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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: DEMS attends International Railway Safety Council 2024 Conference (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    DEMS attends International Railway Safety Council 2024 Conference (with photo)
    DEMS attends International Railway Safety Council 2024 Conference (with photo)
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         The Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services (DEMS), Mr Poon Kwok-ying, attended the International Railway Safety Council (IRSC) Conference in Vienna, Austria from September 18 to 20 (Austrian time). The Conference was an annual forum for railway safety regulators, operators and relevant stakeholders worldwide to exchange knowledge, experience and lesson learnt on railway safety.            The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) gave presentations on four separate railway safety topics to share its experience in the applications of innovation and technology (I&T) for enhancing railway safety as well as the regulatory experience and preventive measures on handling catastrophic flooding.           At the closing ceremony of the Conference on September 20 (Austrian time), Mr Poon, together with the Administrator of the National Railway Administration, Mr Fei Dongbin, and the Operations and Innovation Director of the MTR Corporation, Dr Tony Lee, were handed over the “IRSC Triangle” by the Organising Committee Chairman of this year’s Conference, symbolising that Hong Kong, China will be the host city of the next Conference.           Under the theme “Advancing Railway Safety through Innovations and Collaborations”, the IRSC 2025 Conference will be jointly hosted by the EMSD, the National Railway Administration and the MTR Corporation. The delegates around the world will be invited to participate the Conference in Hong Kong, China to carry out in-depth exchanges on the issue of railway safety development and also personally experience the China’s railway development in recent years. Over 300 internationally renowned railway experts from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and more are expected to attend the Conference.

     
    Ends/Saturday, September 21, 2024Issued at HKT 11:00

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Iowa DOT Awarded Over $68 Million for Southwest Mixmaster Project

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is announcing the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) secured $68,662,000 to reconstruct the I-80, I-35 and I-235 interchange in Des Moines. The U.S. Department of Transportation will administer the awards through its Mega Grant Program, which is funded by the Grassley-backed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
    “This interchange has held up for many decades under significant traffic volume. But it’s past time for a revamp to enhance efficiency and ensure drivers’ safety. These federal dollars will help get the millions of people who pass through our capital city each year where they want to go,” Grassley said. “I voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law with Iowa’s future in mind, and I’m glad our state is seeing a return on that investment.” 
    These federal resources will enable IDOT to reduce congestion and increase navigability at the interchange, where reports indicate nearly 1,000 crashes occurred between 2018 and 2022.  
    Specific construction projects include: 
    New flyover bridges from southbound I-25/80 to eastbound I-235 and to westbound I-80; 
    A new bridge on westbound I-235; and 
    An additional lane on eastbound I-235 between 50th Street and Valley West Drive. 
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Cantwell Introduce Bill to Drive Local Overdose Data Collection Efforts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) introduced the Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act. The bill would direct the Justice Department (DOJ) to award grants to states, cities, law enforcement units or tribes that operate overdose data collection programs, such as the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP).
    “The fight to end addiction and drug abuse in our communities requires a robust understanding of the problem at hand. By investing in local partners, we empower communities to more effectively track drug abuse trends and prevent future overdoses,” Grassley said. “I’m glad to support this cost-effective plan to expand this vital program.”
    “When responding to fentanyl overdoses, an extra minute can save a life,” Cantwell said. “Tracking fatal and non-fatal opioid overdoses will help our first responders, law enforcement, and public health professionals better target and prevent OD spikes and surge resources to communities that need them the most.”
    “We commend the efforts of Senators Cantwell and Grassley for their work on the Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act. Developing a clear picture of where fatal and non-fatal drug poisonings and overdoses occur allows law enforcement and public health professionals to dedicate the needed resources to areas experiencing spikes in incidences,” Eric Brown, President of the National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition, said. 
    “The National High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Director’s Association (NHDA) would like to thank Senators Cantwell and Grassley, along with their colleagues in the Senate, for their strong commitment in getting the Opioid Overdose Data Enhancement Act drafted and introduced on the Senate floor.  This act will increase the public awareness on the dangers of synthetic opioids and address the crisis negatively impacting communities across the country. Your sponsorship of this legislation provides both crucial resources to the 33 [High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) programs] across the country, law enforcement, treatment, prevention, and public health to fight against alarming increases in overdose deaths from fentanyl. The NHDA thanks you for your leadership on this important issue,” F. Mike McDaniel, President of the National HIDTA Directors Association, said.
    Grassley and Cantwell are joined by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas).
    Download bill text HERE.
    Background:
    ODMAP is a free, web-based platform that reports in near real-time suspected fatal and non-fatal overdose events, as well as incidents where overdose reversal medications like Naloxone were administered. ODMAP helps local agencies identify spikes and clusters of overdoses in communities, neighboring communities and nationwide. While ODMAP is a widely favored platform, DOJ would retain discretion in determining which data collection program is best for each grant applicant.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo, Risch, Daines Push Back Against Forest Service’s Red Tape Proposals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
    Published: September 20, 2024

    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Steve Daines (R-Montana) sent a letter to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) pushing back against a proposed amendment to the National Forest System’s 128 Forest Plans.  The amendment would add unnecessary red tape guidelines on local forests and halt necessary forest management work, increasing the risk of catastrophic wildfires.
    “Every fire season more acres of our western National Forests are scorched in catastrophic wildfires while needed management work is put on hold, the Senators.  “Drought, insects, and disease continue to make our forests more vulnerable to these wildfires.  Already this year 7.3 million acres have burned across the country.  Addressing this crisis should be the top priority of the Forest Service.
    “Instead the Forest Service has moved forward with an unprecedented proposal to amend all 128 Forest Plans at once without making it clear why these changes are needed or even that the proposed changes will address the real threats to old growth forests…  Unfortunately, the proposed Amendment will take staff time away from on-the-ground work to address the wildfire threat and refocus the agency’s limited capacity on deciding if the Forest Plan needs to be updated to comply with the new standards…  This is the opposite of what our forests need during this crisis.  The Forest Service should be focused on expediting needed on the ground work, not putting new hurdles in place to delay hazardous fuels mitigation work.  This new layer of guidelines will also open the door to additional litigation against proposed projects further slowing the process.”
    Read the full letter HERE.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: At least 12 killed, 66 injured in Israeli airstrike on Beirut

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A firefighting plane extinguishes fires caused by rocket attacks from Lebanon, near northern Israeli border with Lebanon, on Sept. 20, 2024. Hezbollah launched over 100 rockets at more than 30 settlements in western Galilee and a key intelligence base in northern Israel on Friday, retaliating for an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs that killed at least 12 people and wounded 66 others, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. (David Cohen/JINI via Xinhua)

    Hezbollah launched over 100 rockets at more than 30 settlements in western Galilee and a key intelligence base in northern Israel on Friday, retaliating for an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs that killed at least 12 people and wounded 66 others, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

    The Israeli strike hit a building in the Jamous area of Dahieh, a Beirut suburb. Rescue teams were clearing rubble to find casualties, the ministry said.

