The Philippine side on Friday claimed China's sanctions against Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and his relatives are "an unfriendly act," after Beijing imposed the measures over Teodoro's repeated irresponsible remarks concerning China, per media reports. A Chinese analyst said the Philippine side was distorting the truth and shifting the blame, noting that Teodoro has repeatedly misrepresented China's rights-protection actions in the South China Sea and China's assistance to the Philippines, causing serious damage to bilateral ties. The sanctions, the analyst said, also serve as a warning to certain Philippine politicians not to further sabotage China-Philippines relations.
On Thursday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced sanctions against Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and his relatives. Teodoro repeatedly made irresponsible remarks concerning China, which undermines China's legitimate interests and sabotages China-Philippines relations, according to a statement from the ministry.
To uphold China's sovereignty, security and development interests, China has decided to prohibit Teodoro, and his spouse and child from entering the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao, and not allow organizations and individuals in China to engage in any transactions, cooperation or other activities with them, according to the statement.
The Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) claimed on Friday that "while the imposition of sanctions is China's sovereign prerogative, the Philippines views it as an unfriendly act that further complicates bilateral relations," according to Philippine media outlet GMA Network.
In a statement early Friday, Teodoro claimed he had been sanctioned for "speaking truth" and "I will just keep doing my duty," according to Philippine media outlet ABS-CBN News.
The claim from the Philippine side that China's sanctions are an "unfriendly act" completely distorts the truth and shifts the blame, Chen Xiangmiao, a research fellow at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Friday.
Teodoro's irresponsible remarks — such as dismissing China's fertilizer aid as a form of "packaging and deception" — have damaged bilateral relations by thoroughly politicizing normal cooperation, Chen said, noting that ultimately, the responsibility for strained bilateral relations lies squarely with the Philippines and Teodoro's reckless grandstanding; they were the ones who showed unfriendly acts, said Chen.
Teodoro alleged at the Shangri-La Dialogue that China had provided fertilizer and fuel to the Philippines but did not show good faith on a long-term basis, and "no matter how they sugarcoat their assistance to us, it doesn't cut the mustard." He also claimed the Philippines were under severe threat territory-wise and politically too by China.
In response to Teodoro's remarks, China Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said on June 2 that this Philippine defense secretary is known to vilify China. His latest rhetoric shows his complete disregard of the welfare of the Philippine people and lack of appreciation for kindness. All he cares is selfish personal gains to the point that he would perform political theatrics even when people's well-being is at stake. What he does is seriously detrimental to China-Philippines ties and trust and not at all in the interest of his own country and people.
Chen noted that Teodoro shows no signs of reflection, maintaining this defiant posture for the past three years. Backed either by domestic factions or external, extra-regional powers, he has acted as a deliberate saboteur of China-Philippines relations, the expert stressed.
China's measured, proportionate countermeasures also serve as a warning to certain Philippine politicians not to trifle with China, exploit the goodwill of the Chinese people, or treat bilateral relations as a political game, said Chen, noting that when politicians treat state policy as a playground for personal agendas, their lies will ultimately inflict severe damage upon their own nation.
Huangyan Dao is China's inherent territory, and China has indisputable sovereignty over Huangyan Dao and its adjacent waters. Any activity China carries out on and around Huangyan Dao, including scientific research, falls within the legitimate rights of a sovereign state, Mao Ning, a spokesperson for Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a regular press conference on Friday, when asked if China could provide more information on reports claiming satellite images showed the presence of a structure on Huangyan Dao, though later imagery suggests it is no longer there.
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on Friday attended a plenary session of the 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and delivered a speech on implementing the Global Governance Initiative and jointly working for a better future.
In his address, Han noted that momentous changes unseen in a century are accelerating across the world, and global challenges and governance deficits are becoming more prominent. The China-proposed Global Governance Initiative has won positive responses and support from nearly 160 countries and international organizations, he added.
The Group of Friends of Global Governance was established at the United Nations, sending a unified message for safeguarding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, upholding genuine multilateralism and opposing unilateralism, Han said.
As the initiator of the Global Governance Initiative, China has delivered on its commitments with concrete actions to rally all parties and jointly advance the reform and improvement of the global governance system, Han noted.
As major countries and permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and Russia shoulder important responsibilities in the transformation of the global governance system, Han said.
He added that China stands ready to cooperate with Russia and all other sides to advance the implementation of the Global Governance Initiative and build an open, inclusive, equitable and just world of win-win cooperation.
