epa09922494 A woman in quarantine looks trough the fence window, amid Covid-19 lockdown of the city in Shanghai, China, 02 May 2022. Shanghai city reported 32 COVID-19 deaths, 727 locally transmitted cases, and 6.606 local asymptomatic infections, according to the Shanghai Health Commission on 2 May 2022. Residents of precautionary areas are allowed to move around within the districts to go to supermarkets and drugstores. However, the increased number of police on the streets alarms people not to walk around and go back home. EPA-EFE/ALEX PLAVEVSKI

epa09857430 A quarantined boy looks through a shop window in a locked down restaurant, in Shanghai, China, 29 March 2022. On 29 March 2022, in China, there were 96 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 4,381 asymptomatic infections, according to the National Health Commission. Shanghai city imposed a strict lockdown amid the COVID-19 resurgence. A complete lockdown hits the two biggest areas in the city, divided by the Huangpu River. East of the Huangpu River, in the Pudong area the lockdown started on 28 March and lasts until 01 April, while in the western area, in Puxi, people will have a lockdown from 01 April to 05 April. EPA-EFE/ALEX PLAVEVSKI

epa09857424 A medical worker is testing residents for Covid-19 on the street, in Shanghai, China, 29 March 2022. On 29 March 2022, in China, there were 96 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 4,381 asymptomatic infections, according to the National Health Commission. Shanghai city imposed a strict lockdown amid the COVID-19 resurgence. A complete lockdown hits the two biggest areas in the city, divided by the Huangpu River. East of the Huangpu River, in the Pudong area the lockdown started on 28 March and lasts until 01 April, while in the western area, in Puxi, people will have a lockdown from 01 April to 05 April. EPA-EFE/ALEX PLAVEVSKI

epa08821972 Mr. Zhou is fishing using trained cormorants in traditional way on Hongze Lake Wetland close to Suqian town, China, 15 November 2020. Hongze Lake Wetland provide a safe habitat for hundreds of thousands of migratory birds to live through the winter. Nowadays people grow crabs and fish in a fish nursery ponds around the wetland. Traditionally some of the local people were catching fish using trained cormorants, but very few of them are today using this way of fishing. The ones like Mr. Zhou who are still doing it the way his ancestors did, are hoping to attract more visitors to the wetland by keeping the tradition. EPA-EFE/ALEX PLAVEVSKI ATTENTION: This Image is part of a PHOTO SET

epa08774418 YEARENDER 2020 ECONOMY BUSINESS FINANCE Image made with a drone shows night cityscape from the Pudong financial area of Oriental Pearl Radio & Television Tower landmark in Shanghai, China, 9 October 2020. Pudong area of Shanghai is home of the Shanghai stock exchange market as well as home of financial companies, banks and representative offices for major brands. Pudong is divided from the rest of the city by the Huangpu River. EPA-EFE/ALEX PLAVEVSKI

epa08731965 Image made with a drone shows the Pudong financial area of Oriental Pearl Radio & Television Tower landmark in Shanghai, China, 9 October 2020. Pudong area of Shanghai is home of the Shanghai stock exchange market as well as home of financial companies, banks and representative offices for major brands. Pudong is divided from the rest of the city by the Huangpu River. EPA-EFE/ALEX PLAVEVSKI

epa07103631 A fisherman throws a net for catching fish with his wife in Yanhu fisherman village near Yangzhou, Jiangsu province, China, 18 October 2018. EPA-EFE/ALEKSANDAR PLAVEVSKI

