Edmond Fong

China on Wednesday denounced a sharp escalation in hostilities in the Middle East after the United States struck dozens of targets in Iran, with the Foreign Ministry in Beijing warning both sides against "reigniting" the war in the Middle East. "Reigniting the war is not in the interests of either side, and military means cannot solve the fundamental problems," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a news conference, when asked about the strikes.

China aims to attract 190 million inbound tourist visits a year by 2030, according to a new five-year tourism development plan, signalling the country's expanding efforts to draw overseas visitors as it seeks to boost consumption and deepen international exchanges.