On the 24th, the onshore RMB exchange rate against the U.S. dollar appreciated to a maximum of 6.8804, and the offshore RMB exchange rate to the U.S. dollar appreciated to a maximum of 6.8760, both continuing to hit their highest appreciation levels since April 28, 2023.
A senior FBI official said at a press conference this morning (24th) that he was surprised by the problem of telecom fraud in some areas of Southeast Asia, especially the scale of large-scale telecom fraud centers there.
However, the United States has avoided questions about whether it hopes to cooperate with China to combat such crimes.
The press conference was held remotely by the Asia-Pacific Media Center of the U.S. State Department at 9 a.m. Beijing time on the 24th. The content of the press conference was Scott Sherbull, an official from the International Operations Division of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), introducing the telecommunications fraud problem in the region that he learned during his visit to Southeast Asia.
At the meeting, Scherbull first revealed the reason why he was paying attention to this issue, saying that more and more Americans are being victimized by telecom fraud criminal gangs from the region. He emphasized that the violations were not carried out by scattered individual criminals, but by "well-organized and well-resourced" criminal groups.
"I visited several large-scale fraud complexes on the spot. Although it was only from a distance, it is difficult to truly understand the staggering scale of these fraud crimes without seeing it with your own eyes - there are entire facilities here dedicated to committing crimes in an industrialized manner. It completely changes your perception of this threat," Sherbull said.
Sherbull also said that since these electronic fraud criminal gangs are distributed in many countries in Southeast Asia, the United States will carry out coordinated law enforcement with countries in the region.
Public information shows that since China is the main victim of electronic fraud crimes, China has been vigorously cracking down on electronic fraud gangs entrenched in Southeast Asia through transnational coordinated law enforcement for many years, and has achieved quite remarkable results - including the elimination of the "four major families" of electronic fraud in northern Myanmar in recent years.
In comparison, the United States has insufficient knowledge of such organized large-scale electronic fraud centers in Southeast Asia. It once thought that the problem was limited to the local area. However, with the development of related technologies, some electronic fraud groups have gradually begun to shift their targets to Western countries, hoping to avoid attacks from China by switching their "hunting targets" to other countries.
Regarding this change, China has clearly expressed its willingness to cooperate with other injured parties. According to Xinhua News Agency, China and the United States jointly handled a transnational telecommunications network fraud case in 2024 and helped a Zhejiang company and its American partner recover more than 1.7 million US dollars in defrauded funds. A Chinese scholar also wrote an article in the media last year, believing that cracking down on electronic fraud may be the next step in Sino-US law enforcement cooperation.
In February this year, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng also stated at an event that China and the United States should explore opportunities for cooperation on multiple matters, including combating telecommunications fraud and anti-money laundering.
However, at the press conference of the US State Department, China did not appear among the countries that Sherbull mentioned that the United States would seek cooperation with. Brother Geng learned that during the question-and-answer session of the press conference, although some Chinese media had submitted relevant questions early on, asking Sherbul whether the United States was willing to seek cooperation with China, and also mentioned that China's rich joint law enforcement experience and outstanding results in combating electronic fraud crimes in Southeast Asia might be helpful to the United States, the US State Department personnel who hosted the press conference did not submit this question to Sherbul for an answer.
In this regard, some scholars who study Sino-US relations believe that the US's avoidance of the issue of cooperation with China at this press conference may be due to a relatively narrow geopolitical consideration.
The scholar believes that combating telecommunications fraud is something that is beneficial to the whole world. The United States should take a pragmatic stance and work together with China, which has shown a willingness to cooperate, to cooperate on this matter where there is no essential conflict of interest between China and the United States. Moreover, the scholar believes that the United States should openly acknowledge the benefits of such cooperation to the United States, because this will not only protect more people in the world from harm, but also help strengthen the relationship between China and the United States, a major country that has a far-reaching impact on the world.
