Category: China

  • MIL-OSI Global: G20 countries could produce enough renewable energy for the whole world – what needs to happen

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Sven Teske, Prof. Dr. | Research Director, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney

    The world’s most developed economies have also burnt the most oil and coal (fossil fuels) over the years, causing the most climate change damage. Preventing further climate change means a global fossil fuel phase-out must happen by 2050. Climate change mitigation scientists Sven Teske and Saori Miyake analysed the potential for renewable energy in each of the G20 countries. They concluded that the G20 is in a position to generate enough renewable energy to supply the world. For African countries to benefit, they must adopt long term renewable energy plans and policies and secure finance from G20 countries to set up renewable energy systems.

    Why is the G20 so important in efforts to limit global warming?

    The G20 group accounts for 67% of the world’s population, 85% of global gross domestic product, and 75% of global trade. The member states are the G7 (the US, Japan, Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Canada), plus Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Russia, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina.

    We wanted to find out how G20 member states could limit global warming. Our study examined the solar and wind potential for each of G20 member countries (the available land and solar and wind conditions). We then compared this with projected electricity demands for 2050. This is, to our knowledge, the first research of its kind.




    Read more:
    G20 is too elite. There’s a way to fix that though – economists


    We found that the potential for renewable energy in G20 countries is very high – enough to supply the projected 2050 electricity demand for the whole world. They have 33.6 million km² of land on which solar energy projects could be set up, or 31.1 million km² of land on which wind energy projects could be set up.

    This potential varies by geography. Not all G20 countries have the same conditions for generating solar and wind energy, but collectively, the G20 countries have enough renewable energy potential to supply the world’s energy needs.

    But for the G20 countries to limit global warming, they also need to stop emitting greenhouse gases. Recent figures show that the G20 countries were responsible for generating 87% of all energy-related carbon dioxide emissions that cause global warming.

    On the other hand, African Union countries (apart from South Africa, which is a high greenhouse gas emitter), were responsible for only 1.2% of the global total historical emissions until 2020.

    The G20 countries with the highest renewable energy potential (especially Australia and Canada) are major exporters of the fossil fuels that cause global warming. Along with every other country in the world, the G20 nations will need to end their human-caused carbon emissions by 2050 to prevent further climate change.

    Where does Africa fit into the picture?

    African countries cannot set up new electricity plants based on burning fossil fuels, like coal. If they do that, the world will never end human-caused greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The continent must generate electricity for the 600 million Africans who do not currently have it but will need to move straight past fossil fuels and into renewable energy.

    For this, Africa will need finance. The African Union hosts the G20 summit later this year. This meeting begins just after the world’s annual climate change conference (now in its 30th year and known as COP30). These two summits will give Africa the chance to lobby for renewable energy funding from wealthier nations.

    Africa already has the conditions needed to move straight into renewable energy. The continent could be generating an amount of solar and wind power that far exceeds its projected demand for electricity between now and 2050.

    We are launching an additional analysis of the solar and wind potential of the entire African continent in Bonn, Germany on 19 June 2025 at a United Nations conference. This shows that only 3% of Africa’s solar and wind potential needs to be converted to real projects to supply Africa’s future electricity demand.




    Read more:
    Africa’s power pools: what the G20 can do to help countries share electricity


    This means that Africa has great untapped potential to supply the required energy for its transition to a middle-income continent – one of the African Union’s goals in Agenda 2063, its 50 year plan.

    But to secure enough finance for the continent to build renewable energy systems, African countries need long-term energy policies. These are currently lacking.

    So what needs to be done?

    The countries who signed up to the 2015 international climate change treaty (the Paris Agreement) have committed to replacing polluting forms of energy such as coal, fuelwood and oil with renewable energy.

    South Africa, through its G20 presidency, must encourage G20 nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and support renewable energy investment in Africa.




    Read more:
    Fossil fuels are still subsidised: G20 could push for the funds to be shifted to cleaner energy


    Because financing the global energy transition is already high on the priority list of most countries, South Africa should push for change on three fronts: finance, sound regulations and manufacturing capacity for renewable technologies. These are the among the main obstacles for renewables, particularly in Africa.

    Finance: Financing the energy transition is among the highest priorities for COP30. Therefore, the COP30 meeting will be an opportunity for the African Union to negotiate finance for its renewable energy infrastructure needs.

    For this, fair and just carbon budgets are vital. A carbon budget sets out how much carbon dioxide can still be emitted in order for the global temperature not to rise more than 2°C higher than it was before the 1760 industrial revolution.

    A global carbon budget (the amount of emissions the whole world is allowed) has been calculated, but it needs to be divided up fairly so that countries that have polluted most are compelled to limit this.

    To divide the global carbon budget fairly, energy pathways need to be developed urgently that consider:

    • future developments of population and economic growth

    • current energy supply systems

    • transition times for decarbonisation

    • local renewable energy resources.

    The G20 platform should be used to lobby for fair and just carbon budgets.




    Read more:
    Wealthy nations owe climate debt to Africa – funds that could help cities grow


    Sound regulations that support the setting up of new factories: Governments must put policies in place to support African solar and wind companies. These are needed to win the trust of investors to invest in a future multi-billion dollar industry. Long-term, transparent regulations are needed too.

    These regulations should:

    • say exactly how building permits for solar and wind power plants will be granted

    • prioritise linking renewable energy plants to national electricity grids

    • release standard technical specifications for stand-alone grids to make sure they’re all of the same quality.

    Taking steps now to speed up big renewable energy industries could mean that African countries end up with more energy than they need. This can be exported and increase financial income for countries.

    Sven Teske receives funding from the European Climate Foundation and Power Shift Africa (PSA).

    Saori Miyake receives funding from European Climate Foundation and Power Shift Africa.

    ref. G20 countries could produce enough renewable energy for the whole world – what needs to happen – https://theconversation.com/g20-countries-could-produce-enough-renewable-energy-for-the-whole-world-what-needs-to-happen-258463

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Southeast Asian nations look to hedge their way out of troubled waters in the South China Sea

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By John Rennie Short, Professor Emeritus of Public Policy, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

    A Philippine coast guard vessel patrols near Pagasa, part of the Spratly Islands in the disputed South China Sea. Daniel Ceng/Anadolu via Getty Images

    The South China Sea has long been a bubbling geopolitical hot spot. Recently, a series of moves by the various nations claiming a stake in the waters has stirred up yet more trouble.

    Malaysia has of late reaffirmed its commitment to oil and gas exploration in waters claimed by China while quietly building up its military on the islands off Borneo.

    Meanwhile, Chinese coast guard vessels have deployed water cannons against Filipino fishing boats. And the accidental grounding of a Chinese boat in shallow waters around the Philippines’ Thitu Island on June 8, 2025, was enough to put Filipino forces on alert.

    Vietnam, too, has been active in the disputed waters. A Beijing-based think tank on June 7 flagged that Vietnamese engineers had been busy reclaiming land and installing military-related ports and airstrips around the Spratly Islands.

    What the three Southeast Asian nations of Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia have in common is that they, along with others in the region, are trying to navigate a more assertive China at a time when the U.S. policy intentions under the second Trump Administration are fluid and hard to read. And in lieu of a coordinated response from the regional body Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, each member nation has been busy charting its course in these choppy waters.

    US-China relations all at sea

    Why is China trying to assert control in the South China Sea? In a 2023 speech, President Xi Jinping noted that “Western countries led by the United States have implemented all round containment, encirclement and suppression of China.”

    This fear has been long held in Beijing and was reinforced by a U.S. Indo-Pacific policy announced in 2011 of rebalancing military forces away from Europe and toward Asia to confront China.

    In response, China has in recent years embarked on an ambitious policy of attempting to outmuscle U.S. naval power in the South China Sea.

    China is now the world’s leading builder of naval vessels and is estimated to have 440 battleships by 2030, compared with the United States’ 300.

    And it comes at a time when U.S. naval power is spread around the world. China’s, meanwhile, is concentrated around the South China Sea where, since 2013, Chinese vessels have pumped sand onto reefs, turning them into islands and then weaponizing them.

    Satellite imagery shows the Fiery Cross Reef in the South China Sea, part of the Spratly Islands group, being built by Chinese dredges.
    Maxar via Getty Images

    Then there is the activity of China’s maritime militia of approximately 300 nominally fishing boats equipped with water cannons and reinforced hulls for ramming. This so-called gray zone fleet is increasingly active in confronting Southeast Asia nations at sea.

    The U.S. response to China’s militarization in the sea has been through so-called “freedom of navigation” exercises that often deploy carrier groups in a show of force. But these episodic displays are more performative than effective, doing little to deter China’s claims.

    The U.S. has also strengthened military alliances with Australia, India, Japan and the Philippines, and has increased coast guard cooperation with the Philippines and Japan.

    A fleet from the U.S. Navy patrolling the Pacific Ocean.
    Sean M. Castellano US Navy via Getty Images

    The sea is a valuable resource

    Yet the battle over control of the South China Seas is more than just geopolitical posturing between the two superpowers.

    For adjoining countries, the sea is a valuable biological resource with rich fishing grounds that provide a staple of fish protein for close to 2 billion people. There are estimates of 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 11 billion barrels of oil.

    The U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS, guarantees a nation an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 200 nautical miles from around its coastline.

    China is a signatory of the UNCLOS. Yet it views ownership of the South China Sea through the lens of its nine-dash line, a reference to the boundary line that Beijing has invoked since 1948. While the claim has no legal or historical basis, the delineation makes major incursions into waters around Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia and, to a lesser extent, Brunei and Indonesia as well.

