Rains, snow disrupt traffic in parts of China

Persistent rains and snows have caused landslides, disrupted traffic, and flooded farmland in several provinces of China.

In central and eastern areas of Gansu Province in northwest China, days of rains have triggered multiple landslides, blocking several roads.

In response, the local road maintenance departments have activated emergency response plans and deployed heavy machinery and personnel to landslide sites to clear debris and direct traffic.

As of Sunday noon, one of the roads had reopened to traffic after debris were removed from half of its lanes.

Dezhou City, Shandong Province in east China has been hit by intermittent rains over the past few days.

The latest downpour struck the city in evening rush hours on Saturday, impacting commuters, and local traffic police have taken measures to ensure smooth traffic.

The rain intensified on Sunday morning, resulting in waterlogging in some low-lying farmland.

In Wucheng County of Dezhou, the depth of logging water exceeded 10 centimeters in some fields, seriously affecting corn harvest.

"Based on survey data, around 670 hectares of fields throughout the town have seen waterlogged, and more than 200 hectares are in serious cases with over 10-centimeter-deep water. Following prompt reports from villages with large affected areas, we have organized heavy machinery to drain the water in a unified manner," said Wang Feifei, deputy head of Wucheng Town.

Farmland drainage is still underway in the town.

In Qilian County of northwest China's Qinghai Province, a wintry mix stranded more than 180 vehicles on icy roads on Saturday.

Upon noticing the situation, local traffic police rushed to the site, where they shoveled snow and ice from roads, installed tire chains on trapped vehicles, and then guided the vehicles out of the icy roads.

They also carried out a temporary traffic control and set up additional signs at key intersections and accident-prone sections to warn passing vehicles to slow down and keep a safe distance.

Thanks to their efforts, all the trapped vehicles left the road section safely before midnight.

The snowfall in Qilian has now stopped.

Rains, snow disrupt traffic in parts of China

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with visiting German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in Beijing on Monday, to discuss relations between their two countries.

At the meeting, Han said that since the formation of Germany's new government, China and Germany have maintained high-level close interaction. In May this year, Han added, President Xi Jinping spoke with Chancellor Friedrich Merz over phone, providing strategic guidance for further deepening China-Germany relations.

Noting that China and Germany are important economic and trading partners which can achieve win-win results through mutually beneficial cooperation, Han said China is willing to work with Germany to deliver on the important common understandings reached between top leaders of the two countries, enhance communication and dialogue, and work to bring the China-Germany all-round strategic partnership to a new level.

Han said the Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests, and China hopes that the German side will abide by the one-China principle. China also expects Germany, as a core major country in the European Union, to play an active role in promoting healthy development of China-EU relations, Han noted.

Speaking on the same occasion, Wadephul said the new German government attaches great importance to developing ties with China and firmly adheres to the one-China policy.

Germany looks forward to closer high-level exchanges with China and deepened cooperation on all fronts, and is willing to be a reliable partner of cooperation with China, Wadephul said.

Chinese vice president meets German foreign minister on relations