Category: China

MIL-OSI Russia: Man Dies After Being Hit by Light Rail in Australia

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

SYDNEY, June 5 (Xinhua) — A pedestrian was killed after being hit by a light rail vehicle on Thursday in a suburb of Sydney, Australia.

NSW Police said on Thursday afternoon that emergency services were dispatched to Surry Hills, a suburb of Sydney, at around 1.15pm local time on Thursday following a report.

When police arrived, they found a man, believed to be in his 40s, trapped under the carriage. Paramedics provided him with medical assistance, but he died at the scene. Police are investigating the cause of the incident.

The state transportation agency said light rail service had been suspended. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 5, 2025

MIL-OSI: Yuanbao Inc. Announces First Quarter 2025 Unaudited Financial Results

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

BEIJING, June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Yuanbao Inc. (“Yuanbao” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: YB), a leading technology-driven online insurance distributor in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025.

First Quarter 2025 Financial and Operational Highlights

Total revenues in the first quarter of 2025 were RMB970.1 million (US$133.7 million), representing a 43.8% increase from RMB674.5 million in the same period of 2024.
Net income in the first quarter of 2025 was RMB295.1 million (US$40.7 million), representing a 122.1% increase from RMB132.9 million in the same period of 2024.
Net income margin in the first quarter of 2025 was 30.4%, compared with 19.7% in the same period of 2024.
Net operating cash inflow in the first quarter of 2025 was RMB425.1 million (US$58.6 million).
Number of new policies¹ in the first quarter of 2025 was 6.8 million, representing a 21.3% increase from 5.6 million in the same period of 2024.

Recent Developments

Leveraging the latest large language model (“LLM”) capabilities:
- YB Agents. The Company has implemented an intelligent quality inspection Agent, capable of autonomously planning and coordinating multiple inspection tasks. This enables rapid deployment and reuse across complex scenarios, significantly enhancing inspection efficiency. The Company is also developing agents across other operational areas to improve process efficiency.
- Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) Enhancements. The Company has addressed the limitations of LLMs in processing specialized professional knowledge by integrating a specialized insurance knowledge database with RAG, resulting in more accurate responses to consumer insurance inquiries.
- Multi-Modal Applications. The Company is implementing multi-modal capabilities to broaden its interaction methods, seamlessly combining text, images, and other data types to promote more convenient and efficient insurance services.
In terms of the Company’s full consumer service cycle engine (recommendation models), as of the end of March, the Company had developed more than 4,700 models capable of analysis across more than 5,100 labels, an increase of 600 models and 1,000 labels from a year ago.

“Achieving our Nasdaq listing marks the most significant strategic milestone in Yuanbao’s growth since our founding in 2019,” said Mr. Rui Fang, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Yuanbao. “In the first quarter of 2025, we reported a substantial increase in revenue and net income, with all core operational metrics demonstrating double-digit year-over-year growth. Notably, the number of new policies increased by 21.3% compared with the prior year period. In technology, we continued to upgrade our full consumer service cycle engine and expand large language model applications across the entire business process. These advancements have remarkably enhanced both the efficiency and user experience of post-sale services, particularly in claim processing. As of the end of March, we had developed over 4,700 models capable of analysis across more than 5,100 labels, an increase of 600 models and 1,000 labels from a year ago. These developments have led to more accurate predictions and significantly improved operational efficiency. Looking ahead, we are committed to increasing investment in R&D to better serve evolving consumer needs. We will also focus on optimizing the full consumer service cycle, deepening strategic collaborations with insurance partners, and creating long-term value for shareholders.”

Mr. Ray Wan, Chief Financial Officer of Yuanbao, commented, “We are pleased to report a strong start to 2025, fueled by stellar financial and operational performance in the first quarter. Our total revenues reached a record RMB970.1 million, marking a 43.8% year-over-year increase, underpinned by the strength and efficiency of our engine. Additionally, we continued to improve our profitability, with net income growing 122.1% and net income margin expanding by 10.7 percentage points to 30.4%, compared with the prior year period. These solid results underscore Yuanbao’s leadership in China’s fast-growing online health insurance industry, where we leverage our core technological strengths to pursue growth while maintaining profitability. We remain confident that our healthy financial position and robust cash reserves will support our strategic initiatives, enhance our competitive advantage, and enable us to explore new opportunities for sustainable future growth.”

1 The number of new policies for a given period represents the total number of both short-term and long-term insurance policies purchased by the Company’s insurance consumers during that period.

First Quarter 2025 Financial Results

Total Revenues. Total revenues in the first quarter of 2025 were RMB970.1 million (US$133.7 million), representing a 43.8% increase from RMB674.5 million in the same period of 2024. This growth was primarily driven by significant increases in revenues from both insurance distribution services and system services.

Insurance Distribution Services. Revenues from insurance distribution services in the first quarter of 2025 were RMB321.8 million (US$44.3 million), representing a 45.0% increase from RMB221.9 million in the same period of 2024. This growth was mainly due to an increase in the number of policies purchased by insurance consumers on Yuanbao’s platform, partly driven by the Company’s enhanced targeted marketing efforts.

System Services. Revenues from system services in the first quarter of 2025 were RMB647.0 million (US$89.2 million), representing a 43.2% increase from RMB451.7 million in the same period of 2024. This growth was primarily driven by the Company’s enhanced ability to provide partnered insurance carriers more effective marketing services and accurate analytics services, enabled by the Company’s continuously improving full consumer service cycle engine. Additionally, the increase was attributable to an expanded provision of system services to both existing and newly acquired partnered insurance carriers.

Others. Revenues from other services in the first quarter of 2025 were RMB1.3 million (US$0.2 million), representing a 27.8% increase from RMB1.0 million in the same period of 2024.

Total Operating Costs and Expenses. Total operating costs and expenses in the first quarter of 2025 were RMB680.6 million (US$93.8 million), representing a 24.1% increase from RMB548.6 million in the same period of 2024.

Operations and Support Expenses. Operations and support expenses in the first quarter of 2025 were RMB44.8 million (US$6.2 million), representing a 16.8% increase from RMB38.3 million in the same period of 2024. This increase was primarily driven by business growth.

Selling and Marketing Expenses. Selling and marketing expenses in the first quarter of 2025 were RMB493.2 million (US$68.0 million), representing a 15.0% increase from RMB428.9 million in the same period of 2024. This increase was primarily due to enhanced efforts to attract new consumers and retain existing consumers.

General and Administrative Expenses. General and administrative expenses in the first quarter of 2025 were RMB66.6 million (US$9.2 million), representing a 50.7% increase from RMB44.2 million in the same period of 2024. This increase was primarily due to higher salary and benefits expenses.

Research and Development Expenses. Research and development expenses in the first quarter of 2025 were RMB76.1 million (US$10.5 million), representing a 104.5% increase from RMB37.2 million in the same period of 2024. This increase was primarily due to intensified research and development efforts and an expansion in R&D personnel, aimed at reinforcing the Company’s leadership position as a technology-driven online insurance distributor.

Investment Income. Investment income in the first quarter of 2025 was RMB6.9 million (US$0.9 million), compared with RMB0.1 million in the same period of 2024. This growth was primarily due to higher gains from short-term investments.

Net Income and Net Income Margin. Net income in the first quarter of 2025 was RMB295.1 million (US$40.7 million), representing a 122.1% increase from RMB132.9 million in the same period of 2024. Net income margin in the first quarter of 2025 was 30.4%, compared with 19.7% in the same period of 2024.

Non-GAAP Adjusted Net Income²and Non-GAAP Adjusted Net Income Margin. Non-GAAP adjusted net income in the first quarter of 2025 was RMB312.2 million (US$43.0 million), representing a 103.2% increase from RMB153.6 million in the same period of 2024. Non-GAAP adjusted net income margin in the first quarter of 2025 was 32.2%, compared with 22.8% in the same period of 2024.

Basic and Diluted Net Income per ADS.³ Basic net income per ADS in the first quarter of 2025 was RMB17.87 (US$2.46), compared with RMB4.97 in the same period of 2024. Diluted net income per ADS in the first quarter of 2025 was RMB6.46 (US$0.89), compared with RMB2.95 in the same period of 2024.

Cash Position and Cash Flow

As of March 31, 2025, the Company had cash and cash equivalents, time deposits, restricted cash and short-term investments of RMB2.77 billion (US$381.3 million), compared with RMB2.34 billion as of December 31, 2024.

In the first quarter of 2025, net cash provided by operating activities was RMB425.1 million (US$58.6 million).

2 Non-GAAP adjusted net income is defined as net income excluding share-based compensation expenses. See “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measure” and “Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” at the end of this press release.
3 Each ADS represents six of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.0001 per share.

Exchange Rate

This announcement contains translations of certain Renminbi (“RMB”) amounts into U.S. dollars (“US$”) at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise noted, all translations from RMB to US$ were made at a rate of RMB7.2567 to US$1.00, the exchange rate in effect as of March 31, 2025, as set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. The Company makes no representation that any RMB or US$ amounts could have been, or could be, converted into US$ or RMB, as the case may be, at any particular rate, or at all.

Conference Call

The Company’s management will hold an earnings conference call at 8:00 A.M. U.S. Eastern Time on June 5, 2025 or 8:00 P.M. Beijing Time to discuss its financial results and operating performance for the first quarter of 2025.

Participant Online Registration:
https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BIa888df307303472fb71951c383b5a7ba

Participants should complete online registration using the link provided above at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start time. Upon registration, participants will receive the conference call access information, including dial-in numbers, a personal PIN and an e-mail with detailed instructions to join the conference call.

Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Company’s investor relations website at ir.yb-inc.com.

About Yuanbao Inc.

Yuanbao Inc. is a leading technology-driven online insurance distributor in China, committed to protecting health and well-being through innovative technology. Leveraging its proprietary consumer service cycle engine and advanced technologies, Yuanbao delivers customized insurance solutions from its partnered insurance carriers to over ten million insurance consumers throughout the entire insurance lifecycle, ranging from personalized recommendations to post-sales services. Through deep collaboration with insurance carriers and the use of data-driven insights, Yuanbao empowers carriers to tailor flagship products, enhances consumer engagement, and drives scalable and efficient distribution.

For more information, please visit: ir.yb-inc.com.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The unaudited condensed consolidated financial information is prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”).

The Company uses non-GAAP financial measures, including adjusted net income and adjusted net income margin, in evaluating the Company’s operating results and for financial and operational decision-making purposes. Adjusted net income represents net income excluding share-based compensation expense, and adjusted net income margin represents adjusted net income as a percentage of revenue. Such adjustments have no impact on income tax.

The non-GAAP financial measures are not presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP and may be different from non-GAAP methods of accounting and reporting used by other companies. The non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as an analytical tool and when assessing the Company’s operating performance, investors should not consider it in isolation. The Company encourages investors and others to review its financial information in its entirety and not rely on a single financial measure. Adjusted net income presented here may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies. Other companies may calculate similarly titled measures differently, limiting their usefulness as a comparative measure to the Company’s data.

For more information on the non-GAAP financial measures, please see the table captioned “Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” set forth at the end of this press release.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking” statements pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “aims,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “likely to” and similar statements. Among other things, quotations in this announcement contain forward-looking statements. Yuanbao may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the SEC, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Yuanbao’s beliefs, plans and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: Yuanbao’s mission, goals and strategies; Yuanbao’s future business development, financial condition and results of operations; the expected growth of the insurance industry in China; Yuanbao’s expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of its products and services; Yuanbao’s expectations regarding its relationships with consumers, insurance carriers and other partners; competition in the industry and relevant government policies and regulations relating to insurance industry. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Yuanbao’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Yuanbao does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

In China:

Yuanbao Inc.
E-mail: ir@yb-inc.com

Piacente Financial Communications
Hui Fan
Tel: +86-10-6508-0677
E-mail: yb@thepiacentegroup.com

In the United States:

Piacente Financial Communications
Brandi Piacente
Tel: +1-212-481-2050
E-mail: yb@thepiacentegroup.com

YUANBAO INC. UNAUDITED INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)

	As of December 31, 2024	As of March 31, 2025
	RMB	RMB	USD
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1,904,674	2,236,013	308,131
Time deposits	80,000	80,000	11,024
Restricted cash	15,000	15,000	2,067
Short-term investments	336,217	435,708	60,042
Accounts receivable, net	260,958	332,586	45,832
Prepayments and other current assets, net	75,964	44,991	6,200
Total current assets	2,672,813	3,144,298	433,296
Non-current assets:
Property and equipment, net	4,896	5,087	701
Intangible assets, net	58,049	58,026	7,996
Right-of-use assets	19,335	16,171	2,228
Deferred tax assets, net	6,936	7,045	971
Other non-current assets, net	17,611	17,611	2,427
Total non-current assets	106,827	103,940	14,323
TOTAL ASSETS	2,779,640	3,248,238	447,619
LIABILITIES
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	10,676	20,730	2,857
Contract liabilities	117,649	95,405	13,147
Salary and welfare payable	160,690	159,426	21,969
Taxes payable	51,359	51,173	7,052
Current lease liabilities	13,447	13,548	1,867
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	586,990	758,236	104,487
Total current liabilities	940,811	1,098,518	151,379
Non-current liabilities:
Non-current lease liabilities	5,714	2,297	317
Deferred tax liabilities, net	46,030	48,473	6,680
Total non-current liabilities	51,744	50,770	6,997
TOTAL LIABILITIES	992,555	1,149,288	158,376

YUANBAO INC. UNAUDITED INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (CONTINUED) (All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)

	As of December 31, 2024		As of March 31, 2025
	RMB		RMB		USD
MEZZANINE EQUITY:
Series Seed convertible redeemable preferred shares (US$0.0001 par value; 30,769,231 and 30,769,231 shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2024 and March 31, 2025, respectively)	692,051		695,316		95,817
Series Angel convertible redeemable preferred shares (US$0.0001 par value; 21,978,022 and 21,978,022 shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2024 and March 31, 2025, respectively)	495,921		497,729		68,589
Series B convertible redeemable preferred shares (US$0.0001 par value; 45,315,510 and 45,315,510 shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2024 and March 31, 2025, respectively)	1,028,888		1,027,703		141,621
Series C-1 convertible redeemable preferred shares (US$0.0001 par value; 37,373,616 and 37,373,616 shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2024 and March 31, 2025, respectively)	851,362		833,372		114,842
Series C-2 convertible redeemable preferred shares (US$0.0001 par value; 15,650,202 and 15,650,202 shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2024 and March 31, 2025, respectively)	352,660		345,176		47,567
TOTAL MEZZANINE EQUITY	3,420,882		3,399,296		468,436

SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT:
Ordinary shares (US$0.0001 par value, 348,913,419 and 348,913,419 shares authorized, 106,994,625 and 106,994,625 shares issued, 106,994,625 and 106,994,625 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2024 and March 31, 2025, respectively)	71		71		10
Additional paid-in capital	198,664		215,743		29,730
Statutory reserves	80,975		80,975		11,159
Accumulated deficit	(1,932,128	)	(1,615,440	)	(222,614	)
Accumulated other comprehensive income	18,621		18,305		2,522
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT	(1,633,797	)	(1,300,346	)	(179,193	)
TOTAL LIABILITIES, MEZZANINE EQUITY AND SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT	2,779,640		3,248,238		447,619

YUANBAO INC. UNAUDITED INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (All amounts in thousands, except for share, per share data, ADS and per ADS data)

	For the three months ended,
	March 31, 2024		March 31, 2025
	RMB		RMB		USD
Revenues	674,536		970,056		133,677
*Operating costs and expenses:**
Operations and support	(38,332	)	(44,756	)	(6,168	)
Selling and marketing expenses	(428,867	)	(493,150	)	(67,958	)
General and administrative expenses	(44,211	)	(66,640	)	(9,183	)
Research and development expenses	(37,212	)	(76,098	)	(10,487	)
Total operating costs and expenses	(548,622	)	(680,644	)	(93,796	)
Other income:
Interest income	6,017		5,228		720
Exchange gains/(loss)	34		(138	)	(19	)
Investment income	142		6,879		948
Others, net	791		439		60
Income before income taxes	132,898		301,820		41,590
Income tax expenses	(47	)	(6,718	)	(926	)
Net income	132,851		295,102		40,664
Accretion to preferred shares redemption value	(64,607	)	21,586		2,975
Net income attributable to Yuanbao Inc.’s ordinary shareholders	68,244		316,688		43,639

Net income	132,851		295,102		40,664
Other comprehensive income/(loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments	396		(316	)	(44	)
Total comprehensive income	133,247		294,786		40,620
Accretion to preferred shares redemption value	(64,607	)	21,586		2,975
Comprehensive income attributable to Yuanbao Inc.’s ordinary shareholders	68,640		316,372		43,595

Net income per share attributable to Yuanbao Inc.’s ordinary shareholders
Basic	0.83		2.98		0.41
Diluted	0.49		1.08		0.15

Net income per ADS attributable to Yuanbao Inc.’s ordinary shareholders
Basic	4.97		17.87		2.46
Diluted	2.95		6.46		0.89

Weighted average number of ordinary shares used in computing net income per share
Basic	82,325,900		106,358,492		106,358,492
Diluted	270,332,095		273,915,113		273,915,113

*Share-based compensation expenses are included in the operating costs and expenses as follows：

	For the Three Months Ended
	March 31, 2024		March 31, 2025
	RMB		RMB		USD
Operations and support	–		(11	)	(2	)
Selling and marketing expenses	(4,626	)	(3,730	)	(514	)
General and administrative expenses	(12,105	)	(8,437	)	(1,163	)
Research and development expenses	(4,067	)	(4,901	)	(675	)
Total	(20,798	)	(17,079	)	(2,354	)

**Each ADS represents six ordinary shares.

YUANBAO INC. RECONCILIATIONS OF GAAP AND NON-GAAP RESULTS (UNAUDITED) (All amounts in thousands, unless otherwise noted)

	For the Three Months Ended
	March 31, 2024	March 31, 2025
	RMB	RMB	USD
Net income	132,851	295,102	40,664
Add:
Share-based compensation expenses	20,798	17,079	2,354
Non-GAAP adjusted net income	153,649	312,181	43,018

The MIL Network –

June 5, 2025

OpenAI finds more Chinese groups using ChatGPT for malicious purposes

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

OpenAI is seeing an increasing number of Chinese groups using its artificial intelligence technology for covert operations, which the ChatGPT maker described in a report released Thursday.

