murdered the staff and patients. 200 male staff and patients, badly wounded were bound over night and marched to an industrial estate half a mile away. Anyone who collapsed was bayoneted. The survivors of the march were formed into small groups and hacked to death or bayoneted. For a few days over 320 men and women were massacred. Only 5 survivors would give recounts of the event. It is suspected by historians that Tsuji was the architect of the Alexandra hospital massacre. This is because he was the instigator of countless atrocities he ordered unbeknownst to his superior commanders such as Yamashita.    Percival was ordered to go to the Ford motor factory to where he met with Yamashita. Yamashita was hiding his surprise that the surrender party came and as he glanced at the surrender terms he said through his interpreter “The Japanese Army will consider nothing but surrender,” Yamashita knew his forces were on the verge of running out of ammunition and he still held half troops Percival did, he was anxious Percival would figure it out. Percival replied “I fear that we shall not be able to submit our final reply before ten-thirty p.m.,” Percival had no intention of fighting on he simply wanted to work out specific details before signing the surrender. Yamashita was sure Percival was stalling. “Reply to us only whether our terms are acceptable or not. Things must be settled swiftly. We are prepared to resume firing.Unless you do surrender, we will have to carry out our night attack as scheduled.”” Percival replied ““Cannot the Japanese Army remain in its present position? We can resume negotiations again tomorrow at five-thirty A.M”. Yamashita screamed “Nani! I want the hostilities to cease tonight and I want to remind you there can be no arguments.” Percival replied ““We shall discontinue firing by eight-thirty p.m. Had we better remain in our present positions tonight?” Yamashita said yes and that firing would cease at 8:30pm and that 1000 allied men could keep arms to maintain order within the city. Yamashita stated “You have agreed to the terms but you have not yet made yourself clear as to whether you agree to surrender or not.” Percival cleared his throat and gave a simple nod. Yamashita looked at his interpreter “There's no need for all this talk. It is a simple question and I want a simple answer.” He turned to Percival and shouted, “We want to hear ‘Yes' or ‘No' from you! Surrender or fight!” Percival finally blurted out  “Yes, I agree. I have a request to make. Will the Imperial Army protect the women and children and British civilians?”Yamashita replied  “We shall see to it. Please sign this truce agreement”. At 7:50 the surrender was signed off, 40 minutes later Singapore was in the hands of the Japanese. In 70 days Yamashita took at the cost of 9824 casualties, had seized Malaya and Singapore, nearly 120,000 British surrendered. It was the greatest land victory in Japanese history.   Churchill called the fall of Singapore to the Japanese "the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history" Churchills physician Lord Moran wrote The fall of Singapore on February 15 stupefied the Prime Minister. How came 100,000 men (half of them of our own race) to hold up their hands to inferior numbers of Japanese? Though his mind had been gradually prepared for its fall, the surrender of the fortress stunned him. He felt it was a disgrace. It left a scar on his mind. One evening, months later, when he was sitting in his bathroom enveloped in a towel, he stopped drying himself and gloomily surveyed the floor: 'I cannot get over Singapore', he said sadly   With the fall of singapore came another atrocity, the Sook Ching massacre. After February 18th, the Japanese military began mass killings of what they deemed undesirables, mostly ethnic Chinese. It was overseen by the Kempeitai and did not stop in Singapore, but spread to Malaya. It seems the aim of the purge was to intimidate the Chinese community from performing any resistance. According to postwar testimony taken from a war correspondent embedded with the 25th army, Colonel Hishakari Takafumi, he stated an order went out to kill 50,000 Chinese, of which 20 percent of the total was issued by senior officials on Yamashita's operations staff, most likely Tsuji. It is certain at the behest of Tsuji the orders were extended to Malay. The death toll is a tricky one, the Japanese went on the record to admit to 6000 murders, the Singaporean Chinese community and the Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew allege 70,000-100,000. Historians analyzing the scale of discovered mass graves after some decades think around 25,000-50,000. How much Yamashita knew of the massacre is debatable, the orders came from his office after all, but it seems Tsuji had orchestrated it. Many of Japan's generals wanted Yamashita to be appointed war minister, a move that obviously threatened then Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, who feared his rival. Tojo retaliated, ordering Japan's new war hero back to Manchuria. On the surface, the assignment appeared worthy as Yamashita would serve as the first line of defense against a possible Soviet invasion. But since the two nations had signed a neutrality pact in April 1941, and Soviets were bogged down fighting the Germans, immediate war appeared unlikely. In reality, Tojo had parked Yamashita on the war's sidelines. Tojo went even further, he barred Yamashita any leave in Tokyo, preventing him from visiting his wife as well as from delivering a speech he had written for the emperor. No worries though, an aide of Yamashita's sent him three geishas. Allegedly he said this “I know they want to please me with these girls. But send them back—and don't forget to tip them.” The Tiger of Malaya would maintain a low profile in Manchuria where he received a promotion to full General. As months fell to years Yamashita sat on the sidelines helpless to aid the Japanese forces. His exile would come to an end in 1944 when Tojo was outed and the Tiger was required to try and save the Philippines from General Douglas MacArthur.

On Dec. 18, the island-wide special customs operation of Hainan Free Trade Port, or FTP, will be officially launched, giving outside investors the most open access to China's economy to date. Sweeping trade and tax liberalization policies will be in place to boost investment, trade, and industrial development on China's southernmost tropical island. What sets the Hainan FTP apart? What opportunities will Hainan bring to international investors, consumers, and business people in general?

①Inner Mongolia launches five-month ice-snow season amid China's winter tourism push ②Sports ignite winter vitality in Hainan's coastal city ③Chinese "lunar soil bricks" return from space, paving way for construction on moon ④Capital inflow into Hong Kong continues: financial secretary ⑤China's captive giant panda population nearly doubles in decade ⑥Once-degraded SW China lake sees record bird diversity after ecological boost

Premio Navarra de Colores para Chaimae Hainan: abogada, voluntaria y referente en integración. Desde Fundación Itaka, esta joven nacida en Marruecos pero que ya se siente "pamplonica", asesora a personas migrantes en procesos de regularización y defiende la diversidad como riqueza para toda la sociedad.

China has lodged representations over the Japanese prime minister's recent remarks over the Taiwan region during a meeting between foreign affairs officials (01:08). Island-wide independent customs operations in Hainan will link the free trade port with global markets, and reduce costs while increasing efficiency (10:25). And the UN Security Council has adopted a U.S. plan authorizing an international stabilization force in Gaza, but China abstained saying it fails to address critical details and does not give the UN a clear role in Gaza's future (22:49).

① Chinese Premier Li Qiang is attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting in Moscow and deepening China-Russia cooperation—what's at stake for regional growth? (00:53) ② Japanese diplomat in Beijing as Takaichi's remarks weigh on economy—how far could the damage go? (13:12) ③ Hainan new course: What to know about the Special Customs Operation? (23:38) ④ The UN backed US's Gaza peace plan, does it genuinely advance peace, or mainly serve external powers' interests? (34:03) ⑤ Australian poll shows rising worries over US influence and trade tactics—what's driving this shift in sentiment? (43:47)

