Chinese netizens poured out their grief on social media over the death of Shi Banyu, who was deemed the "official voice of comedian Stephen Chow." Shi passed away in Beijing on Tuesday at the age of 66. 

During the golden age of Hong Kong cinema in the 1980s and 1990s, the dedication of Putonghua dubbing actors played an indispensable role in winning over countless loyal fans in the Chinese mainland. It was their expressive and skillful voice work that brought iconic characters to life, leaving a lasting impression on audiences.

Shi's agent revealed that he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest that morning, which led to his untimely death. The news came as a shock to many, as the incident was completely unexpected.

Shi's funeral is scheduled on Friday at the Babaoshan Funeral Parlor in Beijing, and his agent confirmed that it will be open to the public, according to local media.

According to media reports, Shi started his career back in 1980s. He began working for Chow in 1990 in "God of Gamblers 2" when Win's Film Productions sought a hilarious voice for Chow to open markets in the Chinese mainland and Taiwan. 

Shi single-handedly went on to dub Chow in nearly 30 movies over the next two decades, media reported. 

Shi was born on March 9, 1958 on the island of Taiwan. His family was originally from Guilin, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. He entered the voice acting industry in 1985. 

Following Shi's passing, Chow, Hong Kong director Lee Lik-Chi, and many industry peers all paid tribute to him. 

On Wednesday, Chow shared on his Instagram, "I will forever remember Mr. Shi Banyu." 

Fans have also expressed their sorrow, saying that an era has come to an end, and that they will never hear his iconic laughter again. 

Some noted that their memories of Chow were heavily intertwined with Shi's voice, to the point where they believed the Putonghua dub was Chow's own voice.

In 2022, Shi disclosed that he had been diagnosed with lung aspergillosis after enduring a persistent cough and significant weight loss. Many noticed that his voice had changed. Shi explained that his throat had been affected by the coughing and that he was in significant pain, taking medication daily. 

However, during the 30th anniversary concert of classical Chinese folklore TV series The Legend of White Snake in July, Shi appeared in much better health, leading many to believe he had recovered. 

Shi also did the Chinese dubbing for several US animated works, including the renowned China-US co-produced film Kung Fu Panda 3 where Shi provided the Putonghua voice dubbing for Po, the lovable and enthusiastic panda. He brought his own unique touch to the character in the Putonghua version of the film. His dubbing contributed to the success of the movie in Putonghua speaking regions, ensuring that Po's humor and personality resonated with local audiences.

From 2006 onwards, Shi also appeared in several TV dramas, including the 2007 Taiwanese drama Corner with Love. 

Throughout his career, he did voice work for over 300 films and TV series.

China's 2024 summer box office, spanning from June 1 to August 31, generated a total of 11.64 billion yuan ($1.64 billion) in revenue, according to the data released by the China Film Administration on Sunday.

Leading the summer box office was the comedy Successor, which grossed 3.25 billion yuan as of Saturday, setting a new record for the highest-grossing comedy in summer box office history. Featuring comedy stars Shen Teng and Ma Li and directed by Yan Fei and Peng Damo, the film tells the story of a wealthy couple who deliberately fakes a challenging environment for their son in order to foster his personal growth, accoridng to Chinese ticketing platfrom Maoyan.

The crime thriller A Place Called ­Silence, which explores the topic of campus bullying, followed with 1.35 billion yuan, making it the top-grossing suspense and crime film in China in 2024.

The third spot was claimed by the Hollywood import Alien: Romulus with a box office of 640 million yuan. It is also the box-office champion for thriller films this year. Moments We Shared and Deadpool and Wolverine rounded out the top four and five with box-office totals of 490 million yuan and 420 million yuan respectively.

By Friday, 139 films had been released during the summer, equal to 2023's total. The films covered a wide range of genres, including dramas, animations, documentaries, comedies, action films, thrillers and romances, catering to diverse audience tastes.

According to box-office tracker Dengta Data, by August 12, the total box-office revenue for cinema broadcasts of the 2024 Paris Olympics had reached 2.442 million yuan, contributing a small amount to the summer box office.