Han put forward four proposals for advancing the Global Governance Initiative:
First, uphold equal cooperation and advocate a vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. It is imperative to pursue genuine multilateralism, secure equal participation, decision-making and benefit-sharing for all countries in global governance, resolutely promote the democratization of international relations and raise the representation and voice of developing nations.
Second, stay committed to international fairness and justice and preserve the status and authority of the UN. All countries should safeguard international equity based on universally applicable international laws and regulations, oppose double standards and selective enforcement of laws, and back the UN in revitalizing its authority and vitality under new circumstances so it can serve as the primary platform for countries to coordinate actions and jointly tackle common challenges.
Third, boost common development to deliver greater gains for people across the globe. With the aim of improving well-being for all, countries should fully implement the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to advance shared development and prosperity worldwide.
Fourth, strengthen coordinated actions to deliver more tangible outcomes. Countries, international organizations and multilateral institutions need to align development strategies and coordinate policies in a well-planned manner to create synergies in addressing global challenges and advancing shared development.
Han said this year is the first year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan. The plan charts an inspiring blueprint for China's development over the next five years and embodies China's aspiration for win-win cooperation with all nations across the world.
China is prepared to work alongside all sides to fully implement the Global Governance Initiative, build a global governance system that is more just and equitable, and jointly create a brighter future for humanity, Han said.
On the sidelines of the forum, Han also held brief exchanges with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
In pursuit of selfish political interests, the Taiwan regional Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities have gone so far as to sell out the overall interests of the Chinese nation, betray their ancestry and abandon all bottom lines. This once again exposes that "Taiwan independence" forces have completely lost their national standpoint and degenerated into out-and-out scum of the nation. They will surely be spurned by compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits and reckoned by history, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Tuesday.
Mao made the remarks when asked to comment that on May 31, in response to the Foreign Ministry spokesperson's earlier response on Japan and the Philippines announcing the launch of so-called maritime delimitation talks, the Taiwan regional authorities' so-called "external affairs" department issued comments expressing approval of the move by Japan and the Philippines and questioning the mainland's sovereign rights in the relevant waters.
Mao said that China has already stated its position on Japan and the Philippines' announcement of the launch of maritime delimitation talks. I would like to reiterate that the area the two countries announced they will delimit is east of China's Taiwan island. According to China's domestic law and international law including UNCLOS, China has exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in this area.
Under the UNCLOS, the delimitation of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf between states with opposite or adjacent coasts shall be effected by agreement on the basis of the principle of equity.
Any delimitation talks involving waters east of Taiwan island must include Chinese side's participation. Japan and the Philippines' launch of so-called maritime delimitation talks while bypassing China seriously violates international law, including the UNCLOS, and the basic norms governing international relations, and seriously infringes on China's maritime rights and interests. China will never allow this, Mao said.
Both sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to one China. Safeguarding national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests is the common responsibility of all Chinese people on both sides of the Straits, said Mao.
In May, Beijing's Longtan Central Park was full of fresh vitality. The trees had turned lush green, and a light breeze rippled across the lake. Early-morning exercisers moved slowly through their Tai Chi routines, while joggers circled the path at an easy rhythm, blending into the lush spring scene. On an island in the lake, the main event of the 2026 National Nutrition Week was underway, this year centered on the theme "Nutrition at the Family Table." The goal was to bring healthy eating into everyday homes, with crowds drifting between booths to pick up practical tips on improving their diets.
Among the exhibits, Zespri, the New Zealand-based kiwifruit marketer, drew some of the liveliest activity. Children, eyes wide, tossed small balls representing vitamin C, dietary fiber, and potassium into bowls, turning the concept of "high nutrient density" into a game. Nearby, younger visitors scanned QR codes for the brand's "Diet for Good" AI-powered diet mini-program, uploading photos of recent meals and receiving instant analyses of calories, nutritional gaps, and suggestions for better combinations. Zhao Boya, a young nutrition professional, had just tried all the interactive stations. "People used to focus on whether they were full," she told Global Times. "Now they want to know exactly what's in their food and how to balance it. It's a shift from eating enough to eating well."
A spirited 64-year-old retiree worked her way through every interactive station, laughing as she described her own daily routine: breakfast at her house was more likely to be coarse grains and fresh fruit than fried dough sticks or steamed buns, supplemented with protein powder and vitamins when needed. She said this kind of game-like education felt far more approachable than flipping through dense textbooks.
