Reform, opening-up to be celebrated

China will launch promotional and educational activities across the country this year to celebrate the 40th anniversary of reform and opening-up.

Remains of small ape, now extinct, found in ancient tomb

An international team of scientists has discovered the skull of a new species of gibbon in the tomb of an ancient Chinese aristocrat, perhaps the grandmother of China's first emperor, according to a study published in the journal Science.

Father sues Disney over child ticket

A Chinese father is suing Shanghai International Theme Park Co, co-owner of Shanghai Disney Resort, claiming the park refused to issue a discounted ticket to his 10-year-old child.

Contract tea planting lifts an entire village

FUZHOU - Wang Mingjiang was struggling to make ends meet until four years ago when he joined a planting program to become a contract tea grower in Fujian province.

On-screen smoking scenes declining

Smoking scenes in Chinese movies and TV series have generally declined over the past decade, but not all producers are keen on extinguishing such on-screen depictions. Last year's figures were worse than in 2016, according to an anti-tobacco group.

Kindergartens creatively transformed in rural China

Playtime for 24 preschoolers in Yelang Village Kindergarten is different from most. Liu Fen - unlike traditional teachers who tend to dominate the class - gives more freedom to her students, letting them do what they want. She observes and records their behavior, rather than constantly telling them to calm down.

IN BRIEF (Page 4)

10 executed for series of drug crimes

Ten drug traffickers were executed in Guangdong province on Saturday after an appeals court upheld their earlier conviction and pronounced sentence. The executions were approved by the Supreme People's Court.

Jiangxi abortion rule seeks sex ratio balance

Women in Jiangxi province who are at least 14 weeks pregnant now need to show medical evidence and receive government approval before getting an abortion, a policy provincial authorities say can help balance the sex ratio and protect unborn girls.

High-tech tools aim at wildlife protection

The effort aims to curb the online trade in wildlife parts and products, as well as trafficking in endangered species such as elephants, rhinos and pangolins.

China's heavenly Zhangjiajie a magnet for Vietnamese tourists

Zhangjiajie, a picturesque city in central China, is regarded by many foreign tourists as paradise on Earth, while an increasing number of Vietnamese travel agencies and airlines view it as a money magnet.

Tongzhou's population to be capped at 1.3 million

Beijing has set a population cap of 1.3 million by 2035 for Tongzhou district, its municipal subsidiary administrative center, according to a draft plan released late on Thursday.