    Despite China’s expansive claim to the South China Sea being dismissed in 2016 by the international Permanent Court of Arbitration, Beijing continues to assert its claim.

    Hedging positions

    As I explore in my recent book “Hedging and Conflict in the South China Sea,” part of the problem Southeast Asian nations face is that they have failed to forge a unified position.

    ASEAN, the regional bloc representing 10 nations in Southeast Asia, has long been governed by the principle that major decisions need unanimous agreement. China is a major trading partner to ASEAN nations, so any regional country aligning too close to the U.S. comes with the real risk of economic consequences. And two ASEAN members, Cambodia and Laos, are especially close to China, making it difficult to generate a unified ASEAN policy that confronts China’s maritime claim.

    Instead, ASEAN has promoted a regional code of conduct that effectively legitimizes China’s maritime claims, fails to mention the 2016 ruling and ignores the issue of conflicting claims.

    Further complicating a united front against China is the competing claims among ASEAN nations themselves to disputed islands in the South China Sea.

    In lieu of a coordinated response, Southeast Asian nations have instead turned to hedging — that is, maintaining good relationships with both China and the U.S. without fully committing to one or other.

    A balancing act for Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines

    Malaysia’s approach sees its government partition off the South China Sea dispute from its overall bilateral ties with China while continuing to promote an ASEAN code of conduct.

    Until recently, Malaysia’s oil and gas activities were well within Malaysia’s EEZ and not far enough out to fall into China’s nine-dash claim.

    But as these close-to-shore fields become exhausted, subsequent exploration will need to extend outward and into China’s nine-dash claim, putting Malaysia’s dealings with China under pressure.

    China’s nine-dash line claims a significant amount of Vietnam’s EEZ, and the contested maritime area is a source of friction between the two countries; China’s maritime militia regularly harasses Vietnamese fishermen and disrupts drilling operations in Vietnam’s EEZ .

    But Vietnam has to tread carefully. China plays a significant role in the Vietnamese economy as a major destination of exports and an important provider of foreign investment. China also has the ability to dam the Mekong River upstream of Vietnam — something that would disrupt agricultural production.

    As a result, Vietnam’s hedging involves a careful calibration to avoid angering China. However, part of Vietnam’s heavy hedging involves the promotion of the South China Sea dispute as a core issue for domestic public opinion, which limits the Vietnamese government’s ability to offer concessions to China.

    A Philippine coast guard ship and fishing boats are seen in El Nido, Palawan, Philippines, on May 26, 2025.
    Daniel Ceng/Anadolu via Getty ImagesDaniel Ceng/Anadolu via Getty Images

    China’s nine-dash claim also includes a wide swath of the Philippines’ EEZ.

    The Philippines has zigzagged in its dealings with China. The presidencies of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (2001–2010) and Rodrigo Duterte (2016-2022) pursued a pro-China tack that downplayed Filipino claims in the South China Sea. Presidents Benigno Aquino (2010-2016) and Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (2022-present), in contrast, have given U.S. forces greater access to its maritime bases and mobilized national and international opinion in favor of its claims.

    Since coming to power, Marcos has also pursued even closer naval ties with the U.S.. But this has come at a cost: China now views the Philippines as a U.S. ally. As such, Beijing sees little to be gained by pulling back from its assertive activity in and around its waters.

    The future

    In the shadow of two major powers battling for power in the South China Sea, Southeast Asian nations are making the best of their position along a geopolitical fracture line by advancing their claims and interests while not overly antagonizing a more assertive China or losing the support of the U.S.

    This may work to tamp down tensions in the South China Sea. But it is a fluid approach not without risk, and it could yet prove to be another source of instability in a geopolitically contested and dangerous region.

    John Rennie Short received funding from Fulbright Foundation

    ref. Southeast Asian nations look to hedge their way out of troubled waters in the South China Sea – https://theconversation.com/southeast-asian-nations-look-to-hedge-their-way-out-of-troubled-waters-in-the-south-china-sea-257092

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Iran’s long history of revolution, defiance and outside interference – and why its future is so uncertain

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University; and Vice Chancellor’s Strategic Fellow, Victoria University

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has gone beyond his initial aim of destroying Iran’s ability to produce nuclear weapons. He has called on the Iranian people to rise up against their dictatorial Islamic regime and ostensibly transform Iran along the lines of Israeli interests.

    United States President Donald Trump is now weighing possible military action in support of Netanyahu’s goal and asked for Iran’s total surrender.

    If the US does get involved, it wouldn’t be the first time it’s tried to instigate regime change by military means in the Middle East. The US invaded Iraq in 2003 and backed a NATO operation in Libya in 2011, toppling the regimes of Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi, respectively.

    In both cases, the interventions backfired, causing long-term instability in both countries and in the broader region.

    Could the same thing happen in Iran if the regime is overthrown?

    As I describe in my book, Iran Rising: The Survival and Future of the Islamic Republic, Iran is a pluralist society with a complex history of rival groups trying to assert their authority. A democratic transition would be difficult to achieve.

    The overthrow of the shah

    The Iranian Islamic regime assumed power in the wake of the pro-democracy popular uprising of 1978–79, which toppled Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi’s pro-Western monarchy.

    Until this moment, Iran had a long history of monarchical rule dating back 2,500 years. Mohammad Reza, the last shah, was the head of the Pahlavi dynasty, which came to power in 1925.

    In 1953, the shah was forced into exile under the radical nationalist and reformist impulse of the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh. He was shortly returned to his throne through a CIA-orchestrated coup.

    Despite all his nationalist, pro-Western, modernising efforts, the shah could not shake off the indignity of having been re-throned with the help of a foreign power.

    The revolution against him 25 years later was spearheaded by pro-democracy elements. But it was made up of many groups, including liberalists, communists and Islamists, with no uniting leader.

    The Shia clerical group (ruhaniyat), led by the Shah’s religious and political opponent, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, proved to be best organised and capable of providing leadership to the revolution. Khomeini had been in exile from the early 1960s (at first in Iraq and later in France), yet he and his followers held considerable sway over the population, especially in traditional rural areas.

    When US President Jimmy Carter’s administration found it could no longer support the shah, he left the country and went into exile in January 1979. This enabled Khomeini to return to Iran to a tumultuous welcome.

    Birth of the Islamic Republic

    In the wake of the uprising, Khomeini and his supporters, including the current supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, abolished the monarchy and transformed Iran to a cleric-dominated Islamic Republic, with anti-US and anti-Israel postures. He ruled the country according to his unique vision of Islam.

    Khomeini denounced the US as a “Great Satan” and Israel as an illegal usurper of the Palestinian lands – Jerusalem, in particular. He also declared a foreign policy of “neither east, nor west” but pro-Islamic, and called for the spread of the Iranian revolution in the region.

    Khomeini not only changed Iran, but also challenged the US as the dominant force in shaping the regional order. And the US lost one of the most important pillars of its influence in the oil-rich and strategically important Persian Gulf region.

    Fear of hostile American or Israeli (or combined) actions against the Islamic Republic became the focus of Iran’s domestic and foreign policy behaviour.

    A new supreme leader takes power

    Khomeini died in 1989. His successor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has ruled Iran largely in the same jihadi (combative) and ijtihadi (pragmatic) ways, steering the country through many domestic and foreign policy challenges.

    Khamenei fortified the regime with an emphasis on self-sufficiency, a stronger defence capability and a tilt towards the east – Russia and China – to counter the US and its allies. He has stood firm in opposition to the US and its allies – Israel, in particular. And he has shown flexibility when necessary to ensure the survival and continuity of the regime.

    Khamenei wields enormous constitutional power and spiritual authority.

    He has presided over the building of many rule-enforcing instruments of state power, including the expansion of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its paramilitary wing, the Basij, revolutionary committees, and Shia religious networks.

    The Shia concept of martyrdom and loyalty to Iran as a continuous sovereign country for centuries goes to the heart of his actions, as well as his followers.

    Khamenei and his rule enforcers, along with an elected president and National Assembly, are fully cognisant that if the regime goes down, they will face the same fate. As such, they cannot be expected to hoist the white flag and surrender to Israel and the US easily.

    However, in the event of the regime falling under the weight of a combined internal uprising and external pressure, it raises the question: what is the alternative?

    The return of the shah?

    Many Iranians are discontented with the regime, but there is no organised opposition under a nationally unifying leader.

    The son of the former shah, the crown prince Reza Pahlavi, has been gaining some popularity. He has been speaking out on X in the last few days, telling his fellow Iranians:

    The end of the Islamic Republic is the end of its 46-year war against the Iranian nation. The regime’s apparatus of repression is falling apart. All it takes now is a nationwide uprising to put an end to this nightmare once and for all.

    Since the deposition of his father, he has lived in exile in the US. As such, he has been tainted by his close association with Washington and Jerusalem, especially Netanyahu.

    If he were to return to power – likely through the assistance of the US – he would face the same problem of political legitimacy as his father did.

    What does the future hold?

    Iran has never had a long tradition of democracy. It experienced brief instances of liberalism in the first half of the 20th century, but every attempt at making it durable resulted in disarray and a return to authoritarian rule.

    Also, the country has rarely been free of outside interventionism, given its vast hydrocarbon riches and strategic location. It’s also been prone to internal fragmentation, given its ethnic and religious mix.

