Resources Minister Shane Jones travels to Singapore tomorrow where he will speak to more than 400 executives about New Zealand’s oil and gas investment opportunities at the Asia Pacific Energy Capital Assembly.
“As a fierce champion for New Zealand’s oil and gas sector, the Asia Pacific Energy Capital Assembly conference on 9 and 10 June provides an unparalleled opportunity to tell investors from the Asia Pacific region that New Zealand is open for business and ready for investment,” Mr Jones says.
“Investment in our resources means jobs, opportunities and economic growth for regional New Zealand. The Coalition Government is working hard to make New Zealand an attractive proposition for investors, with changes such as the reversal of the oil and gas exploration ban and the passing of the Fast-track Approvals Act.
“Budget 2025 included a tagged contingency of $200 million over four years for business case-approved co‑investment in new gas fields. This investment sends a clear message to the international investment community that New Zealand is serious about oil and gas exploration to supply the gas we need to power our homes and businesses. The industry can also benefit from the Investment Boost policy, also announced in Budget 2025.
“Of particular interest to international investors will be upcoming changes to the Crown Minerals Act which align petroleum decommissioning requirements with international best practice. These requirements were previously seen as a handbrake on investment.
“I look forward to meeting oil and gas explorers and producers on the sidelines of the conference to discuss ways we can open new pathways for investment and opportunities for the oil and gas sector in New Zealand.”
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department launched its annual Food Safety Day 2025 campaign today (June 7), emphasising the importance of preventing cross-contamination in safeguarding food safety. It serves to remind food businesses and the public that adopting proper hygiene and food handling practices, such as handling raw and cooked food separately, can reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses.
To echo World Food Safety Day, the CFS has chosen “preventing cross-contamination” as the theme for Food Safety Day 2025. Cross-contamination is one of the most common causes of food poisoning, occurring when harmful microorganisms are transferred directly or indirectly from raw food to cooked or ready-to-eat food via contaminated hands, utensils, cutting boards, or food contact surfaces.
“Food handlers and the public should remain vigilant in storing and handling raw and cooked foods separately, using designated utensils and storage containers, and maintaining good personal and environmental hygiene to prevent the spread of bacteria. If raw and cooked or ready-to-eat food must be handled in the same area, thorough disinfection between uses is essential,” said a CFS spokesman.
Food handlers and members of the public are also reminded that maintaining hand hygiene is essential for minimising the risk of cross-contamination and ensuring food safety. Hands should be washed thoroughly with liquid soap and clean running water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food and wearing gloves, as well as after using the toilet, touching the face, or handling waste. Wearing gloves does not replace proper handwashing.
To prevent foodborne diseases and curb the emergence of antimicrobial resistance, the CFS urges food businesses and the public to maintain proper personal and environmental hygiene and observe the “Five Keys to Food Safety” when preparing food, including choosing safe raw materials, keeping hands and utensils clean, separating raw and cooked food, cooking thoroughly, and keeping food at safe temperatures.
​For more information about Food Safety Day 2025 and related activities, please visit the CFS website (www.cfs.gov.hk).
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the International Science, Technology and Innovation Forum of the Boao Forum for Asia 2025 Hong Kong Conference today (June 7):
Honourable Vice-Chairman Edmund Ho (Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and President of the International Science, Technology and Innovation Forum of Boao Forum for Asia), Deputy Director Liu Guangyuan (Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)), Deputy Commissioner Li Yongsheng (Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the HKSAR), Professor Frederick Ma (Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
These days, Beijing resident Xie Xiaoyang frequently shares photo collages of the city’s blue skies on his WeChat Moments — a stark contrast to the smoggy environment he remembers from his student days in the Chinese capital over 10 years ago.
“Social media was still in its infancy in China back then, with everyone eagerly sharing glimpses of their everyday routines,” Xie recalled. “Yet as autumn leaves fell and winter set in, the world outside dissolved into a murky haze. Posting enthusiasm waned, giving way to a citywide yearning for crisp blue skies.”
Beihai Park is decorated with lanterns in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 19, 2025. (Photo by Li Menglan/Xinhua)
Over the past decades, air pollution has persisted as a major environmental challenge for China amid its rapid urbanization and economic development. In a landmark response, the Chinese government declared war against air pollution in 2013, launching its Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan (APPCAP) — a comprehensive national policy framework targeting air quality improvement — and sought to find a better balance between economic growth and environment protection.
Following the introduction of the APPCAP, China became the first developing country in the world to impose large-scale efforts to reduce PM2.5 density, with Beijing taking the lead across Chinese cities by adopting scientific governance, institutional innovation and regional collaboration, contributing a new approach to global air pollution control. The United Nations Environment Programme has hailed the megacity’s achievements in improving air quality as the “Beijing Miracle.”
According to the Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau, the capital reported steady progress in air quality in 2024. The average density of PM2.5, a key indicator of air pollution, during the year was 30.5 micrograms per cubic meter of air, down 6.2 percent year on year. The number of days with good air quality reached 290, an increase of 114 days compared with 2013 and the highest number on record. Notably, the number of heavily polluted days dropped from 58 in 2013 to just two in 2024, which was a reduction of 96.6 percent.
