Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
This photo taken on July 2, 2025 shows a sign of the 2025 Global Digital Economy Conference in Beijing, capital of China. With the theme “Building a Digital-Friendly City”, the 2025 Global Digital Economy Conference opened here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin)
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) — China’s first batch of green methanol made from municipal waste was loaded onto a conventional diesel ship at Yangpu Port in south China’s island province of Hainan on Wednesday, marking a milestone in the domestic green shipping industry.
“Green” methanol is produced by China BlueChemical Ltd. /China BlueChem/, a company of China National Offshore Oil Corporation /CNOOC/. It is produced using biogas obtained from the fermentation of municipal kitchen waste, animal manure and other waste as a feedstock.
Using 200 tons of green methanol as fuel can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 325 tons, which is equivalent to the carbon sequestration effect of planting more than 19,000 trees.
This successful green methanol refuelling marks an important step in China’s shipping industry’s transition from traditional to green energy, said Wu Hongsheng, head of China BlueChem’s green methanol working group. -0-
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) — China on Wednesday called on the United States to immediately lift sanctions on Cuba and remove it from the list of “state sponsors of terrorism.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning made the statement at a regular press conference when she was asked to comment on US President Donald Trump’s signing on Monday of a memorandum on toughening US policy toward Cuba.
Mao Ning noted that over the past 60-plus years, the United States has imposed a brutal blockade and illegal sanctions against Cuba, seriously violating Cuba’s right to existence and development, violating the basic norms governing international relations, and causing grave hardships to the Cuban people.
China firmly supports Cuba in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions and opposes the US unilateral sanctions under the guise of so-called freedom and democracy, Mao Ning said.
The lifting of sanctions against Cuba and its removal from the list of “state sponsors of terrorism” is also a common call of the international community, she added. -0-
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
URUMQI, July 2 (Xinhua) — Famous dance troupes from eight countries including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Cambodia, the United States and Italy have been invited to participate in an international dance festival scheduled to be held from July 20 to Aug. 5 this year in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the regional Culture and Tourism Department said at a press conference Wednesday.
During the upcoming Xinjiang International National Dance Festival, domestic and foreign performers will present 52 exciting performances to the public, covering various art forms such as dance drama, musical, ballet and modern dance, said Yu Jie, deputy director of the aforementioned department.
The performances will be shown in seven regions of Xinjiang, with Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, serving as the main venue for the event.
The Xinjiang International Folk Dance Festival, first held in 2008, will be held for the seventh time. Previous events have brought together a total of 138 dance and choreography troupes from more than 70 countries and regions, witnessing increasingly active exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, Yu Jie summed up. -0-
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) — The 2nd Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) TV Festival will be held in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, from July 15 to 17. As is known at the moment, more than 20 SCO member states, observer countries and dialogue partners will take part in it.
According to the Shaanxi Daily newspaper, a joint declaration of the 2025 SCO television festival will be released during the event.
Recently, a meeting was held in Shaanxi Province to prepare for this event, during which the plan for holding the 2nd SCO Television Festival was reviewed and approved.
Sun Daguang, head of the propaganda department of the CPC Committee of Shaanxi Province, noted that holding this festival will create a favorable atmosphere for the upcoming SCO summit.
The festival will be organized by the State Radio and Television Administration of the People’s Republic of China, the People’s Government of Shaanxi Province and the SCO Secretariat. -0-
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
TEHRAN, July 2 (Xinhua) — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has signed a law suspending the country’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Tasnim news agency reported on Wednesday.
According to Hadi Tahan Nazif, a spokesman for Iran’s Guardian Council, the law provides for the suspension of cooperation with the IAEA until the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of Iran’s nuclear facilities and nuclear scientists are fully guaranteed.
M. Pezeshkian signed the corresponding law on Tuesday, which was then sent to the Atomic Energy Organization, the Iranian Foreign Ministry and the country’s Supreme National Security Council, the report said.
On June 25, the Iranian parliament approved the bill, and on June 26, the Guardian Council approved it. According to a representative of the council, the law was adopted in connection with “the violation of Iran’s national sovereignty by the United States and Israel and their attacks on the country’s territorial integrity, as well as on peaceful nuclear facilities.” –0–
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) — The service life of a standard photovoltaic cable is usually 15 years. However, in western China’s Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, such a cable lasted only eight years due to harsh weather conditions such as sudden temperature changes and intense ultraviolet radiation.
The question of how to extend the service life of photovoltaic cables under such conditions was pressing. Ounaite Cable Group Co., Ltd., a private cable manufacturer in Qinghai Province, Northwest China, developed its own solutions in the form of soybean and rapeseed oils, which are considered useful in changing the properties of cables.
The company decided to use a plasticizer derived from soybean and rapeseed oil in the production process of photovoltaic cables, which allowed them to be more flexible. It also used nanocoatings to increase the service life of the cable jackets.
Thanks to years of innovative efforts, the company’s photovoltaic cables remain flexible at temperatures down to minus 40 degrees Celsius, and also withstand corrosion and intense ultraviolet radiation in high-altitude conditions.
To date, Ounaite Cable has obtained more than 130 patents in this field, including 15 patents with independent property rights. With about 10% of the domestic market share in the photovoltaic power transmission and engineering systems sector, the company has also successfully entered the global market.
“Strengthening independent innovation is the key to our transition from a follower to a leader,” said Yang Zhentao, chairman of Ounaite Cable, noting that the company’s annual output of photovoltaic cables currently reaches 120,000 km – enough to circle the Earth three times.
The company continued to expand steadily in 2025, with orders up 45 percent year-on-year in the first five months, Yang Zhentao said, adding that the company aims to reach 20 billion yuan (about $2.8 billion) in production volume by next year, as construction on a new 100 million yuan investment project began in June.
Ounaite Cable’s rise from a micro-firm to a national high-tech enterprise and a member of China’s “little giants” is not an isolated case. “Little giants” are the elite of small and medium-sized enterprises that specialize in a specific market niche, possess advanced technology, and demonstrate great potential.
Hainan Huayan Collagen Technology Co., Ltd., another national high-tech enterprise located in Hainan Province, South China, has successfully developed a new product from fish collagen peptide, filling the gap in the global market of cyclic dipeptides derived from fish.
According to Zhao Zifang, head of the company’s research and development center, this result was achieved after the research team spent more than two years conducting nearly 3,000 experiments.
The company has put into operation two production lines, resulting in an annual output of 4,500 tons of fish collagen peptides, and these products are exported to more than 50 countries and regions.
The rise of innovation-driven private companies is injecting new vitality into China’s economy.
According to official data from the State Administration for Market Regulation, by the end of March 2025, the number of private enterprises in China exceeded 57 million, accounting for 92.3 percent of all enterprises nationwide.
In the first quarter of this year, 1.979 million private firms were created, which is 7.1 percent more year-on-year and exceeds the average growth recorded over the past three years.
This rapid expansion of the private sector has been made possible by the Chinese authorities’ increased efforts to support private companies in recent years.
In the latest move to boost scientific research and industrial innovation, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NNSF) on Monday launched the Joint Fund for Innovation and Development of Private Enterprises, aimed at allowing private companies to formally participate in national basic research.
Under the fund, private enterprises will identify critical research challenges based on their specific innovation needs, and the joint fund will sponsor leading researchers across the country to address those challenges.
Analysts say the approach, designed to promote deep integration of technological and industrial innovation, is expected to boost innovation in the private sector and give new impetus to China’s innovation-driven development strategy. -0-
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
PALM BEACH, Fla., July 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – The integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) in agriculture will increasingly involve a sophisticated interplay of robots, drones, remote sensors, and computer imaging. A report from MarketsAndMarkets said: “The overall drones as a service market will reach $179.3 billion by 2030. Surveillance and monitoring will be the largest revenue opportunity through 2030 High potential industry verticals include construction, insurance, aerospace and real estate Surveillance and mapping remain largest opportunities with maintenance and inspection rapidly gaining ground as high ROI solutions and Developing countries are fastest growing for many solutions due largely to substantial cost avoidance for expensive professional services.” It continued: “The fundamental principle underpinning cloud computing is the decentralization of computational resources. It posits that the physical infrastructure required for processing data and running applications no longer necessitates a local presence within a customer’s own facilities. Furthermore, the precise geographical location of these computing resources becomes largely immaterial to the end-user. Imagine, if you will, computational power existing almost ubiquitously, like a utility that can be tapped into whenever and wherever the need arises. This abstract notion of computing residing “in the ether” highlights the on-demand and location-independent nature of the cloud.” Active Companies in the markets today include ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), Deere & Company (NYSE: DE), EHang Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: EH), AGCO Corporation (NYSE: AGCO), AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE: UAVS).
MarketsAndMarkets added: “This shift in paradigm has yielded significant advantages. Firstly, it has dramatically improved the utilization of computing assets. Instead of individual organizations maintaining underutilized servers and infrastructure, cloud providers can aggregate demand from numerous customers, leading to far greater efficiency. The evolution of cloud computing has fostered the “as a service” delivery model. This framework provides computational capabilities – be it processing power, storage, or specialized software – as a service that can be accessed over a network, typically the internet. This “as a service” approach has proven to be an exceptionally adaptable and scalable method for organizations to introduce and expand their computational capabilities without the upfront investment and management overhead associated with traditional IT infrastructure. This transformative “as a service” paradigm is now profoundly impacting the field of robotics. It is paving the way for “automation as a service”, where robotic capabilities are offered as a readily available service rather than requiring the outright purchase and maintenance of physical robots. This shift unlocks new possibilities for businesses that may have previously found robotics cost-prohibitive or lacked the in-house expertise to deploy and manage them effectively.”
ZenaTech (NASDAQ:ZENA) Expands Drone as a Service (DaaS) to California with Offer to Acquire an Engineering and Surveying Firm, Tapping into Precision Agriculture and Viticulture Market – ZenaTech, Inc. (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) (“ZenaTech”), a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drone, Drone as a Service (DaaS), and enterprise SaaS, has signed an offer to acquire a California-based civil engineering and land surveying firm with a well established history of operations. This marks ZenaTech’s first proposed transaction in the US West Coast or Southwest region, creating a strategic entry point into California ─ a high-value market for drone-based precision agriculture due to a massive agriculture economy, crop diversity, labor and water challenges, and an openness to innovation.
