With New Year's Day approaching, many residents in Beijing have joined the lively crowds at the Taihu open-air market, one of the busiest markets in the capital city's sub-center, Tongzhou.
Each day, the market is filled with the hustle and bustle of life, with a stretch of over 700 stalls displaying a dazzling array of products and steaming snacks. Among these are beloved local delicacies, including lamb soup, tanghulu (sugar-coated hawthorn berries on a stick), and sugary grilled pears.
For many visitors, the joy of the market goes well beyond a full belly.
"The atmosphere here is fantastic with so many people around. It feels very lively. We especially love visiting the market, and it really carries the festive spirit," said a local resident.
The Taihu market has undergone continual upgrades in recent years, offering a diverse range of stalls featuring agricultural products, fresh fruits and vegetables, clothing, household goods, and snacks from all over China. Currently, the market sees an average daily foot traffic of over 8,000 visitor trips, with daily sales exceeding 500,000 yuan (around 71,100 U.S. dollars).
Beijing's open-air market bustles with shoppers before New Year's Day
China Media Group (CMG) has released its top 10 international military news stories from 2025, a year marked by geopolitical tensions, military confrontations, and global rearmament.
CMG's top 10 international military news stories from 2025 are as follows:
1. Israel and Iran engaged in direct and large-scale military clashes that escalated tensions in the Middle East and raised fears of a wider regional war.
2. Russia announced it would no longer unilaterally limit itself under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty after the United States conducted its first onshore test of an intermediate-range missile.
3. Although Palestine and Israel reached a ceasefire agreement, tensions and humanitarian challenges continue to undermine prospects for lasting peace.
4. The United States, Japan, and European countries substantially raised defense spending.
5. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine dragged on throughout the year, with negotiations repeatedly hitting a deadlock and no breakthrough in sight.
6. Cambodia and Thailand engaged in border clashes in what is a long-standing territorial dispute in Southeast Asia.
7. NATO held its major joint military exercise, "Steadfast Dart 2025," with extensive troop deployments and advanced weapon systems.
8. The European Union unveiled its "ReArm Europe" plan, with the goal of strengthening collective defense capabilities and boosting the bloc's military industry.
9. Global arms sales rose sharply in 2025, with the United States recording its highest-ever level of military exports.
10. Fighting broke out once again between India and Pakistan.
China Media Group releases top 10 international military news stories from 2025
