Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The police in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou put 20 suspects on a wanted list on Thursday, accusing them of participating in cyber attacks launched by an organization of Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party authorities.
The notice issued by the public security bureau of Guangzhou’s Tianhe District also provided details of cyber attacks carried out by Taiwan’s “Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command (ICEFCOM).”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday slammed recent remarks made by Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities that have been defaming the mainland’s social system.
In response to a media query, Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said Lai and the DPP authorities have been maliciously smearing and attacking the mainland, and trying to intensify cross-Strait confrontation and mislead international public opinion.
“Their intentions are extremely sinister, and their methods are extremely despicable,” Zhu said.
The DPP authorities are deceiving and swindling in the international community under the cloak of “democracy,” and attempting to challenge the one-China principle, Zhu said.
Their actions completely violate the spirit of democracy, and the essence of their “fake democracy, real dictatorship” has long been seen through by the world and condemned by Taiwan compatriots, she added.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Wang Yi, China’s top diplomat, met with Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, special envoy of the president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to China, in Beijing on Wednesday.
Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, said that China-UAE ties have maintained sound development momentum under the strategic guidance of the two countries’ heads of state.
China is willing to work with the UAE to provide mutual support on issues concerning each other’s core interests, expand mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, maintain close coordination on international and regional affairs, and promote the in-depth development of the China-UAE comprehensive strategic partnership, Wang said.
Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak said the UAE is willing to strengthen its high-level exchanges with China and further advance the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
The UAE adheres to the one-China principle and will uphold the principles of independence and autonomy in steadfastly promoting cooperation with China, he said.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
This photo taken on March 15, 2024 shows the construction site of a residential complex under an urban renewal project in Jing’an District of east China’s Shanghai. [Photo/Xinhua]
China initiated renovation of 5,679 old urban residential compounds in the first four months of 2025, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development said on Wednesday.
The country aims to renovate 25,000 such residential compounds this year, as part of its ongoing efforts to transform cities into more resilient and intelligent areas that are desirable to live in.
From 2019 to 2024, China renovated a total of 280,000 old residential compounds, benefiting over 120 million people.
During this period — 360,000 km of aging pipelines were renovated or upgraded, 3.87 million parking lots were added, and 78,000 public service facilities, such as elderly care and childcare centers, were constructed.
The ministry said it will keep working to enhance living environments and upgrade community facilities to better meet the daily needs of residents and ensure their safety.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China is ramping up efforts to green its booming express delivery sector, as a newly amended regulation took effect during the bustling mid-year online shopping festival.
The revised regulation concerning the courier sector came into force on June 1, and for the first time introduced a dedicated chapter on packaging. It stipulates that packaging should minimize resource use, avoid excessive wrapping and prevent environmental pollution.
Experts hailed the move as a milestone in the industry’s push for sustainable and high-quality development.
China, the world’s largest express delivery market, handled over 175 billion parcels in 2024, a 21.5-percent increase from the previous year.
This vibrant growth has led to a surge in packaging waste, making sustainable practices a critical priority, said Ding Hongtao, director of legal affair department at the China Express Association.
The green initiative has already been felt at the manufacturing level. In Pinghu, east China’s Zhejiang Province, a local packaging company now uses 100 percent recycled cardboard to produce corrugated paper. In its factory, waste boxes are shredded, filtered, refined and pressed into new paperboard.
“For every tonne of corrugated paper, we use about 1.1 tonnes of recycled boxes,” said Hu Zhonghua, general manager of Jingxing Packaging Materials Co., Ltd. “Even the leftover scraps from box production are cycled back into the paper mill, forming a closed-loop system.”
Elsewhere, similar innovations are driving progress. In east China’s Anhui Province, Anhui Huayi Packaging Co., Ltd. has industrialized fully biodegradable adhesive tape after five years of research, and now produces up to 600 million square meters annually. In Hangzhou, Zhejiang, a logistics center of supply chain technology company Shunxinhui has replaced single-use plastic wrap with reusable strapping, thereby avoiding the use of 300 tonnes of plastics on average each year.
“China is forming a green supply chain for express packaging,” said Liu Jianguo, professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Data showed that 248 types of packaging products from more than 100 companies have now been certified as green products in the country.
In addition to greener materials, couriers have begun to use packaging more efficiently.
At JD Logistics’ industrial park in Hangzhou, home appliances and furniture are now shipped in their original manufacturer packaging, bypassing the need for secondary wrapping.
“By strengthening coordination with suppliers, the share of direct shipments to customers without repackaging has risen from about 5 percent a few years ago to 25 percent last year. And we expect the ratio to hit 40 percent this year,” said Gao Jiaqi, head of the industrial park. In 2024 alone, JD Logistics eliminated over 1 billion pieces of secondary packaging.
Green practices are also gaining traction among consumers. At a mail service station at Zhejiang University, students and faculty members routinely deposit used boxes into designated recycling bins after collecting their packages.
These boxes are sorted and reused for outbound shipments. Currently, 90 percent of boxes used at the station are recycled, significantly reducing the carbon footprint.
Moreover, a digital screen at the station displays real-time data, converting environmental actions like recycling and walking into carbon credits — thus fostering a green digital ecosystem through incentives. Following the launch of the system, green awareness among customers has continuously increased, said Chang Xuelian, a staff member of the company managing the system.
Thanks to concerted efforts, green packaging governance in the express delivery sector has been expanded to the entire chain — from production to consumption and recycling.
Moving forward, the State Post Bureau pledged to speed up the implementation of packaging standards and supportive policies, while fostering innovation in products, technologies and business models, in a bid to expedite the green transition of China’s fast-growing delivery industry.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China’s Ministry of Finance on Wednesday issued this year’s third batch of yuan-denominated treasury bonds — worth a total of 12.5 billion yuan (about 1.74 billion U.S. dollars) — in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
The issuance included 3.5 billion yuan of two-year bonds, 3 billion yuan of three-year bonds, 3 billion yuan of five-year bonds, and 3 billion yuan of 10-year bonds, according to the ministry. These bonds have respective interest rates of 1.49 percent, 1.52 percent, 1.6 percent, and 1.75 percent.
