This year marks the 25th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland. Over the past 25 years, the practice of "one country, two systems" with Macao characteristics has achieved success widely recognized by the world, showcasing its great vitality and unique charm.

Bank of China Hong Kong announced today that it will extend the cross-border clearing service hours for renminbi clearing banks starting from Dec. 23. Through the Hong Kong RMB Real-Time Gross Settlement System and the RMB Rapid Payment System, the bank will provide 24-hour instant cross-border RMB clearing services from Monday to Friday, enhancing Hong Kong's position as an offshore RMB business hub.

Twelve projects in Hong Kong are on the list of arts projects to be funded by the China National Arts Fund 2025, the Culture, Sports & Tourism Bureau said today.

Today (Dec. 23), the Ministry of State Security published an article mentioning espionage in social media comment areas highlighting the growing role of online social media comment areas as platforms for public interaction. The ministry's findings indicate that some foreign intelligence agencies are using these spaces to steal state secrets and disrupt online order, posing a threat to national security.

On Dec. 4, UNESCO added the Spring Festival to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. With this milestone, China now has 44 items on the list, ranking first globally. This success also resolves disputes with Korea and Vietnam over the festival's origins.

The President of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants & Related Trades, Simon Wong Ka-wo, stated yesterday (Dec. 22) that this year's Christmas business is expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels, with projected sales reaching HK$400 million increase of 10% compared to last year.

The People's Bank of China (PBOC) conducted a 7-day reverse repurchase operation totaling 109.6 billion yuan, maintaining the interest rate at 1.5%.

"The Last Dance" has made history as the highest-grossing Chinese film in Hong Kong cinema. After its recent release in mainland China, the film continued its momentum like Hong Kong, with over 100,000 priority screenings established across the region. On its official release day, it was shown in more than 60,000 venues nationwide.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan said on Sunday (Dec. 22) that the government will roll out more innovative products, systems and cross-boundary cooperation to boost the capacity and liquidity of the SAR's financial markets.

According to China Southern Airlines, Hong Kong and Macao travelers who purchase domestic air tickets for flights originating from or arriving at Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai can enjoy a special certification price of up to 90% off after completing the identity certification in the northbound travel area of China Southern Airlines App for Hong Kong and Macao travelers; and those who purchase tickets for international flights originating from Shenzhen on China Southern Airlines's official website in Hong Kong and core agents can enjoy a 10% reduction in their tickets.

According to the Central Meteorological Observatory, a tropical depression was generated in the South China Sea this morning (Dec. 22), which is likely to intensify into the 26th typhoon this year in the next 24 hours. Based on the Central Meteorological Observatory track forecast, the tropical depression is likely to affect the coastal areas of Guangdong from Dec. 24 to 25.

On the morning of Dec. 22, the Shanghai Metro Line 11 was caused by line equipment and train damage due to the impact of external construction.

According to the latest news from the WTA (Women's Tennis Association), Chinese tennis player Zheng Qinwen has announced her withdrawal from the upcoming 2025 United Cup.

China strongly deplores and firmly opposes U.S. military assistance and arms sales to China's Taiwan region, and has immediately lodged solemn representations with the United States, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Sunday (Dec. 22).

During President Xi Jinping's inspection of Macao from Dec. 18 to 20, a heartwarming detail attracted everyone's attention.