At a time of growing global uncertainty and pressure on multilateral cooperation, African countries have welcomed the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges as a strategic step toward solidifying long-term China-Africa relations through deeper societal engagement.

URUMQI, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Ports across northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region recorded robust traffic in 2025, leading the nation in cross-border rail traffic volume, local authorities said on Friday.Xinjiang also cemented its role as an important gateway to Central Asia. Passenger flights between the regional capital, Urumqi, and five Central Asian countries -- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan -- accounted for 35.1 percent of China's total passenger flights with these countries, also topping the national ranking, authorities said.With 19 ports in operation, the region implemented a spate of measures last year to meet diverse operational needs.At the Urumqi port, the introduction of dedicated cargo zones and fast-track protocols for priority flights drove a 170.6 percent year-on-year increase in the number of international cargo flights, according to Liu Peng, an official with the Xinjiang immigration inspection general station.Data showed that more than 58 million travelers visited Xinjiang in 2025 for cross-border trade, tourism and border-area tours.To facilitate this influx, immigration service centers were established at major ports such as Horgos and Urumqi, providing one-stop services ranging from policy consultation to emergency medical aid and currency exchange.Through the construction of smart ports and continued institutional opening-up, Xinjiang is integrating into the Belt and Road Initiative with greater efficiency, serving as a vital channel connecting China to Central Asia and beyond, Liu said.

MACAO, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- A three-day coffee cultural festival opened in Macao on Friday, bringing together local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and international brands as the city steps up efforts to diversify its economy.The event featured 60 exhibitors from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and overseas, with more than two-thirds being local SMEs, according to the organizer.Live-streaming and e-commerce channels were leveraged onsite to help the brands expand their market reach.Ivan Pun, owner of a local coffee shop, told Xinhua that he was excited about the festival. We're happy to showcase our exclusively roasted coffee here for so many people to taste, he said, adding that the event was a great opportunity for more people to get to know them.Toni Wong, for his part, brought some tastes from Hong Kong. He said that many internationally well-known peers were seen at the festival, which was impressive. It feels just like a gathering of friends.Taking part in such activities in Macao for the first time, Ye Han Kim, from South Korea, expressed her curiosity about the coffee community and industry here. I like the city and am happy to make friends with local people, she said.

BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- A cold snap will hit central and eastern China from Saturday to Wednesday, leading to a large-scale spell of rain, snow and icy conditions, the National Meteorological Center said on Friday.The affected regions will experience temperature drops of up to 16 degrees Celsius.Heavy snow will hit southern Shaanxi, southern Shanxi, Henan, Shandong, central-western Hubei, northern Hunan, and Anhui. Freezing rain may occur in western Henan, western Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou, and eastern Chongqing.The China Meteorological Administration has initiated a Level-IV emergency response for major meteorological disasters (cold wave).Meteorological experts urge the public to monitor updates from local authorities and take precautionary measures against cold waves, rain, snow and icy conditions.

BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The central bank said on Friday that Chinese authorities have issued regulations governing special preventive measures against money laundering, which prohibit any unit or individual from arbitrarily lifting these measures.The regulations, jointly released by the People's Bank of China and seven other departments, aim to prevent money laundering, terrorist financing, and the financing of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, as well as to standardize the special preventive measures against money laundering.The regulations require all units and individuals to legally implement special anti-money laundering preventive measures against subjects listed in certain categories, including terrorist organizations and individuals designated by the national anti-terrorism leading group and announced by its office.The involved categories also include organizations and individuals subject to targeted financial sanctions in notifications issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for implementing UN Security Council resolutions, along with organizations and individuals identified by the central bank or jointly with other state authorities as having significant money laundering risks, where inaction could lead to serious consequences.According to the regulations, the special preventive measures against money laundering include immediately stopping the provision of financial services, funds or assets to the above-listed subjects and their agents, organizations and personnel under their direction, and organizations directly or indirectly controlled by them, and immediately restricting the transfer of relevant funds and assets.The regulations also urge financial institutions to establish and improve internal control systems, implement special preventive measures against money laundering, and identify and assess related risks.