NewzIntel.com

Category: China

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s unpredictable approach to Iran could seriously backfire

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Michelle Bentley, Professor of International Relations, Royal Holloway University of London

    US president Donald Trump has now publicly approved a plan of attack against Iran, which includes a strike against its underground nuclear facility at Fordow (though, at the time of writing, a final decision to go ahead hasn’t been made).

    The world is now waiting to see whether Trump will put this plan into action. And that’s exactly what Trump wants. This is not a case of indecision or buying time. Trump has long based his foreign policy on being unpredictable. Iran is another example of his strategy to be as elusive as possible. Yet, his approach has always been difficult – and now threatens to destabilise an already fractious conflict.

    One interpretation of Trump’s new public threat towards Iran could be deterrence. Trump is warning Iran that there would be significant consequences if they do not reverse their nuclear ambitions. Change or you will regret it.

    If this is Trump’s plan, then he is doing it badly. Successful deterrence relies on clearly communicating the exact penalties of not complying. While Trump has specified a possible attack on Fordow, the rest of the plan is extremely hazy. Trump said he wants “better than a ceasefire”.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    But what does that mean? Just Fordow? Boots on the ground? Regime change? His ambiguity creates problems for deterrence because if your adversary doesn’t know what the outcomes of their actions will be, they can’t formulate a response or will think you just aren’t serious.

    But current US foreign policy on Iran is more than bad deterrence. Trump’s vague rhetoric and his refusal to commit reflects his long-standing strategy of being unreliable when it comes to foreign policy.

    Trump’s prevarication has all the hallmarks of his unpredictability doctrine – which states that you should never let anyone know what you will do. The doctrine is also about uncertainty. The idea being that you unnerve your opponents by making them unsure, allowing you to take the advantage while they have no idea what to do themselves.

    Trump’s rhetoric on Iran reflects that unpredictability doctrine. Trump actively said of his future action: “I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do.”

    This would not be the first time he has used unpredictability in relation to Iran. In 2018, Trump withdrew the US from the joint comprehensive plan of action (JCPOA). This agreement – signed by the US, France, Germany, the UK, China, Russia and the EU – was designed to limit Iran’s nuclear activity in return for sanctions relief. The US withdrawal was seen as disruptive and creating unnecessary uncertainty, not just for Iran but also US allies.

    Will the strategy work?

    Being unpredictable is a dangerous way of doing foreign policy. Stable international politics depends on knowing what everyone else will do. You can’t do that with Trump.

    The downsides of unpredictability will be even worse in a conflict. In the case of Iran, adding even more uncertainty to a fragile situation will only add fuel to what is already a massive fire.



    Read more:
    China positions itself as a stable economic partner and alternative to ‘unpredictable’ Trump

    Trump’s refusal to specify exactly what the US response would be is more proverbial petrol. The insinuation that this could escalate to regime change may be true or not (or just unpredictable bluster).

    It’s also the case that only 14% of Americans support military intervention and so a more aggressive policy may not be realistic. But if Iran is led to think that Trump is directly threatening their state, this could encourage them to hunker down as opposed to changing their nuclear policy – risking greater military action on both sides.

    Donald Trump being unclear about whether the US is going to bomb Iran.

    Even just the implicit threat of US military intervention will damage what little relations there are between America and Iran. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has said: “Any US military intervention will undoubtedly cause irreparable damage.” Unpredictability then undermines any diplomatic negotiations or solution to the crisis.

    Trump is also risking his foreign policy relations beyond Iran. While preventing a new member of the nuclear club is a laudable aim, any US attack on a state over weapons of mass destruction (WMD) will lie in the difficult shadow of the “war on terror”, the US-led military campaign launched after 9/11.

    With the International Atomic Energy Agency questioning Iran’s capacity to build a nuclear bomb, the US’s legacy of intervention over the WMD in Iraq that never were still looms large. Trump will need to be fully transparent and clear if any action over nuclear arms is going to be seen as legitimate. Unpredictability does not allow for that.

    Trump’s fellow state leaders are going to feel disrupted by yet another example of unpredictability. Even if they support curbing Iran, they may find it difficult to back someone they simply can’t depend on. And if they feel cautious about the Iran situation because they can’t rely on Trump, Trump needs to start asking whether he can rely on them for support in whatever his next move is.

    Michelle Bentley does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Trump’s unpredictable approach to Iran could seriously backfire – https://theconversation.com/trumps-unpredictable-approach-to-iran-could-seriously-backfire-259399

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Israel’s conflict with Iran escalates as Trump considers US involvement

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sam Phelps, Commissioning Editor, International Affairs

    This article was first published in The Conversation UK’s World Affairs Briefing email newsletter. Sign up to receive weekly analysis of the latest developments in international relations, direct to your inbox.

    Israel’s attack on Iranian nuclear facilities and military leadership last week has quickly escalated into the most severe conflict between the two foes in decades. They have been trading missile attacks, with Israel now hinting that it seeks to overthrow the government in Tehran.

    On June 19, after an Iranian missile struck a hospital in the Israeli city of Beersheba, Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, announced that he had instructed the military to increase the intensity of attacks against Iran. The goal, he said, was to “undermine the regime”.

    Israel has long made it clear that it would like to see a change of government in Tehran – though not necessarily through direct military action. Katz’s comments, which also involved saying that the Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, “will pay for his crimes”, are the first time Israel has claimed regime change as an official goal since the conflict with Iran began.

    Sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter from The Conversation UK. Every Thursday we’ll bring you expert analysis of the big stories in international relations.

    We asked Farhang Morady, a lecturer in international development at the University of Westminster, how precarious the Iranian government’s grip on power really is. He explains that, despite being under immense pressure, the regime is not at imminent risk of collapse.

    Israeli strikes have inflicted significant damage, Morady says. But they have not caused the downfall of the regime’s core institutions. Khamenei has reshuffled Iran’s military leadership to maintain stability and control, swiftly appointing successors to replace assassinated commanders.

    At least publicly, Morady writes, the Iranian elite is eager to demonstrate its position that the country is capable of enduring the crisis without giving in to foreign pressure. At the same time, the regime has been employing back-channel diplomacy to ensure its survival. It has even reportedly indicated that it is willing to suspend uranium enrichment to maintain itself.



    Read more:
    Israel’s attacks have exposed weaknesses in Iran, but it’s in little danger of collapsing

    However, pressure on the regime could be set to intensify. US president Donald Trump has made it clear that he is considering joining Israel’s campaign against Iran.

    As part of a string of social media posts, which followed his early exit from the G7 summit in Canada, Trump described Khamenei as an “easy target” who is safe “for now”. Then, on June 18, when asked a question about the US striking Iran, Trump said: “I may do it, I may not do it.”

    Whether Trump’s antics are a bluff to force Iran to negotiate an end to the conflict – or, in his own words, an “unconditional surrender” – remains to be seen.

    But in the view of Natasha Lindstaedt, a professor in the department of government at the University of Essex, Trump’s statements suggest he is being won over by the Israeli government’s pressure campaign to convince Washington that the time is right for a joint military assault on Iran.

    The US possesses the 30,000-pound “bunker buster” bomb, and the B-2 stealth bomber to carry it, capable of destroying Iran’s deep-lying uranium enrichment sites. Lindstaedt sees a situation arising soon where Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, convinces Trump to use this weapon against Iran.



    Read more:
    Trump breaks from western allies at G7 summit as US weighs joining Iran strikes

    Any American military action in Iran has the potential to cause a split in Trump’s base of support, says Richard Hargy, an expert on US politics at Queen’s University Belfast. In this piece, Hargy details how Trump’s condemnation of former US presidents for leading the US into foreign wars won him plaudits with his “make America great again” (Maga) base.

    These people remain fiercely opposed to US involvement in another conflict in the Middle East. Steve Bannon, an America-first backer and staunch Trump ally, has warned that US action in Iran would “blow up” Trump’s coalition of support.

    At the same time, Hargy says Trump has several prominent Republican hawks urging him to take military action against Iran. Senator Lindsey Graham, for example, has this week called on Trump to go “all in” to help “Israel eliminate the [Iranian] nuclear threat”.

    Whatever Trump decides over Iran will be a pivotal moment for his presidency.



    Read more:
    Iran air strikes: Republicans split over support for Trump and another ‘foreign war’

    Confrontation was inevitable

    A direct conflict between Israel and Iran has been a long time coming. Tensions between the two countries have been simmering for years. But why did Israel chose to act now? Matthew Moran and Wyn Bowen, professors of international security at King’s College London, say two factors have converged that made this confrontation all but inevitable.

    First, Iran’s regime has been left exposed by events over the past 12 months or so. Israeli strikes in October 2024 seriously degraded Iran’s air defences, while Israel’s military response to the October 7 Hamas attacks has decimated Iran’s regional proxy network. These events have undermined Iran’s ability to deter adversaries and have emboldened Israel.

