“Why did Beijing airport advertisements change to ‘Unified’?”

Daily Epoch provides readers with a curated list of must-read articles for crossing the Great Firewall every day.

1. Recent photos taken by netizens at Beijing Capital International Airport show a row of pillar advertisements inside the terminal with a red background and white characters saying “unification,” which is believed to be in response to recent propaganda surrounding military exercises near Taiwan by the eastern theater of the Chinese Communist Party. Chinese netizens have shared videos online, sparking discussions.

2. Beijing has been experiencing severe storms with strong winds tearing the insulation layer of high-rise buildings into pieces, some of which have flown off and hit residential windows, resembling a “giant fly swatter.” The waves on Shichahai Lake have been turbulent. On April 13, Beijing continued to be hit by strong winds, with gusts up to level 9-11 in some areas and exceeding level 12 in mountainous regions.

3. Severe winds have swept across China, causing a “Guangdong sandstorm” as dust from the sandstorm reached Guangdong on April 13. The air quality in Guangzhou, Foshan, and Jiangmen has severely deteriorated. The topic of the “Guangdong sandstorm” has become a hot search, sparking discussions. Additionally, sand and dust weather have been observed in various areas including eastern Guangxi, northern and western parts of Hainan Island.

4. Amid the escalating trade war, China’s foreign trade industry is suffering, with shrinking profits. Industry insiders state that if foreign trade becomes paralyzed, China’s economy is truly in trouble, leading to many factories closing down and a rise in unemployment. They hope that the Communist Party will collapse soon so that China can become a normal country.

5. Lightning struck over 6,000 times in Chongqing overnight, leading to numerous cases of “thunderstorm asthma,” overwhelming emergency departments at local hospitals.

6. Reports suggest that China has been exporting corrupt practices internationally through a scheme known as the “Red Maidens Project,” focusing on bribery of foreign targets.

7. Chinese student Yan Xiaoqin, who is currently studying in the US, has been charged with setting fire to the historic First Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama in 2021. She was sentenced to 102 months of federal imprisonment for this offense. However, she escaped from prison last year and was recently rearrested, facing new criminal charges for evading detention.

8. President Donald Trump’s trade team aims to reach 90 agreements in 90 days with most countries except Communist China, temporarily suspending the imposition of “equal tariffs” and initiating bilateral trade negotiation processes.

9. The US announced exemptions for smartphones, computers, and chips from equal tariffs, potentially reducing the impact on consumers and benefiting electronic giants like Apple and TSMC.

10. The sudden removal of Shanxi’s Governor Jin Xiangjun by Chinese authorities without disclosing further details has surprised many, given his recent hosting of a provincial government meeting.

11. Analysis suggests that the timing of Trump’s tariff war against China couldn’t be worse for the Chinese Communist Party, especially with tariffs being raised to 145% and efforts to block cheap Chinese goods from entering the US via third countries.

12. The White House emphasizes that the US cannot rely on China for critical products such as chips, after exempting smartphones, computers, and chips from equal tariffs.

13. Mainland Chinese actress Zhao Wei, who has been banned for nearly four years, made her first public appearance with a short hairstyle that drew comparisons to comedian Gao Xiaosong, stirring discussions.

14. US Army Special Forces conducted a simulated exercise showcasing military power in response to a hypothetical scenario of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, featuring drone attacks, bombings, and chaos in the area.

15. Rights activist Yin Dengzhen from Shiyan, Hubei Province, faced additional charges of “obstructing official duties” and “disrupting the order of state institutions” at a recent court hearing in Beijing, prompting concerns about an increase in her sentence.