Spectacular "floating ice" scenery appeared in the northwest China's Gansu and north China's Shanxi section of the Yellow River, China's second-longest river, as temperatures continue to drop across large parts of the country.
Thin rings of ice formed a dazzling array that shimmered under the sun on the river course of the Maqu section of the Yellow River in Gansu Province. The ice flows look like pieces of glass scattered over jade-like water.
Maqu County is located in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, with an average altitude of 3,600 meters. The Yellow River flows through the county for a total length of 433 kilometers.
A similar scene is also prevailing in Shanxi's Baode section of the Yellow River, with large shards of ice moving downstream.
Baode County in Xinzhou City is located in the middle and upper reaches of the Yellow River, with the river flowing through it for 63 kilometers.
Currently, a 6-kilometer stretch in the Baode section is frozen with ice floes. To guarantee safety throughout the ice jam flood season, local authorities have heightened patrol frequencies, enhanced communication and coordination, and are diligently preparing for a range of ice flood prevention and emergency response measures.
Floating ice appears in Gansu, Shanxi section of Yellow River as temperatures plummet
A group of Japanese people took to the street in Tokyo on Thursday, demanding Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to retract her erroneous remarks concerning China's Taiwan region and opposing her plan to expand the military.
At a Diet meeting on Nov 7, Takaichi claimed that the Chinese mainland's "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan and implied the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait, which has immediately sparked strong criticism at home and abroad.
Some protesters gathering near the National Diet Building were holding placards against Takaichi regime's efforts to incite war and promote xenophobia, while others read "smash military buildup budget," as Takaichi's blatant interference into China's internal affairs seems to be part of her attempt to lift Japan's military restrictions using the so-called external threats as an excuse.
"The China-Japan Joint Statement has already confirmed the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. Japan once invaded and occupied Taiwan for 50 years. Is Japan to repeat the disastrous policy? It's the Japanese people's responsibility to prevent that from happening," said a protester.
"Japan did invade China and killed many Chinese people in history. Instead of soul-searching, the Japanese government is seeking to do it again. This must not be allowed," said another protester.
In late November, the Japanese government approved a supplementary budget proposal for fiscal 2025 (April 2025-March 2026), boosting defense spending to 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) ahead of schedule.
Japan's accelerated increase in defense spending and remilitarization attempts over the past few years have raised widespread concerns and opposition and reignited doubts about the country's future direction.
"The Constitution says armed forces 'will never be maintained,' yet Japan has self-defense forces now. This is self-contradictory. In nature it's no different from the situation before the end of the war," said another protester.
Japanese rally against PM, military buildup