    And second, Iran’s nuclear programme has advanced since Trump withdrew the US from a deal negotiated during Barack Obama’s presidency that greatly rolled back Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

    Moran and Bowen point to a recent report by the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security that suggests Iran could convert its current stock of 60% enriched uranium into enough weapons-grade uranium for seven nuclear weapons. This could be done in as little as three weeks.

    US national intelligence and the International Atomic Energy Agency say there is no evidence to suggest Iran is, in fact, looking to build a nuclear bomb. Nevertheless, even the possibility that Iran was close to developing one crossed an Israeli red line and triggered action.

    In the words of Moran and Bowen: “Iran’s brinkmanship around its effort to hedge its bets on a nuclear option meant it was always operating in a dangerous space.”



    Read more:
    Israeli aggression and Iranian nuclear brinkmanship made this confrontation all but inevitable

    According to Brian Brivati of Kingston University, there is one other factor may have encouraged Israel to take action against Iran: the collapsing credibility of the international legal order.

    In this piece, Brivati traces how the Israeli and US governments have systematically weakened the global institutions designed to uphold international law over the past few years. The Israeli government has ignored court rulings over its actions in Gaza, while the US has disabled the mechanisms of accountability.

    This has created a situation in which states can act with impunity, confident that international mechanisms can be ignored. Israel’s initial attack on Iran, which was conducted without authorisation from the UN security council, is a symptom of this. And other global powers like Russia and China may now look to follow its lead.

    We have arrived at a moment so stark, Brivati says, that it should be seen as a turning point for the international order.



    Read more:
    Israel, Iran and the US: why 2025 is a turning point for the international order

    World Affairs Briefing from The Conversation UK is available as a weekly email newsletter. Click here to get updates directly in your inbox.

    – ref. Israel’s conflict with Iran escalates as Trump considers US involvement – https://theconversation.com/israels-conflict-with-iran-escalates-as-trump-considers-us-involvement-259201

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NPC Standing Committee Chairman Calls on People’s Congresses to Advance Development, Reform

    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

    HOHHOT, June 19 (Xinhua) — Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, has called for utilizing the powers of people’s congresses to advance socio-economic development and accomplish key reform tasks.

    Zhao Leji, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the call during an inspection and familiarization tour of North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region from June 16 to 19.

    During the trip, Zhao Leji visited urban communities and enterprises, where he interacted with legislators and members of the public, and inspected the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region People’s Congress and the Arshan City People’s Congress.

    The Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee called on the legislative organs to strictly adhere to the centralized and unified leadership of the Party, conscientiously implement the requirements of the CPC Central Committee, and consistently advance legislative, supervisory and parliamentary work.

    In addition, Zhao Leji headed the NPC Standing Committee’s inspection team to verify compliance with the Forestry Code of the People’s Republic of China in Inner Mongolia.

    Noting that Inner Mongolia is the largest functional ecological zone in northern China in terms of area and the richest in species diversity, Zhao Leji stressed the importance of faithfully implementing the Forestry Code, sustainably preserving natural forests and artificial afforestation, and continuously increasing the total volume and quality of forest resources. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Ceasefire is an urgent priority in resolving the conflict in the Middle East – Xi Jinping

    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, June 19 (Xinhua) — A ceasefire is an urgent priority in resolving the conflict in the Middle East, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday.

    The Chinese leader made the corresponding statement in a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the conversation, the heads of the two states exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East.

    Xi Jinping outlined China’s principles and position, saying that the current situation in the Middle East is extremely dangerous, proving once again that the world is entering a new turbulent period of fundamental change.

    If the conflict continues to escalate, it will not only lead to increased losses for its participants, but will also cause serious damage to states throughout the region, the Chinese president warned.

    The use of force, Xi Jinping stressed, is not the right way to resolve international disputes and only increases hatred and exacerbates contradictions.

    The conflicting parties, especially Israel, must cease fire as soon as possible to stop the spiral of escalation and under no circumstances allow the war to spread beyond the region, the Chinese leader said.

    Xi said ensuring the safety of civilians is a top priority, adding that the red line of protecting civilians in armed conflicts should never be crossed and the indiscriminate use of force is unacceptable.

    The Chinese President called on the parties to the conflict to strictly adhere to international law, avoid causing harm to innocent civilians and facilitate the safe evacuation of third-country nationals.

    Launching dialogue and negotiations is the fundamental way to resolve the issue, and communication and dialogue are the right path to lasting peace, Xi Jinping is convinced.

    He called on relevant parties to remain firmly committed to finding a political solution to the Iranian nuclear issue and return the issue to the path of political settlement through dialogue and negotiations.

    The international community’s efforts to establish peace are indispensable, Xi Jinping noted, adding that without stability in the Middle East, world peace is unlikely.

    The Chinese President noted that the conflict between Israel and Iran has led to a sudden escalation of tensions in the Middle East and dealt a serious blow to global security.

    The international community, especially large countries with special influence on the parties to the conflict, should make efforts to cool the situation, rather than do the opposite, Xi stressed, calling on the UN Security Council to play a more active role in this regard.

    Xi Jinping said China is willing to continue to strengthen communication and coordination with all parties, pool their efforts, uphold justice and play a constructive role in restoring peace in the Middle East. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Exclusive: China remains the main driver of global economic growth and Russia’s number one trading partner — VTB CEO A. Kostin

    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

    Moscow, June 19 (Xinhua) — China remains the main driver of global economic growth and Russia’s number one trading partner, said Andrey Kostin, president and chairman of the board of Russian bank VTB, in a written interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, which is being held in St. Petersburg from June 18 to 21.

    Over the past 5 years, China’s contribution to global economic growth has averaged around 30 percent, making China one of the main drivers of global economic growth, noted A. Kostin.

    Speaking about bilateral trade between Russia and China, A. Kostin reported that “last year, trade turnover amounted to almost 245 billion dollars, and in the medium term, it is expected to reach 300 billion dollars per year,” he added.

    At the same time, according to the head of VTB, the interaction between Russia and China in the area of mutual investments is still noticeably lagging behind the dynamic growth in trade. “Their volume today does not correspond to the level and quality of political dialogue,” the banker is sure.

    A. Kostin recalled that in order to develop this area, Russia and China updated their investment cooperation plan in August 2024. In his opinion, one of the promising areas for joint investment is the development of transport and logistics infrastructure, which is important for ensuring further growth of trade and economic cooperation, including cross-border and regional.

    Joint projects in the energy, oil and gas, and agro-industrial sectors have great potential. “Here we can talk about investments in projects in Russia, Russian supplies of raw materials and agricultural products to China, as well as the creation of joint ventures to enter third-country markets with final products,” suggested the Xinhua source.

    In addition, according to A. Kostin, in order to ensure the technological sovereignty of the two countries in modern geopolitical realities, it is important to finance joint developments and projects in the field of developing technological cooperation, including digitalization and the creation of artificial intelligence.

    The head of VTB noted that China has traditionally been one of the most important areas of the bank’s international activities. The branch in Shanghai has been operating in the Chinese market for 17 years and today remains the only Russian bank in the country.

    In addition, VTB has been supporting Russian-Chinese cultural exchanges for many years, because mutual study of culture and traditions helps people from different countries to understand each other better. “In international business, knowledge of the partner’s ‘cultural code’ helps to establish deeper and more trusting relationships, and therefore, it facilitates effective cooperation and the achievement of a more lasting result,” the head of the Russian bank believes.

    As part of the cross-cultural Years of China and Russia /2024-2025/, VTB has become a partner in a series of large-scale tours of Russian art in China, and projects that introduce Russians to Chinese art are being implemented with its support. “We will be glad to continue to take an active part in the development of cultural dialogue between our countries,” concluded A. Kostin. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Are Chinese investors grabbing Zambian land? Study finds that’s a myth

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Yuezhou Yang, Research Fellow, London School of Economics and Political Science

    Media coverage of Chinese land investments in African agriculture often reinforces narratives of a “weak African state” and the “Chinese land grab”, highlighting power imbalances between the actors involved in these land deals.

    Are Chinese actors grabbing land in Africa and jeopardising local people’s land rights and food security?

    China’s “Agriculture Going Out” policy, launched in 2007 as part of its broader “Going Out” strategy, was reinforced by the Belt and Road Initiative from 2013. Backed by these policies, Chinese foreign direct investment in Africa rose from US$74.81 million in 2003 to US$4.99 billion in 2021. By 2020, US$1.67 billion was invested in African agriculture, with nearly two-thirds targeting cash crop cultivation. Zambia ranked among the top ten African countries receiving Chinese foreign direct investment and loans.