    The Shia Persians make up more than half of the population, but the country has a number of Sunni ethnic minorities, such as Kurds, Azaris, Balochis and Arabs. They have all had separatist tendencies.

    Iran has historically been held together by centralisation rather than diffusion of power.

    Should the Islamic regime disintegrate in one form or another, it would be an mistake to expect a smooth transfer of power or transition to democratisation within a unified national framework.

    At the same time, the Iranian people are highly cultured and creative, with a very rich and proud history of achievements and civilisation.

    They are perfectly capable of charting their own destiny as long as there aren’t self-seeking foreign hands in the process – something they have rarely experienced.

    Amin Saikal 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. Iran’s long history of revolution, defiance and outside interference – and why its future is so uncertain – https://theconversation.com/irans-long-history-of-revolution-defiance-and-outside-interference-and-why-its-future-is-so-uncertain-259270

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Iran’s long history of revolution, defiance and outside interference – and why its future is so uncertain

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University; and Vice Chancellor’s Strategic Fellow, Victoria University

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has gone beyond his initial aim of destroying Iran’s ability to produce nuclear weapons. He has called on the Iranian people to rise up against their dictatorial Islamic regime and ostensibly transform Iran along the lines of Israeli interests.

    United States President Donald Trump is now weighing possible military action in support of Netanyahu’s goal and asked for Iran’s total surrender.

    If the US does get involved, it wouldn’t be the first time it’s tried to instigate regime change by military means in the Middle East. The US invaded Iraq in 2003 and backed a NATO operation in Libya in 2011, toppling the regimes of Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi, respectively.

    In both cases, the interventions backfired, causing long-term instability in both countries and in the broader region.

    Could the same thing happen in Iran if the regime is overthrown?

    As I describe in my book, Iran Rising: The Survival and Future of the Islamic Republic, Iran is a pluralist society with a complex history of rival groups trying to assert their authority. A democratic transition would be difficult to achieve.

    The overthrow of the shah

    The Iranian Islamic regime assumed power in the wake of the pro-democracy popular uprising of 1978–79, which toppled Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi’s pro-Western monarchy.

    Until this moment, Iran had a long history of monarchical rule dating back 2,500 years. Mohammad Reza, the last shah, was the head of the Pahlavi dynasty, which came to power in 1925.

    In 1953, the shah was forced into exile under the radical nationalist and reformist impulse of the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh. He was shortly returned to his throne through a CIA-orchestrated coup.

    Despite all his nationalist, pro-Western, modernising efforts, the shah could not shake off the indignity of having been re-throned with the help of a foreign power.

    The revolution against him 25 years later was spearheaded by pro-democracy elements. But it was made up of many groups, including liberalists, communists and Islamists, with no uniting leader.

    The Shia clerical group (ruhaniyat), led by the Shah’s religious and political opponent, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, proved to be best organised and capable of providing leadership to the revolution. Khomeini had been in exile from the early 1960s (at first in Iraq and later in France), yet he and his followers held considerable sway over the population, especially in traditional rural areas.

    When US President Jimmy Carter’s administration found it could no longer support the shah, he left the country and went into exile in January 1979. This enabled Khomeini to return to Iran to a tumultuous welcome.

    Birth of the Islamic Republic

    In the wake of the uprising, Khomeini and his supporters, including the current supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, abolished the monarchy and transformed Iran to a cleric-dominated Islamic Republic, with anti-US and anti-Israel postures. He ruled the country according to his unique vision of Islam.

    Khomeini denounced the US as a “Great Satan” and Israel as an illegal usurper of the Palestinian lands – Jerusalem, in particular. He also declared a foreign policy of “neither east, nor west” but pro-Islamic, and called for the spread of the Iranian revolution in the region.

    Khomeini not only changed Iran, but also challenged the US as the dominant force in shaping the regional order. And the US lost one of the most important pillars of its influence in the oil-rich and strategically important Persian Gulf region.

    Fear of hostile American or Israeli (or combined) actions against the Islamic Republic became the focus of Iran’s domestic and foreign policy behaviour.

    A new supreme leader takes power

    Khomeini died in 1989. His successor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has ruled Iran largely in the same jihadi (combative) and ijtihadi (pragmatic) ways, steering the country through many domestic and foreign policy challenges.

    Khamenei fortified the regime with an emphasis on self-sufficiency, a stronger defence capability and a tilt towards the east – Russia and China – to counter the US and its allies. He has stood firm in opposition to the US and its allies – Israel, in particular. And he has shown flexibility when necessary to ensure the survival and continuity of the regime.

    Khamenei wields enormous constitutional power and spiritual authority.

    He has presided over the building of many rule-enforcing instruments of state power, including the expansion of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its paramilitary wing, the Basij, revolutionary committees, and Shia religious networks.

    The Shia concept of martyrdom and loyalty to Iran as a continuous sovereign country for centuries goes to the heart of his actions, as well as his followers.

    Khamenei and his rule enforcers, along with an elected president and National Assembly, are fully cognisant that if the regime goes down, they will face the same fate. As such, they cannot be expected to hoist the white flag and surrender to Israel and the US easily.

    However, in the event of the regime falling under the weight of a combined internal uprising and external pressure, it raises the question: what is the alternative?

    The return of the shah?

    Many Iranians are discontented with the regime, but there is no organised opposition under a nationally unifying leader.

    The son of the former shah, the crown prince Reza Pahlavi, has been gaining some popularity. He has been speaking out on X in the last few days, telling his fellow Iranians:

    The end of the Islamic Republic is the end of its 46-year war against the Iranian nation. The regime’s apparatus of repression is falling apart. All it takes now is a nationwide uprising to put an end to this nightmare once and for all.

    Since the deposition of his father, he has lived in exile in the US. As such, he has been tainted by his close association with Washington and Jerusalem, especially Netanyahu.

    If he were to return to power – likely through the assistance of the US – he would face the same problem of political legitimacy as his father did.

    What does the future hold?

    Iran has never had a long tradition of democracy. It experienced brief instances of liberalism in the first half of the 20th century, but every attempt at making it durable resulted in disarray and a return to authoritarian rule.

    Also, the country has rarely been free of outside interventionism, given its vast hydrocarbon riches and strategic location. It’s also been prone to internal fragmentation, given its ethnic and religious mix.

    The Shia Persians make up more than half of the population, but the country has a number of Sunni ethnic minorities, such as Kurds, Azaris, Balochis and Arabs. They have all had separatist tendencies.

    Iran has historically been held together by centralisation rather than diffusion of power.

    Should the Islamic regime disintegrate in one form or another, it would be an mistake to expect a smooth transfer of power or transition to democratisation within a unified national framework.

    At the same time, the Iranian people are highly cultured and creative, with a very rich and proud history of achievements and civilisation.

    They are perfectly capable of charting their own destiny as long as there aren’t self-seeking foreign hands in the process – something they have rarely experienced.

    Amin Saikal 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. Iran’s long history of revolution, defiance and outside interference – and why its future is so uncertain – https://theconversation.com/irans-long-history-of-revolution-defiance-and-outside-interference-and-why-its-future-is-so-uncertain-259270

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI China: China unveils measures to build Shanghai into international financial center

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

    BEIJING, June 18 — China’s Shanghai will basically evolve into an international financial center that matches the country’s overall strength and global influence over the next five to ten years, according to a recent official guideline.

    The eastern metropolis is expected to see remarkable improvements in the adaptability, competitiveness and inclusiveness of its modern financial system, and its functions as a financial opening-up hub will be significantly strengthened, according to the guideline on support measures for accelerating the building of Shanghai into an international financial center issued by the Central Financial Commission.

    To achieve the goals, the guideline emphasizes the importance of developing Shanghai’s financial market, calling on the sci-tech innovation board of the Shanghai Stock Exchange to play a more important and inclusive role in promoting hard technology. The guideline also stresses supporting the Shanghai Futures Exchange in its evolution into a world-class exchange.

    Shanghai will work to attract a diverse range of legal entities and branches from both domestic and international major financial institutions, as well as licensed specialized institutions. The city will foster and draw in robust, regulated financial holding companies and encourage the establishment of international financial organizations, according to the guideline.

    While building a globally leading financial infrastructure system, the city will strengthen the development of the cross-border RMB payment and settlement systems. It will steadily expand institutional opening up in the financial sector and fully align itself with international trade and economic standards.

    Additionally, Shanghai will advance the development of green finance standards in line with international practices, and participate in international cooperation on green finance. The city will also strive to ensure financial security amid its opening-up efforts by utilizing technologies such as blockchain, big data and artificial intelligence, according to the guideline.

    To implement the guideline, the National Financial Regulatory Administration and the Shanghai municipal government have issued an action plan, which introduced a series of measures aimed at enhancing the competitiveness and influence of Shanghai as an international financial center. These measures encompass areas such as improving financial services, expanding institutional opening up, and strengthening financial regulations.

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI China: China activates emergency response to flooding in 5 provinces

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

    BEIJING, June 18 — China’s State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Wednesday launched a Level-IV emergency response to flooding in Anhui, Hubei, Hunan, Chongqing and Guizhou, as these regions brace for a new round of torrential rainfall.

    Three work teams have been dispatched to key areas to assist with flood prevention and relief efforts, according to the headquarters.

    China’s National Meteorological Center on Wednesday renewed a yellow alert for rainstorms, as heavy downpours are expected to lash parts of the country.