    Local TV footage showed extensive damage and chaos in the densely populated neighborhood. Lebanese media reported the strike targeted Ibrahim Akil, a Hezbollah Jihad Council member.

    Israel Defense Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari said that Akil was killed along with other senior commanders in the Lebanese group during the operation. However, Hezbollah has not disclosed any information about Akil’s situation.

    Earlier Friday, the Israeli military said about 120 projectiles were fired from Lebanon into northern Israel, triggering alarms in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Safed, and Upper Galilee. Some were intercepted, with debris causing fires. No injuries in Israel have been reported.

    Lebanese military sources reported Israeli airstrikes hit six locations in southern Lebanon, while artillery shelled 11 border towns earlier in the day.

    Tension along the Israel-Lebanon border has escalated sharply following two explosions from communications devices in Lebanon earlier this week that killed 37 and injured 2,931.

    Lebanon’s government denounced the explosions as a sovereignty violation and sought an urgent UN Security Council meeting. Hezbollah blamed Israel for targeting its units and vowed retaliation.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Hezbollah confirms senior leader killed in Israeli airstrike

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Lebanon’s Hezbollah on Friday night mourned the acting commander of its Elite Radwan Force, Ibrahim Akil, who was killed earlier in the day by an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs.

    “Today, the great jihadist leader Ibrahim Akil joined the procession of his brothers, the great martyr leaders, after a blessed life full of jihad, work, wounds, sacrifices, risks, challenges, achievements, and victories,” read a statement released by Hezbollah.

    Meanwhile, the local MTV channel reported that the body of Akil was found along with seven other members of Hezbollah’s Elite Radwan Force.

    The channel reported earlier that the whole command committee of the Elite Radwan Force was meeting in the building that was targeted by the Israeli airstrike.

    Civil defense teams are still searching for bodies under the rubble.

    According to the Health Ministry, the Israeli airstrike has killed 14 people and injured 66 others.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Book fair delights visitors with discounts, activities

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Bringing a festive atmosphere to Beijing, nearly 230,000 people visited the ongoing “The Temple of Earth and Me” book fair at the Ditan Park during the three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday. Named after an essay by renowned novelist Shi Tiesheng, the 11-day book fair being held as part of the 2024 Beijing Culture Forum, will conclude on Monday.

    The admission is free to the event that comprises 10 exhibition zones, including a bookstore street, creative cultural products zone, children’s books area and an original foreign-language books section, in its 18 square-kilometer exhibition area.

    More than 330 publishing houses, physical bookstores and other exhibitors from across the country have brought 400,000 types of books to the book festival. To attract readers, each buyer is offered discount coupons worth 50 yuan for book purchases at the fair.

    A joint exhibition and sale of old books is also being held, showcasing ancient texts and over 100,000 types of old books.

    Xu Mei, a staff member at The Forbidden City Bookstore booth, said that most of the books exhibited this time are included in promotional activities with discounts ranging from 40 percent to 70 percent, providing the public with more, better and richer cultural experience.

    Sun Ying, a sales representative at the Beijing Taihu Publications Exhibition and Trade Center, says that this year’s book fair has been more bustling than last year, with a larger number of young student customers. “Many young readers like to purchase creatively designed book bags and bookmarks.”

    Sun added that books such as Cold Enough for Snow by the Australian-Chinese writer Jessica Au published by the Shanghai Translation Publishing House, Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse and A Room of One’s Own, as well as Albert Camus’s The Myth of Sisyphus and The Stranger are popular among book buyers.

    Kang Chunhua, a visitor to the book fair, said that the tranquil and lush park in Beijing was bustling with people giving her an opportunity to witness the vibrant side of an ancient garden. As a young mother, she focused on the children’s book zone.

    “We took many photos to capture the beauty of early autumn in Ditan Park. We also let the children choose what they wanted at the zones for children’s books and cultural and creative products. They had the opportunity to practice calligraphy with a brush, watch vendors making traditional sugar-blowing sculptures, try their hand at lacquer fan painting at a workshop and experience various types of interactive toy books. The children were thrilled.”

    “In this era of convenient online book shopping, this will help children have such beautiful memories and experiences,” she says, adding she purchased picture books for over 700 yuan at the book fair.

    Over 160 activities, such as cultural lectures, poetry recitals, singing and dancing performances, are planned for the event.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Bridges inject vitality into tourism sector in SW China’s Guizhou

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    GUIYANG, Sept. 20 — In recent years, Guizhou Province has strived to upgrade its transportation system with an eye toward modernity and connectivity. Currently, more than 30,000 bridges have been built or are under construction in the province. Today, Guizhou boasts about half of the world’s 100 highest bridges. Some not only help shorten travel time from major cities to scenic spots but also become tourist attractions.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Red flags hoisted at Clear Water Bay Second Beach

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Red flags hoisted at Clear Water Bay Second Beach
    Red flags hoisted at Clear Water Bay Second Beach
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    Attention TV/radio announcers:Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (September 21) that due to inclement weather, red flag has been hoisted at Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at the beach.

     
    Ends/Saturday, September 21, 2024Issued at HKT 11:29

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Red flags hoisted at Pui O Beach

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Attention TV/radio announcers:

    Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

         Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

         The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (September 21) that due to big waves, red flag has been hoisted at Pui O Beach in Islands District. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at the beach.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: FS to visit Spain and the UK

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    FS to visit Spain and the UK
    FS to visit Spain and the UK
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         The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, will depart for Europe in the early hours tomorrow (September 22).  He will first visit Madrid, Spain, and then London, the United Kingdom (UK). For this visit, Mr Chan will lead a delegation from the innovation and technology (I&T) sector, comprising senior executives from the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks (HKSTP) and Cyberport, as well as heads of a group of startups engaged in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, fintech, green technology, Web 3.0, etc.     While in Madrid from September 22 to 25, Mr Chan will visit various local I&T institutions and enterprises, as well as meet with members from the political, business and I&T communities. The delegation will also attend a themed business luncheon organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) to promote Hong Kong’s advantages to the local political, business, financial and I&T sectors, particularly Hong Kong’s burgeoning I&T ecosystem.     Mr Chan will visit London from September 25 to 28. There, he will participate in a series of events, including the Plenary of the Hong Kong-European Business Council (Note 1); the Hong Kong Dinner hosted by the HKTDC; a luncheon organised by the Hong Kong Association (Note 2), and a roundtable meeting hosted by Asia House, a think tank based in the UK. On these occasions, he will share the latest developments and advantages of Hong Kong. He will also meet with members of the local political, business and financial communities.     While in Spain and the UK, representatives from the HKSTP, Cyberport as well as startups in the delegation will engage in exchanges with relevant institutions and members of local venture capital funds and I&T circles to seek cooperation opportunities.     Mr Chan will return from London in the evening of September 28 (local time) and arrive in Hong Kong in the afternoon of September 29. During his absence, the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, will be the Acting Financial Secretary.Note 1: The Hong Kong-European Business Council is a bilateral committee established by the HKTDC with Europe to foster high-level dialogue between Hong Kong business leaders and their local counterparts, promoting bilateral trade, investment, and economic cooperation.Note 2: The Hong Kong Association is an organisation based in the UK aimed at promoting business and trading relationship between Hong Kong and the UK. The association has over 80 corporate members including global banks, international enterprises, the China-Britain Business Council, etc.

