Northern China is experiencing its most extreme heat wave of the year, with record-breaking temperatures and severe weather conditions disrupting daily life across multiple regions.
On Friday, Beijing recorded a maximum temperature exceeding 35 degrees Celsius, with oppressive humidity intensifying the heat. The capital was subsequently hit by thunderstorms, strong winds, and hail from Friday evening into the night.
The meteorological authority has warned that frequent thunderstorms will continue over the next three days, accompanied by localized torrential rain and sudden squalls.
In the neighboring municipality of Tianjin, Saturday marked the city's first high-temperature day of the year.
In Hebei Province, local meteorological authorities have issued a red alert for high temperatures, upgrading their warnings to the highest level.
As of 14:00 on Friday, temperatures in the provincial capital, Shijiazhuang, soared to 39 degrees Celsius, setting a new annual high for the city.
Forecasts indicate that over the next two days, Shijiazhuang, Hengshui, Xingtai, Handan, and the surrounding areas are expected to see maximum temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius, with local temperatures in some places exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.
Meanwhile, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has been under persistent high temperatures since last weekend, with the Turpan Basin emerging as the hottest area in the country.
As of 15:00 on Friday, the highest temperature at Ayding Lake in the Turpan Basin reached 48.9 degrees Celsius, setting a new record high for national-level meteorological stations so far this year.
China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe weather, followed by orange, yellow and blue.
Heat wave scorches northern China
The State Administration for Market Regulation and the Ministry of Commerce began soliciting public opinions on a draft amendment to China's e-commerce law on Saturday.
The draft amendment contains 20 provisions, including those aimed at broadening the law's regulatory scope.
In addition to platforms and in-platform merchants, it will further clarify the rights and obligations of other participants in the platform economy.
It highlights the need to improve the liability framework for platforms, calling for a wider range of regulatory tools and stronger support for routine oversight.
Targeting cross-sector operations in the platform economy, the draft amendment calls for stronger coordination among regulators. Measures include applying consistent oversight to both online and offline businesses and strengthening cross-department collaboration.
To tackle serious illegal practices in the e-commerce sector, the draft amendment will revise relevant provisions in response to public concerns.
It also proposes steps to deepen opening-up and cooperation in the sector by promoting alignment with international rules and standards, encouraging industry self-discipline and orderly overseas expansion, and adding measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of companies.
The two authorities said that they will optimize the draft amendment in light of public feedback and work to advance the revision as soon as possible, providing a strong legal foundation for innovation and sound development in the platform economy.
Promoting innovation and sound development in the platform economy is a key task set out in the outline of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). The outline calls for stronger oversight of platform companies' data and algorithms, as well as their traffic and operating rules, while underscoring the need to foster mutually beneficial development among enterprises, merchants and workers.
China seeks public feedback on draft amendment to e-commerce law