    From 8:00 p.m. Wednesday to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, heavy rains and storms are expected to lash parts of Guizhou, Sichuan, Chongqing, Guangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Henan, Hebei, Shandong, Tianjin and Liaoning. Some regions may see rainfall of 100 to 180 millimeters.

    Local authorities have been urged to step up inspections and implement risk mitigation measures in key areas, including zones vulnerable to mountain floods, regions prone to geological disasters, and low-lying urban and rural areas susceptible to waterlogging. They have also been asked to issue timely warnings and carry out evacuations if necessary.

    China has a four-tier emergency response system for flood control, with Level I being the most severe.

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SCST visits Shanghai (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, visited Shanghai today (June 18). In the morning, she went to the Shanghai Museum on People’s Square and was given a guided tour of a well-received exhibition, “On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egypt”. During her visit, Miss Law met with Deputy Director of the Shanghai Museum Mr Huang He. She thanked the Shanghai Museum for its support of Hong Kong over the years, while Mr Huang shared experiences in developing and designing creative products. Miss Law said Hong Kong could learn a lot from the Shanghai Museum in developing cultural and creative industries. Miss Law expressed hope that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) and the Shanghai Museum will strengthen their cultural co-operation in the future, contributing cultural content to the country’s modernisation and promoting cultural prosperity.
     
         After that, Miss Law called on the Director of the Shanghai Administration of Sports, Mr Xu Bin, and had a working lunch together, during which she shared with him Hong Kong’s progress and achievements in promoting sports development. Mr Xu said there is huge room for developing culture, sports and tourism, while sports exchanges serve as a bridge between the two places and can also boost economic and social developments. Miss Law said that Hong Kong, China athletes achieved excellent results in international competitions in recent years, which helps lift citizens’ interests in sports and support for athletes. Miss Law added that Hong Kong is preparing at full steam for the 15th National Games and the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games to be cohosted with Guangdong and Macao this November and December. Through today’s exchange, Miss Law said she hopes to learn from Shanghai’s experiences in hosting same events and further improve the preparatory work.
     
         In the afternoon, Miss Law visited the Memorial Hall of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China and met with the Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of the Memorial, Mr Xue Feng. The Memorial is the site of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held in 1921, in which the founding of the CPC was announced, bearing great significance. Noting that the HKSARG is setting up a museum to introduce the country’s developments and achievements and preparing exhibitions related to the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, Miss Law said the visit was arranged intentionally to seek guidance, with an aim to make better preparations for the relevant projects in the future.
     
         In the evening, Miss Law attended the opening ceremony and dinner of WestK Shanghai Week 2025. Speaking at the event, she said that Hong Kong and Shanghai are connected by blood and share common traits, as they are both exemplars of the fusion of Eastern and Western cultures and dazzling Pearls of the Orient. The two places actively deepen international exchanges and co-operations in areas of economy, culture and globalisation, serving as pioneers in the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
     
         Miss Law also said, “The West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) is an important cultural infrastructure investment of the HKSARG. After many years of development, the WKCD has transformed from a blueprint into reality today and become one of the largest cultural hubs in the world, featuring performing arts venues with our country’s staunch support. The Hong Kong Palace Museum, which opened in 2022, and the M+ museum, which commenced operation in 2021, have become world-class museums blending traditional and contemporary arts and cultures.”
     
         “The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) kick-started WestK Shanghai Week today. It is the first time a series of exhibitions and performing arts programmes and cultural exchange activities have been brought outside Hong Kong. It is not only an important milestone of the HKSARG driving top-notch arts, cultural and creative programmes to go global, but also showcases Hong Kong’s diverse arts achievements and further attracts local and overseas visitors to experience Hong Kong’s vibrancy and appeal firsthand,” Miss Law added.
     
         Supporting organisations of WestK Shanghai Week 2025 include the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the HKSARG, and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Shanghai of the HKSARG.
     
         This morning, Miss Law visited the “WestK x MANNER” limited-edition art collaboration themed store, jointly rolled out by the WKCDA and Shanghai’s beloved coffee brand MANNER COFFEE. The store invited Hong Kong’s renowned illustrator Don Mak to craft exclusive designs inspired by the Victoria Harbour skyline, WKCD panoramas and iconic Hong Kong urban motifs, demonstrating the creative charm of integrating culture, creative industry and tourism.
     
         Upon arrival yesterday (June 17), Miss Law had a working lunch with representatives of the management of Shanghai Shendi Group to exchange information on the latest tourism situation in Shanghai and Hong Kong. She also visited the Shanghai Disney Resort to learn about its operation and development. Miss Law said that the Shanghai Disney Resort and the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort are iconic attractions in the two places, which play vital roles in driving regional tourism and economic development.
     
         Miss Law will depart from Shanghai for Hong Kong tonight.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Huawei and China Mobile win TM Forum’s 2025 Excellence Award for Autonomous Networks

    Source: Huawei

    Headline: Huawei and China Mobile win TM Forum’s 2025 Excellence Award for Autonomous Networks

    [Copenhagen, Denmark, June 18, 2025] During DTW 2025, Huawei and China Mobile won the Excellence Award for Autonomous Networks for the End-to-End Autonomous Network Operation Center (Dark NOC) solution. This project focuses on high-value Autonomous Networks scenarios, leveraging telecom foundation model and agents, and has achieved significant achievements in end-to-end automation, quality & revenue enhancement, and efficient operations & maintenance, which has effectively accelerated the advancement of the telecom industry towards level 4.

    Huawei and China Mobile win TM Forum’s Excellence Award for Autonomous Networks

    To achieve the L4 industry goal of “end-to-end automation of NOC operations in high-value scenarios and self-service site operations”, Huawei and China Mobile have jointly created the End-to-End Autonomous Network Operation Center (Dark NOC) solution. Focusing on high-value scenarios such as fault handling and customer complaint resolution, the solution leverages telecom foundation model to build two main types of agents: role-based Copilots and scenario-based Agents. This solution was first deployed in Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces, achieving significant results including a 30% improvement in maintenance efficiency and a 30% reduction in average MTTR. Currently, the solution has been commercially deployed across fault management and complaint handling scenarios in China Mobile Guangdong and Zhejiang, covering mobile bearer, wireless, core, and home broadband networks. It is now being promoted to other provincial subsidiaries, empowering operators to serve tens of millions of users.
    The successful implementation of the End-to-End Autonomous Network Operations Center (Dark NOC) Solution provides a valuable practical reference for global operators accelerating their journey toward L4. In the future, Huawei and China Mobile will continue to deepen innovation and practical exploration in high-value scenarios, injecting new impetus into the automation and intelligent transformation of the telecoms industry.

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI Global: China positions itself as a stable economic partner and alternative to ‘unpredictable’ Trump

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Chee Meng Tan, Assistant Professor of Business Economics, University of Nottingham

    After the second world war, the US and its western allies created a set of international agreements and institutions to govern attitudes to mutual defence, economics and human rights. For decades this created stable alliances and predictable economic plans.

    But, unlike his predecessors, Donald Trump believes that international organisations undermine US interests and sovereignty. He has withdrawn the US from the World Health Organization, and there is speculation he could reduce US commitment to the UN. US investment in Nato’s mutual defence pact remains under discussion.

    But while Washington is busy sounding the retreat from the very world order it had a hand in building, Beijing is looking to increase its international role. Chinese leadership in international agencies affiliated with the UN has increased over the years, and so has its financial commitment to international institutions.

    That’s not all. China is also a prominent member of trade coalitions such as the
    15-member Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and the ten-member Brics group (led by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). These groups not only promote greater economic integration among its members, but may reduce members’ reliance on the US economy and the US dollar. Amid an increasingly volatile US, China’s presence as the second largest economy in the world in these trade groups would be useful.

    Now with the whole world negotiating new US trade deals, most nations see their relationship with the US as unstable. China sees this as a golden opportunity to position itself as a global counterbalance to the US. One of its policies is to “deliver greater security, prosperity and respect for developing countries”, and this is particularly relevant in African nations, where US aid is being reduced rapidly.


    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.


    A US-Sino trade deal was reached in London on June 10 2025. US tariffs on Chinese goods now stand at 55%, while Chinese tariffs on US imports will remain at 10%. But how long this trade deal will last remains uncertain, when Trump has a tendency to change his mind.

    There are few details of the US trade deal with China so far.

    Just a month earlier, on May 12, Washington and Beijing concluded a major trade accord in Geneva aimed at diffusing massive trade tensions. Unfortunately, this deal only lasted for 18 days before Trump started accusing China of violating the agreement.

    But Trump’s tendency to escalate trade tensions and then diffuse them is not just China’s problem. His allies are also a victim of his frequent wavering. This leaves nations around the world, whether traditional US partners or not, in a crisis of not knowing what the US’s next move will be, and whether their economy will suffer.

    In February 2025, Trump imposed 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada but temporarily called off the tariffs a month later. Then in early April 2025, Trump raised tariffs on 60 countries and trading blocs, including traditional US allies such as the EU (20%), Japan (24%), South Korea (25%) and Taiwan (32%). Hours later, Trump unexpectedly rescinded these tariffs, but that caused massive damage to the global economy.

    If there is a time that the world needs a more predictable partner it would be now. But it isn’t a Trump-helmed US. A recent annual report on democracy and national attitudes indicates that for first time, respondents across 100 countries view China more favourably than they do the US. So, could China be the partner that the world seeks?

    Why China needs trade

    While the world needs a stable environment to promote economic growth, Beijing needs this stability for reasons that go beyond economics.