After finishing the fun, knowledge-filled experiences, each participant received a plump, fresh SunGold kiwifruit. The retiree posed happily for a selfie, the fruit held up like a trophy. Against the backdrop of China's deepening Healthy China Initiative, public awareness of health is rising fast. Consumers are moving beyond simply wanting more choices toward demanding higher quality, paying closer attention to nutritional content, sourcing, safety, and overall health value.
So what can a kiwifruit from New Zealand - with its natural nutritional strengths and Zespri's long-term commitment to the Chinese market - contribute to better-balanced meals for Chinese families, and to a healthier nation as a whole?
Refreshed global platform
At the Zespri booth, a robot named "Kiwi Brothers" stopped pedestrians in their tracks. The interaction was simple: visitors listed what they had eaten for their previous meal, and the robot analyzed it against the "Balanced Meal Plate," a model promoted by the Chinese Nutrition Society based on The Chinese Dietary Guidelines. A scientifically sound plate, the guidelines state, should contain four parts: grains and tubers, animal-based foods or soy products, vegetables, and fruits. Based on the input, the robot offered straightforward feedback.
Light as the game seemed, it turned an otherwise abstract question into something concrete: What did I actually eat last meal? Was my plate all grains and meat? Did I get enough fruit, vegetables and fiber?
A parent confessed, "The hardest part is dealing with a picky eater who won't touch fruit. I worry she's not getting enough vitamins." A group of young adults, by contrast, focused on sugar control, calorie management and lighter eating. Fitness enthusiasts naturally wondered which fruit delivers efficient energy with high nutritional density.
This rising public awareness is mirrored at the national policy level. In recent years, China's National Health Commission and other authorities have rolled out landmark frameworks including the Healthy China Action and the National Nutrition Plan (2017-30). The policies aim to widely spread dietary nutrition knowledge, issue tailored dietary guidelines for different age and social groups, guide the public toward scientific eating habits, and foster a broader culture of balanced nutrition. From top-level national strategy to everyday family dining tables, balanced eating has evolved into a core priority in China's public health agenda.
Yet, a significant gap remains between policy frameworks and daily reality. Data released by the Chinese Nutrition Society reveals a stark paradox: more than half of the population faces nutritional imbalance, marked by energy excess alongside micronutrient deficiencies. Some 63.6 percent of residents exceed the recommended fat-to-energy ratio of 30 percent. Meanwhile, 76.4 percent and 81.9 percent fall short of recommended vitamin C and potassium intake, respectively, with dietary fiber, calcium, and B vitamins consistently below recommended levels.
"Currently, consumers are far more involved than ever," Kok Hwee Ng, Chief Marketing Officer of Zespri International, told the Global Times. "They see health and nutrition not as a solution when you fall sick, but as something they want to integrate into their everyday life." This shift, Ng noted, has reshaped expectations of premium brands. "When consumers choose a premium product, they naturally expect superior quality, taste, and nutritional value," she said. "But in an increasingly volatile world, they are asking for more. They want brands to play a bigger role in improving their lives, the well-being of their families, their communities, and their future."
That expectation arrives as 2026 marks the official launch of Zespri's decade-long strategic roadmap: its 2035 ambition to become the world's healthiest fruit brand. Central to this vision is the rollout of its refreshed global platform, Grown for Good.
At its core, Grown for Good places natural nutrition at the center of every decision, from orchard cultivation to marketing initiatives and value creation.
Ng believes Zespri is uniquely positioned to lead this charge. "As the world's leading fruit brand, built around one of the most nutrient-dense fruits in the produce aisle, we have both the right and the responsibility to help societies become healthier," she said.
The mission extends beyond the fruit itself. By promoting nutritional literacy and championing the value of natural nutrition, Ng sees a path to unlocking shared value. "It's about creating a cycle where consumers gain health, society gains knowledge, and our growers gain the stability to continue producing high-quality fruit," she added. "That is the essence of Grown for Good - delivering lasting value for people and the planet."
From orchard to table
The SunGold kiwifruit handed to visitors at the end of the interactive games in Longtan Central Park looked simple enough - fresh, plump and ready to eat. For many participants, it was a small reward after a round of nutrition games.
Behind that small reward was a much longer journey.
Before it appeared at the booth, it had already traveled through a chain of growers, standards, cold-chain transport and digital tools linking New Zealand orchards with Chinese dining tables.
Ng said the complete industrial chain is one of the features that makes the brand special. "What makes Zespri even more special is its complete industrial chain layout. The brand is jointly owned by nearly 3,000 local growers in New Zealand, and we take natural nutrition as the core driving force of the whole industrial chain operation," she said. This chain includes dry matter testing in New Zealand orchards, scientific maturity control, cross-border temperature-controlled cold-chain logistics and digital traceability. These steps support the fruit's journey from orchard to dining table, before it appears in the everyday scenes already visible at the booth: in a child's hand, in a family's breakfast, or as part of a balanced plate.