Review | Lu Changyin
Recently, the Market Supervision and Administration Bureau of Yuhua District, Shijiazhuang City, in the form of a "Reply to the Verification Letter," publicly disclosed the progress of the investigation and punishment of Dalwei Company, the operator of the well-known daily chemical brand "TST Court Secret" (hereinafter referred to as "TST"), for allegedly using the Internet to engage in pyramid schemes.
In the early morning of December 29, the TST Court secretly issued a response: "Shanghai Dalwei Trading Co., Ltd. is a legally operating company. Since its establishment, it has always followed government guidance, adhered to legal operations, and paid taxes in accordance with the law. We are very grateful to the Hebei Shijiazhuang government for guiding our company to investigate risks. At present, the company's operations are normal, and our company will actively cooperate with relevant departments." Zhang Ting and Lin Ruiyang also forwarded the Weibo response.
Public information shows that Shanghai Dalwei Trading Co., Ltd. has a registered capital of 231.8 million yuan, and its legal representative is Lin Jirong (also known as the well-known actor Lin Ruiyang). The company owns the daily chemical brand "TST Secret", which was founded by Lin Ruiyang and Zhang Ting in 2013. It focuses on cosmetics and skin care products, and sells products mainly through the online mall "Ting Secret APP" and the O2O method of offline physical stores.
As early as June 5 this year, the bureau had launched an investigation into Shanghai Dalwei Trading Co., Ltd.'s alleged pyramid scheme. "Because it used financial institutions to transfer or conceal funds involved in pyramid schemes, the bureau has applied to the People's Court to take preservation measures in accordance with the law. The case is currently under further investigation."
On December 23, Li Xu Anti-MLM, a private anti-MLM association, applied to the Yuhua District Market Supervision and Administration Bureau of Shijiazhuang City for a "Requesting the Yuhua District Market Supervision and Administration Bureau of Shijiazhuang City to verify whether TST is suspected of pyramid schemes and whether to file a case for investigation and verification." On December 24, 2021, Li Xu’s anti-fraud team posted on the WeChat public account that it received a reply from the verification letter from the Yuhua District Market Supervision and Administration Bureau of Shijiazhuang City. Li Xu Anti-MLM said that according to relevant personnel from the Yuhua District Market Supervision and Administration Bureau of Shijiazhuang City, the funds frozen this time were as high as 600 million yuan (frozen in two parts, 300 million yuan for the main company and 300 million yuan for an agent and team leader).
Li Xu Anti-MLM WeChat public account stated that the team began to receive reports from netizens in the first half of this year that TST Court Secret was suspected of pyramid schemes, and published related articles one after another, which were later deleted. The team claimed that they were "deleted by malicious complaints from the company." In August this year, Li Xu Anti-MLM published an article on the public account based on relevant revelations from netizens in response to why TST Court Secret's business model was suspected of pyramid schemes.
On December 29, Jiemian News saw at the company's "TST Secret" headquarters building in Pudong New Area that the building was operating normally and employees had normal access. Employees of the company revealed that everything in the building is currently operating normally. There are also employees downstairs discussing hot topics in their company. Information shows that Zhang Ting bought the building for 1.7 billion yuan in October 2020.
After the reporter expressed his intention to interview, the number of security personnel on site increased, and the original two entrances and exits were quickly changed to one. All personnel must enter and exit with work passes. At noon, security officials said someone would be available to speak to the media and respond. After waiting for an hour, the officer changed his story and said he didn't know who to call to respond.
As of press time, the company has not responded to Jiemian News’ request for an interview.
Zhang Ting's other identity is a Taiwanese actress who entered the entertainment industry by filming commercials. Her husband Lin Ruiyang was in the same industry as her. After marrying Zhang Ting, he quit the entertainment industry and came to mainland China with Zhang Ting to engage in business and establish many companies. Shanghai Dalwei Trading Co., Ltd. is one of them.
Part of their popularity lies not in stardom but in high-profile donations. The first time Zhang Ting and his wife did charity was during the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. At that time, Zhang Ting and his wife mobilized the employees of the company they ran to actively raise 20,000 yuan. At the same time, the couple donated an additional 100,000 yuan to support the disaster area. In the early days of the epidemic, they also donated 20 million yuan to Wuhan.