    Unlike liberal democracies that derive their legitimacy through elections, a large part of Beijing’s legitimacy comes from its ability to deliver sustained economic prosperity to the Chinese people. But with a battered economy that was first triggered by a real estate crisis in 2021, this task of maintaining legitimacy has become more difficult.

    Exporting its way of out the economic slump may have been on Beijing’s books, as this was one of China’s traditional methods for promoting economic growth. But Trump’s trade war has made this an increasingly difficult prospect, especially to the US which imports 14.8% of total Chinese exports.

    As a result, fixing China’s economy has become a priority for the Chinese government, and it is because of this that Xi tours neighbouring Asean countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia to promote trade and strategic plans to maintain economic stability.

    Obstacles for China

    Despite everything that China is doing, its image remains a problem, for some. For instance, China has claimed sovereignty over the South China Sea and has built ports, military installations and airstrips on artificial islands across the region, despite territorial disputes with its neighbours including Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.

    But there are other concerns about China. The country’s rapid advancements in military technology, for example, have the potential to destabilise security within the Indo Pacific, potentially allowing China to take control of strategically placed islands to use as bases for its navy. China is also becoming a dominant hacking threat, according to UK cyber expert Richard Horne, which is likely to cause problems for worldwide cybersecurity.

    Polish prime minister Donald Tusk once remarked: “With a friend like Trump, who needs enemies?” Many other national leaders are likely to share Tusk’s sentiment today, and may see opportunities to extend trade deals with China as an alternative to a turbulent relationship with Trump.

    Chee Meng Tan 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. China positions itself as a stable economic partner and alternative to ‘unpredictable’ Trump – https://theconversation.com/china-positions-itself-as-a-stable-economic-partner-and-alternative-to-unpredictable-trump-258443

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Shanxi Province and Uzbekistan Establish Joint Archaeological Center in Fergana

    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 18 (Xinhua) — North China’s Shanxi Province has made significant progress in international archaeological cooperation. The Fergana-Shanxi Joint Archaeological Center and the Laboratory for the Protection and Restoration of Cultural Relics were recently opened at Fergana State University in Uzbekistan, according to the provincial government’s official website.

    The parties will cooperate in depth in the areas of joint archaeological research, personnel training, archaeology using scientific technologies and the protection of cultural relics.

    Since the signing of the cooperation agreement between the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology and Fergana State University in October 2024, the two sides have been actively implementing the provisions of the agreement, developing exchanges and cooperation in various fields.

    In March 2025, they held talks to deepen cooperation and reached a consensus, laying a more solid foundation for future joint work. From May 9 to 12, the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, together with three professors and teachers from the History Department of Fergana State University, conducted a 4-day archaeological survey in the Fergana Valley. During the survey, 9 ancient sites from the Bronze and Iron Ages were examined.

    The joint archaeological team applied a variety of advanced technological methods to comprehensively and in detail study the state of preservation of the sites, their cultural appearance, the history of archaeological research, and the relationship between the settlements and burial grounds. This allowed us to obtain key data on the archaeological sites of the region, providing strong support for subsequent in-depth archaeological excavations and research work.

    Fan Wenqian, Director of the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, said that promoting cooperation with Fergana State University in such areas as joint archaeological research, personnel training, archaeology using scientific technology, protection of cultural relics, exhibition, etc. is not only a responsibility but also a mission. The cooperation will not only enable a deep study of the historical and cultural content of the Fergana Valley, but also train more professional personnel with an international outlook for the archaeological circles of Shanxi, which will further enhance the international influence of Shanxi archaeology.

    As it became known, from September to October 2025, employees of the Institute of Archaeology of Shanxi Province will again be in the Fergana Valley to conduct joint archaeological work. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: SCO Member States Intend to Strengthen Cooperation in Digital Technologies

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    URUMQI, June 18 (Xinhua) — Participants from various countries expressed their readiness to strengthen cooperation in the relevant field within the SCO framework at the 4th meeting of heads of ministries and departments of the SCO member states responsible for the development of information and communication technologies (ICT), which was held in Karamay city, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on Tuesday.

    At the event, Deputy Minister of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China Xiong Jijun called promoting sustainable development and accelerating modernization common goals of the SCO countries.

    According to him, China is ready to work with all parties to improve the quality and level of cooperation among the member states by improving institutional mechanisms, strengthening political dialogue, deepening practical cooperation in the field of digital technologies and ICT, promoting the transformation and modernization of industries, building a more just, accessible and inclusive digital world, thereby contributing to the formation of a community of shared destiny of the SCO.

    First Deputy Minister of Communications and Informatization of the Republic of Belarus Pavel Tkach stated that joint digital development allows for a significant deepening of integration, mutual trade and other sectors of the economy, and the exchange of experience in this area can be carried out within the framework of the SCO.

    He stressed that due to the rapid growth of data in Belarus, there is a need to create centers for their processing and storage, adding that Belarus is interested in China’s experience in this area and expects to participate in specific projects with it.

    Karamay City, the venue for the event, boasts of its dynamic digital economy in Xinjiang. According to local authorities, as of the end of 2024, the computing power of the cloud computing industrial park was 17,042 petaflops (1 petaflop equals 1 quadrillion floating-point operations per second), becoming the first such industrial park in the region with a computing power of more than 10,000 petaflops.

    Zhanat Dzhabasova from Kazakhstan, head of the center for international cooperation and project implementation at the M. Dulatov Kostanay Engineering and Economics University, emphasized the prospects of Karamay to become a future hub of digital technologies. She stated that due to its geographical location, the city is quite capable of combining the experience of Kazakhstan and China in this area and becoming a center for digital transformation and exchanges between the two countries.

    Zh. Dzhabasova also expressed hope for the development of cooperation with Chinese universities in the field of information technology and other areas, especially for conducting joint scientific research through the exchange of experience.

    The head of Tajikistan’s Communications Service, Isfandiyor Sadullo, said that Karamay, as a city whose main industry is the oil industry, is making active efforts to develop digital technologies. According to him, he sees broad prospects here in the field of big data exchange.

    I. Sadullo also said that Tajikistan expects cooperation with China in the field of digital and information and communication technologies, as well as in digital development and transformation.

    Let us recall that the meeting adopted an action plan aimed at deepening exchanges and cooperation between the SCO member states in the development of measures for digital transformation, creation of digital infrastructure, digital government, cloud computing, digitalization of small and medium-sized enterprises, development and application of digital technologies, exchange of specialists in the field of digital technologies, etc. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Shanghai hosts Forum on Legal Support for SCO Economic and Trade Activities

    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 18 (Xinhua) — The SCO Center for International Legal Training and Cooperation (China), based at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, held the Forum on Legal Support for SCO Economic and Trade Activities from Tuesday to Wednesday.

    The event was held under the theme “Legal Innovations and International Cooperation – Building a New Era of Sustainable Development”. It was attended by more than 100 experts, scientists and industry representatives from international organizations, SCO countries, Chinese and foreign universities, research institutions and business circles.

    The forum focused on creating an effective communication platform for deepening and promoting legal ideas in economic and trade activities, and was also aimed at forming a more open, mutually beneficial and sustainable platform for legal cooperation within the SCO.

    The meeting discussed issues such as preventing legal risks in international investment and infrastructure construction within the Belt and Road Initiative, international trade, financial settlements and dispute resolution within the SCO.

    Ge Weihua, Party Secretary of Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, said that in the context of growing uncertainty and complexity in economic and trade exchanges, there is an urgent need for more coordinated, higher-level legal support.

    Since the establishment of the SCO/China International Legal Training and Cooperation Center, Shanghai University of Political Science and Law has always been committed to promoting in-depth exchanges and cooperation in the legal, economic and trade fields within the SCO framework. In the future, the university will continue to give full play to the advantages of the center to actively promote regional legal cooperation, he added.

    The forum was organized by the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law and the SCO Center for International Legal Training and Cooperation /China/. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Iraqi Foreign Minister Calls on Europe to Seek Ceasefire Between Israel and Iran

    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

    BAGHDAD, June 18 (Xinhua) — Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has called on European powers, particularly France, Britain and Germany, to play a direct and effective role in achieving an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Iran and resuming negotiations, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

    On Tuesday, Hussein held a telephone conversation with his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot, during which they discussed the escalation of tensions in the region, the ministry said in a statement.

    According to the statement, both ministers stressed the need for immediate international action to halt military operations by all sides. They warned that further escalation could trigger a wider global economic and humanitarian crisis.

    They also stressed the importance of preventing the conflict from spreading or involving other regional or international actors, which could further threaten world peace and stability.

    Both sides agreed on the need to coordinate international efforts to support dialogue, describing it as the most viable way to prevent dangerous consequences for the region and the world, the statement added. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Iran’s Supreme Leader Says Iran Will Not Surrender

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    TEHRAN, June 18 (Xinhua) — Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that the country remains steadfast in the conflict with Israel and will not give in to pressure, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported.

    In a televised address, he praised the Iranian people’s “steadfast, courageous and timely” response to what he called Israel’s “stupid and malicious aggression.” He said the nation’s resilience reflected “the growth of rationality and spirituality” in the country.

    “The Iranian people will firmly resist the imposed war, just as they will firmly resist the imposed peace. This nation will not surrender to anyone’s pressure,” Tasnim quotes A. Khamenei as saying.

    He also warned that the United States would suffer “irreparable damage” as a result of any military intervention. “Those who know Iran and its history understand that threatening its people is futile,” he said.

