By Li Hongmei, Jiang Xuehong, People’s Daily

Extreme weather events occur daily across the globe. In Afghanistan, severe convective weather may bring damaging hailstorms, while Uganda might experience convective storm systems with intense rainfall. These sudden, localized events remain challenging for forecasters worldwide.

China’s AI technology now enables early detection of such threats in both nations. This capability facilitates timely evacuations and damage mitigation through the MAZU initiative — a people-centered early warning system launched by the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) in response to UN priorities. M stands for Multi-hazard, A for Alert, Z for Zero-gap, and U for Universal.

The cloud-based MAZU platform deploys specialized AI “toolboxes” that provide end-to-end solutions for meteorological risk management: from monitoring and forecasting to warning dissemination and emergency response. Each toolbox is customized to national needs:

In Pakistan, a joint CMA-Pakistani system addresses glacial lake outburst floods, monsoon surges, and torrential rains occur frequently(operational since October 2025).. Mongolia’s system integrates FY-2H meteorological satellite snow data with localized alerts for blizzards, sandstorms, and dzud (winter disasters). “The workflow prompts generate practical guidance in our language,” noted a Mongolian meteorological official.

Today, the platform’s capabilities continue expanding. Two AI-based meteorological forecasting systems — Fengqing and Fengshun — released by CMA in June 2024, have now been fully integrated into the MAZU cloud platform.

Applications are also expanding, covering a wider range of meteorological hazards as well as risk scenarios in cities, agriculture, and other sectors.

“MAZU currently operates in five countries with 43 others testing across Asia, Africa and Oceania,,” said Zeng Qin, director of the Department of International Cooperation of CMA.

Alongside its global technological contributions, China is fostering “soft” cooperation through comprehensive capacity-building efforts. This includes targeted training programs, visiting scholar initiatives, and other measures designed to cultivate professional talent in partner countries.

Specifically, between 2025 and 2027, CMA is expected to provide more than 2,000 short-term training opportunities for developing countries in areas such as early warning, risk assessment, and climate change, along with scholarships for 100 master’s and doctoral students and funding for 50 long-term visiting scholars.

The global appeal of the MAZU solution stems directly from China’s accelerated modernization of its meteorological science and technology capabilities. Continuous progress has been made in meteorological satellites, weather radar, numerical forecasting, AI applications, and big data, with observation and forecasting systems advancing in a tightly integrated manner and overall capacity steadily strengthened.　

Today, virtually every weather process on Earth—especially extreme events such as typhoons and torrential rains—can be observed, forecast, and serviced by China’s meteorological system.

China’s independently developed AI meteorological models are now recognized as being at the global forefront, alongside those developed in Europe and the United States.

Their performance speaks for itself. For example, generating a global forecast at a 10-kilometer grid resolution takes about two hours using traditional numerical models, while Fengqing delivers results in just half an hour, matching the performance of leading international meteorological models. 

Severe convective events featuring strong winds, small hail, and short-duration heavy rainfall pose major challenges for conventional forecasting, yet Fenglei can detect warning signals an hour in advance. During the 2025 flood season outlook, Fengshun successfully identified the distribution patterns of China’s major rain belts a full month ahead.

These advanced AI meteorological models are made open-source on MAZU’s cloud-based technical platform, providing services to users worldwide.

By transforming cutting-edge technology into tangible, accessible disaster-risk reduction outcomes, China’s meteorological AI is crossing mountains and seas. The Chinese solution is becoming a vital force in strengthening global early warning, helping countries around the world build safer and more resilient communities.

By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

At the beginning of 2026, the international order suffered severe disruption due to hegemonic actions. The United States launched military strikes against Venezuela, sent forces to seize Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. 

On Jan. 5, the UN Security Council convened an emergency meeting addressing the crisis. Representatives of many countries condemned the U.S. actions and stressed the need to uphold international law, including the UN Charter.