     
    Ends/Saturday, September 21, 2024Issued at HKT 11:30

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard Member Receives Coast Guard Medal For Actions During Lahaina Wildfire

    Source: United States Coast Guard

     

    09/20/2024 11:28 PM EDT

    HONOLULU — Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Joshua Marzilli, a boatswain’s mate stationed aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane, received a Coast Guard Medal for his actions during the Lahaina wildfire in a ceremony aboard the Harriet Lane, Thursday.

    For breaking news follow us on twitter @USCGHawaiiPac

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Successfully Pushes USPS to Pause Postage Pricing Increases

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) announced that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) will not raise prices in January 2025 for Market Dominant products, which includes First-Class mail. This announcement comes after Baldwin called out USPS leadership for unsustainable price hikes and poor service.
    “Wisconsinites rely on the USPS to run their businesses, pay their bills, and communicate with loved ones,” said Senator Tammy Baldwin. “The proposed price hikes would have burdened hard working Wisconsinites, and I’m pleased to see they heeded my calls and will not be raising the price of stamps at the postal counter. I will continue to push the USPS leadership to halt rate increases, especially as Wisconsin families and small businesses continue to be hurt by unprecedented mail delivery delays.” 
    Senator Baldwin has repeatedly called on the USPS to address rate hikes and delays Wisconsinites are experiencing. Just this week, Senator Baldwin called on Postmaster General Louis Dejoy to immediately address costly mail delays suffered by Wisconsin newspapers that rely on the USPS. These delays have already resulted in lost revenue, customer complaints, and canceled subscriptions. In April, after USPS announced the price increase for First Class Mail stamps, Senator Baldwin questioned DeJoy’s leadership, which has resulted in higher prices for Americans and worse service. Despite the USPS enacting their new “Delivering for America” plan – which they promised would modernize and transform the Postal Service – customers continue to experience poor customer service and significant mail delays, including for rural newspaper delivery.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 27th Beijing-Taiwan Science and Technology Forum opens

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The 27th Beijing-Taiwan Science and Technology Forum kicked off at the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area on Thursday. Nearly 500 attendees, including entrepreneurs and tech professionals, will dive deep into the economy, trade, and sci-tech exchange and cooperation between Beijing and Taiwan during the three-day event. 

    The event will feature a summit, four parallel sessions, and several sub-forums. The four parallel sessions will look into energy and digitalization, fin-tech, healthcare, and intelligent electric vehicles, while the sub-forums will discuss topics including youths, women, human resources, and intellectual property protection. 

    At the opening ceremony on Thursday, the Cross-Strait Sci-Tech Innovation Center, which was established last year, signed strategic cooperation agreements with several research institutions. The center also unveiled a second batch of policies, which include over 10 measures to support businesses from Taiwan to develop in Beijing. The measures cover a range of issues including research and development, financial support, industry upgrade, and talent recruitment.  

    The Beijing-Taiwan Science and Technology Forum was established in 1998, and has since become an important economic and trade exchange platform for companies across the Taiwan Strait.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Beijing’s sub-center pursues high-quality development

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Beijing’s sub-center in Tongzhou district is making sound progress in high-quality development, featuring solid investment, booming industries, prosperous culture and tourism, and coordinated regional development, according to officials at a recent press conference.

    The sub-center has received investments of over 100 billion yuan (US$14.2 billion) for four consecutive years, said Zheng Hao, head of Tongzhou district, at the press briefing. 

    The district is actively developing six industrial clusters, namely the digital economy, modern finance, advanced manufacturing, commercial services, cultural tourism, and modern seed industry, while exploring three future-oriented sectors: information, energy, and healthcare. 

    In the first eight months of the year, Tongzhou district added 25,000 new market entities, leading the capital city in this regard. The financial industry has become a pillar industry of the sub-center, with over 460 registered financial institutions. 

    Furthermore, 102 subsidiaries of centrally-administered state-owned enterprises have established operations in the district. In addition, the sub-center has been improving its business environment, rolling out 26 measures to facilitate high-quality industrial development. 

    The new municipal administrative center has also been improving its urban layout. A highlight in urban construction is East 6th Ring Road, which connects five areas with diverse functions. Additionally, the High Line Park, currently under construction, will stretch 14 kilometers and feature running, cycling, and tourism lanes, along with over 200 public leisure zones. Upon completion, the park is expected to increase the regional greenery coverage from 50% to 80%. 

    The sub-center is also focusing on developing the culture and tourism sectors. The three major cultural venues – the Beijing Performing Arts Center, the Beijing Library, and the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing – have received more than 7 million visitors so far this year. Moreover, another three major projects are under construction, including Beijing’s biggest outlet shopping complex, an amusement park, and the Haichang Ocean Park, which are expected to attract tens of millions of visitors upon completion. 

    The district is also advancing regional integration by building the Chaobaihe Bridge, which will connect with neighboring counties in Hebei province. The district has organized project matchmaking events with counties in Hebei for five years straight, which witnessed the signing of over 210 projects. Moreover, the district has collaborated with neighboring Hebei counties to facilitate cross-regional services for over 3,600 administrative items.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: High-altitude weather observation platform put into operation

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    A weather observation platform at a 5,287.71-meter altitude has been recently put into operation in the middle section of Kunlun Mountains in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

    China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said that the comprehensive weather observation platform, the highest of its kind in China, is located in the Hotan Prefecture of Xinjiang. It is designed to observe artificial weather modification and scientific research for cloud-water resources in the Kunlun Mountains, ScienceNet.cn reported on Thursday.

    The platform integrates various systems of ground-based meteorological observation, unmanned aerial vehicle high-altitude detection, cloud ice microphysics research and monitoring, and aerosol lidar detection.

    According to the CMA, together with high-performance lidar, high-definition video imaging technology, the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, and a stable solar power supply system, it has thus formed a comprehensive ground-air-space monitoring network.

    The integration and application of these technologies have significant scientific research value and application potential in accurately capturing cloud dynamics, optimizing artificial rain (snow) operations, evaluating the impact of climate change, and exploring adaptive strategies for ecosystems in extreme environments, the CMA said.

    This is the only comprehensive scientific research platform for cloud water resources in the Kunlun Mountains. Xinjiang has reached new heights in artificial weather modification and cloud water resource development and utilization.