This latest issuance has been well-received among investors, with the total bid amount coming in at 3.96 times the amount in circulation, the ministry said.
Last month, it announced that it would issue six batches of yuan-denominated treasury bonds in the HKSAR this year, with all six batches totaling 68 billion yuan.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Cristiano Ronaldo scored the decisive goal as Portugal came from behind to defeat Germany 2-1 in the UEFA Nations League semifinal in Munich on Wednesday, ending the hosts’ hopes of reaching the tournament final for the first time.
After a 10-minute delay caused by a hailstorm, Germany settled more quickly. Leon Goretzka tested Diogo Costa early, while debutant Nick Woltemade linked well with Aleksandar Pavlovic to create another opportunity.
However, Portugal soon found its rhythm. Pedro Neto’s blistering pace repeatedly exposed the German defense, and Ronaldo tested goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen twice. It was Ter Stegen’s first appearance since returning from a lengthy injury layoff.
Florian Wirtz (L) of Germany vies with Bruno Fernandes of Portugal during the UEFA Nations League A semifinal match between Germany and Portugal in Munich, Germany, June 4, 2025. (Photo by Philippe Ruiz/Xinhua)
Florian Wirtz broke the deadlock just after the restart. The Bayer Leverkusen playmaker timed his run perfectly to meet Joshua Kimmich’s lofted pass, guiding a header into the bottom corner.
But instead of calming Germany’s nerves, the goal only galvanized Portugal. Francisco Conceicao, introduced just minutes earlier, turned the match with a stunning solo strike, cutting inside and curling the ball into the far corner.
Germany barely had time to regroup before falling behind. A slick one-two between Bruno Fernandes and Nuno Mendes split the German backline, and Mendes’ low cross was converted by Ronaldo. At 40 years and 119 days old, he became the oldest player ever to score against Germany.
Germany brought on attacking reinforcements, including Karim Adeyemi and Niclas Fullkrug, but struggled to regain momentum. Adeyemi came closest to equalizing, hitting the post in the 82nd minute. At the other end, Ter Stegen denied both Conceicao and Diogo Jota to keep the scoreline close.
Germany will now play in Sunday’s third-place playoff, while Portugal advances to the final.
“It was certainly one of our weakest performances in recent times. We didn’t always attack with enough conviction. We started well and took a deserved lead but then did far too little. Against a team like Portugal, if you’re too slow in transition, you get punished. We need to be at 100% if we want to belong to the best in Europe. This defeat hurts, but we must learn from it,” Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said.
“I’m very happy. This was an important game against a top-quality Germany side, and we played away from home. To beat Germany for the first time in 25 years means a lot. Turning a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 win shows what this team is capable of,” said Portugal coach Roberto Martinez.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Tibetan specialties are being sold via livestreaming at the 5th China Xizang Tourism and Culture Expo in Lhasa, capital of southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, June 18, 2023. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)
In southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, a county perched at an altitude of 3,800 meters is embracing the digital era through livestreaming.
Tashi Lhamo, a 34-year-old resident of Qonggyai County, held up her phone and greeted her audience: “I just got back from the farm. Please give me lots of likes today.” With ease, she promoted local products to her livestream viewers, a scene that has become increasingly common in this once-isolated highland.
Thanks to the completion of a large-scale telecom network upgrade, internet coverage has become increasingly more stable, prompting many villagers to jump on the e-commerce bandwagon. A simple smartphone now connects the area with the outside world.
As the county’s most popular influencer, Tashi Lhamo has around 4 million followers across Chinese video-sharing platforms. Through her livestreams, she helps villagers sell local specialties like butter and tsamba — the most popular staple food in Xizang — to customers nationwide, generating an annual income of more than 1 million yuan (about 139,109 U.S. dollars).
Across Xizang, e-commerce is gaining momentum as the regional government seeks to promote high-quality development of the sector through measures including supportive policies, online vouchers, e-commerce bases and livestreaming competitions.
According to the regional commerce department, from January to April this year, Xizang’s online retail sales reached 10.84 billion yuan, up 36.7 percent year-on-year. Of that total, livestreaming accounted for 3.36 billion yuan, a 41.8 percent increase, while online sales of agricultural products hit 320 million yuan, up 17.5 percent from the same period last year.
In the regional capital of Lhasa, local wool products are rolling off the production lines at a factory run by Xizang Holy Trust Industry Co., Ltd.
“In the past, most of our orders came from offline channels. Now, by leveraging Xizang’s rich wool resources, we have developed an integrated model: e-commerce orders drive on-demand production, cooperatives facilitate procurement, and herders adjust livestock breeding and wool harvesting based on market demand,” said Lhapa Trinley, board chairman of the company.
Today, through various online platforms, the company’s products, such as scarves, clothing and rugs, are sold across China. Semi-processed materials like washed wool, cashmere and yak wool are even exported to countries including Nepal and India.
Beyond agricultural and pastoral goods, cultural products such as Tibetan incense and traditional accessories are also gaining popularity, introducing Tibetan culture to wider audiences.
“E-commerce means that Xizang’s products are no longer niche,” said Li Yanping, head of the e-commerce division at the regional commerce department, adding that the region plans to improve rural logistics and support more e-commerce talent to further expand the reach of its specialties.
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) — An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.0 jolted Eryuan County, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Yunnan Province at 4:31 a.m. Thursday Beijing time, the China Earthquake Networks Center said.