    My research on Zambian agriculture finds that Chinese land grabbing is a myth. Instead, Chinese investors have preferred different investment models according to the specific rules of land access, transfer and control of three land tenure systems in Zambia.

    What ties the three types of Chinese agricultural investments together is this: land institutions matter. Whether it’s central government rules or traditional authority, these systems shape how foreign investment happens and what impact it has.



    Read more:
    Foreign agriculture investments don’t always threaten food security: the case of Madagascar

    Each of the three models raises new opportunities and challenges for rural development and land governance. These findings matter because they offer insights into the future of land rights, livelihoods and state-building in African countries.

    Not all land is the same

    After independence, all land in Zambia was vested in the president, held in trust for the people. Today, the country still operates under a dual land system, as outlined in the 1995 Lands Act. State land, managed by the central government, includes both private and government leaseholds. Customary land, on the other hand, remains under the authority of traditional chiefs. The exact proportion of state and customary land in Zambia is contested, with estimates of customary land ranging widely from 94% to 54%.

    This tenure distinction is significant because each type of land is governed by different rules regarding foreign access and ownership, which shape how foreign investors choose their investment models.

    Over four months of fieldwork in Zambia, I gathered data on 50 Chinese agricultural projects (41 remained active) through 96 qualitative interviews. These projects were spread across three types of land tenure: private leasehold (37), government leasehold (1), and customary land (3).

    Model 1: Commercial farm on private land

    My fieldwork data showed that the majority of Chinese agricultural investments in Zambia are located on private leasehold land, typically following the commercial farm model. This type of land functions much like private property, held under 99-year leases that can be bought, sold or transferred. Investors use it for large-scale farming operations, such as maize, soybean and wheat production.

    Even in these seemingly privatised spaces, however, state power remains influential. When Zambia proposed a draft National Land Policy in 2017 aimed at tightening rules for foreign land ownership, Chinese investors responded strategically. Many began aligning their projects with Zambia’s development priorities, emphasising contributions to local food security, donating to charities, and promoting themselves as responsible corporate actors.

    Model 2: Farm block on government land

    In northern Zambia, for example, a Chinese company partnered with the government to develop a farm block on state-owned land that had been converted from customary tenure for national development. Unlike the commercial farm model, the government played a central role, selecting the investor, managing the land and negotiating the deal. The project promised infrastructure and jobs, enhancing the political standing of local officials.

    But this kind of state-led development works only when the promises are delivered. In other areas where farm blocks failed to materialise, traditional chiefs reclaimed the land. In the northern case, actual physical infrastructure investment helped reinforce state authority.

    Model 3: Contract farming on customary land

    The third model is very different. For instance, a Chinese agribusiness company arranged contract farming deals with over 50,000 smallholders in Zambia’s Eastern Province. Instead of buying or leasing land, the company provided seeds and bought cotton from farmers after harvest. This let the company access land informally, without triggering the legal and political risks of converting customary land to leasehold.

    Operating on customary land posed challenges for investors. When farmers defaulted on loans or engaged in side-selling, companies had limited legal recourse and often had to negotiate with chiefs and local communities rather than the state. In such contexts, traditional authorities – not the central government – wielded the decisive power over land and its governance.

    Why this matters

    In a world where land deals are often controversial, understanding how local rules shape global investment is crucial. It’s not just about who buys the land, but under what terms, and how those terms are enforced. African governments are not just passive bystanders; they’re active players who use land institutions to negotiate power and development.



    Read more:
    China and Africa: Ethiopia case study debunks investment myths

    This research urges us to look beyond the headlines about “land grabs” and instead focus on the everyday politics of land. If African states want to steer rural development on their own terms, understanding and strengthening land institutions – both statutory and customary – is key.

    This research is developed from Yuezhou Yang’s MRes/PhD project, which is supported by funding from the China Scholarship Council 201708040015.

    – ref. Are Chinese investors grabbing Zambian land? Study finds that’s a myth – https://theconversation.com/are-chinese-investors-grabbing-zambian-land-study-finds-thats-a-myth-257644

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Are Chinese investors grabbing Zambian land? Study finds that’s a myth

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Yuezhou Yang, Research Fellow, London School of Economics and Political Science

    Media coverage of Chinese land investments in African agriculture often reinforces narratives of a “weak African state” and the “Chinese land grab”, highlighting power imbalances between the actors involved in these land deals.

    Are Chinese actors grabbing land in Africa and jeopardising local people’s land rights and food security?

    China’s “Agriculture Going Out” policy, launched in 2007 as part of its broader “Going Out” strategy, was reinforced by the Belt and Road Initiative from 2013. Backed by these policies, Chinese foreign direct investment in Africa rose from US$74.81 million in 2003 to US$4.99 billion in 2021. By 2020, US$1.67 billion was invested in African agriculture, with nearly two-thirds targeting cash crop cultivation. Zambia ranked among the top ten African countries receiving Chinese foreign direct investment and loans.

    My research on Zambian agriculture finds that Chinese land grabbing is a myth. Instead, Chinese investors have preferred different investment models according to the specific rules of land access, transfer and control of three land tenure systems in Zambia.

    What ties the three types of Chinese agricultural investments together is this: land institutions matter. Whether it’s central government rules or traditional authority, these systems shape how foreign investment happens and what impact it has.

    Read more: Foreign agriculture investments don’t always threaten food security: the case of Madagascar

    Each of the three models raises new opportunities and challenges for rural development and land governance. These findings matter because they offer insights into the future of land rights, livelihoods and state-building in African countries.

    Not all land is the same

    After independence, all land in Zambia was vested in the president, held in trust for the people. Today, the country still operates under a dual land system, as outlined in the 1995 Lands Act. State land, managed by the central government, includes both private and government leaseholds. Customary land, on the other hand, remains under the authority of traditional chiefs. The exact proportion of state and customary land in Zambia is contested, with estimates of customary land ranging widely from 94% to 54%.

    This tenure distinction is significant because each type of land is governed by different rules regarding foreign access and ownership, which shape how foreign investors choose their investment models.

    Over four months of fieldwork in Zambia, I gathered data on 50 Chinese agricultural projects (41 remained active) through 96 qualitative interviews. These projects were spread across three types of land tenure: private leasehold (37), government leasehold (1), and customary land (3).

    Model 1: Commercial farm on private land

    My fieldwork data showed that the majority of Chinese agricultural investments in Zambia are located on private leasehold land, typically following the commercial farm model. This type of land functions much like private property, held under 99-year leases that can be bought, sold or transferred. Investors use it for large-scale farming operations, such as maize, soybean and wheat production.

    Even in these seemingly privatised spaces, however, state power remains influential. When Zambia proposed a draft National Land Policy in 2017 aimed at tightening rules for foreign land ownership, Chinese investors responded strategically. Many began aligning their projects with Zambia’s development priorities, emphasising contributions to local food security, donating to charities, and promoting themselves as responsible corporate actors.

    Model 2: Farm block on government land

    In northern Zambia, for example, a Chinese company partnered with the government to develop a farm block on state-owned land that had been converted from customary tenure for national development. Unlike the commercial farm model, the government played a central role, selecting the investor, managing the land and negotiating the deal. The project promised infrastructure and jobs, enhancing the political standing of local officials.

    But this kind of state-led development works only when the promises are delivered. In other areas where farm blocks failed to materialise, traditional chiefs reclaimed the land. In the northern case, actual physical infrastructure investment helped reinforce state authority.

    Model 3: Contract farming on customary land

    The third model is very different. For instance, a Chinese agribusiness company arranged contract farming deals with over 50,000 smallholders in Zambia’s Eastern Province. Instead of buying or leasing land, the company provided seeds and bought cotton from farmers after harvest. This let the company access land informally, without triggering the legal and political risks of converting customary land to leasehold.

    Operating on customary land posed challenges for investors. When farmers defaulted on loans or engaged in side-selling, companies had limited legal recourse and often had to negotiate with chiefs and local communities rather than the state. In such contexts, traditional authorities – not the central government – wielded the decisive power over land and its governance.

    Why this matters

    In a world where land deals are often controversial, understanding how local rules shape global investment is crucial. It’s not just about who buys the land, but under what terms, and how those terms are enforced. African governments are not just passive bystanders; they’re active players who use land institutions to negotiate power and development.

    Read more: China and Africa: Ethiopia case study debunks investment myths

    This research urges us to look beyond the headlines about “land grabs” and instead focus on the everyday politics of land. If African states want to steer rural development on their own terms, understanding and strengthening land institutions – both statutory and customary – is key.

    – Are Chinese investors grabbing Zambian land? Study finds that’s a myth
    – https://theconversation.com/are-chinese-investors-grabbing-zambian-land-study-finds-thats-a-myth-257644

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Immersive HK exhibition opens in SH

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The “Immersive Hong Kong” roving exhibition, showcasing the charm and vibrancy of Hong Kong through interactive art technology, opened in Shanghai today and will run until June 29.