By unilaterally interfering in Venezuela’s internal affairs, the United States has fully exposed the power politics underlying its approach to international affairs, particularly in Latin America. Such conduct not only gravely undermines the rule of law in international relations, but also poses a serious threat to regional peace and security. 

According to the UN Charter, the relationship among UN members shall be based on respect for the principle of sovereign equality. Besides, all members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.

These principles form the cornerstone of moder international relations. Yet the United States has disregarded international law and the fundamental norms governing international relations, challenging justice with brute force and trampling fairness for private gain, brazenly dragging the law of the jungle into 21st-century international affairs.

The U.S. side has even openly declared that it will “run” Venezuela and allow major U.S. oil companies to enter the country. This blunt declaration of plunder has torn away its last veil of disguise. 

France’s Le Monde observed that the strikes on Venezuela marked “the return of U.S. predatory imperialism.” Britain’s Guardian noted that Washington’s actions resembled the Iraq war and followed its long-standing pattern of seizing other countries’ resources. 

From Afghanistan and Iraq to Libya and Syria, and now Venezuela, whenever a country or region becomes designated U.S. foreign policy priority, conflict and disaster often follow. Hegemonic powers depart at will, leaving prolonged instability while their domestic interests profit.

“Today it’s Venezuela; tomorrow it could be any country,” Chilean President Gabriel Boric remarked, reflecting widespread concern within the international community. 

The hegemonic conduct by the United States is constitutes a primary source of global instability. A genuine international order must be built on principles of equality and mutual respect. When the law of the jungle supplants international rules, the interests of every member of the international community are jeopardized. 

A world where brute power overrides justice inevitably becomes one of perpetual unrest and insecurity. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that U.S. actions against Venezuela had set a “dangerous precedent.”

Contemporary global dynamics no longer permit unilateral hegemony. The course of history, the awakening of peoples, and evolving geopolitical realities demonstrate that unilateralism, self-centeredness, and reckless hegemonic behavior run counter to the will of humanity. 

From Venezuela to Latin America to the broader international community – including voices within the United States – widespread condemnation of hegemonic actions has erupted. 

The governments of Colombia, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Uruguay, and Spain issued a joint statement on the situation in Venezuela to express deep concern and rejection, noting that unilateral military actions against the country constitute an “extremely dangerous precedent” for peace and regional security, and violates international law and the basic principles of the UN Charter. 

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated that the U.S. military action violates the principle of non-use of force upon which international law is founded. The European Union stressed that international law and the principles of the UN Charter must be respected under all circumstances.

No country possesses the authority to act as the world policemen or self-appointed arbiter of international law. Venezuela is a sovereign country whose rights must not be inviolable, and whose people deserve protection from externally imposed turmoil. 

The United States must heed the international community’s call for justice: immediately release President Maduro and his wife; cease attempts to overthrow Venezuela’s government; and resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation.

Permitting hegemonic expansion to proceed unchallenged erodes the foundations of global stability. All countries rejecting the law of the jungle must steadfastly uphold international law and UN Charter principles, taking unequivocal stands against unilateral aggression. This constitutes not merely a defense of global justice, but an investment in the future of world peace.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)

By Luo Shanshan, Xu Jing, People’s Daily

Homestays are increasingly integrated into China’s rural tourism and cultural industries, with Huangshan in east China’s Anhui province as a pioneering model. By embedding homestays within village ecosystems rather than operating them as standalone businesses, the city has transformed these accommodations into vibrant sources of rural revitalization.

At 7:30 p.m., drumbeats signaled the start of an evening gala at the activity center of Shiting village in Yixian county, Huangshan. Visitors from Shanghai and local villagers took turns performing, creating a lively and convivial atmosphere.

“These Shanghai visitors share a passion for singing, and the villagers regularly stage performances. Bringing them together was a natural fit,” explained Huang Zhiyong, founder of the Shiting Huayi homestay and initiator of the event.