ARDUOUS CAMPAIGN
At this year’s “two sessions,” Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu presented two filter membranes collected from Beijing’s atmospheric environment monitors. The sample from 2015 exhibited a grayish-black hue, while last year’s counterpart showed a grayish-white coloration.
“That grayish-black sample brings back memories of the days when my air purifier was working overtime,” Xie said, voicing a collective memory shared by Beijing residents who lived through the city’s smog-choked years.
“Beijing was then facing an acute air pollution crisis, making rigorous anti-smog measures an urgent imperative,” said Li Xiang, an official of the local ecological environment protection’s law enforcement authorities.
Building on the APPCAP, Beijing rolled out its clean air action plan from 2013 to 2017, launching a targeted campaign across four key battlefronts, including coal combustion control, vehicle emissions management, industrial pollution abatement and dust suppression.
“All relevant municipal authorities solemnly signed responsibility pledges, vowing to secure victory in this crucial pollution control campaign,” said Xie Jinkai, director of the atmospheric environment department of the Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau.
This photo taken on Aug. 12, 2024 shows a view of the Shougang Park, a 3-square-kilometer industrial heritage site and a previous venue of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin)
Beijing used to rely primarily on coal for winter heating. The first PM2.5 source analysis conducted in the capital — spanning 2012 to 2013 — identified coal combustion as one of the dominant contributors to local air pollution, said Wang Zifa, a researcher at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The megacity therefore made a resolute decision to launch a wide-ranging initiative to switch from coal to electricity for winter heating. Wang Yu, a senior engineer at the ecological environment bureau of Beijing’s Xicheng District who participated in the conversion project, recalled that the task was both complicated and arduous.
Environmental protection authorities and power supply companies conducted door-to-door surveys in target neighborhoods, addressing key challenges based on residents’ actual conditions while carrying out various tasks, including upgrading external power supply facilities.
By the end of 2015, the downtown Xicheng District became Beijing’s pioneer in achieving complete coal-free heating, a landmark transition that liberated residents from smoke-filled winters fueled by honeycomb briquettes. “Now our homes are warm and clean throughout winter. What a remarkable change,” said a longtime resident surnamed Bai who lives in the Niujie neighborhood of Xicheng District.
Beijing also established a rigorous regulatory framework to accelerate coal reduction. The municipal government has successively implemented emissions standards for various facilities, including stationary gas turbines and boilers, setting stringent new limits on pollutants. Meanwhile, authorities have intensified their work against violations such as excessive emissions and abnormal operations of facilities. Key coal-consuming enterprises now face enhanced supervision to ensure compliance, with mandatory requirements for continuous green upgrades.
Through coordinated actions from authorities, industries and communities, the capital’s plains achieved the fundamental status of being coal-free by the end of 2018, with coal-fired boilers virtually eliminated citywide.
According to Wang, Beijing’s follow-up PM2.5 source studies revealed that coal combustion’s contribution to PM2.5 dropped from 22.4 percent in 2013 to just 3 percent in 2017, eliminating its status as a major pollution source. And after five years of sustained efforts, Beijing saw its average annual density of PM2.5 decrease from nearly 90 micrograms per cubic meter to 58 micrograms per cubic meter, achieving its phased goal in curbing pollution.
PRECISION GOVERNANCE
In 2018, Beijing launched a “1 microgram initiative” to continuously improve air quality, shifting greater focus to sectors like vehicle emissions and fugitive dust, which demand refined control measures, and striving for even single microgram-per-cubic-meter improvements.
The year of 2021 marked a milestone in Beijing’s decade-long “blue skies” campaign, with its annual average PM2.5 concentration dropping to 33 micrograms per cubic meter — the lowest level since records began in 2013. The capital has since maintained compliant air quality standards for three consecutive years.
“‘Beijing blue’ has gradually become our new normal,” Huang Runqiu said at a press conference.
Thanks to aggressive renewable energy adoption and coal-replacement policies, Beijing’s energy mix has undergone a historic transformation. Its coal consumption plummeted from 21.8 million tonnes in 2012 to under 600,000 tonnes in 2024, now accounting for less than 1 percent of its total energy consumption, Yang Xiuling, director of the Beijing Municipal Development and Reform Commission, said recently.
Furthermore, Beijing has implemented structural optimization processes in its industrial and transport sectors. The city has closed over 3,000 manufacturing or polluting enterprises and rectified more than 12,000 scattered, disorganized or polluting businesses through categorized remediation. A total of over 3 million high-pollution vehicles have been phased out.
With its air quality having improved significantly, Beijing now faces more challenging pollution control targets that require increasingly scientific and refined measures. In 2025, the city elevated its air pollution governance to a new level of precision: its “0.1 microgram initiative.”
This photo taken on Oct. 17, 2024 shows new energy vehicle model SU7 produced by Chinese tech firm Xiaomi displayed during the 2024 World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)
“For instance, we will vigorously expand the adoption of new energy vehicles (NEVs), aiming for NEVs to comprise half of all registered vehicles by 2025,” Xie Jinkai said. “Through meticulous governance, we aim to consolidate and sustain emissions reduction achievements.”
