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Here's the news. In China, the arrival of spring signals the beginning of what has come to be known as the super marathon weekend, with various marathons taking place nationwide, nearly every weekend.
These races, often infused with local flavor, are no longer merely athletic competitions and platforms promoting healthy running culture.
They have evolved into a vibrant travel trend, helping heat up local economies.
Participants of the Hangzhou Marathon, for instance, can enjoy routes passing the iconic Lake, West Lake, while the Chengdu World Heritage Marathon highlights the scenic Dujiangyin area and features panda motifs.
The Wuxi Marathon took place on March 23rd with blooming cherry blossoms and stunning views of the Taihu Lake, China's third largest freshwater lake, as major attractions for the 420 ,000 participants.
Zhang Qian, a runner who traveled 1 ,500 kilometers from Guangdong province to participate, said that Wuxi Marathon's course is so beautiful, passing through numerous scenic spots.
Jung arrived a few days early with family to tour around the city, considering it's a great way to combine the race with a family trip.
To enhance the visitor experience, Wu Xi offered more than 160 performances and exhibitions during the Marathon Week, along with over 400 ,000 discount vouchers for local attractions.
The strategy reaped significant rewards.
The Marathon boosted local consumption in fields like dining and transportation by 505 million yuan, up 78 .2 percent year on year.
According to the Chinese Athletics Association's latest report, China hosted 749 road -running events in 2024 drawing around 7 .05 million participants, up by 1 million compared to 2023.
Leading events like the Shanghai Marathon saw average direct economic benefits of 419 million yuan.
Wang Zhongping, a professor at Nanjing University of Science and Technology, said that for running enthusiasts, choosing a city to run a marathon in has become a cultural trend.
He added that for host cities, delivering excellent experiences both on and off the race course is crucial.
The indirect and ripple effects generated by these marathons are even more significant.
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On a sunny afternoon, people relax in a campsite recreation area while others go head -to -head in a game of table tennis.
You would be forgiven for thinking this is a holiday destination, when in fact it's a bustling shopping mall in downtown Beijing.
The scene at Hangguang department store in Hsidan Commercial District represents a broader dynamic across China's retail industry, with old brand shopping malls now offering urban dwellers a fresh take on respite.
In 2024, China's total retail sales of consumer goods neared 48 .7 trillion yuan, about 6 .7 trillion U .S. dollars, an increase of 3 .5 % over the previous year.
However, retail sales by department stores declined, spurring many to make adjustments.
For today's consumers, shopping is more than retail therapy.
It must also satisfy the public's growing need for social interaction and experience.
Such a phenomenon together with the brunt of online shopping has inspired more and more retailers to adapt to the changing trend and stimulate consumption.
For its part, Hangguang Department Store has undergone a facelift last year with a leisure venue forged that now attracts more people to visit and open their wallets.
To improve its previously stuffy interior, two patios were transformed into an open -air courtyard, where ping pong tables and rackets are available to the public.
General manager Pu Jia Jia said that after the revamp, business areas became smaller, but public channels grew, bringing customers a better shopping experience.
In March, China issued a special action plan to boost consumption proposing to actively develop smart business areas and immersive experience spaces, while promoting the transformation of brick and mortar stores into new commercial places.
Now, many traditional department stores have taken on a new look, with dazzling bazaars, outdoor concerts and art exhibitions.
Yi Xiaohua, a research fellow at the National Academy of Economic Strategy under Chinese Academy of Social Sciences believes that the transformation of traditional department stores is a mainstream trend.
Yi suggested that shopping malls used to be places to sell goods, but now they focus more on services.
Wang Ning, an executive president of the business school at Zhengzhou University, suggested that the transformation of traditional shopping malls should focus on the needs of consumers, while diversifying their goods options and improving their services.
In catering to the appetite of young consumers, especially generation Z and younger people, some retailers have made forays into the animation, comic and game arena.
At a rebuilt shopping centre in Hefei in east China's Anhui province, an area on the first floor is a dedicated space for anime expos.
Merchandise such as badges, acrylic figure stands and cards fly off the shelves while cosplayers mill about.
Miss Liu, a college student and cosplay enthusiast, said she found a new way to chill out from the pressures of her studies and has made new friends with the same interests in the cosplay parade.
The young shopper said that going shopping today feels more like an adventure rather than tedium.
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The China Science and Technology Museum recently announced that it has assisted 13 provincial sci -tech museums in deploying artificial intelligence assistants to enhance visitor experiences, marking a step forward in AI -driven exhibitions for SciTech museums nationwide.
In November 2024, the museum launched the country's first AI -powered museum assistant combining popular science knowledge with large model technology.
The smart assistant not only provides on -site guidance and information, but also answers scientific queries for young learners remotely, showcasing AI's potential in educational settings.
Since March, the Museum has expanded the initiative, training technical teams from 13 provincial museums through workshops.
Participants have built customized knowledge bases and deployed AI assistants tailored to their venues.
A spokesperson with the China Science and Technology Museum highlighted that as technology advances and more museums join, the AI ecosystem will diversify, creating a smart, ubiquitous network of assistance for multiple applications.
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China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment has unveiled a plan to further transform the country's National Ecological Monitoring Network into a digitized and smart system.
According to the plan, by 2027, China aims to explore a new generation of monitoring networks in key regions, utilizing advanced technologies such as unmanned maintenance and smart sampling, with standardized monitoring operations being carried out nationwide.
By 2030, China's Eco -Environment Monitoring Network system will be systematically revamped to include an integrated aerial, terrestrial and maritime monitoring network, along with a basically established smart brain.
