China ratifies Commemoration Day of Taiwan's Restoration

China's national legislature on Friday voted to designate Oct 25 as the Commemoration Day of Taiwan's Restoration.

The decision was adopted at the five-day session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), which opened on Friday and was presided over by Zhao Leji, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee.

The state will hold commemorative activities in various forms on this day, according to the decision.

In 1895, the Qing government, having been defeated in a war initiated by Japan against China, was forced to cede Taiwan and the Penghu Islands to Japan.

In 1945, all Chinese, including compatriots in Taiwan, achieved the great victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, which restored Taiwan to its motherland.

The restoration of Taiwan is an important outcome of the War of Resistance and a compelling proof of the Chinese government's recovery of sovereignty over Taiwan, says the decision.

On Friday, officials from the NPC Constitution and Law Committee also delivered reports on the deliberation results of draft revisions to the Maritime Law, the Organic Law of Villagers' Committees and the Organic Law of Urban Residents' Committees, as well as draft amendments to the Cybersecurity Law and the Environmental Protection Tax Law, among other legislative documents.

In addition, the Supervisory and Judicial Affairs Committee of the NPC submitted a proposal for deliberating a draft law on procuratorial public-interest litigation, while the State Council put forth proposals for reviewing a draft law on farmland protection and quality improvement.

Friday's session also heard reports on the deliberation results of motions proposed by NPC deputies submitted by the presidium of the third session of the 14th NPC, and on the qualifications of some NPC deputies. It also reviewed relevant appointment and removal cases.

In the afternoon, Zhao presided over the 52nd and 53rd meetings of the Council of Chairpersons of NPC Standing Committee, reviewing reports on the deliberation results of relevant draft decisions submitted by the NPC Constitution and Law Committee, along with the revised drafts and final versions for voting.

China ratifies Commemoration Day of Taiwan's Restoration

China ratifies Commemoration Day of Taiwan's Restoration

China has remained the world's largest online retail market for a 13th consecutive year, with its digital consumption exceeding 23.8 trillion yuan (about 3.39 trillion U.S. dollars), official data shows.

The figure was released at a national e-commerce work conference held from Tuesday to Wednesday.

The conference said that China's e-commerce sector has achieved solid gains in high-quality development over the past five years, emerging as a new source of momentum to foster new quality productive forces and playing an important role in advancing the country's new development paradigm.

Despite rising external uncertainties, China has continued to expand its win-win cooperation, increasing the number of Silk Road e-commerce cooperation partner countries to 36.

E-commerce has become a major engine for job creation and industrial upgrading. Employment in the sector has surpassed 78 million, and express delivery volumes have seen an average annual growth of nearly 20 percent over the past five years.

Software and information services linked to cloud computing and big data have also expanded rapidly.

The conference outlined the Ministry of Commerce's e-commerce policy priorities for 2026, including strengthening innovation-driven growth, improving the country's development environment, and expanding international cooperation.

China remains world's largest online retail market for 13th straight year