The epicenter of the earthquake was located at a point with coordinates 26.26 degrees north latitude and 100.03 degrees east longitude. The source was located at a depth of 10 km.
According to local residents, the tremors were clearly felt in Eryuan County, Dali City and Heqing County. The emergency response mode was immediately launched by the Eryuan County authorities. The aftermath of the natural disaster is being investigated. -0-
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
GAINESVILLE, Va., June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Standard Performance Evaluation Corp. (SPEC), the trusted leader in computing benchmarks, announced today that SPEC International Standards Group (ISG) successfully advocated that the United States clarify export policies to allow companies on the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Entity List to participate in creating standards. SPEC ISG invites the return of member companies excluded from collaborating due to policy reasons, bringing together the strength of industry, academia, and research from all over the world to cooperate on future computing energy efficiency standards.
A few years ago, in order to ensure the safe application of 5G technology, the US government stipulated that US agencies should not cooperate with companies on the BIS Entity List. This ban was never intended to restrict the development of global standards. However, due to the overly strict definition of the term “standard” in the original exemption clause of BIS, the SPEC SERT suite was classified as a restricted technology, which prevented SPEC (an international standards organization with 12 Chinese member companies) from continuing to develop standards with its members on the Entity List.
Harmonized standards are best suited to consistent design and regulatory requirements, resulting in significant cost reduction for manufacturers to meet additional benchmark requirements worldwide.
SPEC President David Reiner said: “Restricting companies on the Entity List from participating in the development of energy efficiency benchmarks risks dividing the global standards process, negating the primary goal of standardization. Through years of hard work, in collaboration with other international organizations, we are pleased to have successfully promoted changes to U.S. policies to remove the unintended restrictions on the development of international standardized benchmarks.”
SPEC successfully advocated changes to U.S. rules
In 2020, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s BIS changed its rules to allow U.S. companies to work in standards organizations to ensure U.S. proposals take full account of international standards that underlie product development and interoperability. While this was an important milestone, the change did not allow SPEC to invite Entity List businesses that were among its former members to re-join, nor to invite other entities on the Entity List to join. In response, SPEC took a series of actions to advocate for the revision of relevant U.S. laws and to promote international technology exchanges and innovation. As part of these efforts, SPEC created the International Standards Group (ISG), specifically designed to comply with the updated BIS requirements and provide a clear separation between SPEC’s international standards work and other SPEC projects.
As a result of SPEC’s successful efforts, BIS improved regulations in late 2022. Under the final regulations, organizations on the BIS Entity List are no longer restricted from licensing, obtaining updates, or participating in the development of the SPEC SERT Suite within the SPEC ISG. These standards development activities related to the implementation, promulgation, or maintenance of the ISO/IEC 21836:2020 standard qualify for the BIS updated standards-related activities exemption. As a result, BIS listed entities are now able to obtain SPEC SERT Suite licenses, updates, and membership status in the SPEC ISG Server Efficiency Committee.
The return of excluded members is critical because it will enable SPEC to continue to promote effective global standardized benchmarks and apply them to government energy efficiency regulations. The successful adoption of SPEC SERT suites by government regulations such as China National Institute of Standardization, EU Lot9 Ecodesign, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and the U.S. EPA Energy Star is critical to SPEC’s efforts to promote sustainable technology development around the world. For example, computer servers that are ENERGY STAR certified are, on average, about 38% more energy efficient than standard servers. This means that if all computer servers sold in the United States were ENERGY STAR certified, end users would save more than $4 billion per year.
The next-generation energy efficiency rating tool is currently under development by the SPEC ISG Server Committee, which includes representatives from Ampere, AMD, Dell, HPE, IBM, Intel, IEIT, Microsoft, Nvidia, and the University of Würzburg. The SERT 3 Suite utilizes the SPECpower Committee’s innovative modular architecture, allowing streamlined integration of the latest versions of the Chauffeur benchmark harness and the PTDaemon Interface, which are also utilized by other SPEC benchmarks. This modular design reduces the time required for developing future workloads, adding new architectures, and supporting new power analyzers and temperature sensors.
Klaus-Dieter Lange, Chair of SPEC ISG, said: “We are pleased that SPEC was able to successfully work with the U.S. Department of Commerce to find a solution to this critical issue. We welcome the world’s innovative companies to join in the development of the next-generation SPEC SERT Suite, which will enable governments and businesses to more effectively achieve sustainable development and carbon emission reduction goals.”
About SPEC
SPEC is a non-profit organization that establishes, maintains and endorses standardized benchmarks and tools to evaluate performance for the newest generation of computing systems. Its membership comprises more than 120 leading computer hardware and software vendors, educational institutions, research organizations and government agencies worldwide.
Media contact:
Brigit Valencia
360.597.4516
brigit@compel-pr.com
Images available upon request.
SPEC® and SERT® are trademarks of the Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation. All other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Various events held across China to mark World Environment Day
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The United States on Wednesday vetoed a Security Council draft resolution that would have demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the immediate lifting of all restrictions on humanitarian aid.
The draft resolution, tabled by the 10 elected members of the Security Council, won the support of 14 out of the 15 members of the council. The United States, which holds veto power, voted against it.
The draft resolution would have demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups, and the immediate and unconditional lifting of all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza and its safe and unhindered distribution at scale.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
U.S. President Donald Trump disclosed Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him that Moscow would “have to respond” to the massive Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia’s strategic air bases days ago.
Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social account that he finished a phone call with Putin and discussed the attacks on June 1. It was the first time the U.S. president publicly talked about the operation that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky touted being directed by himself.
“We discussed the attack on Russia’s docked airplanes, by Ukraine, and also various other attacks that have been taking place by both sides… President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields,” Trump wrote.