With a commercial, construction and sustainability solution customer base and a deep regional presence, the proposed acquisition positions ZenaTech to scale its Drone as a Service or DaaS survey operations. It also provides significant opportunity to expand into California’s wine and agriculture sectors using advanced drone capabilities including aerial imaging, precision spraying, irrigation analytics, and wildfire detection and monitoring in high-risk areas.
“This proposed acquisition is more than just our first Southwest region location — it’s a strategic foothold into a high-value, high-growth state for precision agriculture,” said Shaun Passley, Ph.D., CEO of ZenaTech. “The firm is a natural fit to help execute our growth strategy for crop health monitoring and precision spraying to serve viticulture, large estates, and commercial farming operations across California.”
With the global agricultural drone market projected to reach USD 10.3 billion by 2030, driven by rising demand for precision technologies in farming, California stands out as a key growth region as well as being home to nearly 90% of all US vineyard acreage. Considering California’s mounting climate and agricultural challenges, ZenaTech’s AI-powered autonomous drone solutions offer timely, scalable innovation that serves the needs of commercial enterprises, cooperatives, agriculture consultants, and public sector stakeholders.
ZenaTech’s Drone as a Service (DaaS) business model offers both business and government customers reduced costs and convenience to utilize drones to streamline legacy processes and manual tasks such as inspections, surveying, maintenance, precision agriculture and inventory management ─ there is no need to purchase drone hardware and software, find a drone pilot, manage maintenance and operation, or acquire regulatory approvals. The model also offers scalability to use more often or less often based on business needs and utilizes ZenaDrone’s multifunction AI autonomous drones.
The company has closed six acquisitions across the US to date as part of its DaaS business model and strategy and has announced it plans to complete approximately 20 more in the next 12 months. Continued… Read this full release by visiting: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-zena/
Other recent developments in the markets include:
Deere & Company (NYSE: DE) recently announced it has purchased Sentera, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based agriculture startup that uses smart imagery technology to monitor crop health via drone cameras.
The acquisition, announced May 23, allows the John Deere tractor maker to integrate Sentera’s technologies into its digital farm management system to help farmers make more data-backed decisions. Drones equipped with Sentera’s cameras can fly over fields at high speeds and take high-resolution images that are then processed to generate digital maps that locate harmful weeds and pests, assess crop health and identify any disease pressures, according to Deere.
EHang Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: EH), the world’s leading urban air mobility (“UAM”) technology platform company, recently announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with Reignwood Aviation Group. Leveraging their respective strengths, the two parties will collaborate under China’s national strategy for developing the low-altitude economy, guided by the principles of technology empowerment, scenario-driven innovation, and global expansion. Together, they aim to set a global standard for integrating traditional general aviation with next-generation electric vertical take-off and landing (“eVTOL”) aircraft.
According to the agreement, Reignwood Aviation Group plans to deploy eVTOLs at scale, prioritizing at its operational hubs in key cultural and tourism destinations. The partnership will begin with consumer-facing applications such as low-altitude tourism and related ground services. Over time, the cooperation will further expand to UAM field to build a three-dimensional urban transportation network. In the long term, the two parties aim to expand to more scenarios and low-altitude services including passenger transportation, aerial logistics, emergency response, etc.
AGCO Corporation (NYSE: AGCO), a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision ag technology, recently announced it has entered into a set of agreements with Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited (“TAFE”). The agreements resolve all outstanding disputes and other matters related to the commercial relationship between AGCO and TAFE as well as TAFE’s shareholding in AGCO, ownership and use of the Massey Ferguson brand in India and certain other countries, and other key governance issues between the parties.
The agreements will become effective upon the completion by AGCO and TAFE of certain governmental and other processes in India relating to the repurchase of the shares held by AGCO in TAFE.
AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE: UAVS), a leading provider of advanced drone and aerial imaging solutions, recently announced the sale of two additional eBee X drones to South Korea, expanding the country’s installed base of AgEagle’s eBee drones to more than 100 units. This milestone strengthens AgEagle’s strategic partnership with South Korea and reinforces its position as a leader in the Asia-Pacific drone market.
The eBee X, AgEagle’s flagship fixed-wing mapping drone, is engineered for high-precision geospatial data collection and is ideally suited for applications including surveying, mapping, and photogrammetry. This latest sale builds on a well-established fleet, further strengthening AgEagle’s reputation as a trusted provider of cutting-edge unmanned aerial systems.AgEagle CEO Bill Irby commented, “Achieving our 100th eBee drone sale in South Korea represents a key growth milestone. It reflects the growing global demand for our advanced aerial solutions and validates the strength of our platform across a range of industries and geographies. As adoption accelerates in international markets like South Korea, we remain focused on scaling operations, deepening customer relationships, and delivering high-performance drone systems that meet evolving mission needs. This progress directly supports our commitment to building sustainable value for all our stakeholders.”
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African Energy Week (AEW) 2025: Invest in African Energies welcomes Natangwe Paulus Ithete, Namibia’s newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industrialization, Mines and Energy, as a featured speaker at this year’s edition, taking place from September 29 to October 3 in Cape Town. Minister Ithete’s confirmation comes at a defining moment for Namibia’s energy sector, as the country accelerates large-scale investments in hydrocarbons, renewables and industrial infrastructure.
Appointed in March 2025 as part of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s new administration, Minister Ithete steps into his role amid a surge of high-impact activity across Namibia’s energy landscape. The country has captured international attention following a string of offshore oil discoveries by Shell, TotalEnergies and Galp, positioning Namibia as one of the world’s most promising new petroleum frontiers. Since Minister Ithete took office, momentum has only accelerated: TotalEnergies is expected to submit a development plan for its giant Venus discovery by July 2025, targeting a final investment decision next year for what could become Namibia’s first major offshore oil development. Galp confirmed a significant light oil find at its Mopane-3X well in February, while Rhino Resources struck oil at the Capricornus-1X well in April. Chevron is advancing plans to drill a new exploration well in the Walvis Basin, and Namibia is expanding licensing opportunities through its open-door system introduced last year. These developments are backed by government efforts to streamline fiscal terms, de-risk investment and solidify Namibia’s position as one of the most dynamic and closely watched frontiers in global oil and gas.
In parallel, the government has reaffirmed its commitment to scaling up renewable energy and positioning Namibia as a green hydrogen hub for the region. The $10-billion Hyphen Hydrogen Energy project, which aims to produce green ammonia for export from the Tsau //Khaeb National Park, is progressing steadily, backed by international partners including the EU and Germany. Namibia’s renewables strategy has also attracted global developers to solar and wind projects across the country, contributing to regional energy security and industrial expansion.
Minister Ithete has moved swiftly to align policy with these opportunities. In his first few months in office, he outlined the government’s intention to streamline regulatory processes, accelerate infrastructure development and strengthen fiscal and legal frameworks for investment. Speaking at the Namibia International Energy Conference in April, he emphasized the importance of building an enabling environment for energy companies, while ensuring that Namibians benefit meaningfully from the country’s natural resource wealth.
These priorities are reinforced by Namibia’s broader industrialization agenda. In May, Minister Ithete introduced a NAD 637.5 million budget to support industrial growth and renewable energy expansion. The funding targets the development of value-added industries, energy infrastructure and technical capacity across key sectors, forming part of a longer-term strategy to move beyond resource extraction and into domestic processing and export-led industrialization.
“Namibia’s transformation from a frontier market to a serious energy and industrial contender has been nothing short of remarkable,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “The appointment of Minister Natangwe Ithete reflects a strong political commitment to getting the fundamentals right – from regulatory clarity to infrastructure and local content. His leadership brings new energy to Namibia’s vision for growth, and we look forward to welcoming him at AEW 2025.”
With a growing number of bilateral and commercial partnerships underway – including recent cooperation talks with China on energy and industrial development – Namibia is rapidly emerging as one of Africa’s most dynamic energy investment destinations. The country is pursuing a holistic approach that leverages its oil and gas potential, renewable resources and strategic geographic location to become a regional supply hub and industrial center.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
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AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.
Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre
A new analysis by UNESCO and World Resources Institute (WRI) reveals that 73% of World Heritage sites are highly exposed to water-related hazards, such as drought, water stress, or riverine and coastal flooding. Strengthening water stewardship is essential to protect these sites and the communities and ecosystems they sustain.
Water-related hazards—including floods, droughts, and storms—have accounted for over 90% of the world’s major disasters since 1970, resulting in more than 2 million deaths and economic losses exceeding USD 3.6 trillion, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). World Heritage sites have not been exempted from these hazards and face increasing threats to their natural and cultural values. These sites stand as powerful reminders of humanity’s enduring relationship with water. From awe-inspiring landscapes shaped over millennia to cultural landmarks forged through human ingenuity—such as ancient irrigation systems, historic canals, and modern engineering achievements—they reflect the cooperation with nature that has enabled societies to flourish across generations. Yet, while water is fundamental to their significance, it can also pose serious risks when its balance is disrupted, threatening the integrity of these irreplaceable places.
A new analysis by UNESCO and World Resources Institute (WRI) highlights the scale of these threats: 73% of World Heritage sites are highly exposed to at least one water-related hazard—such as drought, water stress, or riverine and coastal flooding—and 21% face multiple overlapping risks. Around the world, World Heritage sites are increasingly caught between the extremes of too much and too little water, with climate change, urbanization, river regulation, and upstream water withdrawals intensifying these pressures, especially in regions such as the Middle East, North Africa, parts of South Asia, and northern China.
“The Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas gives us critical data to track how water risks are evolving around the world. These insights are more urgent than ever, helping governments, site managers, and communities take targeted action — before floods, droughts, or water shortages cause irreversible damage to treasured places that serve as lifelines for both people and ecosystems,”
Approximately 600 World Heritage sites are highly exposed to water scarcity conditions — reflected in water stress or drought— making it the most widespread water-related risk, threatening nearly half of all properties. The vast majority (around 90%) of these exposed sites are cultural properties . While natural sites face a comparatively lower level of exposure, they are increasingly experiencing conditions that place growing stress on ecosystems and biodiversity. Sites such as the Ahwar of Southern Iraq and Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls (Zambia / Zimbabwe) have endured severe multi-year droughts since 2020. Drought also heightens the risk of wildfires, compounding the damage: in the Pantanal Conservation Area (Brazil) and Noel Kempff Mercado National Park (Bolivia), prolonged dry conditions have fueled intense fires with severe impacts on flora, fauna, and local communities.