The emphasis on standards is also connected with the way nutrient density was presented during the event. The report released at the National Nutrition Week advocated high-quality diets and greater intake of high-nutrient-dense foods. Event materials described kiwifruit as a representative high-nutrient-density fruit rich in vitamin C, potassium and dietary fiber; 100 grams of SunGold kiwifruit provides 171 milligrams of vitamin C, meeting the adult daily requirement of 100 milligrams.
The other end of the "orchard to table" route was not a supermarket shelf, but a phone screen. The "Diet for Good" mini-program, which had already drawn visitors to scan and test their own meals at the booth, uses AI image recognition to analyze meals and show users their structure, calorie level and key nutrient information.
The mini-program is supported by professional content from the "National Nutrition Literacy Promotion Program " under the Nutrition Literacy Branch of the Chinese Association of Health Promotion and Education , and combines that content with technologies including Volcano Engine and the Doubao large model. The platform also supports continued meal records and trend tracking, helping users move from a single meal check to a longer-term view of their diet structure. Ng linked the AI-powered balanced plate activity to a gap between willingness and daily action.
"It's not that people don't want to keep a healthy diet, it's just hard to carry it out in busy daily life. So we're finding simple ways to make healthy eating easier, guide subtle behavior changes and remind consumers to make conscious dietary choices," she said.
"The AI-powered platforms we newly launched this year make it easier for people to stick to healthy eating habits in the long run, because balanced nutrition intake needs long-term persistence, and progress comes from small daily changes," Ng said.
Zespri's partnership with the Chinese Nutrition Society dates back to 2021, when the two sides jointly released their first white paper focusing on working women's diet and health.
The Global Times learned that cooperation has since extended to reports on food nutrient density, visualized food-selection tools and participation in national nutrition events. Ng said the company sees its work in China not merely as selling products, but as contributing to the well-being of Chinese communities.
Toward a healthy China
The family table is also where long-term eating habits begin. That is why Zespri's work in China has extended beyond product promotion into children's food education, parent guidance and hospital-based nutrition programs.
One example is the "Nutrition & Dietary Knowledge Standard Course Program," a children's food education standardization program, supported by Zespri China and launched by the China Association for Student Nutrition and Health Promotion in 2023.
Research from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows that 76.21 percent of children consume less than 60 percent of the recommended daily intake of fresh vegetables, while 85.21 percent consume less than 60 percent of the recommended intake of fresh fruit.
The Global Times learned that, over the past three years, the "Nutrition & Dietary Knowledge Standard Course Program" has covered 35 cities, nearly 2,000 schools and more than 300 communities, benefiting 1.5 million students and families. Ng said the focus on schools is linked to the importance of forming eating habits early. She noted that good eating behaviors, nutritional knowledge and dietary habits take shape from a young age, while changing dietary habits in adulthood is much more difficult.
Hospitals are another setting for nutrition education. The "Sunshine Education & Healthy Growth Program," supported by professional partners including the Children's Hospital of Fudan University, extends nutrition guidance into medical settings and provides scientific support for children and families.
Ng said hospital cooperation helps guide children to develop good eating habits and gather scientific evidence on balanced diets and fresh fruit intake, especially nutrient-dense fruits. She also said cooperation with industry experts can support the building of scientific guidance systems for dietary nutrition.
Looking ahead, Ng said Zespri will continue to deepen cooperation with institutions including the Chinese Nutrition Society and the China Association for Student Nutrition and Health Promotion, bringing nutrition education to more cities and more scenarios.
In that sense, the small kiwifruit becomes part of a bigger story - not only about what people buy, but about how healthier habits take root, one household at a time. At the family table, even one more piece of fruit can quietly echo China's broader pursuit of better health for all.
China can play a bridging role between the Global South and the Global North, Yang Xuedong, director of the Department of Political Sciences at Tsinghua University, said at the Global Times Annual Conference 2025, themed "Moving forward in Partnership: Resonance of Values between China and the World," held in Beijing on Saturday.
Speaking during a session on "The Resurgence of the Awakening of the Global South: Mutual Learning and Resonance," Yang noted that the concept of the Global South has evolved from an intellectual and political imagination into a social cognition.
According to the expert, a defining characteristic of the Global South is its high degree of diversity in political, economic, and cultural aspects, but this diversity creates vulnerabilities, posing challenges to collective action.