This event included 22 live broadcasts, covering competitions such as the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as finals and semifinals of popular events in which the Chinese team was favored to win.

"We can see that domestic films still dominated the market, with titles like Successor and A Place Called Silence achieving significant box-office revenue, proving that quality content can still attract viewers and achieve strong box-office results," Zhang Peng, an associate professor at Nanjing Normal University, told the Global Times.

Two Hollywood films made it into the box-office top five this summer, which "demonstrates the continued influence of imported films in the Chinese market as well as the openness of the Chinese film market," Zhang said.

According to Zhang, Hollywood movies, with their high production standards, special effects, star-studded casts, and high-profile super IPs, have successfully attracted a large number of Chinese audiences.

The summer period saw 285 million tickets sold, with 38.26 million screenings, a 10 percent increase compared to 2023 and breaking the historical record for the total number of screenings in a summer season.

Despite the record number of screenings, both box-office revenue and ticket sales saw a significant drop compared to the same period in 2023, when the summer box office raked in 20.619 billion yuan and sold 505 million tickets. Only one film crossed the 20 billion yuan mark in the summer of 2024, compared to four such blockbusters in 2023. "The decrease in blockbuster hits has made the market less attractive, leading to lower audience engagement and failing to replicate the nationwide movie-watching frenzy seen last year," Zhang explained.

The year 2024's subdued summer performance also reflects the long-term impact of the pandemic, according to Sun Jiashan, an associate researcher at the Central Academy of Culture and Tourism Administration.

"Usually, even low- to mid-budget films generally take one to two years to complete productions, while larger productions can take three to four years. During the pandemic, this slowdown is only becoming evident now," said Sun.

In one exhibition corner, several guests from Chad, Nigeria and Egypt carefully explore traditional cloisonne techniques by painting some cultural products. Nearby, some guests are fully immersed in an 8k ultra HD video experience, which is taking them on a virtual journey from the Central Axis of Beijing to the majestic wildlife migrations of Africa. 

This scene took place at the China National Convention Center, the venue for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (­FOCAC), on Thursday. 

During the summit, the newly released China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Action Plan (2025-27) highlighted people-to-people exchanges in terms of culture, tourism and sports.

The plan noted that the two sides will jointly implement the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), increase engagement and cooperation in areas such as education, science and technology, health, tourism and media, strengthen cultural exchanges, and enhance people-to-people ties, with the aim of cementing the social foundation for friendship between China and Africa. 

Many guests from countries including Zimbabwe, Mali and Uganda told the Global Times that FOCAC has consistently been a platform that fosters deeper cooperation and cultural exchanges between China and Africa, particularly in areas critical to sustainable development. 

On Tuesday, China signed a number of joint statements with many African countries such as Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Uganda.

Tungamirai Eric Mupona, vice chairman of the China Zimbabwe Exchange Center, told the Global Times that the summit can be seen as a concrete manifestation of China's active implementation of the GCI. He highlighted ­China's support for Zimbabwe's educational infrastructure and the preservation of its traditional culture. 

Mupona also noted the significance of a memorandum signed between the two countries' national television networks and media, which is expected to further promote people-to-people exchanges. 

Melha Rout Biel, executive director of the Institute for Strategic and Policy Studies from South Sudan, told the Global Times that South Sudan is home to over 60 distinct ethnic groups, each with their own unique culture and traditions, much like China's 56 ethnic groups. This diversity forms an essential foundation for cultural exchanges between the two countries. 

"We are all human beings, so you can learn from others. Cultural interaction brings people closer together," Biel said, adding that South Sudan's rich tradition of arts and crafts offers China a window into African culture and highlighting the potential for mutual enrichment through such exchanges.

Dahlia A. Ducreay, director of the International Department from the Silk Road Youth Forum, told the Global Times that China and Africa can build a partnership that is not only strong but also "just and sustainable." "I would like to emphasize the importance of ensuring that development initiatives under FOCAC and the Belt and Road Initiative are not only economically beneficial but also socially empowering."

Chinese lawmakers on Friday voted to adopt a decision on gradually raising the statutory retirement age in the country, marking the first adjustment in the arrangement since 1950s.