According to the municipal government work report this year, the number of NEVs in the city has exceeded 1 million, and the proportion of green electricity in the city’s energy mix has reached 26 percent.
MULTI-LEVEL COOPERATION
According to Li Xiang, an illegal sand and gravel plant in Dashiwo Town of Beijing’s Fangshan District, which borders Zhuozhou City in Hebei Province, had once caused severe fugitive dust pollution in the local area.
“At that time, with Beijing and Hebei conducting separate law enforcement operations, the plant utilized vehicle-mounted mobile production equipment to shuttle across the provincial boundary, allowing the illegal operations to persist unchecked for an extended period,” Li said.
Since 2015, the ecological and environmental law enforcement agencies of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei have formally established and continuously improved a joint environmental enforcement mechanism, creating coordinated systems that involve regular consultations, joint operations and collaborative inspections to collectively combat cross-regional environmental violations.
After three years, the plant was officially shut down through a joint enforcement operation conducted by Beijing and Hebei authorities. In 2019, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region expanded its joint law enforcement mechanism to cover district and county levels.
Tourists visit the Tiantan (Temple of Heaven) Park in Beijing, capital of China, June 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
Beijing has broadened its air quality governance collaboration from a domestic level to an international level in recent years. Beyond hosting an annual international forum on clean air and climate to facilitate exchanges among environmental experts, policymakers and businesses globally, the city also took a significant step earlier this year, when the Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau signed a memorandum of understanding with the Environment Department of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to boost air quality monitoring and management cooperation.
Over the next three years, Beijing will share its proven expertise in air pollution control — particularly its PM2.5 monitoring and mitigation strategies — with Bangkok to support the Thai capital’s air quality improvement efforts.
However, Xie Jinkai noted that Beijing’s current air quality improvements remain fragile, with regional pollution spikes likely to recur during unfavorable meteorological conditions.
“Air quality improvement remains a long-term, complex and challenging mission. Beijing’s pollution control efforts will continue advancing to deeper, more precise stages,” Xie said.
“Our shared goal is to maintain lasting blue skies and fresh air, continuously meeting the people’s growing expectations for a beautiful environment,” she added.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Buildings are shrouded in smoke from wildfire in Toronto, Canada, on June 6, 2025. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)
Smoke from wildfires burning in northern Ontario and the Prairies of Canada caused poor air quality and reduced visibility in major cities including Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal on Friday.
Environment Canada issued special air quality statements for these areas on Friday, warning that people most likely to suffer health effects from air pollution should avoid strenuous activities outdoors and seek medical attention if experiencing symptoms.
Environment Canada’s David Phillips said on CTV News that as wildfires ramp up across the country, air quality is deteriorating.
“What we’ve seen this week, of course, in Ontario is a lot of that smoke from fires has come south,” Phillips said.
“Only a few see the flames but millions smell the smoke,” he said.
According to data from Swiss air quality tracker IQAir, Toronto’s air quality was ranked the second worst in the world Friday afternoon.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung held a phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump at 10:00 p.m. local time on Friday, according to the presidential office of South Korea.
The call lasted about 20 minutes, during which, the presidential office said, the two leaders discussed a range of issues including how to develop the South Korea-U.S. alliance.
Trump also extended an invitation for Lee to visit the United States, the office said.
Disability workers will be making their concerns loud and clear at a rally at 2pm tomorrow to protest the suspension without pay of 38 workers at disability residential care provider Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau Trust.
Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau Trustis the country’s largest kaupapa Māori community disability provider. It operates residential whare in Te Tai Tokerau/Northland, Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, Waikato, Waitaha/Canterbury, and a residential mental health whare in Whangārei.
The trust CE Karen Smith late on Friday afternoon gave notice of suspension of 38 workers who support people living at Te Roopu Taurima houses without pay for six weeks in response to low level strike action taken in support of their collective agreement.
“This is an oppressive over-reaction designed to intimidate and bully these workers. It’s unheard of for New Zealand employers to adopt such a hostile tactic in these circumstances,” said Fleur Fitzsimons National Secretary Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“The strike action only involved not doing some tasks in order to try and put pressure on the employer to listen to these workers.”
“The trust has a vision to ‘strive to place tāngata at the heart of our services’, this shows the trust is not living its own values.
“Many of these workers are Māori, Pasifika, and migrant workers who deserve fair wages and conditions.”
The action comes after Te Roopu Taurima tried to introduce harsh terms of employment including restrictions on secondary employment and 90 day trials as well as a pay increase that fails to meet the increased cost of living facing these workers and their whānau.
The PSA and Te Roopu Taurima attended independent and confidential facilitation run by an Employment Relations Authority member in Auckland over four days. The Authority member then provided recommendations to settle the collective agreement.
“The PSA did not get everything we wanted but nevertheless agreed that we would recommend the outcomes to our members. Te Roopu Taurima was still not satisfied though.
“This is an insight into the future of industrial relations in New Zealand under this government. It has emboldened employers to try to take away the small number of remaining employment rights that working people have and use every underhand tactic they can to get there.
“Workers and the community must stand up and fight back.”
