Made-in-China products prove popular as excitement builds ahead of Paris Olympics

Excitement is building in Paris as the countdown continues to this summer's Olympic and Paralympic Games and more and more visitors snapping up souvenirs ahead of the sporting extravaganza as many of the 'Made-in-China' products on offer are proving popular.

Among the most eye-catching and best-selling items are the Phryges, the official mascots of the Paris 2024 Games. The Olympic Phryge takes the shape and form of a Phrygian cap, which symbolizes freedom, and it is decked out in the distinctive red, white, and blue of France's tricolor flag - with the golden Paris 2024 logo emblazoned across its chest.

Officially-licensed stores in the city are also selling a whole host of other collectibles from pins, hats, cups, bags and many other kinds of souvenirs with the famous Olympic logos on them.

"I'm from Colorado, USA. We're interested in the Olympics, so we're here at the store. I would say the keychains were okay, the pins were good," said an American tourist.

According to Games organizers, 80 percent of the mascots are made in China, with two French toymakers winning the contract to produce the remainder from Chinese raw materials and components.

"Paris is going to host the Olympic Games. Many Olympic products are made in China. I will buy and have actually already bought some souvenirs," said a local.

"Consumers around the world are all buying products made in China. There's no problem here. I think it's a good thing that many Olympic products are made in China. This is globalization," said another resident.

The Paris Olympics are scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11, with the Paralympics following soon after from August 28 to September 8.

Made-in-China products prove popular as excitement builds ahead of Paris Olympics

China's Shenzhou-18 crew members on the Tiangong Space Station are preparing for their second extravehicular activities (EVAs) by conducting training that includes science experiments and orbital maneuvers.

Astronauts Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu have completed one-third of their six-month mission with stable physical and operational conditions in orbit, since they aboarded the Tiangong two month ago.

During their training, the astronauts used advanced remotely control systems for rendezvous and docking operations on in-orbit training systems and metacognitive training systems, practicing skills such as recognizing images, manual docking, remote docking, and safely undocking of the spacecraft under different initial conditions.

Throughout the training, the astronauts monitored the orientation and relative distance and speed of target spacecraft on screens, practicing precise control of the speed and orientation using specialized handles.

Last week, the crew also underwent exercise-based cardiopulmonary function tests. These tests assess the cardiovascular and respiratory capabilities needed for upcoming spacewalks, using methods to simulate exercise-induced metabolic demands.

The Shenzhou-18 crew was launched into space on April 25, as the third manned mission during the application and development stage of China's space station and the 32nd flight mission of the country's manned space program overall.

The crew members completed their first spacewalk on May 28, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

China's Shenzhou-18 crew trains for 2nd spacewalk