He said the Wednesday call lasted approximately one hour and 15 minutes, noting “It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China coach Branko Ivankovic said Wednesday that his team is mentally prepared for Thursday’s do-or-die FIFA World Cup qualifier against Indonesia, despite the challenging environment at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, which will be packed with nearly 80,000 home fans.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Ivankovic acknowledged the pressure his team will face, noting that the stadium has been a fortress for Indonesia where only Japan managed to win in the Group C matches.
“We are well aware of the pressure playing in Indonesia’s home stadium, and we’ve been preparing the players to turn that pressure into motivation,” Ivankovic said. “Indonesia has strengthened its squad with naturalized players, making this a difficult match for us. We need to stay focused and avoid any distractions.”
Branko Ivankovic (2nd L) gestures during a training session. (Xinhua/Jia Haocheng)
The game is set for 9:45 p.m. Beijing time, with the stakes high for both teams. Over 200 reporters attended the press conference, underscoring the importance of the fixture.
When asked about recent additions to the Chinese squad, Ivankovic said, “For the new players, especially those playing in the final 18-team round for the first time, I hope they can prove their value.”
Ivankovic did not provide details about the physical condition of central defender Jiang Guangtai, who has been recovering from an injury. “It’s not convenient to discuss individual players before the match. Every team faces injuries. Whether starting or coming off the bench, all players are prepared to meet the demands of the game,” he said.
Jiang sustained an injury in March against Saudi Arabia and missed China’s home game against Australia in March.
According to tournament rules, the top two in each six-team group advance directly to the World Cup, while the third- and fourth-placed teams enter the playoffs. With two matches remaining, Indonesia sits fourth in Group C with nine points, while China is level with Bahrain at the bottom on six points.
Indonesia holds a three-point lead over China and a seven-goal edge in goal difference. A home win would all but guarantee Indonesia a top-four finish. For China, there is only one way to keep their World Cup hopes alive: win on Indonesian soil.
China forward Zhang Yuning, alongside Ivankovic at the press conference, emphasized, “For the victory, I will give everything on the field.”
He noted that the players had thoroughly prepared for the game during their stay in China, and in the two days since arriving in Jakarta.
“Beyond victory, any other result is meaningless,” he added.
Zhang scored the second goal for China in a 2-1 home win over Indonesia in Qingdao last October.
“It’s going to be a very tough match with a lot of pressure. To achieve the result we want, everyone will push themselves to their physical limits on the field.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Host China kicked off its Volleyball Nations League (VNL) Beijing leg in style with a straight-set victory over Belgium on Wednesday, winning 25-18, 27-25, 25-13 at the National Indoor Stadium.
Wu Mengjie (R) of China spikes the ball during the pool 3 match between China and Belgium at the Women’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2025 at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China, June 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
After a dominant start and a second set where their early lead nearly slipped away, the new-look Chinese team regrouped to close out the match confidently in front of more than 3,000 home fans.
Outside hitter Wu Mengjie, 22, led all scorers with 18 points, while fellow 22-year-old Zhuang Yushan added 13. Team captain and opposite Gong Xiangyu contributed 12, and experienced middle blocker Wang Yuanyuan chipped in with 11 to help seal the win.
“I’m happy that this newly assembled Chinese team secured a win in front of our home fans in Beijing,” said head coach Zhao Yong. “Belgium challenged us, especially in the second set. While we had clearer leads in the first and third sets, the second set really tested us. The players showed great decisiveness and composure under pressure.”
China had stormed to a 15-7 lead midway through the second set, but Belgium responded by improving their offensive reception and capitalizing on a string of Chinese errors, drawing level at 20-all and later at 25-all. In the final moments, Wang Yuanyuan delivered a quick attack and a decisive double block to help China edge the set and maintain momentum.
“No. 7 (Wang Yuanyuan) is great in attack, as a middle blocker, she has done a great job. She is very important for the team. But I think it’s a nice mix between experienced and young players. And I think the Chinese young players already showed what they can do,” said Belgian captain Britt Herbots, who led her team with 10 points.
Sixteen-year-old Zhang Zixuan made her international debut as China’s starting setter, earning her first senior-level start. Despite her age, Zhang impressed with composed play and smooth coordination, drawing praise from coach and teammates.
“She’s still very young at the international level, but the support from her teammates has been instrumental during training and in matches,” said Zhao. “The experienced players also played a crucial role – not only with their skills, but in passing on their experience and stabilising the team on court.”
China will face Poland on Thursday. The 2024 VNL bronze medalists opened their campaign with a straight-set win, 25-22, 26-24, 25-22, over reigning Asian champions Thailand.
Martyna Czyrnianska led Poland with 17 points, one of three players scoring in double digits. Poland dominated at the net with a 7-1 advantage in blocks.
Earlier in the day, Paris Olympics semifinalist Türkiye defeated France 25-17, 23-25, 25-13, 25-14. Turkish middle blocker Deniz Uyanik, making her VNL debut, starred in her first international appearance of the season with a team-high 16 points, including seven blocks – the most by any player in the match. Her blocking total alone matched that of the entire French team.
“This was our first international match of the season, and I was really excited,” said Uyanik. “Our whole team played well, and I’m proud of both the team and myself. Getting seven blocks in the first match makes me really happy.”
Türkiye head coach Daniele Santarelli acknowledged the difficulties of the opening match, noting their opponents’ preparation and the short lead-up time for his squad.
“It was not an easy match for us. We faced a strong team that had been in Beijing for a week and had already played some friendlies,” said Santarelli. “Our performance wasn’t perfect, but considering the circumstances, we did a very good job. We’re moving in the right direction and will keep working hard.”
Santarelli also addressed the absence of several core players, including star opposite Melissa Vargas, emphasizing the opportunity for younger athletes to step up.
“It’s not easy for a coach to miss several core players, but I wanted to give our younger players a chance to grow,” he explained. “Of course, this comes with some negative consequences, but we will keep pushing forward as a team.”