Drought at Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls (Zambia / Zimbabwe) in 2019 / Source: Copernicus Browser
Severe flood risk, both riverine and coastal, affects approximately 400 World Heritage sites. Floods have already impacted both natural and cultural World Heritage properties, highlighting the urgent need for strengthened resilience. In 2020, Rwenzori Mountains National Park (Uganda) experienced significant climate-related flooding that that disrupted river systems, posing challenges for both local communities and wildlife. In 2022, major flooding led to the temporary closure of Yellowstone National Park (United States of America), with over $20 million required for infrastructure repairs before the park could reopen. More recently, in 2024, severe flooding in Kaziranga National Park (India) resulted in the loss of more than 200 animals, including 10 endangered rhinos, while Sagarmatha National Park (Nepal) has been affected by Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) linked to accelerating glacial retreat.
© ICIMOD
Cultural sites have also experienced serious impacts from flooding. The catastrophic floods that left nearly one-third of Pakistan submerged in 2022 caused significant damage to the Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro. Other ancient sites such as the Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam (Afghanistan), Angkor (Cambodia) and Petra (Jordan), have also been affected by flooding, with damage to their integrity. In parts of Africa, communities in Timbuktu (Mali) and the Historic Centre of Agadez (Niger) are facing the compounded challenges of severe drought followed by intense flooding — a clear illustration of increasing climate variability.
Flood at Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro (Pakistan) in 2022 / Source: Copernicus Browser
Around 50 World Heritage sites are highly exposed to coastal flooding. Some cultural sites are already experiencing the impacts, with growing risks to their integrity. The Complex of Hué Monuments (Viet Nam) has endured repeated flooding in recent years, accelerating deterioration. The Forts and Castles along the coast of Ghana, face increasing danger from shoreline erosion and rising seas, putting at risk these important remains of fortified trading posts that formed part of early global trade history. While coastal flooding has not yet caused major reported damage at natural World Heritage sites, the risk is rising. Sites such as the Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China and Banc d’Arguin National Park (Mauritania) are highly vulnerable, as sea level rise could transform or submerge critical coastal habitats essential for migratory species.
“This analysis underscores the urgent need to address water-related risks to World Heritage sites, which are being intensified by climate change. Strengthening resilience through innovation, traditional knowledge, and cooperation is essential to safeguarding these irreplaceable places for future generations.”
Despite these challenges, examples of effective action demonstrate that solutions are possible—particularly when supported by international cooperation, innovation, and traditional knowledge. UNESCO actively supports States Parties in addressing water-related threats through a combination of emergency mechanisms, technical guidance, and long-term cooperation. Emergency support is provided through instruments such as the World Heritage Fund’s International Assistance, the Rapid Response Facility (RRF) and the Heritage Emergency Fund (HEF), while expert missions under the World Heritage Convention’s Reactive Monitoring process help guide response efforts. UNESCO also provides capacity building and technical support to strengthen local responses, contributing to long-term resilience, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable water management at World Heritage sites through programmes such as the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP).
Integrated water resource management (IWRM) — which promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land, and related resources — is increasingly being incorporated into conservation strategies for World Heritage properties. At Petra (Jordan) and the Old City of Sana’a (Yemen), for example, IWRM principles are guiding flood risk reduction strategies such as early warning systems, which help safeguard monuments from increasingly severe flash floods. Similarly, in the Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China, a government ban on land reclamation, followed by wetland restoration efforts, has led to a fivefold increase in bird populations in some areas, providing renewed habitat for migratory species.
© UNESCO / Community Engagement through Risk Prevention in Petra
Heritage-sensitive climate adaptation is also key. The Chan Chan Archaeological Zone (Peru) illustrates how site managers are applying innovative water management measures — including drainage improvements and protective earthworks — to reduce the impact of increasingly intense rainfall and flooding on fragile adobe structures. At the Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam (Afghanistan), UNESCO has supported emergency measures to stabilize the structure following flood events that endangered its integrity, along with technical assistance for improved flood management in the surrounding valley.
© UNESCO / The Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam, a UNESCO project to safeguard the iconic site
Transboundary cooperation plays a vital role where shared water systems support World Heritage values. The Permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission (OKACOM), through collaboration between Angola, Namibia, and Botswana, coordinates efforts to protect the seasonal flooding that sustains the Okavango Delta’s biodiversity and local livelihoods. Similarly, at Iguaçu National Park, on the border between Brazil and Argentina, park managers work with upstream stakeholders to maintain sustainable water flows that protect the falls’ ecosystem while supporting vital hydroelectric production at the Itaipu Dam. To address the consequences of melting glaciers and increased occurrences of Glacier Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) due to climate change impacts, UNESCO is engaging with communities in the Sagarmatha National Park (Nepal) to identify potential adaptation pathways using the Climate Risk Informed Decision Analysis (CRIDA).
Traditional knowledge, community stewardship, and partnerships between local communities, national authorities, and international organizations are central to many successful initiatives. In the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, the revitalization of ancient irrigation systems and forest restoration supports both cultural heritage and resilience to drought and erosion. In the Ahwar of Southern Iraq, joint efforts have facilitated the restoration of marshlands, enhancing water governance and helping buffer against drought and salinity.
Modern technology further complements these approaches. Tools such as GIS mapping, remote sensing, and water quality monitoring provide real-time data to inform decision-making and enable site managers and authorities to respond effectively to emerging threats. To support this, UNESCO’s World Heritage Online Map Platform (WHOMP), serves as an important resource for monitoring water-related risks and informing site-level planning.
These efforts and solutions are among the many actions contributing to the protection of World Heritage sites and the strengthening of their resilience for generations to come. World Heritage sites are not static relics of the past, but dynamic systems shaped by human ingenuity, natural forces, and the enduring relationship between people and water. Strengthening their protection calls for an integrated approach that combines time-honoured practices with scientific innovation, draws on both traditional knowledge and modern science, and fosters inclusive governance and transboundary cooperation. Advancing water stewardship that supports both cultural and natural heritage is essential to safeguarding their Outstanding Universal Value and ensuring their continued contribution to sustainable development and the well-being of communities worldwide.
UNESCO gratefully acknowledges the support of the Government of Flanders (Belgium) for the World Heritage Online Map Platform (WHOMP), which made this analysis possible.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China tightens anti-money laundering rules for precious metals and gemstone dealers
BEIJING, July 2 — China’s central bank has issued new anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regulations specifically targeting dealers of precious metals and gemstones operating within the country.
The new rules by the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) aim to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing, combat related crimes, and standardize practices within this sector, according to a recent statement from the PBOC.
Effective on Aug. 1, dealers will be required to meet specific anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing obligations for any cash transaction valued at 100,000 yuan (about 13,977 U.S. dollars) or more, or the equivalent amount in foreign currency, according to the new rules.
This includes reporting any single cash transaction or cumulative daily cash transactions reaching or exceeding the 100,000 yuan threshold to the China Anti-Money Laundering Monitoring and Analysis Center. Such reports must be submitted within five working days of the transaction date.
The rules apply to all dealers legally engaged in spot trading of precious metals like gold, silver, platinum, and gemstones such as diamonds and jade within China.
Gold price in China has seen a notable increase this year, with both spot price and futures contract on the Shanghai Gold Exchange hitting an all-time high in April, highlighting market demand.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Cargo throughput via Three Gorges Dam reaches 83 mln tonnes in H1
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 2 — China’s State Administration for Market Regulation on Wednesday said that it has released a series of national standards for emerging industries such as artificial intelligence (AI).
Seven national standards have been released — covering AI, information technology and the Internet of Things — to provide technical support for the expansion of digital services and applications, the administration said.
Another five national standards cover data centers, cybersecurity technologies, and systems and software engineering, supporting deeper integration and interconnection throughout the digital economy.
The administration has released national standards on the safety of electric earthmoving machinery and the general requirements for battery-swap systems, improving the standards system for the electrification of traditional construction equipment and supporting the green transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, the administration said.
It has also released a range of national standards covering such areas as elderly care and child care, transportation and energy, agriculture and rural development, and green and low-carbon development.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
SHANGHAI, China, July 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GDS Holdings Limited (“GDS Holdings”, “GDS” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: GDS; HKEX: 9698), a leading developer and operator of high-performance data centers in China, today announced that the final offering price for its previously announced China REIT (“C-REIT”) initial public offering (“IPO”) on the Shanghai Stock Exchange is RMB 3.00 per unit. The final offering price was determined following completion of the institutional bookbuilding, which was 166 times over-subscribed. The C-REIT will issue 800,000,000 units in total, representing 100% of units in issue on completion of the IPO. The gross proceeds to be received by the C-REIT is RMB 2,400 million.
At the final offering price, the implied EV / EBITDA, based on the projected EBITDA for 2026 for the C-REIT contained in the offering memorandum of RMB 141.8 million, is 16.9 times. At the final offering price, the implied dividend yield per unit, based on the projected cash flow available for distribution for 2026 contained in the offering memorandum of RMB 124.8 million, is 5.2 per cent.
GDS will enter into an agreement to sell to the C-REIT a 100% equity interest in a project company which holds stabilized data center assets for a total enterprise value of approximately RMB 2,319 million. On completion of the sale, GDS will receive total net cash proceeds of approximately RMB 2,111 million, comprising equity consideration and dividend of existing cash, net of tax and certain other transaction costs. In addition, GDS will de-consolidate approximately RMB 62 million of net debt and other liabilities. GDS will reinvest RMB 480 million to subscribe for 20% of the units issued by the C-REIT in the IPO.
GDS will continue to operate and manage the underlying data center assets under a services agreement with the project company transferred to the C-REIT, pursuant to which GDS will receive recurring annual fee income of approximately RMB 5 million.