In 2013, Lin Ruiyang and Zhang Ting founded "TST Secret", and the brand belongs to Shanghai Dalwei Trading Co., Ltd. TST relies on resources from the entertainment industry. Multiple promotional materials from recruitment agencies show that Lin Chiling is its spokesperson, and Xu Zheng, Taohong and his wife, Cao Ge and Wu Suling were also its shareholders. On social networks, half of the entertainment industry stars such as Liu Tao and Zhang Xinyu posted photos of themselves with white facial masks on their faces, and specified that they were using TST products.
Although the "TST Court Secret" trademark was successfully registered in May 2016, the brand's online and offline channel layout had already been launched before. From 2014 to 2018, TST was popular in the micro-business circle and was known as the "first brand of micro-business".
Netizens who broke the news about Li Xu's anti-MLM claims that he was attracted by the celebrity aura to join the "TST Secret" company a few years ago. After working in the company for a few years, he discovered that this micro-business empire built by the celebrity couple Zhang Ting and Lin Ruiyang actually used their influence in the film and television industry, under the banner of celebrity business owners, and ostensibly in the name of "zero threshold, zero risk entrepreneurship". In fact, it relies on the development of downline recruiters and team-based compensation to conduct business activities.
Many agents who join TST also claim that they can earn high income by operating TST products. In 1992, an ordinary office worker earned 290,000 yuan a month, and a mother born in the 1980s earned more than 300,000 yuan a month. All kinds of propaganda are everywhere in TST.
A netizen mentioned that when he first joined, the company said in training that as long as he developed 100 people and achieved monthly sales of RMB 100,000 for three consecutive months with his direct agents, he could set up his own company and become the founder of the company. In this way, if his "descendants (offline)" purchased products, he would be able to get a 2.5%-5% commission, and the company also promised that the founder would be hereditary. As time went by, netizens saw that team members were hoarding a large amount of goods but unable to sell them. In order to develop offline, many people lied about the amount of money they made.
Public data shows that in 2018 alone, Dalwe’s tax payment reached 1.26 billion yuan. In June 2020, Zhang Ting made her live broadcast debut on Douyin. After the live broadcast, a picture of his team's celebration was leaked, which showed that Zhang Ting's first live broadcast performance exceeded 250 million yuan.
According to the Tianyancha App, on September 8, 2021, 9 companies with Zhang Ting (Zhang Shuqin) as the legal representative, executive director and general manager deregistered, including Shanghai Haoguang Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Shanghai Yunfan Enterprise Management Co., Ltd., Shanghai Zhenhai Information Technology Co., Ltd., Shanghai Mingli Enterprise Management Co., Ltd., etc. The reason for cancellation was the resolution to dissolve. These nine companies were all established in 2021, with registered capital of 45 million yuan.
Currently, more than 70 of the companies Zhang Ting works for are in existence or in operation, involving biotechnology, investment management, cultural media and other fields.
When the lights of the theater intersect with light and dark, and when the joys and sorrows of a century interweave with the fireworks of the world, an observer who has been deeply involved in Beijing theater for more than 40 years uses his pen as a ruler and his heart as ink to condense hundreds of feasts in two years into text sketches. Qi Yimin's 2026 new work "Hundred Operas: A Beijing Audience's "Atonal" Theater Sketching", as the sequel to "Hundred Operas Banquet", is not only a cross-category aesthetic wandering, but also a Beijing-style theater viewing note. It is also a sincere confession dedicated to art and life by a cultural scholar and life observer. This collection of essays takes "atonality" as its core, breaking the shackles of stereotyped comments and giving each text both artistic quality and warmth of life, making it a rare guide for those who love theater.