    It is also of great significance for water resource security, agricultural irrigation, disaster prevention and mitigation in Xinjiang and the entire northwest region. According to the CMA, it will also provide valuable first-hand data for global climate change research and ecological environmental protection.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Hainan to fully restore tourism in time for National Day holiday

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    South China’s island province of Hainan will fully restore its tourism industry by the week-long National Day holiday starting Oct. 1, after being struck by Super Typhoon Yagi, the provincial government said on Friday.

    According to the provincial tourism authority, as of Thursday, the resumption rate of tourism and culture related work across the island reached 93.75 percent. This includes 92 scenic spots, 581 hotels, and 82 cultural and sports venues.

    Hainan will be ready to accommodate domestic and overseas tourists during the upcoming holiday, during which 71 activities will be held, including 27 cultural and performing arts activities and 20 sports events, the authority said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Typhoon Pulasan drenches Shanghai

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Shanghai finds itself in the grip of a prolonged spell of inclement weather as the aftermath of Typhoon Pulasan continues to unfold, following its landfall on Thursday night, marking the city’s second typhoon encounter in a week. With the impending convergence of cold air from the north, residents are bracing for further challenges amid heavy downpours and disruptions.

    Pulasan, the 14th typhoon of the year, made its presence felt with a maximum wind force of 23 meters per second near its center, striking Fengxian district at 9:45 pm on Thursday, after its initial landfall earlier in Zhoushan’s Daishan county in Zhejiang province. The storm’s impact has been significant, exacerbating the already fragile conditions in the aftermath of Typhoon Bebinca, the year’s 13th typhoon, which ravaged Shanghai just days prior.

    The relentless downpours unleashed by Pulasan have inundated Shanghai, with heavy to severe rainfall affecting the entire city. Particularly hard-hit areas — Pudong and Fengxian districts — have borne the brunt of the storm, with Situan town in Fengxian experiencing exceptionally severe rainfall, according to the Shanghai Meteorological Service.

    Notably, Pengzhen Water Station in Nicheng town, Pudong, recorded 308 millimeters of rainfall in six hours, while the Yangjiazhai Meteorological Observatory Station in Situan tallied 327.7 mm of rainfall during the same period, marking a historical deluge not witnessed since 1978, the Shanghai Meteorological Service said.

    The repercussions of the torrential rainfall have been swift and widespread, prompting the suspension of classes in 334 schools across Shanghai, the city’s education authority said. Beyond the city limits, neighboring cities in Jiangsu province, including Changzhou, Wuxi and Jingjiang in Taizhou, have taken preemptive measures by suspending classes to safeguard the well-being of students in the wake of Pulasan’s trajectory, local flood control officials said.

    As Pulasan gradually weakens and moves northeastward, Shanghai has witnessed a gradual subsiding of winds and rains as of late Friday. However, the meteorological department has issued warnings of an impending resurgence of downpours over the weekend, fueled by the lingering effects of Pulasan and the convergence of cold air from North China, heightening concerns over potential flooding and disruptions in the Yangtze River Delta region.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Red flag hoisted at Clear Water Bay First Beach

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Red flag hoisted at Clear Water Bay First Beach
    Red flag hoisted at Clear Water Bay First Beach
    ***********************************************

    Attention TV/radio announcers:Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (September 21) that due to inclement weather, red flag has been hoisted at Clear Water Bay First Beach in Sai Kung District. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at the beach.

     
    Ends/Saturday, September 21, 2024Issued at HKT 11:59

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Third Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Guangdong) Statistical Forum held in Foshan (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Third Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Guangdong) Statistical Forum held in Foshan (with photos)
    Third Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Guangdong) Statistical Forum held in Foshan (with photos)
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         The Third Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Guangdong) Statistical Forum was held on September 19 and 20 in Nanhai, Foshan. Under the guidance of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the forum was hosted by the Guangdong Provincial Bureau of Statistics (GPBS) and co-organised by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and other government statistical agencies from the “9+2” cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).       The Commissioner for Census and Statistics, Mr Leo Yu, led a delegation to participate in this meaningful event. During the forum, the C&SD signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Statistical Exchange and Cooperation in the GBA with the GPBS and the Macao Statistics and Census Service, with a view to promoting co-operation among the relevant government statistical agencies in the three places.      This year’s forum, themed “Innovation and Measurement of Statistical Methods from an International Perspective”, aimed to foster statistical exchanges and co-operation in the GBA. It provided a platform for statistical professionals from the “9+2” cities to leverage the collective wisdom and insights to explore how to innovate and reform statistical work from an international perspective to address the current complex and ever-changing environment. In addition to the participation of leaders from the NBS and the GPBS, the forum brought together statistical experts from various fields, including representatives from the government statistical agencies of the “9+2” cities in the GBA, as well as those from higher education institutions and research institutes on the Mainland.       Speaking at the opening ceremony of the forum, Mr Yu remarked, “To achieve high-quality development, it is essential to rely not only on technological innovation but also on the power of talent. People are the core element for driving development. Therefore, we continue to strengthen the attraction and cultivation of statistical talent, uplift their capabilities in applying data science techniques, broaden their international perspectives, enable them to reach international standards in their professional work as well as encourage them to think innovatively. We also actively promote the inheritance and exchange of statistical management. All these efforts aim to consolidate Hong Kong’s position in the international statistical community, allowing Hong Kong to fully leverage its role as a window of the country to the world and provide more precise and robust support for the prosperous development of the GBA. Thus, we can use our strengths to serve the needs of the country.”      Senior Statistician of the C&SD Mr James Cheng also delivered a presentation entitled “Three Major Restructuring Measures: Modernising the Planning of the 2026 Population Census in Hong Kong” at one of the sessions of the forum. Colleagues participated in the forum unanimously expressed that it was a very valuable experience for them to exchange knowledge and learn from statistical professionals from the Mainland cities. It enabled them to acquire insights into the ongoing advancement of statistical techniques on the Mainland, and reminded them to strive for innovation and actively pursue breakthroughs in the dynamic era of big data, in order to seize opportunities and tackle challenges in the future.      The forum was held in Foshan and was attended by representatives of statistical organisations from Beijing, Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao, etc, through online and in-person participation. Relevant officials from the statistical systems of the cities in the GBA, as well as experts and scholars from national think tanks and renowned universities, also shared their valuable insights on the statistical measurement of new quality productive forces, statistical monitoring of digital economy, research on data science and big data statistical applications, statistical reform and innovation, and etc.

     
    Ends/Saturday, September 21, 2024Issued at HKT 12:00

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: SECNAV Del Toro Names Future Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine USS Baltimore (SSN 812)

    Source: United States Navy

    BALTIMORE (Sept 20, 2024) – Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced that the future Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine SSN 812 will be named USS Baltimore. Del Toro made the announcement during a ship naming ceremony held in Baltimore aboard the historic USS Constellation, Sept. 20.