About GDS Holdings Limited
GDS Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: GDS; HKEX: 9698) is a leading developer and operator of high-performance data centers in China. The Company’s facilities are strategically located in and around primary economic hubs where demand for high-performance data center services is concentrated. The Company’s data centers have large net floor area, high power capacity, density and efficiency, and multiple redundancies across all critical systems. GDS is carrier and cloud-neutral, which enables its customers to access the major telecommunications networks, as well as the largest PRC and global public clouds, which are hosted in many of its facilities. The Company offers co-location and a suite of value-added services, including managed hybrid cloud services through direct private connection to leading public clouds, managed network services, and, where required, the resale of public cloud services. The Company has a 24-year track record of service delivery, successfully fulfilling the requirements of some of the largest and most demanding customers for outsourced data center services in China. The Company’s customer base consists predominantly of hyperscale cloud service providers, large internet companies, financial institutions, telecommunications carriers, IT service providers, and large domestic private sector and multinational corporations. The Company also holds a non-controlling 35.6% equity interest in DayOne Data Centers Limited which develops and operates data centers in International markets.
For investor and media inquiries, please contact:
GDS Holdings Limited
Laura Chen
Phone: +86 (21) 2029-2203
Email: ir@gds-services.com
Piacente Financial Communications
Ross Warner
Phone: +86 (10) 6508-0677
Email: GDS@tpg-ir.com
Brandi Piacente
Phone: +1 (212) 481-2050
Email: GDS@tpg-ir.com
GDS Holdings Limited
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) — The second meeting of the Ussuri River and Lake Border Tourism Association and the presentation of cross-border tourist routes were held in Fuyuan City, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province on Tuesday. Representatives of more than 50 tourism enterprises from China and Russia attended the event to jointly plan the development of the cross-border tourism industry, local media reported.
The Ussuli River, located in northeastern Heilongjiang Province, is a major tributary of the southern bank of the Heilongjiang River (Amur) and a border river between China and Russia. The association, which was established in August 2024, aims to optimize and integrate the cultural and tourism resources of the region, thereby jointly promoting the integrated development of tourism in the border areas.
At the meeting, relevant departments of Fuyuan City, known as the “East Pole of China”, introduced local unique tourist routes, demonstrated practices and achievements in preserving the fishing culture of the Hezhe ethnic group and the ecological protection of Heixiazi Island.
In addition, other cities and counties of the association, such as Mishan, Hulin and Raohe, presented their rich tourism and cultural resources along the Wusuli River. Guests from Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Korsakov, Vladivostok, Khabarovsk and other cities of Russia also introduced the meeting participants to local cultural and tourism resources that can help strengthen exchanges and develop cooperation in the field of Sino-Russian cross-border tourism. -0-
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
HANGZHOU, July 2 (Xinhua) — Flight C6622, a Boeing 767 cargo plane, took off from Xiaoshan International Airport in Hangzhou, capital of east China’s Zhejiang Province, bound for Tashkent early Wednesday, marking the launch of the first direct air cargo route between Zhejiang Province and Central Asia.
The route is also the second cargo airline opened by the Hangzhou Airport checkpoint administration since the beginning of this year. Flights will be operated on Wednesdays and Sundays. The travel time between Hangzhou and the capital of Uzbekistan is approximately 6 hours.
The maximum cargo capacity of the aircraft is about 50 tons. The opening of the new route provides an effective channel for direct delivery of everyday items, clothing and other goods from Zhejiang Province to the Central Asian market.
At the same time, the return flights will carry fresh fruits and other types of specific agricultural products from Uzbekistan to China.
According to the data, Zhejiang airports handle a total of 53 international cargo flights, covering three continents. From January to June 2025, the total cargo and mail handling volume of the province’s airports was about 520,000 tons, up about 2.6 percent year on year. -0-
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
CHANGCHUN, July 2 (Xinhua) — A group of 16 Russian tourists crossed the state border at Hunchun Port in northeast China’s Jilin Province on Tuesday and set off on a car tour around China. They became the first group of Russian car tourists to arrive in China this year through this checkpoint on the Sino-Russian border.
To make travel more convenient for foreign tourists, a one-stop service counter has been opened at the Hunchun checkpoint, offering services for obtaining a visa upon arrival at this border crossing, a temporary driver’s permit, a temporary vehicle license plate, and car insurance. It only takes 15 minutes for each incoming tourist to obtain this package of services.
In addition, foreign travelers can apply for a visa on arrival on a special online platform and receive the relevant document at the border crossing.
According to Wu Wei, a representative of a local travel agency, providing such public services on a one-stop basis will further promote the development of cross-border tourism between China and Russia.
According to statistics, by the end of 2024, the incoming and outgoing tourist flow through the Hunchun checkpoint amounted to 667 thousand person-times. -0-
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
SHENYANG, July 2 (Xinhua) — EVE Energy Co., a leading Chinese lithium-ion battery maker, on Monday launched its battery production base in Shenyang, capital of northeast China’s Liaoning Province, to develop batteries that can withstand extreme cold.
Based in Huizhou City, Guangdong Province, EVE has invested a total of 10 billion yuan (approximately $1.4 billion) in the base. It will mainly produce low-temperature-resistant, high-density and reliable energy storage batteries, which will solve the industry’s critical problems of poor battery performance in cold regions.
At the same time, EVE Energy launched a research center for lithium batteries in cold climates. According to Li Wei, director of the center, the center will use EVE Energy Co.’s technology and regional partnerships to develop new materials and technologies that will significantly improve battery performance at low temperatures, including charge-discharge cycle efficiency.
Li Wei noted that the EVE Energy research center also aims to become a national-level energy innovation platform to support the transition of old industrial bases in the northeast to green energy. -0-
Source: Bank for International Settlements
Distinguished Party Secretary Chen Jining,
Former PBOC Governor Zhou Xiaochuan,
Mayor Gong Zheng, Deputy Director Wang Jiang, Minister Li Yunze, Chairman Wu Qing, Vice Minister Hu Haifeng, Administrator Zhu Hexin, and dear guests,
Good morning!
I would like to thank Shanghai Municipal Committee of the CPC and Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, especially Party Secretary Chen Jining and Mayor Gong Zheng. Thank you for your care and support for the financial work and the People’s Bank of China (PBOC). It is a great honor for me to be the co-chairperson of this year’s Lujiazui Forum. After years of efforts, the Forum has grown into a communication platform with significant global influence and wide market reach. On behalf of the PBOC and other hosts, I would like to express warm welcome and sincere gratitude to everyone.
At last year’s Forum, I discussed China’s monetary policy stance and the evolution of monetary policy framework down the road. Over the past year, the PBOC has adopted an accommodative monetary policy stance and rolled out multiple monetary policy measures. The aggregate and structural policy tools have effectively supported the sustained economic recovery and financial market stability. At the same time, we have improved the monetary policy framework, optimized the intermediate monetary policy variables, cultivated policy rates, enhanced monetary policy transmission efficiency, diversified monetary policy toolkit, and strengthened policy communication and expectation guidance. The transformation of monetary policy framework is a gradual and ongoing process, and we will continue to conduct assessments and make refinements in the future.
Now, I would like to share with you my observations on global financial governance. This is a very broad topic. So I will focus on four issues: international monetary system, cross-border payment system, global financial stability system, and the governance of international financial organizations.
Throughout history, the international monetary system has never stopped evolving. The replacement of global dominant currencies reflects the profound change in the international landscape and the iteration of national competitiveness. In the 17th century, the Dutch Guilder became the early international currency. From the late 18th century to the first half of the 20th century, the British pound was the dominant currency globally. After the World War II, the U.S. dollar established its dominance and has retained its status up till now.
As a global public good, the international currency, if dominated by the sovereign currency of a single country, has inherent instabilities. First, a sovereign currency issuer tends to prioritize its own interests over the supply of global public goods when its own interests conflict with the attribute as a global public good. Second, fiscal and financial regulatory issues of a sovereign currency issuer and the accumulation of structural problems in its domestic economy may generate financial risks with spillover effects, or even escalate into a global financial crisis. Third, in times of geopolitical tensions, national security concerns, or even wars, the global dominant currency tends to be instrumentalized or weaponized.
The above problems have driven growing global discussions on the reform of international monetary system. Over the past decade, the driving forces behind the shifts in the international monetary system stemmed primarily from the economic and financial dimensions in the wake of the global financial crisis, and hence the discussions were centered on economic and financial developments. The discussions this time around, however, are mainly driven by geopolitical issues. Broadly speaking, there are two lines of argument.
The first one is on how to weaken the excessive reliance on a single sovereign currency and its negative impacts, foster healthy competition among a few strong sovereign currencies, and put in place incentive-restraint mechanisms. A multipolar international monetary system can prompt sovereign currency issuers to strengthen policy constraints, enhance the resilience of international monetary system, and more effectively safeguard global economic and financial stability. Madam Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank (ECB), noted in her recent speech that the global order based on multilateral cooperation is fracturing, with uncertainty about the dominant role of the U.S. dollar, and the changing landscape could open the door for the euro to play a greater international role.
Over the past two decades, the evolution of international monetary system had two key features. The first was the creation of the euro in 1999. The euro now accounts for around 20 percent of global foreign exchange reserves, second only to the U.S. dollar. The second was the steady rise of the RMB’s international status after the global financial crisis in 2008. The RMB has already become the world’s second largest trade finance currency. Calculated on a comprehensive basis, the RMB has become the world’s third largest payment currency. Besides, the weight of the RMB in the International Monetary Fund’s Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) currency basket ranks third.
Going forward, the international monetary system is likely to continue its evolution towards a system where a few sovereign currencies coexist and compete with checks and balances. Be it a single sovereign currency or a small group of sovereign currencies serving as the global dominant currency, the sovereign currency issuers should assume their responsibilities by strengthening domestic fiscal discipline and financial regulation, and advancing the structural reform of the economy.
The second line of argument is on a super-sovereign currency serving as the global dominant currency, and discussions have been largely focused on SDRs. Dr. Zhou Xiaochuan, former governor of the PBOC, once raised this issue in 2009. Theoretically, SDRs can effectively overcome the inherent problems of a single sovereign currency as the global dominant currency. It offers greater stability in currency value and is better positioned to function as a global public good, as it can help manage global liquidity and facilitate crisis response. The SDR has the attributes of a super-sovereign currency.
