China's top tennis players delivered standout performances on the third day of the 2024 US Open, as Zheng Qinwen, Wang Yafan and Shang Juncheng all advanced to the third round.

Seventh-seeded Zheng faced a tough challenge from Erika Andreeva, who had cruised past China's Yuan Yue in the first round. Zheng won 6-7 (3/7), 6-1, 6-2. 

"I started the match quite slow. Little by little I started to feel better in the reaction, in my serve," said Zheng.

"Honestly, today, I know [how] I entered the match wasn't the way I wanted, but I'm glad I still fought until the end. I didn't give up, because she got a lot of chances in the second set," Zheng added.

Meanwhile, Wang also made history by advancing to the round of 32 for the first time in her career. She defeated France's rising star Diane Parry in straight sets, 6-0, 6-4. Wang's first-serve win rate was 76 percent, significantly higher than Parry's 55. Next, Wang will face 20th seed and two-time US Open finalist Victoria Azarenka.

On the men's side, 19-year-old Shang also reached the round of 32 for the first time at the US Open, defeating Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (2). The victory propelled Shang to a new career-high ranking of world No. 65. His next opponent will be eighth seed Casper Ruud of Norway, who had battled for nearly three hours to overcome France's Gael Monfils.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) China Office and the People's Government of Fuhai County jointly hosted the International Year of Camelids (IYC) Celebration in Fuhai County, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on August 16, with the theme "Heroes of Deserts for Rural Revitalization."

The event aims to raise awareness of the untapped potential of camelids, calling for increased investment in camelids, and advocating enhanced research, capacity building, and the adoption of innovative practices and technologies.

With unique geographical and climate conditions especially suitable for camel breeding, Fuhai County has become one of the main bases for camel breeding in Xinjiang.

The camel industry in Fuhai has greatly improved the livelihood of herders.

Attracting at least 800 people, the event was a great opportunity to promote the development of the camel industry, improve the livelihood of camel herders, and raise public awareness of the IYC.

The IYC Food Hero and a bio-geneticist Chen Gangliang was invited to the event to share his story of how he developed a camel-centered industry in Fuhai and how he helped to increase the income of local camel herders.

"I figured, if I could explore the economic value of camels, it would be such a good way to both protect these camel resources and increase the income of camel herders," said Chen.

The development of the camel industry in China has lifted the majority of herders out of poverty and increased their income, greatly improving their lives, which is not only due to the government's favorable policies, but also inseparable from the unremitting efforts of relevant enterprises and researchers, as well as the hard work and wisdom of herders.

Fuhai County is part of of Altay Prefecture, which is one of the important animal husbandry regions in Xinjiang and one of the most concentrated camel-producing areas in China.

The number of camels in Fuhai County has grown from less than 3,000 in 2007 to nearly 40,000.

The event was part of the 2024 IYC campaign in China. The campaign is expected to have more stops in Xinjiang and North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The Philippines is reportedly considering broadening the scope of provisional arrangement with China to ease tensions in the South China Sea.

Alexander Lopez, the spokesperson of the maritime council of the Philippines, said in a televised briefing on Tuesday that the two countries' provisional arrangement on resupply missions to Ren'ai Jiao (Ren'ai Reef) could be "expanded to a bigger area," Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. 

The provisional arrangement on humanitarian resupply of living necessities to a Philippine warship illegally grounded at Ren'ai Jiao was reached in July. The latest move of the Philippines came after two Philippine coast guard vessels, without permission from the Chinese government, intruded into the adjacent waters of Xianbin Jiao, and acted dangerously by ramming the China Coast Guard vessel on Monday.  

The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines on Tuesday urged the Philippines to earnestly observe the arrangement reached with China and to refrain from taking actions that may complicate the situation. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Manila's move seriously infringes on China's sovereignty, and threatens peace and stability in the South China Sea.

The Philippines, after seeing China's determination to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, perhaps has started to reflect on whether its current policies are reasonable and whether they could maximize its national interests, Chen Xiangmiao, director of the world navy research center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Chen said that sending such a signal may be also a strategy to "let China put its guard down," and ease pressure on the Philippines through playing the victim. 

China's attitude toward the Philippines has always been to listen to what it says and watch what it does, Chen said, adding "it all depends on whether the Philippines keeps its promises."

