Floating "ice flowers" were seen blooming on a section of the Yellow River in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
On the surface of the river, thin rings of ice formed a dazzling array that shimmered under the setting sun as they floated more than 30 kilometers upstream of the frozen Wuhai Lake.
Wuhai City is located in the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River. Due to the influence of factors such as temperature, river morphology, and water flow speed between the upper and lower reaches, when the Yellow River enters the ice flood period, there often appears a strange landscape of partial freezing of the river and flowing ice.
The Yellow River is China's second-longest river, with the 5,464-km-long waterway feeding about 12 percent of China's population. It irrigates about 15 percent of arable land, supports 14 percent of national GDP and supplies water to more than 60 cities.
Floating "ice flowers" bloom on Yellow River section
European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde has urged the EU and China to pursue results-driven cooperation, stressing that partnership must be judged by outcomes rather than declarations.
In an exclusive interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) at the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Lagarde stressed the need for a stable, sustainable and level playing field relationship.
"There is no love, there is only proof of love. And I think that it's one thing to declare, to state and to affirm principles. It's another thing to deliver, in practical terms, a stable, sustainable and level playing field relationship. And I think that we should all work in that direction. I think the European Union and China can work in that direction as well," Lagarde said.
Drawing on her experience leading the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from 2011 to 2019, Lagarde praised China's role as a reliable partner.
"I observed, as former managing director of the IMF, that China was always a good partner in that institution. And I think this is important and it should be continued. I think the issue of pricing, grants, subsidies and all that need to be on the table, as will imbalances going forward. And I understand that both the G7, the G20 and other international forums will address those issues," she said.
Lagarde also said that China's 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) is poised to strengthen global integration through balanced, demand-led growth.
"China is a case in point of good, long-term planning and you certainly excel at sticking to the plan and focusing on delivering. My personal hope, particularly with the view to reducing imbalances, is that what I've heard many of the Chinese leaders say, that there will be a focus on domestic consumption," said the ECB president.
Under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue," the 2026 WEF meeting opened on Monday in Davos and will run through Friday. About 3,000 leaders and experts worldwide are gathering to discuss five pressing global challenges, including enhancing cooperation, unlocking new sources of growth and deploying innovation at scale and responsibly.
Lagarde urges EU-China ties to pursue results-driven cooperation