Having said that, we still lack political consensus and will globally, if the SDR were to become a global dominant currency. Moreover, insufficient market scale, depth and liquidity have limited the role of SDRs. Turning SDRs into a global dominant currency requires member countries to build political consensus, which is not easy, given the current international landscape. Optimizing operational arrangements is also needed to gradually expand the usage of SDRs. In terms of allocation and issuance mechanisms, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) issues SDRs mainly as part of crisis response and mostly in the form of a large one-off allocation. In the future, the IMF can issue SDRs regularly and expand the size of issuance. Regarding the scope of use, we need to encourage private sector and market entities to use SDRs in international trade, investment and financing, and to issue SDR-denominated bonds. We need to enhance the role of SDRs as a reserve asset, and establish the SDR settlement mechanism adaptable to large-scale usage.
The cross-border payment system serves as the artery of global funds flow. It is a keystone for facilitating international trade, investment and financing, and for safeguarding financial stability. It is also a vital pillar of the international monetary system. The evolution of the international monetary system towards coexistence of a few sovereign currencies and booming digital technologies will promote the diversification of the cross-border payment system, which will, in turn, accelerate the shifts in the international monetary system.
In recent years, problems faced by the traditional cross-border payment system have loomed large. First, there is a generational differences between traditional cross-border payments and emerging digital technologies. Problems of low efficiency, high costs, and poor penetration demand urgent resolution. Second, cross-border payments require coordination among different legal and regulatory frameworks, as well as among different stakeholders. Therefore, we need to enhance international cooperation. G20 and other international organizations attach great importance to promoting cross-border payments, and formulated a roadmap to enhance cross-border payments. Third, the geopolitical rivalry has escalated. The traditional cross-border payment infrastructures can be easily politicized, weaponized, and used as unilateral sanction instruments, thus undermining the international economic and financial order.
Against this background, there have been growing calls for improving the cross-border payment system. New payment infrastructures and settlement methods are continuously emerging, driving the global cross-border payment system onto a more efficient, secure, inclusive and diverse trajectory. This trend will continue to strengthen.
First, the cross-border payment system has become more diversified. In terms of currency usage, an increasing number of countries and regions are using local currencies for settlement, promoting the international use of a broader range of currencies. Cross-border payments dominated by a single sovereign currency are undergoing gradual changes. As for payment channels, the rise of new cross-border payment systems and regional multilateral payment systems, along with the traditional correspondent bank model, has diversified settlement channels and further improved the efficiency of cross-border payments. After over a decade of construction and development, China has basically established a cross-border RMB payment and clearing network featuring multiple channels and wide coverage.
Second, the interoperability of payment systems and payment ecosystems continues to improve. More countries and regions have extended the operating hours of their payment systems, adopted internationally standardized messaging formats, and promoted the interconnection of fast payment systems. These efforts have enhanced the efficiency of cross-border payments and reduced transaction costs. Countries and regions exemplified by Asia have made substantial progress in enhancing the interoperability of retail payment ecosystems through the interconnection of QR code payments, greatly facilitating cross-border payments by their residents.
Third, new technologies are used in cross-border payments at a faster pace. Underpinned by new technologies such as blockchain and distributed ledger, central bank digital currencies and stablecoins are thriving, making possible the simultaneous processing of payment and settlement. The development has fundamentally reshaped the traditional payment landscape, and significantly shortened the cross-border payment chain. It, however, has also posed great challenges to financial regulation. Technologies, such as smart contracts and decentralized finance, will further promote the evolution and development of cross-border payment systems.
Before the 2008 financial crisis, the international community mainly relied on IMF, which is at the center of the Global Financial Safety Net (GFSN), for crisis response during and after crisis. After the 2008 financial crisis, ex ante prevention mechanisms such as financial regulatory rules were further strengthened.
On the one hand, the multi-layer financial safety net has continued to improve. I gave a speech on strengthening the financial safety net at the Boao Forum for Asia in March last year. At the global level, in recent years, the IMF has continuously enhanced its crisis response capabilities in times of crisis, strengthened its policy surveillance functions, and expanded the scope of policy surveillance. At the regional level, the European Financial Stability Facility, the Latin American Reserve Fund, the Chiang Mai Initiative in Asia, and the Arab Monetary Fund have been established successively, serving as important supports for financial stability in their respective regions. At the bilateral level, central banks in the major advanced economies such as the U.S. Federal Reserve and the ECB have injected liquidity into the markets during crisis through currency swap arrangements. The local currency swap cooperation among emerging markets has also progressed steadily. The PBOC has signed bilateral currency swap agreements with central banks or monetary authorities in over 30 countries and regions. These swap arrangements have become an important part of the GFSN.
On the other hand, the crisis prevention system based on regulatory rules has been continuously refined. After the 2008 global financial crisis, the international community overhauled the global financial regulatory system through a number of major reforms, including issuing Basel III, enhancing the robustness of banking institutions, and strengthening the supervision of systemically important financial institutions (SIFIs). China has been actively involved in the formulation and implementation of international regulatory standards, and is one of the few economies that have fully implemented Basel III. China has developed a regulatory framework for SIFIs, and its systemically important banks have all met the total loss-absorbing capacity (TLAC) requirements. China has put in place a deposit insurance scheme capable of providing full protection for more than 99 percent of depositors. It has also issued and fully implemented regulations on asset management, which has significantly reduced the risk of shadow banking.
Currently, the global financial stability system is faced with some new challenges.
First, the regulatory framework remains fragmented. There is even a propensity to “race to the bottom”. In recent years, due to domestic political headwinds, some countries have wavered in their implementation of international regulatory rules, such as Basel III. It may lead to regulatory arbitrage, and undermine global financial stability system. The international community should proactively implement the agreed regulatory reform measures, thereby preventing regulatory arbitrage and cross-border transmission of risks.
Second, the regulation on emerging areas, such as digital finance, remains insufficient. For example, global regulatory coordination is incommensurate with the quick-expanding crypto asset market, and coordination on climate risk-related regulatory framework is yet to be improved. Regulatory stance swings widely, and is highly prone to political influence. A harmonized regulatory standard on the adoption of artificial intelligence in the financial sector is also absent. The international community needs to strengthen coordination and bridge the gaps in regulation.
Third, the regulation on non-bank intermediaries remains lax. In the past two decades, the weight of non-bank intermediaries in global financing has risen significantly. Funding through non-bank intermediaries is relatively unstable and less transparent, yet the leverage is rising, which calls for enhanced regulation.
We believe that the key path to crisis prevention and resolution is to establish a diversified and efficient GFSN with a powerful IMF at its core, and to ensure the consistency and authority of global financial regulatory rules. This is also the path that we must follow through.
After the World War II, starting with the founding of the IMF and the World Bank, the international community gradually built up a multi-tiered and multi-dimensional system of international financial organizations, covering areas such as international policy coordination, financial regulatory rule-making, and multilateral development. These organizations have become major platforms for international financial governance, and they play an important role in promoting global economic and trade growth as well as safeguarding global financial stability.
While global economic landscape keeps changing, quotas and voting power haven’t seen any material adjustments for a long time in major international financial organizations, such as the IMF and the World Bank, as well as in some regional financial organizations. As a result, emerging markets and developing countries are significantly underrepresented, and this is incommensurate with their actual weight in the global economy. Moreover, the international community should also be well aware of the fact that a few member countries pursue unilateralism, and they have meddled in the governance and operation of international financial organizations. International financial organizations need to keep pace with the times and advance governance reforms to reflect in time the relative positions of member countries in the global economy and enhance the voice and representativeness of emerging markets and developing countries. International financial organizations should safeguard and practice true multilateralism, and improve governance efficiency.
Among all the international financial organizations, the IMF is at the core, and it plays a vital role in global economic and financial governance. The IMF is a quota-based international financial organization. The size of quotas determines the IMF’s crisis response capacity in crisis, while quota shares determine member countries’ voting power in the IMF and the amount of financing they have access to. The current quota shares can not reflect the relative positions of member countries in the global economy. An immediate quota share realignment in line with the consensus reached is crucial for the IMF to improve governance and enhance its legitimacy and representativeness.
The global economy is now facing heightened uncertainty. While improving their governance structures, major international financial organizations should further reinforce their roles in economic surveillance. They should assess objectively the risks facing the world and individual countries, and offer guidance to member countries to cement their support for economic globalization and the multilateral trading system. They should also strengthen policy guidance for member countries and enhance macroeconomic policy coordination to keep the international financial system stable.
Dear guests,
Improving global financial governance requires more frequent dialogues and stronger cooperation among all parties. Staying committed to reform and opening-up and upholding a path of multilateralism, we will work actively to play a constructive role in helping foster a global financial governance system that is more equitable, fair, inclusive, and resilient.
To conclude, I wish the Forum a full success. Thank you.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Merdith, DECRA Fellow, School of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide
Some 252 million years ago, almost all life on Earth disappeared.
Known as the Permian–Triassic mass extinction – or the Great Dying – this was the most catastrophic of the five mass extinction events recognised in the past 539 million years of our planet’s history.
Up to 94% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrate families were wiped out. Tropical forests – which served, as they do today, as important carbon sinks that helped regulate the planet’s temperature – also experienced massive declines.
Scientists have long agreed this event was triggered by a sudden surge in greenhouse gases which resulted in an intense and rapid warming of Earth. But what has remained a mystery is why these extremely hot conditions persisted for millions of years.
Our new paper, published today in Nature Communications, provides an answer. The decline of tropical forests locked Earth in a hothouse state, confirming scientists’ suspicion that when our planet’s climate crosses certain “tipping points”, truly catastrophic ecological collapse can follow.
The trigger for the Permian–Triassic mass extinction event was the eruption of massive amounts of molten rock in modern day Siberia, named the Siberian Traps. This molten rock erupted in a sedimentary basin, rich in organic matter.
The molten rock was hot enough to melt the surrounding rocks and release massive amounts of carbon dioxide into Earth’s atmosphere over a period as short as 50,000 years but possibly as long as 500,000 years. This rapid increase in carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere and the resulting temperature increase is thought to be the primary kill mechanism for much of life at the time.
On land it is thought surface temperatures increased by as much as 6°C to 10°C – too rapid for many life forms to evolve and adapt. In other similar eruptions, the climate system usually returns to its previous state within 100,000 to a million years.