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will visit China from August 27 to 29.

China's Olympic Delegation announced on Wednesday that table tennis player Ma Long and synchronized swimmer Feng Yu will serve as flag bearers for the Chinese team at the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. Ma, the five-time Olympic gold medalist, has been widely welcomed in the Olympic Village. This not only highlights Ma's influence and popularity in the international sports arena but also underscores the beautiful idea that sports transcend national boundaries.

The Paris Olympic media guide has praised Ma as the greatest table tennis player in history, noting his achievements of three team and two singles Olympic gold medals.

The International Olympic Committee said on its website, "This legendary athlete has the opportunity to extend his Olympic legacy."

Ma is the first male player to achieve a career Grand Slam, encompassing Olympic, World Championship, World Cup, Asian Games, Asian Championships, Asian Cup, ITTF World Tour Finals, and National Games singles titles. His consistently high ranking in the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) reflects his enduring dominance in the sport.

Beyond his exceptional achievements in table tennis, Ma's affability and charisma have made him an idol for athletes and fans around the world.

As a key member of the Chinese table tennis team, Ma boasts an enormous fan base in China. He is not only a hero to table tennis enthusiasts but also enjoys widespread admiration from the public.

Ma's high profile and influence extend internationally as well, topping the fan popularity rankings on the World Table Tennis (WTT) website.

His humility, diligence, and professionalism have earned him widespread respect and affection. His tenacity and sportsmanship on the court, combined with his approachable nature, contribute to his esteemed reputation both in and out of the sport.

The Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games "deeply regrets the incident" and is investigating how table tennis player Wang Chuqin's racket was broken on Tuesday after the mixed doubles final match, according to the Beijing Youth Daily on Thursday.

Paris 2024 said they are investigating the cause to ensure there is no repeat of the incident where a member of the press accidentally stepped on Wang's racket while hustling to take a photograph. Paris 2024 has strongly reminded photographers that they must adhere to the strict guidelines in place and always remain in the designated areas for photographers, according to a reply by the committee posted by the Beijing Youth Daily.

Wang's bat was broken on Tuesday after the mixed doubles final match, so he had to use his backup paddle. The world No.1-ranked player failed to advance to the round of 16 after a shock 2-4 defeat to 26-ranked Truls Moregard of Sweden on Wednesday.

The racket incident occurred right after Wang and his mixed doubles partner Sun Yingsha took gold on Tuesday. When Wang put his racket down to hold the national flag, a group of photographers rushed to capture the moment and stepped on his bat. Some Chinese netizens are repeatedly watching video recordings to figure out how the paddle was damaged.

Chinese athletes Liu Hao and Ji Bowen captured the gold medal in the men's canoe double 500m at the Paris Olympics on Thursday.

China last won this event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, when Meng Guangliang and Yang Wenjun successfully defended their title. Sixteen years later, Liu and Ji have once again brought glory to China, breaking the Olympic record.

The pair advanced to the semifinals with a time of 1:37.40 in the heats, setting a new Olympic record for the event. They then secured their spot in the final as the top team from the semifinals.

In the final, Liu and Ji dominated the race, leading from start to finish to clinch the gold medal with a commanding performance.

Liu, who won silver in both the men's 1000m double sculls and single sculls at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, came to Paris with the goal of completing his medal collection with a gold. After the 2021 National Games in Shaanxi Province, Liu partnered with the younger Ji, as the Paris Olympics saw a shift from the 1000m to the 500m distance in the men's double sculls.

Despite the changes, the 30-year-old Liu quickly adapted, forming a strong partnership with Ji. Liu described Ji as fast and noted that he soon became a role model.

"I feel responsible for keeping the team's morale high. I can't let the energy drop, especially during long training sessions," Liu said.

Ji also spoke about their partnership: "We first met in 2019 at a competition. I thought I was fast, but compared to Liu, I was far behind. I see him as a role model and strive to meet his standard."

Their hard work paid off when they secured their Olympic spot with a second-place finish at the 2023 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships. Their gold medal in Paris now stands as a testament to their dedication and teamwork.