China's sharpened focus on cultivating strategic emerging industries during the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period will give fresh vitality to nurturing new quality productive forces and help the country better navigate external uncertainties while maintaining its edge amid global competition, said officials, experts and company executives.Their comments came as China plans to make more efforts to accelerate the development of emerging sectors such as new energy, new materials, aerospace and the low-altitude economy during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, according to the recently unveiled Recommendations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development.President Xi Jinping said the recommendations were initiated in line with the country's strategic development goals, recognizing the pivotal role of the next five years, and based on an in-depth analysis of both the domestic and global landscapes.Xi, who is also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, said, "It is important that we seize this window of opportunity to consolidate and build on our strengths, remove development bottlenecks, shore up areas of weakness, seize the strategic initiative amid intense international competition, and secure major breakthroughs in strategic tasks of overall importance to Chinese modernization."The remarks were made in Xi's explanatory speech on the recommendations for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan, delivered at the fourth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, which concluded in Beijing in late October.Yao Jun, head of the department of planning at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said that "President Xi's speech is grounded in reality and forward-looking, and it has pointed the way forward for us in all our endeavors".According to Yao, the achievements during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period have laid a solid foundation, and the strategic tasks proposed going forward are comprehensive and well-focused.Yao said, "We will anchor our work on developing new quality productive forces, driven by the deep integration of technological and industrial innovation."He added that the focus will be on intelligent, green and integrated development, moving manufacturing from scale expansion to value creation.Zhu Min, former deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund, said the distinctive strength of China's economy lies in its strong real economy and industrial system."As China's technological capabilities continue to grow, the key challenge — and opportunity — is to effectively integrate these advancements to cultivate new industries driven by new quality productive forces. That's central to China's future economic trajectory," he said.Zhu also said such a trend is already mirrored in China's emphasis on strategic emerging industries such as new energy and the low-altitude economy. These sectors are poised for significant growth, built upon the robust momentum of China's "three new" economies — new industries, new business forms and new models — which already contributed over 18 percent to the country's GDP as of 2024, according to the National Development and Reform Commission.Zhu Keli, founding dean of the China Institute of New Economy, said, "China's goal of nurturing these frontier sectors not only reflects confidence in our own industrial capabilities but, more critically, serves as a key measure to seize the initiative in global sci-tech industrial competition."China has been the world's largest manufacturing country in terms of output for 15 consecutive years, and it ranks first globally in the output of over 220 industrial products, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology."Boasting such a complete industrial system, China provides rich application scenarios and enormous market potential for technological innovation, as well as solid support for the development of new industries," Zhu added.According to Zhu, emerging pillar industries, represented by the low-altitude economy, are now capable of driving growth momentum and are transitioning from "isolated breakthroughs" to "industrial-chain-wide expansion".Tian Gangyin, founder, chairman and president of the Chinese unmanned aerial vehicle developer United Aircraft, said the blueprint mapped out for the 15th Five-Year Plan period is "inspiring and motivating".Industrial-level drones are finding applications in a wide range of fields, such as emergency rescue work, power line patrolling, farming, and surveillance and security operations, he added.Aerospace is another strategic industry that China values, and in which companies are moving fast. Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Co, for instance, plans to double its number of launch pads from two to four, and push forward rocket-recovery technology, marking a major step in the country's bid to build a globally competitive commercial space hub in Wenchang, Hainan province.Yang Tianliang, chairman of the company, said: "By end-2026, we will have launch pads No 3 and No 4, along with a new technical area and telemetry station. Once completed, the facility will be able to handle more than 60 launches annually, with each pad supporting launch missions every 10 days, or even weekly."Meanwhile, China is making progress in the new energy industry, such as in nuclear energy.Wei Zhigang, chairman of Hainan Nuclear Power Co, said artificial intelligence computing fuels an exponential surge in demand for electricity, and it is increasingly difficult for the traditional energy supply to meet such a huge demand."Secure, affordable and low-carbon energy has become a key factor driving the high-quality development of the intelligent computing industry," Wei said.

The most important task for the crew of the CNS Fujian — China's third aircraft carrier and the world's largest conventionally powered warship — is to conduct in-depth testing and additional trial runs of its equipment, according to the ship's captain.中国第三艘航空母舰、全球最大常规动力战舰——福建舰的舰长表示，该舰全体船员当前的核心任务是对装备进行深入测试和补充试航。Senior Captain Chen Zhi guo told State broadcaster China Central Television on Saturday that he will lead the crew to further test the vessel's capabilities. At the same time, they will make all-out efforts to prepare for the full-scale deployment of aircraft squadrons and to build joint combat capacity with other assets in the carrier strike group, he said.上周六，陈志国大校在接受中央广播电视总台采访时称，他将带领船员进一步检验舰艇性能。同时，全体船员将全力推进舰载机中队全面部署准备工作，构建航母打击群与其他作战力量的联合作战能力。"I'm convinced that, following the development path guided by President Xi Jin ping, we, the crew of the Fujian, will 'cleave through the waves' to complete our missions set by the Party and the people," Chen said.“我坚信，在习近平主席指引的发展道路上，我们福建舰全体官兵将劈波斩浪，完成党和人民赋予的各项任务。”陈志国说。The Fujian is the first aircraft carrier in the People's Liberation Army Navy equipped with a cutting-edge electromagnetic catapult system. It is also the largest, heaviest and most powerful naval vessel ever built in the Eastern Hemisphere.福建舰是中国人民解放军海军首艘配备尖端电磁弹射系统的航母，也是东半球有史以来建造的吨位最大、体量最重、战力最强的海军舰艇。The gigantic ship, which displaces more than 80,000 metric tons of water, entered service on Wednesday at a naval base in Sanya, Hainan province.这艘排水量超过8万吨的巨舰于周三在海南三亚某海军基地正式入列服役。Senior Captain Leng Guo wei, a spokesman for the Navy, said on Saturday that Sanya will be the supercarrier's home base due to factors including strategic demand, port conditions, support capacity and mission requirements.海军发言人冷国伟大校上周六表示，综合战略需求、港口条件、保障能力和任务需要等因素，三亚将成为这艘超级航母的母港。He said the Fujian will be sent to oceans far from China on a regular basis and added that it will not be long before the full-scale deployment of aircraft squadrons begins on the supercarrier.他透露，福建舰将定期前出远海执行任务，且舰载机中队全面部署已为期不远。Leng said the development and improvement of China's weaponry do not target any country or specific objective, nor will they pose a threat to any country or region. The efforts are solely aimed at safeguarding China's sovereignty, security and development interests.冷国伟强调，中国武器装备的发展不针对任何国家或特定目标，也不会对任何国家或地区构成威胁，完全是为了维护中国的主权、安全和发展利益。"Regarding China's follow-up development plans for aircraft carriers, they will be comprehensively considered based on national defense needs," Leng said. "It is important to emphasize that our country's nature as a socialist country, its strategic choice of taking the path of peaceful development, and its independent, peaceful foreign policy determine that we will never abandon our defensive national defense policy."“关于中国后续航母发展计划，将根据国防需求统筹考虑。”冷国伟说，“需要着重指出的是，中国社会主义国家的性质、走和平发展道路的战略抉择以及独立自主的和平外交政策，决定了我们永远不会放弃防御性国防政策。”An industry insider in China's shipbuilding sector, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Fujian's commissioning "means the PLA Navy has entered the three-carrier club and is theoretically capable of deploying a carrier strike group anytime it wants. That also means the Navy's long-range operational capability is far stronger than before."一位不愿具名的中国造船业业内人士表示，福建舰的入列“标志着中国海军正式跻身‘三航母俱乐部'，理论上具备随时部署航母打击群的能力，这也意味着海军的远程作战能力较以往有了质的飞跃”。conventionallyadv.常规地；按惯例地/kənˈvenʃənəli/catapultn.（航空母舰的）弹射器/ˈkætəpʌlt/deploymentn.部署；调度/dɪˈplɔɪmənt/

Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed adopting high standards for building the Hainan Free Trade Port, which will officially launch island-wide special customs operations on Dec. 18.