What: Protest rally
When: 2pm Sunday 8 June
Where: Te Roopu Taurima Head Office, 650 Great South Road, Auckland.
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahiis Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 7, 2025.
‘They cannot block us,’ says activist on Madleen flotilla aid ship to Gaza Pacific Media Watch One of the 12 activists on board the Gaza Freedom Flotilla aid vessel Madleen has posted an update on their progress, saying the mission would not be deterred by Israel’s threats to block them. In a video posted to X, Thiago Ávila said the crew, which includes high-profile Swedish climate activist Greta
Jeremy Rose: Mister Netanyahu have you no sense of decency? Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – COMMENTARY: By Jeremy Rose The word antisemitism has become so debased that depending on who is using it I might well take it as a sign that the accused is worth listening to. When the World Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu’s arrest,
Marshall Islands nuclear legacy: report highlights lack of health research By Giff Johnson, editor, Marshall Islands Journal, and RNZ Pacific correspondent A new report on the United States nuclear weapons testing legacy in the Marshall Islands highlights the lack of studies into important health concerns voiced by Marshallese for decades that make it impossible to have a clear understanding of the impacts of the 67
New rules for cosmetic injectables aim to make the industry safer. Will they work? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney BearFoto/Shutterstock New guidelines to regulate Australia’s booming cosmetic procedures industry have been called “tough” and “a crackdown” in media reports this week. On Tuesday, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) announced the new guidelines – one for procedures, the
Keith Rankin Analysis – Equity Rights: UBI, SUI, BUI, HUI, or GUI? Analysis by Keith Rankin. Capitalism is in crisis, and our species’ imagination to save ourselves is sorely lacking. There are of course understandings out there, and solutions; but they are so heavily gate-kept that conversations about saving ourselves are well-nigh impossible. It remains a puzzle why those political and intellectual leaders who would most benefit
‘Godfather of AI’ now fears it’s unsafe. He has a plan to rein it in Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Armin Chitizadeh, Lecturer, School of Computer Science, University of Sydney fran_kie/Shutterstock This week the US Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed two men suspected of bombing a fertility clinic in California last month allegedly used artificial intelligence (AI) to obtain bomb-making instructions. The FBI did not disclose the
John Pesutto owes Moira Deeming $2.3m, but he doesn’t have it. Can former premiers be forced to pick up the tab? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Legg, Professor of Law, UNSW Sydney Victorian MP Moira Deeming attracted headlines recently when news broke she’s intending to sue three former Liberal premiers, among other party figures. Why? Deeming is trying to recoup millions of dollars in legal costs after a successful defamation case. Who
The kimono is more than an artefact and more than clothing. It is a concept artists will make their own Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sasha Grishin, Adjunct Professor of Art History, Australian National University The kimono garment, the national dress of Japan, carries within itself all of the magic and traditions of Japanese culture. The basic features of the kimono are fairly simple. It is a wrapped front garment with square
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
WUHAN, June 7 (Xinhua) — A 23-year-old student has been taken into criminal custody for allegedly injuring three people at Wuhan University in central China’s Hubei Province, local police said Friday.
The incident occurred at around 5 p.m. on Wednesday at a university canteen in Wuhan’s Hongshan District.
Police quickly arrived at the scene. According to the Hongshan District Public Security Bureau, the injured were immediately sent to hospital for treatment and their lives are not in danger.
The suspect, surnamed Zhu, was taken into custody by the police on the spot. Investigation showed that he committed the act due to problems with his studies, he confessed to the crime and was subject to preventive measures.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
KUNMING, June 7 (Xinhua) — Chinese and German astronomers recently announced the discovery of an exoplanet in the habitable zone, meaning its surface temperature allows liquid water to exist, the Yunnan Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said.
Studies of Earth-like exoplanets are conducted based on several physical factors, including size, mass, surface temperature, etc., that influence the habitability of the planet.
The newly discovered celestial body orbits the central star Kepler-725, which is 2,472 light years from the solar system. Scientists estimate that Kepler-725, which is much younger than the Sun, has only existed for 1.6 billion years. As a result, more violent activity is observed on the surface of the star.
The discovered planet’s rotation period around its host star is about 207.5 days, which is relatively close to the Earth’s rotation period. Its mass is 10 times greater than that of our planet.
There are currently 5,912 confirmed planets outside the Solar System. Very few of these are classified as planets that have physical factors that make them habitable.
Many methods have been developed to search for exoplanets. The most productive of these are considered to be the methods of astrometric measurements and passages /transits/. The first method involves attempts to register the periodic displacement of stars on the celestial sphere under the influence of planets orbiting them, and the second uses the effect of weakening the visible brightness of a star when an exoplanet passes in front of it.
However, the limitations of these two methods are obvious. They make it extremely difficult to detect Earth-sized exoplanets due to their relatively small size and the great distance from the stars they orbit.
Sun Leilei, a researcher at the Yunnan Observatory, said the exoplanet was found using the Transit Timing Variation (TTV) method.
The TTV method is based on determining the start time of a known exoplanet’s transit and deducing whether its transit occurs with strict periodicity or whether there are some deviations. In other words, the researchers managed to “indirectly” prove the existence of a previously unknown celestial body in the Kepler-725 planetary system.