Türkiye will rest on Thursday before returning to face Thailand on Friday.
US Senate News:
Source: US Whitehouse
RESTRICTING FOREIGN STUDENT VISAS AT HARVARD: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Proclamation to safeguard national security by suspending the entry of foreign nationals seeking to study or participate in exchange programs at Harvard University.
The Proclamation suspends the entry into the United States of any new Harvard student as a nonimmigrant under F, M, or J visas.
It directs the Secretary of State to consider revoking existing F, M, or J visas for current Harvard students who meet the Proclamation’s criteria.
The Proclamation does not apply to aliens attending other U.S. universities through the Student Exchange Visa Program (SEVP) and exempts aliens whose entry is deemed in the national interest.
HARVARD HAS A DEMONSTRATED HISTORY OF CONCERNING FOREIGN TIES AND RADICALISM:
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has long warned that foreign adversaries take advantage of easy access to American higher education to steal information, exploit research and development, and spread false information.
The University has seen a drastic rise in crime in recent years, while failing to discipline at least some categories of conduct violations on campus.
Harvard has failed to provide sufficient information to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) about foreign students’ known illegal or dangerous activities, reporting deficient data on only three students.
Harvard is either not fully reporting its disciplinary records for foreign students or is not seriously policing its foreign students.
Harvard has also developed extensive entanglements with foreign adversaries, receiving more than $150 million from China alone. In exchange, Harvard has, among other things, hosted Chinese Communist Party paramilitary members and partnered with China-based individuals on research that could advance China’s military modernization.
The Chinese Communist Party has sent thousands of mid-career and senior bureaucrats to study at U.S. institutions, with Harvard University considered the top “party school” outside the country. Xi Jinping’s own daughter attended Harvard as an undergraduate in the early 2010s.
Harvard has failed to adequately address violent anti-Semitic incidents on campus, with many of these agitators found to be foreign students.
Harvard has persisted in prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in its admissions, denying hardworking Americans equal opportunities by favoring certain groups, despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling against its race-based practices.
These concerns have compelled the Federal government to conclude that Harvard University is no longer a trustworthy steward of international student and exchange visitor programs.
HOLDING HARVARD ACCOUNTABLE: President Trump wants our institutions to have foreign students, but believes that the foreign students should be people that can love our country.
President Trump: “The students? Well, we want to have great students here. We just don’t want students that are causing trouble. We want to have students. I want to have foreign students.”
President Trump: “We have people who want to go to Harvard and other schools, they can’t get in because we have foreign students there. But I want to make sure that the foreign students are people that can love our country.”
President Trump: “We are still waiting for the Foreign Student Lists from Harvard so that we can determine, after a ridiculous expenditure of BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, how many radicalized lunatics, troublemakers all, should not be let back into our Country. Harvard is very slow in the presentation of these documents, and probably for good reason!”
US Senate News:
Source: US Whitehouse
class=”has-text-align-center”>BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION
Admission into the United States to attend, conduct research, or teach at our Nation’s institutions of higher education is a privilege granted by our Government, not a guarantee. That privilege is necessarily tied to the host institution’s compliance and commitment to following Federal law. Harvard University has failed in this respect, among many others.
The Student Exchange Visa Program (SEVP) depends fundamentally on academic institutions’ good faith, transparency, and full adherence to the relevant regulatory frameworks. This is for crucial national-security reasons. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has long warned that foreign adversaries and competitors take advantage of easy access to American higher education to, among other things, steal technical information and products, exploit expensive research and development to advance their own ambitions, and spread false information for political or other reasons. Our adversaries, including the People’s Republic of China, try to take advantage of American higher education by exploiting the student visa program for improper purposes and by using visiting students to collect information at elite universities in the United States.
Protecting our national security requires host institutions of foreign students to provide sufficient information, when asked, to enable the Federal Government to identify and address misconduct by those foreign students. In my judgment, it presents an unacceptable risk to our Nation’s security for an academic institution to refuse to provide sufficient information, when asked, about known instances of misconduct and criminality committed by its foreign students. This principle is one reason why SEVP regulations require foreign students to obey Federal and State criminal laws and require universities to keep records about foreign students’ studies in the United States — including records relating to criminal activity by foreign students and resulting disciplinary proceedings — and furnish them to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on request.
Crime rates at Harvard University — including violent crime rates — have drastically risen in recent years. Harvard has failed to discipline at least some categories of conduct violations on campus. Given these facts, it is imperative, in my judgment, that the Federal Government be able to assess and, if necessary, address misconduct and crimes committed by foreign students at Harvard.
Despite the risks described above, Harvard University has refused the recent requests of the DHS for information about foreign students’ “known illegal activity,” “known dangerous and violent activity,” “known threats to other students or university personnel,” “known deprivation of rights of other classmates or university personnel,” and whether those activities “occurred on campus,” and other related data. Harvard provided data on misconduct by only three students, and the data it provided was so deficient that the DHS could not evaluate whether it should take further actions. Harvard’s actions show that it either is not fully reporting its disciplinary records for foreign students or is not seriously policing its foreign students. In my judgment, these actions and failures directly undermine the Federal Government’s ability to ensure that foreign nationals admitted on student or exchange visitor visas remain in compliance with Federal law.
These concerns have compelled the Federal Government to conclude that Harvard University is no longer a trustworthy steward of international student and exchange visitor programs. When a university refuses to uphold its legal obligations, including its recordkeeping and reporting obligations, the consequences ripple far beyond the campus. They jeopardize the integrity of the entire United States student and exchange visitor visa system, compromise national security, and embolden other institutions to similarly disregard the rule of law.