"Hundred Operas: A Beijing Audience's "Atonal" Theater Sketches", written by Qi Yimin, published by Research Press in 2026
"Atonality" is the most distinctive soul of this collection of essays, and it is also the unique background for Qi Yimin's viewing and creation of dramas. Different from the obscurity of academic drama criticism and the superficiality of entertainment criticism, he uses the transparency of a "capital native" and the speculation of a cultural scholar to abandon the fixed review framework and let the feelings of watching the performance flow naturally. The hundreds of texts included in the book correspond to the hundreds of performances he watched at the National Center for the Performing Arts and other major theaters in the capital between September 2022 and April 2024. There is no deliberate praise or criticism, no rigid theory accumulation, only the most authentic feelings and the most vivid records, just like the unconventional improvisation in the theater, free and powerful. This kind of "atonality" is actually the most sincere aesthetic expression - not bound by genre, not kidnapped by authority, only based on inner touch, making every essay a unique mark of watching the drama.
Hundreds of operas are gathered together, and everything coexists. The words in the book are like a panoramic picture of contemporary stage art. With a broad vision, Qi Yimin has extended his brushwork to drama, Peking opera, ballet, symphony, opera, pingtan and many other art categories, taking into account ancient and modern times, both at home and abroad, and for both refined and popular tastes. There are deep echoes of classic dramas such as "Thunderstorm" and "Xiaojing Hutong", as well as graceful and lengthy opera passages such as "The Suo Lin Bag" and "The Princess of the Tang Dynasty", as well as dance spectaculars such as Yang Liping's "Peacock" and the Mariinsky Theater Ballet. The banquet is visually stunning; it includes the peak performances of art masters such as Buchbinder and Yuja Wang, the delicate interpretations of senior actors such as Liu Mintao and He Bing, and the pyrotechnics of mass performances such as Guo Degang's cross talk and Han Hong's concert. From the philosophy of Chekhov's "The Seagull" to the gentleness of Suzhou Pingtan's "Thunderstorm", from the solemnity of the Vienna Symphony Concert to the humor of the Deyun Society's special performance, the hundreds of plays are all-encompassing, just like a "family portrait" of contemporary theater art and artists, fully displaying the diverse charm and elegance of the times on the capital's stage.
Qi Yimin has an interdisciplinary background including a bachelor's degree in economics, a master's degree in public administration, and a doctorate in comparative literature, as well as more than ten years of overseas life experience. This makes his writing humorous, elegant, magnanimous and natural, and his comments have both depth and warmth. He would use vivid metaphors such as "hands like king crabs" to describe Bogorelic's playing. He would think of the fireworks in Zhuozhou and Bazhou when commenting on Shi Yihong's "Suolin Bag". He would look back at the years while listening to "Long March Suite" and seamlessly connect his feelings about the performance with his life experience and thinking about the times. There is no piling up of gorgeous words in the article, but the real meaning can be seen in the plain, and the deep feelings are hidden in the details. As the editor said, he has transformed into a "drama magician" and used sketching techniques to transform hundreds of performances into a smart "magic picture", allowing readers to be immersed in the scene and feel the unique charm of each performance even if they are not in the theater.
The value of this work has long gone beyond an ordinary theater viewing guide and has become a spiritual journey that connects art and life, tradition and contemporary times. It is not only a summary of Qi Yimin's personal performance viewing experience, but also a microcosm of the capital's drama and music stage in recent years, with distinct immediacy and contemporary characteristics. In the book, we see not only hundreds of wonderful performances, but also an observer's awe for art and love for life - he will be moved by the actors' ingenuity, sigh for the inheritance of classics, applaud the vitality of public performance, and also think about the nature of art and the meaning of time while watching the play. For readers who love art and theater, "Hundred Opera Collection" is a "super interesting guide" that guides us to unlock a new perspective of watching dramas; for ordinary readers, it is a window that allows us to feel the charm of art in words and appreciate the beauty of life in fireworks.
The theater may come to an end, but the love of art and life will never fade away. Qi Yimin used hundreds of words to freeze the two years of theater time. With "atonal" sincerity, he broke down the barriers between art and life, letting us understand that art is never a lofty spring and snow, but a spiritual nourishment that blends with fireworks and touches people's hearts. "A Collection of Hundred Operas" is like a pot of warm tea, sweet after reading it for the first time, but sweet again after tasting it. In this two-year aesthetic journey, we not only gained the influence of art, but also understood the meaning of love - treating art with a sincere heart and embracing life with a transparent heart. This is the precious revelation left to us by "Hundred Opera Collection".