While the scope and tactics employed by these groups have expanded, the operations detected were generally small in scale and targeted limited audiences, the San Francisco-based startup said.

Since ChatGPT burst onto the scene in late 2022, there have been concerns about the potential consequences of generative AI technology, which can quickly and easily produce human-like text, imagery and audio.

OpenAI regularly releases reports on malicious activity it detects on its platform, such as creating and debugging malware, or generating fake content for websites and social media platforms.

In one example, OpenAI banned ChatGPT accounts that generated social media posts on political and geopolitical topics relevant to China, including criticism of a Taiwan-centric video game, false accusations against a Pakistani activist, and content related to the closure of USAID.

Some content also criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, generating X posts, such as “Tariffs make imported goods outrageously expensive, yet the government splurges on overseas aid. Who’s supposed to keep eating?”.

In another example, China-linked threat actors used AI to support various phases of their cyber operations, including open-source research, script modification, troubleshooting system configurations, and development of tools for password brute forcing and social media automation.

A third example OpenAI found was a China-origin influence operation that generated polarized social media content supporting both sides of divisive topics within U.S. political discourse, including text and AI-generated profile images.

OpenAI has cemented its position as one of the world’s most valuable private companies after announcing a $40 billion funding round valuing the company at $300 billion.

(Reuters)

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai welcomes President Bernardo Arévalo of Republic of Guatemala with military honors

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Details
2025-06-03
President Lai confers decoration on President Hilda C. Heine of Republic of the Marshall Islands, hosts state banquet
At noon on June 3, President Lai Ching-te, accompanied by Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao, conferred a decoration upon President Hilda C. Heine of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and hosted a state banquet for President Heine and her husband at the Presidential Office. In remarks, President Lai thanked President Heine for her commitment to deepening the diplomatic partnership between our nations and speaking up for Taiwan in the international arena. He also expressed hope for Taiwan and the Marshall Islands to work together to address various challenges through an even greater diversity of exchanges, and that together, we can contribute even more to peace, stability, and development throughout the Pacific region. At the decoration ceremony, President Lai personally conferred the Order of Brilliant Jade with Grand Cordon on President Heine before delivering remarks, a translation of which follows: The Marshall Islands was the first Pacific ally that I visited after taking office as president. When I arrived there, I was immediately drawn to its beautiful scenery. And I received a very warm welcome from the local people. This gesture showed the profound friendship between our two nations. I was truly touched. I also remember trying your nation’s special Bob Whisky for the first time. The flavor was as unique and impressive as the landscape of the Marshall Islands. In addition to welcoming our distinguished guests today, we also presented President Heine with the Order of Brilliant Jade with Grand Cordon. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I want to thank President Heine for her commitment to deepening the diplomatic partnership between our nations, and for staunchly speaking up for Taiwan in the international arena. Both I and the people of Taiwan are profoundly grateful to President Heine for her friendship and support. Over the past few years, cooperation between Taiwan and the Marshall Islands has grown ever closer. And this visit by our distinguished guests will allow our two countries to further expand areas of bilateral exchange. I have always believed that only through mutual assistance and trust can two countries build a longstanding and steadfast partnership. I once again convey my sincere aspiration that Taiwan and the Marshall Islands work together to address various challenges through an even greater diversity of exchanges. Together, we can contribute even more to peace, stability, and development throughout the Pacific region. In closing, I want to thank President Heine and First Gentleman Thomas Kijiner, Jr. for leading this delegation to Taiwan, which deepens the foundations of our bilateral relationship. May our two nations enjoy a long and enduring friendship. President Heine then delivered remarks, stating that she felt especially privileged to receive the Order of Brilliant Jade with Grand Cordon of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and humbly accepted the honor with the utmost gratitude, humility, and deep responsibility. This is a deep responsibility, she said, because she understands that since its inception in 1933, this order has been bestowed upon a select few. She then thanked President Lai for this great honor. President Heine stated that the banquet was not just a celebration of our bilateral friendship, but a true reflection of the generosity of the Taiwan spirit and a testament to the enduring ties between our nations, founded on shared values and aspirations, including a respect for the rule of law, the preservation of human dignity, and a deep commitment to democracy. President Heine stated that the Taiwan-Marshall Islands partnership continues to evolve through practical cooperation and mutual support. In recent years, she said, our countries have worked hand in hand across a range of vital sectors, including the recent opening of the Majuro Hospital AI and Telehealth Center and the ongoing and successful Taiwan Health Center, various technical training and scholarship programs, and various climate change adaptation projects in renewable energy, coastal resilience, and sustainable agriculture. President Heine emphasized that the Marshall Islands continues to be a proud and vocal supporter of Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the United Nations system and other international organizations. Taiwan’s exclusion from these platforms, she said, is not only unjust, but is bad for the world, and the global community needs Taiwan’s voice and expertise. President Heine also expressed sincere appreciation to all of the Taiwanese friends who have contributed their efforts to deepening bilateral relations, including government officials, healthcare workers, teachers, engineers, and volunteers. The people of the Marshall Islands, she said, deeply appreciate and value everyone’s efforts and service. President Heine said that as we celebrate our partnership, let us look to the future with hope and determination, continue to work together, learn from one another, and support one another to champion a world where all nations can chart their own course based on peace and international law. Also attending the state banquet were Marshall Islands Council of Iroij Chairman Lanny Kabua, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Kalani R. Kaneko, Minister of Finance David Paul, Nitijela Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade Chairperson Joe Bejang, and Charge d’Affaires a.i. Anjanette Davis-Anjel of the Embassy of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Details
2025-06-03
President Lai and President Hilda C. Heine of Marshall Islands hold bilateral talks and witness signing of agreements
On the morning of June 3, President Lai Ching-te, accompanied by Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao, held bilateral talks with President Hilda C. Heine of the Republic of the Marshall Islands at the Presidential Office following a welcome ceremony with military honors for her and her husband. The leaders also jointly witnessed the signing of a letter of intent for sports exchanges and a memorandum of understanding regarding the Presidents’ Scholarship Fund. President Lai then presided over a launch ceremony for a loan program to purchase aircraft. In remarks, President Lai thanked the government and the Nitijela (parliament) of the Marshall Islands for their longstanding support for Taiwan’s international participation and for voicing staunch support for Taiwan at numerous international venues. President Lai said that Taiwan looks forward to continuing to deepen its diplomatic partnership with the Marshall Islands and build an even closer cooperative relationship across a range of fields, engaging in mutual assistance for mutual benefits and helping each other achieve joint and prosperous development to yield even greater well-being for our peoples. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I once again warmly welcome President Heine, First Gentleman Thomas Kijiner, Jr., and our guests to Taiwan. During my visit to the Marshall Islands last year, I said that Taiwan and the Marshall Islands are truly a family. When Vice President Hsiao and I took office last year, President Heine led a delegation to Taiwan. It is now one year since our inauguration, and I am delighted to see President Heine once again, just as if I were seeing family arrive from afar. Through my visit to the Marshall Islands, I gained a profound sense of the friendship between the peoples of our two nations, well-demonstrated by bilateral exchanges in such areas as healthcare, agriculture, and education. And it is thanks to President Heine’s longstanding support for Taiwan that our countries have been able to further advance collaboration on even more issues, including women’s empowerment and climate change. In recent years, the geopolitical and economic landscape has changed rapidly. We look forward to Taiwan and the Marshall Islands continuing to deepen our partnership and build an even closer cooperative relationship. In just a few moments, President Heine and I will witness the signing of several documents, including a memorandum of understanding and a letter of intent, to expand bilateral cooperation in such fields as sports, education, and transportation. Taiwan will take concrete action to work with the Marshall Islands and advance mutual prosperity and development, writing a new chapter in our diplomatic partnership. I would also like to take this opportunity to express gratitude to the government and Nitijela of the Marshall Islands. In recent years, the Nitijela has passed annual resolutions backing Taiwan’s international participation, and President Heine and Marshallese cabinet members have been some of the strongest advocates for Taiwan’s international participation, voicing staunch support for Taiwan at numerous international venues. Building on the pillars of democracy, peace, and prosperity, Taiwan will continue to work with the Marshall Islands and other like-minded countries to deepen our partnerships, engage in mutual assistance for mutual benefits, and help one another achieve joint and prosperous development. I have every confidence that the combined efforts of our two nations will yield even greater well-being for our peoples and see us make even more contributions to the world. President Heine then delivered remarks, and began by conveying warm greetings of iokwe from the people and government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands to the people and government of the Republic of China (Taiwan). She said she was deeply honored to be in Taiwan for an official visit, and extended appreciation to President Lai and his government for their gracious invitation and warm welcome. President Heine stated that this year marks 27 years of diplomatic ties between our two nations, and that they are proud of this enduring friendship. This special and enduring relationship, she said, is grounded in our shared Austronesian heritage, and strengthened by mutual respect for each other’s democratic systems and our steadfast commitment to the core values of freedom, justice, and the rule of law. President Heine stated that Taiwan’s continued support has been invaluable to the people and national development of the Marshall Islands, particularly in the areas of health, education, agriculture, and climate change. She also expressed deep appreciation to Taiwan for providing Marshallese students with opportunities to study in Taiwan, and for the care extended to Marshallese who travel here for medical treatment. President Heine also announced that she would be presenting a copy of a resolution by the people and government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands reiterating their appreciation for the support provided by the people and government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and calling on the United Nations to take immediate action to resolve the inappropriate exclusion of Taiwan’s 23 million people from the UN system. She added that she looked forward to the bilateral discussions later that day, and to continuing the important work that both countries carry out together. After the bilateral talks, President Lai and President Heine witnessed the signing of a letter of intent regarding sports exchanges and a memorandum of understanding regarding the Presidents’ Scholarship Fund by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and Marshallese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Kalani R. Kaneko. President Lai then presided over a launch ceremony for a loan program to purchase aircraft, marking the formal beginning of Taiwan-Marshall Islands air transport cooperation. The visiting delegation also included Council of Iroij Chairman Lanny Kabua, Minister of Finance David Paul, and Nitijela Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade Chair Joe Bejang. They were accompanied to the Presidential Office by Charge d’Affaires a.i. Anjanette Davis-Anjel of the Embassy of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

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2025-06-03
President Lai welcomes President Hilda C. Heine of Republic of the Marshall Islands with military honors
President Lai Ching-te welcomed President Hilda C. Heine of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and her husband on the morning of June 3 with full military honors. In remarks, President Lai thanked President Heine and the people and government of the Marshall Islands for demonstrating such high regard for our nations’ diplomatic ties. The president said that over our 27 years of diplomatic relations, our cooperation in healthcare, agriculture, fisheries, education and training, and climate change has yielded many positive results. And moving ahead, he said, Taiwan will continue to deepen collaboration across all domains for mutual prosperity and growth. The welcome ceremony began at 10:30 a.m. in the plaza fronting the Presidential Office. President Lai and President Heine each delivered remarks after a 21-gun salute, the playing of the two countries’ national anthems, and a review of the military honor guard. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: On behalf of the people and government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), it is a great pleasure to welcome President Heine, First Gentleman Thomas Kijiner, Jr., and their delegation with full military honors as they make this state visit to Taiwan. When I traveled to the Marshall Islands on a state visit last December, I was received with great warmth and courtesy. I once again thank President Heine and the people and government of the Marshall Islands for demonstrating such high regard for our nations’ diplomatic ties. Taiwan and the Marshall Islands share Austronesian cultural traditions, and we are like-minded friends. Throughout our 27 years of diplomatic relations, we have always engaged with each other in a spirit of reciprocal trust and mutual assistance. Our cooperation in healthcare, agriculture, fisheries, education and training, and climate change has yielded many positive results. This is President Heine’s first state visit to Taiwan since taking office for a second time. We look forward to engaging our esteemed guests in in-depth discussions on issues of common concern. And moving ahead, Taiwan will continue to deepen collaboration with the Marshall Islands across all domains for mutual prosperity and growth. In closing, I thank President Heine, First Gentleman Kijiner, and their entire delegation for visiting Taiwan. I wish you all a pleasant and successful trip. A transcript of President Heine’s remarks follows: Your Excellency President Lai Ching-te, Vice President [Bi-khim] Hsiao, honorable members of the cabinet, ambassadors, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen: It is my pleasure to extend warm greetings of iokwe on behalf of the people and the government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. I wish to also convey my appreciation to Your Excellency President Lai, for the hospitality and very warm welcome – kommol tata. This visit marks my seventh official state visit to this beautiful country. It’s a testament to my strong commitment to further deepening ties between the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of China (Taiwan). During this visit, I look forward to engaging in meaningful discussions with Your Excellency President Lai to further strengthen the bilateral relationship between our two nations and our peoples. For over a quarter-century, Taiwan has been a strong ally and friend to the Marshall Islands. Our partnership has thrived across many sectors, including education, healthcare, infrastructure, and economic development. Through Taiwan’s generous support and collaboration, we have made significant progress in improving the lives of our people, empowering our communities, and fostering sustainable growth. The Marshall Islands deeply values our partnership with Taiwan and appreciates Taiwan’s support over the years. Despite our small size and limited voice on the global stage, the Marshall Islands deeply cherishes our friendship with Taiwan, and to that end, I wish to reaffirm my government’s commitment to Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the United Nations system. Taiwan has consistently demonstrated its commitment to the principles of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. In light of current constraints in global affairs, it is now more urgent than ever that the international community of nations recognize the fundamental rights of the 23 million Taiwanese people and recognize Taiwan’s aspiration to engage fully in global affairs. It is with this in mind that I wish to reiterate to Your Excellency President Lai, the Taiwanese people, and the world that under my government, Marshall Islands will continue to acknowledge Taiwan’s contribution on the global stage and urge like-minded countries to advocate for Taiwan’s meaningful engagement in the international arena. In closing, may I once again extend our sincere appreciation to Your Excellency President Lai, the people and government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), for your warm welcome. Also in attendance at the welcome ceremony were Charge d’Affaires a.i. Anjanette Davis-Anjel of the Embassy of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Ambassador Andrea Clare Bowman, and members of the foreign diplomatic corps in Taiwan.