Thus, astronomers have discovered for the first time an exoplanet located in the habitable zone. The results of their research were published in the prestigious international scientific journal Nature Astronomy on June 3.
The question of the existence of life on the discovered exoplanet remains open. -0-
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The story of Patrik Bachstatter, 33, a Swede and one of the 379,000 foreigners permanently residing in Yunnan Province, is typical. He and his wife met in the Philippines. Since 2018, the family has lived in Shenyang, Sanya, Qingdao and other cities before finally finding their “home” in its full sense in Dali, Yunnan. “Although it’s not a big city, it has perfect infrastructure and a lifestyle close to nature,” the head of the family said. The clean air, mountainous surroundings and close-knit community in Dali have given him a strong sense of belonging, especially when considering his children’s education.
Bachstatter on an organic farm in Yunnan Province (Source: video screenshot)
Nowadays, Bachstatter mainly works in organic farming. He was attracted by the agricultural eco-community of Dali and began growing organic vegetables in villages in Midu and Eryuan counties, implementing sustainable technologies based on soil health and biodiversity. Although rural life has not turned out to be as idyllically carefree as he imagined, the connection with the land and the farmers has become most valuable to him: “The local farmers have not studied organic farming systematically, but they have a deep emotional connection with the land. I absorb a lot from their experience based on tradition.”
Every week, Bachstatter takes his little daughter out into the fields to get to know different plants and to understand the value of healthy eating and environmental protection. “In an era of rapid technological development, it is especially important to develop independent thinking and creativity in children,” says the caring “stay-at-home dad.” He now plans to expand the scale of agriculture, research hydroponic technologies and agroecology, and dreams of creating a network of organic farms.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
As tours to China become more accessible and attractive, traveling and shopping in this country is becoming a new trend among foreign tourists. The practical advice – “When going to China, be sure to take an empty suitcase!” – has recently caused a heated discussion on foreign social networks. From “traveling around China” to “shopping in China”: the emotions of traveling and sweeping goods off the shelves make foreign guests unanimously exclaim: “Super!”
Simon and Mary, who came from Australia, are very interested in tech products, so they made Huaqiangbei (Shenzhen) the last stop of their trip. Very soon, they had a rich “catch”: phone accessories, fans, headphones and portable chargers filled two huge bags. In the guidebooks that foreign tourists share with each other, Huaqiangbei, a paradise of high technology and a place where you can haggle to your heart’s content, is gradually becoming a must-see, popular attraction.
After choosing the goods on the upper floors, you can go down and immediately arrange delivery. Huaqiangbei has all kinds of services: currency exchange, international logistics, tax refund on purchased goods, which is equivalent to a 10% discount. According to the seller of the Chinese-made drone store, they currently sell about 50 drones a week, half of which are purchased by foreign tourists. Data from the tax refund agency also shows that sales of Chinese smartphones and drones are in the lead, accounting for 38% of all tax refund requests.
Andy volunteers in Huaqiangbei. He believes that the current shopping boom among foreign tourists in Huaqiangbei is not only due to the low prices: “The range of goods here is truly amazing. There is a huge choice, for every budget. “Variety” is the word I would use to describe it. It’s really great!”
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
In Wuchuan County, Guizhou Province, intercropping of flowers and medicinal plants injects vitality into rural revival
In early summer, in Dazhu Village, Huangdu Town, Wuchuan Autonomous County, Zunyi City, Guizhou Province, golden qili (Roxburgh rose) flowers bloom everywhere on the mountain slopes and fields, like a golden ocean covering the foothills and creating a vibrant rural idyll.
In order to improve land use efficiency and increase local income, a new model of intercropping of cili and medicinal plant peicedanum was developed.
Golden cili is rich in vitamin C and other nutrients, and has high nutritional and medicinal value. Its fruits are processed into fruit juices, candied fruits and dietary supplements after ripening, which opens up broad market prospects for it. Peicedanum, being a widely used medicinal raw material, enjoys stable demand in the market.
In recent years, Huangdu Township has actively adjusted its agricultural structure and developed unique crop production industries in line with local conditions. The intercropping model of these two crops in Dazhu Village has become a vivid practical example of developing local production diversification, injecting new vitality into rural revival and paving the way for local residents to prosper through unique industries.
MANILA, Philippines — Elements of I and III Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) concluded Exercise KAMANDAG 9 June 6, 2025, capping weeks of multilateral training across the Philippine archipelago, advancing air, maritime, and littoral capabilities and reaffirming the shared vision of peace and prosperity among the United States, the Philippines, Japan, Republic of Korea, United Kingdom, Australia, France, and Thailand.
Colchester County District RCMP is asking for the public’s help in locating 16-year-old Hannah Lee Priest, who was last seen on June 6 at approximately 6 p.m. in Truro.
Priest is described as 5-foot-9, approximately 110 pounds. She has brown hair and blue eyes. Priest was last seen wearing a T-shirt, red zip up sweater and grey Roots sweatpants.