February 24th marks the fourth anniversary of the escalation of the Ukraine crisis. Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are difficult and the road to peace is long. The stalemate on the battlefield is also profoundly affecting social sentiment in Ukraine.
The frontline defense is tight and Uzbekistan’s local counterattack is difficult to change the strategic deadlock
The focus of the current exchange of fire is still concentrated on the Donbas and the southern front. Among them, the direction of Pokrovsk is regarded by Ukraine as one of the most stressful areas. Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Sersky recently stated that the Russian army continues to gather reserve forces locally in an attempt to find a breakthrough, and frontline defenses are still tight. At the same time, the Ukrainian army is also trying to stabilize the front through local counterattacks. The Ukrainian airborne assault force recently announced that in its counterattack in the south, it had eliminated Russian reconnaissance and sabotage forces in an area of more than 300 square kilometers and regained control of many residential areas. The Ukrainian military also stated that since the end of January this year, it has regained control of approximately 400 square kilometers and 8 residential areas along the Alexandrivsk front. However, domestic military analysts in Ukraine generally believe that these actions are still tactical counterattacks within a defensive framework, and there has not yet been a breakthrough sufficient to change the strategic pattern.
Polls show Ukrainians support negotiations but oppose territorial concessions
The stalemate on the battlefield is also profoundly affecting social sentiment in Ukraine. On the one hand, long-term consumption has given the public more realistic expectations for "guaranteed peace"; on the other hand, territory and sovereignty are still regarded as untouchable red lines. A number of recent polls have shown that the majority of the public supports ending the conflict through negotiations, but at the same time clearly opposes any form of territorial concessions. At the diplomatic level, Ukraine, Russia and the United States have had multiple rounds of contacts through different channels over the past year regarding ceasefire arrangements and security guarantees, but core differences remain obvious. Ukrainian President Zelensky recently emphasized again that Ukraine is willing to make real compromises for peace, but will not accept conditions that undermine sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Ukraine internally discusses military planning, saying it can fight for a long time
At the same time, some media revealed that Ukraine has begun internal discussions on military planning for the next few years. Pivnenko, commander of the Ukrainian National Guard, also said that Ukraine has the ability to continue fighting for several years, and the goal is still to control all territory. These statements show that Kyiv is not optimistic about achieving a breakthrough through negotiations in the short term.
Overall, there are no key variables that can quickly change the situation, whether at the military or diplomatic level. For some time to come, the game between Russia and Ukraine is likely to continue in this dual-track state of "intense exchanges of fire on the front lines and slow progress in negotiations."
As the Spring Festival approaches, more and more family members are returning home at major high-speed rail stations in China, but the luggage they carry with them is getting less and less.
In the waiting hall of Beijing South Railway Station, passengers no longer travel in large packages. Many people pack lightly. One suitcase and a schoolbag have become standard equipment. Some men only travel with backpacks.
Xiao Xiaoxu, who returned to Qingdao with his children from Tianjin West Railway Station for the New Year this year, told a reporter from China News Service that their luggage had been sent home by express in advance. Xiao Xiaoxu said that she has become accustomed to traveling light, especially after having children, so she prefers to reduce her luggage so that she can only take care of her children on the road, making it easier for herself. "I'm still in the car now, but my luggage is already at home," she said.
On February 13, Xiao Xiaoxu and his son were at the station. The mother and son only carried a small number of backpacks. Photo by China News Service reporter Wang Mengyao
Yang Yue, a logistics operations expert at JD.com, told a reporter from China News Service that the trend of people traveling lightly and simply has become increasingly obvious in recent years. Judging from JD Logistics data, recently, the volume of personal mailing business represented by luggage and New Year goods has increased by about 190% year-on-year, and has increased by more than 30% compared with the same period before the Lunar New Year last year, and the demand growth becomes more obvious as the Spring Festival approaches.