But these “super greenhouse” conditions, which resulted in equatorial average surface temperatures upwards of 34°C (roughly 8°C warmer than the current equatorial average temperature) persisted for roughly five million years. In our study we sought to answer why.
We looked at the fossil record of a wide range of land plant biomes, such as arid, tropical, subtropical, temperate and scrub. We analysed how the biomes changed from just before the mass extinction event, until about eight million years after.
We hypothesised that Earth warmed too rapidly, leading to the dying out of low- to mid-latitude vegetation, especially the rainforests. As a result the efficiency of the organic carbon cycle was greatly reduced immediately after the volcanic eruptions.
Plants, because they are unable to simply get up and move, were very strongly affected by the changing conditions.
Before the event, many peat bogs and tropical and subtropical forests existed around the equator and soaked up carbon
However, when we reconstructed plant fossils from fieldwork, records and databases around the event we saw that these biomes were completely wiped out from the tropical continents. This led to a multimillion year “coal gap” in the geological record.
These forests were replaced by tiny lycopods, only two to 20 centimetres in height.
Enclaves of larger plants remained towards the poles, in coastal and in slightly mountainous regions where the temperature was slightly cooler. After about five million years they had mostly recolonised Earth. However these types of plants were also less efficient at fixing carbon in the organic carbon cycle.
This is analogous in some ways to considering the impact of replacing all rainforests at present day with the mallee-scrub and spinifex flora that we might expect to see in the Australian outback.
Using evidence from the present day, we estimated the rate at which plants take atmospheric carbon dioxide and store it as organic matter of each different biome (or its “net primary productivity”) that was suggested in the fossil record.
We then used a recently developed carbon cycle model called SCION to test our hypothesis numerically. When we analysed our model results we found that the initial increase in temperature from the Siberian Traps was preserved for five to six million years after the event because of the reduction in net primary productivity.
It was only as plants re-established themselves and the organic carbon cycle restarted that Earth slowly started to ease out of the super greenhouse conditions.
It’s always difficult to draw analogies between past climate change in the geological record and what we’re experiencing today. That’s because the extent of past changes is usually measured over tens to hundreds of thousands of years while at present day we are experiencing change over decades to centuries.
A key implication of our work, however, is that life on Earth, while resilient, is unable to respond to massive changes on short time scales without drastic rewirings of the biotic landscape.
In the case of the Permian–Triassic mass extinction, plants were unable to respond on as rapid a time scale as 1,000 to 10,000 years. This resulted in a large extinction event.
Overall, our results underline how important tropical and subtropical plant biomes and environments are to maintaining a climate equilibrium. In turn, they show how the loss of these biomes can contribute to additional climate warming – and serve as a devastating climate tipping point.
Zhen Xu was the lead author of the study, which was part of her PhD work.
Andrew Merdith receives funding from the Australian Research Council as part of the Discovery Early Career Researcher Award.
Benjamin J. W. Mills receives funding from UK Research and Innovation.
Zhen Xu receives funding from UK Research and Innovation and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
– ref. Around 250 million years ago, Earth was near-lifeless and locked in a hothouse state. Now scientists know why – https://theconversation.com/around-250-million-years-ago-earth-was-near-lifeless-and-locked-in-a-hothouse-state-now-scientists-know-why-260203
Ecobank (www.EcoBank.com), a leading pan-African financial services group, and Google Cloud today announced a groundbreaking collaboration aimed at transforming financial services with advanced analytics and AI and driving digital empowerment across Africa. Through this collaboration, Ecobank plans to leverage Google Cloud’s cutting-edge technology to deliver innovative payment and remittance solutions that are frictionless, secure, and universally accessible, empowering individuals and businesses across the continent and beyond. This collaboration will focus on leveraging Google Cloud’s advanced technologies and AI to enhance Ecobank’s digital offerings to accelerate the digital transformation of the Bank.
The partnership agreement is designed to empower individuals, support the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the region, and contribute to the overall economic development of Africa.
This partnership is intended to deliver substantial benefits:
Jeremy Awori, Group CEO, Ecobank said: “Our collaboration with Google Cloud is a leap forward in Ecobank’s digital transformation journey. We look forward to leveraging Google Cloud’s world-class technology to unlock new possibilities for individuals and businesses to grow and scale across Africa. This collaboration signifies our shared intent to explore building a more connected and financially inclusive future for the continent.”
Thomas Kurian, CEO, Google Cloud said: “Google Cloud and Ecobank have a shared vision for using technology to help deliver financial empowerment to more people and businesses in Africa. We look forward to exploring the ways our cutting-edge AI, powerful data analytics, and scalable infrastructure can support Ecobank efforts to fuel the continent’s economic development and digital future.”
This agreement signifies a shared commitment between Ecobank and Google Cloud to explore how the power of technology might unlock new opportunities for Africans and contribute to a digitally empowered and economically vibrant future for the continent.
Ecobank and Google Cloud will actively explore opportunities to further expand their collaboration, tapping into the vast potential of other Google solutions and services.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated.
Media Contact:
For Ecobank Group
Christiane Mbimbe Bossom
Group Communications
Email: groupcorporatecomms@ecobank.com
Tel: +228 22 21 03 03
About Ecobank Group:
The Ecobank Group is the leading pan-African private sector banking group with unparalleled African expertise. It operates in 35 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, as well as in France, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and China. Its unique pan-African network provides a unified platform for payments, cash management, trade, and investments. The Ecobank Group employs over 14,000 people serving more than 32 million customers and offers a comprehensive range of Personal, Commercial, and Corporate & Investment Banking products, services, and solutions through multiple channels, including digital. For more information, please visit www.EcoBank.com
About Google Cloud:
Google Cloud is the new way to the cloud, providing AI, infrastructure, developer, data, security, and collaboration tools built for today and tomorrow. Google Cloud offers a powerful, fully integrated and optimized AI stack with its own planet-scale infrastructure, custom-built chips, generative AI models and development platform, as well as AI-powered applications, to help organizations transform. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted technology partner.
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
The Dalai Lama said on Wednesday his Gaden Phodrang Trust would have the sole authority to recognise his future reincarnation, rejecting any role for China in choosing who succeeds him as the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhists.
WHAT IS THE GADEN PHODRANG TRUST?
The non-profit was registered in 2011 in the northern Indian town of Dharamshala, where the Dalai Lama is based. Its members include the Dalai Lama, senior monk Samdhong Rinpoche and close aides who work in the Dalai Lama’s office in Dharamshala.
The Dalai Lama heads the trust and its “alternate chairperson”, or the second highest official, is Rinpoche, who Tibetans believe to be the reincarnation of a previous high monk. All its members must be based in India.
The Dalai Lama and many other Tibetans fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule.
He has since called for a “middle-way approach” that does not seek Tibet’s independence from China but demands autonomy for Tibetans to protect and preserve their culture, religion and national identity.
WHAT DOES THE TRUST DO?
At the moment, the organisation’s main job is to support the Dalai Lama’s spiritual and humanitarian work. The Dalai Lama said in an address to a religious conference on Wednesday that members of the trust should consult the various heads of Tibetan Buddhist traditions and other senior religious figures to “carry out the procedures of search and recognition in accordance with past tradition”.
In 2011, he said that he would leave “clear written instructions about this”, but Rinpoche said on Wednesday that the Dalai Lama had not yet done so because he was in good health and had promised to live for many more years.
The Dalai Lama will celebrate his 90th birthday on July 6. He told Reuters in December he could live until he is 110.
ARE THERE OTHER DALAI LAMA NON-PROFITS?
There is another Gaden Phodrang non-profit in the Swiss city of Zurich. It also carries out various projects on behalf of the Dalai Lama, is headed by the Dalai Lama and has his aides as its members.
Its job is to “maintain and support the tradition and institution of the Dalai Lama with regard to the religious and spiritual duties of the Dalai Lama”, it says on its website.
The Dalai Lama Trust is a charitable wing of the Dalai Lama’s office in Dharamshala.
(Reuters)
Source: Amnesty International –
Responding to the Dalai Lama outlining the process for his spiritual succession ahead of his 90th birthday, amid longstanding efforts by Chinese authorities to control the reincarnation of Tibetan Buddhist leaders, Amnesty International’s China Director Sarah Brooks said:
“The Chinese authorities’ ongoing efforts to control the selection of the next Dalai Lama are a direct assault on the right to freedom of religion or belief. Tibetan Buddhists, like all faith communities, must be able to choose their spiritual leaders without coercion or interference by the authorities.
“The Chinese authorities have a long history of systematically suppressing religious freedom and tightening control over Tibetan Buddhism. For example, in 1995 the authorities forcibly disappeared Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the boy recognized by the Dalai Lama as the Panchen Lama; Beijing has yet to properly explain his fate and whereabouts.
“This climate of secrecy, coupled with the imposition of numerous state-appointed religious figures within Tibetan Buddhism, highlights a concerning pattern of state control over religion in China.
“The Chinese authorities must immediately end political interference in Tibetan religious practices and cease using religious succession as a tool for control and coercion. Authorities must uphold the right of everyone to freedom of religion or belief. They must also immediately allow independent access to Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and take steps to end 30 years of impunity for his disappearance.”
Source: National Ocean Industries Association – NOIA
Headline: Senate Bill Delivers Win for Gulf of America Energy
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, July 1, 2025NOIA .org
Senate Bill Delivers Win for Gulf of America Energy,But Tax Changes Threaten U.S. Offshore Supply Chain
Washington, D.C. – National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) President Erik Milito issued the following statement after the Senate passed its version of the reconciliation package, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA):
“The OBBBA represents decisive, long-overdue action to restore certainty and opportunity in the Gulf of America. It delivers leasing stability, finally ending years of policy whiplash and reaffirming the Gulf’s critical role in advancing American energy dominance, economic growth, and national security.
“Mandated Gulf of America lease sales are absolutely essential. They give companies, whether family-run service shops or global manufacturers, the predictability needed to invest, hire, and build. When lease schedules vanish, so do jobs, capital, and energy security, with consequences felt far beyond the Gulf Coast.
“Energy security is national security. Producing energy at home reduces reliance on foreign adversaries and projects American strength. The Gulf of America’s vast oil and gas reserves are essential to our strategic and economic stability. Just as importantly, Gulf energy helps keep costs down for working families, making life more affordable nationwide.