Harvard University has also developed extensive entanglements with foreign countries, including our adversaries. According to The Harvard Crimson, Harvard has received more than $150 million in total contributions from foreign governments over the last 5 years, and over $1 billion from foreign sources. Over the last 10 years, Harvard has received more than $150 million from China alone. In exchange, Harvard has, among other things, “repeatedly hosted and trained members of a Chinese Communist Party paramilitary organization,” according to a probe by the House of Representatives Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. Harvard researchers have also partnered with China-based individuals on research that could advance China’s military modernization, according to the same probe.
Finally, Harvard University continues to flout the civil rights of its students and faculty, triggering multiple Federal investigations. Harvard’s discrimination against disfavored races in admissions was so blatant that the Supreme Court decision ending the practice nationwide bears Harvard’s name. Yet even after that Supreme Court decision, Harvard and its affiliated organizations on campus continue to deny hardworking Americans equal opportunities. Instead of those Americans, Harvard admits students from non-egalitarian nations, including nations that seek the destruction of the United States and its allies, or the extermination of entire peoples. It is not in the interest of the United States to further compound Harvard’s discrimination against non-preferred races, national origins, shared ancestries, or religions by further reducing opportunities for American students through excessive foreign student enrollment.
Considering these facts, I have determined that it is necessary to restrict the entry of foreign nationals who seek to enter the United States solely or principally to participate in a course of study at Harvard University or in an exchange visitor program hosted by Harvard University. Such restrictions are authorized under sections 212(f) and 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. 1182(f) and 1185(a), which authorize the President to suspend entry of any class of aliens whose entry would be detrimental to the interests of the United States. I have determined that the entry of the class of foreign nationals described above is detrimental to the interests of the United States because, in my judgment, Harvard’s conduct has rendered it an unsuitable destination for foreign students and researchers. Until such time as the university shares the information that the Federal Government requires to safeguard national security and the American public, it is in the national interest to deny foreign nationals access to Harvard under the auspices of educational exchange.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 212(f) and 215(a) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f) and 1185(a), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, hereby find that, absent the measures set forth in this proclamation, the entry into the United States of persons described in section 1 of this proclamation would, except as provided for in section 2 of this proclamation, be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and that their entry should be subject to certain restrictions, limitations, and exceptions. I hereby proclaim as follows:
Section 1. Suspension of Entry. The entry of any alien into the United States as a nonimmigrant to pursue a course of study at Harvard University under section 101(a)(15)(F) or section 101(a)(15)(M) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(F) or 1101(a)(15)(M), or to participate in an exchange visitor program hosted by Harvard University under section 101(a)(15)(J) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(J), is suspended and limited, subject to section 2 of this proclamation. That suspension and limitation shall expire, absent extension, 6 months after the date of this proclamation.
Sec. 2. Scope and Implementation of Suspension and Limitation on Entry. (a) The suspension and limitation on entry pursuant to section 1 of this proclamation shall apply to aliens who enter or attempt to enter the United States to begin attending Harvard University through the SEVP after the date of this proclamation.
(b) The Secretary of State shall consider, in the Secretary’s discretion, whether foreign nationals who currently attend Harvard University and are in the United States pursuant to F, M, or J visas and who otherwise meet the criteria described in section 1 of this proclamation should have their visas revoked pursuant to section 221(i) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1201(i).
(c) The suspension and limitation on entry pursuant to section 1 of this proclamation shall not apply to any alien who enters the United States to attend other universities through the SEVP.
(d) The suspension and limitation on entry pursuant to section 1 of this proclamation shall not apply to any alien whose entry would be in the national interest, as determined by the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or their respective designees.
(e) No later than 90 days after the date of this proclamation, the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall jointly submit to the President, through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, a recommendation on whether an extension or renewal of the suspension and limitation on entry in section 1 of this proclamation is in the interests of the United States.
Sec. 3. Operational Action to Implement this Order. The Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall coordinate to take all necessary and appropriate action to implement this proclamation. The Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall also consider using their respective authorities under the INA to impose limitations on Harvard University’s ability to participate in the SEVP and the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. Any such actions should include an exception for any alien whose entry would be in the national interest, as determined by the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or their respective designees.
Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This proclamation shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This proclamation is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
DONALD J. TRUMP
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, June 4 — China’s Ministry of Finance on Wednesday issued this year’s third batch of yuan-denominated treasury bonds — worth a total of 12.5 billion yuan (about 1.74 billion U.S. dollars) — in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
The issuance included 3.5 billion yuan of two-year bonds, 3 billion yuan of three-year bonds, 3 billion yuan of five-year bonds, and 3 billion yuan of 10-year bonds, according to the ministry. These bonds have respective interest rates of 1.49 percent, 1.52 percent, 1.6 percent, and 1.75 percent.
This latest issuance has been well-received among investors, with the total bid amount coming in at 3.96 times the amount in circulation, the ministry said.
Last month, it announced that it would issue six batches of yuan-denominated treasury bonds in the HKSAR this year, with all six batches totaling 68 billion yuan.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, June 4 — The three-day Dragon Boat Festival break has offered the latest glimpse into the vitality and potential of China’s tourism sector, which is emerging as a strategic pillar industry for the world’s second-largest economy.
During the holiday from May 31 to June 2, tourism expenditures reached 42.73 billion yuan (5.95 billion U.S. dollars), up 5.9 percent compared with the same holiday last year, official data showed.
As part of its high-quality development strategy, China is leveraging its cultural and tourism industries to boost economic growth, stimulate consumption, create jobs and improve the economic structure by integrating tourism with other industries and creating new demand and business models.
The country has become the biggest domestic tourism market in the world, the largest source of international tourists, and a main destination for international travelers.
Boasting a wealth of natural wonders, historical treasures and cultural heritage sites — coupled with its massive population — China’s tourism prospects are exceptionally bright. The country’s world-class infrastructure, featuring an extensive high-speed rail network and modern tourist facilities, provides the perfect foundation for sustainable growth as China advances toward its goal of becoming a global tourism leader.
