Scam Networks in Southeast Asia, Rebirth of Chinese Traditional Arts: Top 5 Weekend Stories You Might Have Overlooked

From criminal groups in Thailand and Myanmar focusing on Chinese citizens to the boost in flower sales during the Lunar New Year, here are five significant articles you might not have caught this past weekend.

1. The Thailand-Myanmar border has become a hotspot for criminal groups targeting Chinese citizens.

2. Weather and lackluster demand dampen China’s Spring Festival flower market.

3. China’s emphasis on 'cultural confidence' is fueling a resurgence in traditional handicrafts.

Xi Jinping emphasizes addressing economic challenges in Lunar New Year address

In his Lunar New Year message, Xi Jinping highlighted China's role as a crucial driver of worldwide growth, committing to continue reforms and protect against external disruptions.

"China continues to be a major driver of global economic expansion," stated Xi, while acknowledging the presence of impending challenges.

He stated that determination is essential, emphasizing that the nation must "bolster our belief and assurance, face issues and obstacles head-on, and address risks and challenges decisively."

Xi emphasized the need for perseverance in pursuing "high-quality development" and in reducing vulnerabilities.

"He stated that they will continue to advance significant reforms, broaden their approach to high-level international engagement, address and mitigate critical risks and external disturbances, and foster ongoing economic growth and enhancement, all while preserving societal harmony and stability."

In his Lunar New Year address, Xi Jinping emphasizes the importance of addressing economic challenges. According to the Chinese leader, the nation continues to be a major driver of worldwide economic expansion and is committed to advancing reforms and protecting against 'external shocks'.

"China continues to be a major driver of worldwide economic expansion," Xi stated, acknowledging the presence of emerging challenges.

He emphasized the importance of determination, stating that the nation must "bolster our belief and assurance, face issues and barriers head-on, and address risks and challenges decisively."

Xi emphasized the need for resilience in order to attain "high-quality development" and to reduce risks.

"He emphasized the commitment to advancing major reforms, enhancing openness at a high level, addressing and mitigating significant risks and external disruptions, and fostering ongoing economic growth and betterment in a context of societal harmony and stability."

In his Lunar New Year address, Xi Jinping emphasizes tackling economic challenges

Xi Jinping asserts that China continues to be a crucial driver of worldwide economic expansion, committed to advancing reforms and shielding against international disturbances.

"China continues to be a crucial driver of worldwide economic expansion," Xi observed, acknowledging the presence of emerging challenges.

He emphasized the necessity for persistence, stating that the nation must "bolster our belief and assurance, face issues and hurdles head-on, and address risks and challenges decisively."

Xi emphasized the need for resilience in pursuing "high-quality development" and reducing risks.

"He emphasized the commitment to advancing comprehensive reforms, enhancing openness at a high level, mitigating and managing significant risks and external disturbances, and fostering ongoing economic revival and progress, all while preserving societal harmony and stability," he stated.

Xi Jinping Emphasizes Tackling Economic Challenges in Lunar New Year Address

In his Lunar New Year message, Xi Jinping highlighted the importance of mitigating economic risks. He stated that China continues to be a major driver of worldwide economic expansion and is committed to advancing reforms and protecting against 'external shocks'.

"China continues to be a major driver of worldwide economic expansion," Xi commented, acknowledging the presence of emerging challenges.

He stated that persistence is essential, emphasizing that the nation must "bolster our belief and assurance, face issues and hurdles head-on, and address risks and challenges decisively."

Xi emphasized the importance of resilience in pursuing "high-quality development" and reducing risks.

"He stated that they will continue to advance significant reforms, broaden extensive economic openness, mitigate and manage critical risks and external disruptions, and foster ongoing economic revival and enhancement, all while preserving societal harmony and stability."

The annual Lunar New Year show in China, a meticulously planned event to showcase Beijing's agenda, will unusually include a performance by the American rock group OneRepublic. American artists seldom appear in this highly orchestrated broadcast.

The group's show is expected to be a refreshing experience for millions of viewers in China, where the yearly TV spectacle seldom showcases American culture and where there has been a heated competition with the U.S.

An insider connected to the OneRepublic production, who preferred to stay unnamed, revealed that the band collaborated with a Chinese TV team to record their gala appearance following a concert they held in Wuhan, located in the central Chinese province of Hubei, on January 16.