“But the lessons of leasing certainty must be applied more broadly. While we appreciate the Senate’s efforts to improve the bill, particularly the refinements to key energy tax provisions, the changes still pose real challenges for continued investment in offshore wind. These provisions, though adjusted, remain material and would adversely affect long-term planning and capital deployment in offshore wind projects.
“Without broader tax stability, including for offshore wind, the very supply chains that support American shipbuilding, ports, domestic manufacturing, and industrial jobs are at risk. Energy tax credits are proven drivers of private investment, creating thousands of shovel-ready jobs. When companies can count on a predictable tax framework, they can commit capital, grow their workforce, and build out the supply chains that power our energy future.
“Across the Gulf Coast, oil and gas supply chain companies have already invested billions and made long-term strategic decisions. Offshore wind has allowed them to diversify, grow, and increase their competitiveness. They are now leading efforts to establish the U.S. as a global leader in offshore wind.
“China is far ahead in the global competition. Stability in the tax code keeps private investment flowing here in the U.S., and that’s how we maintain our competitive edge in a global, high-stakes energy market.
“Congress now has a real opportunity to prioritize deep and durable permitting reform. Reforms that last beyond a single administration are urgently needed to streamline project timelines, reduce regulatory bottlenecks, and enable responsible development across all forms of offshore energy: oil, gas, wind, and beyond. We need a system that empowers companies to innovate, respond to market needs, and lead the way in growing our energy future.”
##
About NOIAThe National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) represents and advances a dynamic and growing offshore energy industry, providing solutions that support communities and protect our workers, the public and our environment.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
TEL AVIV, Israel, July 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Radware® (NASDAQ: RDWR), a global leader in application security and delivery solutions for multi-cloud environments, will announce its second quarter results on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.
Conference Call Details
Radware management will host a call on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at 8:30 AM EDT to discuss its second quarter 2025 results and outlook for the third quarter of 2025. Participants are advised to join the call approximately 15 minutes before the start time.
US: 1-877-704-4453 (toll free)
International: 1-201-389-0920
In addition, the call will be webcast live on the Company’s website at http://www.radware.com/ir/investor-events/.
A replay of the call will be available for seven days, starting two hours after the end of the call, on telephone number 1-844-512-2921 (toll free) or 1-412-317-6671. Access ID: 13754237.
About Radware
Radware® (NASDAQ: RDWR) is a global leader in application security and delivery solutions for multi-cloud environments. The company’s cloud application, infrastructure, and API security solutions use AI-driven algorithms for precise, hands-free, real-time protection from the most sophisticated web, application, and DDoS attacks, API abuse, and bad bots. Enterprises and carriers worldwide rely on Radware’s solutions to address evolving cybersecurity challenges and protect their brands and business operations while reducing costs. For more information, please visit the Radware website.
Radware encourages you to join our community and follow us on: Facebook, LinkedIn, Radware Blog, X, and YouTube.
©2025 Radware Ltd. All rights reserved. Any Radware products and solutions mentioned in this press release are protected by trademarks, patents, and pending patent applications of Radware in the U.S. and other countries. For more details, please see: https://www.radware.com/LegalNotice/. All other trademarks and names are property of their respective owners.
Radware believes the information in this document is accurate in all material respects as of its publication date. However, the information is provided without any express, statutory, or implied warranties and is subject to change without notice.
The contents of any website or hyperlinks mentioned in this press release are for informational purposes and the contents thereof are not part of this press release.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements made herein that are not statements of historical fact, including statements about Radware’s plans, outlook, beliefs, or opinions, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “estimates,” “plans,” and similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” “may,” and “could.” Because such statements deal with future events, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties, and actual results, expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, could differ materially from Radware’s current forecasts and estimates. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: the impact of global economic conditions, including as a result of the state of war declared in Israel in October 2023 and instability in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, tensions between China and Taiwan, financial and credit market fluctuations (including elevated interest rates), impacts from tariffs or other trade restrictions, inflation, and the potential for regional or global recessions; our dependence on independent distributors to sell our products; our ability to manage our anticipated growth effectively; our business may be affected by sanctions, export controls, and similar measures, targeting Russia and other countries and territories, as well as other responses to Russia’s military conflict in Ukraine, including indefinite suspension of operations in Russia and dealings with Russian entities by many multi-national businesses across a variety of industries; the ability of vendors to provide our hardware platforms and components for the manufacture of our products; our ability to attract, train, and retain highly qualified personnel; intense competition in the market for cybersecurity and application delivery solutions and in our industry in general, and changes in the competitive landscape; our ability to develop new solutions and enhance existing solutions; the impact to our reputation and business in the event of real or perceived shortcomings, defects, or vulnerabilities in our solutions, if our end-users experience security breaches, or if our information technology systems and data, or those of our service providers and other contractors, are compromised by cyber-attackers or other malicious actors or by a critical system failure; our use of AI technologies that present regulatory, litigation, and reputational risks; risks related to the fact that our products must interoperate with operating systems, software applications, and hardware that are developed by others; outages, interruptions, or delays in hosting services; the risks associated with our global operations, such as difficulties and costs of staffing and managing foreign operations, compliance costs arising from host country laws or regulations, partial or total expropriation, export duties and quotas, local tax exposure, economic or political instability, including as a result of insurrection, war, natural disasters, and major environmental, climate, or public health concerns; our net losses in the past and the possibility that we may incur losses in the future; a slowdown in the growth of the cybersecurity and application delivery solutions market or in the development of the market for our cloud-based solutions; long sales cycles for our solutions; risks and uncertainties relating to acquisitions or other investments; risks associated with doing business in countries with a history of corruption or with foreign governments; changes in foreign currency exchange rates; risks associated with undetected defects or errors in our products; our ability to protect our proprietary technology; intellectual property infringement claims made by third parties; laws, regulations, and industry standards affecting our business; compliance with open source and third-party licenses; complications with the design or implementation of our new enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) system; our reliance on information technology systems; our ESG disclosures and initiatives; and other factors and risks over which we may have little or no control. This list is intended to identify only certain of the principal factors that could cause actual results to differ. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting Radware, refer to Radware’s Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the other risk factors discussed from time to time by Radware in reports filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and, except as required by applicable law, Radware undertakes no commitment to revise or update any forward-looking statement in order to reflect events or circumstances after the date any such statement is made. Radware’s public filings are available from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or may be obtained on Radware’s website at www.radware.com.
CONTACTS
Investor Relations:
Yisca Erez, +972-72-3917211, ir@radware.com
Media Contact:
Gerri Dyrek, gerri.dyrek@radware.com
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on youth and student federations to adhere to the correct political orientation, deepen reform and innovation, and make new achievements under the leadership of the Party in the new campaign.
Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the call in a congratulatory letter addressed to the plenary session of the 14th All-China Youth Federation Committee and the 28th National Congress of the All-China Students’ Federation, which opened in Beijing on Wednesday morning. -0-
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) — A party of sister cities of China and Russia was held in Fuyuan City, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province on Tuesday, the Zhongxinwang Internet portal reported.
The event aimed to promote Chinese-Russian cultural exchanges and cross-civilizational learning among representatives of the two countries.
The party featured over 30 actors from Khabarovsk and other places in Russia, as well as over 50 actors from the Chinese side, including from the city of Fuyuan. They performed a total of 12 numbers, including the songs “Jasmine,” “Valenki,” and “Moscow Nights,” as well as the Russian folk dance “Kalinka.”
The city of Fuyuan is separated from Russia by the rivers Usulijiang /Ussuri/ and Heilongjiang /Amur/ on the eastern and northern sides, respectively. -0-
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) — The organizing committee of the first World Humanoid Robot Games (WHRG), scheduled for August in Beijing, has released an updated competition program that will include wushu, MMA (mixed martial arts) and group dance, the Beijing Evening News reported Tuesday.
“These new types will once again demonstrate the technological prowess and unique charm of humanoid robots, reflecting the deep integration of robotics into people’s lives,” the newspaper quoted Zhang Hua, head of the competition department of the WHRG organizing committee, as saying.
The first series of competitions in various disciplines, including football, athletics, floor exercises, badminton, basketball and table tennis, were previously confirmed, the statement said.
The Beijing Masters of the RoboCup Asia Pacific (RCAP) is currently considered the premier and most watched football tournament among humanoid robots worldwide. According to Zhou Zhaoda, a technical officer of the competition department of the WHRG organizing committee, 30 robot teams from around the world have submitted preliminary applications to participate.
WHRG, which will take place in mid-August, will be the world’s first multi-sport competition for humanoid robots.
“These games will demonstrate how close robots’ capabilities are to the human ideal,” said Jiang Guangzhi, head of the Beijing Administration of Economy and Information Technology. -0-
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by Dr the Hon Starry Lee and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan, in the Legislative Council today (July 2):
Question:
The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC Central Committee) has adopted the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization, in which it is pointed out that Hong Kong needs to further capitalise on its strengths and become an international hub for high-calibre talents. There are views that attracting international talents requires efforts on various fronts, among which, the creation of an international living environment and the setting up of well-established English information channels for demonstration of Hong Kong’s cultural diversity, openness and inclusiveness are particularly important. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has compiled statistics on the percentage of broadcast time in foreign languages out of the total broadcast time in respect of the public broadcasting services in Hong Kong at present, and how the relevant time and percentage compare with those in other international metropolises;
(2) of the specific policies and whether resources have been allocated to encourage local television and sound broadcasters to produce more quality English-language programmes, especially those with contents showcasing the business environment, cultural characteristics, lifestyle, etc, in Hong Kong;
(3) whether it has evaluated the effectiveness of the existing English media contents in attracting and retaining international talents; whether it has conducted relevant surveys to understand the information needs of international talents;
(4) whether it will consider setting up an additional 24-hour English channel on Radio Television Hong Kong and producing more English programmes to present a soft and down-to-earth introduction of the policies and development opportunities in Hong Kong, so as to enable international talents and inbound tourists to obtain local information more conveniently; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(5) of the Government’s plans to enhance Hong Kong’s international image and visibility by arranging additional media coverage in English, given that the 15th National Games and other international events are about to take place; and
(6) apart from traditional television broadcasters, whether it has plans to make use of emerging publicity channels, such as digital platforms and social media, to produce more information contents about Hong Kong in English, so as to strengthen Hong Kong’s international communication capability, thereby creating a more attractive international living environment; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
The HKSAR Government has been striving to showcase the unique characteristics of Hong Kong, being an international metropolis, from various perspectives to attract international talents and tourists by telling the good stories of Hong Kong through diverse television and radio programmes, as well as different promotion measures. Having consulted the Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB), the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) and the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau, our consolidated response is as follows:
Hong Kong’s broadcasting market is under steady development. The three domestic free television programme service (free TV) licensees, two sound broadcasting licensees and Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) are providing a total of 15 television channels and 14 radio channels respectively, which include five TV channels and three radio channels in English. The general public (including non-Chinese-speaking persons in Hong Kong) can choose and enjoy diverse television and radio programmes (including English-language programmes) with a wide variety according to their needs. The HKSAR Government does not maintain related information in other regions.