When someone goes missing, it has deep and far-reaching impacts for the person and those who know them. We ask that people spread the word respectfully.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Priest is asked to contact Colchester District RCMP at 902-893-6820. Should you wish to remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips App
Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)
“This Big, Beautiful Bill that includes No Tax on Overtime is critically important for not just our officers, not just our retirees, but those family members that are critically dependent upon that income as well.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Three more Asian teams have punched their tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup following the latest round of qualifiers, with Uzbekistan and Jordan set to make their tournament debuts and South Korea extending its streak to 11 consecutive appearances. China, by contrast, was eliminated with one match remaining.
Uzbekistan secured its place with a goalless draw against the United Arab Emirates in Group A. The result was enough for the central Asian side – who featured Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov and Roma forward Eldor Shomurodov – to become the fifth team to reach the tournament through the qualifying pathway, joining Japan, New Zealand, Iran and Argentina.
Qatar, the 2022 World Cup host, edged 10-man Iran 1-0 in the same group. Both Qatar and the UAE will advance to the playoffs, where two more World Cup spots will be contested.
In Group B, Jordan made history by qualifying for its first-ever World Cup following a 3-0 win over Oman. South Korea, already a regular presence on the world stage, sealed a 2-0 away victory against Iraq to maintain its perfect run since 1986. Iraq will join the playoffs, while the final playoff place from the group will be decided between Oman and Palestine, who face each other in the final round.
China’s slim hopes were dashed in Group C after a 1-0 defeat to Indonesia in Jakarta. Ole Romeny converted a penalty just before halftime to secure the win and send Indonesia to the playoff round, while China was left to reflect on another failed campaign.
Bahrain also exited contention following a 2-0 loss to Saudi Arabia. In Perth, Australia claimed a 1-0 victory over Japan, positioning itself strongly to secure a direct berth from the group. The Socceroos lead Saudi Arabia by three points and have a +8 goal difference advantage heading into the final round.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Chinese shuttlers delivered convincing performances on Friday, advancing to the semifinals in four events at the 2025 Indonesia Open badminton tournament held at Istora Senayan stadium.
Mixed doubles pair Cheng Xing and Zhang Chi outclassed Japan’s Midorikawa Hiroki and Saito Natsu 21-19, 21-13, setting up a semifinal clash with France’s Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue.
In the women’s doubles, Li Yijing and Luo Xumin defeated Japan’s Fukushima Yuki and Matsumoto Mayu 21-9, 21-19 to book a semifinal against Malaysia’s Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan.
Their compatriots Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning also advanced, beating South Korea’s Kim Hye-jeong and Kong Hee-yong 21-18, 21-10 in 45 minutes. They will face another South Korean duo, Baek Hana and Lee Sohee, in the semifinals.
In the women’s singles, Wang Zhiyi will face compatriot Han Yue in the semifinals after edging Gao Fangjie 21-18, 23-21 in an all-Chinese quarterfinal.
In the men’s singles, world No. 1 Shi Yuqi cruised past fellow Chinese player Wang Zhengxing 21-13, 21-6 to earn a place in the final, where he will take on Denmark’s Anders Antonsen.
The 2025 Indonesia Open will conclude on Sunday, with a total prize pool of 1.45 million U.S. dollars.
The search for missing woman 79-year-old Elisabeth has resumed today in Christchurch, after poor weather conditions paused search activity yesterday.
Police Search and Rescue, along with volunteers from Land Search and Rescue, are out operating in the Fendalton and Riccarton areas.
Residents may notice an increased Police presence, and we thank you for your patience and understanding.
Elisabeth’s loved ones are feeling increasingly concerned for her, and Police are still urging anyone with any information, no matter how small, to come forward.
We are also asking anyone in the area who has not yet checked any outbuildings for Elisabeth or unusual signs of disturbance to please do so.
If you have seen Elisabeth or have any information about where she could be, please call 105 and quote reference number 250604/5465.
Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) introduced legislation to strengthen the domestic supply chain for rare earth magnets, which are critical components of cell phones, computers, defense systems, and vehicles, but are almost exclusively made in China.
Over 15% of the world’s rare earth minerals are mined and processed at the Mountain Pass 15 miles outside Primm, Nevada, which employs approximately 600 Nevadans. However, China controls 90% of the world’s manufacturing of these materials into magnets, which are critical to national defense and the U.S. economy. Cortez Masto’s legislation will help build the U.S. supply chain for these minerals by creating a tax credit for companies processing these rare earth oxides and manufacturing the magnets necessary to power American technology.
“If we want to combat the influence of the Chinese Communist Party and strengthen our national security, we need to stop relying on China to power our defense and energy systems,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This bipartisan bill will create American jobs and help fill critical gaps in our domestic supply chain.”
“Mineral security is national security. The days of fully relying on adversaries for critical resources are over,” said Senator Mullin. “Rare earth magnets, such as Neodymium (NdFeB), are essential for countless applications including missile guidance, fighter aircraft, computer hard drives, audio equipment, MRI devices, and other economically critical technology. That is why bolstering our domestic rare earth magnet manufacturing capability is key to defending our nation and ensuring we have a strong economy. I’m proud to lead in this effort, alongside my colleagues, to strengthen our supply.”