    With the theme of “Hong Kong – Where the World Looks Ahead”, the exhibition invites visitors from Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta to explore the unique opportunities and potential for tourism, education, business and investment in Hong Kong.

    The five thematic zones – “Financial Bridgehead”, “I&T Brain Bank”, “Blossoming Creativity”, “Diversity and Greenery” and “Buzzing Sports Action” – feature multiple interactive art projections, light box installations and naked-eye 3D displays, representing the multifaceted appeal of Hong Kong.

    Director of Information Services Apollonia Liu introduced the highlights of the exhibition at the opening ceremony today, saying that the thematic zone “Buzzing Sports Action” was especially set up to serve as pre-event publicity for the 15th National Games to be co-hosted by Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macau in November.

    She also noted that China’s national treasures, giant pandas, are featured in naked-eye 3D displays and interactive games for the first time, inviting visitors to experience the vibrancy of Hong Kong as an “events capital”.

    Mrs Liu hoped that the exhibition could attract people from the Mainland to learn more about Hong Kong and spark their interest in visiting the city, and come to Hong Kong in future for business and investment, employment and entrepreneurship, injecting impetus to the further growth of Hong Kong.

    Visitors may also enjoy Hong Kong’s vibrant and colourful skyline, illustrated by Hong Kong artist Messy Desk (Jane Lee), at a photo corner in the venue. Two young talented Hong Kong musicians will also perform at the exhibition venue.

    There will also be an interactive game where winners will receive will a pair of round-trip business class air tickets or economy class air tickets from Shanghai to Hong Kong.

    Organised by the Information Services Department, this is the sixth stop for the exhibition, following its successful staging in cities in the Mainland, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Middle East since 2023.

    The exhibition is being held at Xintiandi Style I, a major Hong Kong-based shopping centre in Shanghai. It will also be held in Qingdao and Chengdu, also Mainland key node cities along the Belt & Road, later this year.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Exclusive: US protectionism damages economic stability and leads to the destruction of global trade mechanisms – VTB CEO A. Kostin

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    Moscow, June 19 (Xinhua) — U.S. protectionism is damaging economic stability and creating uncertainty in international trade, said Andrey Kostin, president and chairman of the board of Russia’s VTB Bank, in a written interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, which is being held in St. Petersburg from June 18 to 21.

    “The US protectionist measures affect almost all countries in the world. Such policies cause obvious damage to the stability of economic cooperation and lead to the destruction of the mechanisms and principles of world trade. They create uncertainty in international trade, which negatively affects the prospects for global growth,” said the head of VTB.

    According to A. Kostin, the most alarming fact is that in the last few years the US and other Western countries have begun to actively use the instruments of the international economic system to achieve their geopolitical goals. “The degree of this ‘weaponization’ /use as a weapon/ of economic levers continues to increase,” he stated.

    As the banker noted, the current situation is pushing the countries of the Global South and East to search for alternative mechanisms of financial and trade-economic interaction, to create a new model of relationships. “This process is largely objective. The strengthening of geoeconomic competition in the world in recent years only gives it a significant acceleration,” he explained.

    A. Kostin noted the active work of new international development institutions, such as the New Development Bank of BRICS, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the Eurasian Development Bank. “Their role in solving regional and global problems is constantly growing,” the banker is confident. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Moscow Calls on Israel to Stop Attacks on Iran’s Nuclear Facilities and Sites — Russian Foreign Ministry

    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

    St. Petersburg, June 19 /Xinhua/ — The main thing at the moment is to prevent an escalation of violence, achieve a ceasefire and prevent possible strikes on nuclear facilities. Moscow is making political and diplomatic efforts to facilitate the settlement of the Iran-Israel conflict, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.

    “Russia calls on the Israeli leadership to immediately stop raids on nuclear installations and sites that are under safeguards and are the objects of IAEA verification activities, and is particularly concerned about the safety of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, in whose work Russian specialists are involved,” M. Zakharova said during a briefing on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

    “Today, the main thing is to prevent the spiral of violence from further unwinding, to achieve a ceasefire, to restore peace, which in turn will create the preconditions for returning the situation to the negotiating track. We are ready to contribute to this in every possible way and are making political and diplomatic efforts in this direction,” she added. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China Invites Multinational Companies, Entrepreneurs to Invest in Country — Vice Premier of State Council of China

    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

    QINGDAO, June 19 (Xinhua) — China welcomes international multinational companies and entrepreneurs to invest and do business in China as the country steadily advances high-level opening up, Vice Premier He Lifeng said Thursday.

    He Lifeng, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks while delivering a speech at the opening ceremony of the 6th Multinational Enterprise CEOs Summit in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province.

    The Vice Premier stressed that China will unswervingly promote high-level opening-up, create a world-class business environment, and firmly safeguard the multilateral trading system.

    With a huge domestic market and the most complete industrial system in the world, China has strong economic resilience and growth potential and is an ideal, safe and promising investment destination for multinational companies, He Lifeng added. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China to further enhance trade ties with Central Asia: commerce ministry

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

    BEIJING, June 19 — China’s Ministry of Commerce said Thursday that the country will further deepen its trade ties with Central Asia and promote bilateral cooperation on industrial and supply chains.

    During the just-concluded second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, the ministry signed three documents with the relevant authorities of Central Asian countries to strengthen economic and trade cooperation, enhance trade facilitation, and promote green mineral cooperation, ministry spokesperson He Yadong said at a press conference.

    The ministry has also signed five bilateral cooperation documents with relevant Central Asian countries, focusing on areas such as economic and trade relations, investment, e-commerce, and economic and technological cooperation, according to He.

    Next, the ministry will take measures to implement the key outcomes and consensus reached at the summit, the spokesperson said.

    To enhance bilateral trade cooperation, China will actively expand imports of energy, minerals and high-quality agricultural products from Central Asian countries, while increasing exports of automobiles, home appliances, telecommunications equipment and light textiles to the region.

    China will also expand its cooperation with Central Asia in emerging fields such as electric vehicles, biomedicine, new energy and the digital economy, and make efforts to increase the China-Europe freight trains passing through Central Asian countries, according to He.

    In addition, China will implement the new versions of investment agreements it has signed with Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, accelerate negotiations with Kyrgyzstan on service trade and investment agreement, and support Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in joining the World Trade Organization, He said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China welcomes multinationals, entrepreneurs to invest in the country: vice premier

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

    China welcomes multinationals, entrepreneurs to invest in the country: vice premier

    QINGDAO, June 19 — Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Thursday said that global multinationals and entrepreneurs are welcome to invest and develop in China as the country steadfastly advances its high-level opening-up.

    He, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when addressing the opening ceremony of the sixth Qingdao Multinationals Summit in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province.

    China will steadfastly advance its high-level opening-up, create a world-class business environment, and firmly uphold the multilateral trading system, He said.

    Boasting a super-large domestic market and the world’s most complete industrial system, China has demonstrated strong economic resilience and growth potential, and is an ideal, secure and promising investment destination for multinational companies, He said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s police chief meets with U.S. ambassador to China

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

    China’s police chief meets with U.S. ambassador to China

    BEIJING, June 19 — Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong met with David Perdue, ambassador of the United States to China, in Beijing on Thursday.

    Wang said China is willing to work with the United States to well implement the important consensus reached between their two heads of state, and, based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, strengthen practical cooperation in law enforcement fields such as drug control and the repatriation of illegal immigrants, to achieve results conducive to the well-being of the people in both countries.

    Wang voiced the hope that the United States will work together with China, uphold an attitude of equality, respect each other’s concerns, and inject positive energy into the development of bilateral relations.

    Perdue expressed willingness to play a role in promoting the development of bilateral relations, and to facilitate exchange and cooperation in such areas as drug control law enforcement.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi says ceasefire an urgent priority in Middle East

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

    BEIJING, June 19 — Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that ceasefire must be an urgent priority in the Middle East.

    Xi made the remarks during his phone talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the call, the two leaders exchanged views regarding the situation in the Middle East.

    Xi outlined China’s principles and position, saying that the current Middle East situation is highly perilous, further proving that the world is entering a new period of turbulence and transformation.

    If the conflict continues to escalate, not only will the parties directly involved suffer greater losses, but countries across the region will also be severely affected, Xi said.

    He said the use of force is not a right way to resolve international disputes and only serves to deepen hatred and confrontation.

    The parties involved in the conflict, especially Israel, should halt military operations as soon as possible to prevent a spiral of escalation and to firmly avoid the spread of war beyond the region, Xi said.

    Xi also said that ensuring civilian safety must be a top priority, adding that the red line of protecting civilians in armed conflicts must not be crossed at any time, and indiscriminate use of force is unacceptable.

