China is planning to develop the next-generation BeiDou system that is technologically more advanced, functionally more powerful and offers higher quality services.

An experimental satellite of the system is scheduled for launch around 2027, while network deployment will begin by around 2029 and be completed by 2035.

China and Russia on Friday conducted their ninth joint strategic air patrol, which saw the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force's latest H-6N bombers flying over the Sea of Japan for the first time on this kind of cruise mission.

Capable of aerial refueling, the H-6N bomber can significantly expand the joint patrol's scope of deterrence and strike, said experts reached by the Global Times.

Following the annual cooperation plan between the Chinese and Russian militaries, on Friday, the two sides conducted their ninth joint strategic air patrol in airspace over the Sea of Japan, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense said in a statement on Friday.

It is the ninth joint strategic air patrol between the two militaries since 2019, with the goal of effectively testing and enhancing the joint training and operating capabilities between the two countries' air forces, the PLA Air Force said in a press release on Friday.

This China-Russia joint strategic air patrol is the second of 2024. The first joint patrol of the year was held on July 25, and saw the two countries' bombers flying over airspace over the Bering Sea, China Central Television (CCTV) reported at the time.

Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times on Friday that the main purpose of the routine joint strategic air patrol by the Chinese and Russian militaries is to enhance strategic mutual trust between the two countries and their armed forces, improve the level of strategic cooperation between the two militaries, increase their ability to jointly address security challenges, and maintain peace and stability in the region and the world.

During the joint patrol, there was no entry into any other country's territorial air space, showing that China and Russia are not seeking military expansion. Instead, they aim to safeguard national security and maintain regional and global peace and stability by strengthening their joint defense capabilities, as they send a message of peace, Zhang Junshe said.

The joint patrol traversed a vast amount of airspace and navigated complex meteorological conditions. The large-scale and high-frequency joint air patrols by the two militaries demonstrate the rapid response and long-range operational capabilities of their air forces, proving the efficient combat readiness of their aircraft under real combat conditions, Zhang Junshe said, noting that the joint patrol enhanced and reinforced the intelligence sharing and collaborative combat capabilities between the two militaries, showcasing the high level of strategic mutual trust between them.
In one session during the joint combat patrol over the Sea of Japan, a Chinese J-16 fighter jet escorted two Chinese H-6N bombers and a Russian Tu-95 bomber. This marks the debut of the H-6N in a combat patrol, China Bugle, an official media account affiliated with the PLA's News Media Center, reported on Friday.

The H-6N was first unveiled as a new type of long-range strategic bomber in the National Day military parade marking the 70th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 2019, the Xinhua News Agency reported at the time.

The H-6N is a home-made strategic bomber capable of midair refueling and long-range strikes, Xinhua reported.

Chinese military expert Zhang Xuefeng told the Global Times on Friday that compared with the H-6K, which participated in previous China-Russia joint patrols, the H-6N has longer range, and through aerial refueling, it can significantly expand the joint patrol's scope of deterrence and strike.

The H-6N likely has also received upgrades in terms of airborne weapons and equipment, making it the most advanced bomber in service with the PLA Air Force, Zhang Xuefeng said. "It also means that after the troops received delivery [of the H-6Ns,] they have already achieved operational capability after strict training," he said.

Song Zhongping, another Chinese military expert, told the Global Times that Russia's participating aircraft, the Tu-95, has a longer range than the H-6K, but through aerial refueling, the new H-6N has the same cruising range as the Russian bomber.

Deploying the H-6N means that China is willing to send its most advanced weapons into the China-Russia joint strategic patrol, Song said. He pointed out that the H-6N bomber represents a stronger deterrent force, showing the two countries' capabilities in safeguarding strategic sea lanes along the first island chain.

After several American universities, including Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania, issued a travel alert to international students and faculty asking them to return before the new US administration takes office in January 2025 over possible re-entry issues, some Chinese students in the US have canceled their travel plans and expressed concern, the Global Times has learned.  

Some Chinese students reached by the Global Times said they had canceled their trips back to China during the Christmas holidays and rearranged other plans in the wake of the advisories. 

Cornell University's Office of Global Learning issued guidance last week to inform and assist international students, faculty and staff as "the immigration landscape is likely to change under the new presidential administration." 

"A travel ban is likely to go into effect soon after the inauguration. The ban is likely to include citizens of the countries targeted in the first Trump administration: Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Myanmar, Sudan, Tanzania, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, and Somalia. New countries could be added to this list, particularly China and India, per the guidance, which was released on the school's website on November 26. 

The guidance advised international students, faculty and staff from the above countries to be back in Ithaca in advance of the semester, which begins on January 21, 2025. 

A Chinese graduate student at Cornell University told the Global Times on condition of anonymity on Sunday that she had canceled a family reunion trip to avoid re-entry issues. Though her return date was before the inauguration, the student decided not to take any risks. 

"In early November email alert started circulating in chat groups. That was when I began thinking of canceling my trip," the student said. 

A PhD candidate in a non-STEM major at Cornell University told the Global Times that he does not plan to return to China during the summer holidays like before until he finishes his studies.    

The Global Times checked on websites on multiple other American universities, finding that schools including the University of Pennsylvania, Boston University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst have issued similar advisories asking international students to return prior to the presidential inauguration on January 20, 2025. 

Other students have adjusted or canceled travel plans even though their own schools did not issue a travel alert yet. A student at Duke University told the Global Times on condition of anonymity that she had just canceled a holiday trip outside the US in case of re-entry problems. 

"I don't know what will actually happen after January 20 [2025], but the chilling effect is real and precautions are necessary," the Duke student said.   

China is no longer the top source of international students in the US for the first time in about 15 years, giving its place to India, according to the annual survey by the Institute of International Education (IIE), a report sponsored by the US State Department, released on November 18. 

Lü Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, attributed the trend partly to a hostile political atmosphere.