    Iran’s supreme leader made the remarks after US President Donald Trump made several social media posts on Tuesday demanding Tehran’s “immediate surrender,” fueling speculation that the US was getting militarily involved in the conflict.

    The conflict between Israel and Iran is continuing for a sixth day. During this time, about 600 people have died in Iran and 24 in Israel. The escalation began after Israel launched surprise airstrikes on Iranian territory on June 13. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China to establish international digital yuan operations center

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    SHANGHAI, June 18 (Xinhua) — China will set up an international digital yuan operations center, Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng announced at the Lujiazui Forum in Shanghai on Wednesday.

    The purpose of establishing this center, he said, is to promote the internationalization of the digital yuan and the development of financial market services, as well as support innovation in the field of digital finance. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI USA: EIA forecasts new export licensing requirements will reduce U.S. ethane exports

    Source: US Energy Information Administration

    In-brief analysis

    June 18, 2025


    We forecast U.S. ethane exports will decrease by 80,000 barrels per day (b/d) this year and by 177,000 b/d in 2026 in our June Short-Term Energy Outlook because of new licensing requirements for U.S. exports of ethane to China. Any policy changes that relax licensing requirements, such as the outcome of trade negotiations between the United States and China, would lead us to increase our forecasts for U.S. ethane exports again.

    China is the largest destination for U.S. ethane exports, accounting for 47% of U.S. ethane exports in 2024. All U.S. ethane exports to China come from two terminals on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Enterprise operates the Orbit terminal in Morgan’s Point, Texas, and Energy Transfer operates a terminal in Nederland, Texas. These terminals have long-term contracts with ethane cracking facilities in China. Both companies announced they received notice from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) that they need to apply for a special license to export ethane to China. Both Enterprise and Energy Transfer report that BIS said ethane exports to China pose an “unacceptable risk” that the material could be used for military purposes.

    According to Vortexa data, as of June 16, seven Very Large Ethane Carriers (VLECs), nearly a quarter of the VLEC fleet, are stalled along the U.S. Gulf Coast. Two stalled VLECs are laden with nearly 1 million barrels of ethane each. Typically, these loaded VLECs would be headed to China through the Panama Canal, indicating that they were likely loaded before the export licenses were denied. Three VLECs that typically go to China are ballast (empty) and moored off the U.S. Gulf Coast. Two vessels that typically carry ethane from the U.S. Gulf Coast to China on long-term agreements have been diverted to ethane crackers in Dahej, India. The last shipment of U.S. ethane to China left May 23 from Energy Transfer’s terminal on the U.S. Gulf Coast.

    Ethane is a natural gas liquid extracted from wet natural gas during processing and is primarily used to produce ethylene. Ethylene is a crucial component in the petrochemical industry and a building block for plastics, resins, and synthetic rubber.


    Average annual U.S. ethane exports have increased every year since 2014 except 2020, when exports fell slightly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Growing U.S. ethane exports have been supported by rising global petrochemical demand, ethane’s cost advantage in ethylene production over other feedstocks such as naphtha and propane, and increased ethane tanker fleet shipping capacity.

    Crackers in China that can only use ethane as a feedstock, such as Satellite Petrochemical, have already shut down, according to Argus, because no alternative sources for ethane imports exist. Other crackers in China can switch feedstock to naphtha or liquified petroleum gas (propane and butane), such as SP Chemical’s Taixing cracker.

    Principal contributor: Josh Eiermann

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: Helport AI Appoints Former Google and ServiceNow Executive Vanessa Chan as Chief Commercial Officer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Experienced Executive to Lead Commercial Expansion, Strategic Partnerships, and Revenue Acceleration Initiatives in North America

    SINGAPORE and SAN DIEGO, June 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Helport AI Limited (NASDAQ: HPAI) (“Helport AI” or the “Company”), an AI technology company serving enterprise clients with intelligent customer communication software and services, today announced the appointment of Hiu-Yu “Vanessa” Chan as Chief Commercial Officer (“CCO”), effective June 16, 2025.

    Ms. Chan joins Helport AI at a pivotal moment of global growth. She brings over 23 years of enterprise leadership experience across AI, SaaS, and strategic expansion, having held senior roles at Google Cloud, SAP, ServiceNow, and McKinsey. As CCO, she will lead commercial expansion, strategic partnerships, and revenue acceleration initiatives across the United States and North America. Ms. Chan is also expected to play a key role in shaping go-to-market strategy and customer success at scale. Ms. Chan holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. She will be based out of Helport AI’s San Diego headquarters. Most recently, Ms. Chan served as Head of Corporate Strategy for North Asia at ServiceNow, where she oversaw strategic growth across its Public Sector and Financial Services space and spearheaded an investment initiative for Singapore’s regulated cloud market. Previously, at Google Cloud, she led go-to-market operations for Greater China and Korea. Ms. Chan also held executive roles at SAP, managing strategic accounts and alliances while delivering revenue growth through strategic partnerships in the China market.

    “We’re thrilled to welcome Vanessa to Helport AI,” said Guanghai Li, CEO of Helport AI. “Her track record speaks for itself—Vanessa combines strategic clarity with operational excellence and a deep understanding of global enterprise markets. I am personally excited to partner with her as we embark on our next stage of commercial growth.”

    Ms. Chan added, “I am excited to join Helport AI at a time of global expansion and product momentum. I expect that the Company’s AI-driven software platform will transform how enterprises engage with their customers by addressing complex communication challenges, and I look forward to delivering value to those using our technology to transform their customer engagement model.”

    With Ms. Chan’s appointment, Helport AI has strengthened its executive bench to support its continued international expansion, enterprise customer growth, and strategic capital partnerships.

    About Helport AI

    Helport AI (NASDAQ: HPAI) is a global technology company serving enterprise clients with intelligent customer communication software and services. Its flagship product, AI Assist, acts as a real-time co-pilot for customer contact teams, delivering smart guidance and tools designed to drive sales, improve customer engagement, and lower costs. The Company’s mission is to empower everyone to work as an expert—using AI to elevate, not replace, human capability. Learn more at https://www.helport.ai/.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking, including, but not limited to, Helport AI’s business strategies, expansion plans, and anticipated results. These statements involve risks and uncertainties based on current expectations and projections. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “approximates,” “believes,” “hopes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may” or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Helport AI undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although Helport AI believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and Helport AI cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in Helport AI’s registration statement and other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

    Media Contact
    Helport AI Investor Relations
    Email: ir@helport.ai
    Website: https://ir.helport.ai/

    External Investor Relations Contact
    Chris Tyson
    Executive Vice President, MZ North America
    Direct: +1 949-491-8235
    Email: HPAI@mzgroup.us
    Website: www.mzgroup.us

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI China: China to allow qualified foreign investors to trade on-exchange ETF options

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

    BEIJING, June 18 — China will allow qualified foreign investors to participate in on-exchange exchange-traded fund (ETF) options trading from Oct. 9 this year for hedging purposes only, the country’s top securities regulator said on Wednesday.

    The move aims to expand the range of investable assets for qualified foreign investors, and to enable foreign institutional investors — particularly those focused on portfolio allocation — to access risk-management tools that align with their investment needs, according to the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC).

    It is expected to foster more stable investment by foreign institutional investors, and to support their long-term participation in China’s A-share market, the regulator said.

    Since the beginning of this year, the CSRC has gradually eased restrictions on qualified foreign investors’ access to domestic commodity futures, commodity options and ETF options.

    Going forward, the regulator said it will roll out further reform measures to improve the qualified foreign investor scheme, and do more to promote the high-standard institutional opening-up of the country’s capital market.

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s top political advisor stresses research on integrated development of sci-tech, industrial innovation

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

    China’s top political advisor Wang Huning on Wednesday stressed the need to deepen research on the integrated development of scientific and technological innovation with industrial innovation, highlighting its crucial role in advancing Chinese modernization.

    Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, made the remarks during a symposium where the central committees of some non-CPC parties presented their research outcomes.

    Wang said that promoting the integration of sci-tech innovation with industrial innovation is conducive to fostering new quality productive forces, advancing high-quality development, and building an innovative country.

    Efforts should be made to deepen research on the challenges in advancing sci-tech and industrial innovation, and on bottlenecks in policy implementation, Wang said.

    He emphasized the importance of high-quality research to support Party and government decision-making, and called for efforts to advance the implementation of the innovation-driven development strategy and accelerate the building of an innovative country.

    During the symposium, leaders of the central committees of five non-CPC parties provided their respective suggestions on topics such as accelerating the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, advancing the digital transformation of the manufacturing sector, and promoting high-standard opening up.

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI China: G7 summit ends in disputes

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

    The Group of Seven (G7) summit wrapped up in Canada on Tuesday with no joint communique but some stark frictions.

    Several statements, or the leaders’ commitments, were issued after the summit, which included driving secure, responsible and trustworthy AI adoption across public and private sectors, powering AI now and into the future, and closing digital divides; boosting cooperation to unlock the full potential of quantum technology to grow economies, solve global challenges and keep communities secure.

    The attendees also committed to mounting a multilateral effort to better prevent, fight and recover from wildfires, which are on the rise around the world; protecting the rights of everyone in society, and the fundamental principle of state sovereignty, by continuing to combat foreign interference, with a focus on transnational repression; and countering migrant smuggling by dismantling transnational organized crime groups.

    In his final remarks at the closing news conference, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that the discussions over the past two days were marked by a range of differing opinions, frank conversations and strategic exchanges.