epa07060830 People climb dunes near Crescent Lake in Dunhuang, Gansu Province, China, 25 September 2018, (issued 01 October 2018). Dunhuang is a city in northwestern Gansu Province, Western China. City was major stop on the ancient Silk Road, established in an oasis which contains Crescent Lake and had strategic position on a crossroads of the Southern Route of Silk Road and main road from India through Tibet and Mongolia to Southern Siberia. Donhuang is tourist destination best known for Crescent Lake, Mogao Caves, Yardang Geopark and desert with countless sand dunes which are merging to stone composed desert and mountains. At winter temperature riches -25 C and sand dunes become frozen with tops covered in snow. Mogao Caves are located 25 km form Dunhuang. Buddhist caves are famous for their Buddhist art such as murals inside, Buddhist statues and Dunhuang manuscripts found hidden in a sealed-up cave. There is 735 of them. Crescent Lake is a crescent-shaped lake in an oasis, 6 km south of the city. Lake is top tourist attraction and landmark in Donhuang where dune sledding, camel or SUV ride, helicopter flight or dune hiking are offered to visitors. Reports say Dunhuang city of about 200 000 population, accommodate 10 million visitors during a year. Yardang Geopark also known as Devil’s Town and part of it as Ghost Town, is located 180 kilometers northwest of Dunhuang. The park contains rock formations of unique shape developed over a period of 700,000 years. When there are no wind visitors experience soundless environment while walking between rock formations of witch some are naturally shaped to remind viewer on peacock, buddha, camel etc. Yardang covers area of abut 400 square kilometers and its part of UNESCO protected areas. EPA-EFE/ALEKSANDAR PLAVEVSKI

epa09146572 A visitor seats in the Mercedes Avatar concept car on display in the Mercedes trade fair stand during a second media day of the Auto Shanghai 2021 motor show in Shanghai, China, 20 April 2021. The 19th International Automobile Industry Exhibition runs from 24 to 28 April. EPA-EFE/ALEX PLAVEVSKI

epa07813045 Gian Clavell of Puerto Rico (L) in action against Juancho Hernangomez of Spain (R) during the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 match between Puerto Rico and Spain, in Guangzhou, China, 02 August 2019. EPA-EFE/ALEX PLAVEVSKI

epa09092779 A visitor woman in traditional clothes walks over the bridge in the Turtle Head Park in Wuxi city, Jiangsu Province, China, 24 March 2021. Cherry blossoms in China represent love and the female mystique such as beauty, strength, and sexuality. The blooming season is mid-March to mid-April when China's numerous cities celebrate the Cherry blossom Festival. When the peach blossoms are in full bloom, the fruit farmers pollinate them and dot the stamens of the peach blossoms. In the Turtle Head Park there are more than 30,000 cherry blossoms, covering an area of ​​200,000 square meters. More than 110,000 people visited park during the last weekend. Turtle Head Park is also known as one of the three major cherry blossom viewing spots in the world. EPA-EFE/ALEX PLAVEVSKI ATTENTION: This Image is part of a PHOTO SET

epa09089921 Women in traditional Chinese Hanfu attire perform an ancient costume parade to show style of Han and Tang Dynasties and to celebrate the Cherry Blossoms Festival in zen-themed Nianhuawan town, near Wuxi city, Jiangsu Province, China, 22 March 2021. Cherry blossoms in China represent love and the female mystique such as beauty, strength, and sexuality. The blooming season is mid-March to mid-April when China's numerous cities celebrate the Cherry Blossom Festivals. EPA-EFE/ALEX PLAVEVSKI

epa06907320 Alaaeldin Abouelkassem (L) of Egypt competes against Alexey Cheremisinov (R) from Russia in the men's Foil match at the Fencing World Championships in Wuxi, China, 24 July 2018. EPA-EFE/ALEKSANDAR PLAVEVSKI

epaselect epa07632961 An aerial view of the Dragon Boat Race and Festival in Foshan, Guandong Province, China, 07 June 2019. Dragon boat festival is a Chinese traditional holiday. This festival commemorates life and death of famous poet Qu Yuan. Dragon boat festival is a public holiday in the mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Chinese communities of Southeast Asia also celebrate the festival, including Malaysia and Singapore. Dragon boat race is the centerpiece of the festival. Besides the race families make and eat a classic holiday treat zongzi (rice dumpling) and drink realgar wine. EPA-EFE/Aleksandar Plavevski