For Shanghai visitor Ling Ling, this marked her third stay at the homestay within three months. “I’m drawn to this place,” she said. “I want to immerse myself more deeply in the experience.”

Yixian county hosts 46 nationally recognized traditional villages, including UNESCO World Heritage sites Xidi and Hongcun. Often described as a “living landscape painting,” the area is one of the birthplaces of Huizhou culture and is renowned for its well-preserved Ming-Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing-Dynasty (1644-1911) architecture, as well as its distinctive blend of natural and cultural heritage.

After years of working away from home, Huang returned to Yixian in 2012 with plans to open a homestay. He was immediately captivated by a traditional Huizhou-style courtyard in Shiting Village during his location scouting.

“Huizhou culture is richly multidimensional – encompassing not just architecture but also opera and craftsmanship,” Huang said. “I envisioned the homestay as a gateway for visitors to experience this cultural beauty.” He emphasized that long-term success requires homestays to take root in village life and draw nourishment from local cultural traditions.

In recent years, Chinese consumers have shown growing demand for culturally immersive experiences. This shift has transformed the homestay sector from merely providing accommodation to fulfilling higher expectations for aesthetic appeal, cultural enrichment, and emotional resonance.

Huangshan now hosts over 3,200 homestays across more than a dozen distinctinctive clusters. “Avoiding homogenization and offering differentiated products and services” has become a shared understanding among many local homestay operators.

A prime example is Yunshang Homestay in Huangshan’s Tangkou township, nestled within a bamboo-forested valley. Owner Cheng Xinfeng, a travel and culinary enthusiast, explains: “We position ourselves as a boutique retreat focused on comfortable spaces and healthy food.” She maintains an on-site garden for vegetables, poultry, and fish, while seasonally sourcing tea, honey, and dried bamboo shoots from nearby villagers.”These are products I genuinely like and feel confident sharing with guests,” Cheng said, adding that many guests would continue ordering local produce from her online.

Sun Min, an 80s-born entrepreneur who to his hometown, targets travelers aged 18 – 40 at his  Wujiujiu Cultural and Creative Homestay within Yixian county’s Tachuan National Forest Park. Capitalizing on younger travelers’ desire for photogenic experiences, the property features views of rice fields and Chinese tallow trees. “I want every guest to capture photos they truly cherish,” Sun emphasizes.

Alina Garden Homestay in Huangshan is jointly run by a cross-cultural couple: Huang Qiong from Shenzhen and her husband, born in Australia. “With the expansion of visa-free entry policies, we’ve seen more international visitors over the past two years, and that’s an opportunity for us,” Huang said. “We hope to serve as a bridge for foreign guests to better understand Huangshan.”

The homestay now specializes in Huangshan hiking and tai chi sessions, with guests invited to participate daily. “International visitors are genuinely interested in Chinese culture,” Huang said. “They want to participate, not just admire the scenery from a distance.”

“Many of Huangshan’s homestays are located in rural areas, and they have become a key driver of comprehensive rural revitalization,” said Wang Weizhi, an official with the rural tourism division of the Huangshan municipal bureau of culture and tourism. To support operators, the city introduced a dedicated regulation on the promotion and management of homestays last year. The regulation clarifies policies on land use, financial support, and licensing, giving operators greater certainty and confidence.

Compared with hotels, homestays are small in size, but they still need to come with front-desk services, housekeeping, catering, and, in many cases, customized cultural and recreational activities—all of which depend on skilled professionals.

To address this need, local authorities have offered support for Huangshan University and Huangshan Vocational Technical College in establishing programs dedicated to homestay management and operations. The city has also organized training courses for homestay managers at both municipal and county levels. To date, 335 participants have obtained nationally recognized vocational skill certificates.

Xiao Hongxia, secretary-general of the Huizhou homestay association in Huangshan, believes the next step is to foster integrated ecosystems centering on the homestay business. “If operators can work together, share resources, and build ecosystems, the entire sector will become healthier and more sustainable,” she said.