A container vessel loaded with about 1,100 tons of Chilean cherries arrived in south China's Shenzhen City in the early hours of Tuesday, marking the arrival of the first sea shipment of Chilean cherries in China for the 2025-2026 production season.
The cherries first reached Hong Kong through maritime transportation and was then delivered to Shenzhen by cross-border trucks.
After customs clearance, the cherries will be distributed to major supermarkets and fruit and vegetable wholesale markets across south China. The whole process will only take less than four hours from the vessel's arrival.
"From unloading in Hong Kong to customs clearance at the Shenzhen Bay Port, the entire process was efficient and smooth, effectively preserving the freshness and quality of the cherries," said Liu Juan, customs affairs manager of a local foreign trade company.
Following this shipment, at least one "cherry freighter' is expected to dock in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. During the last peak import season, from Nov 2024 to March 2025, Shenzhen ports handled a total of 202,000 tons of cherry imports, accounting for nearly 40 percent of the country's imported cherries, according to the Shenzhen Customs.
"We carefully calculate the variables and instantaneous peak values in cherry clearance to arrange for inspection manpower in advance. By utilizing advanced technologies such as intelligent label recognition, we have significantly shortened inspection time combining manpower and technologies, achieving fast inspection and clearance for cherries," said Wu Weiguang, a customs officer at the Shenzhen Bay Customs.
According to the Chilean Cherry Committee, the country anticipates cherry exports to reach 131 million boxes, totaling 655,000 tons in the latest season.
Of those ruby-colored fruits, 93 percent are destined for the Chinese market, with 90 percent of fresh cherries transported by sea, and direct routes to China only take 23 days, according to the Chilean Agriculture Minister.
This year, Chile has further strengthened its cherry express operations, planning 32 direct voyages, double the number from last year.
First sea shipment of Chilean cherries for 2025-2026 season arrives in China
The Japanese society should do soul-searching regarding its history of aggression and adhere to the pacifist constitution, said Shiradori Hiroshi, a professor of the Hosei University, in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV) in Tokyo on April 30.
He said the government's recent move to discuss revising the three security documents deserve particular attention as the country's foreign and security policies have already witnessed major changes.
"People outside of the country hold that Japan's post-war image as a 'peace state' is now facing a major shift. Against the backdrop of tremendous changes in its foreign and security policies, the revision of the three security documents deserves particular attention. There lacks public debate in terms of the procedure, with policy changes decided unilaterally at Cabinet meetings. It is necessary to fully explain to the public as to whether such a practice is proper," said Hiroshi.
The Japanese government held its first expert panel meeting to discuss revisions to the three security documents at the Prime Minister's Office on April 27, local media reported.
Japan's current National Security Strategy and two related documents, formulated in 2022, were designed to cover the next 10 years, but the government led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has decided to move up the timetable to accelerate the revision process.
Increasing defense spending is one of the key topics of the meeting, according to Kyodo News.
Hiroshi said this year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, or Tokyo Trials, and the Japanese society must do soul-searching regarding its history of aggression in WWII, when it brought enormous catastrophes on Asian countries.
"Eighty years have passed since the opening of the Tokyo Trials. Japan inflicted enormous suffering on Asian countries during WWII, which should serve as an opportunity for the soul-searching. It is exact on the basis of countless sacrifices that Japan's post-war pacifism and its identity as a 'peace state' took shape. On this 80th anniversary, it is necessary for Japan to re-examine and do soul-searching regarding its history," said Hiroshi.
The Japanese government's effort to revise the pacifist constitution is widely opposed by the public.
On Sunday, around 50,000 people gathered at Tokyo Rinkai Disaster Prevention Park, chanting slogans and holding banners against the government's push for constitutional revision and military expansion, the largest turnout of its kind in recent years.
Japan should adhere to pacifist constitution: scholar