①China unveils initiative to promote international green shipping corridors ②South China's Hainan sees over 2 million inbound, outbound passengers this year ③China's generative AI users double to 515 mln: report ④China to build millisecond-latency computing network across urban areas by 2027 ⑤Hong Kong to launch exhibition on ancient Egyptian civilization ⑥Over 1,800-year-old dragon kiln site found in east China ⑦Global study shows intensifying drought may wreck grasslands

Over the next three days, Typhoon Fengshen will affect the central and northern South China Sea as well as southern coastal areas of China, the National Meteorological Center said on Monday, warning of potential damage from strong winds and secondary disasters caused by heavy rainfall.未来三天，“风神” 台风将影响南海中北部及中国南部沿海地区，国家气象中心于周一表示，并警示强风及强降雨引发的次生灾害可能造成破坏。The center issued a blue alert for Fengshen on Monday morning as the 24th typhoon of 2025 continued to strengthen over the South China Sea. As of 9 am, the storm's center was located about 455 kilometers northeast of Sansha city, Hainan province.由于 2025 年第 24 号台风 “风神” 在南海海域持续增强，国家气象中心于周一上午发布了台风 “风神” 蓝色预警。截至上午 9 时，台风中心位于海南省三沙市东北方向约 455 公里处。Fengshen is currently classified as a tropical storm, with maximum sustained winds of 82.8 kilometers per hour. Its wind field extends 220 to 280 km from the center. The storm is expected to move northwest at a speed of 20 to 25 km/h, gradually intensifying into a severe tropical storm or even a typhoon, with wind speeds reaching 108 to 126 km/h.目前，“风神” 被归类为热带风暴，最大持续风速为每小时 82.8 公里，其风场从中心向外延伸 220 至 280 公里。预计该风暴将以每小时 20 至 25 公里的速度向西北方向移动，并逐渐加强为强热带风暴，甚至台风，风速可达每小时 108 至 126 公里。By Tuesday, Fengshen is forecast to turn southwestward due to a cold front, heading toward the central coast of Vietnam and weakening as it approaches.预计到周二，受冷锋影响，“风神” 将转向西南方向移动，朝越南中部沿海地区前进，且在靠近过程中强度逐渐减弱。The typhoon will bring heavy rain and strong winds to eastern and northern Taiwan, the coastal areas of Fujian, Guangdong and Hainan provinces, and the northern part of the South China Sea. From 2 pm Monday to 2 pm Tuesday, northern Taiwan is expected to experience heavy to torrential rain, with some areas receiving 100 to 200 millimeters of rainfall.该台风将给中国台湾岛东部和北部、福建、广东、海南三省沿海地区以及南海北部带来强降雨和大风。从周一下午 2 时至周二下午 2 时，台湾北部预计将出现大雨到暴雨，部分地区降雨量可达 100 至 200 毫米。Meanwhile, a cold front will continue to affect central and eastern China, causing temperatures to drop by 4 to 6 C in these regions, as well as parts of Guizhou and Yunnan provinces. Some areas may see a temperature drop of up to 8 C, with the "0 C line" pushing southward to central North China.与此同时，一股冷锋将持续影响中国中东部地区，导致这些地区以及贵州、云南两省部分区域气温下降 4 至 6 摄氏度。部分地区降温幅度可能达 8 摄氏度，0℃等温线将南压至华北中部。The center said due to the combined effects of the cold front and Fengshen, the southern East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, the northern South China Sea and coastal areas of Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong provinces are forecast to experience winds of up to 117.4 km/h, with gusts of up to 149 km/h, from 2 pm Monday to 2 pm Tuesday. It also issued a yellow alert for strong winds.国家气象中心表示，受冷锋与 “风神” 台风的共同影响，预计从周一下午 2 时至周二下午 2 时，东海南部、台湾海峡、南海北部以及浙江、福建、广东三省沿海地区将出现最大风速达每小时 117.4 公里的大风，阵风可达每小时 149 公里。该中心还发布了大风黄色预警。From Oct 19 to 28, heavy rainfall is expected across several regions. Some areas — including parts of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangdong and Hainan provinces, as well as Taiwan and the Xizang autonomous region — may receive 80 to 150 mm of rain, with eastern Hainan and northern Taiwan exceeding 250 mm.10 月 19 日至 28 日期间，多个地区预计将出现强降雨。其中，四川、云南、贵州、广东、海南五省部分地区以及台湾地区和西藏自治区，降雨量可能达 80 至 150 毫米；海南东部和台湾北部部分地区降雨量将超过 250 毫米。Rainfall in these areas is expected to be 50 percent to 80 percent above the average for this time of year, according to the center.国家气象中心称，这些地区的降雨量预计将比常年同期偏多 50% 至 80%。Most of central and eastern China will experience average temperatures 1 to 3 C below the seasonal norm over the next 10 days. In contrast, temperatures in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau will be 1 to 3 C above average.未来 10 天，中国中东部大部分地区平均气温将较常年同期偏低 1 至 3 摄氏度。与之相反，新疆维吾尔自治区和青藏高原地区平均气温将较常年同期偏高 1 至 3 摄氏度。The center warned that widespread frost is expected, potentially affecting crop storage and agricultural facilities. Starting Tuesday, the prolonged rainy period in the Huanghuai region will end, aiding autumn harvests, soil drying, and the planting of winter wheat and rapeseed, it added.国家气象中心警示，预计将出现大范围霜冻天气，可能对农作物储藏及农业设施造成影响。该中心补充称，从周二开始，黄淮地区持续已久的降雨天气将结束，这将对秋收、土壤散墒以及冬小麦和油菜播种有利。typhoon音标：/taɪˈfuːn/翻译：n. 台风（发生在西北太平洋和南海的热带气旋）meteorological音标：/ˌmiːtiərəˈlɒdʒɪkl/（英式）；/ˌmiːtiərəˈlɑːdʒɪkl/（美式）翻译：adj. 气象的；气象学的（常修饰 “center”“data”“conditions” 等词，如 “meteorological center” 意为 “气象中心”）sustained音标：/səˈsteɪnd/翻译：adj. 持续的；持久的（在气象语境中常修饰 “winds”，表示 “持续风速”，如 “maximum sustained winds” 意为 “最大持续风速”）frost音标：/frɒst/（英式）；/frɔːst/（美式）翻译：n. 霜冻；霜 v. 结霜；受冻（文中指 “霜冻天气”，可能对农业造成影响，如 “widespread frost” 意为 “大范围霜冻”）

Hainan Province in southern China is set to launch island-wide independent customs operations, introducing zero tariffs on 74% of imports - a major milestone during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (01:05). China's consumer prices stabilized in September, with core inflation hitting a 19-month high, driven by strong consumer and industrial demand (36:25). And the U.S. government shutdown is impacting the economy, with federal layoffs, flight disruptions, and closures of major tourist attractions (21:12).