According to the decision adopted at the 11th session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress, the statutory retirement age for men will be gradually raised from 60 to 63 in the course of 15 years starting 2025, while that for women cadres and women blue-collar workers will be raised from 55 to 58 and from 50 to 55, respectively.

China's services sector and services trade are expected to maintain upward momentum in the second half of the year, supported by strong industrial foundations, sustained development momentum, and the country's economic resilience, a top executive with global accountancy firm Ernst & Young told the Global Times ahead of the opening of 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS).

The development of China's services sector has to date shown positive growing trends. The services industry in China has increased to a greater level of openness, setting a new record for services trade volume, highlighted with thriving tourism and knowledge-intensive services sector, Jack Chan, EY China chairman, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

"The structure of services trade is continuously improving with the emergence of new models and business categories. And we are seeing a mutual promotion and synergy between services trade and the services industry," Chan said. 

China's services trade saw rapid growth in the first half of 2024, with notable increase in the trade of travel-related services, data from China's Ministry of Commerce showed in August. 

In the first half of 2024, total trade in services reached 3.59 trillion yuan ($501 billion), up by 14 percent year-on-year. Trade in travel-related services surged by 47.7 percent to reach 961.7 billion, while trade in knowledge-intensive services rose 3.7 percent to over 1.4 trillion yuan.

Knowledge-intensive services trade is providing robust support for industrial innovation, economic structure transformation and consumption upgrade, and is becoming a new engine for the services trade growth, Chan noted.

Chan said that new business models are continuously emerging in the field of services consumption, adding fresh impetus to the expansion of domestic demand and providing strong support for the high-quality development of the world's second-largest economy.

The resolution adopted by the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in July called for adopting innovative measures to boost trade in services, and fully apply the "negative list" for cross-border trade in services. 

"We will promote comprehensive trials and demonstrations for expanding opening up of the services sector and encourage specialized services organizations to enhance their capacity for providing international services," the resolution reads.

The National Development and Reform Commission, the country's top economic planner, said on Sunday that it will work with other government agencies to further advance the opening-up of the services sector.

The commission is currently revising the catalog of encouraged foreign investment industries, increasing access to the services sector, according to a NDRC official.

According to Chan, a range of recently introduced policy measures will further broaden China's scope of opening-up in the services sector, creating new opportunities for the growth of foreign trade and investment, driving the upgrade of services sector structure.

The theater commanders of the Chinese and US militaries on Tuesday had a video teleconference, marking the resumption of all military communication mechanisms agreed by the heads of state of the two countries at the San Francisco meeting in November 2023.

According to the consensus reached by the heads of state of China and the US at the San Francisco meeting, Wu Ya'nan, commander of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command, and Samuel Paparo, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, on Tuesday held a teleconference in which they exchanged views on issues of mutual concern, China's Ministry of National Defense said in a press release on Tuesday.

The US Department of Defense is also sending a delegation to the upcoming Beijing Xiangshan Forum, scheduled to take place from September 12 to 14 in Beijing.

The video teleconference between the theater commanders on Tuesday marked the resumption of all four military communication mechanisms agreed by the Chinese and US presidents during the San Francisco meeting.

The high-level communication between the two militaries took place on May 31 when Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun met with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, the 17th China-US Defense Policy Coordination Talks took place in January in Washington, DC, and a China-US Military Maritime Consultative Agreement work group meeting took place in April in Hawaii.

This is a positive signal showing that the two countries are boosting mutual understanding and managing their differences in the military field to avoid accidents that benefit the interests of neither, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Tuesday.

While the Chinese press release did not provide more details about the talks, the US Indo-Pacific Command released a readout saying that Paparo urged the PLA to "reconsider its use of dangerous, coercive, and potentially escalatory tactics in the South China Sea and beyond."

Zhang Junshe, another Chinese military expert, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the US is using false narratives to accuse the PLA's rightful countermeasures as dangerous, and ignores the fact that the current tensions in the South China Sea stem from the Philippines' provocations.