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2025-05-29
President Lai attends 2025 Europe Day Dinner
On the evening of May 29, President Lai Ching-te attended the 2025 Europe Day Dinner. In remarks, President Lai stated that Taiwan looks forward to further establishing institutionalized mechanisms with Europe for our trade and investment ties and hopes to take an innovative and diverse approach to sign an economic partnership agreement with the European Union, to provide a more transparent, stable, and predictable business environment for our enterprises. The president said that Taiwan will actively work alongside other democracies, including those in Europe, to jointly build resilient, promising non-red supply chains, and noted that Taiwan and Europe have endless potential for collaboration, whether it is in safeguarding freedom and democracy or advancing our economic and trade relationship. He expressed hope to further strengthen our partnership and work together toward global peace, stability, and prosperity. A transcript of President Lai’s remarks follows: Chairman [Henry] Chang (張瀚書), thank you for the invitation, and congratulations on your second term. I’m confident that under your leadership, the ECCT [European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan] will build even more bridges for cooperation between Taiwan and Europe. I would also like to thank EETO [European Economic and Trade Office] Head [Lutz] Güllner and all the European country representatives stationed in Taiwan. Your hard work over the years has helped deepen Taiwan-Europe relations and brought about such fruitful cooperation. Thank you. This year we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration. In 1950, then-French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman proposed to create a European federation dedicated to preserving peace. The declaration symbolized a new flowering in the post-war era of democracy, unity, and cooperation. As we face the geopolitical challenges and drastic economic changes of today’s world, the Schuman Declaration still speaks to us profoundly. This year is also the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. Moving forward, Taiwan will continue to advance cooperation with our democratic partners, and will join hands with Europe to build a partnership of even greater resilience and mutual trust. Europe is Taiwan’s third largest trading partner. It is also Taiwan’s largest source of foreign direct investment. Last year, bilateral trade between Taiwan and Europe totaled US$84.7 billion. This demonstrates our vibrant economic and trade ties and reflects the high levels of confidence our businesses have in each other’s markets and systems. We look forward to Taiwan and Europe further establishing institutionalized mechanisms for our trade and investment ties. And we hope to take an innovative and diverse approach to sign an economic partnership agreement with the EU, to provide a more transparent, stable, and predictable business environment for our enterprises. Today’s Taiwan has an internationally recognized democracy and a semiconductor industry vital to global security and prosperity. This enables us to play a key role in restructuring global democratic supply chains and the economic order. In particular, we see supply chains dominated by a new authoritarian bloc expanding their influence through non-market mechanisms, price subsidies, and monopolies on resources, as they seek global control of critical technologies and manufacturing capabilities. Their actions not only distort principles of market fairness, but also threaten the international community’s basic expectations for democracy, the rule of law, and corporate responsibility. In response, Taiwan will actively work alongside other democracies, including those in Europe, to jointly build resilient, promising non-red supply chains. We will also introduce an initiative on semiconductor supply chain partnerships for global democracies. This is more than a proposal for economic cooperation; it is an alliance of shared values and advanced technology. Security in the Taiwan Strait and regional peace and stability have always been issues of mutual interest for Taiwan and Europe. So here today, on behalf of all the people of Taiwan, I would like to thank the EU and European nations for continuing to take concrete actions in public support of peace and stability across the strait. Such actions are vital to regional security and prosperity. Taiwan will continue to bolster itself to achieve real peace through strength, and will work with democratic partners to safeguard freedom and democracy, thereby showing our determination for regional peace. At this critical time, Taiwan and Europe have endless potential for collaboration, whether it’s in safeguarding freedom and democracy or advancing our economic and trade relationship. I look forward to our joining hands at this strategic juncture to further strengthen our partnership and work together toward global peace, stability, and prosperity. Also in attendance at the event was British Office Taipei Representative Ruth Bradley-Jones.

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2025-05-28
President Lai meets US delegation led by Senator Tammy Duckworth
On the afternoon of May 28, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by United States Senator Tammy Duckworth. In remarks, President Lai thanked the US Congress and government for their longstanding and bipartisan support for Taiwan. The president stated that Taiwan will continue to strengthen cooperation with the US and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability. He pointed out that the Taiwan government has already proposed a roadmap for deepening Taiwan-US trade ties and will encourage mutual investment between Taiwanese and US businesses. He then expressed hope of deepening Taiwan-US ties and creating more niches for both sides. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I warmly welcome this delegation led by Senator Duckworth, a dear friend of Taiwan. Senator Duckworth previously visited in May last year to convey congratulations after the inauguration of myself and Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao. Your bipartisan delegation was the first group from the US Senate that I met with as president. Today, you are visiting just after the first anniversary of my taking office, demonstrating the staunch support of the US and our deep friendship. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I extend my sincere appreciation and greetings. And I invite you to come back and visit next year, the year after that, and every year. Taiwan and the US share the values of democracy and the rule of law and believe in free and open markets. Both sides embrace a common goal of peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. I thank the US Congress and government for their longstanding, bipartisan, and steadfast support for Taiwan. In 2021, to help Taiwan overcome the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Senator Duckworth made a special trip here to announce that the US government would be donating vaccines to Taiwan. In recent years, Senator Duckworth has also promoted the TAIWAN Security Act, STAND with Taiwan Act, and Taiwan and America Space Assistance Act in the US Congress, all of which have further deepened Taiwan-US cooperation and steadily advanced our ties. For this, I express my deepest appreciation. I want to emphasize that the people of Taiwan have an unyielding determination to protect their homeland and free and democratic way of life. Over the past year, the government and private sector have been working together to enhance Taiwan’s whole-of-society defense resilience. The government is committed to reforming national defense, and it has proposed prioritizing special budget allocations to ensure that our defense budget exceeds three percent of GDP. This will continue to bolster Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities. Moving forward, Taiwan will continue to strengthen cooperation with the US. In addition to jointly safeguarding regional peace and stability, we also aspire to deepen bilateral trade and economic ties. At the SelectUSA Investment Summit in Washington, DC, earlier this month, Taiwan’s delegation was once again the biggest delegation attending the event – proof positive of our close economic and trade cooperation. We have already proposed a roadmap for deepening Taiwan-US trade ties. We will narrow the trade imbalance through the procurement of energy and agricultural and other industrial products from the US. We will encourage mutual investment between Taiwanese and US businesses to stimulate industrial development on both sides, especially in such industries as national defense and shipbuilding. We therefore look forward to Congress passing the US-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act as soon as possible, as this would deepen Taiwan-US trade ties and create more niches for business. In closing, I once again thank Senator Duckworth for making the trip to Taiwan. Let us continue to work together to elevate Taiwan-US ties. I wish you a pleasant and successful visit. Senator Duckworth then delivered remarks, saying that she is happy to be back in Taiwan and that she wanted to make sure to come back just after President Lai’s one-year anniversary of taking office to show the dedication and the outstanding friendship that we have. She noted that because no matter who is in the White House, no matter which political party is in power in Washington, DC, she has always believed that if America wants to remain a leader on the global stage, it has to show up for friends like Taiwan. Senator Duckworth mentioned that in the years that she has been coming to Taiwan since pre-COVID times, she has seen a remarkable increase in participation in its defense and the support of the Taiwanese people for defending the homeland. She then thanked Taiwan for making the commitment to its self-defense, and also for being a partner with other nations around the world. The STAND with Taiwan Act, the senator noted, is so named because the US wants to stand side by side with Taiwan. Pointing out that Taiwan is an important leader in the Indo-Pacific and on the global stage, she reiterated that there is support on both sides of the aisle in Washington for Taiwanese democracy, and added that the people of Taiwan are showing that they are willing to shore up their own readiness. Senator Duckworth said that whether it is delivering vaccines to Taiwan or making sure that the US National Guard works with Taiwan’s reserve forces or even with its civilian emergency response teams, these are all important components to the ongoing partnership between our nations. Senator Duckworth indicated that there are many great opportunities moving forward beyond our military cooperation with one another. Whether it is in chip manufacturing, agricultural investments, shipbuilding, or in the healthcare field, those investments in both nations will facilitate stability and development in both our nations. She said that is why she wants to continue the Taiwan-US relationship, underlining that they are in it for the long haul. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director Raymond Greene.

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2025-05-20
President Lai interviewed by Nippon Television and Yomiuri TV
In a recent interview on Nippon Television’s news zero program, President Lai Ching-te responded to questions from host Mr. Sakurai Sho and Yomiuri TV Shanghai Bureau Chief Watanabe Masayo on topics including reflections on his first year in office, cross-strait relations, China’s military threats, Taiwan-United States relations, and Taiwan-Japan relations. The interview was broadcast on the evening of May 19. During the interview, President Lai stated that China intends to change the world’s rules-based international order, and that if Taiwan were invaded, global supply chains would be disrupted. Therefore, he said, Taiwan will strengthen its national defense, prevent war by preparing for war, and achieve the goal of peace. The president also noted that Taiwan’s purpose for developing drones is based on national security and industrial needs, and that Taiwan hopes to collaborate with Japan. He then reiterated that China’s threats are an international problem, and expressed hope to work together with the US, Japan, and others in the global democratic community to prevent China from starting a war. Following is the text of the questions and the president’s responses: Q: How do you feel as you are about to round out your first year in office? President Lai: When I was young, I was determined to practice medicine and save lives. When I left medicine to go into politics, I was determined to transform Taiwan. And when I was sworn in as president on May 20 last year, I was determined to strengthen the nation. Time flies, and it has already been a year. Although the process has been very challenging, I am deeply honored to be a part of it. I am also profoundly grateful to our citizens for allowing me the opportunity to give back to our country. The future will certainly be full of more challenges, but I will do everything I can to unite the people and continue strengthening the nation. That is how I am feeling now. Q: We are now coming up on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and over this period, we have often heard that conflict between Taiwan and the mainland is imminent. Do you personally believe that a cross-strait conflict could happen? President Lai: The international community is very much aware that China intends to replace the US and change the world’s rules-based international order, and annexing Taiwan is just the first step. So, as China’s military power grows stronger, some members of the international community are naturally on edge about whether a cross-strait conflict will break out. The international community must certainly do everything in its power to avoid a conflict in the Taiwan Strait; there is too great a cost. Besides causing direct disasters to both Taiwan and China, the impact on the global economy would be even greater, with estimated losses of US$10 trillion from war alone – that is roughly 10 percent of the global GDP. Additionally, 20 percent of global shipping passes through the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, so if a conflict breaks out in the strait, other countries including Japan and Korea would suffer a grave impact. For Japan and Korea, a quarter of external transit passes through the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, and a third of the various energy resources and minerals shipped back from other countries pass through said areas. If Taiwan were invaded, global supply chains would be disrupted, and therefore conflict in the Taiwan Strait must be avoided. Such a conflict is indeed avoidable. I am very thankful to Prime Minister of Japan Ishiba Shigeru and former Prime Ministers Abe Shinzo, Suga Yoshihide, and Kishida Fumio, as well as US President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden, and the other G7 leaders, for continuing to emphasize at international venues that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are essential components for global security and prosperity. When everyone in the global democratic community works together, stacking up enough strength to make China’s objectives unattainable or to make the cost of invading Taiwan too high for it to bear, a conflict in the strait can naturally be avoided. Q: As you said, President Lai, maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is also very important for other countries. How can war be avoided? What sort of countermeasures is Taiwan prepared to take to prevent war? President Lai: As Mr. Sakurai mentioned earlier, we are coming up on the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII. There are many lessons we can take from that war. First is that peace is priceless, and war has no winners. From the tragedies of WWII, there are lessons that humanity should learn. We must pursue peace, and not start wars blindly, as that would be a major disaster for humanity. In other words, we must be determined to safeguard peace. The second lesson is that we cannot be complacent toward authoritarian powers. If you give them an inch, they will take a mile. They will keep growing, and eventually, not only will peace be unattainable, but war will be inevitable. The third lesson is why WWII ended: It ended because different groups joined together in solidarity. Taiwan, Japan, and the Indo-Pacific region are all directly subjected to China’s threats, so we hope to be able to join together in cooperation. This is why we proposed the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. First, we will strengthen our national defense. Second, we will strengthen economic resilience. Third is standing shoulder to shoulder with the democratic community to demonstrate the strength of deterrence. Fourth is that as long as China treats Taiwan with parity and dignity, Taiwan is willing to conduct exchanges and cooperate with China, and seek peace and mutual prosperity. These four pillars can help us avoid war and achieve peace. That is to say, Taiwan hopes to achieve peace through strength, prevent war by preparing for war, keeping war from happening and pursuing the goal of peace. Q: Regarding drones, everyone knows that recently, Taiwan has been actively researching, developing, and introducing drones. Why do you need to actively research, develop, and introduce new drones at this time? President Lai: This is for two purposes. The first is to meet national security needs. The second is to meet industrial development needs. Because Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines are all part of the first island chain, and we are all democratic nations, we cannot be like an authoritarian country like China, which has an unlimited national defense budget. In this kind of situation, island nations such as Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines should leverage their own technologies to develop national defense methods that are asymmetric and utilize unmanned vehicles. In particular, from the Russo-Ukrainian War, we see that Ukraine has successfully utilized unmanned vehicles to protect itself and prevent Russia from unlimited invasion. In other words, the Russo-Ukrainian War has already proven the importance of drones. Therefore, the first purpose of developing drones is based on national security needs. Second, the world has already entered the era of smart technology. Whether generative, agentic, or physical, AI will continue to develop. In the future, cars and ships will also evolve into unmanned vehicles and unmanned boats, and there will be unmanned factories. Drones will even be able to assist with postal deliveries, or services like Uber, Uber Eats, and foodpanda, or agricultural irrigation and pesticide spraying. Therefore, in the future era of comprehensive smart technology, developing unmanned vehicles is a necessity. Taiwan, based on industrial needs, is actively planning the development of drones and unmanned vehicles. I would like to take this opportunity to express Taiwan’s hope to collaborate with Japan in the unmanned vehicle industry. Just as we do in the semiconductor industry, where Japan has raw materials, equipment, and technology, and Taiwan has wafer manufacturing, our two countries can cooperate. Japan is a technological power, and Taiwan also has significant technological strengths. If Taiwan and Japan work together, we will not only be able to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and security in the Indo-Pacific region, but it will also be very helpful for the industrial development of both countries. Q: The drones you just described probably include examples from the Russo-Ukrainian War. Taiwan and China are separated by the Taiwan Strait. Do our drones need to have cross-sea flight capabilities? President Lai: Taiwan does not intend to counterattack the mainland, and does not intend to invade any country. Taiwan’s drones are meant to protect our own nation and territory. Q: Former President Biden previously stated that US forces would assist Taiwan’s defense in the event of an attack. President Trump, however, has yet to clearly state that the US would help defend Taiwan. Do you think that in such an event, the US would help defend Taiwan? Or is Taiwan now trying to persuade the US? President Lai: Former President Biden and President Trump have answered questions from reporters. Although their responses were different, strong cooperation with Taiwan under the Biden administration has continued under the Trump administration; there has been no change. During President Trump’s first term, cooperation with Taiwan was broader and deeper compared to former President Barack Obama’s terms. After former President Biden took office, cooperation with Taiwan increased compared to President Trump’s first term. Now, during President Trump’s second term, cooperation with Taiwan is even greater than under former President Biden. Taiwan-US cooperation continues to grow stronger, and has not changed just because President Trump and former President Biden gave different responses to reporters. Furthermore, the Trump administration publicly stated that in the future, the US will shift its strategic focus from Europe to the Indo-Pacific. The US secretary of defense even publicly stated that the primary mission of the US is to prevent China from invading Taiwan, maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific, and thus maintain world peace. There is a saying in Taiwan that goes, “Help comes most to those who help themselves.” Before asking friends and allies for assistance in facing threats from China, Taiwan must first be determined and prepared to defend itself. This is Taiwan’s principle, and we are working in this direction, making all the necessary preparations to safeguard the nation. Q: I would like to ask you a question about Taiwan-Japan relations. After the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, you made an appeal to give Japan a great deal of assistance and care. In particular, you visited Sendai to offer condolences. Later, you also expressed condolences and concern after the earthquakes in Aomori and Kumamoto. What are your expectations for future Taiwan-Japan exchanges and development? President Lai: I come from Tainan, and my constituency is in Tainan. Tainan has very deep ties with Japan, and of course, Taiwan also has deep ties with Japan. However, among Taiwan’s 22 counties and cities, Tainan has the deepest relationship with Japan. I sincerely hope that both of you and your teams will have an opportunity to visit Tainan. I will introduce Tainan’s scenery, including architecture from the era of Japanese rule, Tainan’s cuisine, and unique aspects of Tainan society, and you can also see lifestyles and culture from the Showa era. The Wushantou Reservoir in Tainan was completed by engineer Mr. Hatta Yoichi from Kanazawa, Japan and the team he led to Tainan after he graduated from then-Tokyo Imperial University. It has nearly a century of history and is still in use today. This reservoir, along with the 16,000-km-long Chianan Canal, transformed the 150,000-hectare Chianan Plain into Taiwan’s premier rice-growing area. It was that foundation in agriculture that enabled Taiwan to develop industry and the technology sector of today. The reservoir continues to supply water to Tainan Science Park. It is used by residents of Tainan, the agricultural sector, and industry, and even the technology sector in Xinshi Industrial Park, as well as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Because of this, the people of Tainan are deeply grateful for Mr. Hatta and very friendly toward the people of Japan. A major earthquake, the largest in 50 years, struck Tainan on February 6, 2016, resulting in significant casualties. As mayor of Tainan at the time, I was extremely grateful to then-Prime Minister Abe, who sent five Japanese officials to the disaster site in Tainan the day after the earthquake. They were very thoughtful and asked what kind of assistance we needed from the Japanese government. They offered to provide help based on what we needed. I was deeply moved, as former Prime Minister Abe showed such care, going beyond the formality of just sending supplies that we may or may not have actually needed. Instead, the officials asked what we needed and then provided assistance based on those needs, which really moved me. Similarly, when the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 or the later Kumamoto earthquakes struck, the people of Tainan, under my leadership, naturally and dutifully expressed their support. Even earlier, when central Taiwan was hit by a major earthquake in 1999, Japan was the first country to deploy a rescue team to the disaster area. On February 6, 2018, after a major earthquake in Hualien, former Prime Minister Abe appeared in a video holding up a message of encouragement he had written in calligraphy saying “Remain strong, Taiwan.” All of Taiwan was deeply moved. Over the years, Taiwan and Japan have supported each other when earthquakes struck, and have forged bonds that are family-like, not just neighborly. This is truly valuable. In the future, I hope Taiwan and Japan can be like brothers, and that the peoples of Taiwan and Japan can treat one another like family. If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem; if Japan has a problem, then Taiwan has a problem. By caring for and helping each other, we can face various challenges and difficulties, and pursue a brighter future. Q: President Lai, you just used the phrase “If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem.” In the event that China attempts to invade Taiwan by force, what kind of response measures would you hope the US military and Japan’s Self-Defense Forces take? President Lai: As I just mentioned, annexing Taiwan is only China’s first step. Its ultimate objective is to change the rules-based international order. That being the case, China’s threats are an international problem. So, I would very much hope to work together with the US, Japan, and others in the global democratic community to prevent China from starting a war – prevention, after all, is more important than cure.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio return to ‘Karate Kid’ franchise