    He called on the parties to the conflict to strictly adhere to international law, avoid harming innocent civilians, and facilitate the safe evacuation of third-country nationals.

    Dialogue and negotiation are the fundamental solutions, Xi said, adding that communication and dialogue are the right ways to achieve lasting peace.

    Xi urged the relevant parties to firmly support a political solution to the Iranian nuclear issue, and push the issue back to the track of political solution through dialogue and negotiation.

    The international community’s peacemaking efforts are indispensable, Xi said, adding that without stability in the Middle East, there can hardly be peace in the world.

    The conflict between Israel and Iran has led to a sudden escalation of tensions in the Middle East and severely impacted global security, Xi noted.

    The international community, especially major countries that have a special influence on parties to the conflict, should make efforts to cool down the situation, not the opposite, he said, calling on the UN Security Council to play a bigger role in this regard.

    Xi stressed that China stands ready to continue enhancing communication and coordination with all parties, pool their efforts, uphold justice, and play a constructive role in restoring peace in the Middle East.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s vice premier calls for consolidation of poverty alleviation work

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

    YINCHUAN, June 19 — Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong has called for unremitting work to consolidate and expand China’s poverty alleviation achievements, and to optimize regular rural support policies.

    Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a research trip to Shanxi Province, Gansu Province and the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region from Monday to Thursday.

    After declaring that it had eradicated absolute poverty in 2021, China dedicated a five-year transition period to consolidating and building on the outcomes of its poverty alleviation campaign, and to integrating those outcomes with rural vitalization.

    Noting that only six months of this transition period remain, Liu urged action to strengthen the monitoring of emergencies such as diseases and disasters, as well as action to mitigate possible risks. Poverty alleviation efforts in industries must be tailored to local conditions, Liu said, urging intensified work to stabilize employment and boost incomes for those who have emerged from poverty.

    Follow-up assistance for people who participated in the country’s relocation and resettlement program should be strengthened, he said, also noting the necessity of strengthening collaboration between the country’s eastern and western regions, and of deepening targeted assistance from the central government.

    At a symposium during his trip, he urged the establishment of a stratified and classified assistance system for rural low-income populations and underdeveloped areas during the approaching post-transition period. On the basis of safeguarding the bottom line to prevent large-scale relapse into poverty or the occurrence of poverty, rural revitalization efforts should be advanced across the board, he said.

    Liu also emphasized the importance of completing summer harvest work effectively to ensure a full-year bumper grain harvest.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man jailed for life for drugging and raping 10 women as judge commends Met officers

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A senior judge has praised the Metropolitan Police Service following one of the most challenging and complex investigations conducted by detectives to bring a serial rapist to justice.

    The case demonstrates the Met’s ongoing commitment to keeping women and girls safe and work to eradicate sexual violence, largely at the hands of predatory men.

    Zhenhao Zou, 28 (20.02.97), of Churchyard Row, Elephant and Castle, was convicted of drugging and raping women both in the UK and China in March 2025. A jury found him guilty of 28 offences in total, including counts of voyeurism, possession of an extreme pornographic image, possession of a drug to commit a sexual offence and false imprisonment.

    On Thursday, 19 June, he was sentenced at Inner London Crown Court to a life sentence. He will have to serve a minimum of 24 years.

    The lengthy sentence reflects justice for the women who are victim-survivors of Zou and is testament to the extraordinary lengths gone to by investigators, who left no stone unturned in their pursuit to take a dangerous sexual predator off the streets.

    Following the sentencing hearing, officers paid tribute to the brave victim-survivors, who have always remained at the very heart of the investigation.

    During the sentencing hearing, the judge commended Met detectives DC Jack Woods and DC Oliver Colville, while paying tribute to the whole prosecution team.

    Commander Kevin Southworth, of the Metropolitan Police Service, said: “First and foremost, our thoughts have always been with the courageous victim-survivors of Zou’s heinous and predatory crimes.

    “Thanks to the remarkable efforts of our officers and prosecutors, a dangerous and cowardly offender has been handed a life sentence. I hope the fact Zou can no longer harm others serves as a small amount of comfort to the women who have suffered immeasurably.

    “I would also like to take this opportunity to stress that our investigation remains open and we continue to appeal to anyone who may think they have been a victim of Zou. Please come forward and speak with our team – we will treat you with empathy, kindness and respect.”

    The investigation

    Before his arrest in January 2024, Zou was a student at University College London (UCL) since 2019 and prior to that studied at Queen’s University Belfast.

    Zou used social media platforms and dating websites to target victim-survivors – all of which are believed to be of Chinese heritage. He lured women to his accommodation under the pretence of having a drink or studying and then plied them with drinks laced with drugs.

    He filmed himself as he raped the woman as they lost consciousness.

    Met investigators watched hundreds of these disturbing videos as they built a case of evidence against Zou. It was after analysis of this graphic and disturbing material that it became apparent that he had not only committed offences in London, but also in his home country of China too.

    The prosecution team were unable to identify all of the victim-survivors captured, so relied on this video evidence to present a compelling case during the trial. Officers also meticulously pulled together over 4000 documents to leave no doubt in the jury’s mind about Zou’s guilt.

    Alongside this, they downloaded around six and a half terabytes worth of data from Zou’s phones and laptops, which included around nine million messages. This is the equivalent to 1,664 hours of footage and is one of the biggest cases the Met’s digital forensics lab has ever dealt with.

    Met officers spent months trawling through messages to understand Zou’s pattern of offending, scrupulously translating them into English from Simplified Chinese.

    The appeal

    Following Zou’s conviction, investigators shared that they believed Zou’s offending was much wider than the eleven rapes he was convicted of. They made a direct appeal to unidentified victim-survivors to come forward and seek specialist support.

    Securing justice for the victim-survivors of Zou and putting him behind bars has been at the forefront of detective’s minds since the start of the investigation. To secure a conviction through a fair trial, officers made the decision not to appeal for further victim-survivors ahead of conviction. Sharing specific information relating to his offending may have caused the case to collapse, leaving Zou to offend again. By appealing post-conviction, the Met was able to share the fullest details to support potential victim-survivors coming forward.

    Since the appeal in March 2025, 24 women have made reports to the police. These continue to be investigated thoroughly by a dedicated team of officers. Following the sentencing hearing, the team will continue to liaise with the Crown Prosecution Services around potential future charges.

    Detectives continue to keep an open mind about the identities of unidentified victim-survivors but have been keen to speak to women from the Chinese student community – they may have been living in London between 2019-2024 or met Zou while he was living in China.

    So far, investigators have not received any reports from women who met Zou while he was living in Belfast but remain in contact with Police Service Northern Ireland. They continue to encourage any current or former Northern Ireland residents who have concerns to come forward and speak to officers.

    Saira Pike, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Zou is a serial rapist and a danger to women. His life sentence reflects the heinous acts and harm he caused to women and the danger he posed to society.

    “We have always been determined to seek justice for both the unidentified and identified victims in this case. We used an evidence-led approach that relied on the video recordings of Zou to ensure this dangerous predator faced justice.

    “The prosecution team worked with the police for over a year to pick apart an unprecedented amount of footage and web chats showing his meticulous planning and the horrifying execution of his crimes.

    “Following the police appeal, we will continue to review and consider any further charges to ensure that he is held accountable and seek justice for all victims.

    “I’d like to take this opportunity to once again express my heartfelt thanks to the courageous women who came forward to report Zou’s horrific crimes. They have been incredibly strong and brave – there is no doubt that their evidence helped us to secure his conviction, and the life sentence handed to him today.”

    How to contact the police and independent support agencies:

    Reports relating to Zhenhao Zou can be made online via the Major Incident Public Portal (MIPP): https://mipp.police.uk/operation/01MPS25X38-PO1 . The MIPP is also available in Simplified Chinese https://mipp.police.uk/operation/01MPS25X38-PO2, so it is as accessible as possible for potential victim-survivors.

    If you wish to speak to Met detectives or make a report relating to Zou, you can also contact police via email on survivors@met.police.uk

    You can also make a report to police by calling 101 from within the UK, quoting reference 2904/04FEB25.

    If you live in England or Wales and have been affected by this case and would like to seek support from specialist agencies, please contact the independent charity Rape Crisis via their 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line or call them on 0808 500 2222. Specially trained staff are there to listen, answer questions and offer emotional support.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man jailed for drugging and raping 10 women as judge commends officers

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A senior judge has praised the Metropolitan Police Service following one of the most challenging and complex investigations conducted by detectives to bring a serial rapist to justice.

    The case demonstrates the Met’s ongoing commitment to keeping women and girls safe and work to eradicate sexual violence, largely at the hands of predatory men.