During the just-concluded National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, millions of travelers across China were able to travel light—sending local specialties and souvenirs home through China's fast-growing parcel delivery network. For many, the packages may have even arrived before the travelers themselves.在刚刚结束的国庆中秋双节假期期间，中国数百万游客得以轻装出行——通过中国快速发展的包裹快递网络，将当地特产和纪念品寄回家中。对许多人而言，这些包裹甚至可能比他们先到家。According to the State Post Bureau of China, the nation's postal and courier industry handled 7.23 billion parcels during the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, which ended on Wednesday, maintaining stable operations amid a surge in tourism and holiday consumption. The daily average parcel volume exceeded 900 million, reflecting robust consumer demand and the growing vitality of the country's holiday economy.中国国家邮政局数据显示，在周三（10月8日）结束的八天国庆中秋假期期间，全国邮政快递行业共处理包裹72.3亿件，在旅游和假日消费激增的背景下保持了运营稳定。日均包裹量超9亿件，反映出强劲的消费需求和中国假日经济日益增长的活力。Courier companies embraced new "express delivery + culture and tourism" models, setting up service outlets, smart lockers and self-service boxes at railway stations, airports, hotels and scenic areas. The move offered travelers greater convenience while turning tourism flows into new consumption momentum, the bureau said.国家邮政局表示，快递公司推出“快递+文旅”新模式，在火车站、机场、酒店和景区设立服务网点、智能快递柜和自助寄件箱。此举为游客提供了更大便利，同时将旅游人流转化为新的消费动力。In popular destinations such as Kashgar in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Sanya in Hainan province, and Lhasa in the Xizang autonomous region, shipments of local specialties rose sharply during the holiday. By collaborating with merchants, courier companies helped create a "travel–purchase–ship" consumption loop. At scenic spots like Qiandao Lake in Hangzhou, Gulangyu Island in Xiamen, and Beijing Road in Guangzhou, themed courier stores and parcel lockers catered to tourists' needs for shipping souvenirs and luggage.在新疆维吾尔自治区喀什市、海南省三亚市、西藏自治区拉萨市等热门旅游目的地，假期期间当地特产的寄递量大幅增长。快递公司通过与商家合作，助力打造“旅游—购买—寄递”消费闭环。在杭州千岛湖、厦门鼓浪屿、广州北京路等景区，主题快递门店和包裹寄存柜满足了游客寄递纪念品和行李的需求。This year's "golden week" sparked strong travel and consumption momentum nationwide. By optimizing operations and diversifying services, courier firms enriched travel experiences and unlocked new consumption potential, according to the bureau.国家邮政局指出，今年“黄金周”在全国范围内激发了强劲的旅游和消费势头。快递公司通过优化运营、丰富服务类型，提升了游客的出行体验，并释放了新的消费潜力。Ahead of the holiday, shipments of popular festive goods—including mooncakes, hairy crabs, seafood, meats and fresh fruits—surged. To ensure freshness and efficiency, companies established collection points and cold-chain warehouses in provinces such as Guangdong, Guizhou, Jiangsu and Hubei, allowing goods to be dispatched directly from production sites. They also optimized trunk routes, boosted air freight capacity, and adjusted transport resources dynamically to meet the seasonal rush.假期前夕，月饼、大闸蟹、海鲜、肉类、新鲜水果等热门节庆商品的寄递量大幅上升。为保障商品新鲜度和配送效率，快递公司在广东、贵州、江苏、湖北等省份设立集货点和冷链仓库，实现商品从产地直接发运；同时优化干线运输路线、提升航空货运能力，并动态调整运输资源，以应对季节性物流高峰。On the final leg of delivery, companies adopted multi-warehouse coordination and intelligent dispatching systems to achieve "nearby delivery", speeding up services.在配送末端环节，快递公司采用多仓协同和智能调度系统，实现“就近配送”，提升了配送速度。According to the bureau, China's postal and courier sector continues to enhance service capacity while deepening integration with the cultural and tourism industries. By innovating diversified consumption scenarios, it is injecting new vitality into the holiday economy and supports stable consumption growth.国家邮政局表示，中国邮政快递行业在持续提升服务能力的同时，正深化与文旅产业的融合。通过创新多元化消费场景，快递行业为假日经济注入新活力，并助力消费稳定增长。 State Post Bureau of Chinan.中国国家邮政局 /steɪt pəʊst ˈbjʊərəʊ ɒv ˈtʃaɪnə/courier companies (in China)n.（中国的）快递公司/ˈkʊriə ˈkʌmpəniz (ɪn ˈtʃaɪnə)/

Working groups are guiding rescue operations in Guangdong and Hainan as Typhoon Matmo is battering southern China. Authorities have evacuated around 350,000 people for safety.

China's Ministry of Emergency Management has upgraded the emergency typhoon responses in two southern provinces to Level III amid the approaching Typhoon Matmo, which will make landfall on Sunday.

① European leaders have held a summit in Copenhagen to discuss building an EU-wide “drone wall”. Is it something feasible for the EU? (00:40) ② The operation of the first direct cargo flight route from China's Hainan to Africa has begun. What could be Hainan's role in future China-Africa trade? (12:32)

Typhoon Bualoi, the 20th typhoon of the year, has passed south of Hainan Province. Although it did not make direct landfall, it brought heavy rain and strong winds to the southern Chinese province.

Storm Bualoi has killed at least 10 people in the Philippines, which is still recovering from the impacts of a super typhoon. Guangdong and Hainan provinces in southern China are also bracing for Bualoi and have ordered boats back to port.

Guangdong Province is under full emergency response ahead of the expected arrival of Typhoon Ragasa. Schools, transportation and constructions sights in many cities are suspended in Guangdong and Hainan provinces.

As Super Typhoon Ragasa approaches, public transportation in Guangdong province — particularly train services — will be heavily disrupted starting on Tuesday, while most coastal cities in the province have suspended school, work, production and business operations.随着超强台风“桦加沙”逼近，广东省公共交通（尤其是铁路运输）将于2日起遭遇严重影响，该省多数沿海城市已启动停课、停工、停产、停业措施。Ragasa, the 18th typhoon of 2025, was upgraded to a super typhoon by China's National Meteorological Center on Sunday morning, with the maximum wind force near the center reaching above level 17.“桦加沙”作为2025年第18号台风，中国气象局于周日上午将其升级为超强台风，台风中心附近最大风力达17级以上。High-speed and regular trains within Guangdong will gradually be suspended from noon on Tuesday, with the range of suspensions adjusted systematically according to the storm's impact, China Railway Guangzhou Group said on Monday. All train services in the province will be suspended on Wednesday, it added. Services are expected to resume once the typhoon weakens, with schedules updated accordingly.中国铁路广州局集团有限公司1日发布消息称，2日中午起，广东省内高铁及普速列车将逐步停运，停运范围将根据台风影响情况统筹调整；3日，该省所有列车运行将全面暂停。待台风强度减弱后，铁路部门将逐步恢复列车运营，并及时更新列车运行时刻。The typhoon is forecast to make landfall along the coast from Huizhou in Guangdong to Wenchang in Hainan province between the early morning and afternoon on Wednesday. At that time, it is expected to be a strong typhoon or super typhoon, with winds of level 14 to 16, said Wang Haiping, chief forecaster at the National Meteorological Center.中国气象局首席预报员王海平表示，预计“桦加沙”将于3日凌晨至下午时段，在广东惠州至海南文昌一带沿海登陆。登陆时，其强度预计为强台风或超强台风级别，风力可达14至16级。"One of the main reasons for the high intensity of Typhoon Ragasa is that the ocean has been continuously heated throughout the summer, resulting in relatively high sea temperatures after autumn," Wang said. He added that typhoons in autumn often interact with cold air masses moving south, a process that lifts warm, moist air and can trigger extreme rainfall.王海平指出：“台风‘桦加沙'强度偏高的主要原因之一，是整个夏季海洋持续升温，导致入秋后海温仍处于较高水平。”他补充道，秋季台风常与南下的冷空气相互作用，这一过程会抬升暖湿气流，可能引发极端强降雨。"The strong typhoon will bring heavy to torrential rainfall in South China's coastal area," Wang said at a Monday news conference.在1日召开的新闻发布会上，王海平强调：“此次强台风将给我国华南沿海地区带来大到特大暴雨。”Authorities in Guangdong on Monday morning raised the province's wind emergency response to Level II, the second-highest in China's four-tier warning system.1日上午，广东省应急管理部门将该省台风应急响应级别提升至Ⅱ级——这是我国四级应急预警体系中的第二高级别。Local railway operators have adjusted train operations based on the storm's expected path. Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport said it would adjust or cancel flights depending on conditions, while ferry service to Chuanshan Islands in Jiangmen will be suspended from Tuesday as nearby sea winds are expected to reach about 72 kilometers per hour.当地铁路部门已根据台风预计路径调整列车运行计划。广州白云国际机场表示，将依据天气情况调整或取消航班；江门川山群岛航线轮渡将于2日起停运，届时该区域附近海面风力预计将达每小时72公里。As of 10 am Monday, Guangdong's Maritime Safety Administration had relocated more than 10,000 coastal vessels to safe waters.截至1日上午10时，广东海事局已组织逾1万艘沿海船舶转移至安全水域避风。By Monday afternoon, authorities in Zhuhai, Dongguan, Shanwei, Shenzhen, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Yangjiang and Huizhou had announced suspensions of classes, work, production, public transport and business operations on Tuesday and Wednesday.截至1日下午，珠海、东莞、汕尾、深圳、中山、江门、阳江、惠州等地已陆续发布通知，2日至3日期间，当地将实施停课、停工、停产、暂停公共交通及停业措施。In Hong Kong, education officials said classes at all schools — including secondary schools, primary schools, special schools, kindergartens, kindergarten-cum-child care centers and evening schools — would be suspended for both days.香港特区教育部门宣布，全港所有学校（包括中学、小学、特殊学校、幼儿园、幼稚园暨幼儿中心及夜校）2日至3日将全面停课。Hong Kong International Airport will remain open during the storm, but a substantial number of flights are expected to be grounded, Airport Authority Hong Kong said. Wing Yeung Tak-wing, the authority's service delivery director, told reporters the airport would see a significant reduction in flights after 6 pm on Tuesday and a full-day impact on Wednesday. Passengers are urged to confirm flight statuses with airlines before heading to the airport.香港机场管理局表示，台风影响期间香港国际机场将保持开放，但预计大量航班将延误或取消。香港机场管理局服务总监杨永恒向媒体介绍，2日下午6时后机场航班起降将大幅减少，3日全天航班运行都将受到显著影响。机场管理局提醒旅客，前往机场前务必先与航空公司确认航班状态。In Hainan, the Haikou Transportation and Port & Shipping Administration announced that Xinhai Port, Xiuying Port and Railway South Port will suspend operations beginning at 6 pm on Tuesday. The closures are expected to last until Thursday evening, depending on weather conditions.在海南省，海口市交通运输和港航管理局宣布，新海港、秀英港、铁路南港将于2日下午6时起停止运营。停运时间预计将持续至4日晚间，具体恢复运营时间将根据天气情况另行通知。Although the typhoon's eye may not make direct landfall on Hainan, the island's northern and western coasts are forecast to see winds of level 10 to 12, with torrential rain expected in Haikou and other regions.气象部门预计，尽管台风“桦加沙”的中心可能不会直接在海南登陆，但海南岛北部及西部沿海地区将遭遇10至12级大风，海口等多地将出现特大暴雨。Wang Changxiao, director of the disaster prevention and mitigation department at the Emergency Management Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, urged residents to prepare sufficient emergency supplies such as bread and medicine.深圳市应急管理局防灾减灾处负责人王长晓提醒市民，需提前储备充足的面包、药品等应急物资。"The super typhoon will become one of the most significant storms to hit the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area since 2018," Wang said. "While staying at home, residents should secure doors and windows and have sufficient emergency supplies ready."王长晓表示：“此次超强台风将成为2018年以来影响粤港澳大湾区的最强台风之一。市民居家期间，需加固门窗，并准备好充足的应急物资。”suspendv.暂停，中止； /səˈspend/torrentialadj.特大的，暴雨的/təˈrenʃl/mitigationn.减轻；缓解/ˌmɪtɪˈɡeɪʃn/