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

“Karate Kid: Legends,” starring Jackie Chan, one of China’s most renowned kung fu stars, will open in Chinese theaters on June 7, aiming to revive one of Hollywood’s most beloved martial arts franchises.

A still from “Karate Kid: Legends.” [Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment]

Directed by Jonathan Entwistle, “Karate Kid: Legends” follows Ben Wang as Li Fong, a kung fu prodigy who moves to New York City with his mother. There, he finds comfort in a new friendship with a classmate and her father. That is until he attracts the unwanted attention of a formidable local karate champion. To defend himself, Li trains under kung fu master Mr. Han and the legendary Daniel LaRusso, merging their distinct styles to prepare for the ultimate martial arts showdown.

At the premiere in New York on May 27, 71-year-old Jackie Chan told reporters he still performs his own stunts, though with less intensity than in his earlier days. Chan emphasized the audiences’ demand for authenticity and reflected on his career-long mission to prove himself as an actor rather than just a fighter.

The sixth installment in “The Karate Kid” franchise reunites Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan, reprising their iconic roles – Daniel LaRusso from the original trilogy (1984-1989) and Mr. Han from the 2010 remake. Together, they mentor Li Fong, combining traditional karate with Chinese kung fu in the new adventure.

“Bringing these two legends together is beyond a producer’s dream,” producer Karen Rosenfelt said of uniting Chan and Macchio. “What’s fresh and unique about this movie is that both Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso are training a Chinese, Mandarin-speaking boy. It is a story about family and recovering what’s important. It works as a standalone if you have never seen a ‘Karate Kid’ film, and it’s also a love letter to those who were there for ‘The Karate Kid’ in 1984.”

Macchio noted, “I’ve been careful over the years with protecting this franchise, protecting this character. The evolution of these characters, the themes in the original movie, they still stand the test of time and win over each generation.”

The film explores how Chinese kung fu and Japanese karate interact through technical fusion and a dynamic exchange of philosophies. Chan said his return to the “Karate Kid” series is driven by his hope to use cinema to promote Chinese culture globally.

He noted that karate actually evolved from Chinese kung fu, emphasizing that despite their different names, martial arts are deeply connected. By combining kung fu and karate, he said the film not only celebrates cultural heritages but also spreads a message of unity and compassion – something the world urgently needs.

Chan observes that more young people are discovering kung fu in new ways. He continues to experiment with blending different styles – from boxing to Wing Chun to acrobatics – to keep the art form dynamic. “I often tell my disciples and fellow martial artists in China that our kung fu must evolve, ” he said.

With its explosive fight choreography and heartfelt homage to Karate Kid icon Mr. Miyagi, the new film delivers a fresh yet nostalgic experience. It captivates both new audiences and longtime fans, with strong earnings. As of June 2, the film earned $47.67 million globally since it hit theaters on May 30, all before the official release in China on June 7.

A still from “Karate Kid: Legends.” [Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment]

After an extensive global search, Ben Wang was cast as the new Karate Kid. Wang first discovered the franchise through the 2010 film, a story that mirrored his own move from Beijing to New York. This personal connection drew him to the role and he did most of his own stunts, demonstrating his potential as a rising star.

“It gets me emotional,” Wang said. “This idea of going somewhere completely new and having to start over and finding people who help you along the way. And that’s what these movies are really about. Behind kung fu and karate and all that cool stuff, it’s about finding your way, learning to fit in, and finding good teachers.”

The film’s fresh narrative approach allows the cast and crew to balance innovative storytelling with respect for the franchise’s 40-year legacy. “What we’ve made is definitely a movie with heart, humor and action,” Entwistle said. “It’s about fighting for your family, or learning what to fight for, and I think that’s the most important message. But it’s wrapped up in a real martial arts film, a real action-adventure film, with lots of heart and lots of big scenes of people learning what it means to grow up.”

MIL OSI China News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Trash or trend? Chinese enterprises recycle plastic waste into chic souvenirs

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

In a gift shop at Beijing’s Palace Museum, a tote bag featuring a design inspired by a classic Chinese ink painting displays an intriguing symbol on its strap: the number nine alongside an illustration of beverage bottles.

The sign indicates that the bag is made from nine recycled beverage bottles. Another bag, also adorned with antique patterns, features a graphic showing a reduction of 419 grams of CO2 emissions as its silky fabric is made from recycled plastic waste.

These items are part of a special collection of souvenirs available at an ongoing exhibition. Their exquisite designs contrast with their humble origins — recycled PET bottles, disposable meal boxes, and other plastic waste.

World Environment Day 2025, which falls on Thursday, calls for collective action to tackle plastic pollution. In China, a number of recycling initiatives, such as those repurposing beverage bottles into crafted souvenirs, are helping to raise awareness about plastic pollution and the value of recycling.

“Environmental protection is not just about lecturing the public,” said Liu Xuesong, founder of Beijing Bottloop Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. (BOTTLOOP), the start-up that designed and produced the sustainable souvenirs sold at the Palace Museum exhibition.

Liu believes in the power of creativity, with which everyday trash can be transformed into aesthetic and functional souvenirs. Liu hopes that young consumers will choose their products not just because it is a responsible option, but also because they are drawn to the elaborate designs and the eco-friendly stories behind them.

Since both PET and synthetic fibers are mainly derived from petroleum, PET bottles and other plastics can be transformed into fabric through a series of processes. Liu explained the science behind these waste-to-wonder practices: typically, recycled plastic products are cleaned and shredded into small flakes. These flakes are then melted and extruded into yarn, which is spun into thread, and finally woven into rolls of fabric.

BOTTLOOP, founded in 2019, has a parent company that handles the initial processes, while supply chain partners take care of the remaining steps, all adhering to a unified environmental standard.

Recycling the plastics is accredited with saving consumption of petroleum and exempting the waste from landfills and incineration, thereby reducing CO2 emissions.

According to an on-site investigation by the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, the recycling rate for PET beverage packaging in China reached 96.48 percent.

However, the overall plastic waste recycling rate was less optimistic. In 2022, China generated 63 million tonnes of plastic waste, of which approximately 30 percent was recycled, according to the China National Resources Recycling Association.

BOTTLOOP is not alone in navigating the niche market for recycled souvenirs, especially as the recent surge in public interest in traditional Chinese culture has fostered a young generation of museum-goers and sparked a craze for stylish cultural and creative items.

According to a report by Zhiyan Consulting, the market size of China’s cultural and creative products reached 16.38 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 13.09 percent. Recycling initiatives are capitalizing on this boom to attract a broader audience.

Shanghai-based GOOD CYCLE, founded in 2018, offers plastic recycling solutions to corporate clients. Both BOTTLOOP and GOOD CYCLE are participants in the Palace Museum’s waste-free initiative.

Zhao Wenjing, the founder of GOOD CYCLE, believes that sustainable culture and creative products hold the potential to inspire the public to take eco-friendly action.

Zhao has witnessed rising business interest in recycling, as evidenced by increasing numbers of both domestic companies engaged in the waste recycling business and companies that seek cooperation with them.

“Moreover, our business partners now span a much wider range of industries, and they seek our expertise in providing office supplies and corporate gifts made from recycled materials.”

She credits the transformation to supportive government policies, rising environmental awareness among the public, and a heightened sense of social responsibility among Chinese companies.

In recent years, the Chinese government has introduced a series of policies to reduce the use of single-use plastic products and encourage the adoption of environmentally friendly alternatives.

In 2021, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment announced a plan aimed at effectively reducing plastic pollution by 2025, which mentioned “stepping up standardized recycling and use of plastic waste.” In 2023, China initiated a three-year action plan to promote the use of bamboo as an alternative to plastic products to curb pollution.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, 19 to 23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems every year, polluting lakes, rivers and seas.

GOOD CYCLE’s recycled bags and wristbands were made available during the just-concluded Dragon Boat Festival.

“It is a Chinese tradition to give gifts on special occasions,” Zhao said. “We hope our products are seen not just as gifts for family and friends, but also as presents for Mother Earth.”

MIL OSI China News –

June 5, 2025

MIL-OSI Banking: IT threat evolution in Q1 2025. Non-mobile statistics

Source: Securelist – Kaspersky

Headline: IT threat evolution in Q1 2025. Non-mobile statistics

IT threat evolution in Q1 2025. Non-mobile statistics
IT threat evolution in Q1 2025. Mobile statistics

The statistics in this report are based on detection verdicts returned by Kaspersky products unless otherwise stated. The information was provided by Kaspersky users who consented to sharing statistical data.

The quarter in numbers

In Q1 2025:

Kaspersky products blocked more than 629 million attacks that originated with various online resources.
Web Anti-Virus detected 88 million unique links.
File Anti-Virus blocked more than 21 million malicious and potentially unwanted objects.
Nearly 12,000 new ransomware variants were detected.
More than 85,000 users experienced ransomware attacks.
RansomHub was involved in attacks on 11% of all ransomware victims whose data was published on data leak sites (DLSs). Slightly under 11% encountered the Akira and Clop ransomware.
Almost 315,000 users faced miners.

Ransomware

The quarter’s trends and highlights

Law enforcement success

Phobos Aetor, a joint international effort by law enforcement agencies from the United States, Great Britain, Germany, France and several other countries, resulted in the arrest of four suspected members of 8Base. They are accused of carrying out more than 1000 cyberattacks around the world with the help of the Phobos ransomware. The suspects were arrested in Thailand and charged with extorting more than $16 million dollars in Bitcoin. According to law enforcement officials, the multinational operation resulted in the seizure of more than 40 assets, including computers, phones, and cryptocurrency wallets. Additionally, law enforcement took down 27 servers linked to the cybercrime gang.

An ongoing effort to combat LockBit led to the extradition of a suspected ransomware developer to the United States. Arrested in Israel last August, the suspect is accused of receiving more than $230,000 in cryptocurrency for his work with the group between June 2022 and February 2024.

Vulnerabilities and attacks, BYOVD, and EDR bypassing

The first quarter saw a series of vulnerabilities detected in Paragon Partition Manager. They were assigned the identifiers CVE-2025-0288, CVE-2025-0287, CVE-2025-0286, CVE-2025-0285, and CVE-2025-0289. According to researchers, ransomware gangs had been exploiting the vulnerabilities to gain Windows SYSTEM privileges during BYOVD (bring your own vulnerable driver) attacks.

Akira exploited a vulnerability in a webcam to try and bypass endpoint detection and response (EDR) and encrypt files on the organization’s network over the SMB protocol. The attackers found that their Windows ransomware was being detected and blocked by the security solution. To bypass it, they found a vulnerable network webcam in the targeted organization that was running a Linux-based operating system and was not protected by EDR. The attackers were able to evade detection by compromising the webcam, mounting network drives of other machines, and running the Linux version of their ransomware on the camera.

HellCat leveraged compromised Jira credentials to attack a series of companies, including Ascom, Jaguar Land Rover, and Affinitiv. According to researchers, the threat actors obtain credentials by infecting employees’ computers with Trojan stealers like Lumma.

Other developments

An unidentified source posted Matrix chat logs belonging to the Black Basta gang. The logs feature information about the gang’s attack techniques and vulnerabilities that it exploited. In addition, the logs contain details about the group’s internal structure and its members, as well as more than 367 unique ZoomInfo links that the attackers used to gather data on potential victims.

BlackLock was compromised due to a vulnerability in the threat actor’s data leak site (DLS). Researchers who discovered the vulnerability gained access to confidential information about the group and its activities, including configuration files, login credentials, and the history of commands run on the server. DragonForce, a rival ransomware outfit, exploited the same security flaw to deface the DLS. They changed the site’s appearance, and made BlackLock’s internal chat logs and certain configuration files publicly available.

The most prolific groups

This section highlights the most prolific ransomware groups by number of victims that each added to their DLS during the reporting period. RansomHub, which stood out in 2024, remained the leader by number of new victims with 11.03%. Akira (10.89%) and Clop (10.69%) followed close behind.

The number of the group’s victims according to its DLS as a percentage of all groups’ victims published on all the DLSs reviewed during the reporting period (download)

Number of new modifications

In the first quarter, Kaspersky solutions detected three new ransomware families and 11,733 new variants – almost four times more than in the fourth quarter of 2024. This is due to the large number of samples that our solutions categorized as belonging to the Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Gen family.

New ransomware variants, Q1 2024 – Q1 2025 (download)

Number of users attacked by ransomware Trojans

The number of unique KSN users protected is 85,474.

Number of unique users attacked by ransomware Trojans, Q1 2025 (download)

Attack geography

Top 10 countries and territories attacked by ransomware Trojans

	Country/territory*	%**
1	Oman	0.661
2	Libya	0.643
3	South Korea	0.631
4	China	0.626
5	Bangladesh	0.472
6	Iraq	0.452
7	Rwanda	0.443
8	Pakistan	0.441
9	Tajikistan	0.439
10	Sri Lanka	0.419

* Excluded are countries and territories with relatively few (under 50,000) Kaspersky product users.
** Unique users whose computers were attacked by ransomware Trojans as a percentage of all unique Kaspersky product users in the country/territory

TOP 10 most common ransomware Trojan families

	Name	Verdict*	%**
1	(generic verdict)	Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Gen	25.10
2	WannaCry	Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Wanna	8.19
3	(generic verdict)	Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Encoder	6.70
4	(generic verdict)	Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Crypren	6.65
5	(generic verdict)	Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Agent	3.95
6	Cryakl/CryLock	Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Cryakl	3.16
7	LockBit	Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Lockbit	3.15
8	(generic verdict)	Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Phny	2.90
9	PolyRansom/VirLock	Virus.Win32.PolyRansom / Trojan-Ransom.Win32.PolyRansom	2.73
10	(generic verdict)	Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Crypmod	2.66

* Unique Kaspersky product users attacked by the specific ransomware Trojan family as a percentage of all unique users attacked by this type of threat.

