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Here are today’s picks from our editors.

China holds gala for 40th anniversary of reform, opening up

A grand gala was held in Beijing on Friday evening in celebration of the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up.

Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan were among the Communist Party of China (CPC) and state leaders who joined more than 3,000 people to watch the gala at the Great Hall of the People.

Through art forms such as singing, dancing, plays and poetry recitals, the gala gave full expression of the determination and confidence of the Chinese people to carry out reform and opening up all the way under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core.

The gala ended with a song expressing the promising future for reform and opening up. (Xinhua)

China to stop imposing additional tariffs on US autos

China will suspend imposing additional tariffs on US vehicles and parts for three months, China's Ministry of Finance announced Friday.

From January 1 to March 31, 2019, China will suspend the 25-percent tariffs on 144 US-made vehicles and auto parts, and five-percent tariffs on 67 auto items, the ministry said in a statement on its website.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump reached an important consensus during their trade talks at the G20 summit in Buenos Aires earlier this month, and this move is to implement it, the statement said. (CGTN)

Erdogan warns Turkey runs "out of patience" with US over Kurdish issue in Syria

Turkish President Recep Erdogan said Friday his country has run "out of patience" with its NATO partner, the United States, over its support of the Kurdish militia in Syria, threatening a renewed military offensive soon.

Erdogan was referring to the territory east of the Euphrates, which was controlled by Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), a mainly Kurdish militia in Syria backed militarily by Washington despite Ankara's objections.

The United States has been supporting the YPG in its fight against Islamic State (IS) militants since 2015. (Xinhua)

ADB approves 408 mln USD to rebuild Philippines's Marawi

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved on Friday a $408-million financing package to help the Philippines government rebuild and rehabilitate the city of Marawi.

In addition to the loans, ADB will also provide $8 million in grants to restore and rehabilitate water supply systems in 19 villages in the city.

Marawi is a city in the southern Philippines, ruined by months of fierce fighting between government and terrorists in 2017. (Xinhua)

110 countries and int'l organizations to join Beijing Expo 2019

Construction work for Beijing Expo 2019, opening on April 29 next year, is entering the home stretch.

Wang Chuncheng, deputy director general of the Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition Coordination Bureau, said 110 countries and international organizations have confirmed they will participate in the expo, and more than 120 non-official participants have also signed up.

For domestic participants, 31 provincial and municipal exhibition parks along with the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan regional exhibition parks and 17 enterprise exhibition parks have started construction, among which the main projects of 10 provinces, the Hong Kong regional exhibition park and three enterprise exhibition parks have been completed. (China.org.cn)

China's outbound Spring Festival tourists to reach 618 cities: Airbnb

According to predictions released by Airbnb on Thursday, China's outbound tourists will travel to 618 cities in 88 countries and regions during next year's Spring Festival, reports The Beijing News.

Southeast Asia was the most popular destination for travelers from China in 2018, accounting for more than half of all outbound travel.

Travelers from China have visited more than 3,800 cities in over 200 countries this year, with a growing number of trips being made to countries taking part in the Belt and Road Initiative. (China Plus)

Sun Yang helps China rewrite Asian record in relay

China's Olympic and world champion Sun Yang took part in his first and only competition at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Hangzhou Friday and led the team to the bronze medal in the men's 4X200m freestyle relay, breaking the Asian record.

Sun swam the third leg and came from behind to take the lead in the last 25m, but China was passed on the final leg and finished third in six minutes 47.53 seconds.

Brazil won gold in 6:46.81, and Russia took the silver in 6:46.84. The first three broke the world record of 6:49.04. The United States and Australia were fourth and fifth. (Xinhua)

Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.

And now for the Question of the Day:

What vitamin in carrots is said to aid vision?

(Answer: Vitamin A.)

Today's quote is from American photographer Alfred Stieglitz (1864-1946).

“The goal of art was the vital expression of self.”

(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Ryan Yaoran Yu, Brian Lowe, Elaine Yue Lin and Da Hang.)