The Rare Earth MagnetSecurity Act would provide a $20 per kilogram production tax credit for high performance magnets that are manufactured in the U.S. and increase the credit to $30 per kilogram for magnets manufactured in the U.S. whose components are produced, recycled, or reclaimed domestically. Companion legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressmen Guy Reschenthaler (R-Penn.-14) and Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.-15) was included in last year’s House Select Committee on China’s report on how to counter the influence of the Chinese Communist Party.
The full text of the legislation can be found here.
Senator Cortez Masto has led efforts in Congress to support Nevada’s critical mineral and mining industries, supporting tens of thousands of local jobs and paving the way for Nevada to power the clean energy economy. She has consistently blocked burdensome taxes on mining and wrote important provisions of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to bolster Nevada’s critical mineral supply chain and fund battery recycling and manufacturing programs in the state.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Chinese FM to attend FOCAC ministerial meeting of coordinators, 4th China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo
BEIJING, June 6 — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will attend the Ministerial Meeting of Coordinators on the Implementation of the Follow-up Actions of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, from June 10 to 12, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson announced on Friday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, will also attend the opening ceremony of the Fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, also to be held in Changsha, said the spokesperson.
When answering a related query at a regular press briefing, spokesperson Lin Jian said Wang Yi and representatives from the 54 African members of the FOCAC will attend the events.
The FOCAC Beijing Summit was successfully held in September last year. Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the summit and delivered a keynote speech. China and Africa reached extensive common understandings on joining hands to advance modernization and building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.
The China-Africa relationship has been at its best in history, Lin noted.
He added that following the summit, the two sides have been working closely together to actively implement the common understandings reached by the leaders and the outcomes of the summit, and have made important progress and achieved many early harvests.
He said that China will enhance coordination with African countries with a focus on implementing the six proposals and 10 partnership initiatives put forward by President Xi for jointly advancing modernization, so that people in China and Africa will benefit more from the outcomes of the FOCAC summit.
The two sides will work together to create more great stories about the high-quality development of China-Africa cooperation and send a strong message of solidarity and collaboration among members of the Global South, Lin said.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, June 6 — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone call on Friday with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, held a phone call recently, reaching important consensus on strengthening strategic coordination between the two countries.
Both sides should make preparations for the exchanges at all levels in the next stage, and China welcomes senior French representatives to the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai in 2025.
Noting that the two sides have reached consensus on resolving economic and trade issues through dialogue and consultation, Wang stressed the need to enhance people-to-people, cultural and educational exchanges between the two countries, so as to promote the sound development of the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership and China-EU relations.
Wang said that China and France, both upholding a tradition of independence and autonomy, should enhance strategic mutual trust and respect each other’s core interests.
He stressed the Taiwan question is an internal affair of China concerning the country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity, which is fundamentally different from the Ukraine issue. China attaches great importance to France’s commitment to the one-China policy, he said, adding that China believes France will turn this commitment into practice.
Wang expressed China’s hope that France will uphold the right position and oppose NATO’s interference in Asia-Pacific affairs, emphasizing that the two countries should jointly uphold multilateralism and safeguard free trade, while opposing unilateral bullying practices.
For his part, Barrot said Chinese Vice President Han Zheng is welcome to attend the UN Ocean Conference in France, noting that France-China relations are growing more important for today’s world in increasing uncertainty.
France always regards China as a friend and partner, firmly adheres to the one-China policy, and looks forward to maintaining high-level exchanges and close strategic communication with China, he said.
Strengthening people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two sides will send a strong signal of opening up, which is of great significance at present, Barrot said, adding that France opposes trade wars and tariff wars, and is willing to continue to properly resolve economic and trade frictions through consultation.
The two sides also exchanged views on issues concerning Ukraine, Palestine and Israel, as well as Iran’s nuclear program.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China launched a 100-day sprint for employment campaign, calling on universities and local authorities to seize the final stretch to boost employment for the class of 2025 before students graduate, according to a circular released by the Ministry of Education on Friday.
The campaign urges universities to create more market-oriented job opportunities and encourages institutions to promote employment support measures including job expansion subsidies and job-seeking allowances.
University presidents are urged to increase their participation in the job expansion campaign, especially focusing on disciplines with low job placement rates.
The notice stipulated that the leadership of universities are supposed to visit at least 100 companies and secure 100 job opportunities, while faculty leadership teams at the college and departmental levels are expected to visit an average of 10 enterprises each, including alumni-run companies and firms within relevant industries.
Public employment services will be introduced on campuses, with assistance for universities to partner with local human resources departments to set up employment service stations. Industry associations and chambers of commerce are also encouraged to mobilize enterprise job resources, sharing job listings more widely.
The ministry emphasized speeding up the recruitment for government-supported positions, including programs for kindergarten and K-12 teachers, civil servants and State-owned enterprises, seeking to complete all recruitment by the end of August.
Ongoing grassroots service initiatives such as the rural doctor project and the special post teacher program, a special recruitment program implemented to address the shortage of teachers in rural areas in central and western China, will be reinforced, while community jobs specifically for college graduates will also be increased.
Regular universities and vocational schools will be supported to develop job positions such as administrative assistants and teaching assistants, in a bid to strengthen campus services while absorbing more university graduates into the workforce.
