As night falls, fishing lamps twinkle like stars across Erhai Lake in southwest China’s Yunnan Province during the annual fish ecological regulation period, transforming the lake into a shimmering galaxy.

Yangtze finless porpoise: A window into a Wuhan's ecological success On Sept. 19, mayors from various countries attending the 2026 Global Mayors Dialogue · Wuhan visited the Yangtze Cetacean Breeding and Research Center in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, to learn about porpoise protection. They heard the story of the porpoise population's changing fortunes, reviewed decades of ecological work along the Yangtze River, and witnessed the remarkable progress achieved through conservation. Thanks to sustained habitat rehabilitation and reduced human disturbance, the Yangtze finless porpoise population has gradually recovered from 1,012 individuals in 2017 to 1,426 individuals in 2025. This ecological story offers practical reference for wildlife conservation in freshwater systems across the world and is hailed by mayors around the world.

A music festival kicked off in Shanghai on Saturday night, bringing together traditional operas from northern and southern China alongside electronic music. The festival will run through Nov. 15.

Chinese specialists have successfully corrected a giant panda's crooked jaw using an orthodontic technique adapted from human treatment, in the first such procedure performed on this species. The treatment, lasting about six months, restored the panda's ability to bite and chew normally. Related research was published in July in The Angle Orthodontist, a leading international orthodontic journal. Beixia, a male giant panda born in 2022, suffered a jaw injury shortly after birth. By around three months old, his lower jaw had begun to deviate to the left, causing milk to leak from his mouth and raising concerns that he could eventually struggle to chew bamboo, which posed a serious threat to his survival.

At 51.5 meters, an ancient sweetgum tree sets a new record as the tallest tree in southeast China's Fujian Province. It is also Fujian’s only known ancient tree exceeding 50 meters in height. Towering in the forests like an 18‑storey “lighthouse”, the 190‑year‑old tree has a 332‑cm girth, a straight trunk and lush foliage.

Balers operate across the vast grasslands during the haymaking season in Hinggan League, north China’s Inner Mongolia, creating hay bales that resemble Swiss rolls scattered on the scenic landscape.

Morning sunlight filtering through the mist casts a majestic glow over the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall in Luanping County, Chengde City, north China’s Hebei Province.

An Ao Fish, a mythical Chinese creature with a dragon's head and a fish's body, floated in the night sky against the backdrop of brilliant fireworks, enchanting all who beheld it at the Tangmo Village of Huangshan City, east China's Anhui Province.

Volunteers for the Changchun 2027 Winter Universiade send greetings in different languages. Take a test and find out what they're saying! The Games will be held in Changchun, northeast China’s Jilin, from Jan 15 to 25, 2027, presenting a spectacular feast of winter sports to audiences.

What kind of vehicle gets mayors from around the world lining up for a test ride? On Sept. 19, 2026, guests at the 2026 Global Mayors Dialogue · Wuhan couldn't resist hopping in for a spin at a test track in an electric off-road vehicle from MHERO, a brand of Dongfeng Motor, in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province. See what real off-roading looks like.

Jingdezhen, known worldwide as China's "porcelain capital," is revitalizing its centuries-old ceramics industry through digitalization and smart manufacturing in east China's Jiangxi. Once reliant on 72 intricate steps and skilled craftsmanship, porcelain production process at the intelligent workshop is now increasingly automated with smart production lines, AGV robots and intelligent kilns, resulting in higher efficiency and precision. Production steps here have been slashed by one-third, labor efficiency has risen by 40%, and the deformation rate in finished products has dropped from 6% to 0.8%. A fully automated glazing line at the workshop is now capable of processing up to 1,500 pieces an hour. Porcelain products made here are exported to markets including Britain, Russia and Malaysia.

China will strengthen its cultural industries and tourism over the next five years, aiming to steadily raise their share of GDP, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for cultural and tourism development, newly released by the ministry, calls for turning the sectors into pillars of economic development and businesses that improve people's livelihoods and sense of happiness. One key target is 8.3 billion domestic trips a year by 2030, nearly 2 billion more than in 2025. Chinese tourists spent 6.3 trillion yuan (about $933 billion) on domestic trips in 2025. The 2030 target is 7.7 trillion yuan.

Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, is hosting the "2026 Global Mayors Dialogue – Wuhan" from Sept. 18 to 21, themed "River City: Shared Resonance, Shared Growth," alongside the 2026 Wuhan International Friendship Cities Cooperation Conference. More than 80 foreign representatives, including mayors, vice mayors and city delegates from 24 cities in 22 countries, as well as representatives of two international organizations, have gathered along the Yangtze River for the four-day event. Around 200 Chinese and international guests are expected to participate in the program.

A lunar occultation of Venus was observed by astronomy enthusiasts on Monday in Lufeng City of southwest China's Yunnan Province, as the Moon passed in front of Venus, gradually obscuring the planet from view.

Tea, mountains, and rich culture come together at the Cultural Landscape of Old Tea Forests of the Jingmai Mountain in Pu’er, southwest China’s Yunnan Province. As UNESCO’s first tea-themed World Heritage Site, it offers visitors a picturesque escape steeped in tea culture and timeless traditions.