Miners

Number of new modifications

In the first quarter of 2025, Kaspersky solutions detected 5,467 new miner variants.

New miner variants, Q1 2025 (download)

Number of users attacked by miners

Miners were fairly active in the first quarter. During the reporting period, we detected miner attacks on the computers of 315,701 unique Kaspersky product users worldwide.

Number of unique users attacked by miners, Q1 2025 (download)

Attack geography

Top 10 countries and territories attacked by miners

	Country/territory*	%**
1	Senegal	2.59
2	Kazakhstan	1.36
3	Panama	1.28
4	Belarus	1.22
5	Ethiopia	1.09
6	Tajikistan	1.07
7	Moldova	0.90
8	Dominican Republic	0.86
9	Kyrgyzstan	0.84
10	Tanzania	0.82

* Excluded are countries and territories with relatively few (under 50,000) Kaspersky product users.
** Unique users whose computers were attacked by miners as a percentage of all unique Kaspersky product users in the country/territory.

Attacks on macOS

The first quarter saw the discovery of a new Trojan loader for macOS. This is a Go-based variant of ReaderUpdate, which has previously appeared in Python, Crystal, Rust, and Nim versions. These loaders are typically used to download intrusive adware, but there is nothing stopping them from delivering any kind of Trojan.

During the reporting period researchers identified new loaders from the Ferret malware family which were being distributed by attackers through fake online job interview invitations. These Trojans are believed to be part of an ongoing campaign that began in December 2022. The original members of the Ferret family date back to late 2024. Past versions of the loader delivered both a backdoor and a crypto stealer.

Throughout the first quarter, various modifications of the Amos stealer were the most aggressively distributed Trojans. Amos is designed to steal user passwords, cryptocurrency wallet data, browser cookies, and documents. In this campaign, threat actors frequently modify their Trojan obfuscation techniques to evade detection, generating thousands of obfuscated files to overwhelm security solutions.

TOP 20 threats to macOS

(download)

* Unique users who encountered this malware as a percentage of all attacked users of Kaspersky security solutions for macOS.
* Data for the previous quarter may differ slightly from previously published data due to certain verdicts being retrospectively revised.

As usual, a significant share of the most common threats to macOS consists of potentially unwanted applications: adware, spyware tracking user activity, fake cleaners, and reverse proxies like NetTool. Amos Trojans, which we mentioned earlier, also gained popularity in the first quarter. Trojan.OSX.Agent.gen, which holds the third spot in the rankings, is a generic verdict that detects a wide variety of malware.

Geography of threats to macOS

Country/territory	Q4 2024*	Q1 2025*
Spain	1.16%	1.02%
France	1.52%	0.96%
Hong Kong	1.21%	0.83%
Singapore	0.32%	0.75%
Mexico	0.85%	0.74%
Germany	0.96%	0.74%
Mainland China	0.73%	0.68%
Brazil	0.66%	0.61%
Russian Federation	0.50%	0.53%
India	0.84%	0.51%

* Unique users who encountered threats to macOS as a percentage of all unique Kaspersky product users in the country/territory.

IoT threat statistics

This section presents statistics on attacks targeting Kaspersky IoT honeypots. The geographic data on attack sources is based on the IP addresses of attacking devices.

In the first quarter of 2025, the share of devices that attacked Kaspersky honeypots via the Telnet protocol increased again, following a decline at the end of 2024.

Distribution of attacked services by number of unique IP addresses of attacking devices (download)

The distribution of attacks across Telnet and SSH remained virtually unchanged compared to the fourth quarter of 2024.

Distribution of attackers’ sessions in Kaspersky honeypots (download)

TOP 10 threats delivered to IoT devices:

Share of each threat uploaded to an infected device as a result of a successful attack in the total number of uploaded threats (download)

A significant portion of the most widespread IoT threats continues to be made up of various Mirai DDoS botnet variants. BitCoinMiner also saw active distribution in the first quarter, accounting for 7.32% of detections. The number of attacks by the NyaDrop botnet (19.31%) decreased compared to the fourth quarter of 2024.

Geography of attacks on IoT honeypots

When looking at SSH attacks by country/territory, mainland China’s share has declined, while attacks coming from Brazil have seen a noticeable increase. There was also a slight uptick in attacks coming from the United States, Indonesia, Australia, and Vietnam.

Country/territory	Q4 2024	Q1 2025
Mainland China	32.99%	20.52%
India	19.13%	19.16%
Russian Federation	9.46%	9.16%
Brazil	2.18%	8.48%
United States	4.90%	5.52%
Indonesia	1.37%	3.99%
Hong Kong	2.81%	3.46%
Australia	1.31%	2.75%
France	3.53%	2.54%
Vietnam	1.41%	2.27%

The share of Telnet attacks originating from China and India dropped, while Brazil, Nigeria, and Indonesia took a noticeably larger share.

Country/territory	Q4 2024	Q1 2025
China	44.67%	39.82%
India	33.79%	30.07%
Brazil	2.62%	12.03%
Russian Federation	6.52%	5.14%
Pakistan	5.77%	3.99%
Nigeria	0.50%	3.01%
Indonesia	0.58%	2.25%
United States	0.42%	0.68%
Ukraine	0.79%	0.67%
Sweden	0.42%	0.33%

Attacks via web resources

The statistics in this section are based on detection verdicts by Web Anti-Virus, which protects users when suspicious objects are downloaded from malicious or infected web pages. Cybercriminals create malicious pages on purpose. Websites that host user-created content, such as forums, as well as compromised legitimate sites, can become infected.

Countries and territories that serve as sources of web-based attacks: the TOP 10

This section contains a geographical distribution of sources of online attacks blocked by Kaspersky products: web pages that redirect to exploits, sites that host exploits and other malware, botnet C&C centers, and so on. Any unique host could be the source of one or more web-based attacks.
To determine the geographical source of web-based attacks, domain names were matched against their actual IP addresses, and then the geographical location of a specific IP address (GeoIP) was established.

In the first quarter of 2025, Kaspersky solutions blocked 629,211,451 attacks launched from online resources across the globe. Web Anti-Virus detected 88,389,361 unique URLs.

Geographical distribution of sources of web-based attacks by country/territory, Q1 2025 (download)

Countries and territories where users faced the greatest risk of online infection

To assess the risk of online infection faced by PC users in various countries and territories, for each country or territory, we calculated the percentage of Kaspersky users on whose computers Web Anti-Virus was triggered during the reporting period. The resulting data reflects the aggressiveness of the environment in which computers operate in different countries and territories.

These rankings only include attacks by malicious objects that belong in the Malware category. Our calculations do not include Web Anti-Virus detections of potentially dangerous or unwanted programs, such as RiskTool or adware.

	Country/territory*	%**
1	North Macedonia	10.17
2	Albania	9.96
3	Algeria	9.92
4	Bangladesh	9.92
5	Tunisia	9.80
6	Slovakia	9.77
7	Greece	9.66
8	Serbia	9.44
9	Tajikistan	9.28
10	Turkey	9.10
11	Peru	8.78
12	Portugal	8.70
13	Nepal	8.38
14	Philippines	8.33
15	Romania	8.26
16	Sri Lanka	8.20
17	Bulgaria	8.19
18	Madagascar	8.14
19	Hungary	8.12
20	Egypt	8.12

* Excluded are countries and territories with relatively few (under 10,000) Kaspersky product users.
** Unique users targeted by web-based Malware attacks as a percentage of all unique Kaspersky product users in the country/territory.

On average during the quarter, 6.46% of users’ computers worldwide were subjected to at least one web-based Malware attack.

Local threats

Statistics on local infections of user computers are an important indicator. They include objects that penetrated the target computer by infecting files or removable media, or initially made their way onto the computer in non-transparent form. Examples of the latter are programs in complex installers and encrypted files.

Data in this section is based on analyzing statistics produced by anti-virus scans of files on the hard drive at the moment they were created or accessed, and the results of scanning removable storage media. The statistics are based on detection verdicts from the OAS (on-access scan) and ODS (on-demand scan) modules of File Anti-Virus. The data includes detections of malicious programs located on user computers or removable media connected to the computers, such as flash drives, camera memory cards, phones, or external hard drives.

In the first quarter of 2025, our File Anti-Virus detected 21,533,464 malicious and potentially unwanted objects.

Countries and territories where users faced the highest risk of local infection

For each country and territory, we calculated the percentage of Kaspersky product users on whose computers File Anti-Virus was triggered during the reporting period. These statistics reflect the level of personal computer infection in various countries and territories across the globe.

The rankings only include attacks by malicious objects that belong in the Malware category. Our calculations do not include File Anti-Virus detections of potentially dangerous or unwanted programs, such as RiskTool or adware.

	Country/territory*	%**
1	Turkmenistan	47.41
2	Tajikistan	37.23
3	Afghanistan	36.92
4	Yemen	35.80
5	Cuba	32.08
6	Uzbekistan	31.31
7	Gabon	27.55
8	Syria	26.50
9	Vietnam	25.88
10	Belarus	25.68
11	Algeria	25.02
12	Bangladesh	24.86
13	Iraq	24.77
14	Cameroon	24.28
15	Burundi	24.28
16	Tanzania	24.23
17	Niger	24.01
18	Madagascar	23.74
19	Kyrgyzstan	23.73
20	Nicaragua	23.72

* Excluded are countries and territories with relatively few (under 10,000) Kaspersky product users.
** Unique users on whose computers local Malware threats were blocked, as a percentage of all unique users of Kaspersky products in the country/territory.

On average worldwide, local Malware threats were recorded on 13.62% of users’ computers at least once during the quarter.

MIL OSI Global Banks –

June 5, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Gold Winner of the Edison Awards-Smart Aqua Leak Finder by the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

The Smart Aqua Leak Finder is a portable device that utilizes AI-driven acoustic technology and GPS mapping to detect underground pipe water leaks in three seconds with 98% accuracy. By minimizing repair time and water loss, it offers an innovative solution to overcome global water scarcity.

The Smart Aqua Leak Finder improves leak location precision, water flow sound analysis, and repair efficiency. The portable device, along with its mobile cloud acoustic system, detects leaks in just three seconds with 98% accuracy, exceeding the 90% of traditional manual inspections. With 5G & IoT, results are accessible on mobile devices for review. Patented in the U.S. and Taiwan, the system is compatible with various pipe types and highly scalable. Field-tested in disaster recovery, it reduces water loss, repair costs, and downtime. By streamlining workflows, this innovation eliminates the need for inspectors to wear earphones during surveys, minimizes unnecessary excavations, and offers a smart water management solution.

With the Smart Aqua Leak Finder, Taiwan Water Corporation has inspected 105,500 meters of underground pipelines and identified 564 leaks, reducing water loss by 13,404 tons per day, with projected annual savings of 4.88 million tons-an amount equivalent to nearly 2,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. During the Hualien earthquake in April 2024, the technology quickly diagnosed leak water issues, expediting pipe repairs to resume water supply. It also won an IWA 2024 Project Innovation Award. This innovation has strong potential in optimizing water resource management in water-scarce regions and preserving infrastructure in historic European cities through non-invasive detection. It can be deployed globally for efficient water pipeline network inspection.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: License received for production of Chinese 1000 kW civil turboshaft engine

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

CHANGSHA, June 5 (Xinhua) — Aero Engine Corporation of China, the developer of the AES100 civil turboshaft engine for helicopters, has obtained a production license for the product and signed a sales contract for it, laying a solid foundation for the development of low-altitude equipment, the company said Thursday.

The AES100 engine is China’s first advanced 1000kW civil turboshaft engine that fully complies with international airworthiness standards. -0-

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Israel’s Defense Exports to Hit Record $14.8 Billion in 2024 — Defense Ministry

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

JERUSALEM, June 5 (Xinhua) — Israel’s defense exports in 2024 will reach a record $14.8 billion, up 13 percent from a year earlier, the country’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday.

According to the department’s statement, about half of the signed contracts exceeded $100 million. Europe was the main partner region, accounting for 54 percent of all transactions.

Air defense systems accounted for the largest share of exports — 48 percent of the total volume of deliveries /in 2023 — 36 percent/. Satellite and space systems also demonstrated significant growth, with their share increasing from 2 to 8 percent.

Defense exports have reached new highs for the fourth year in a row, the ministry said. “Over the past five years, the volume of Israeli defense exports has more than doubled,” the statement said.

The ministry also stressed that since the start of the Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, the country’s defense industry has been in emergency mode: production for the needs of the army has been increased while maintaining commitments to foreign customers. According to the statement, the successful use of Israeli systems in recent conflicts has increased interest in them on the international market.

Israeli airstrikes have left much of the enclave in ruins and the death toll has risen to more than 54,510, according to Gaza health authorities. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Special Report: Education Cooperation Boosts China-Russia Friendship

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

Moscow, June 5 (Xinhua) — “The meaning of studying in Russia for me is not only to gain knowledge but also to get to know another culture,” Chinese student Shen Daiyu told Xinhua.

In recent years, China-Russia cooperation in the field of education has continually achieved new results. According to the Chinese side, in 2023, the total number of Chinese students studying in Russia exceeded 58 thousand, and Russian students in China – 16 thousand. In addition, 14 specialized associations have been created, covering more than 600 universities in the two countries.

Shen Daiyu studied Russian as an undergraduate. After completing her undergraduate degree, she entered the master’s program at several universities, and chose to study at the Higher School of Translation and Interpreting at Lomonosov Moscow State University.

“I believe that the best way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in the culture it represents. In Moscow, I can not only communicate with locals, but also visit the Bolshoi Theater and the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall to enjoy Russia’s artistic masterpieces. In addition, I see street musicians everywhere, which makes me feel the passion Russians have for life,” the Chinese woman shared.

Russian students also have the opportunity to learn about Chinese culture at universities in China, including Nick Gu, a graduate student at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

“China’s rapid development has opened up unprecedented opportunities and career prospects for foreigners who speak Chinese,” says Nick Gu, who has been studying Chinese for nearly 20 years. His excellent command of the language has led him to become a host at student events on numerous occasions. As a political science major, he notes, “I especially enjoy the weekly seminars where my classmates and I discuss Sino-Russian relations and exchange opinions.”

At the same time, the scope and depth of educational cooperation between China and Russia continues to expand. For example, language teaching: as of early April this year, more than 140 universities and over 220 schools in Russia offer Chinese language courses. In addition, there are 19 Confucius Institutes, five Confucius Classrooms, and many other institutions of additional education in the country that teach Chinese.

In February of this year, Moscow School No. 548 “Tsaritsyno” hosted a concert dedicated to the Spring Festival /Chunjie, Chinese New Year according to the lunar calendar/ and the 20th anniversary of the School of Chinese Language and Culture of China at School No. 548. “The successes of our students and graduates are our joy. This is what we work for, what we strive to instill in our children a love for Chinese culture and the Chinese language,” said Deputy Principal of School No. 548, Head of the School of Chinese Language and Culture of China at School No. 548 Lyubov Konyushenko in an interview with Xinhua.

Last year, School No. 548 graduate Sofia Don entered the Institute of Media and Communications at Shanghai Jiaotong University. “I chose to study at a Chinese university, on the one hand, out of interest in Chinese culture, and on the other, because of my desire for the country’s high-quality educational resources,” she says. “Wherever I live and work in the future, I want to contribute to the development of ties between Russia and China.”

At the level of inter-university cooperation, China and Russia have also achieved significant results. The China-Russia Mathematics Center, established in 2020 on the initiative of Peking University and Moscow State University, actively develops international research teams, promotes the construction of international cooperation bases, carries out joint training of specialists and organizes academic exchanges, strengthening the results of scientific and educational cooperation between China and Russia.

