Registered museums across China logged 1.49 billion visits in 2024, according to statistics released by the National Cultural Heritage Administration on Sunday at an event marking International Museum Day at the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing.
Throughout 2024, a total of 213 museums were newly registered in China, bringing the total number of museums in the country to 7,046, the administration noted. China is also expanding its free-entry policy, with over 91 percent of all museums offering free admission, it added.
The 7,046 registered museums hosted 43,000 exhibitions and 511,000 educational events last year, according to the administration.
China will revise the management regulations of museum collections, improve the classification and archiving of collections, coordinate emergency and preventive conservation measures for collections, strengthen the application of technologies, and implement key projects for the protection of precious and endangered cultural relics and those made of fragile materials.
China will also support eligible museums to set up international exhibition halls and plan exhibitions for cultural exchange, making the achievements of human civilization accessible to more and wider audiences.
China's registered museums record 1.49 billion visits in 2024
The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) is ready to completely withdraw from the governmental scene in the Gaza Strip and engage in a positive and constructive manner with the second phase of the plan to end the war in the enclave, said Hamas political bureau member Basem Naim on Friday. In a statement, Naim said that the ceasefire deal became an international plan after being adopted by the United Nations Security Council. However, it is now facing obstacles.
He accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of reneging on his commitments and escalating the situation, in an attempt to return to war and save his political career. Pointing out that Israeli strikes have caused hundreds of casualties since the announcement of the ceasefire, the Hamas official said the escalation cannot occur without cover or green light from the United States. He said Hamas has committed to all its obligations under the ceasefire agreement, as attested by the mediators and the U.S., adding that it is ready for the second phase of the agreement.
He emphasized the Movement's commitment to the establishment of a fully empowered Palestinian body to administer Gaza, and its complete withdrawal from the governmental scene.
Naim warned that the situation will not be sustainable if the continued escalation of Israeli military operations and the persistence of the catastrophic humanitarian situation remain unaddressed, adding that the circle of fire may expand, which is what Netanyahu aspires to.
Since a ceasefire took effect on Oct 10, 2025, Gaza's death toll has risen to 439 with 1,223 injuries, according to local health authorities on Friday. Rescue teams have recovered 688 bodies during that period. In the broader conflict, at least 71,409 Palestinians have been killed and 171,304 wounded since Israel's military campaign in Gaza began in October 2023.
Hamas ready for complete withdrawal from Gaza governmental scene: official