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China's national observatory has issued an alert forecasting gales and rainstorms in the country's southern and southwestern regions, as Kajiki lashes Hainan after it strengthened into a severe typhoon.

Strong winds and heavy rain whipped South China's Hainan province and parts of Guangdong province on Sunday, as Typhoon Kajiki passed over open waters to the south of Hainan and headed toward Vietnam's central coast.周日，台风“剑鱼”经过海南南部的开阔水域，向越南中部海岸移动，强风和暴雨袭击了中国南部的海南省和广东省部分地区。A short video posted online by Guangdong Radio and Television showed winds snapping off tree branches, and heavily rocking a docked boat and sending waves sliding over the pier.广东广播电视台在网上发布的一段短视频显示，风刮断了树枝，一艘停靠在码头上的船剧烈摇晃，海浪滑过码头。Kajiki gained strength as it moved westward over the sea with maximum sustained winds of 162 kilometers per hour, China's National Meteorological Center said.中国国家气象中心称，“剑鱼”向西移动，在海上增强，最大持续风速为每小时162公里。Rainfall of 25 to 40 centimeters was forecast for southern parts of Hainan Island, including Sanya, a popular beach resort.预计海南岛南部地区将有25到40厘米的降雨，包括著名的海滩度假胜地三亚。Hainan took extensive measures to prepare for Typhoon Kajiki, amid fears that it could be the strongest typhoon to hit the region in the past 40 years.海南采取了广泛的措施来应对台风“剑鱼”，人们担心这可能是过去40年来袭击该地区的最强台风。As Typhoon Kajiki approached, the province raised its emergency response to the highest level. The typhoon, the 13th of the year, intensified from a severe tropical storm to a full typhoon at 2 am on Sunday. It gained strength and headed toward Hainan's southern coast, with landfall or a close pass expected on Sunday evening, said Cai Qinbo, spokesperson for the Hainan provincial meteorological bureau.随着台风剑鱼（Kajiki）的逼近，该省将应急响应提升至最高级别。今年的第13号台风于周日凌晨2点从强烈热带风暴增强为台风。海南省气象局发言人蔡钦波表示，台风增强并向海南南部海岸移动，预计将于周日晚上登陆或近距离通过。Authorities in Sanya evacuated 31,843 people from potentially vulnerable areas to safety by 3 pm on Sunday, according to the city's publicity department. Temporary shelters were set up at some local facilities like primary schools to receive the affected.据三亚市宣传部称，截至周日下午3点，三亚市有关部门已将31843人从潜在脆弱地区疏散到安全地带。在小学等一些当地设施设立了临时避难所，以接收受影响的人。Across the province, over 770,000 emergency supplies had been prepared for vulnerable areas. More than 2,800 rescue workers are on standby with necessary vehicles and equipment, said Wu Zhanchao, deputy head of the Department of Emergency Management of Hainan Province.全省为脆弱地区准备了77万多件应急物资。海南省应急管理厅副厅长吴占超表示，2800多名救援人员随时待命，配备了必要的车辆和设备。All 30,769 local fishing boats had either returned to port or were safely sheltered, with over 21,000 crew members moved to shore.所有30 769艘当地渔船要么已返回港口，要么已得到安全庇护，21 000多名船员已移到岸上。Residents were advised to avoid unnecessary travel, stay away from low-lying areas, temporary structures and the coast, and be alert for potential geological hazards.政府建议居民避免不必要的旅行，远离低洼地区、临时建筑和海岸，并警惕潜在的地质灾害。In Sanya, measures included closing schools, offices, business operations, suspending public transportation and shipping, and shutting scenic areas.在三亚，措施包括关闭学校，办公室，商业运营，暂停公共交通和航运，以及关闭景区。Hotels in Sanya took comprehensive steps to ensure guest safety. Atlantis Sanya provided multilingual notices in Chinese, English and Russian in each guest room, detailing the latest weather updates, temporarily suspended facilities, and offered alternative indoor activities within the resort.三亚的酒店采取了全面措施来确保客人的安全。三亚亚特兰提斯酒店在每间客房都提供了中、英、俄三种语言的通知，详细介绍了最新的天气情况、暂停使用的设施，并在酒店内提供了其他室内活动。"I'm not worried about the typhoon at all because the tour guide and travel agency have a lot of experience in dealing with it. They explained the precautions during the typhoon and reminded us to stay indoors as much as possible," said Yelena Rostova, a Russian tourist visiting Sanya as part of a tour group.“我一点也不担心台风，因为导游和旅行社在应对台风方面有很多经验。他们解释了台风期间的预防措施，并提醒我们尽可能呆在室内，”来三亚旅游的俄罗斯游客叶莲娜·罗斯托娃（Yelena Rostova）说。"I hope the typhoon passes quickly so that my family and I can enjoy the sunny beaches and our vacation," she added.她补充说：“我希望台风快点过去，这样我和我的家人就可以享受阳光明媚的海滩和我们的假期。”With strong winds and heavy rain lashing the city, Wang Wen, a resident of Sanya, chose to stay home over the weekend. "It has not significantly affected my daily life," she said.随着强风和暴雨袭击城市，三亚居民王文（音）选择在周末呆在家里。“这对我的日常生活没有太大影响，”她说。

Hainan has upgraded its emergency response to the highest level as Typhoon Kajiki approaches. Authorities have evacuated over 20,000 people from potentially hazardous areas.