As China pivots toward a consumption-driven economy, industries like tourism have become pivotal to this transition. Authorities have prioritized stimulating domestic demand through comprehensive measures, including enhancing service quality, diversifying product offerings, and taking targeted initiatives to unlock spending potential across cultural, tourism, sports and related sectors.
This year has seen the rollout of innovative policies to boost tourism, including consumer incentives like vouchers and discounts, along with age-specific travel services. Meanwhile, new growth points, ranging from winter sports and immersive experiences to senior-friendly travel options, have also gained momentum.
The strong tourism growth momentum has been particularly evident in recent years. In 2024, domestic residents made 5.62 billion trips within the country, an increase of 14.8 percent year on year; their total expenditure on domestic travel was 5.8 trillion yuan, increasing by 17.1 percent year on year.
Thanks to its opening-up drive, China’s outbound and inbound tourism is also booming. Last year, the number of tourist trips made by foreigners almost doubled to reach 26.94 million. This robust momentum has been sustained this year. The sharp growth of foreign tourists is partly due to the country’s unilateral visa-free program that has covered 43 countries. Chinese outbound tourists and international visitors have boosted not only consumption but also cultural exchange and global understanding of China.
With its growing appeal to international visitors and a burgeoning domestic traveler base, tourism is emerging as one of China’s most promising industries, contributing significantly to the economy and acting as a catalyst for broader consumer spending.
The World Travel & Tourism Council recognizes China as one of the world’s most vibrant tourism markets, noting its strong post-pandemic recovery and long-term growth potential. The organization believes China’s sustained investments in infrastructure, digital innovation, and destination development as well as its expanded visa-free access are positioning the country as a world leader in modern, sustainable tourism.
The tourism sector’s success story underscores the fundamental resilience of China’s economy. As one of the fastest-growing major economies and a crucial engine of global growth, China’s economic strength finds clear expression in its thriving tourism industry.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Young Kim (CA-39)
Washington, DC – Today, House Foreign Affairs Indo-Pacific Subcommittee Chairwoman Young Kim (CA-40) and Ranking Member Ami Bera (CA-06) introduced a bipartisan resolution to remember the victims of the Tiananmen Square Massacre on June 4, 1989, and condemn the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s continued crackdown on human rights and basic freedoms in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Hong Kong.
“Tiananmen Square showed the world 36 years ago that Chinese Communist Party leaders will do anything to maintain power and control, even at the expense of their own citizens’ lives. The courageous victims remain in our hearts and reaffirm our fight for freedom on the world stage, especially as the CCP continues to get away with torturing Uyghurs, imprisoning Hong Kongers, stealing our intellectual property, and conducting mass surveillance on the Chinese people,” said Chairwoman Kim. “This bipartisan resolution sends a unified message that the United States Congress supports fundamental human rights and freedoms for the people of China and Hong Kong.”
“As we mark the 36th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, we remember the countless individuals who risked—and in many cases lost—their lives in the pursuit of democracy and basic human rights,” said Ranking Member Bera. “Decades later, the Chinese Communist Party continues its relentless crackdown on dissent—jailing human rights lawyers, silencing journalists, persecuting religious and ethnic minorities, and dismantling democratic institutions in Hong Kong. This bipartisan resolution sends a powerful message: the United States Congress stands with those fighting for freedom, dignity, and democratic values in China and Hong Kong.”
Read the resolution HERE.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
***WATCH: Senator Murray’s Q&A with Sec. Lutnick***
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick at a Senate Appropriations Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the president’s fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Department. Senator Murray slammed what’s happening at the Department and President Trump’s thoughtless tariffs, and grilled Secretary Lutnick on the Department’s decision to completely eliminate the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund in the budget request, the Department’s failure to submit required budget justifications to the Committee, and the Trump administration’s decision to cancel billions of dollars of funding from Senator Murray’s Digital Equity Act which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.
In opening comments, Vice Chair Murray said:
“You know, over the law few months, I am deeply concerned because we have seen: mass firings at NOAA that are really, seriously jeopardizing the weather forecasting that we all count on; funds have been frozen; grants and contracts have been abruptly cancelled; and agencies that were created by Congress in a bipartisan way have been shuttered unilaterally—really ignoring the law—and sweeping, thoughtless tariffs that are crunching small businesses and raising costs for families.
“And we have even seen President Trump illegally block some emergency funding House Republicans included in their yearlong CR which has cut off funding your Department counts on for trade fairness, export controls, NOAA satellites, and more.
“So, needless to say: I don’t think any of this helps advance the Department’s mission to spur economic growth and strengthen America’s competitiveness, and it does leaves me very seriously concerned about whether the Department is going to be able to carry out its job.
“Now, before I turn to my questions, I do want to quickly raise your decision to cancel $48 million in Tech Hub funding for the American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center in Eastern Washington and Idaho—alongside several other hubs. We had a chance to talk about this yesterday, but I want you to know I have a lot more questions than I think you answered.
“This hub is really a partnership of industry, academia, the military, and governments at all levels. Cancelling that funding and further delaying progress at the tech hub really damages our defense industrial base and limits our ability to compete with China, as I told you yesterday. So, that is unacceptable, and I look forward to you resolving that as soon as possible.”
[TRUMP REQUESTS TO ELIMINATE SALMON RECOVERY PROGRAM]
Senator Murray began by explaining how important NOAA is to our nation’s fisheries and how important salmon are to Washington state’s way of life, calling out President Trump’s request to zero out funding for a key salmon program: “Now, I do want to ask you while you’re here, one of the agencies you oversee is NOAA. It is absolutely essential to supporting sustainable fisheries, protecting our natural resources, and making sure that we have accurate weather forecasts. Cutting away at NOAA—as you have been doing and as your budget proposes to do further—is going to do serious harm. Among other cuts, your budget would completely eliminate the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. That would be a catastrophic failure—it would abandon our communities, our Tribes, and our industries who rely on salmon. And across the Pacific Northwest, salmon are not just fish—they are a way of life, and they are foundational to our economy and our culture. So, I would like you to explain quickly why you proposed that cut, and I want to ask you, did you consult with our Tribes or fishing communities who count on it before making that decision?”
