Latest news with #SouthernMetropolisDaily
AsiaOne
23-05-2025
- General
- AsiaOne
Hundreds of roof tiles collapse from China's historic drum tower, a year after extensive repairs, China News
Hundreds of roof tiles came crashing down from a historic drum tower in China's Anhui province on Monday (May 19), a year after extensive repairs. In videos circulating online, hundreds of roof tiles were seen coming loose and cascading more than two stories within seconds. Many visitors were seen fleeing as the falling tiles raised a huge cloud of dust. County officials confirmed that the roof tiles from one side of the Fengyang Drum Tower had collapsed and added that no one was injured. Investigations are ongoing. An eyewitness told Yangcheng Evening News that the incident lasted for one to two minutes. Residents told China Newsweek that the area in front of the tower is often crowded, as people come to sing and dance in the evenings. Fortunately there weren't many people around when the incident occurred, the residents said. As at Thursday (May 22), tiles and broken rafters were still dangling from the roof and a crane was seen transporting bricks onto the top of the tower, Southern Metropolis Daily reported. Scaffolding was also erected around the drum tower, while its entrance was blocked by a barricade, the newspaper said. It added that staff on the ground could not confirm when repairs would be completed. Over $61,000 spent on repairs in 2024 Fengyang Drum Tower was built in 1375, but much of it was destroyed during the Qing dynasty in 1853. Only its platform base remained, which was classified as a protected cultural unit for Anhui province in 1989. Restoration of the entire drum tower began in 1995, and was completed in 1998. Since 2017, a few roof tiles fell after they became loose. Due to further degradation and safety hazards, the tiles were replaced between September 2023 and March 2024. Lu Deyong, chief of Fengyang's culture and tourism bureau, confirmed that over 341,000 yuan (S$61,063) was allocated for the repairs, Sina News reported. Lu added that the repairs passed immediate safety checks after its completion. On May 21, CCTV reported that part of the drum tower was illegally rebuilt with a reinforced concrete structure in 1995 without approval. [[nid:718203]]
Associated Press
21-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
'Treasure Hunt' Showcases the Charm of Guangdong Culture to the World
Exploring Ten Countries in Search of Guangdong's Cultural Export Model Guangdong Province, China, February 21, 2025 -- After releasing 'Treasure Hunt: Discovering the Folk Culture of the Greater Bay Area' and 'Treasure Hunt 2: Exploring Lingnan Modern Cultural Celebrities', Southern Metropolis Daily and N Video launched the highly anticipated 'Treasure Hunt 3: Discovering Guangdong Samples of Going-global of Chinese Culture' in December 2024. This series shifts its focus to overseas, as the Treasure Hunt team from Southern Metropolis Daily and N Video traveled across Southeast Asia, Oceania, Europe, and Africa, visiting over ten countries in total. Along the way, they invited overseas Chinese, international friends, and experts from various fields to join the journey and participate in filming. Through a comprehensive approach, the series highlights the integration and innovation of Guangdong culture abroad, promoting cultural diplomacy through meaningful exchanges. As Lingnan elements continue to captivate global audiences, Guangdong's cultural influence grows on the world stage. Involving Primary Scene: Crossing Three Oceans and Four Continents in Search of Guangdong's Cultural Export Model Cultural export is a journey that takes Guangdong to the world. This time, the Treasure Hunt team is venturing across three oceans and four continents, visiting ten countries to uncover the global footprint of Guangdong's cultural influence. From traditional heritage and Cantonese cuisine to traditional Chinese medicine, the 'New Trio' industries, and the entrepreneurial spirit of Cantonese merchants, the series introduces a brand-new storytelling format: On the Frontlines—real-time overseas record, and In the Studio—expert insights and guest discussions. The Treasure Hunt team's on-the-ground explorations abroad have uncovered numerous examples of Guangdong's cultural influence worldwide. In Vietnam for example, they witnessed Guangdong-made drones soaring across international markets. In Thailand, they saw the wildly popular Yingge Dance blending with local culture. In Singapore, they discovered the booming demand for traditional Guangdong medicine. In Japan, they experienced firsthand the rising popularity China's 'New Trio' exports in the international market. In Oceania, they shared the flavors of Cantonese cuisine with friends from diverse backgrounds. In Africa, they observed major business ventures between China and Egypt. On the Danube River, they hosted tea gatherings with international guests. And along the Belt and Road, they explored the entrepreneurial spirit that unites Guangdong merchants around the world. The first-hand overseas record stays true to the essence of culture while blending modern trends, ensuring a dynamic fusion of tradition and contemporary appeal. From content to format, from depth to digital engagement, the series integrates an internet-driven approach, leveraging online storytelling to amplify positive energy and bring the theme to life. Secondary Observation Room: An Online Observation Room Involving Guests from Six Countries Plays A Key Role in the Treasure Hunt Story-telling The 'Treasure Hunt 3: Discovering Guangdong Samples of Going-global of Chinese Culture' series features a specially curated 'Second Venue'—an observation room where experts, scholars, and international guests are invited to watch and discuss the Treasure Hunt stories with the audiences. This segment will provide a third-party professional perspective, fostering dynamic exchanges and thought-provoking discussions from multiple angles. Notably, the studio lineup is highly diverse. The production team has invited an international panel of guests from six countries, along with five leading experts from various fields. Together with the Treasure Hunt team, they explore global perspectives and engage in in-depth discussions on the stories unfolding in the field, offering fresh insights from different disciplines and cultural viewpoints. The 'Treasure Hunt 3: Discovering Guangdong Samples of Going-global of Chinese Culture' series introduces a 'Second Venue' observation room, breaking the constraints of a single-dimensional narrative. By bringing together a global perspective, it creates a dual storytelling space that presents China's story to the world in a fresh, engaging, and youth-oriented way. This observational documentary format opens new doors for audiences—while the First Venue captures the lives of people overseas, the Second Venue fosters diverse discussions, serving as a bridge between the program, its viewers, and real-world cultural connections. Since its launch, the series has captivated audiences both in China and abroad, garnering nearly 100 million online views. Relevant videos have been prominently featured on major international and regional landmarks, including Times Square in New York, Wilkie Edge in Singapore, MBK Center in Bangkok, and key locations across China's Greater Bay Area, such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, Zhuhai, and Zhongshan, highlighting Guangdong's cultural innovations and its seamless integration with the international community. Name: Jiarong Deng
South China Morning Post
13-02-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
DeepSeek frenzy drives AI adoption by local Chinese governments
Published: 2:00pm, 13 Feb 2025 A growing number of local governments in China are rushing to adopt DeepSeek 's artificial intelligence (AI) models to enhance administration and governance, reflecting the rising adoption of AI in lower levels of public management. Authorities in Longgang district in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, have utilised DeepSeek's latest model to improve the governance of its 4 million residents living in an area larger than Singapore. It is the first Chinese district government to widely embrace the start-up's low-cost, high-performance reasoning model. DeepSeek's R1 model, released last month, improved governance efficiency on multiple fronts since its adoption on February 8, officials said. The Longgang government had worked overtime to deploy the model on Huawei Technologies ' Ascend servers, according to the Southern Metropolis Daily newspaper. Authorities 'boldly' fed government data into the model, the local official in charge of the deployment was quoted as saying. The Longgang government has reportedly deployed DeepSeek's model on Huawei Technologies' Ascend servers. Photo: AP Photo An AI assistant for word processing has helped save time in drafting and proofreading documents, according to a report on the Longgang government website. In the past, it usually took a government official four to five minutes to proofread 1,000 Chinese characters, but DeepSeek's model could achieve that 'in seconds', the report said.