Fujian Maritime Safety Administration and Donghai Rescue Bureau, both under the Chinese Ministry of Transport, jointly conducted maritime patrol and law enforcement operations in the Taiwan Straits from Saturday to Sunday, with a total duration of 30.5 hours and a total cruising distance of 413 nautical miles.

Experts said the operation has enhanced the Chinese mainland's maritime management agency's control over maritime traffic and emergency rescue capabilities in the Taiwan Straits. Previously, maritime departments from the mainland had already achieved regular law enforcement patrols in the waters near Kinmen, and now this "regularization" has been further extended, they noted.

The operation was jointly carried out by a patrol flotilla consisting of three vessels, China Central Television (CCTV) reported.

The primary tasks of the operation involved patrolling the waters of the Taiwan Straits, examining coastal shipping routes, anchorages, offshore construction sites, high-risk collision zones for commercial and fishing vessels, busy traffic areas, accident-prone zones, Taiwan Shoal, and other waterways, according to the report.

Additionally, tasks include investigating and addressing maritime traffic violations, upholding navigational regulations, inspecting shipping routes in the central Taiwan Straits, organizing and controlling traffic, conducting spot checks on passing vessels, and inspecting on-site the implementation of emergency search and rescue plans.

The operation also involves inspecting and verifying navigational aids in the Taiwan Straits, confirming ship identification code details on-site, testing communication capabilities over land and sea, and ensuring the orderly conduct of radio communications on the water. Since the fishing ban in the southeastern coast of China was lifted on Friday, a large number of fishing vessels entered the Taiwan Straits, increasing the risk of collisions between commercial and fishing vessels, CCTV said. 

The operation reached within two nautical miles east of the middle of the Taiwan Straits, and the southernmost point reached the Taiwan Shoal, covering an area that was wider than in previous years, Yuyuan Tantian, a social media account affiliated with state broadcaster CCTV, said in a post on WeChat on Sunday.

Due to geographical reasons, the Taiwan Straits has relatively large winds and waves, making it prone to accidents. The operation served to protect the safety of navigation for ships passing by, and also to demonstrate the mainland's jurisdiction over the relevant waters of the Taiwan Straits, an expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Sunday.

Xi, Lula exchange congratulations on 50th anniversary of China-Brazil ties

With an interval of less than a month, China's aircraft carrier Shandong reportedly launched its second far seas drill of the year on Monday, with experts on Tuesday highlighting the carrier's increasing comprehensive combat capabilities.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force spotted the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's aircraft carrier Shandong, a Type 055 guided missile destroyer, a Type 052D guided missile destroyer and a Type 054A guided missile frigate sailing in the West Pacific waters to the south of Miyako Island on Monday, with the Shandong having hosted takeoff and landing operations of fighter jets and helicopters, Japan's Ministry of Defense Joint Staff said in a press release late on Monday.

It marks the aircraft carrier Shandong's second far seas exercise beyond the first island chain this year, observers said.

The first drill took place in the same region from July 9 to 18, according to the Japanese Defense Ministry. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force lost track of the Shandong on July 16, and from July 9 to 15 and July 17 to 18, it counted a total of about 420 aircraft sorties hosted by the PLA Navy carrier.

Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military aviation expert, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the Shandong's drills demonstrate a significant increase in its training intensity, which greatly enhances the aircraft carrier's comprehensive combat capabilities.

Launching a second drill less than a month after the first shows that the aircraft carrier is able to conduct consecutive missions in short intervals, and displays a high level of maintenance capability, observers said.

The West Pacific waters where the Shandong is conducting drill is of strategic significance, analysts said. The area is located in the Philippine Sea to the east of the island of Taiwan, to the northeast of the Philippines, to the south of Japan and to the northwest of Guam.

During the PLA's previous large-scale joint drills around the island of Taiwan, Chinese mainland experts stressed that this area can seal the island off while blocking external reinforcements. During the Shandong's last far seas drills in July amid recent China-Philippines tensions, foreign analysts claimed that the Chinese carrier aimed to deter the Philippines.

Responding to a media query about the Shandong's drill near the Philippines in July, Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesperson at China's Ministry of National Defense, said on July 12 that the carrier's far seas combat drill was an annual routine arrangement that does not aim at any specific target.

"The PLA Navy will regularly hold similar drills so as to continuously enhance the carrier group's systematic combat capabilities," Zhang said.