    “There is a great amount of direct dialogue and discussion, very frank exchanges, very strategic exchanges, differences of opinion on a number of issues, but an effort to find common solutions to some of these problems,” said Carney, also chair of this year’s summit.

    He said this is particularly valuable “at a time when multilateralism is under great strain.”

    There was no joint statement on Ukraine, although Carney announced new Canadian support for Ukraine’s defense and another set of sanctions on Russia. Carney invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to attend the event in person and made support for the country one of the summit’s key discussion topics on Tuesday.

    Leaders met for the final day of the summit in Kananaskis in Canada’s province of Alberta without U.S. President Donald Trump, who suddenly left Canada on Monday night, saying that escalations in the Middle East forced his early exit from the G7 event.

    As he left, the summit published a statement that the resolution of the Iranian crisis can lead to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, even a ceasefire in Gaza.

    The remaining G7 leaders had a working lunch with visiting non-G7 leaders on energy security. In the statement, the leaders said that they remain vigilant to the implications of the Iran-Israel aerial conflict for international energy markets and that they will stand ready to coordinate to safeguard market stability.

    Hundreds of protesters took to the streets in downtown Calgary and Banff during the summit, calling on the summit to address a variety of issues, including Trump’s threat to annex Canada.

    Originally scheduled to begin on the weekend, the summit was shortened to two days and officially started on Monday.

    French President Emmanuel Macron announced Tuesday that next year’s summit will take place in Evian, a French spa town known for its mineral water.

    The G7 is an informal bloc comprising seven of the world’s advanced economies — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the United States — along with the European Union.

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The first freight train traveled along the trans-Caspian international transport route Jinhua-Turkmenbashi-Baku

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    HANGZHOU, June 18 (Xinhua) — A train loaded with 100 standard containers of daily necessities, clothing and accessories, metal fittings and other goods departed from Jinhua City in east China’s Zhejiang Province on Wednesday morning for Turkmenbashi Port in Turkmenistan, from where they will travel by sea to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. It is the first train to operate on the Jinhua-Turkmenbashi-Baku trans-Caspian international transport route.

    According to Wu Xiaoping, an employee of the Hangzhou Railway Logistics Center, the train departed from the Jinhua South Station, will leave China through the Khorgos checkpoint /Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Republic, Northwest China/, and pass through Almaty, Tashkent, Ashgabat and other important cities in Central Asia.

    Transportation of goods from Jinhua to Baku involves the use of a multimodal method: “railway – sea – rail”. Using the Turkmenbashi seaport to cross the Caspian Sea instead of the traditional route will reduce the time of transportation of goods by about one day.

    The successful opening of this route will provide enterprises with a more efficient, convenient and reliable logistics solution, and will promote the growth of trade turnover between China and the five Central Asian countries, as well as China and Central and Eastern European countries, Wu Xiaoping added. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Floods Affect 180,000 Residents of One County in South China’s Guangdong Province

    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

    GUANGZHOU, June 18 (Xinhua) — Floods caused by incessant torrential rains have affected more than 180,000 residents in Huaiji County, Zhaoqing City, south China’s Guangdong Province, as of 7 a.m. Wednesday.

    Rains brought by Typhoon Wutip, the first typhoon of the year, have been battering the region since Saturday. The water level at the Huaiji Dam peaked at 55.22 meters at 7:05 a.m. Wednesday, exceeding the critical level by 5.22 meters.

    As of 7 a.m. Wednesday, the raging floodwaters had affected the lives of about 183,000 residents in 19 townships and villages in Huaiji County. Dams, roads and farmland were severely damaged. Meanwhile, according to local authorities, 68,000 people were urgently evacuated to safe areas.

    Currently, more than 10 thousand rescuers and more than 500 units of emergency rescue equipment have been mobilized.

    At 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Huaiji raised its flood emergency response to Level 1, the highest level. Schools, work, manufacturing, transportation and business activities were suspended across the county. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Xinjiang’s foreign trade volume grew by 22.9% in January-May 2025

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    URUMQI, June 18 (Xinhua) — The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region’s foreign trade volume rose 22.9 percent year on year to 227.67 billion yuan in the first five months of this year, local customs said.

    In particular, Xinjiang’s foreign trade turnover in May reached 61.81 billion yuan, up 30.8 percent year-on-year.

    From January to May this year, Xinjiang’s trade turnover with Belt and Road countries increased by 13.8 percent, accounting for 84.8 percent of Xinjiang’s total foreign trade.

    Xinjiang’s largest trading partners were Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The share of trade in goods with the five Central Asian countries in Xinjiang’s foreign trade turnover was 49.5 percent.

    At the same time, Xinjiang also significantly increased its trade turnover with ASEAN and the EU. Compared with the same period last year, the figures increased by 91.6 and 55.7 percent, respectively.

    Xinjiang’s export volume of electromechanical products increased by 43.8 percent in January-May this year, accounting for 40.2 percent of Xinjiang’s export volume. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Mutual tourism between China and Central Asian countries is steadily growing

    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

    GUANGZHOU, June 18 (Xinhua) — With the deepening of trade and economic cooperation between China and Central Asia, travel to the region has become one of the hottest topics on Chinese social media.

    On the popular Chinese social network Xiaohongshu /Rednote/, the number of views of discussions under posts about both Central Asia itself and travels there has exceeded 50 million and 20 million, respectively.

    A young Chinese blogger’s guide to Central Asia in Xiaohongshu has gained over 5,000 likes and favorites. Local folk customs, magnificent natural landscapes, and unique cultural charm of the Central Asian countries have attracted the attention of social media users.

    According to the Utour travel agency, in the first half of 2025, the tourist flow of Chinese citizens to Central Asia increased by 100 percent year-on-year. Data from Fliggy, an online travel platform owned by Alibaba, showed that since the beginning of 2025, the number of bookings of air tickets from China to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan increased by 60 percent and 47 percent year-on-year, respectively. Popular destinations for the Chinese were Tashkent, Almaty, Shymkent, Bukhara, etc.

    China has introduced a mutual visa-free regime with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Over the past year, the number of mutual trips of citizens of China and Kazakhstan exceeded 1.2 million.

    In March 2025, the new Guangzhou-Almaty air route was officially opened. The development of the tourism industry in these two places has accelerated.

    In early June, Zhang Qun, a resident of Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, South China, visited Kazakhstan. Although she knew little about the Central Asian country before leaving, the experience left a deep impression on her.

    “The warriors wrestle, ride horses, shoot, and tame eagles, which allowed us to immerse ourselves in a unique culture,” she said.

    She also noted that Almaty and other cities in Kazakhstan are very clean and have a high level of greenery. “There are signs in Russian, English and Chinese at the Almaty airport, and there are no barriers to communication. Local residents are also very friendly to Chinese tourists,” she emphasized.

    As more Chinese tourists travel to Central Asia, more and more Central Asian citizens are also becoming more interested in China.

    On June 1, 2025, a plane with 160 passengers on board landed at Tianshan International Airport in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region /Northwest China/. They became the first passengers from Uzbekistan to visit China since the Agreement between the PRC and the Republic of Uzbekistan on Mutual Exemption from Visa Requirements came into force.

    Under the agreement, citizens of both countries are exempt from visa requirements when entering, leaving or transiting through the territories of the two countries for a period of no more than 30 days for each individual stay and for a total period of no more than 90 days within any 180-day period.

    According to the Chinese travel platform Ctrip, since the beginning of 2025, the number of bookings of inbound tours among Central Asians has increased by 106 percent year-on-year. In particular, among citizens of Uzbekistan, this figure has increased by 164 percent year-on-year. The most popular destinations among tourists from Central Asia were Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Beijing, Urumqi, Xi’an, etc.

    In recent years, the passenger flow from five Central Asian countries at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport has been steadily increasing. Since the beginning of this year, as of June 17, the total incoming and outgoing passenger flow from five Central Asian countries recorded at the checkpoint at Baiyun Airport was about 28 thousand person-times, which is more than 460 percent more than in the same period last year. Among them, the most obvious was the increase in tourist flow from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

    Guangzhou’s tourism industry is experiencing a rapid revival of tourism projects in Central Asia. Huang Jingru, deputy general manager of Guangzhilu Travel Agency, said that thanks to the opening of more direct flights and favorable visa policies, her agency’s tourism services sector in Central Asia has grown by more than 200 percent in the past two years.

    “It is expected that in the future, tourism products from China to Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries will have great potential in the Guangzhou market,” she said. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China sees rapid growth in green electricity deals

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, June 18 (Xinhua) — China’s green power transaction volume exceeded 220 billion kWh in the first five months of 2025, up nearly 50 percent year-on-year, industry data showed at the 2025 Electricity Market Development Forum held Wednesday.

    According to statistics from the China Federation of Electric Power Enterprises (CFPE), the volume of transactions in China’s green electricity market has grown from 1.1 trillion kWh in 2016 to 6.2 trillion kWh in 2024, with its share in total electricity consumption rising from 17 percent to 63 percent, indicating a significant shift in the allocation of energy resources toward a market-based system.

    CFEP representative Yang Kun said that in recent years, growing demand for green consumption in China has led to a rapid expansion of green electricity trading.

    The CFEP will continue its efforts to promote green transformation and low-carbon transition in the energy and power supply sector, Yang Kun added. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Moscow Oncology Forum 2025 Opens in the Capital

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The Moscow Oncology Forum 2025 has begun its work in the capital. It was opened by Anastasia Rakova, Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Social Development. In her welcoming speech, she spoke about the city’s transition to an electronic format for pathomorphological diagnostics, the completion of the formation of an infrastructural framework for oncological care, and the introduction of robotic systems into the capital’s healthcare system.

