Military personnel participate in Togo's Independence Day parade in Lome, Togo, April 27, 2026. (Xinhua/Si Yuan)

Africa: Chinese Traditional Culture at Togo’s Independence Day! (28.4.2026)

A Chinese traditional culture contingent composed of students from the Confucius Institute at the University of Lome made its debut as the first folklore group in the procession, marking the first appearance of a foreign cultural contingent in the history of Togo’s Independence Day parade.

A total of 34 Confucius Institute students, dressed in traditional Hanfu and ethnic costumes, held peony-patterned umbrellas, while dragon and lion dance performers moved among them.

The display conveyed sincere festive greetings to the Togolese people and won warm applause and high praise from the audience.

Wang told Xinhua that the presence of “Chinese red” stood out in the procession, complementing Togo’s traditional cultural formations and jointly painting a vivid picture of harmonious exchanges between Chinese and Togolese civilizations.

She added that the performance had become a highlight of the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.

Fujian Scientists Make Evolutionary Discovery!

China: Jurassic Fossil Discovery Sheds New light on Origin of Birds! (13.2.2025)

While it is well established that birds evolved from dinosaurs, the timing of this transition has long been debated. Some studies suggest that birds’ earliest diversification occurred during the Jurassic Period, though the fossil record has been sparse and fragmentary. Archaeopteryx, often considered the earliest known and arguably the only Jurassic bird, has long been the focus of this debate.

Although Archaeopteryx possessed feathered wings, it closely resembled non-avian dinosaurs, particularly due to its long, reptilian tail, which is in stark contrast to the short tails seen in modern birds. Recent research has even questioned whether Archaeopteryx should be classified as a bird, suggesting instead that it may be more closely related to the deinonychosaurs, a group of theropod dinosaurs.