    The future USS Baltimore honors the city of Baltimore, the crews of one Continental Navy ship, and the five previous Navy vessels named Baltimore.

    The naming selection of the future USS Baltimore (SSN 812) continues the recent trend of naming Virginia-class submarines after cities. Del Toro previously named USS Long Island (SSN 809), USS San Francisco (SSN 810), and USS Miami (SSN 811).

    “The city of Baltimore maintains a strong connection with our maritime services and is a critical enabler of our National Maritime Statecraft,” said Del Toro. “It is my honor and privilege to announce the name of the next Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarine, SSN-812, USS Baltimore.” 

    Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin joined Del Toro for the ceremony honoring Baltimore.

    “Maryland is proud of our connection to the Navy and our strong history as a coastal state,” said Cardin. “I am excited that the next USS Baltimore will be sailing the seas again as the Navy’s newest submarine. Our Navy maintains and protects free and open international waters. From defending our young nation from pirates in the late 1700s to ensuring freedom of navigation today in the Red Sea and Taiwan Strait, our Navy is always on watch.”

    Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott also served as a guest in the official party and spoke about the honor and meaning behind the naming of the Navy’s newest submarine.

    “We are honored that Baltimore is being represented across the globe once again with the naming of this future ship,” said Scott. “As a city with such a rich naval and maritime history, the naming of the USS Baltimore ensures that legacy will continue to live on for decades to come. I want to extend my deepest thanks and gratitude to the U.S. Navy for this honor and for continuing to uplift our city, including all Baltimoreans who choose to serve.”

    Along with the ship’s name, Del Toro also announced Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks will serve as the ship’s sponsor. In her role as sponsor, she will represent a lifelong relationship with the ship and crew.

    “When Baltimore joins the fleet, with a world-class crew, it will be among the most agile, lethal, resilient, and capable conventional nuclear-powered submarines we’ve ever made,” said Hicks. “Make no mistake about Baltimore’s purpose, like all of our submarines, conventional and otherwise, we build them not to provoke war, but rather to prevent wars, through deterrence.”

    The city of Baltimore has significant ties to American and Naval history. The Port of Baltimore was established in 1706 and the Town of Baltimore in 1729. One of the Navy’s six founding frigates, USS Constellation, was built in Baltimore, and the city’s skilled ship workers later would construct the famous Baltimore clipper ships. In 1814, the Battle of Baltimore inspired the American national anthem.

    The first Baltimore served in the Quasi-War against France, while the second Baltimore served during the Civil War. The third Baltimore fought in the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War and later conducted mine-laying operations in World War I. The fourth Baltimore earned nine battle stars during World War II, fighting in campaigns for the Caroline Islands, Gilbert and Marshall Islands, and Okinawa. The fifth Baltimore participated in undersea operations against the Soviet Union, completing a variety of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. The Navy simultaneously decommissioned and struck the most recent vessel from the list on 10 July 1998.

    After the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March 2024, the Navy provided equities to the established “Key Bridge Response Unified Command.” NAVSEA’s Navy Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV) led critical efforts to support the clearance of the Port of Baltimore’s Fort McHenry Federal Channel, responsible for managing all on-scene assets tasked with debris removal and channel clearing. Del Toro personally assessed the site and met with Navy personnel on April 19, 2024.

    Attack submarines are designed to seek and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships; project power ashore with Tomahawk cruise missiles and Special Operation Forces (SOF); carry out Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions; support battle group operations; and engage in mine warfare.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary-General of ASEAN attends ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area Regional Business Roundtable

    Source: ASEAN

    Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, this morning delivered remarks at the Opening Ceremony of the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) Regional Business Roundtable, held in Vientiane, Lao PDR.

    The Roundtable brought together key stakeholders with an aim to foster deeper policy dialogue between governments and the business community. This can help strengthen public-private partnerships and fully leverage the AANZFTA provisions to drive trade and investment growth across the region.

    Download the full opening remarks here.

    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN attends ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area Regional Business Roundtable appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New Zealand hostage released

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is pleased to announce that New Zealand pilot, Phillip Mehrtens, taken hostage in Papua, Indonesia, is now safe.

     

    Mr Mehrtens was taken while working as a pilot at a remote airstrip in Paro, Papua on 7 February 2023.

     

    “We are pleased and relieved to confirm that Phillip Mehrtens is safe and well and has been able to talk with his family. This news must be an enormous relief for his friends and loved ones,” Mr Peters says.

     

    Mr Peters says for the last 19 and a half months a wide range of Government agencies has been working with Indonesian authorities and others towards securing Mr Mehrtens’ release. 

     

    “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, with staff in both Indonesia and Wellington, has led a sustained whole-of-Government effort to secure Phillip Mehrtens’ release, and has also been supporting his family, Mr Peters says.

     

    Mr Peters also wanted to acknowledge the cooperation and restraint showed by many media outlets in relation to this case. 

     

    “The case has taken a toll on the Mehrtens family, who have asked for privacy. We ask media outlets to respect their wishes and therefore we have no further comment at this stage.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Joint statement: Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Ministerial meeting in Rotorua

