Roundup: Free National Day Highway Travel, Global South Forum in Cairo, and Other Top Stories

Free Highway Travel During the National Day Holiday

During the National Day holiday, China implemented a policy waiving tolls nationwide for small passenger vehicles with seven seats or fewer. The toll-free period runs from 0:00 on October 1 to 24:00 on October 7. Entering the highway early, still being on the road as the free period nears its end, choosing the wrong lane when getting on or off the highway, and driving a vehicle that does not meet the free-travel criteria were the four most common scenarios in which drivers ran into mistaken toll charges during past National Day holidays.^[6]

Global South Modernization Forum Held in Cairo

On September 30, the 2026 Global South Modernization Forum was held in Cairo, Egypt, under the theme "The AI Wave: Opportunities and Challenges for Global South Modernization."^[2]

Southwest University Delegation Visits the UK

A delegation from Southwest University recently traveled to London, Cambridge, Oxford and other locations in the UK, visiting a number of universities and educational institutions. The talks focused on cooperative education, transnational teaching programs and two-way student exchanges, aiming to connect students in southwestern China with international education resources while also exploring opportunities for overseas talent to return home to develop cooperation.^[3]

Hainan's Qiongzhong Anchors "One Zone, Three Bases"

At a press conference held by the Information Office of Hainan Province on September 30, Lu Yonghui, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Qiongzhong Li and Miao Autonomous County Committee and executive deputy county head of the county government, said that during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period Qiongzhong will anchor its core development positioning of "one zone, three bases," making the central rainforest a "green reservoir" for the sustainable development of the Hainan Free Trade Port.^[4]

Culture and Industry News

The Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris launched an exhibition marking the 100th anniversary of Monet's death.^[1]

Batteries based on sodium-ion technology can be produced in the United States using locally sourced materials; related reporting frames the topic around whether "Made in America" can surpass China.^[5]