Under the current broadcasting regulatory framework, licensed broadcasters shall provide English programmes through their designated English channels in accordance with their licence conditions. Considering the sustainable development of licensed broadcasters and the needs of different audience, the three domestic free TV English channels are currently required to broadcast English programmes for at least 55 per cent of the broadcasting hours. Although licensed broadcasters can exercise suitable flexibility to broadcast non-English programmes for not more than 45 per cent of the broadcasting hours on their English channels, free TV licensees must broadcast English programmes during prime time on their English channels as required to cater for the needs of the general public and non-Chinese-speaking persons in Hong Kong. We also note that the current English programmes offered by licensed broadcasters cover a wide range of genres, including news, current affairs, sports, cultural features, lifestyle and arts, etc.
On the other hand, RTHK also proactively offers English programmes through its radio and TV channels, including launching English programme time slots on RTHK TV 31 and 32; providing 24-hour relay of the China Global Television Network Documentary and English Channels under the China Media Group on RTHK TV 34 and 35; providing 24-hour broadcasting with diverse English programmes on RTHK Radio 3; and broadcasting bilingual programmes featuring fine music and arts information on RTHK Radio 4, etc. These help exhibit Hong Kong’s diversity and global vision, proactively telling good stories of the country and Hong Kong and enabling non-Chinese speaking persons in Hong Kong to have a better understanding of various information about Hong Kong and Mainland China.
Since the three free TV licences will expire in 2027 and 2028, the Communications Authority (CA) has commenced the renewal exercise of the free TV licences and will conduct a public consultation exercise in the third quarter of 2025. In processing the renewal applications, subject to actual circumstances, the CA will consider revisions to licence conditions and regulatory requirements on free TV services (including requirements on English channels and programmes) taking into account views from the industry and the public as well as the latest market development and submit recommendations on licence renewal to the Chief Executive in Council.
Regarding the attraction of talents, talents are generally concerned about employment and business start-up opportunities, children’s education and social integration when considering pursuance of development in Hong Kong. Media in English, being an international language, helps disseminate relevant information to international talents, alleviating their concern about integration into local society. To facilitate social integration of international talents in a more proactive manner, the Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) of the LWB has been providing comprehensive support services to help them stay in the city for development. With a view to ensuring that the comprehensive information about living and working in Hong Kong are accessible to international talents, the HKTE’s promotional and publicity materials, including its online platform, TV Announcements in the Public Interest, social media posts, etc, are already fully available in English, and its themed seminars on living in Hong Kong also offer online livestreaming and simultaneous interpretation services. On the other hand, the HKTE launched the Talent+ Volunteer Programme in September 2024, and has been collaborating with various non-governmental organisations, working partners and corporations to provide incoming talents with diverse volunteer service opportunities, strengthening their connections with the local community and fostering their sense of belonging to the city.
As for promotion of mega events, the CSTB, in collaboration with relevant government departments and organisations, has been devising extensive publicity campaigns through diverse means for the 15th National Games (NG), the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGD) and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (NSOG), including various overseas promotional initiatives with the support of the Information Services Department (ISD), such as running advertisements in overseas media and at a number of major overseas international airports, engaging overseas key opinion leaders to publish promotional posts, and inviting overseas journalists and guests to visit Hong Kong through thematic media visit programmes and the Sponsored Visitors Programme so that they can spread their positive visiting experiences in their hometown afterwards, with a view to raising the international profile and popularity of Hong Kong and attracting more overseas spectators to the events. RTHK will also fully engage in the promotion, production and live broadcast of the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG. Besides, for organisation of major events, depending on the nature of the events, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will invite media in English and other foreign languages to participate in press conferences or carry out promotional campaigns, and will also collaborate with local and international media organisations and event partners (such as relevant Consulates-General in Hong Kong, cultural organisations stationed in Hong Kong as well as the overseas Economic and Trade Offices) to promote the events. The LCSD will make good use of its social media platforms for promotion and support bilingual content so as to promote featured events to local and overseas audiences.
Apart from the above promotion measures, the ISD has been setting up accounts on various social media platforms and producing more English social media posts for promotion. The ISD has also co-operated with the national media to make use of their multi-language new media platforms to promote Hong Kong to more countries through different foreign languages. Besides, the ISD will continue to work with suitable overseas media organisations to produce content on Hong Kong’s latest development in key areas, such as innovation and technology, sports, shipping, and culture and arts, etc, with the aim of expanding the reach of overseas promotional efforts through their readers’ network and social media platforms. Through monitoring of the latest market development and global trend, the ISD will continue to make use of appropriate platforms to raise the international profile of Hong Kong.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Jimmy Ng and a written reply by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, in the Legislative Council today (July 2):
Question:
In collaboration with the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau has earlier devised a domain of economic activities comprising manufacturing and new industrialisation-related industries in Hong Kong and released statistics on the economic performance of relevant activities, so as to reflect the economic performance of Hong Kong’s new industries more precisely. In addition, as stated in the 2024 Policy Address, the Government plans to commence a study on “the medium to long-term development plan for new industrialisation in Hong Kong” (the study) within this year to accelerate the promotion of “new industrialisation” with Hong Kong’s competitive edges. It is learnt that members of the industries expect that the Government will release more statistics and study reports on the relevant industries, in particular, statistics on the operating situations of Hong Kong manufacturing enterprises operating outside Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether the aforementioned economic performance statistics will also cover Hong Kong manufacturing enterprises operating outside Hong Kong; if not, of the reasons for that;
(2) of the expected completion time of the study, and whether the scope of the study will cover the operating situations of Hong Kong manufacturing enterprises operating outside Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; whether the authorities will engage consultants to conduct such a study on a regular basis in the future; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3) whether it will compile more industrial statistics and conduct more studies at different levels in future, e.g. whether it will, by drawing reference to C&SD’s statistical methodology for the statistics on offshore trade and merchanting activities, conduct a comprehensive survey on Hong Kong manufacturing enterprises operating in the Mainland and overseas, and develop regular statistical indicators on the offshore industrial sector for Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4) as it is learnt that at present, the Key Statistics on Business Performance and Operating Characteristics of the Industrial Sector include statistics on import and export firms engaged in sub-contract processing arrangement and providing manufacturing-related technical support services, of the reasons why offshore sales are not covered in the aforementioned economic performance statistics?
Reply:
President,
Our response to the question raised by the Hon Jimmy Ng, in consultation with the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), is as follows:
(1) The statistics measuring the economic performance of Manufacturing and New Industrialisation-related Industries are compiled based on the statistical framework of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which covers resident producing units only. According to international statistical standard, as offshore enterprises are not resident producing units of Hong Kong, their economic activities are not included in Hong Kong’s Manufacturing and New Industrialisation-related Industries. However, Hong Kong enterprises that are engaging in data services, software development, and other related professional technical services for supporting Hong Kong-owned offshore manufacturing enterprises are included in Manufacturing and New Industrialisation-related Industries for measuring their contribution to the GDP of Hong Kong.
(2) To further enhance the systemic development of new industries with a view to realising the top-level design and developmental direction set out in the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint, we will launch a study on the medium to long-term development plan for new industrialisation in Hong Kong, in order to better understand the current development of new industrialisation in Hong Kong and demands from the industry, and systematically analyse existing policy measures, thereby more effectively encourage traditional manufacturers to employ innovation and technology to undergo upgrading and transformation, support the development of strategic and emerging industries, as well as start-ups and future industries, strengthen support for relevant professional services, and expeditiously drive new industrialisation with Hong Kong advantages. We will launch the study within third quarter of this year. Thereafter, we will ask the consulting institution to conclude the study within 2026, and will, taking into full account the recommendations set out in the consultancy study report and Hong Kong’s local conditions, enhance and implement policies and measures that can drive new industrialisation, to support high quality development. As the tendering process is about to begin, we are unable to provide too much information at this stage. We will continue to closely monitor the development of new industrialisation in Hong Kong, and inspect existing measures or devise new ones in accordance with practical need, including but not limited to considering to launch further studies on new industrialisation. As of now, we do not have plans to regularly conduct relevant studies.
(3) Regarding the offshore business of Hong Kong companies, in addition to compiling statistics on offshore trade and merchanting activities, the C&SD also compiles statistics (e.g. number of establishments, number of persons employed, value added of the industry and sales revenue) relating to the sub-contracting of manufacturing processes by Hong Kong import/export trading companies to the mainland of China (the Mainland) and other regions, in respect of Hong Kong companies which sub-contract their production processes to the Mainland and other regions according to contractual agreement.
As regards business situation of non-local Hong Kong-funded companies, including those located on the Mainland and other regions, the C&SD has practical difficulties in conducting statistical surveys outside Hong Kong to directly collect their data. As for the local companies related to these non-local companies, as the two are independent entities, the local companies concerned are often unable to provide the detailed operating data of the relevant non-local companies. Hence, the C&SD has no plan to compile detailed business statistics of non-local Hong Kong-funded companies.
(4) As the global value chain continues to evolve, more sub-contracting manufacturing processes and related offshore activities have emerged. The compilation of related statistics is a challenge to the international statistical community. The United Nations Statistical Commission is reviewing and updating the current international standards on relevant macroeconomic statistics. The C&SD is also conducting research on related topics and reviewing the latest international statistical developments with a view to enhancing the relevant statistical systems.