Jiang Huohua, Head of the ministry's Ecological and Environmental Monitoring department said that the move marks a concrete step toward digitalized and smart environmental monitoring.
Air and water Further monitoring will be updated with unmanned operations, as well as smart sampling and analysis.
Additionally, biodiversity tracking will leverage advanced smart equipment, such as infrared cameras and bird sound recorders to achieve over 85 percent accuracy in species identification.
In terms of noise monitoring, urban sound environment monitoring equipment will not only be able to track decibel levels, but also identify sources of the noise.
According to Jiang, new technologies like artificial intelligence and satellite remote sensing, will play increasingly significant roles in China's eco -environmental monitoring, with policies rolled out to develop environmental protection robots and remote operation equipment.
A crested ibis reintroduced into the wild in 2024 has completed an unprecedented 260 -kilometer journey, across China's eastern coast and the Bohai Sea in 11 hours, setting two new records for migratory endurance.
The feat, tracked via satellite on March 19, marks a pivotal step in rebuilding the endangered species eastern migratory groups.
According to local authorities departing at dawn from Dongying in East China's Shandong Province, the bird, tagged as No. 162, soared across the coastal terrain and navigated turbulent air currents over the Bohai Sea maintaining speeds of 30 through 50 kilometers per hour without landing for nearly 200 kilometers.
After reaching Tianjin and later Zhangzhou, in North China's Hebei Province, it eventually looped back to Binzhou Shandong.
Researchers highlighted its remarkable navigational precision, defying prior assumptions that crested ivices could only manage short -distance flights of around 40 kilometers.
Liu Dongping, a bird expert, said that this migration redefines the species' potential, renewing hope for population recovery in eastern wetlands.
Satellite data confirmed the bird's health remained stable post -journey, with robust vital signs recorded on April 5th.
Wang Anh -dong, a senior engineer at Shandong Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve, noted the Ibis's capability for international migration could eventually restore populations and even migrate to Japan, Republic of Korea, Democratic surfaces, four of which are being tracked by satellite, are under observation in Shandong's coastal habitats.
Three or four pairs known for their strong survival skills will join this year's second reintroduction phase, aiming to establish a stable wild population.
Once near extinction, crested ibises are first -class protected animals in China, revered as oriental gems. This is Special English.
That's the end of this edition of Special English.
To recap, I'm going to read two of the news items again at normal speed.
Please listen carefully.
In China, the arrival of spring signals the beginning of what has come to be known as the Super Marathon Weekend, with various marathons taking place nationwide nearly every weekend.
These races, often infused with local flavor, are no longer merely athletic competitions and platforms promoting healthy running culture.
They have evolved into a vibrant travel trend helping heat up local economies.
Participants of the Hangzhou Marathon, for instance, can enjoy routes passing the iconic west lake, while the Chengdu World Heritage Marathon highlights the scenic Dujiangyin area and features panda motifs.
The Wu Xi marathon took place on March 23rd with blooming cherry blossoms and stunning views of the Taihu lake China's third largest freshwater lake as major attractions for the 420 ,000 participants.
Zhang Qian, a runner who traveled 1500 kilometers from Guangdong province to participate said that Wu Shi marathon's course is so beautiful passing through numerous scenic spots.
Zhang arrived a few days early with family to tour around the city considering it's a great way to combine the race with the family trip.
To enhance the visitor experience, Wu Xi offered more than 160 performances and exhibitions during the marathon week along with over 400 ,000 discount vouchers for local attractions.
The strategy reaped significant rewards.
The marathon boosted local consumption in fields like dining and transport by 505 million yuan, up 78 .2 % year on year.
According to the Chinese Athletics Association's latest report, China hosted 749 road running events in 2024 drawing around 7 .05 million participants, up by 1 million compared to 2023.
Leading events like the Shanghai Marathon saw average direct economic benefits of 419 million yuan.
Wang Zhongping, a professor at Nanjing University of Science and Technology, said that for running enthusiasts, choosing a city to run a marathon in has become a cultural trend.
He added that for host cities, delivering excellent experiences both on and off the race course is crucial.
The indirect and ripple effects generated by these marathons are even more significant.
You're listening to Special English.
A crested ibis, reintroduced into the wild in 2024, has completed an unprecedented 260 -kilometer journey across China's eastern coast and the Bohai Sea in 11 hours, setting two new records for migratory endurance.
The feat, tracked via satellite on March 19th, marks a pivotal step in rebuilding the endangered species' eastern migratory groups.
According to local authorities, departing at dawn from Dongying in east China's Shandong province, the bird, tagged as No. 162, soared across the coastal terrain and navigated turbulent air currents over the Bohai Sea, maintaining speeds of 30 to 50 kilometers per hour without landing for nearly 200 kilometers.
After reaching Tianjin and later Cangzhou in China's Hebei province, it eventually looped back to Binzhou, Shandong.
Researchers highlighted its remarkable navigational precision, defying prior assumptions that crested ibises could only manage short -distance flights of around 40 kilometers.
Liu Dongping, a bird expert, said that this migration redefines the species' potential, renewing hope for population recovery in eastern wetlands.
Satellites confirmed the birds' health remained stable post -journey, with robust vital signs recorded on April 5.
Wang Anh -dong, a senior engineer at Shandong Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve, noted the Ibis' capability for international migration could eventually restore populations and even migrate to Japan, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and elsewhere.
Currently, six reintroduced ibises, four of which are being tracked by satellite, are under observation in Shandong's coastal habitats.
Three or four pairs, known for their strong survival skills, will join this year's second reintroduction phase, aiming to establish a stable wild population.
Once near extinction, crusted ibises are first -class protected animals in China, revered as oriental gems. This is the end of today's program.
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