"He added that he believes a lot of young people will enjoy it, calling the performance 'vibrant'."

Following their performance in Wuhan, the group departed from China and proceeded with their tour across Asia, staging additional shows in South Korea and Japan.

Taiwan's Premier Cho Jung-tai Urges Reversal of 'Completely Irrational' Defense Spending Freeze

Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai has voiced criticism against the opposition-controlled parliament for their reductions in defense spending and the freezing of NT$90 billion in military expenditures.

Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai has urged for the removal of "unreasonable" halts on the defense budget for 2025, cautioning that they pose a significant threat to the island's security.

He also charged the opposition with "putting party interests first."

A collective effort between the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party has led to an unprecedented freezing of NT$160.7 billion in government spending.

In the latest budgetary decisions, the coalition reduced the proposed defense budget of NT$647 billion by NT$8.4 billion. Additionally, they placed a hold on NT$90 billion designated for military spending, which encompasses NT$74.4 billion intended for operational expenditures.

Cho, a member of the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), described the freeze on operational expenses as "completely illogical."

China confronts 'new challenge' amid cold Lunar New Year travel surge, says premier

Authorities call for vigilance and readiness as the globe’s largest human migration occurs during the Spring Festival

Authorities call for vigilance and readiness as the globe’s largest human migration occurs during the Spring Festival

The department reported that on Monday, 253 million individuals used different modes of transportation, a decrease of 6% from Saturday's peak of 273 million. Numerous travelers had reached their hometowns in preparation for Lunar New Year’s Eve on Tuesday. It was anticipated that the total number of trips on Tuesday would drop to approximately 194 million.

During a visit to the transportation ministry on Monday, Li commented on the situation, according to a report by the state news agency Xinhua.

Li described the record-breaking travel surge as a new challenge for China's transportation network, emphasizing the need for authorities to meticulously assess travel patterns and adapt by modifying train and flight schedules or by extending service hours to align with real demands.

Li urged transportation authorities to stay vigilant and brace for potential disturbances due to severe cold across many parts of China, including a blizzard engulfing the north. He emphasized the importance of monitoring weather developments, issuing prompt alerts, and ensuring that emergency supplies and equipment are ready.

China's Spring Festival Celebration Showcases Rock Music, Robotics, and Political Themes

The yearly Lunar New Year broadcast includes an AI-enhanced traditional dance, advanced technological displays, and a performance by American band OneRepublic, all while emphasizing Chinese cultural identity.

At Tuesday night's China Spring Festival Gala, the event showcased a robotic dance act, performances by an American rock group, and advanced visual effects, all while conveying political narratives that emphasized collective national unity and criticized administrative inefficiencies.

According to preliminary statistics, this year's live broadcast, which holds the Guinness World Records title for the most-viewed annual television program, captivated a staggering 2.8 billion viewers during its five-hour duration, an increase of 690 million from the previous year.

A standout moment from the evening was an AI-powered dance routine named "Yangge Bot".

Overseen by director Zhang Yimou, the performance included 16 humanoid robots from Unitree Robotics, accompanied by dancers from Xinjiang Arts University. Together, they executed a coordinated yangge dance, a traditional folk dance widely enjoyed throughout northern China.

Clad in flower-patterned cotton coats, the robots gracefully spun handkerchiefs, skillfully throwing and retrieving them mid-air, and rotated in flawless harmony with both the melody and their human partners.

DeepSeek, a U.S.-based AI start-up, fell victim to a cyberattack, reports Chinese state media. The attack, initiated through brute-force methods, also featured denial-of-service tactics designed to flood the company's servers and bandwidth with excessive internet traffic.

The cyberattack on DeepSeek began on January 3 and escalated to its highest intensity on Monday and Tuesday, when it faced an extensive brute-force attack originating from US IP addresses, according to Yuyuan Tantian, a social media account associated with CCTV, which reported the incident on Wednesday.

Time: 5

Chinese AI innovator DeepSeek secures the leading position in the US App Store, surpassing ChatGPT.

DeepSeek announced on Monday that it will temporarily restrict new sign-ups to users possessing mobile numbers from mainland China due to a "large-scale malicious attack" that has caused issues with the registration process.