epa07632858 Teams compete during the Dragon Boat Race and Festival in Foshan, Guandong Province, China, 7 June 2019. Dragon boat festival is a Chinese traditional holiday. This festival commemorates life and death of famous poet Qu Yuan. Dragon boat festival is a public holiday in the mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Chinese communities of Southeast Asia also celebrate the festival, including Malaysia and Singapore. Dragon boat race is the centerpiece of the festival. Besides the race families make and eat a classic holiday treat zongzi (rice dumpling) and drink realgar wine. EPA-EFE/Aleksandar Plavevski

epa07632902 Spectators watch and cheer for their teams during the Dragon Boat Race and Festival in Foshan, Guandong Province, China, 07 June 2019. Dragon boat festival is a Chinese traditional holiday. This festival commemorates life and death of famous poet Qu Yuan. Dragon boat festival is a public holiday in the mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Chinese communities of Southeast Asia also celebrate the festival, including Malaysia and Singapore. Dragon boat race is the centerpiece of the festival. Besides the race families make and eat a classic holiday treat zongzi (rice dumpling) and drink realgar wine. EPA-EFE/Aleksandar Plavevski

epa08379065 A man sits at his shop in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China, 23 April 2020. The outbreak of novel coronavirus, which causes the infection COVID-19, is calming down in China and continues worldwide. Some of the schools started to resume with work in Guangzhou. EPA-EFE/ALEX PLAVEVSKI

epa07486525 A girl plays between graves on the cemetery during Tomb Sweeping day in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China, 05 April 2019. During the Tomb Sweeping Day or Qingming festival, Chinese families visit the tombs of their ancestors to clean, pray, and make ritual offerings. The atmosphere on the cemetery is in most cases happy. People are seen eating, talking with their family members, exercising and sometimes even dancing. From speakers set over the cemetery merrily music is played all day. EPA-EFE/ALEKSANDAR PLAVEVSKI

epa07087514 YEARENDER PHOTO ESSAYS 2018 (18/24) Chen interacts with his 'smart' sex doll as he lays in a bed in his home in Guangzhou, Guandong Province, China, 05 April 2018. Chen, because of his busy pharmaceutical sales job and the travel it involves, has no time for a girlfriend. Chinese girls all want to talk about marriage after the second date and he is not interested in that for now, he said. His robot takes care of all of his needs, but he would like the software to be improved so communication is better and more meaningful. Cleaning the robot can be a chore because its skin is very fragile and gets dirty easily, he said. EPA-EFE/ALEKSANDAR PLAVEVSKI ATTENTION: For the full PHOTO ESSAY text please see Advisory Notice epa06758657

epa06260413 YEARENDER 2017 AUGUST A woman works in the field in a valley between Zunyi and Maotai town, Guizhou province, China, 15 August 2017. Moutai is a brand of baijiu, a distilled Chinese liquor (spirit), made in the town of Maotai in China's Guizhou province. Produced by the state-owned Kweichow Moutai Company, the beverage is distilled from fermented sorghum and now comes in several different varieties. EPA-EFE/ALEKSANDAR PLAVEVSKI ATTENTION: This Image is part of a PHOTO SET

epa08185830 Childrean wear an improvised face protection made from water bottles in order to protect against the coronavirus at the airport arrival terminal in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China, 01 February 2020. Guangzhou Airport, usually busy during the end of Spring Festival when Chinese travelers return to their homes, appeared deserted after many countries and international airlines suspended or limited flights to and from China, because of outbreak of coronavirus in Wuhan City. EPA-EFE/Alex Plavevski