    Zhenhao Zou, 28 (20.02.97), of Churchyard Row, Elephant and Castle, was convicted of drugging and raping women both in the UK and China in March 2025. A jury found him guilty of 28 offences in total, including counts of voyeurism, possession of an extreme pornographic image, possession of a drug to commit a sexual offence and false imprisonment.

    On Thursday, 19 June, he was sentenced at Inner London Crown Court to a life sentence. He will have to serve a minimum of 24 years.

    The lengthy sentence reflects justice for the women who are victim-survivors of Zou and is testament to the extraordinary lengths gone to by investigators, who left no stone unturned in their pursuit to take a dangerous sexual predator off the streets.

    Following the sentencing hearing, officers paid tribute to the brave victim-survivors, who have always remained at the very heart of the investigation.

    During the sentencing hearing, the judge commended Met detectives DC Jack Woods and DC Oliver Colville, while paying tribute to the whole prosecution team.

    Commander Kevin Southworth, of the Metropolitan Police Service, said: “First and foremost, our thoughts have always been with the courageous victim-survivors of Zou’s heinous and predatory crimes.

    “Thanks to the remarkable efforts of our officers and prosecutors, a dangerous and cowardly offender has been handed a life sentence. I hope the fact Zou can no longer harm others serves as a small amount of comfort to the women who have suffered immeasurably.

    “I would also like to take this opportunity to stress that our investigation remains open and we continue to appeal to anyone who may think they have been a victim of Zou. Please come forward and speak with our team – we will treat you with empathy, kindness and respect.”

    The investigation

    Before his arrest in January 2024, Zou was a student at University College London (UCL) since 2019 and prior to that studied at Queen’s University Belfast.

    Zou used social media platforms and dating websites to target victim-survivors – all of which are believed to be of Chinese heritage. He lured women to his accommodation under the pretence of having a drink or studying and then plied them with drinks laced with drugs.

    He filmed himself as he raped the woman as they lost consciousness.

    Met investigators watched hundreds of these disturbing videos as they built a case of evidence against Zou. It was after analysis of this graphic and disturbing material that it became apparent that he had not only committed offences in London, but also in his home country of China too.

    The prosecution team were unable to identify all of the victim-survivors captured, so relied on this video evidence to present a compelling case during the trial. Officers also meticulously pulled together over 4000 documents to leave no doubt in the jury’s mind about Zou’s guilt.

    Alongside this, they downloaded around six and a half terabytes worth of data from Zou’s phones and laptops, which included around nine million messages. This is the equivalent to 1,664 hours of footage and is one of the biggest cases the Met’s digital forensics lab has ever dealt with.

    Met officers spent months trawling through messages to understand Zou’s pattern of offending, scrupulously translating them into English from Simplified Chinese.

    The appeal

    Following Zou’s conviction, investigators shared that they believed Zou’s offending was much wider than the eleven rapes he was convicted of. They made a direct appeal to unidentified victim-survivors to come forward and seek specialist support.

    Securing justice for the victim-survivors of Zou and putting him behind bars has been at the forefront of detective’s minds since the start of the investigation. To secure a conviction through a fair trial, officers made the decision not to appeal for further victim-survivors ahead of conviction. Sharing specific information relating to his offending may have caused the case to collapse, leaving Zou to offend again. By appealing post-conviction, the Met was able to share the fullest details to support potential victim-survivors coming forward.

    Since the appeal in March 2025, 24 women have made reports to the police. These continue to be investigated thoroughly by a dedicated team of officers. Following the sentencing hearing, the team will continue to liaise with the Crown Prosecution Services around potential future charges.

    Detectives continue to keep an open mind about the identities of unidentified victim-survivors but have been keen to speak to women from the Chinese student community – they may have been living in London between 2019-2024 or met Zou while he was living in China.

    So far, investigators have not received any reports from women who met Zou while he was living in Belfast but remain in contact with Police Service Northern Ireland. They continue to encourage any current or former Northern Ireland residents who have concerns to come forward and speak to officers.

    Saira Pike, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Zou is a serial rapist and a danger to women. His life sentence reflects the heinous acts and harm he caused to women and the danger he posed to society.

    “We have always been determined to seek justice for both the unidentified and identified victims in this case. We used an evidence-led approach that relied on the video recordings of Zou to ensure this dangerous predator faced justice.

    “The prosecution team worked with the police for over a year to pick apart an unprecedented amount of footage and web chats showing his meticulous planning and the horrifying execution of his crimes.

    “Following the police appeal, we will continue to review and consider any further charges to ensure that he is held accountable and seek justice for all victims.

    “I’d like to take this opportunity to once again express my heartfelt thanks to the courageous women who came forward to report Zou’s horrific crimes. They have been incredibly strong and brave – there is no doubt that their evidence helped us to secure his conviction, and the life sentence handed to him today.”

    How to contact the police and independent support agencies:

    Reports relating to Zhenhao Zou can be made online via the Major Incident Public Portal (MIPP): https://mipp.police.uk/operation/01MPS25X38-PO1 . The MIPP is also available in Simplified Chinese https://mipp.police.uk/operation/01MPS25X38-PO2, so it is as accessible as possible for potential victim-survivors.

    If you wish to speak to Met detectives or make a report relating to Zou, you can also contact police via email on survivors@met.police.uk

    You can also make a report to police by calling 101 from within the UK, quoting reference 2904/04FEB25.

    If you live in England or Wales and have been affected by this case and would like to seek support from specialist agencies, please contact the independent charity Rape Crisis via their 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line or call them on 0808 500 2222. Specially trained staff are there to listen, answer questions and offer emotional support.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump administration’s conflicting messages on Chinese student visas reflect complex US-China relations

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Meredith Oyen, Associate Professor of History and Asian Studies, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

    The U.S. announced plans to scrutinize and revoke student visas for students with ties to the Chinese Communist Party or whose studies are in critical fields, but appears to have reconsidered. The decision and apparent about-face could have a wide-ranging impact on both nations. LAW Ho Ming/Getty Images

    President Donald Trump appears to have walked back plans for the U.S. State Department to scrutinize and revoke visas for Chinese students studying in the country.

    On June 11, 2025, Trump posted on his social media platform TruthSocial that visas for Chinese students would continue and that they are welcome in the United States, as their presence “has always been good with me!”

    The announcement came weeks after Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that his department would begin scrutinizing and revoking student visas for Chinese nationals with ties to the Chinese Communist Party, or whose studies are in critical fields.

    The contradictory moves have led to confusion among Chinese students attending college or considering studying in the United States.

    Over time, Chinese nationals have faced barriers to studying in the U.S. As a scholar who studies relations between the two nations, I argue that efforts to ban Chinese students in the United States are not unprecedented, and historically they have come with consequences.

    Student visas under fire

    The Trump administration laid out the terms for revoking or denying student visas to Chinese nationals but then backtracked.
    STAP/Getty Images

    Since the late 1970s, millions of Chinese students have been granted visas to study at American universities. That total includes approximately 277,000 who studied in the United States in the 2023-2024 academic year.

    It is difficult to determine how many of these students would have been affected by a ban on visas for individuals with Chinese Community Party affiliations or in critical fields.

    Approximately 40% of all new members of the Chinese Communist Party each year are drawn from China’s student population. And many universities in China have party connections or charters that emphasize party loyalty.

    The “critical fields” at risk were not defined. A majority of Chinese students in the U.S. are enrolled in math, technology, science and engineering fields.

    A long history

    Since the late 1970s, the number of Chinese students attending college in the U.S. has increased dramatically.
    Kenishiroite/Getty Images

    Yung Wing became the first Chinese student to graduate from a U.S. university in 1852.

    Since then, millions of Chinese students have come to the United States to study, supported by programs such as the “Chinese Educational Mission,” Boxer Indemnity Fund scholarships and the Fulbright Program.

    The Institute for International Education in New York estimated the economic impact of Chinese students in the U.S. at over US$14 billion a year. Chinese students tend to pay full tuition to their universities. At the graduate level, they perform vital roles in labs and classrooms. Just under half of all Chinese students attending college in the U.S. are graduate students.

    However, there is a long history of equating Chinese migrants as invaders, spies or risks to national security.

    After the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, the U.S. Department of Justice began to prevent Chinese scholars and students in STEM fields – science, technology, engineering and math – from returning to China by stopping them at U.S. ports of entry and exit. They could be pulled aside when trying to board a flight or ship and their tickets canceled.

    In one infamous case, Chinese rocket scientist Qian Xuesen was arrested, harassed, ordered deported and prevented from leaving over five years from 1950 to 1955. In 1955, the United States and China began ambassadorial-level talks to negotiate repatriations from either country. After his experience, Qian became a much-lauded supporter of the Communist government and played an important role in the development of Chinese transcontinental missile technology.