The US should not on the one hand expect to manage differences through talks, then on the other hand incite the Philippines and other allies to stir up troubles, experts said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday met with visiting Singaporean Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan. The visit eyes more pragmatic cooperation following the elevation of bilateral ties in 2023, while also fostering increasing consensus to jointly promote peace and development amid regional instability, analysts said.

During the meeting, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the current international situation is marked by turmoil and complexity. As two stabilizing forces, it is necessary for China and Singapore to strengthen their strategic coordination and communication.

Wang noted that Singapore was one of the first countries to deeply engage in China's reform and opening-up process. Both sides have consistently cooperated closely and learned from each other, providing significant support for the development of their respective countries. 

China is ready to work with Singapore to better align their development strategies and fully implement the new positioning of an all-round, high-quality and future-oriented partnership jointly established by the leaders of the two countries, so as to make new contributions to regional peace, stability and development, Wang said.

Balakrishnan said the new Singaporean government is committed to strengthening partnership with China, and is willing to take the opportunity of the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Singapore and China next year to prepare for high-level exchanges and expand all-round cooperation.

"Balakrishnan's visit to China holds significant importance in terms of bilateral relations, as the Singaporean Foreign Minister communicates the new government's perspectives, especially concerning foreign relations and ties with China, while also aiming to gain insight into China's attitudes and viewpoints," Gu Xiaodsong, dean of the ASEAN Research Institute of Hainan Tropical Ocean University, told the Global Times.

Chen Hong, executive director of Asia Pacific Studies Centre at East China Normal University, said that the meeting also seeks to foster consensus between the two sides on various issues through enhanced dialogue in light of international and regional instability, as China and Singapore serve as two stabilizing forces in the Asia-Pacific region.

Singapore has upheld its strategic autonomy and diplomatic independence on various issues, taking a prudent approach in managing its relations with both China and the West, which has allowed it to play a significant role in the region, Chen said.

A staff member responsible for translation at a US consulate general in China has repeatedly spread rhetoric related to "Taiwan independence" during public activities, deliberately translating "the People's Republic of China" as "the Republic of China," a source familiar with the matter told the Global Times. The source added that the person, if she insists on behaving in such a way, is certainly unwelcome by the Chinese people.

According to the source, after the Chinese side pointed out the mistake, the US staff member refused to admit and instead accused the Chinese side of slander. In contact with Chinese personnel, this US staff member repeatedly issued extreme remarks such as "Taiwan is an independent country." 

She even aggressively pushed local Chinese officials on foreign affairs during external events, displaying an arrogant demeanor, the source said. 

The aforementioned source told the Global Times that "A staff member dispatched by the US government to China has behaved in such an inappropriate manner. It raises questions about whether the issue lies with her personally or with the lack of discipline within the US diplomatic missions in China." 

But one thing is certain -- her words and actions have offended Chinese society, violated the US government's commitment to the one-China principle, and breached both the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the Consular Convention between the People's Republic of China and the United States. 

The person, if she insists on behaving in such a way, is certainly unwelcome by the Chinese people, the source said. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema on Wednesday jointly witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the revitalization project of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) railway.

Hassan and Hichilema are in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which is taking place from Wednesday to Friday.  

While meeting with Tanzania's Hassan on Wednesday, President Xi said that China is willing to take the summit as an opportunity to push for new progress in the revitalization project of the TAZARA railway and jointly improve the rail-sea intermodal transport network in East Africa. 

These efforts will help Tanzania become a demonstration zone for deepening high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between China and African countries, Xi said. 

The revitalization of the TAZARA railway holds important symbolic significance - it is not only a historical testament to traditional China-Africa friendship but also a key project in promoting regional connectivity in Africa, Song Wei, a professor at the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

The 1,860-km single-track railway was constructed through an interest-free loan from China and started operation in 1976. It links Dar es Salaam in Tanzania with New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia.  

Song noted that the TAZARA railway has played a crucial role in transporting copper from Zambia to Tanzania for export overseas, significantly contributing to the economic development of both countries. 

However, the railway has encountered poor management, aging infrastructure and reduced capacity over time, Song said.