China launched a group of internet satellites into orbit on Monday evening, marking the third in-orbit deployment of such spacecraft in eight days.周一晚上，中国发射了一组互联网卫星进入轨道，这是八天内此类航天器的第三次在轨部署。The satellites are the seventh group of low-orbit hardware in China's State-owned internet network. They were lifted by a Long March 12 carrier rocket at 6:21 pm on Monday from the Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Center—a coastal spaceport in Wenchang, Hainan province—and soon arrived in their orbital positions, according to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, maker of the Long March 12 rocket.这些卫星是中国国有互联网网络中的第七组低轨道硬件。据长征十二号火箭制造商中国航天科技集团公司称，这些卫星于周一下午6点21分由长征十二号运载火箭从海南省文昌市的沿海航天港海南国际商业航天发射中心升空，很快就到达了轨道位置。The fifth group was launched on July 27 and the sixth on July 30.第五组于7月27日启动，第六组于7日30日启动。The satellites were manufactured by GalaxySpace, a Beijing-based private satellite company, at its "smart factory" in Nantong, Jiangsu province, that features highly intelligent assembly robots and automatic quality testing systems.这些卫星是由总部位于北京的私人卫星公司银河航天在其位于江苏省南通市的“智能工厂”制造的，该工厂拥有高度智能的装配机器人和自动质量检测系统。Monday's launch was the first time that satellites designed and built by a private company were deployed as part of the national mega-constellation project.周一的发射是私营公司设计和建造的卫星首次作为国家大型星座项目的一部分进行部署。The first six groups of space-based assets in this network were made by State-owned entities such as the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the China Academy of Space Technology, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp.该网络中的前六组天基资产是由中国科学院微型卫星创新研究院和中国航天科技集团公司下属的中国空间技术研究院等国有实体制造的。Previously, several GalaxySpace satellites were launched to take part in a technology demonstration for the State-owned internet network, but they are of an experimental nature and are not formal members in the network.此前，发射了几颗银河空间卫星参加国有互联网网络的技术演示，但它们是实验性质的，不是网络的正式成员。Now, the private enterprise has become a leader in the domestic commercial satellite market, with 34 satellites that have been launched, ranging from China's first plate-shaped satellites equipped with foldable solar arrays to the nation's first communications satellite with a transmission capacity of 10 gigabits per second.现在，这家私营企业已经成为国内商业卫星市场的领导者，已经发射了34颗卫星，从中国第一颗配备可折叠太阳能电池板的板状卫星到中国第一颗传输能力为每秒10千兆比特的通信卫星。"Next, GalaxySpace will make all-out efforts to develop core technologies that meet major needs of our nation's space industry, including cutting-edge phased array antennas, mega-constellation networking solutions, on-board large-scale energy systems and digital processing payloads," Hu Zhao, a senior satellite designer at Galaxy-Space, said on Tuesday.“下一步，银河空间将全力开发满足我国航天工业重大需求的核心技术，包括尖端相控阵天线、超大规模网络解决方案、机载大型能源系统和数字处理有效载荷，”银河空间高级卫星设计师胡赵周二表示。He said the company will also speed up the low-cost mass production of satellites and various key equipment, and continuously push the boundaries of technological capabilities, so as to contribute to forming China's independent and reliable space infrastructure.他说，该公司还将加快卫星和各种关键设备的低成本大规模生产，不断突破技术能力的界限，为形成中国独立可靠的太空基础设施做出贡献。Monday's mission marked China's 43rd space launch this year and also the second flight of the Long March 12 rocket model.周一的任务标志着中国今年第43次太空发射，也是长征十二号火箭的第二次飞行。Designed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, the Long March 12 is the 22nd member of the Long March family, the backbone of China's space sector, and the 17th in the operating fleet.长征12号由上海航天技术研究院设计，是长征家族的第22位成员，是中国航天事业的中坚力量，也是现役舰队的第17位成员。It is the first Chinese rocket to have a diameter of 3.8 meters—most Chinese rockets have a diameter of 3.35 meters, a standard width set in the 1960s considering constraining factors in rail transport.这是中国第一枚直径为3.8米的火箭——大多数中国火箭的直径为3.35米，这是20世纪60年代考虑到铁路运输的限制因素而设定的标准宽度。Standing 62.6 meters tall, equivalent to the height of 22 stories of a standard residential building, the two-stage model is the second highest in all Chinese rockets, only exceeded by the 62.8-meter Long March 5.两级模型高62.6米，相当于一栋标准住宅楼的22层高度，是中国所有火箭中第二高的，仅次于62.8米的长征五号。cutting-edgen.尖端、先进的/ˈkʌtɪŋ ɛdʒ/orbital positionn.轨道位置/ˈɔːbɪtl pəˈzɪʃən/

China is intensifying its institutional opening-up by moving toward island-wide independent customs operation in the Hainan Free Trade Port on December 18th.

Chinese officials say the Hainan Free Trade Port will launch island-wide independent customs operations on December 18th (01:04). Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba reiterates his intention to remain in office (16:08). UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemns Israeli strikes that hit UN facilities in Gaza during a high-level debate at the UN Security Council (23:09).

The Tianzhou 9 robotic cargo ship was launched on Tuesday morning in Hainan province, marking the first and only cargo mission to visit China's Tiangong space station this year.“天舟9号”机器人货船于周二上午在海南省发射，这是今年首次也是唯一一次访问中国天宫空间站的货运任务。With the cargo vessel attached above it, the Long March 7 carrier rocket lifted off at 5:34 am from a launch service tower at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan's southeastern coast, according to the China Manned Space Agency.据中国载人航天局称，长征七号运载火箭于凌晨5点34分从海南东南沿海文昌航天发射中心的发射服务塔发射升空，货船附在上面。Following a short flight, the rocket placed the Tianzhou 7 into its preset low-Earth orbit and the robotic vessel's solar wings soon unfolded, marking the successful completion of the launch mission, the agency said in a news release. About three hours later, the spacecraft docked with the space station's Tianhe core module.该机构在一份新闻稿中表示，经过短暂的飞行，火箭将天舟7号送入预设的近地轨道，机器人飞船的太阳能机翼很快展开，标志着发射任务的成功完成。大约三个小时后，飞船与空间站的天河核心舱对接。As the 17th spaceship, and the eighth cargo craft, connected with Tiangong, Tianzhou 9 is tasked with delivering propellants, science payloads and necessities for the Shenzhou XX astronauts, who have stayed in orbit for nearly three months, with their successors on the Shenzhou XXI flight scheduled to launch this winter.作为与天宫相连的第17艘宇宙飞船和第8艘货运飞船，天舟9号的任务是为神舟二十号宇航员及其继任者运送推进剂、科学有效载荷和必需品，神舟二十一号宇航员已在轨道上停留了近三个月，计划于今年冬天发射。Designed and built by the China Academy of Space Technology in Beijing, Tianzhou 9, like its predecessors in the Tianzhou series, boasts the biggest carrying capacity and the highest transport efficiency of its kind in the world, according to mission planners.据任务规划者介绍，由北京中国空间技术研究院设计和建造的“天舟9号”与“天舟系列”的前身一样，拥有世界上同类产品中最大的运载能力和最高的运输效率。The vessel is carrying hundreds of packages with a combined weight of nearly 6.5 metric tons, including several science and technology apparatus and two new spacewalk suits.该船载有数百个包裹，总重量近6.5公吨，包括几台科技设备和两套新的太空行走服。Orbiting Earth at about 400 kilometers above the ground, Tiangong is now the only space station in orbit that is independently operated by a single nation. The colossal outpost has three permanent parts — a core module and two science capsules — and is regularly connected to several visiting crew and cargo spaceships.天宫在距离地面约400公里的轨道上绕地球运行，现在是轨道上唯一一个由一个国家独立运营的空间站。这个巨大的前哨站有三个永久性部分——一个核心模块和两个科学舱——并定期与几艘来访的机组人员和货运飞船相连。cargo missionn.货运任务/ˈkɑːɡəʊ ˈmɪʃən/core modulen.核心模块/kɔːr ˈmɒdjuːl/

①Over 60 domestic, international films set to entertain Chinese audiences this summer②Hong Kong records about 20 mln visitor arrivals in first 5 months③Wuhan welcomes central China's first downtown duty-free shop in policy push④Delving into deep sea: China joins global scientists in exploring hadal zone⑤China launches South China Sea tsunami advisory center in Hainan⑥Chinese, German scientists discover super-Earth planet in Sun-like star's habitable zone