epa07450396 An aerial picture taken with a drone shows Tulou houses in Nanjing County, Fujian Province, China, 01 March 2019 (issued 20 March 2019). Fujian Tulou houses (tolou literal translation would be earthen) were built among rice, tea and tobacco fields and oldest one's date from 12th century. They are several stores high built in inward-looking circular or square shape. This layout was chosen for defense reasons as well as so that members of family or clan, who lived inside, could feel equal among each other’s. Bigger ones could accommodate up to 800 people so they were organized as a small fortified cities with school and temple in the central open courtyard, halls, storehouses, wells and living areas around them on the ground floor. Today most of the Tulou hoses are still inhabited by inheritors of original builders, and except farming the lands around them and trading, they are opened to tourists, so most of the Tulou’s can be visited. In 2008, 46 Fujian Tulou sites were inscribed by UNESCO as World Heritage Site.Residents of Tulou houses are happy to tell and explain to visitors a story that in 1980’s American CIA thought Tulou houses were nuclear silos when they saw them from the satellite, so they send a man pretending to be a photographer with his wife who was Chinese origin to inspect them. Story is told and heard with a smile on faces from people on the both sides, showing their doubt in the story and questioning if it’s just a tourist bait fairy tale. EPA-EFE/ALEKSANDAR PLAVEVSKI

epa07450386 Artists perform with puppets on the string in front of Tulou house in Nanjing County, Fujian Province, China, 01 March 2019 (issued 20 March 2019). Fujian Tulou houses (tolou literal translation would be earthen) were built among rice, tea and tobacco fields and oldest one's date from 12th century. They are several stores high built in inward-looking circular or square shape. This layout was chosen for defense reasons as well as so that members of family or clan, who lived inside, could feel equal among each other’s. Bigger ones could accommodate up to 800 people so they were organized as a small fortified cities with school and temple in the central open courtyard, halls, storehouses, wells and living areas around them on the ground floor. Today most of the Tulou hoses are still inhabited by inheritors of original builders, and except farming the lands around them and trading, they are opened to tourists, so most of the Tulou’s can be visited. In 2008, 46 Fujian Tulou sites were inscribed by UNESCO as World Heritage Site.Residents of Tulou houses are happy to tell and explain to visitors a story that in 1980’s American CIA thought Tulou houses were nuclear silos when they saw them from the satellite, so they send a man pretending to be a photographer with his wife who was Chinese origin to inspect them. Story is told and heard with a smile on faces from people on the both sides, showing their doubt in the story and questioning if it’s just a tourist bait fairy tale. EPA-EFE/ALEKSANDAR PLAVEVSKI

epa07377673 A woman dressed in traditional clothes performs near the City Walls for celebration of Lantern Festival and Chinese New Year in Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi Province, China, 17 February 2019. Chinese Lunar New Year or Spring Festival is celebrated from 05 February to mark the Year of the Pig. City of Xi'an decorated City Walls, the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world built in the 14th century, with hundreds of lights. The celebrations will end on 20 February with the Lantern Festival with fascinating cultural performances taking place on the City Walls. EPA-EFE/ALEKSANDAR PLAVEVSKI

epa09758457 Members of the team Nederland and Belgium practice in the Speed Skating Oval at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Ga​mes, Beijing, China, 15 February 2022. EPA-EFE/ALEX PLAVEVSKI

epa09727807 Torchbearers hold the Olympic flame during the Opening Ceremony for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Games at the National Stadium, also known as Bird's Nest, in Beijing China, 04 February 2022. EPA-EFE/Alex Plavevski

epa09657758 A man walks among Christmas and New Year decorations on the street in Shanghai, China, 27 December 2021. EPA-EFE/ALEX PLAVEVSKI

epa09623469 An aerial view taken with a drone shows the venue of the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, China, 14 January 2021 (issued 15 January 2021). The winter festival opened to the public with strengthened precautions due to new Covid-19 outbreaks in nearby cities. With temperatures at -20 degrees Celsius, visitors must patiently scan all the codes at the entrance, get their temperature checked and wear masks at all times. EPA-EFE/ALEX PLAVEVSKI