    Source: Minister for Trade

    1. New Zealand Minister for Trade Hon Todd McClay hosted Australian Minister for Trade and Tourism Senator the Hon Don Farrell in Rotorua on 21 September, for the annual Closer Economic Relations Ministerial meeting.
    2. Ministers acknowledged the New Zealand-Australia relationship is built upon shared history, democratic values, a common outlook as Pacific countries, and most of all on generations of deep friendship and close cooperation – we are family. Our economies are two of the most closely integrated in the world, underpinned by our extensive people-to-people ties, strong collaboration between our private and public sectors, and deep levels of trust embedded across our two governments.
    3. Ministers recognised we face an evolving geo-economic global environment with increasing strategic competition and rapid technological change. They affirmed New Zealand and Australia are fundamentally strategically aligned in our assessment of the challenges faced and committed to working in lockstep to advance our shared trade and economic interests.
    4. Ministers discussed the impact of the current geostrategic environment on the global trading system and economic security. They reaffirmed their commitment to promoting open, diversified, rules-based trade, including through support for efforts to reform and strengthen the multilateral trading system, with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core. They reaffirmed the importance of our existing commitments and shared architecture as foundations to address the challenges and opportunities ahead.
    5. Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to Pillar One of the Trans-Tasman Roadmap to 2025: building productive, prosperous and sustainable economies that are fit for the future, and improve the lives of Australians and New Zealanders.
    6. Ministers celebrated the benefits that the Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement (CER) has brought to both sides of the Tasman over 41 years, reflected in the sixfold growth in trade flows since 1983 and tripling of two-way direct investment since 2001. Our bilateral trade is more diverse and multi-sectoral than with any other partners. CER remains a world-class agreement. The secret of CER’s success is our willingness to consistently add to it, ensuring it remains fit for purpose. This is reflected in the more than 80 supplementary bilateral treaties, protocols and other arrangements that together provide the framework for our trade relationship.
    7. Our economic integration is underpinned by an active Single Economic Market (SEM) agenda. Now in its twentieth year, the SEM has delivered significant wins for our people and businesses, ranging from superannuation portability to a common approach to electronic invoicing. Ministers welcomed both Prime Ministers’ enthusiasm for achieving more integration through the SEM, discussed during the 2024 Australia New Zealand Leaders’ Meeting in August. Ministers reiterated that rapid technological changes, as well as geo-economic competition, were fundamentally reshaping the economic landscape. They noted the need for further work to modernise the SEM, in line with the Prime Ministers’ direction, including to ensure we are:
    8. expanding the SEM agenda to emerging sectors of the economy;
    9. taking active and concerted steps to ensure our economic resilience; and
    10. considering how to position the SEM within the economic evolution underway across the wider region.
    11. To support an ambitious work programme for future economic integration and resilience, Ministers welcomed continued regular strategic trade and economic dialogue between senior officials from the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
    12. Ministers welcomed the opportunity they had to engage with the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF) during their time in Rotorua, as a useful opportunity to hear directly from the business community about its priorities for the trans-Tasman trade relationship. Ministers welcomed the strategic refresh of the ANZLF. They noted the SEM agenda was at its most productive when it was informed by practical feedback from the business community.
    13. In addition, Ministers supported the Prime Ministers’ commitment to reinvigorate the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement (TTMRA). The TTMRA underpins the seamless market for goods and the mutual recognition of occupational registration across the Tasman. Ministers welcomed the reestablishment of regular official-level exchanges to progress TTMRA coordination and acknowledged the important work underway by relevant agencies to action the joint work plan to enhance standards harmonisation and regulatory coherence. Ministers noted the importance of ensuring that businesses, as well as New Zealand, Commonwealth, State and Territory government agencies, were aware of the TTMRA, and – in particular – its application to the regulation of the sale of goods.
    14. Ministers agreed on the importance of addressing non-tariff barriers, noting that these barriers of shared concern can impose significant costs on our respective exporting communities.
    15. Ministers discussed forestry matters, including opportunities to further cooperate in support of sustainable timber trade.
    16. Ministers were in alignment that digital trade should be a continued focus of the New Zealand and Australia economic relationship and emphasised the importance of working together, including in international fora, to secure high ambition outcomes to streamline trade, especially for the benefit of micro, small and medium enterprises.
    17. Ministers welcomed the outcomes of the Australia-New Zealand 2+2 Climate and Finance Ministers’ Dialogue held on 30 July. They reinforced the importance of collaborating to achieve our climate goals, address shared challenges, and grasp the economic opportunities that come with the transition to a net zero future. Streamlining the regulatory environment to support the net zero transformation, together with practical clean energy and sustainable finance policies will encourage trans-Tasman investment in the net zero transition and seamless trade into the future.
    18. Ministers directed officials to coordinate on Australia’s Future Made in Australia agenda and New Zealand’s plan to rebuild its economy, to ensure that this work collectively supported jobs, productivity, prosperity, and economic resilience in the international move to net zero and a changing global economic and strategic landscape. They highlighted the important contribution trans-Tasman trade and investment makes to achieving our economic goals.
    19. Ministers acknowledged the work of the Trans-Tasman Seamless Travel Group and its vision for easier travel between Australia and New Zealand while ensuring the highest levels of security at our borders. They noted the initiatives underway to enhance the traveller experience, including Australia’s trialling of digital incoming passenger cards and New Zealand upgrading eGates. Making trans-Tasman travel even more seamless will support the exchange of our tourists, students and business people.
    20. Ministers reaffirmed the importance of members accepting the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies to accelerate its entry into force and the need for members to conclude negotiations on additional provisions to secure a comprehensive fisheries subsidies agreement as soon as possible. Ministers recognised the need for all WTO Members to work towards a meaningful outcome on agriculture reform at MC14, in line with Article 20 of the Agreement on Agriculture.
    21. Ministers agreed on the importance of APEC as an incubator of ideas and as a norm setting body. They reaffirmed the shared commitment to work with APEC economies to pursue a free, open, sustainable, inclusive and predictable trade and investment environment in the region, including through initiatives such as paperless trade, minimising unnecessary obstacles to trade arising from non-tariff measures and ensuring the benefits of trade and investment extend to all including women and Indigenous Peoples. Ministers also agreed to work together to advance implementation of the Indigenous Peoples Economic and Trade Cooperation Arrangement (IPETCA).
    22. Minister McClay welcomed Australia as the incoming Chair of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in 2025, and both Ministers reiterated that CPTPP welcomes the interest of and remains open to accession by economies that can satisfy the three Auckland Principles, namely: preparedness to meet the Agreement’s high standards; a demonstrated pattern of complying with trade commitments; and recognition that decisions are dependent on the consensus of the CPTPP Membership.
    23. This commitment to regional economic integration and the rules-based global trading system is reflected in Australia and New Zealand’s continued collaboration via the Agreement establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Ministers looked forward to the forthcoming entry into force of the upgraded AANZFTA with enhanced rules and opportunities in services, investment and digital trdae. Ministers celebrated the continuing success of Australia and New Zealand’s co-funded Regional Trade for Development (RT4D) initiative to support AANZFTA and RCEP implementation in partnership with ASEAN Member States.
    24. Ministers acknowledged Australia and New Zealand continue to work closely together to support the implementation of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF). They reaffirmed their commitment to concluding negotiations of the IPEF Trade Agreement as expeditiously as possible and welcomed recent meetings to operationalise key bodies under the IPEF Supply Chain Agreement. They welcomed New Zealand’s ratification of the IPEF Agreements on Supply Chains, the Clean Economy and the Fair Economy, and Australia’s substantial progress towards completing ratification. Ministers emphasised the importance of tangible outcomes on IPEF to support a prosperous, resilient, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
    25. Ministers reaffirmed Australia and New Zealand share a vision for a peaceful, prosperous, and resilient Pacific. This year, alongside the bilateral meeting, Ministers invited Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Hon Manoa Kamikamica for trilateral talks to discuss priority trade issues, including PACER Plus. Australia and New Zealand see PACER Plus, the largest and most comprehensive trade agreement in the Pacific region, as an important mechanism for working with our partners to deepen economic integration and resilience across the Pacific.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Lufthansa hoping to increase China capacity

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The German carrier Lufthansa has said the airline is looking to further expand capacity to China, after restoring capacity to Shanghai to pre-COVID levels.

    “For Lufthansa, China is one of the most important markets in the world outside Europe. We are pretty happy that we already received pre-pandemic capacity here in Shanghai,” said Jens Ritter, CEO of Lufthansa Airlines. “Hopefully in the next couple of years we can extend our network also here in China.”

    Having a strong connection and close relationship between Germany and China, Lufthansa will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026, as well as the carrier’s first connection between the two countries.