China has discussed how to update the TAZARA railway and enhance its role in promoting Africa's development. With the signing of the MoU, the three countries can make further efforts in its revitalization, analysts said.

Some have proposed developing the TAZARA railway into a tourist project, which would not only attract visitors but also promote Africa's green economic development, providing new growth opportunities for local communities. 

Song said the TAZARA railway could serve as a pilot to explore how to achieve sustainable operation after a project was handed overed to African countries. 

In this way, the TAZARA railway could continue to serve as a bridge for China-Africa friendship while offering new momentum for Africa's economic development and China-Africa cooperation, Song said.

The US trade deficit surged by 7.9 percent from the prior month to $78.8 billion in July, the highest level in more than two years. Some political elites may still have an irrational fear about a deficit in foreign trade, even though much of their anxiety is unnecessary.

Faced with a persistent trade deficit, the US has been overburdened by excessive anxiety and has adopted protectionist measures in recent years targeting certain goods imported from certain countries, including China, to whittle down imports and trade deficits. But clearly, political elites in Washington have failed to do so, as the US trade deficit continues to widen. It's a bit ironic: it is not the trade deficit that poses a risk to the US economy, but trade protectionism actions.

A closer look into the US trade deficit shows that growth in July was led by increases in US imports. US exports in July were $266.6 billion, $1.3 billion more than in June, while imports were $345.4 billion - $7.1 billion more than the previous month, official data showed. Obviously, the growth in imports exceeded that of exports, resulting in a widening trade deficit.

Analysts attribute the pickup in US merchandise imports to multiple factors. First, some importers want to get ahead of a potential dockworkers' strike as reported by some media outlets by shipping cargo into the US earlier than usual. Second, retailers have begun stocking up as they bet on a strong holiday season. That's led to a surge in imports. 

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, in California, which account for roughly one-third of all US container imports, had their third-strongest month ever in July, according to Bloomberg. Retailers seem to be optimistic about American consumers' spending, especially in the holiday shopping season.

This is good news for the US economy. Consumption spending makes up two-thirds of the US economy on average, so a pickup in US merchandise imports serves, to some extent, as both a consumer confidence indicator and a leading indicator that bodes well for economic growth.

More specifically for trade between China and the US, official US data showed the US deficit with China increased by $4.9 billion to $27.2 billion in July. Exports to China fell $1.0 billion while imports advanced $3.9 billion.

Some US enterprises have been stockpiling products, components and parts from China, because of uncertainty over US tariffs. According to Reuters, the Biden administration on August 30 delayed an announcement of its final determinations for tariff hikes on some Chinese-made products including semiconductors, saying it will make a decision public in the "coming days." 

It seems US importers are trying to seize the time window to build inventories. It adds to evidence that made-in-China products are irresistible and irreplaceable. A complete economic "decoupling" between the two countries is impossible.

In general, a pickup in US merchandise imports is not necessarily a bad thing if it sends a signal that domestic consumption is recovering. The resulting trade deficit should not cause undue concern. If US policymakers seek to whittle down trade deficits and imports through protectionist trade measures, they will fail to solve existing problems but create new ones. 

They will also disrupt normal trade and economic activities, and force American importers to reduce their losses through various means, including building inventories. Excessive anxiety toward trade deficits and Washington's response to the issue - trade protectionism - may lead to bigger problems for the US economy.

A trade deficit is an indicator that a nation consumes more than it produces. The focus should be on increasing production and exports, instead of cutting consumption and imports. The US needs to further expand exports, especially those of high-tech, high-value-added products.

China does not deliberately pursue a trade surplus and the current trade imbalance between the two countries is a result of normal market operation, which is guided by the bilateral economic structure, industry competitiveness and the international division of labor. 

Based on the development of the international division of labor, the US has an advantage in the production of high-tech goods, but unfortunately, the country has in recent years embarked on a tightening of its export control rules when it comes to cutting-edge technology items such as chips. 

In this sense, the most effective way for the US to reduce its trade deficit is to ease export curbs and promote exports, rather than restricting imports by adopting trade protectionist measures.