Society

China will soon offer nationwide access to its cross-regional marriage registration service, following a recent revision of the regulations governing marriage registration, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said on Saturday.

Under the new rules, couples will no longer need to register marriages in the location of their hukou, which is permanent household registration. Instead, they will be able to choose a registry office in the habitual residence of either party, removing a significant logistical barrier.

Visitor interacts with an AI-powered digital cat at a newly opened shop in Zhuyi village, Chongzhou, Sichuan province, on March 15, 2025. 

A digital cat in a village in Chongzhou, Sichuan province, has become a local star promoter since it started working just over a week ago.

Named Meow Buddy, the AI-powered agent resides in a 3D holographic pod at a newly opened shop in Zhuyi village in Daoming township.

The geopolitics of artificial intelligence will be in focus at a major summit in France where world leaders, executives and experts will hammer out pledges on guiding the development of the rapidly advancing technology.

It’s the latest in a series of global dialogues around AI governance, but one that comes at a fresh inflection point as China’s buzzy and budget-friendly DeepSeek chatbot shakes up the industry.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance — making his first trip abroad since taking office — will attend the Paris AI Action Summit starting Feb. 10, while China’s President Xi Jinping will be sending his special envoy, signaling high stakes for the meeting.

China witnessed a remarkable surge in its culture and tourism market during the eight-day Spring Festival holiday, which ended on Tuesday, with several market segments climbing to all-time highs.

The Spring Festival, traditionally a peak and lucrative period for cinemas, saw record box office revenue and audience turnout highs this year, according to the China Film Administration on Wednesday.