Refer China: April 2025

22 Dead, 3 Injured in Liaoning Restaurant Fire

Source: OT-Team(G), 新华社

At 12:25 p.m. on April 29, a fire broke out at a restaurant near Sanlizhuang resettlement housing in the Baita District of Liaoyang, Liaoning Province, resulting in 22 deaths and 3 injuries.

Authorities have launched a full-scale response following the tragedy. The person in charge of the restaurant has been taken into police custody, and an investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.

In the immediate aftermath, provincial and municipal officials rushed to the scene and organized emergency teams for fire suppression, rescue operations, medical treatment, and post-incident support. A total of 22 fire trucks and 85 firefighters were dispatched, swiftly extinguishing the blaze and carrying out search and rescue efforts. Nearby residents were promptly evacuated, and medical experts from both the provincial and municipal levels were mobilized to provide emergency care.

Rescue operations at the site have now concluded, and the injured are reported to be in stable condition. Further follow-up efforts are ongoing.

Cute but Costly ： Foreigner Fined for Stamping Panda in Passport

Source: OT-Team(G)，国家移民管理局

As international travel heats up, collecting scenic stamps — known as "stamp check-ins" — has become a trendy hobby among tourists. Now, the trend is spreading to passports, prompting legal concerns.

Recently, immigration officers at Beijing Capital International Airport discovered a panda-shaped souvenir stamp on a blank page of a foreign traveler's passport during an outbound inspection. The traveler explained he had received the stamp during a visit to Sichuan, saying he "loved China's giant pandas so much" that he asked to stamp it into his passport.

On the same day, a Chinese national returning from Japan was found with several colorful souvenir stamps on their visa pages. Upon questioning, the traveler explained they were passionate about collecting travel stamps and mistakenly believed blank pages in a passport could be used freely. Treating the passport as a travel diary, they had added stamps from multiple scenic spots during their trips.

Beijing Capital Airport Border Inspection Station has since taken appropriate legal measures against both individuals.

Immigration authorities issued a reminder: passports, visas, residence permits, and other exit-entry documents are official identification credentials and must not be altered, drawn on, or used for stamp collecting. Such behavior may lead to delays or denial of entry or exit, and in severe cases, legal consequences.

According to Article 71 of China's Exit and Entry Administration Law, individuals who forge, alter, misuse, or otherwise illegally use exit-entry documents may face fines ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 yuan. In serious cases, detention from 5 to 10 days and fines up to 10,000 yuan may also apply.