According to a report from QAX Technology Group, as cited by CCTV, the initial phase of the cyberattack involved numerous distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. These attacks were designed to interrupt the regular operations of DeepSeek by inundating its servers and bandwidth with excessive internet traffic.

The report indicated that the latest incidents mainly involved brute-force tactics, attempting to decipher user IDs and passwords to gain insight into the operations of DeepSeek.

A brute-force attack methodically tests every conceivable password and passphrase until it identifies the correct one. Once in possession of these compromised IDs and passwords, the attacker can impersonate legitimate users of online platforms to access and scrutinize their services.

"Every IP address involved in the attack was documented – all originating from the US," Wang Hui, a cybersecurity specialist at QAX, informed CCTV.

Chinese state media reports a cyberattack on DeepSeek, initiated in the US with a brute-force strategy

The initial attack on the AI startup involved denial-of-service tactics intended to flood the servers and bandwidth with excessive internet traffic

The initial attack on the AI startup involved denial-of-service tactics intended to flood the servers and bandwidth with excessive internet traffic

The digital assault on DeepSeek began on January 3, escalating to its highest intensity on Monday and Tuesday through an extensive brute-force attack originating from US IP addresses, according to Yuyuan Tantian, a social media profile associated with CCTV, which reported the incident on Wednesday.

Time: 5

Chinese AI innovator DeepSeek has claimed the top position in the US App Store, surpassing ChatGPT.

DeepSeek announced on Monday that it will temporarily restrict new sign-ups to users possessing mainland Chinese mobile numbers due to a "large-scale malicious attack" that has caused issues with registration.

The initial phase of the cyberattack primarily involved numerous distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, which targeted DeepSeek by overloading its servers and bandwidth with excessive internet traffic, according to CCTV, which referenced a report from Chinese cybersecurity firm QAX Technology Group.

The report indicates that the latest incidents mainly involved brute-force methods, attempting to decipher user IDs and passwords to gain insight into the operations of DeepSeek.

A brute-force attack methodically tests every potential password and passphrase until the right one is identified. Once in possession of the stolen IDs and passwords, the attacker can impersonate legitimate users of online services to access and scrutinize their features.

"Cybersecurity specialist Wang Hui from QAX informed CCTV that all IP addresses involved in the attack were documented, noting that they all originated from the U.S."

China's Emphasis on 'Cultural Confidence' Fuels Resurgence of Traditional Crafts

Traditional crafts and artisans, once overshadowed by China's industrial expansion, are now receiving support from government initiatives and digital marketing strategies.

This article has been updated to rectify the misspelling of Liu Qinlan's name.

Formerly a kindergarten teacher in Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou province in southern China, Liu Qinlan moved back to her rural hometown in Rongjiang county around two years ago. She started a business centered on community engagement, offering local goods ranging from traditional silver items to wax-dyed garments. Liu has found great satisfaction in her new venture and has no regrets about her career change.

Despite her limited background in the industry, the 25-year-old entrepreneur launched her business in 2023, supported by government assistance. She capitalized on the widespread appeal of Cunchao, a local football competition involving teams from Rongjiang county.

Liu represents a growing number of businesspeople from China's underdeveloped areas who have gained from the nation's reinvigorated focus on protecting and rejuvenating cultural heritage. This initiative is a key element of President Xi Jinping’s strategy to foster "cultural confidence" among the nation's 1.4 billion people.

For many years, China's economic growth was defined by large-scale manufacturing and industrialization, pushing age-old artisan skills to the sidelines. However, recent governmental initiatives aimed at backing craftsmen, coupled with the achievements of entrepreneurs like Liu, indicate a renewed recognition and value for these traditional crafts among both officials and the public.

Experts note that the maintenance of traditional crafts is seen as a method to enhance cultural pride, which is also a component of China's endeavor towards socialism. This aligns specifically with the "mass line" approach, which promotes strong connections between the Communist Party and the citizens.

Cunchao, often referred to as the “Village Super League,” transcends a mere competition to become a festival that merges athletic competition with regional traditions. Here, soccer games are punctuated with showcases from local ethnic dance groups. Since its inception in May 2023, the event has captivated millions of spectators both in person and via digital platforms.