    “I think it is a great relationship we have here for almost 100 years. There’s a strong connection between the fourth-biggest economy in the world Germany and the second-biggest economy China,” Ritter said. “We are pretty proud of our strong connection. We truly believe in the recovery of air travel between Germany and China for the next years.”

    Currently operating the most flights to China among all European carriers, Lufthansa offers 40 weekly direct connections between the German cities of Frankfurt and Munich to the Chinese cities of Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing in the summer time.

    “In comparison to last year, we increased our capacity by over 70 percent,” added Ritter. “Hopefully next year with the introduction of new aircraft we can increase this capacity further.”

    The expanding capacity is accompanied with a rapid recovery in the passenger load factor, “especially during the summer time with a seat factor of more than 90 percent,” Ritter said.

    “We are looking forward to further development and we are pretty sure that we will come back to pre-pandemic capacity here between Europe, Germany and China,” said Ritter.

    Plus, in a bid to boost the China travel market during the holiday season and further enhance the customer experience onboard, Shanghai was the airline’s first Asian destination, as well as the fourth worldwide following Vancouver, Toronto and Chicago, to introduce the carrier’s brand-new cabin products on a daily basis since Aug 14.

    Under the name, Lufthansa Allegris, the completely new travel experience is available on select long-haul routes for passengers of economy, premium economy, business and first class.

    “We truly believe that people do not want a standard product anymore, they would like to have more choices, more exclusivity and they would like to have more individuality,” explained Ritter. “I think also the Chinese people would like to have a choice. One standard product does not fulfill the needs of the requirements for the premium sector of Chinese people. They would like to have more individuality, more possibility for exclusivity and they would like to choose. We are pretty happy to introduce our new Allegris product because we definitely believe that this will fulfill the needs of our Chinese customers.”

    Confidence in the Chinese market is based on the optimistic outlook of China’s economy, the strong economic ties between China and Germany, and China’s visa-free policies.

    “Germany has a strong connection with China, because so many companies are based from Germany here in China,” Ritter said. “It is a long-lasting relationship and we truly believe in those two economies and we need to tie them.”

    Figures provided to the Financial Times by Germany’s central bank, the Bundesbank, show that Germany’s direct investment in China totaled 2.48 billion euros ($2.76 billion) in the first three months of 2024, and the figure rose substantially to 4.8 billion euros in the second quarter.

    “I think this represents a strong relationship between our two economies,” said Ritter.

    In the meantime, China’s visa-free policy presents new opportunities for carriers such as Lufthansa, as eligible ordinary passport holders from countries including Germany can enjoy visa-free travel to China for up to 15 days.

    Thanks to the collaborated efforts of Civil Aviation Administration of China and related government divisions, international passenger flights have been restored to nearly 80 percent of the 2019 level during the first week of July, and passenger flights to 30 countries, including the UK and UAE, surpassing the 2019 level, according to Xu Qing, an official with the CAAC.

    “The expansion of China’s visafree policy to more countries has created an incentive effect on the aviation market,” Xu said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese technology boost uptake of e-mobility in Africa: experts

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese green vehicle technology is boosting the adoption of e-mobility in Africa, experts said Friday.

    Warren Ondanje, managing director of the Africa E-mobility Alliance, said in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, that Chinese e-vehicle manufacturers have positioned themselves as key partners for the growing number of e-mobility startups on the continent.

    “Chinese firms have played a key role in accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles in Africa,” Ondanje said during the Africa E-Mobility Week 2024 conference.

    The five-day event brought together more than 200 delegates, including representatives from United Nations agencies, senior government officials and innovators from across Africa, to foster collaboration and advance the sustainable mobility movement on the continent.

    Michael Muchiri, deputy superintending engineer at Kenya’s Ministry of Roads and Transport, said that Chinese e-vehicle brands are attracting significant interest from environmentally conscious Kenyan consumers due to their high-quality, clean transportation solutions offered at affordable prices.

    Muchiri said that taxi and public transport operators have embraced Chinese e-vehicles because their low operational costs make them more competitive than conventional fossil-fueled cars.

    According to the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Kenya currently has an estimated 5,000 e-vehicles, comprising two-wheel, three-wheel, passenger and commercial vehicles.

    Hilina Legesse, president of the Addis Ababa E-mobility Association, said that Chinese e-vehicles had facilitated Ethiopia’s enforcement of its ban on importing fossil-fueled cars, which took effect in January, by providing affordable green vehicles.

    Legesse said that several Chinese e-vehicle manufacturers have set up local assembly plants to meet the growing demand for clean modes of transport.

    Claire Liu, sales manager at Chogori Technology, a Chinese manufacturer of e-vehicle accessories, said her firm has partnered with e-mobility companies in Africa to expand access to and affordability of electric-powered cars on the continent. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Innovation to power China growth

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Innovation capacity, the digital sector and green industries have significant potential to be major engines of China’s growth, fueled by the nation’s commitment to reform and opening-up, said Japanese scholars.

    Hidetoshi Tashiro, chief economist at Japan’s Infinity LLC, predicts that China’s economy is poised to enter a new phase of growth.

    Speaking at a seminar on Chinese-style modernization in Osaka last week, Tashiro highlighted China’s significant share of the global market in various industries. While noting the nation’s leading position in sectors such as electric vehicles and solar panels, he also said that as digitalization expands globally, demand for products and services supporting this shift will continue to rise.

    Tashiro stressed the digital sector is the key driver of China’s economic growth. Reflecting on his visit to China last November, he observed that cash payments had become obsolete in the nation.

    “The rise of this vast digital ecosystem, unlike anything the world has ever seen, is now powering China’s economy. This momentum is driven by advancements in semiconductor design and application development,” Tashiro said.

    A World Intellectual Property Organization report shows that from 2014 to 2023, China-based inventors filed more than 38,000 generative artificial intelligence patents, six times the number filed by inventors in the United States.

    China’s economy is shifting from a labor-intensive to a capital-intensive model, making intellectual contributions increasingly important. The country is producing a huge number of highly-skilled scientists and engineers, fostering the growth of a vast and expanding digital ecosystem, he added.

    Yangchoon Kwak, a professor at Rikkyo University’s College of Economics, emphasized that green industries will be the main driver of China’s future economic growth.

    “China’s focus is not just on quantitative expansion but on pursuing environmentally-friendly development that contributes to global peace and prosperity,” Kwak explained.

    Another key growth area is tourism. With a history spanning several millennia, China has a rich cultural heritage to share with the world. If the nation continues to open up, it could attract more than 100 million visitors, fostering a deeper international understanding and appreciation of the country, he said.

    “China’s dynamism will continue to accelerate, and it’s vital for Japanese companies to seize this opportunity,” Kwak added. He advised them to engage in proactive capital and technology partnerships with China, aligning with the country’s evolving trends, rather than focusing on low-cost labor as they did in the past.

