This year's VEX Robotics Asia Open Signature Event closed at Beijing's Shougang Park on Sunday, awarding teams with excellent results spots for advancement to the 2026 VEX Robotics World Championships.
More than 600 teams from nearly 30 countries and regions took part in the three-day intense showdowns, which also served as a platform for cross-cultural exchanges.
Over 3,500 young participants from Spain, Kazakhstan, Canada, Australia and more competed in integrated robotics skills, ranging from programming and construction to robot control.
The sci-tech contest accommodates age groups from kindergarten to university level, with separate divisions for different skill sets.
Held in countries around the world, the VEX Robotics competition engages millions of young people each year and made its China debut in 2023.
VEX Robotics Asia Open concludes with global participation
As a cold wave has brought heavy snow to parts of regions north of the Yangtze River in China in recent days, local authorities are taking measures to ensure public safety and smooth transportation.
Heavy snow has hit Zhenping County of northwest China's Shaanxi Province since Saturday. As of 21:00 of Saturday, accumulated snow reached 5 to 8 centimeters in depth, and the depth exceeded 10 centimeters in some areas, blocking local traffic.
Local transport departments have strengthened patrols on key roads to guarantee smooth traffic. By Sunday night, the snow had stopped, and traffic had returned to normal.
A cold wave brought snow to parts of Baokang County, central China's Hubei Province, from late afternoon on Saturday through the morning of Sunday. Icy conditions were reported on local sections of National Highway G241.
Local traffic authorities have implemented emergency measures, deploying round-the-clock patrols on key sections like bridges, long slopes, and bends. Road maintenance crews cleared snow and ice. Traffic in the county has now fully resumed as snow stopped on Sunday morning.
In northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, snowfall hit urban areas of Urumqi from late Sunday through midday on Monday, affecting travel conditions.
Traffic police immediately initiated adverse weather response measures. Anti-skid materials were pre-positioned along main roads, expressways, and transport hubs, while sanitation departments dispatched snowplows and crews to clear snow and ice, ensuring road safety and smooth traffic flow.
Northern China takes measures to address heavy snow's negative impact