Guidance for students will be strengthened through vocational training. The employment partnership between 100 universities and 100 counties will focus on identifying high-quality job opportunities in top-performing counties.
Universities are urged to accelerate the development of micro-credential programs aligned with 60 key development areas across 12 urgently needed and high-demand industrial sectors, including artificial intelligence and the low-altitude economy.
Institutions are required to swiftly launch and begin offering these targeted programs, aiming to help graduates from fields with limited market demand acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to enhance their employment competitiveness, the circular said.
Colleges will establish records for graduates facing difficulties, offering continuous support for those who remain unemployed after leaving school.
Employment safety education will also be reinforced, and a crackdown on illegal and irregular employment practices in the human resources market will be carried out, the ministry said.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced on Friday that, as of the morning of June 6, the Tianwen-2 probe has been in orbit for more than eight days and is now over 3 million kilometers from Earth, with all systems functioning normally. To meet the power demands of its mission to a main-belt comet located about 375 million kilometers from the sun, the probe is equipped with circular, flexible solar wings. An image showing their successful deployment has been released. Launched on May 29 from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Tianwen-2 is designed to explore and collect samples from asteroid 2016 HO3 and return them to Earth, before continuing on to conduct scientific exploration of the main-belt comet 311P.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Chinese animated blockbuster “Ne Zha 2” premiered in the Hungarian capital of Budapest on Thursday night as part of the “Imazsia Chinese film week 2025.” The screening, presented in Mandarin with English subtitles, sold out within hours of the box office opening.
“The fact that all tickets for today’s screening sold out in less than three hours shows that the success of Chinese cinema extends far beyond China’s borders and is generating increasing international interest,” said Victoria Varadi, chief organizer of the film week.
“It is a great honor for us that this cinematic sensation could be brought to Hungary for the first time through the Imazsia Chinese Film Week,” she added.
Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to Hungary Gong Tao spoke about the development of cultural ties within bilateral cooperation, saying that he expects the two sides “will continue to deepen cooperation in the field of film.”
Members of the audience at the premiere expressed their appreciation for the movie.
Anna Matus, a 22-year-old medical student from Szeged, attended with her brother. “I really, really liked the film. I loved the visuals, the characters, the plot twists — everything, really,” she told Xinhua after the screening.
“As for my favorite character, I think it’s the main character,” she said. “I really enjoyed his development throughout the film.”
Orsolya Racz, a 24-year-old student of the Chinese language, highlighted the animation’s appeal to audiences familiar with animated films. “The film was really great. I watch a lot of animated films myself, so I really loved the animation and the drawing style — how they brought out the elements in the film and the fight scenes, that was all very impressive to me.”
Chris, a German engineering student currently based in Budapest, also praised the film, saying, “It was really, really interesting to see another culture.”
Rooted in 16th-century Chinese mythology with a bold reinterpretation, “Ne Zha 2” was crafted over five years by a team of 4,000 animators and has since become the world’s highest-grossing animated film.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The Trump administration has closed a controversial program that used undercover U.S. air marshals on flights to surveil passengers, and removed a government official who took responsibility for putting Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard in it.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem called for an investigation into the program as she announced its closure on Thursday. DHS said the program cost taxpayers 200 million U.S. dollars a year and “failed to stop a single terrorist attack.”
In a recent meeting, administration officials confronted leadership at the Transportation Security Administration over what they said was politically motivated use of the Quiet Skies program under the Biden administration, reported The Wall Street Journal on Friday about the move.
“The clash over Quiet Skies, a program that has long been a cause for concern for civil liberties advocates, is the latest example of the Trump administration accusing career officials of political weaponization,” it noted.
The program was launched in 2010, and its existence was first uncovered by the Boston Globe in 2018. Undercover U.S. air marshals travel on flights with individuals included in the program.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
A flight carrying 192 Venezuelan migrants deported from the United States arrived Friday at the Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, which serves the capital Caracas area, the Ministry of Interior, Justice and Peace reported.
According to a press release, the flight, operated by a U.S.-registered aircraft, carried 156 men, 26 women, and 10 minors.
The returned migrants were attended to under established medical, legal, and social protocols.
Since February, Venezuela has been receiving two to three flights per week of individuals deported by U.S. authorities, including those relocated from Mexico and Honduras.
So far in 2025, a total of 5,475 deported migrants have been processed under the government’s Plan Vuelta a la Patria, designed to facilitate their return, official figures indicate.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.4 struck northern Chile on Friday, causing power outages in several areas but no immediate reports of casualties, local authorities said.
According to the National Seismological Center of the University of Chile, the quake occurred at 1:15 p.m. local time (1715 GMT), 54 kilometers south of Diego de Almagro in the northern region of Atacama, about 950 kilometers north of Santiago.
The earthquake struck at a depth of 65 kilometers and was felt in nearby towns.
Local media reported electricity outages in affected areas, and officials said a more detailed assessment would be released later in the day.
Chile’s Navy Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service ruled out any tsunami risk.
The National Disaster Prevention and Response System is continuing to assess potential damage to people, infrastructure, and essential services.
Located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, Chile is one of the most seismically active countries in the world.