    Confidence emphasized

    Satoshi Tomisaka, a professor at the Institute of World Studies at Takushoku University, emphasized the importance of fostering an environment in China where people feel confident in their spending.

    “As Western economies face stagnation and institutional difficulties, China’s model is starting to make a significant global impact,” said Tomisaka.

    However, for the world to truly acknowledge China’s achievements, soft power is crucial. International recognition would not only elevate China’s global reputation but also strengthen its domestic standing, he added.

    Kiyoyuki Seguchi, research director at the Canon Institute for Global Studies, said that the future of China’s economic growth will be driven by the innovation capacity of its companies. If policies continue to energize private companies, China still has significant potential for further growth, he added.

    Seguchi’s remarks came after a recent lecture in Tokyo organized by the Japan-China Belt and Road Initiative Promotion Association.

    The foundation for China’s growth is rooted in its reform and opening-up policy. Seguchi emphasized that the focus given by the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, which was held in July, on reform and opening-up is essential. He stressed the need to create mechanisms that deliver specific reform measures desired by private enterprises, noting this is critical for sustained development.

    According to Seguchi, the major challenges facing China’s economy include the end of high-speed growth, issues in the real estate sector and local fiscal problems. While the government has introduced policies to address these issues, he highlighted the importance of accurately implementing them in a way that responds to market needs, maintaining a market-oriented approach to enhance policy effectiveness.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Photo exhibition on China-Mongolia friendship opens in Ulan Bator

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    ULAN BATOR, Sept. 20 — A photo exhibition marking a long-standing friendship between China and Mongolia opened here in Ulan Bator, the capital of Mongolia, on Friday.

    The event, co-organized by the Chinese Embassy in Mongolia and the Mongolia-China Friendship Association, was part of a series of activities of the China-Mongolia Friendship Week, celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

    A total of 75 photographs showcasing significant events in the history of bilateral relations over the past 75 years were on display at the exhibition.

    Chinese Ambassador to Mongolia Shen Minjuan said at the opening ceremony that the exhibition reminded all of a deep friendship between the two countries, expressing hope that bilateral cooperation will yield more fruits in the years to come.

    The exhibition will run through Sept. 27.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s message on the International Day of Peace [scroll down for French version]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Download the video:
    https://s3.amazonaws.com/downloads2.unmultimedia.org/public/video/evergreen/MSG+SG+/SG+Intl+Day+of+Peace+16+Aug+24/3246503_MSG+SG+INT+DAY+OF+PEACE+16+AUG+24.mp4

    Everywhere we look, peace is under attack.

    From Gaza, to Sudan, to Ukraine and beyond we see:

    Civilians in the firing line;

    Homes blown apart;

    Traumatised, terrified populations who have lost everything – and sometimes everyone.

    This catalogue of human misery must stop.

    Our world needs peace.

    Peace is the ultimate prize for all humanity.

    And as this International Day of Peace reminds us – the solutions are in our hands.  

    Cultivating a culture of peace means replacing division, disempowerment, and despair with justice, equality and hope for all.

    It means focusing on preventing conflict;
     
    Propelling the Sustainable Development Goals;

    Promoting human rights.

    And tackling all forms of discrimination and hate.

    This month’s Summit of the Future is a vital opportunity to advance these aims.

    Let’s seize it.

    Together, let’s lay the groundwork for peace.

    And let’s nurture a culture where equality, peace and justice thrive.

    Thank you.
    ***
    La paix est assaillie de toutes parts.

    À Gaza, au Soudan, en Ukraine, et au-delà, nous voyons :

    Des civils dans la ligne de mire.

    Des maisons anéanties.

    Des populations entières traumatisées et terrifiées. Des gens qui ont tout perdu, qui n’ont parfois plus personne.

    Il faut en finir avec ce cortège de misères humaines.

    Notre monde a besoin de paix.

    La paix est le but ultime de l’humanité.

    Et comme nous le rappelle cette Journée internationale de la paix, les solutions sont entre nos mains.

    Cultiver une culture de la paix, c’est remplacer la désunion, l’exclusion et le désespoir par la justice, l’égalité et l’espoir pour toutes et tous.

    C’est donner la priorité à la prévention des conflits ;

    Accélérer les Objectifs de développement durable ;

    Promouvoir les droits humains ;

    Et lutter contre toutes les formes de discrimination et de haine.

    Le Sommet de l’avenir qui se tiendra ce mois-ci est une occasion vitale d’avancer dans cette voie.

    Saisissons-la.

    Ensemble, jetons les bases de la paix.

    Et faisons prospérer une culture de l’égalité, de la paix et de la justice.

    Je vous remercie.

    ***

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s message on the International Day of Peace [scroll down for French version]

    Source: United Nations – English

    strong>Download the video:
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    Everywhere we look, peace is under attack.

    From Gaza, to Sudan, to Ukraine and beyond we see:

    Civilians in the firing line;

    Homes blown apart;

    Traumatised, terrified populations who have lost everything – and sometimes everyone.

    This catalogue of human misery must stop.

    Our world needs peace.

    Peace is the ultimate prize for all humanity.

    And as this International Day of Peace reminds us – the solutions are in our hands.  

    Cultivating a culture of peace means replacing division, disempowerment, and despair with justice, equality and hope for all.

    It means focusing on preventing conflict;
     
    Propelling the Sustainable Development Goals;

    Promoting human rights.

    And tackling all forms of discrimination and hate.

    This month’s Summit of the Future is a vital opportunity to advance these aims.

    Let’s seize it.

    Together, let’s lay the groundwork for peace.

    And let’s nurture a culture where equality, peace and justice thrive.

    Thank you.
    ***
    La paix est assaillie de toutes parts.

    À Gaza, au Soudan, en Ukraine, et au-delà, nous voyons :

    Des civils dans la ligne de mire.

    Des maisons anéanties.

    Des populations entières traumatisées et terrifiées. Des gens qui ont tout perdu, qui n’ont parfois plus personne.

    Il faut en finir avec ce cortège de misères humaines.

    Notre monde a besoin de paix.

    La paix est le but ultime de l’humanité.

    Et comme nous le rappelle cette Journée internationale de la paix, les solutions sont entre nos mains.

    Cultiver une culture de la paix, c’est remplacer la désunion, l’exclusion et le désespoir par la justice, l’égalité et l’espoir pour toutes et tous.

    C’est donner la priorité à la prévention des conflits ;

    Accélérer les Objectifs de développement durable ;

    Promouvoir les droits humains ;

    Et lutter contre toutes les formes de discrimination et de haine.

    Le Sommet de l’avenir qui se tiendra ce mois-ci est une occasion vitale d’avancer dans cette voie.

    Saisissons-la.

    Ensemble, jetons les bases de la paix.

    Et faisons prospérer une culture de l’égalité, de la paix et de la justice.

    Je vous remercie.

    ***

    MIL OSI Africa –