    During the 1950s, the U.S. Department of Justice raided Chinatown organizations looking for Chinese migrants who arrived under false names during the Chinese Exclusion Era, a period from the 1880s to 1940s when the U.S. government placed tight restrictions on Chinese immigration into the country. A primary justification for the tactics was fear that the Chinese in the U.S. would spy for their home country.

    Between 1949 and 1979, the U.S and China did not have normal diplomatic relations. The two nations recognized each other and exchanged ambassadors starting in January 1979. In the more than four decades since, the number of Chinese students in the U.S. has increased dramatically.

    Anti-Chinese discrimination

    The idea of an outright ban on Chinese student visas has raised concerns about increased targeting of Chinese in the U.S. for harassment.

    In 1999, Taiwanese-American scientist Wen Ho Lee was arrested on suspicion of using his position at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico to spy for China. Lee remained imprisoned in solitary confinement for 278 days before he was released without a conviction.

    In 2018, during the first Trump administration, the Department of Justice launched its China Initiative. In its effort to weed out industrial, technological and corporate espionage, the initiative targeted many ethnic Chinese researchers and had a chilling effect on continued exchanges, but it secured no convictions for wrongdoing.

    Trump again expressed concerns last year that undocumented migrants from China might be coming to the United States to spy or “build an army.”

    The repeated search for spies among Chinese migrants and residents in the U.S. has created an atmosphere of fear for Chinese American communities.

    Broader foreign policy context

    An atmosphere of suspicion has altered the climate for Chinese international students.
    J Studios/Getty Images

    The U.S. plan to revoke visas for students studying in the U.S. and the Chinese response is being formed amid contentious debates over trade.

    Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lin Jian accused the U.S. of violating an agreement on tariff reduction the two sides discussed in Geneva in May, citing the visa issues as one example.

    Trump has also complained that the Chinese violated agreements between the countries, and some reports suggest that the announcement on student visas was a negotiating tactic to change the Chinese stance on the export of rare earth minerals.

    When Trump announced his trade deal with China on June 11, he added a statement welcoming Chinese students.

    However, past practice shows that the atmosphere of uncertainty and suspicion may have already damaged the climate for Chinese international students, and at least some degree of increased scrutiny of student visas will likely continue regardless.

    Meredith Oyen does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Trump administration’s conflicting messages on Chinese student visas reflect complex US-China relations – https://theconversation.com/trump-administrations-conflicting-messages-on-chinese-student-visas-reflect-complex-us-china-relations-258351

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Flood emergency response activated in some parts of China

    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, June 19 (Xinhua) — China’s Ministry of Water Resources on Thursday issued a Level 4 flood alert in nine provincial-level regions amid incessant rainfall in parts of the country.

    According to the department, this regime will apply to the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Henan, Hubei, Hunan and Guizhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, as well as the centrally subordinate city of Chongqing.

    The ministry has dispatched three working teams to Hunan, Hubei and Anhui provinces to lead local flood control efforts amid heavy rainfall.

    The National Meteorological Center (NMC) on Thursday extended a yellow alert for thunderstorms, forecasting heavy rainfall in parts of Anhui, Jiangsu, Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region provinces from 2 p.m. Thursday to 2 p.m. Friday. Severe convective phenomena including thunderstorms and strong winds are also expected in some parts of these regions.

    Local authorities have been urged to strengthen real-time monitoring and early warning systems, ensure timely evacuation of residents from high-risk areas and take precautions against urban flooding, the ministry said.

    Let us recall that China has adopted a four-tier emergency response system for flood-related emergencies, with level 1 being the highest. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Ministry of Commerce: China is fully prepared to join CPTPP

    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, June 19 (Xinhua) — China is fully prepared to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the Ministry of Commerce said Thursday.

    Since submitting its formal application to join the CPTPP in September 2021, China has conducted an in-depth analysis and assessment of the content of the agreement, prepared market access applications in areas such as trade in goods, services, investment and government procurement, and held extensive exchanges of views with all other members, fully demonstrating its determination, capabilities and actions to achieve the high standards of the agreement, ministry spokesman He Yadong said at a press conference.

    In the future, China will actively follow high-standard international economic and trade rules such as the CPTPP, steadily expand its institutional opening-up, and continue to carry out in-depth communication and exchanges with all members in accordance with relevant procedures, actively advancing the country’s accession to the agreement, he said.

    The Chinese Ministry of Commerce hopes that CPTPP members will accelerate China’s accession process, support multilateralism and free trade through practical actions, and bring more certainty and impetus to global trade and economic development, He Yadong concluded. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Australia’s unemployment rate remains stable at 4.1 per cent.

    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

    CANBERRA, June 19 (Xinhua) — Australia’s unemployment rate remained stable at 4.1 percent in May, official data showed.

    Monthly labour force data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Thursday showed the unemployment rate was unchanged in May, both seasonally adjusted and year-on-year, at 4.1 per cent.

    The ABS said employment fell by 2,500 people between April and May but rose by 329,100, or 2.3 per cent, over the past 12 months, compared with the pre-pandemic 10-year average annual growth of 1.7 per cent.

    The fall in employment in May came after the number of Australians in work increased by 89,000 between March and April.

    The labour force participation rate in May was 67 percent, down slightly from 67.1 percent in April, according to the ABS.

    It is noted that the total number of hours worked by Australians increased by 1.3 percent from April to May and by 3.1 percent over 12 months, amounting to 1.99 billion. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Cooperation in the Organization of Asian and Pacific News Agencies has an impact on all media in the world – TASS Director General

    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

    St. Petersburg, June 19 /Xinhua/ — The General Assembly of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) is the most important event in the international information field, cooperation in OANA has a huge impact on the entire professional news community, on all media in the world. This was stated by TASS Director General Andrei Kondrashov at the plenary session of the 19th OANA General Assembly.

    He noted that cyber threats are currently becoming increasingly sophisticated, and the spread of fakes leads to a decline in trust in the media. In these conditions, it is necessary to focus efforts on improving the quality and reliability of information, and to follow high ethical standards of a journalist. One of the key areas in modern news journalism is the introduction of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, big data and automation of events coverage processes.

    OANA members need to create a foundation for prosperity and development, for a diverse, fair and equal exchange of information, said A. Kondrashov.

    More than one hundred representatives of news agencies from more than 30 countries of the world arrived in St. Petersburg for the 19th OANA General Assembly. The meeting participants will hold several sessions, the main theme of which is “News agencies and challenges of the modern world.” –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Breaking: Ceasefire is urgent priority in resolving Middle East conflict – Xi Jinping

    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, June 19 (Xinhua) — A ceasefire is an urgent priority in resolving the conflict in the Middle East, and the use of force is not the right way to resolve international disputes, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Thursday.

    Discussing the situation in the Middle East, the Chinese leader called on the conflicting parties, especially Israel, to cease fire as soon as possible.

    Xi Jinping said the top priority is to ensure the safety of civilians amid tensions between Iran and Israel, calling on the conflicting parties to strictly abide by international law and resolutely avoid harming innocent civilians.

    Dialogue and negotiations are the fundamental solution, he said, calling on the international community, especially large countries with special influence on the parties to the conflict, to make efforts to de-escalate the situation.

    China is willing to continue to strengthen communication and coordination with all parties, join their efforts and uphold justice so as to play a constructive role in restoring peace in the Middle East, he said. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China: China will actively expand imports of energy resources, minerals and high-quality agricultural products from Central Asian countries

    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, June 19 (Xinhua) — China will faithfully implement the important agreements and results reached at the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, actively expand imports of energy resources, minerals and high-quality agricultural products from Central Asian countries, promote exports of automobiles, home appliances, communications equipment, textiles and other products, and cultivate new business forms of trade such as trade in services and cross-border e-commerce, Ministry of Commerce spokesperson He Yadong said at a regular press conference on Thursday.

    He Yadong noted that during the summit, the ministry signed three documents with relevant departments of Central Asian countries on strengthening trade and economic cooperation, deepening cooperation on unimpeded trade and intensifying cooperation in the field of “green” mineral resources, as well as five bilateral documents with relevant countries in the fields of economy, trade, investment, e-commerce and technical and economic cooperation.

    According to him, the ministry will deepen the development and utilization of green mineral raw materials in all links of the industrial chain, including their exploration, production, supply, storage and marketing, and expand cooperation in new areas such as electric vehicles, biomedicine, new energy sources and the digital economy.

    The number of China-Europe freight trains passing through Central Asian countries will also be increased, and the capacity of border crossings will be increased to ensure stability and continuity of supply chains, he added.

    China will implement the new versions of investment agreements signed with Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, and accelerate negotiations on an agreement on trade in services and investment with Kyrgyzstan, He Yadong noted, stressing that China firmly supports Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan’s aspirations to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) and, together with Central Asian countries, defends the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • India records highest growth in power generation after US & China in last five years: IEA

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India has emerged as a country with the third-largest growth in power generation capacity globally over the past five years, according to the latest report by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
    Only China and the United States surpassed India in power generation growth during this period.