As dragon boats swiftly navigated the narrow waterways of the Diejiao water town in Foshan, Guangdong province, the crowds were thrilled at the jaw-dropping maneuvers and fierce competition.当龙舟在广东佛山叠滘水乡狭窄的水道中飞速穿行时，观众为其令人叹为观止的操控和激烈的角逐兴奋不已。The traditional racing event attracted more than 2 million visitors to the town during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday.端午节假期期间，这项传统赛事吸引了超过200万游客前来参观。The Diejiao dragon boat race is an intangible cultural heritage in Foshan. The narrow and winding rivers there prompt the rowers to perform dramatic stunts and sudden stops during the race, earning it the nickname of the "fast and furious".叠滘龙舟赛是佛山市的非物质文化遗产。由于河道狭窄蜿蜒，赛艇运动员在比赛中需要做出各种惊险刺激的动作和急停，因此被称为“速度与激情”。For example, in the Dongsheng competition section, each team of nearly 40 members must navigate a 25-meter-long boat at a high speed through a 560-meter course consisting of six sharp turns.例如，在东胜赛区，每支近40人的队伍必须驾驶一艘25米长的龙舟，高速穿越560米长的、包含六个急弯的赛道。The roar of paddles was matched by the thunderous shouting and cheering of excited spectators. Among the visitors was a 27-year-old marketing manager from Shenzhen, surnamed Zhu.桨声震耳欲聋，现场观众的欢呼声也如雷鸣般震耳欲聋。来自深圳、27岁的市场经理朱先生也在观赛人群之中。"It was my first time seeing a dragon boat race up close, especially the thrilling bend sprints unique to Diejiao," he said. "The atmosphere was marvelous and unbelievable, and crowds packed the riverbanks and even rooftops."“这是我第一次近距离观看龙舟比赛，尤其是叠滘独有的惊险刺激的弯道冲刺，”他说。“现场气氛精彩绝伦，令人难以置信，河岸甚至屋顶都挤满了人。”"From incense rituals and firecrackers to dragon boat races and lively food stalls, the village was alive with tradition," he said.“从上香仪式、鞭炮声，到龙舟竞渡和热闹的小吃摊，整个村庄都洋溢着传统气息，”他说。During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, from Saturday to Monday, Foshan received over 2 million visitors, marking a 46.11 percent year-on-year increase, said the local government.当地政府表示，端午节假期（周六至周一），佛山接待游客超过200万人次，同比增长46.11%。Tourism revenue is estimated to have surged to 1.015 billion yuan ($141 million) during the three-day holiday, up 49.26 percent year-on-year, it added on Monday.周一，佛山市政府补充道，预计三天假期旅游收入将飙升至10.15亿元人民币（1.41亿美元），同比增长49.26%。The competition in Foshan will last until June 15, and top teams from across Guangdong and those from other cities such as Hong Kong and Macao will be invited to participate.佛山的比赛将持续到6月15日，届时将邀请来自广东省各地以及香港、澳门等其他城市的顶尖队伍参赛。Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional holiday honoring Qu Yuan, one of ancient China's greatest patriotic poets, and is marked nationwide by thrilling dragon boat races.端午节是纪念中国古代最伟大的爱国诗人屈原的传统节日，全国各地都会举行精彩纷呈的龙舟比赛。Data from travel services provider Qunar showed that, as of Monday, searches containing keywords like "dragon boat" and "zongzi" more than doubled compared with the previous month, and bookings for destinations offering folk culture experiences rose more than 40 percent.旅游服务提供商去哪儿网的数据显示，截至周一，“龙舟”和“粽子”等关键词的搜索量环比增长了一倍多，预订提供民俗文化体验的目的地的数量增长了40%以上。In recent years, more areas have expanded their festivities by blending the races with local culture and tourism, creating richer and more immersive experiences for visitors and boosting the local economy.近年来，越来越多的地区将龙舟比赛与当地文化和旅游相结合，拓展了节日庆祝活动，为游客创造了更丰富、更沉浸式的体验，促进了当地经济发展。In Haikou, Hainan province, about 40 teams, including those from Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines, competed in international dragon boat racing from Saturday to Sunday, attracting over 219,000 visitors, Haikou Daily reported.据《海口日报》报道，海南省海口市在周六至周日举办国际龙舟邀请赛，约有40支队伍参赛，包括来自马来西亚、新加坡、菲律宾的代表队，共吸引游客超过21.9万人次。In Fujian province, Fangzhuang village, one of China's largest wood dragon boat manufacturing hubs, received over 200 orders for dragon boats this year, setting a record.在福建省，作为中国最大的木制龙舟制造中心之一，方庄村今年接到了超过200艘龙舟的订单，创下了历史新高。Fang Jianwei, a dragon boat craftsman, said they have received orders from Fujian, Guangdong and Jiangxi provinces. There were also overseas orders, including those from the United States and Japan.龙舟工匠方剑伟表示，他们接到了来自福建、广东和江西等地的订单，也包括来自美国和日本的海外订单。Dragon boat traditions go beyond southern China. This year, northern-style racing returned to the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal in Cangzhou, Hebei province, after nearly 200 years.龙舟传统远不仅限于中国南方。今年，北方风格的龙舟赛事时隔近200年，重返河北沧州的京杭大运河。"The race highlights not just speed, but also skill and creativity," said Zhang Ge, deputy general manager of Cangzhou Grand Canal Development Group, adding that the city plans to turn dragon boat shows into a regular tourism product, integrating cultural, social and economic benefits to boost Cangzhou's cultural tourism appeal.“龙舟赛事不仅注重速度，更注重技巧和创意。”沧州大运河发展集团副总经理张阁说道。他还表示，沧州计划将龙舟表演打造成常态化旅游产品，集文化效益、社会效益和经济效益于一体，提升沧州的文化旅游吸引力。intangible cultural heritage非物质文化遗产maneuver/məˈnuːvər/n.精巧动作；策略；演习v.熟练地移动；操纵immersive/ɪˈmɜːrsɪv/adj.身临其境的；沉浸式的patriotic/ˌpeɪtriˈɒtɪk/adj.爱国的

Skylar Hoke and Tom Jacobs preview the course and run through the odds while making their 2025 Hainan Open and bets. Sub to the Mayo Media Network: https://bit.ly/YTMMN Get 20% off https://www.fantasynational.com/mayo with code “MAYO” Video: https://bit.ly/YTMMN Apple: http://bit.ly/DFSMixApple Stitcher: http://bit.ly/DFSStitcher Spotify: http://bit.ly/DFSSpotify Google: http://bit.ly/DFSGoogle Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom and Brad preview this weeks events, the Hainan Classic & Zurich Classic. As ever we highly recommend you check out Tour-Tips.com for all the relevant statistics required to make informed selections each week. Check out www.tour-tips.com for all subscription categories and rates.

Hainan—China's breathtaking tropical paradise—is famous for its pristine beaches and idyllic climate. But now, the island is making headlines for something even sweeter: its exotic fruit farms are becoming a delicious new driver of rural revitalization. We explore the opportunities of this juicy venture—and what lessons other regions can harvest from Hainan's success. On the show: Steve Hatherly, Niu Honglin & Laiming

The 5th China International Consumer Products Expo has concluded in the southern island of Hainan. Matchmaking sessions at the expo yielded dozens of potential agreements valued at over 90 billion yuan, or 13 billion U.S. dollars.

This episode sarcastically talks about why the arrest of the 3 Filipino "spies" in Hainan, China is ridiculous.