The formation of this travel habit is inseparable from the increasing perfection of China’s express delivery network. Since the "14th Five-Year Plan", China has built the world's largest mailing and delivery network with the largest number of beneficiaries. The breadth and depth of postal access in rural and border areas has been significantly improved, the number of business outlets has increased nearly 1.5 times compared with five years ago, and all border natural villages across the country have postal services. The reach of express logistics extends further and deeper, releasing the needs of more people.
Among the luggage brought home during the New Year, New Year gifts for relatives and friends account for a large proportion. Yang Yue said that many people will buy mutton from Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Gansu before the festival. Many southerners will choose to buy cold-water fish from Chagan Lake in Jilin, and northerners will tend to try fresh fruits from the south.
He said that in the past, the cost of transporting mutton from Xinjiang to other regions was high, and the long land transportation time was not consistent with the characteristics of fresh food. Air transportation was also affected by the reduction of flights in the off-season of tourism. This year, JD Logistics started using all-cargo aircraft for transportation. The business volume of this part has increased significantly. Basically, all cargo aircraft are fully loaded every day and even supply exceeds supply.
Now, mutton from the northwest and fruits from Hainan may appear on the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner table at the same time. Behind this is the ultimate pursuit of "freshness" by cold chain preservation technology. It is also inseparable from the integrated transportation network of roads, railways, and air transport, and it is also inseparable from the accelerated application of large models in demand forecasting, intelligent dispatching, path planning and other scenarios.
In addition to going home to celebrate the New Year, many Chinese people also choose to travel to celebrate the New Year. During the Spring Festival travel under the concept of "reunion", the whole family, old and young, go out together, reducing the burden of luggage and giving rise to the express delivery service market.
Facing market demand, SF Culture and Tourism provides convenient logistics support during this Spring Festival. Currently, SF luggage delivery services have been launched simultaneously in more than 20 core tourist cities across the country, covering popular destinations such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Hangzhou. As of the end of January 2026, SF Express has entered more than 500 transportation hubs, more than 300 scenic spots, covering more than 20,000 hotels, and has established cooperation with more than 30 cultural and tourism departments (bureaus) and multiple leading cultural and tourism brands.
The improvement of the express delivery service network is gradually changing the way people celebrate the New Year, and the Chinese New Year journey is becoming increasingly easier. (over)
Grapes are 330 yuan per catty, strawberries are 360 yuan per catty? You heard it right!
A netizen took a picture of this fruit billboard on the highway. At first, he thought it was a typo, but he didn't expect it to be true. The place of origin is Xiongyue, Liaoning, and the planting company confirmed that the news is true. The sales staff are quite confident that these are specially bred, and the varieties are called "King Grape" and "King Strawberry". There are sales points in 40 to 50 cities across the country, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. The billboard prints the national uniform retail price. If you buy it wholesale, it can be "cheaper", 400 yuan/2 pounds.
Why is it so expensive? According to the sales introduction, their main focus is on original ecological cultivation, without pesticides and fed with milk. It is also claimed that the company's products have more than 100 test reports and meet the pesticide residue-free standard. The company's promotional video also stated that the soil used to grow strawberries is not ordinary soil. It uses non-GMO soybean cakes from Heilongjiang to nourish the soil. The varieties are special seedlings from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The cost of a strawberry seedling is 4 yuan, and 800 kilograms of milk and water are needed to irrigate the strawberries once!
But experts directly slapped it in the face: the main components of milk are water and protein. The protein cannot be directly absorbed by plants. After decomposition, it is only equivalent to ordinary nitrogen fertilizer. The so-called "milk irrigation" has no scientific basis. In addition, the reporter searched the company's corporate registration information based on the phone call and found that since the company was established in 2022, the number of insured persons has been 0. A search of the company's Taobao store revealed that more than 100 orders of this "King Series" fruit have been sold.
But having said that, as long as the price is clearly marked and there are no violations, you are free to buy or sell as you wish. I just hope that every "noble" bite you take into your mouth can really be worthy of the heavy money.
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