China donates sample from far side of moon to UN in Vienna

China officially donated a lunar sample collected by the Chang'e-6 mission to the United Nations at a handover ceremony on Monday at the UN Office in Vienna, marking the first time that a lunar sample from the far side of the moon has been presented to the organization.

The ceremony was jointly held by the China National Space Administration (CNSA), the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Vienna, and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). More than 400 guests, including heads of international organizations in Vienna and permanent representatives of various countries, attended the ceremony.

CNSA Administrator Shan Zhongde, the UN Office at Vienna Director-General Monica Juma, UNOOSA Director Aarti Holla-Maini, and China's Permanent Representative to the UN and Other International Organizations in Vienna Li Song jointly unveiled the lunar sample, which will be permanently displayed at the UN headquarters in Vienna.

China's handover of the lunar sample collected by Chang'e-6 to the United Nations is a concrete action to put into practice the four major global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping, uphold true multilateralism, Shan said.

The four major global initiatives refer to the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) and the Global Governance Initiative (GGI).

China is ready to share the fruits of space development with countries around the world, share opportunities and create prosperity together, he said.

The permanent display of the lunar sample at the United Nations in Vienna is of great significance, Juma said, adding that the sample represents humanity's scientific and technological creativity and determination to explore the universe, while demonstrating China's support for the United Nations in addressing common challenges.

Holla-Maini said China's handover of the lunar sample and sharing of scientific research data are a perfect illustration that outer space is a common domain of all humanity.

She expressed hope that the lunar sample would continue to tell the story in Vienna of humanity's exploration of the moon and contribute to advancing global governance of outer space.

"Capable actors may accomplish great things, but true leaders share those achievements with the world. And that's what's happening here today. But gestures like this donation really help ensure that space, and the moon in particular, remains a domain of peace and cooperation for all humanity," Holla-Maini said.

China donates sample from far side of moon to UN in Vienna

Border crossings at Heihe Port in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province are continuing to rise a year after China introduced its visa-free policy for Russian citizens.

The number of inbound and outbound passenger trips through the port since the beginning of 2026 has hit a record high of 1 million as of Monday, an increase of 56 percent year on year.

The visa-free policy has encouraged Russian visitors to extend one-day trips to several days to experience more of local life in Chinese border cities.

"This is my fourth trip to Suifenhe since the visa-free policy took effect. Border clearance is much faster now. In the past, I could only come here for some simple shopping. Now I can travel here with my friends," said Ilina, a Russian tourist.

Bilingual service desks, smart translation terminals, self-service clearance facilities and advance online completion of entry cards have been introduced at the port, speeding up border checks.

"We have set up a Chinese-Russian bilingual service team at the inspection site, equipped it with multilingual smart translation devices, and displayed Russian-language instructions for filling out entry forms on screens outside the joint inspection hall. These measures have helped shorten waiting time and improve the border clearance experience," said Miao Lei, Deputy Head of Duty Team One at Heihe Entry-Exit Border Inspection Station.

The surge in cross-border travel has boosted local consumption and tourism, with catering and service industries in border cities witnessing tangible growth.

"All our employees can speak Russian, and our menus are bilingual. Communication is smoother, so our customers have a better experience. Russian customers now stay for four or five days, and we have more repeat customers," said Zhang Wei, Manager of Lena Restaurant in Heihe, Heilongjiang Province.

Cross-border passenger trips through Russia-China port hit 1 mln since beginning of 2026