China released version 2.0 of its self-developed marine forecast model Mazu on Sunday, capable of delivering precise, differentiated variable-resolution forecasts for major maritime zones around the globe.
Developed by the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center under the Ministry of Natural Resources, the upgraded system doubles the resolution of its global forecast system to five kilometers, and raises resolution to one kilometer in key areas including China's coastal waters and the Western Pacific, allowing it to accurately resolve the topographic and hydrological features of critical sea areas.
Version 2.0 also retains advantages such as high-performance acceleration using graphics processing units (GPUs) and low energy consumption, and has successfully completed shipboard tests aboard the Xuelong 2 scientific research vessel.
"Built on the version 1.0, the version 2.0 successfully integrates unstructured grid technology, enables our entire Mazu ocean numerical model to simultaneously support both structured and unstructured grid technologies," said Zhang Yu, an expert with the Mazu model research and development team at the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center.
Ocean numerical models are the core technology of marine forecasting. Since 2018, China has rolled out version 1.0 of the Mazu Current and Mazu Wave models, the first globally operational marine forecast models to support GPU acceleration. The model code was made open-source worldwide in 2024 and has been deployed across China's coastal provinces and cities.
Version 2.0's overall performance now ranks among the world's most advanced. While fully supporting China's various offshore production activities, the model is also being shared with Pacific island countries through international cooperation and technology transfer.
"We have introduced the Mazu ocean numerical models to neighboring maritime countries such as Bangladesh and Indonesia, including the Mazu Wave and Mazu Current models, and helped them build preliminary forecasting systems and provided training for their numerical forecasting personnel," said Zhang.
China unveils Mazu 2.0 marine forecast model with global variable-resolution capability
China unveils Mazu 2.0 marine forecast model with global variable-resolution capability
"China Haul" -- a trend of foreign tourists opening their suitcases on social media to show off the Chinese goods they bought during trips to China -- has recently gone viral overseas.
Some joke that "China Haul" sounds like "China good" in Chinese, a fitting description for leisure trips to the country, since tourists often arrive with empty suitcases and leave with them fully stuffed, proving that made-in-China products are indeed good.
Opening a suitcase to show off purchases made in China is one of the most popular ways German tourists share their trips. Alexander Haase has traveled to Beijing four times over the past year, and buying Chinese tech products has been a must every time. His suitcase reads like a continuously updated list of Chinese tech products.
"In the past 12 months alone, I've been to China four times. What I bought are mostly high-tech products. For example, I bought a Huawei laptop, and AI glasses. In short, all the latest high-tech products," said Haase.
Haase's shopping list directly reflects the popularity of Chinese tech products among German tourists. Having visited China many times over more than two decades, he has witnessed not only the iteration of products but also the overall upgrading of the urban environment and digital infrastructure.
For him, buying tech products in China is no longer a side activity but an indispensable part of the trip. This change is also appearing among more German tourists.
German travel industry insiders have also observed that China's appeal to young people has moved beyond traditional sightseeing of historic sites; experiencing cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and robots up close is becoming a new reason to visit China.
"The development of China's high and new technologies is a very important element attracting young people from abroad. For example, robots spark their greater interest in learning more about China. Thanks to the visa-free policy, young German tour groups can travel to China at any time, just as they please," said Tang Huiying, general manager of a German youth travel agency.
According to German travel industry insiders, German tourists visiting China in 2026 are expected to reach between 500,000 to 600,000. For frequent travelers like Wolfgang Bednarek, who has visited China many times, China's charm is not one-dimensional but a comprehensive appeal formed by the combination of multiple experiences.
"I have traveled all over the world, but I have to say that in my heart, China is the most impressive country. China not only has a unique culture and diverse geographical features, but the people there are also a highlight -- an absolute highlight," said Bednarek.
German tourists embrace Chinese high-tech goods, fueling "China Haul" trend online