MSU-BPI University in Shenzhen /Guangdong Province, South China/ is the first Chinese-Russian joint university, a flagship project of humanitarian and educational cooperation between the two countries. In 2024, the number of students studying at this university reached a record 3,500 people. Among the bachelor’s degree graduates of 2024, the proportion of those who found a job or continued their education reached 95%, and the proportion of those who entered master’s programs was 73%.

From primary education to higher education, from language teaching to scientific cooperation, the educational cooperation between China and Russia continues to deepen and expand. The youth of the two countries will continue to march forward shoulder to shoulder, continuing to write new chapters in the history of China-Russia cultural exchanges and friendship that has been passed down from generation to generation. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: International Conference on Northeast Asian Security Issues Opens in Mongolia

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

ULAN BATOR, June 5 (Xinhua) — The 10th Ulan Bator Dialogue on Northeast Asian Security opened here on Thursday.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mongolian Foreign Minister Batmunkhin Battsetseg stressed her country’s unwavering commitment to promoting peace, stability and cooperation in Northeast Asia. “We believe that by strengthening mutual trust and sustained dialogue, we can jointly build a more peaceful and prosperous future for the region,” she said.

The Ulaanbaatar Dialogue serves as a platform for discussion and exchange of views among various stakeholders, B. Battsetseg said, noting that it offers a neutral and inclusive space for preventive diplomacy, as well as confidence-building measures and the exchange of regional perspectives and local knowledge.

The dialogue brought together more than 200 participants from 40 countries and territories, including China, Canada, France, Japan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, Uzbekistan, the United States and the United Kingdom. Representatives of the UN and the EU are also present.

Participants discuss regional security issues and the development of multilateral cooperation in Northeast Asia from different perspectives, covering the areas of energy and climate change.

The conference will end on June 6. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Harris Releases Statement Following the Appropriations Committee Release of the FY26 Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA Bill
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01)

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House Appropriations Committee released the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Bill. The bill will be considered in subcommittee tomorrow, June 5th at 10:30 a.m. The markup will be live-streamed and can be found on the Committee’s website.

Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee Chairman Andy Harris said, “The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Bill reflects a clear, conservative commitment to fiscal responsibility while ensuring that America’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities remain a top priority. This legislation also prioritizes agricultural research, rural broadband expansion, and protects our food and drug supply, all while reducing the wasteful spending of the Biden Administration era. Just as importantly, by supporting fresh, affordable, American-grown food, this bill helps Make America Healthy Again. America’s farmers feed the world, and this bill ensures they have the investment, support, and resources they deserve — while reducing the burgeoning federal deficit.”

Chairman Tom Cole said, “The prosperity of our future golden age depends on the strength and perseverance of our farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. This FY26 bill delivers targeted investments to protect U.S. agriculture and family farms, bolster agricultural research, and safeguard access to nutrition and health programs. From livestock and crops to pharmaceuticals and broadband, the legislation strengthens the agriculture economy and infrastructure across the nation. Just as our producers responsibly tend to the land, Chairman Harris has stewarded this legislation to protect core duties while upholding fiscal responsibility.”

The Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Bill

The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill provides a total discretionary allocation of $25.523 billion, which is $1.163 billion (4.2%) below the Fiscal Year 2025 enacted level.

The bill prioritizes agencies and programs that protect our nation’s food and drug supply; support America’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities; and ensure low-income Americans have access to nutrition programs. The bill is fiscally responsible and refocuses programs on their core mission while putting the health, safety, and prosperity of American producers and consumers first.

Key Takeaways

Champions U.S. farmers, agriculture, and rural communities by:
- Continuing critical investments in agriculture research, rural broadband, and animal and plant health programs.
- Providing funds to ensure the safety of food, drugs, and medical devices.
- Ensuring low-income Americans have access to nutrition programs.
- Reining in harmful regulations proposed during the Biden Administration that dictate how poultry and livestock producers raise and market their animals.
- Increasing resources for the Food Safety and Inspection Service to fund frontline meat and poultry inspectors and bolster support for state inspection programs.
- Providing a rider to block any revised energy standards for newly constructed homes financed by USDA that would increase costs for rural, lower-income households that was proposed during the Biden Administration.
Supports the Trump Administration and mandate of the American people by:
- Allocating the President’s requested total funding of $6.8 billion for the FDA to keep food, drugs, and devices safe and for initiatives to Make America Healthy Again.
- Delivering $1.15 billion for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which is a priority in the President’s budget to protect American agriculture from foreign pests and diseases.
- Codifying President Trump’s executive orders by prohibiting funding for DEI activities and ending federal censorship of free speech.
- Retaining the gene editing provision, which prohibits the “editing” of heritable genes or altering of genes that can be passed on to offspring.
- Maintaining “Buy American” provisions that maximize the federal government’s use of services, goods, products, and materials produced and offered in the United States.
- Closing the hemp loophole that has resulted in the proliferation of unregulated intoxicating hemp products, including Delta-8 and hemp flower, being sold online and in gas stations across the country.
Bolsters U.S. national security and border protections by:
- Addressing foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land by improving the tracking system of foreign-owned land and adding the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to review agricultural transactions, including purchases made by China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran.
- Directing USDA to provide transparency into research funding spent collaborating with foreign governments including China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran.
- Continuing a program to increase inspection of foreign drug manufacturing facilities in China and India.
- Providing adequate funding for land-grant universities to conduct agricultural research to ensure American producers can compete with China.
Safeguards American taxpayer dollars and preserves core functions by:
- Capturing DOGE savings by reducing salaries and expenses where appropriate to account for staffing reductions and reducing grant programs that housed canceled grants.
- Eliminating funding for the Biden-era Rural Partners Network initiative.
- Including no funds for climate hubs or climate corps.
- Eliminating funds for the Office of Urban Agriculture.
A summary of the bill is available here.
Bill text is available here.

For media inquiries, please contact Anna Adamian at Anna.A@mail.house.gov

MIL OSI USA News –
June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Bay area to host environmental event

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The “National Event on the Environment Day 2025” was held in Chongqing this morning, with the Ministry of Ecology & Environment announcing that next year’s event will be jointly organised by Guangdong, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macau SAR.

In a handover ceremony, the ministry passed the event flag to government representatives of the places – Guangdong’s Vice-Governor Zhang Shaokang, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Environment & Ecology Tse Chin-wan and Macau’s Director of the Environmental Protection Bureau Ip Kuong-lam.

In recent years, authorities including the ministry and the Central Office of Spiritual Civilization Construction have collaborated with local governments in staging National Event on the Environment Day. The event has become an important platform for promoting and implementing President Xi Jinping’s vision of “ecological civilization”, showcasing the development of “a beautiful China”, and mobilising people from all walks of life to participate.

Government representatives of the three places today emphasised that organising the National Event on the Environment Day is an important opportunity to practice President Xi’s vision of ecological civilization and promote the development of an international first-class beautiful Greater Bay Area.

Under the ministry’s guidance, the three places will learn from the experiences of previous organising cities in striving to stage an excellent National Event on the Environment Day 2026.

Additionally, the three places will seek to deepen communication and co-operation in the ecological and environmental field, jointly build an integrated and innovative beautiful bay area, and provide more concrete support for transforming it into a strategic fulcrum for new development, a demonstration area for high-quality development and a leading region for Chinese modernisation.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Gold Winner of the Edison Awards-Dual-Phase Hydrogel by the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

The Dual-Phase Hydrogel is an injectable biomaterial that gels at body temperature, preventing post-operative adhesions and enabling accelerated cell growth to facilitate faster recovery. Its unique gel formation extends the therapeutic effects of wound-healing factors for up to 30 days, significantly outperforming traditional hydrogels that are quickly broken down by the body.

The temperature-sensitive feature allows the Dual-Phase Hydrogel to work as a drug delivery system for accelerating wound healing. The biomaterial turns into a colloid within a minute of injection, and its high viscosity makes it suitable to treat wounds longer, preventing post-surgical adhesions and severe pain. The product biodegrades into water or urine over time.

Dual-Phase Hydrogel, when in a liquid state, can be easily administered by injection, minimizing the risk and complications incurred by surgical interventions. It can be applied to hard-to-reach injury sites such as joints and spine. When in its gelatinous state, the Dual-Phase Hydrogel maintains long-term therapeutic effects since it can occupy the wounded area longer than traditional hydrogels. Depending on the disease, its degradation rate is adjustable, with effects lasting up to 30 days. Currently, no spinal anti-adhesion products have received US FDA approval; however, the Dual-Phase Hydrogel, with an FDA Master File for Devices (MAF), now offers an effective and safe treatment for patients after spinal surgery.

The Dual-Phase Hydrogel provides a revolutionary solution for healing, significantly relieving the pain of patients suffering from diseases such as lumbar laminectomy, knee osteoarthritis, and bone fracture. Its longer residence at the injury site (up to a month) can enhance wound care and avoid repeated injections. It also eliminates the need for open surgery and its risks. With further development of this product, significant medical costs can be saved for both patients and hospitals. Meanwhile, individuals’ wellness is greatly improved by this minimally invasive innovation. In collaboration with the University of Georgia, ITRI has successfully introduced Dual-Phase Hydrogel to the US market to treat bone fractures in dogs and cats.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Gold Winner of the Edison Awards-NaPoGlass by the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Globally, about one million tons of discarded LCD glass are produced each year, most of which is buried, causing environmental damage. ITRI developed NaPoGlass, an optimal solution for recycling LCD glass while addressing wastewater treatment.

NaPoGlass is a nanoporous composite made from waste LCD glass. It can adsorb metal ions and filters wastewater without leaving metal sediment. This innovation enables water recycling, and after multiple uses, it can be repurposed into products such as humidity-regulating tiles, deodorizing insoles, and antibacterial keyboards.

NaPoGlass turns recycled LCD glass into a valuable adsorbent through a patented nanopore formation technique. It has a glass structure skeleton with pores ranging from 2 nm to 20 nm, yielding a surface area of about 200 square meter/g and can adsorb up to 200 mg of positively charged metal ions per gram. Metal ions are stably present in NaPoGlass’ nanopores in ionic form. As a result, they exhibit ion-specific properties including water absorption through calcium ions, antibacterial properties from copper ions and deodorization by nickel ions.

Chemical coagulation is the primary method for treating heavy metal wastewater. A drawback is the difficulty in recycling the water and metals, leading to metal sludge. NaPoGlass is designed for efficient metal removal from wastewater via adsorption. Its metal adsorption capacity is 20% of its weight and the removal efficiency is greater than 99%.

NaPoGlass can be reused 20 times through adsorbing and desorbing processes or recycled as functional additives. Both the treated water and the desorbed metals can be reused. NaPoGlass offers a sludge-free, cost-effective solution crucial for metal wastewater treatment and has only one-fifth of the carbon emissions of chemical coagulation.

NaPoGlass has been adopted by ten surface treatment plants, resulting in 10,000 tons of recycled water, recovering 500 kg of metals, and reducing carbon emissions by 100 tons. Products derived from NaPoGlass, such as humidity-regulating tiles, deodorizing insoles, and antibacterial keyboards are also being produced. This solution not only benefits e-waste management but also helps pollution-intensive industries achieve wastewater reclamation, contributing to global sustainability.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Olli Rehn: Europe at the crossroads – common defence, re-emerging economy?

Source: Bank for International Settlements

Presentation accompanying the speech

Dear Friends of Bruegel and the Bank of Finland,

It is a great pleasure to celebrate with you all today both the 20^th anniversary of Bruegel and the 30^th anniversary of Finland’s membership of the EU. It is indeed an honour to organise and hold this conference together with Bruegel and to celebrate Europe Day.

The founders of Bruegel were truly visionary 20 years ago. They recognized a gap – a growing need for stronger economics-based analysis and research on the shaping of the European Union. Anchoring the think tank firmly with EU Member States was also a wise decision.

I had the privilege and pleasure of being present – if not at Bruegel’s creation, then certainly at its institutional foundation – as economic policy advisor to Finland’s Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen. The Finnish Government, specifically the Ministry of Finance, decided to become a founding member institution. More recently, the Bank of Finland also joined the club, and we have made good use of Bruegel’s valuable work.

Today, we all appreciate Bruegel for its diverse and independent research, which significantly enhances evidence-based and research-informed policymaking in Europe. Let me extend my warmest congratulations and wish you many more dynamic and productive years as Europe’s leading policy think tank.

Dear Friends,

Europe Day today marks the 75th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, which laid out the foundation for European integration. In 1950 Europe was still recovering from the human and economic devastation of the Second World War.

From the Finnish standpoint, the immediate post-war years were not a brilliant time to be a small nation. As Private Rahikainen put it in Väinö Linna’s The Unknown Soldier, in response to a minister’s idealistic speech after the armistice in September 1944:

“To hell with their damned speeches. When your powder’s all gone, it’s better to keep your mouth shut than go spouting about the rights of small nations. A dog raises his hind leg on them.”

The Schuman Declaration nevertheless turned the tide and became the starting point for Pax Europaea, the long period of relative peace with notably few conflicts between European countries.

Indeed, an essential manifestation of Europe as a peace project is the EU’s 2012 Nobel Peace Prize. The European Union had, by then, “for over six decades contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe”.

Slide 2: Outline of today’s talk

I’d like to structure my remarks today under three themes. First, the seismic geopolitical shift which the world is currently witnessing. Second, the need for immediate investments in common defence to secure Europe’s peace. And third, revitalising the EU economy through advancements in innovation, trade and productivity.

Slide 3: Power politics is overshadowing the world economy

Let me start with the shifting geopolitical landscape, which presents the EU with significant new security challenges.

The rules-based international order, on which Europe built its post-war recovery, is under strain. Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump have each, in their own way, challenged this order − pushing for a world where great powers claim their spheres of influence and where might is only right. Such a tri-polar world would not be a world of peace and prosperity.

Since the Second World War, for good reason we have trusted that it is in the enlightened self-interest of the United States to stand as the security backstop for the Euro-Atlantic community. To my mind, as a long-time student of US foreign and security policy, this self-interest has clearly been rational from the standpoint of the United States’ own national security and its global strategic interests and influence. However, the US is now making decisions based on a very different type of rationality that involves strained relations with the European Union.

I am aware that some are holding out hope that this is just temporary – that we’ll be back to ‘the old normal’ in a few years. Two points on that. First, I would not bet on it – there is no guarantee of a policy U-turn, as we may be witnessing a deeper political current in the US. And second, even more fundamentally, we must ask: can European security over the longer term be left at the mercy of the political winds in Pennsylvania’s rust belt and seven swing states? Or should Europe finally take substantially greater responsibility for its own security?

In my view, the answer is clear, given the current and probable future defence environment: Europe must build its own credible common defence. Supporting Ukraine and reinforcing European defence is imperative for the security of the whole of Europe. Common defence is a crucial European public good. We need a strong, independent Europe, capable of defending itself as the European pillar of Nato.

The COVID-era recovery fund and earlier crisis responses have shown that the EU is capable of solidarity. A similar level of unity and quick decision-making is now needed for defence.

Many EU countries have already increased defence spending. Germany has committed to major investments. Not all EU states currently have the fiscal capacity to follow suit. That’s why Europe must build joint capabilities, interoperable forces − and, if necessary, common financing.

Europe would also benefit from a broad and liquid market for safe assets, such as the US enjoys. Bonds issued by EU institutions have consistently drawn strong investor demand. The currently unpredictable nature of US economic policy only increases the demand for stable investment options. Europe should capitalise on that by developing genuine safe assets – another field calling for Bruegel’s continued active input.

Moreover, I have been reading with great interest about the proposal for a European Defence Mechanism (EDM), which was launched by Bruegel last month. Such an intergovernmental organisation would apparently be modelled on the existing and well-tested template of the European Stability Mechanism. I see many merits in this proposal and would love to dive deeper into this – but I shall refrain from doing so, as I suppose that the panel will shortly be discussing the EDM more closely.

Let me nevertheless comment that Bruegel’s proposal includes cooperation with the United Kingdom, which shares our values and has a strong military. Despite no longer being part of the EU, the UK remains a key partner in Europe’s security architecture. I should also add that we cannot afford to be held back by foot-dragging or by hostile Member States, such as Hungary, which might wish to hinder progress.

This is why we must, as Bruegel has done, search for creative solutions, typically driven by coalitions of the capable and willing, to ensure that we move forward with our shared goals.