    It said “India has seen the third-largest growth in power generation capacity in the world after China and the United States”.

    The report highlighted that India’s electricity demand has been rising sharply due to several factors. These include the expansion of commercial and residential spaces, increased ownership of air conditioners and other household appliances, and growing demand from industries.

    To meet this growing demand, power generation in the country has expanded across all energy sources.

    The report mentioned that a major driver of this expansion has been the strong push towards renewable energy.

    The report noted a significant increase in investments in clean energy, especially solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. In fact, solar PV alone accounted for more than half of the total non-fossil energy investment in India over the past five years. In 2024, as much as 83 per cent of power sector investment in the country went into clean energy initiatives.

    India was also the largest recipient of development finance institution (DFI) funding for clean energy in 2024. The country received around USD 2.4 billion in project-specific funding aimed at boosting clean energy generation.

    In terms of foreign investment, India has seen a steady rise in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the power sector. FDI reached USD 5 billion in 2023, nearly twice the level seen before the COVID-19 pandemic.

    This growth is partly driven by government policies that allow 100 per cent FDI in all areas of electricity generation (except nuclear power) and transmission infrastructure.

    However, the report also pointed out that foreign portfolio investment in India’s energy sector has seen a decline in the past two years. This drop is attributed to a mix of macroeconomic and sector-specific challenges, though the long-term trend remains positive.

    Overall, the IEA report outlined India’s strong performance in power generation and its growing focus on clean energy investment.

    (ANI)

  • India records highest growth in power generation after US & China in last five years: IEA

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India has emerged as a country with the third-largest growth in power generation capacity globally over the past five years, according to the latest report by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
    Only China and the United States surpassed India in power generation growth during this period.

    It said “India has seen the third-largest growth in power generation capacity in the world after China and the United States”.

    The report highlighted that India’s electricity demand has been rising sharply due to several factors. These include the expansion of commercial and residential spaces, increased ownership of air conditioners and other household appliances, and growing demand from industries.

    To meet this growing demand, power generation in the country has expanded across all energy sources.

    The report mentioned that a major driver of this expansion has been the strong push towards renewable energy.

    The report noted a significant increase in investments in clean energy, especially solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. In fact, solar PV alone accounted for more than half of the total non-fossil energy investment in India over the past five years. In 2024, as much as 83 per cent of power sector investment in the country went into clean energy initiatives.

    India was also the largest recipient of development finance institution (DFI) funding for clean energy in 2024. The country received around USD 2.4 billion in project-specific funding aimed at boosting clean energy generation.

    In terms of foreign investment, India has seen a steady rise in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the power sector. FDI reached USD 5 billion in 2023, nearly twice the level seen before the COVID-19 pandemic.

    This growth is partly driven by government policies that allow 100 per cent FDI in all areas of electricity generation (except nuclear power) and transmission infrastructure.

    However, the report also pointed out that foreign portfolio investment in India’s energy sector has seen a decline in the past two years. This drop is attributed to a mix of macroeconomic and sector-specific challenges, though the long-term trend remains positive.

    Overall, the IEA report outlined India’s strong performance in power generation and its growing focus on clean energy investment.

    (ANI)

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Huawei and Industry Partners Win Four Prizes at the World’s First New Calling x AI Challenge Launched by GSMA & GTI

    Source: Huawei

    Headline: Huawei and Industry Partners Win Four Prizes at the World’s First New Calling x AI Challenge Launched by GSMA & GTI

    [Shanghai, China, June 18, 2025] At the GTI (Global TD-LTE Initiative) Summit held during MWC Shanghai 2025, the winning teams of the world’s first New Calling x AI Challenge were announced. Huawei, together with industrial partners, were awarded four major awards, providing the industry with successful cases of 5G-A and AI integrated applications, and offering practical models for the innovative development of the New Calling industry.
    New Calling x AI Challenge, co-organized by the GSMA Foundry and GTI, was the first global innovation competition in the New Calling sector. It encouraged innovative and potentially impactful use cases of New Calling services from around the world, in order to rejuvenate the global communications ecosystem. This competition attracted nearly 100 submissions from 16 universities and 58 enterprises, showcasing creative applications tailored for both individuals and enterprises. Such wide participation underscores the global industry’s fervor to integrate New Calling and AI technology, as well as to stimulate service innovation.

    “5G New Calling x AI In-Nanjing” and “Exploring the New Paradigm of stc Bank’s Intelligent Customer Service by Deep Integration of New Calling and AI” project won the first prize

    “Service AI x Network AI Empowering the New Calling DC-based Customer Service” project won the second prize

    “A2A Intelligent Agent Interconnection Revolutionizing Communication Experience” project won the third prize

    In this competition, China Mobile Jiangsu, with industry partners such as Huawei, clinched the top spot with their “5G New Calling x AI In-Nanjing” project, alongside stc and Huawei’s “Exploring the New Paradigm of stc Bank’s Intelligent Customer Service by Deep Integration of New Calling and AI” project. China Mobile Henan also partnered with Huawei to receive the second place for their “Service AI x Network AI Empowering the New Calling DC-based Customer Service” project, while Huawei claimed the third prize for their “A2A Intelligent Agent Interconnection Revolutionizing Communication Experience” project.
    As a groundbreaking innovation in the mobile AI era, New Calling is rapidly gaining momentum for commercial use. Services like Visualized Voice Calling, Idol Calling, Real-Time Translation, and Simultaneous Interpretation have been put into commercial use across China, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. New Calling is helping operators transform their business model from voice-only operations to content operations. Teamed up with GTI, China Mobile, Huawei, and other global industry partners, GSMA has established the GSMA Foundry and 5G New Calling Task Force. Together, they have launched innovation showcases and white papers to foster collaboration and growth in the New Calling industry.
    Ma Peng, President of CS&IMS Domain, Huawei Cloud Core Network Product Line, received the awards. “The integration of New Calling and AI will spur service innovation, transforming the dial pad into an entry for a wide range of AI-powered services, and helping operators achieve business success,” said Ma Peng, “The thriving success of New Calling depends on collective engagement and sustained commitment across the industry. Together with operators and industry partners, Huawei will remain dedicated to driving innovation and shaping a transformative future for the voice industry.”
    MWC Shanghai 2025 will be held from June 18 to June 20 in Shanghai, China. During the event, Huawei will showcase its latest products and solutions in Hall N1 of the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC).
    The commercial adoption of 5G-Advanced is accelerating in 2025. Huawei collaborates with global carriers, industry experts, and opinion leaders to explore how innovations in AI can be used to reshape telecom services, infrastructure, and operations to generate new revenue sources and accelerate the transition towards an intelligent world.
    For more information, please visit: https://carrier.huawei.com/en/events/mwcs2025

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi says ceasefire an urgent priority in settling conflict in Middle East 2025-06-19 19:28:10 Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that ceasefire is an urgent priority in settling the conflict in the Middle East, and the use of force is not the right way to resolve international disputes.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense

      BEIJING, June 19 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that ceasefire is an urgent priority in settling the conflict in the Middle East, and the use of force is not the right way to resolve international disputes.

      During phone talks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, over the situation in the Middle East, he urged the conflicting parties, especially Israel, to cease fire as soon as possible.

      The Chinese president said that protecting civilians’ safety is the top priority amid the Iran-Israel tensions, calling on the conflicting parties to strictly follow international law, and resolutely avoid harming innocent civilians.

      Dialogue and negotiation are the fundamental way out, he said, calling on the international community, particularly major countries that have a special influence on the parties to the conflict, to make efforts to cool down the situation.

      China stands ready to continue to strengthen communication and coordination with all parties, pool their efforts, and uphold justice, so as to play a constructive role in restoring peace in the Middle East, he said. 

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi says ceasefire an urgent priority in settling conflict in Middle East

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

    Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that ceasefire is an urgent priority in settling the conflict in the Middle East, and the use of force is not the right way to resolve international disputes.

    During phone talks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, over the situation in the Middle East, he urged the conflicting parties, especially Israel, to cease fire as soon as possible.

    The Chinese president said that protecting civilians’ safety is the top priority amid the Iran-Israel tensions, calling on the conflicting parties to strictly follow international law, and resolutely avoid harming innocent civilians.

    Dialogue and negotiation are the fundamental way out, he said, calling on the international community, particularly major countries that have a special influence on the parties to the conflict, to make efforts to cool down the situation.

    China stands ready to continue to strengthen communication and coordination with all parties, pool their efforts, and uphold justice, so as to play a constructive role in restoring peace in the Middle East, he said.

    MIL OSI China News –