Furthermore, the modernization of the Global South is globally interconnected. This interdependence, once being weaponized, risks mutual harm and challenges the future development of Global South countries.
Yang noted that China should leverage the development achievements and experiences accumulated over the past four decades to find its own suitable role. He believes that China can be an advocate for a new agenda within the global system, to find out which agendas in the development of the Global South countries need to be given more attention by the international community.
Additionally, Yang pointed out that China's integration into the global system fosters strong connections, making China be able to connect the Global South with the Global North. This is precisely determined by China's position in the global landscape.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for constant efforts to achieve new accomplishments that will stand the test of history and time, and fulfill the expectations of the people, amid the country's drive to build a modern socialist country in all respects.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while addressing a meeting held to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of late top legislator Qiao Shi at the Great Hall of the People on Monday.
China firmly rejects the baseless and irresponsible accusations and slander made by New Zealand and its partner countries including the US over the so-called "China-linked cyber espionage" against local telecom networks, the Chinese embassy in Wellington said in a press release on Saturday, while highlighting the US' long history of conducting large-scale, systematic cyber surveillance globally, even targeting its own allies.
New Zealand's National Cyber Security Centre, along with cybersecurity authorities from the US, Australia and Canada, issued a joint advisory on Wednesday alleging "China-linked cyber espionage" targeting telecommunications networks.
The advisory read that China-affiliated "threat actors" compromised the networks of major global telecom providers to conduct "a broad and significant cyber espionage campaign."
In response to the advisory, the Chinese embassy in New Zealand referred to a recent report issued by China's National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center, National Engineering Laboratory for Computer Virus Prevention Technology and 360 Digital Security Group, which found that the US fabricates cyberattacks attributed to other countries.
"This includes deliberately misleading trace analysis and shifting blame by inserting Chinese and other foreign-language strings," said the embassy spokesperson, noting that the US exploits its dominant position in submarine cables and other infrastructure to conduct large-scale, systematic cyber surveillance and espionage globally, "even targeting the leaders of its own allies."
The above-mentioned Chinese agencies in October released a report, the third of its series, on Volt Typhoon, a "China state-sponsored cyber actor" claimed by the Five Eyes countries - the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand - that had impacted networks across US critical infrastructure.
In April and July, two reports were released exposing the Volt Typhoon narrative as a fabrication by the US government. Multiple cybersecurity authorities in the US have been pushing the false narrative to secure more funding, while companies like Microsoft seek larger contracts from these agencies, according to the investigation.
However, the US side has remained silent over the disclosure.
Cybersecurity is a global challenge. As one of the primary victims of cyberattacks, China has consistently opposed cyberattacks and pursued legal actions against them, the embassy spokesperson said.
The Chinese embassy urges the countries concerned to cease global cyberattacks immediately and to cease using cybersecurity issues as a pretext to smear and discredit China. It also calls on all parties to work together to tackle cybersecurity threats collaboratively through dialogue and cooperation based on mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit.
As early as 2020, China proposed the Global Initiative on Data Security, calling on all nations to work together to build a peaceful, secure, open, cooperative, and orderly cyberspace. The initiative opposes using information technology to harm the critical infrastructure or steal important data of other countries, as well as engaging in activities that endanger the national security and public interests of others.
UNESCO added on Thursday traditional design and practices for building Chinese wooden arch bridges to its Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
It was included in 2009 in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.
A 76-year-old woman surnamed Hu in Huangxing village of Langao county in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province was attacked by a wild boar on Sunday. Hu died despite rescue efforts by the county hospital's emergency center, according to a statement from the Langao county's forestry bureau on Tuesday.
A joint investigation team was established following the incident. Preliminary findings revealed that wild boars had been damaging crops in the area. On Sunday morning, four people including one surnamed Chen took hunting dogs up the mountain to chase wild boars. One of the wild boars, pursued by the dogs, entered a farmer's yard, where it attacked Hu, according to the statement.
The statement noted that the county has strengthened monitoring of wild boar damage, proactively carried out population control measures, organized boar culling in an orderly manner, and launched extensive campaigns to raise the public's safety awareness on wildlife to eliminate potential risks and reduce harm.
The incident has garnered widespread attention across China. Along with the statement issued by Langao county on Tuesday, CCTV provided key recommendations for the public on how to respond if charged by a wild boar, including stay calm to avoid shouting or throwing stones and sticks at the boar, as this could provoke it and lead to an attack. If possible, leave the area slowly without running, as running may agitate the boar.