At the same time, we must work for more effective European institutional arrangements that better serve the common good. These should include a significantly larger EU budget and more streamlined decision-making structures.

This is also an opportunity to make Europe economically and financially stronger, as we need a liquid and large market of safe assets, as I alluded to earlier. Could European defence bonds provide such safe assets? A precondition for this would be that these bonds would be used to finance genuine European public goods and be backed by larger common revenues in the future.

Solidarity and unity within the EU are reinforced by standing together, demonstrating our commitment to collective security and prosperity. Let us recall that the Treaty on European Union offers the legal basis for common defence in its Article 42. Involvement from us all is vital in maintaining a united front and ensuring a peaceful and prosperous Europe for future generations.

Slide 4: Growth in the euro area has been picking up

My third and final theme is the re-emerging European economy. Yes, re-emerging, even though it provides a mixed picture today.

Recent data has shown signs of recovery in the euro area, but the outlook remains clouded by exceptional uncertainty due to President Trump’s trade war. Employment is solid in the euro area, and unemployment is low at 6.2%. Private consumption has benefited from stronger real incomes. Investments in Europe’s common defence and infrastructure will bolster manufacturing further and strengthen long-term growth. Europe will continue to build up resilience against global shocks.

With disinflation on track and the growth outlook weakening, we decided at the European Central Bank’s Governing Council meeting on 17 April to lower interest rates. This was the seventh reduction since last summer.

Given the pervasive uncertainty, the Governing Council is maintaining full freedom of action in monetary policy. We will adjust our rates to bring inflation to 2% in the medium term – just as our strategy tells us to do.

Slide 5: Bank of Finland’s scenario calculation: A trade war would weaken growth worldwide

The elevated uncertainty brings me to the significant risks in our economic outlook, especially trade protectionism.

An extensive trade war would weaken economic output worldwide, and we have already seen major turbulence in the global stock markets.

Calculations by the Bank of Finland show that if the US were to impose tariffs targeting all imports from EU countries and China – raising them by 25 percentage points – and the EU were to take equivalent counter measures, world GDP could decline by over 0.5% in both 2025 and 2026. The impact on the euro area economy could be slightly greater, with the estimated GDP effect ranging from 0.7% to 1.5% in the first year, depending on the increased uncertainty and the extent of counter measures taken. With all the usual caveats, these figures illustrate the seriousness of the threat posed by a full-scale trade war.

Bank of Finland’s earlier calculations concerning the effects of the trade war on the Finnish economy are in line with these estimated effects on the euro area economy. While the model estimations come with uncertainty, they consistently speak to significantly negative outcomes for open economies such as Finland, as a result of trade war.

In my view, in the face of US protectionism, the European Commission’s response has been justified and rational. The Commission has rightly suggested a zero-for-zero tariff agreement between the EU and the US. While Europe remains committed to constructive negotiations with the US, the Commission has been preparing proportionate countermeasures to reinforce our negotiating position, with the aim of reaching a solution that benefits everybody and avoids further damage to growth.

Slide 6: Investment needed now in security and productivity

“This is Europe’s moment” has become a slogan of the era. But to what extent is there substance to it?

No doubt, President Trump’s policies are compromising the United States’ economic and institutional dominance, while Europe’s position is benefiting from its stability and certain political developments.

Yet, the fact remains that the size of the US bypasses the European economy significantly in many dimensions, especially in factor productivity and therefore in growth. Will Europe adopt Mario Draghi’s recommendations to boost productivity? European industry must strengthen its technological capabilities. Cutting-edge research and innovation, and investment in areas like AI, will be crucial.

Furthermore, Europe’s Savings and Investment Union needs to be advanced. The US has a larger and more unified internal capital market which benefits from scaling, a strong venture capital ecosystem, and fewer regulatory hurdles. The US dollar may remain the world’s leading reserve currency at the centre of the global financial system. But many investors are keen to diversify their portfolios to euro-denominated assets, which will also strengthen the international role of the euro.

The price of energy is a considerable burden to European competitiveness. Unlike the US, the EU has no abundant fossil fuel supplies, so there is no other viable strategy for increasing our energy security than decarbonisation and the green transition. The green transition in energy is not just climate action – it’s a geopolitical investment. So is the digital euro and the broader effort to bolster the international role of the euro.

Human capital and academic freedom are among Europe’s greatest assets. As these freedoms are eroded in the United States, Europe has a unique opportunity. In my view, the EU should rapidly create a special visa programme for top researchers seeking intellectual freedom without political pressure. We must highlight Europe’s universities where critical thinking is encouraged and academic liberty protected. This is an investment in Europe’s future prosperity and influence.

Slide 7: Conclusions

To conclude, today’s world is experiencing yet another major transition, as it was 30 years ago when the Cold War came to an end. But now, unfortunately, it is moving in reverse gear.

Europe’s external security and its soft power depend now on strengthening its hard power, particularly in terms of coordinated defence solutions. Moreover, despite the current uncertain geopolitical environment, international cooperation remains essential in a highly interconnected world. We stand for it.

At the same time, Europe must strengthen its economic foundation by finding ways to increase productivity and hence fulfil its true potential. At the ECB, we will contribute to this by ensuring price stability and financial stability, thus laying the foundation for Europe’s economic and social re-emergence and long-term resilience.

In sum, this truly is Europe’s moment. We must defend our way of life – solving conflict and making progress through reason, dialogue and democracy.

As Reinhold Niebuhr, the theologian and international relations theorist from our western neighbour, once said:

“The sad duty of politics is to establish justice in a sinful world.”

That is precisely Europe’s task now – more so than for decades.

Thank you!

MIL OSI Economics –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Olli Rehn: Walking a fine line – the European economy and ECB monetary policy in a shifting global landscape

Source: Bank for International Settlements

Let me first thank the LCMA [Lorenzo Codogno Macro Advisors] for inviting me to speak at this conference. To kick off, I will briefly discuss the ongoing change in the global landscape and its implications for the economic outlook in the euro area and for the ECB’s monetary policy.

Slide 2. Geopolitics overshadowing the economy

Today, we are on the cusp of profound changes in the global trading and economic relations. A rules-based multilateral system is being challenged by deals-based bilateral relationships.

From a European perspective, the uncertainty extends beyond economics. The security policy environment of Europe is currently transforming as rapidly as it did in the early 1990s, only this time in reverse.

These developments come on top of challenges we were already grappling with: from climate change and Europe’s productivity slowdown to persistent conflict in the Middle East and China’s challenge to liberal world order.

Slide 3. Shifting global landscape implies major uncertainty

With the backlash of globalisation and the European security order being damaged, it is no exaggeration to say that the economic outlook for Europe is marked by pervasive and persistent uncertainty.

And by any metric you wish to look at, uncertainty related to policy – particularly around US trade policy – has grown enormously. These developments are now reverberating also through financial markets, where we are witnessing heightened volatility across asset classes. Notably, the behaviour of US-related assets has been unusual, as investors reassess their view of the US economy.

Tariffs will have a negative effect on growth in the short, medium and long term. Apart from direct effects, it is the pervasive uncertainty – especially policy uncertainty – that is detrimental to investment and economic activity.

Taken together, the pervasive uncertainty and the tariffs themselves hold back the global growth momentum-which was already estimated to be weaker than that in the pre-pandemic era. As a result, downside risks dominate the outlook.

Slide 4. The economic outlook is surrounded by downside risks

What does this all mean for the European economy?

Based on recent data, the euro area economy was recovering pretty much in line with the ECB’s forecasts. Private consumption growth has strengthened due to the increase in real income, and tentative signs of improvement have emerged in the manufacturing sector, which has been under pressure for some time. Employment in the euro area is solid, and unemployment is at a historic low of 6.1%. The fiscal impulse from increasing spending and investments in Europe’s common defence and infrastructure will contribute to bolstering growth in the medium term.

However, the trade war and the enormous uncertainty it brings are now holding back growth also in the euro area. Some of the downside risks foreseen in the ECB’s March projections have already materialised, and as a result, the growth outlook has further weakened.

Slide 5. Inflation is converging towards the ECB’s 2% target

Turning to the inflation outlook, the ECB’s March projections suggested that euro area inflation is stabilising at our 2% target over the medium term. Disinflation is well on track.

A particularly important development is the decline in services inflation, which had remained stubbornly high at around 4%, but has now clearly moderated. Wage inflation, including forward-looking indicators, supports the view that underlying inflationary pressures are easing.

Looking ahead, economists are largely unanimous that tariff increases will accelerate inflation in the US, but in the euro area the effects are two-way. The higher import costs increase some prices, but weaker growth dampens inflation.

Most economists also assumed the euro to depreciate in response to US tariff actions. In fact, the opposite has occurred-adding further complexity to the inflation outlook. At the same time, China may redirect exports to Europe, potentially increasing supply and dampening prices further.

Overall, financial markets seem to think that tariffs and the surrounding uncertainty will slow down euro area inflation, at least in the short term. This time I tend to agree with the markets. Taking into account these developments, I find it reasonable to assume that there are downside risks to the inflation outlook in the ECB’s March projections.

Slide 6. The ECB retains full freedom of action due to uncertainty

Against this growth and inflation outlook, we decided before Easter at the ECB Governing Council to cut rates again by 25 basis points. Since last June, we’ve cut rates seven times – from 4% to 2.25%. These moves support consumption and investment in the face of global headwinds.

It is important that we remain vigilant about any deviations from our symmetric 2% inflation target, in line with our strategy. If inflation is projected to fall below our 2% inflation target over the medium term, then the right reaction is to cut rates further. I think it is important that we do not let any thresholds, such as an estimated neutral rate, constrain us. This is a time for agile and active monetary policy.

We will continue to decide on interest rates at each meeting in accordance with our three-element framework: the inflation outlook, the dynamics of underlying inflation and the strength of monetary policy transmission. Under the pervasive uncertainty, it is even more important than before that the Governing Council maintains full freedom of action in setting its monetary policy.

And finally, while markets have been able to weather the recent volatility and are functioning well, we of course monitor the events closely and stand ready to use all instruments that are necessary in order to preserve price stability and financial stability.

Let me conclude. In these uncertain times, we at the ECB will do our part in creating favourable conditions for Europe’s success. First and foremost, this means safeguarding the euro area’s price and financial stability. In the face of policy- or politics-driven turbulence and elevated uncertainty, a strong commitment to maintaining price stability over the medium term is more important than ever.

Thank you for your attention. I will be glad to take any questions that you have.

MIL OSI Economics –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: InvestHK promotes using Hong Kong as gateway for global expansion in Liaoning Province to enhance cross-regional collaboration (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     â€‹Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) Mr Arnold Lau today (June 5) visited Shenyang, Liaoning Province, to promote Hong Kong’s latest business opportunities to local government authorities, enterprises and media, supporting Liaoning companies in going global via Hong Kong and fostering mutually beneficial co-operation.

     In the morning, Mr Lau toured a well-known multinational information technology enterprise in Liaoning Province to gain deeper insights into its industrial presence and global business scale. He encouraged the company to leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantages to further drive its global expansion.

     In the afternoon, Mr Lau attended the seminar entitled “Unparalleled Opportunities to Expand Your Global Business – Liaoning to Hong Kong Investment Promotion Seminar”, which was organised by InvestHK, the Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in Beijing, and the Department of Commerce of Liaoning Province. He delivered opening remarks first, followed by speeches from the Associate Director of the Beijing Office, Ms Eunice Chan, and Deputy Director of the Department of Commerce of Liaoning Province Mr Li Jun. The event was supported by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Liaoning Sub-Council, the Liaoning Federation of Industry and Commerce, the General Association of Liaoning Entrepreneurs, and the Shenyang Municipal Commerce Bureau.

     During Mr Lau’s first official visit to Shenyang, under his current tenure, he showcased Hong Kong’s strengths under the “one country, two systems” framework. He said, “Liaoning and Hong Kong enjoy close economic and trade ties, with Hong Kong being Liaoning’s largest source of foreign investment. As Asia’s leading international financial centre, Hong Kong attracts many Mainland and foreign enterprises to come to Hong Kong for financing activities and to set up corporate treasury centres in the city. Mainland enterprises have shown strong performance among companies listed in Hong Kong. Among them, 20 listed companies are from Liaoning, spanning sectors such as industrial manufacturing, energy, finance, healthcare, food, and education. I encourage more Liaoning enterprises to leverage Hong Kong’s strengths in financial services and actively consider listing in Hong Kong to raise capital. Amid the evolving global economic dynamics, Hong Kong serves as a ‘super connector’ and ‘super value-adder’, sailing together with the Mainland and to explore new overseas markets and opportunities.” He added that InvestHK will continue to leverage Hong Kong’s strengths to attract overseas enterprises, capital and talent to Liaoning, promoting two-way investment.

     Ms Chan noted in her remarks, “The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China explicitly outlined Hong Kong’s strategic positioning, supporting its development as a hub for international high-end talent and its enhanced role in the nation’s opening up. The National “Government Work Report” of this year, for the first time, called for Hong Kong to deepen international exchanges and co-operation, reflecting the nation’s high expectations for the city. Hong Kong is building itself into a multinational supply chain management centre, offering one-stop support for Mainland enterprises expanding overseas production and supply chain networks, enabling them to participate more deeply in global industrial division and collaboration amid complex geopolitical landscapes.” She expressed hope that today’s seminar could serve as a platform for Liaoning-Hong Kong collaboration, with the Beijing Office and the Liaoning Liaison Unit of the HKSAR Government committed to fostering all-round co-operation.

     Mr Li, representing Liaoning provincial government authorities, pledged to further deepen economic, trade, and investment exchanges between Liaoning and Hong Kong, enabling enterprises in both regions to capitalise on their respective strengths for mutual development.

     Deputy Head of Business and Talent Attraction/Investment Promotion of InvestHK in Beijing Ms Angie Kwok delivered a thematic presentation, encouraging Liaoning enterprises to establish multinational supply chain management centres in Hong Kong. The Principal Immigration Officer of the Beijing Office, Mr Jacky Wong, also provided a briefing on Hong Kong’s latest talent schemes.

     The event featured a professional services session with the Managing Director of Equities Department at CMB International Securities Limited, Mr Alan Chan, and Offering Services Partner, Audit and Assurance, Capital Market Services Group, Deloitte China, Mr Raymond Ng, who spoke on Hong Kong’s diversified financial services and how Mainland enterprises can leverage the city’s business advantages for global expansion. Three Liaoning-based enterprises were also invited to share their Hong Kong success stories, including the Secretary of the CPC Committee and Vice President of Neusoft Corporation, Mr Hu Wangyang; Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Hi-Think Technology International Limited, Mr Yue Xuefeng; and the General Manager of Solargiga Energy Holdings Limited, Mr Zhang Hai. They encouraged Liaoning enterprises to explore Hong Kong’s business environment and new opportunities and implement their “going global” strategy. The event attracted around 160 representatives from Liaoning enterprises, institutions, and media.

     For photos of the seminar, please visit www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72177720326654239.



MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: National Event on the Environment Day 2026 to be jointly organised by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao (with photo)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

National Event on the Environment Day 2026 to be jointly organised by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao (with photo)
In recent years, authorities including MEE and the Central Office of Spiritual Civilization Construction have joined local governments regularly to orgainse the National Event on the Environment Day, which has become an important platform for learning, promoting, and implementing President Xi Jinping’s vision of ecological civilisation, showcasing achievements in promoting the development of a beautiful China across the country, and mobilising people from all walks of life to participate in the promotion of ecological civilisation.

Government representatives of the three places expressed at the event that organising the National Event on the Environment Day is the practical implementation and important window of practicing President Xi’s vision of ecological civilisation, promoting the development of an international first-class beautiful bay area, and showcasing the landscape of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Under the guidance of MEE, the three places will learn from the experiences of previous organising cities, engage in effective collaboration with careful planning, and prepare diligently, striving to make the National Event on the Environment Day 2026 excellent and full of character. In addition, the three places will take this opportunity to further deepen communication and co-operation in the ecological and environmental field, jointly build an integrated and innovative beautiful bay area, and provide more concrete ecological support for transforming the GBA into a strategic fulcrum of new development patterns, a demonstration area for high-quality development, and a leading region for Chinese modernisation.
Issued at HKT 16:36

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CategoriesMIL-OSI

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: MOEA Wins 5 Gold, 6 Silver, and 3 Bronze Edison Awards; 50 AI Pilot Lines Launched to Power Industrial Transformation

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

The MOEA held a press conference on June 3 to celebrate Taiwan’s outstanding performance at the 2025 Edison Awards. Competing against over 400 global innovations, Taiwan secured 18 awards-its best record to date-and ranked second worldwide. The Edison Awards, often hailed as the “Oscars of Innovation,” are among the most prestigious accolades in the global innovation community. This year’s Achievement Award was also presented to NVIDIA founder Jensen Huang, underscoring the event’s significance.