Rocket Lab announces its intention to acquire Mynaric. A SpaceX Falcon 9 launches NASA's SPHEREx telescope and PUNCH mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base. D-Orbit and Eutelsat announce a collaboration for ESA's in-orbit servicing mission called RISE, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. Selected Reading NASA Launches Missions to Study Sun, Universe's Beginning Rocket Lab Announces Intention to Acquire Mynaric, Leading Laser Communications Provider, in Latest Strategic Step Toward Becoming an End-to-End Space Company Airbus Awards Rocket Lab Contract to Power Next-Gen OneWeb Constellation for Eutelsat- Business Wire D-Orbit and Eutelsat to collaborate for RISE, ESA's new in-orbit servicing mission  SpaceWERX selects eight companies for $440 million in public-private partnerships - SpaceNews China launches 18 satellites from Hainan commercial launch site - CGTN Rivada and Amentum Join Forces for Mission-Critical Connectivity Aitech and Intuidex Join Forces to Deliver AI-Accelerated Computing Solutions for Extreme Sea, Land, Air, and Space Missions Radian Aerospace and General Atomics Partner to Advance Next-Generation Aerospace Technologies Space42, Viasat to build LEO system- Advanced Television Sidus Space and Warpspace Sign MOU to Launch Joint Venture to Develop Advanced Optical Space Communication- Business Wire To support the growth of the space economy, Saudi Arabia and South Korea are strengthening their cooperation in space-related fields LeoLabs to build space-monitoring radar in Indo-Pacific region - SpaceNews NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 Astronauts to Advance Biomedical, Materials, and Physical Sciences via the ISS National Laboratory ROCKET LAUNCH: NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 - Kennedy Space Center Events ESA - Watch live: Images from Hera's Mars flyby T-Minus Crew Survey We want to hear from you! Please complete our 4 question survey. It'll help us get better and deliver you the most mission-critical space intel every day. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here's our media kit. Contact us at space@n2k.com to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to space-editor@n2k.com and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're joined today by Chef Johnny Lee, the mastermind behind Rasarumah, one of LA's hottest new restaurants serving inventive Southeast Asian food with a heavy Malaysian bent. Chef Johnny joins us to talk about the new concept, but also about what it was like to say goodbye to his deeply personal project Pearl River Deli. We talk about Hainan chicken, the struggles of learning to be a business operator when you've mostly worked the line your entire career, and what it's been like to partner with Last Word Hospitality on his new exciting venture.But first, I had the distinct pleasure of attending Taco Bell's Live Mas Live event in Brooklyn earlier this week. This is their event in the mold of Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference in which they offer sneak peeks from their test kitchen and roll out the new menu items for the year ahead. I met up with Daniel Wargo AKA Forking Around in the lobby of our hotel the morning after the event to debrief. Yes, we talk about which drops we're most excited about, but we also ask ourselves what LA restaurants can learn from the Live Mas lifestyle. I was honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed this event - not just the food, but really the ethos behind what Taco Bell does to innovate and to build a relationship with its fans. I think there's tons that even the most mom and pop of establishments can learn by taking a page out of the chalupa handbook, so to speak. Helpful links:Rasarumah https://rasarumah.com/Taco Bell Live Mas LIVE recap https://www.chowhound.com/1804512/taco-bell-new-menu-items-2025/Daniel Wargo https://www.instagram.com/forkingaround.tv/?hl=en–Go check out The Lonely Oyster in Echo Park! ⁠https://thelonelyoyster.com/⁠–Get 10% off at House of Macadamias using code "LAFOOD" https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods

We start with this week’s China propaganda update (2:27), followed by a look at a 112 y/o letter from Borden in Cairo (34:05). Next, we look at how to Pray for China this week (39:19) followed by an insane team schedule that I unearthed from exactly 12 years ago in NW China (46:06). Follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I post daily reminders to pray for China (PrayforChina.us). If you enjoy this podcast, follow or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also email any questions or comments to contact @ PrayforChina dot us. And don’t forget to check out all the things we are doing at PrayGiveGo.us. Luke 10:2! China/Russia vs Ukraine/USA: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202502/1329289.shtml The “Real China” Breaks Through: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202502/1329281.shtml Death Sentence for Child Trafficker: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202502/1329258.shtml China: US Violates Human Rights: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202503/1329294.shtml Borden’s Arab Homestay: https://open.substack.com/pub/chinacall/p/arab-homestay Pray for China (PrayforChina.us) Mar 1 (Sat) - Pray for Tongling in Anhui Province, which is paired with Iowa for prayer: www.PrayforChina.us Anhui Podcast: Beheaded https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/audio/podcasts/30293/episodes/31 Mar 2 (Sun) - Pray for Siming District in Xiamen Prefecture of SE China's Fujian Province, which is paired with South Carolina for prayer: www.PrayforChina.us Fujian podcast and more info…https://prayforchina.us/index.php/fujian/ Mar 3 (Mon) - Pray for Chengguan (“CityGate”) District, the urban core of Lanzhou, capital of Gansu Province, which is paired for prayer with its sister state of Oklahoma: www.Pray4Gansu.com Here's my Gansu podcast (and more)... https://prayforchina.us/index.php/gansu/ Mar 4 (Tue) - Pray for Shijingshan District in the suburbs of west-central Beijing, which is paired with Washington DC (and MD) for prayer: prayforchina.us/index.php/maryland/ My Tiananmen Crosspolitic interview: https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/the-pub/videos/30786 Mar 5 (Wed) - Pray for Kaili City, the most populated in Qiandongnan Prefecture in Guizhou Province, which is paired with Missouri for prayer: www.prayforchina.us/states/missouri.html Here's the Guizhou podcast (and more)... https://prayforchina.us/index.php/guizhou/ Mar 6 (Thu) - Pray for landlocked Nada Town, the largest in Danzhou Prefecture on Hainan Island, which is paired with Hawaii for prayer: www.PrayforChina.us Here's the Hainan pod: https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/the-pub/podcasts/30293/episodes/37 Mar 7 (Fri) - Pray for Yongnian District in Handan City, in southern Hebei Province. “Huh-bay” is paired with both Wisconsin and Michigan for prayer: https://prayforchina.us/index.php/michigan/ Here's my Hebei pod: https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/the-pub/podcasts/30293/episodes/39 Mar 8 (Sat) - Pray for Nangang District, the most populated in Harbin City, the capital of Heilongjiang, which is paired with MN and the UP of MI for prayer: https://prayforchina.us/index.php/michigan/ My Heilongjiang podcast: https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/the-pub/podcasts/30293/episodes/20 Listen to hear the "Insane Adventures" I share at the end of today's podcast...

Welcome to China Compass! I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben. You can follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I post daily reminders to pray for China (PrayforChina.us). You can also email me with any questions or comments @ bfwesten at gmail dot com. B.F. Westen is my pen name, for security reasons. If you want to see the missionary books I’ve published and learn more about our work, you can find easy links to everything @ PrayGiveGo.us! Today I join my good friend and China ministry partner, Denny, as he continues in house arrest after his conviction for saving babies in Nashville. Among other things, we talk about the used Christian bookstore (www.RemnantBooks.org) that helps support his family and ministry, and the now polygamous missionary to China’s tropical paradise, Hainan Island, a former friend who we both once knew and respected. Remnant (Used Christian) Books: www.RemnantBooks.org But first, I want to talk briefly about China’s South American Concubines… Biden and Xi Meet in Peru, Chinese Megaport Inaugurated https://apnews.com/article/china-peru-port-poverty-latin-america-1e06904f76cca1d7aaf19bca8bd24d93 I also refer to another opinion piece, supposedly written by Dictator Xi himself, but I don’t have a link to that article. The Chinese government website that hosted the English version of the article did not seem too secure, so I copied the text into a Google doc, which is what I refer to in the podcast. Pray for China Province of the Week: Hainan Island Hainan Island (Province) in China is matched up with the state of Hawaii for prayer. By the way, Hainan means “South of the Sea” and refers to the island’s location in the South China Sea. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/hainan The Martyrs of Hainan https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/hainan/1924-george-byers https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/hainan/1918-frank-gilman See which Chinese province your state is praying for @ PrayforChina.us!

PREVIEW: ICBM: Comments from colleague Rick Fisher re why we have a positive ID of the PRC ICBM fired recently from a mobile launcher driven to Hainan Island. More later. 1954

#PRC: Testing DF-41 mobile launch from Hainan. Peter Huessy, National Institute for Deterrence. @GordonGChang, Gatestone, Newsweek, The Hill 1962