    “In five years, we have essentially created a high-tech oncology service from scratch: we have modernized the equipment, worked out standards for drug provision, formed client paths and carried out complete digitalization. Now all oncology hospitals have the most modern robotic systems – and not one in each. And all this is provided with the necessary financial resources. Four thousand operations have already been performed, and our annual capacity is more than five thousand operations per year. All our laboratories work exclusively digitally. But the most important thing is, of course, a new level of quality of medical care for our patients. I would like to separately note the team of Moscow oncologists, who are truly the vanguard of the capital’s healthcare. You are pioneers in almost all innovations and processes. I would like to thank each oncologist for your daily, difficult, but very noble work in the conditions of continuous changes,” said Anastasia Rakova.

    She added that the unprecedented archive of digital medical data, including oncological data, formed in Moscow is an indisputable competitive advantage. In the context of the development of large generative models of artificial intelligence, this archive opens up a unique opportunity to create projects to identify precursors and patterns of disease development.

    According to Anastasia Rakova, the Moscow oncology service today has every opportunity to reach a new level of care and use modern technologies, such as cell therapy, personalized vaccines, isotopes, and minimally invasive surgery. Among the first steps already being implemented in this direction, she noted the creation of a nuclear pharmacy, theranostics, and the successful use of yttrium to treat liver tumors. The deputy mayor expressed hope that successful cases of high-tech care will become a permanent practice available to every Muscovite. To this end, the capital will increase its work with federal centers, scientific organizations, and pharmaceutical companies.

    The Deputy Mayor recalled the classic rule of medicine: it is easier to prevent a disease than to treat it, and the capital is actively moving in this direction. Thanks to the opening of endoscopic centers, it was possible to increase the detection rate of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) cancer at an early stage. The plans include opening several more such centers. At the same time, the capital is implementing proactive programs. For example, as part of a pilot project for the prevention of oncological diseases, a referral for a screening endoscopic examination of the GIT was opened automatically for those who have not undergone it for more than three years and fall into the risk group. More than 50 thousand people have already signed up for the checkup. After the opening ceremony, guests will be able to learn more about the latest achievements in the field of treatment and diagnosis of oncological diseases not only during the speakers’ speeches, but also by visiting an interactive exhibition. It presents 14 stands in different areas. For example, these are “Brain and Nervous System Tumors”, “Oncourology”, “Radiation and Radionuclide Therapy” and others.

    Visitors to the interactive exhibition will be able to participate in master classes, intellectual games and quizzes, examine objects under a microscope, study video recordings of real operations, and also get a visual representation of the work of the operating room. The stands will show the latest equipment, models of tumors and unique clinical cases.

    The largest oncology forum in Russia is taking place from June 18 to 20 at Gostiny Dvor. The event brings together participants from 20 countries. The most pressing aspects of cancer treatment are being discussed by domestic and foreign experts from Singapore, China, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, France, Turkey, the United States, Belgium, Italy and other countries. These are 144 of the best specialists, including academicians and corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Sciences, professors and doctors of science. Together, they will present almost 400 scientific reports on the latest developments in the field of providing medical care to patients with cancer.

    Get the latest news quicklythe city’s official telegram channel Moscow.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/155424073/

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The best nurse in the capital was named based on the results of the Moscow Masters competition

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    On June 18, the final stage of the annual city competition of professional skills “Moscow Masters” in the direction of “Nurse” was completed in the capital. 24 specialists took part in the final tests, having successfully passed the test of theoretical knowledge and practical skills.

    The award ceremony took place at Gostiny Dvor. The prizes — car keys — were presented to the three finalists by Anastasia Rakova, Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Social Development.

    “I am pleased to sum up the results of the professional competition of Moscow masters in the nomination “Nursing” today. The nursing community of Moscow is multifaceted – 50 thousand nurses and male nurses work in the capital’s healthcare. Your profession is very important and necessary, and the requirements for it are growing from year to year. You accompany the patient, support him along the entire path to recovery – from the admissions department to discharge. This year the competition was very difficult. Both the number of participants and the number of tests increased. You had to go through interviews, tests, demonstrate your skills. All of today’s finalists are already winners. You have proven that you are sincerely devoted to your work, are professionals and are ready to do everything to make life easier for patients. Once again, I congratulate all the finalists! And I would like to move on to presenting awards to the three main winners. This year, the Mayor of Moscow decided that we will present our branded Moskvich cars as a reward. “And all the finalists will go on an internship to China,” Anastasia Rakova congratulated the winners.

    The best result in the tests was shown by Alena Sokolova from the V.M. Buyanov City Clinical Hospital. Second place was taken by Yulia Nagaytseva, a nurse of a general practitioner (family doctor) of City Polyclinic No. 66, and third place went to Elvira Uldanova, a district nurse. She works at Children’s City Polyclinic No. 38.

    The competition, which has been held in Moscow for the 28th year in a row, not only identifies the best specialists, but also reminds society of the importance of the profession, creating additional motivation for the further development of nursing in the capital.

    Before the final, the contestants went through several stages: initially, more than 700 nurses and brothers selected from medical organizations took part in the competition. After computer testing, 80 people remained, who then demonstrated their practical skills. In the final, they solved situational problems, for example, providing assistance in case of respiratory failure due to a foreign body getting into the respiratory tract or preparing a patient for an electrocardiogram.

    Based on the results of the tests, 24 finalists were determined – three participants in each of the eight nominations.

    The winners of the nominations competed in an interactive game, answering questions about nursing, the history of medicine, anatomy, pharmacology and other areas. In particular, about the discovery of methods for treating the most common diseases that had a significant impact on the development of medical science.

    The competition was organized by the Personnel Center of the capital Department of HealthThis year the event became the largest in 28 years of its holding.

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/155426073/

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese PLA air force launches 14th female pilots recruitment 2025-06-18 18:28:27 The Chinese PLA Air Force is recruiting the 14th batch of female pilot cadets from high school graduates across 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government) in China.

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

      BEIJING, June 18 — The Chinese PLA Air Force is recruiting the 14th batch of female pilot cadets from high school graduates across 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government) in China.

      The selection and examination for female pilot cadets this year is launched in June,  and the final admission decisions will be made in early July.

      Applicants should be female graduates from regular high schools in 2025, both current and former, aged no less than 17 years old and no more than 20 years old.

      All the female pilot cadets enlisted in 2025 will study in the Aviation University of the Chinese PLA Air Force. After a three-month probation, the qualified candidates will be granted both student status and military status.

    loading…

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi returns to Beijing after attending 2nd China-Central Asia Summit

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

    BEIJING, June 18 — Chinese President Xi Jinping returned to Beijing on Wednesday after attending the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana of Kazakhstan.

    Xi’s entourage, including Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, and Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and foreign minister, returned by the same flight.

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: IAEA Scientific Forum “Atoms4Food” Highlights Role of Nuclear Science in Agriculture

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –

    Scientists and experts from around the world will meet at the IAEA Scientific Forum this week to discuss how nuclear science and technology innovations under the framework of Atoms4Food can contribute to enhancing sustainable agrifood systems, improving food security and addressing climate challenges.

    IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi will open the forum on Tuesday alongside HE Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary of Kenya, Mr Abdulhamid Alkhalifa, President of the OPEC Fund, Mr Liu Jing, Vice Chairman, China Atomic Energy Authority, China, HE Mr Sidi Tiémoko Touré, Minister of Animal and Fisheries Resources, Cote d’Ivoire, HE Ms Leila Benali, Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Kingdom of Morocco, HE Mr Fernando Mattos, Minister of Livestock, Uruguay, and Mr Giorgio Silli, Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italy. Director General Grossi will conclude the Forum on Wednesday alongside HE Mr Anxious Jongwe Masuka, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development from Zimbabwe, HE Mr Amadou Dicko, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Resources and Fisheries, Burkina Faso and other distinguished representatives from Member States and International Organizations.

    The event under the title Atoms4Food – Better Agriculture for Better Life, takes place from Tuesday, 17 September, 9:30 CEST to Wednesday, 18 September 2024, 13:00 CEST in Board Room D on the 4th floor of the C-Building of the Vienna International Centre (VIC). Open to the media and streamed live, the event will showcase how nuclear science can drive agricultural advancements and support global efforts to combat food insecurity.

    The forum will feature three technical sessions, where international experts will explore the critical role of nuclear science and technology in advancing sustainable agriculture, food production and nutrition. Speakers will discuss innovations using nuclear and isotopic techniques in agriculture and food production, the interconnectedness of agricultural practices with environmental conservation and socioeconomic equity, and the importance of partnering with stakeholders to scale up results and ensure sustainability. More details about the Scientific Forum can be found on the IAEA website and social media (FacebookInstagramLinkedInXWeibo). Photos of the Forum will also be available on Flickr.

    The detailed programme and full list of speakers can be found here. For those interested in interviewing speakers, please contact the IAEA Press Office, and we will assist with interview arrangements.

    Accreditation

    Journalists with permanent credentials to the VIC or journalists who have already obtained accreditation for the IAEA’s General Conference need no additional credentials. We encourage those journalists who do not yet have permanent accreditation to request it at UNIS Vienna.

    Others should contact the IAEA Press Office for accreditation.

    MIL OSI NGO