China is the biggest emitter of the greenhouse gases that scientists say are driving climate change and longer, hotter heatwaves.
Authorities in Beijing issued an orange alert for extreme heat on Tuesday, the second-highest level in a four-tier system, warning that the mercury could climb as high as 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) in some parts of the capital.
The municipal government urged residents to reduce time spent outdoors, drink plenty of water and monitor children, pregnant women and the elderly for signs of heatstroke.
High temperatures of up to 42C are forecast to persist across northern, northwestern and central areas, including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shaanxi, Hubei, Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang, until Friday, according to the national weather office.
But heavy downpours were expected further south, with up to 70 millimetres (2.8 inches) of rain threatening parts of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces on Tuesday and Wednesday, the weather office said.
Last month was the hottest May on record and was the 12th consecutive month of historic heat on Earth, the EU climate monitor announced last week.
Countries across the northern hemisphere have logged sweltering heatwaves as they move into the summer months.
India's top weather expert said Monday the country's current heatwave was the longest ever recorded, with parts of the nation -- itself a significant greenhouse gas emitter -- seeing temperatures above 45C since mid-May.
Parts of the western United States have also seen record heat for this time of year, while the island nation of Cyprus last week suspended outdoor work and food delivery services as the mercury hit 43C.
Four Americans stabbed in northeastern China
Beijing (AFP) June 11, 2024 -
Four American college instructors working in China were wounded in a stabbing at a public park, their employer said, with Beijing Tuesday describing it as an "isolated" incident.
The four were on an academic exchange and worked as instructors at Iowa's Cornell College, which said they were wounded in a "serious incident".
Beijing on Tuesday confirmed that "four foreign teachers" had been attacked.
"All the wounded were sent to the hospital... and received proper treatment; none of them are in danger of losing their life," spokesman Lin Jian told reporters at the foreign ministry's regular afternoon press conference.
"The police preliminarily judged that the case was isolated. Further investigation is under way."
"China is generally recognised as one of the safest countries in the world," Lin added.
"China... will continue to take relevant measures to effectively protect the safety of all foreigners in China."
"This isolated case will not affect the normal development of China-US people-to-people exchanges," he said.
Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson said on X she was "horrified" that the Cornell College faculty members had been "brutally stabbed".
Governor Kim Reynolds said she was "in touch with Iowa's federal delegation and the state department in response to this horrifying attack".
"Please pray for their full recovery, safe return, and their families here at home," she added.
A US State Department spokesperson said they were "aware of reports of a stabbing incident in Jilin, People's Republic of China".
Jilin provincial authorities have not commented on the attack.
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