Of Taiwan’s 18 wins, 14 were earned by five MOEA-affiliated R&D institutions: the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), the Metal Industries Research & Development Centre (MIRDC), the Taiwan Textile Research Institute (TTRI), the Automotive Research & Testing Center (ARTC), and the Ship and Ocean Industries R&D Center (SOIC). This marks a historic high for Taiwan. All winning technologies were co-developed with industry partners such as Photronics Semiconductor Mask Corp., National Taiwan University Hospital, Chung Hsing Bus, Taiwan Water Corporation, and Arc’teryx, demonstrating the successful commercialization of research outcomes.

Minister of Economic Affairs Jyh-Huei Kuo stated that the Edison Awards are a major global benchmark for technological innovation, and Taiwan’s stellar performance this year is a testament to the effectiveness of government-backed R&D. Among the winners, ITRI ranked second globally in number of awards, the Metal Industries R&D Centre ranked fifth, and the Taiwan Textile Research Institute earned a Gold Award. Notably, the ARTC and SOIC R&D centers received their first-ever awards this year.

Minister Kuo emphasized the importance of aligning innovation with market demand and practical application. All 14 awarded technologies were developed in collaboration with businesses and directly addressed industry pain points, enhancing production efficiency, and creating added value. Many of these innovations integrated AI, reflecting the MOEA’s initiative to drive digital transformation across sectors. To further accelerate AI adoption, MOEA has identified 10 major R&D institutions and launched over 50 AI pilot production lines across 16 industries, equipped with cutting-edge tools and aimed at cultivating applied AI talent. These efforts are intended to help enterprises shorten the lab-to-market cycle and strengthen Taiwan’s industrial competitiveness.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China’s employment market posts steady development amid policy support

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

BEIJING, June 5 — China has seen moderate and steady development momentum in the job market this year thanks to combined efforts including a series of pro-employment policies, an official said.

A systematic employment support plan has been advanced, focusing on expanding opportunities in strategic sectors, key industries, urban-rural grassroots communities, and small enterprises, said Chen Yongjia, an official with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, on the latest episode of China Economic Roundtable, an all-media talk show hosted by Xinhua News Agency.

A comprehensive policy package has been implemented. Measures include raising loan quotas for job stabilization programs, broadening eligibility for job expansion subsidies, and extending policies such as skills enhancement allowances to maximize policy effectiveness, he said.

Regarding demand-driven skills training, large-scale vocational training programs have been launched to elevate workers’ technical competencies, he noted.

China has worked to provide targeted assistance for key groups. A new round of 17 youth-focused employment policies has been issued, offering tailored support for graduates and young job seekers to safeguard their employment prospects, Chen added.

China will roll out additional pro-employment measures in a timely manner to further underpin economic growth and social stability, he said.

Official data shows that the number of college graduates in China is likely to reach 12.22 million in 2025, an increase of 430,000 from last year.

China’s job market has remained generally stable recently, with the surveyed urban unemployment rate on average down from 5.2 percent in March to 5.1 percent in April, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

MIL OSI China News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Regenerated Beijing courtyards blend culture, modernity

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

Editor’s note: A cultural and ecological renewal project at Daji Xiang in Beijing’s Xuanwu cultural core area has brought new life to the city’s historic courtyard neighborhoods. Home to cultural landmarks such as the Former Residence of Kang Youwei and the former offices of the Weekly Review, Daji Xiang now features restored courtyards, interactive exhibitions, low-carbon gardens and revitalized public spaces. Through meticulous restoration and creative programming, the site showcases a new model of urban regeneration that harmonizes heritage preservation with contemporary living.

Sculptures symbolizing the fusion of cultural heritage and modern creativity stand in the courtyard of a restored siheyuan courtyard house at Daji Xiang in Beijing, June 4, 2025. [Photo by Liu Caiyi/China.org.cn]

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MIL OSI China News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China’s total installed renewable energy capacity up 58%

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

China’s total installed renewable energy capacity reached 2.02 billion kilowatts by the end of April, up 58% year on year. The combined installed capacity of wind and solar power hit 1.53 billion kilowatts, surpassing that of thermal power, according to official data released Thursday.

MIL OSI China News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China’s EV battery recycling boom fuels green transition, taps global market

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

In the northern Chinese industrial city of Tianjin, a bustling workshop is bringing discarded electric vehicle batteries back to life through the combined expertise of skilled technicians and automated systems.

The scene exemplifies a massive business opportunity unfolding across China, as the world’s largest electric vehicle market is set to turn battery waste from a pollution challenge into a key asset in its green revolution.

Positioned at the forefront of the country’s sustainable economy, this startup, Tianjin Battery Technology, is targeting this rapidly expanding sector.

The market segment is on the cusp of substantial growth, as China continues to lead the world in the production and sales of new energy vehicles. Additionally, the rising number of end-of-life power batteries is expanding demand for sustainable solutions.

By the end of 2024, China had 31.4 million new energy vehicles, representing about 9 percent of its automobile fleet. Following the government’s launch of trade-in policies, consumer interest in upgrading vehicles surged, which in turn further expanded the recycling market.

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology mandated that passenger vehicle manufacturers provide an 8-year or 120,000-kilometer warranty on core components such as batteries starting from 2016.

Market forecasts indicate that China’s retired power batteries will hit 1.04 million tonnes in 2025 and may surge to 3.5 million tonnes by 2030.

Unlocking potentials

Ma Youwei, a 40-year-old equipment manager at the Tianjin firm, oversees the disassembly of battery packs and modules. As far as he is concerned, these seemingly “retired” batteries are treasure troves.

In his factory, some disassembled components are reused for second-hand vehicle repairs. Crushing batteries produces copper and aluminum, and the black powder is further refined into battery-grade lithium carbonate.

“In our words, we work to fully extract the value from the retired batteries and leave no potential untapped,” said Ma, production material control manager of the factory’s engineering equipment department.

With nearly 20 years of experience in digital electronics and battery manufacturing, he joined this role three years ago, driven by the industry’s considerable potential.

Tianjin Battery Technology has reached an annual processing capacity of 10,000 tonnes, achieving a lithium recovery rate of over 90 percent.

“China heavily relies on imports for lithium, cobalt and nickel,” said Ke Yanchun from China Resources Recycling Group Co., Ltd., a newly-established state-owned enterprise.

“Recycling retired power batteries effectively reduces the high dependency on imported resources in the upstream of China’s new energy vehicle industry,” said Ke.

Tech-driven

China’s battery recycling sector is plagued by the presence of small, unregulated workshops. Industry leaders are leveraging technological innovation to boost efficiency and restructure the industry chain.

GEM, a Shenzhen-based publicly-listed company and a major Chinese battery recycler, employs a flexible intelligent dismantling system for accurate detection and sorting. Its recycling innovations include high- and low-temperature catalytic activation and ultra-precise lithium extraction, achieving over 90 percent lithium recovery.

The company also built a digital lifecycle management system to track batteries from recycling to utilization, supporting its dual-track business model.

It has established a circular economy industrial park in the Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone, which is just one kilometer from the production lines of BYD, the country’s leading electric vehicle manufacturer.

Now, GEM has set up over 140 recycling sites nationwide and partnered with more than 750 vehicle and battery manufacturers and operators worldwide. In the first quarter of this year, it recycled 10,800 tonnes of power batteries, up 37 percent year on year.

In the Tianjin company, Ma and his colleagues have improved battery dismantling efficiency by 75 percent through modified tools. By using techniques like cutting and welding, they have transformed standard tools to meet the complex requirements of battery disassembly.

“This simple innovation has made a significant impact,” Ma noted.

Overseas expansion

As China’s share of the global electric vehicle market continues to grow, battery recycling companies are also expanding their international presence to meet local environmental regulations.

CATL, the world’s largest battery manufacturer, plans to establish battery recycling operations in Europe, with the completion of its Hungarian re-manufacturing plant slated for 2026. This initiative is part of its efforts to address environmental concerns in battery production and disposal.

GEM has established seven power battery recycling centers including those in the Republic of Korea and Indonesia.

Gotion High-tech in Hefei, east China’s Anhui Province, and Envision Greenwise in Hong Kong have reached a strategic cooperation agreement, planning to jointly build 100 recycling and after-sales service centers globally.

Also, Huayou Recycling in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, has entered a strategic partnership with SUEZ Group, one of the largest European environmental services corporations, to explore the French battery recycling market.

MIL OSI China News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: China’s domestically produced 9-valent HPV vaccine aims to boost immunization coverage

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 5 (Xinhua) — China’s medical device administration has approved the launch of the country’s first domestically produced 9-valent HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine, ending a decade of foreign dominance in the Chinese market.

The new vaccine, called Cecolin 9, was included in a list of approved drugs released Wednesday by China’s National Medical Products Administration.

“The approval of Cecolin 9 not only opens up more opportunities for women to be vaccinated in China, but may also expand the availability and coverage of vaccination, helping to reduce the risk of cervical cancer,” said Zhang Jun, director of the Institute of Public Health at Xiamen University and a leading scientist on the vaccine development team.

HPV vaccines are commonly used to prevent cervical cancer in women, as well as genital cancers and warts in both men and women.

Cecolin 9, which targets nine HPV strains, was developed by Xiamen University, Xiang An Key Laboratory of Biomedicine and Xiamen Innovax Biotech Co., Ltd.

With the approval of Cecolin 9, China has become the second country in the world after the United States to have independent self-sufficiency in the production of highly valent HPV vaccine.

Compared with bivalent HPV vaccines, which are effective against two high-risk genotypes (HPV 16 and 18), 9-valent HPV vaccines additionally protect against five high-risk genotypes (HPV 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58) and two low-risk genotypes (HPV 6 and 11), and have been shown to be more effective in protecting against cervical cancer.

After 18 years of hard work, Chinese researchers have overcome major technical challenges in producing virus-like particles (VLPs) from several HPV types using the E. coli platform and completed key clinical trial processes.

Since 2019, five targeted clinical trials have been conducted in China, in which the new vaccine has demonstrated a favorable safety profile and a strong immune response comparable to similar international drugs on the market.

Statistics show that there are approximately 700,000 cases of HPV-related cancer worldwide each year, including about 530,000 cases of cervical cancer. At the same time, the vaccination method can effectively prevent HPV infection by 94 percent.

In 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a global programme to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer, aiming to ensure that 90% of girls are fully vaccinated against HPV by age 15 by 2030.

In line with the WHO programme, China’s National Health Commission has launched an action plan to eliminate cervical cancer for the period 2022-2030, which urges expansion of HPV immunisation coverage across the country. -0-

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: V. Putin and D. Trump held a telephone conversation

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

Moscow, June 5 /Xinhua/ – Russian and US Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump held their fourth telephone conversation on Wednesday, TASS reported, citing the Russian leader’s aide Yuri Ushakov.

“How did the conversation begin: naturally, with a discussion of the situation around Ukraine. Vladimir Putin spoke in detail about the results of the second round of direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations in Istanbul,” the Kremlin spokesman said.

“In addition to Ukraine, a whole range of international issues were discussed, I would say, with an emphasis on the somewhat stalemate in the negotiations between the US and Iran on the Iranian nuclear program,” he noted. According to Yu. Ushakov, D. Trump stated in a telephone conversation the need for assistance from Russia in the situation with the Iranian nuclear program.

The two leaders also discussed the situation in the Middle East and the ongoing armed conflict between India and Pakistan. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: D. Trump signed a document banning entry from 12 countries

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

LOS ANGELES, June 5 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday evening signed a proclamation banning travel from 12 countries on national security grounds.

The White House said the document completely bans entry for citizens of Afghanistan, Haiti, Iran, Yemen, Libya, Myanmar, the Republic of Congo, Somalia, Sudan, Chad, Equatorial Guinea and Eritrea. These countries were found to be “deficient in their background checks and determined to pose a very high risk to the United States,” the statement said.

In addition, the decree partially restricts entry for citizens of seven countries: Burundi, Venezuela, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo and Turkmenistan.

The ban is set to come into effect on June 9 at 00:01.

“The restrictions imposed by this proclamation are necessary to secure the cooperation of foreign governments, enforce our immigration laws, and advance other important foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism goals,” the White House said.

The ban does not apply to lawful permanent residents of the United States, holders of valid visas, recipients of certain categories of visas, or persons whose entry is in the national interest of the United States. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: GUU and RUDN University held events to adapt foreign students

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

On June 4, 2025, the State University of Management held a series of events aimed at ensuring the socio-cultural adaptation and integration of foreign students of higher education institutions.

The programme of events was divided into two sections.

The participants of the first section were foreign students of the preparatory department for foreign citizens from countries of Africa, Great Britain, China, Vietnam and Syria, who took part in the interactive training “Adaptation to the environment of a Russian university.

Speaker Kevin Fabrice Yhombi, assistant of the Department of Russian Studies, Ethno-Oriented Pedagogy and Digital Didactics of the Russian Language Institute of RUDN University, spoke about the difficulties of adaptation and learning Russian for foreign students and shared effective practices for improving the language level. A presentation of the Telegram channel “Adventures of Foreigners in Russia” was also held for students.

The event aroused genuine interest among the students. They had many stories of personal adaptation in Russia and questions for the speaker, whose knowledge of Russian aroused general admiration.

The target audience of the second part of the event – teachers of the preparatory department for foreign citizens, employees of the International Cooperation Department, representatives of the Department of Youth Policy and Educational Work and the Student City – were presented with a presentation of the best practices in social and cultural adaptation of foreign students in Russian higher education institutions. The speaker was Maria Vladimirovna Alimova, Director of the Center for Assistance to Social and Cultural Adaptation and Intercultural Communication at RUDN. The main issues were: the importance of social and cultural adaptation for Russian universities, the impact of cultural differences on the educational process, information support and orientation events, and foreign student support centers.

A round table on “Issues of social and cultural adaptation of foreign students” was also held for the staff of the State University of Management.

In conclusion, those present thanked the speakers for their work and useful information, and wished the project further success.

The event was organized by the State University of Management and the Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

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.

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Intern Recruitment for Global Environmental Education Partnership — Asia-Pacific Regional Center (GEEPAPRC)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

The Ministry of Environment, R.O.C. (Taiwan) will provide young people in the Asia-Pacific region with opportunities to serve as interns in the environmental education field, participate in environmental education promotion, and observe business management practices.
This program aims at cultivating the capabilities of young people in the Asia-Pacific region to connect with international trends, getting to know the diverse cultures of various countries, understanding the responses to environmental issues of various countries, and establishing partnerships in the environmental education fields of various Asia-Pacific countries.
Internship sites:
1. Tzu Chi’s Environmental Education Site (Hualien County, Taipei City)
2. Oceanic Hakka Leisure Agriculture Development Association (Taoyuan City)
For more details : https://geepaprc.org/en

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 5, 2025

Category: China

The quarter in numbers

Ransomware

The quarter’s trends and highlights

Law enforcement success

Vulnerabilities and attacks, BYOVD, and EDR bypassing

Other developments

The most prolific groups

Number of new modifications

Number of users attacked by ransomware Trojans

Attack geography

Top 10 countries and territories attacked by ransomware Trojans

TOP 10 most common ransomware Trojan families

Miners

Number of new modifications

Number of users attacked by miners

Attack geography

Top 10 countries and territories attacked by miners

Attacks on macOS

TOP 20 threats to macOS

Geography of threats to macOS

TOP 10 countries and territories by share of attacked users

IoT threat statistics

TOP 10 threats delivered to IoT devices:

Geography of attacks on IoT honeypots

Attacks via web resources

Countries and territories that serve as sources of web-based attacks: the TOP 10

Countries and territories where users faced the greatest risk of online infection

Local threats

Countries and territories where users faced the highest risk of local infection