Secretary Lutnick replied, “The issues are that we do the same thing in multiple ways in NOAA. We have not cut any hydrologists, which are the people who study the water.”
“You eliminated the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. That is what I’m precisely asking you about. Did you talk to our tribes or fishermen before you did that?” Senator Murray pressed.
“Of course,” responded Secretary Lutnick.
Senator Murray said, “Well, I have spoken to the tribes, I’ve talked to the scientists, I’ve talked to the fishermen. No one—no one—in the Pacific Northwest supports those cuts. And I want everyone to know I will not vote for an appropriations bill that eliminates that funding.”
[LACK OF TRANSPARENCY]
Senator Murray then asked about the Department failure to present full budget justifications to Congress, “Now, staying on NOAA facilities like the Northwest Fishery Science Center, which is in Seattle, are really in dire need of investment. For this reason, this CJS Appropriations Subcommittee has long included language requiring the Secretary of Commerce to include the cost estimates for NOAA construction projects of more than $5 million, in the congressional budget justification materials, as well as the 5-year cost estimates for those projects. Are you aware of that requirement?”
“My understanding is we filed our budget according to the CR with exact precision,” Secretary Lutnick replied.
“Well, have you submitted the Department’s FY26 congressional budget justification? It did not include the list of projects, which it’s required to do,” asked Senator Murray.
Secretary Lutnick continued to dodge, “My understanding is the CR had certain obligations for us, and we followed them with precision. That’s my understanding.”
Senator Murray pushed back, “Well, the fact is that you are required by law to submit the NOAA PAC [Procurement, Acquisition and Construction] construction list to Congress with the budget. That wasn’t done. Can we get that list by Friday?”
“I’ll happily take a look at it. And if it’s required, of course, I will send it,” said Secretary Lutnick.
Senator Murray responded, “Okay. It is required.”
[ATTACKS ON DIGITAL EQUITY ACT]
Senator Murray turned her questions about President Trump’s recent announcement he is illegally planning to cancel Digital Equity Act grants, “Mr. Secretary, I wrote a law, it was called the Digital Equity Act, to help close the digital divide—and it passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. Now, the Administration has arbitrarily cancelled billions of dollars for the Digital Equity Act, claiming it’s unconstitutional. This is a program that every state, Democrat and Republican, has applied for—every single state in the country. It distributes laptops in Iowa. It helped people get back online after Hurricane Helene washed away computers and phones in western North Carolina. It’s a program in rural Alabama where they taught seniors—including some who have never used a computer—how to use the internet. I want to ask you, has the Supreme Court declared this bipartisan law unconstitutional? Has any judge?”
Secretary Lutnick sidestepped the question, “It will go through the courts and the courts will decide.”
“No one has declared this unconstitutional—no one. Your job, Mr. Secretary, is to carry out the law that Congress has passed. You don’t get to keep laptops from our kids, because the President doesn’t care about kids in rural communities. My advice to you here—it is a law, it is not unconstitutional, and I would urge you to get those digital equity dollars out the door and save everyone the legal fees, because the law is very clear,” emphasized Senator Murray.
[TRUMP’S THOUGHTLESS TRADE WAR]
Senator Murray concluded by saying, “I just have a few seconds left, and I before I finish, I do want to underscore my state, Washington state, is one of the most trade dependent states in the nation. 40% of our jobs are connected to international trade and President Trump and your Department continue to pursue this chaotic tariff policy that businesses in my state stand to lose billions of dollars. I have heard from businesses across my state, from manufacturers, from small retailers. They are struggling to absorb the cost increases on everything from napkins to car parts. And this uncertainty has really left them scrambling which has delayed investments and caused serious supply chain disruptions, especially at our ports. These actions, in addition, have really harmed our relationships with our key allies like Canada. I heard Senator Collins here earlier talking about Maine being their neighbor—it is our neighbor in Washington state. They are one of our biggest trading partners. And let me be clear, this is causing chaos, disruption, anger. And we have got to get this resolved because farmers, our people and our small businesses and our communities, are really hurting.”
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 4 (Xinhua) — Asia-Pacific countries do not welcome the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)’s involvement in the region, which certainly does not need an Asia-Pacific NATO, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a regular briefing for journalists on Wednesday.
Lin Jian made the remarks in response to remarks made by a European leader at the recent Shangri-La Dialogue, who linked the Taiwan issue to Ukraine, mentioned the so-called “Chinese threat” in the South China Sea, and hinted that NATO had reason to “be involved” in the Asia-Pacific region.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said China firmly opposes the remarks, noting that Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory and that the Taiwan question is entirely China’s internal affairs.
He said that the Taiwan question and the Ukrainian crisis are incomparable, and that China firmly opposes any remarks or actions aimed at confusing or distorting the essence of the Taiwan question. He called on relevant parties to firmly adhere to the one-China principle through practical actions and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the PRC.
“The current situation in the South China Sea is generally stable. There is no problem with the freedom of navigation and overflight that countries enjoy in accordance with the law,” Lin Jian said.
He stressed that China has always advocated the proper resolution of maritime disputes and differences through negotiations and consultations with the countries directly concerned and on the basis of respect for historical facts.
“Countries outside the region should respect the efforts made by regional countries to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, instead of inciting differences and provoking conflicts,” Lin Jian added.
He recalled that NATO, as a regional defense organization, has no right to go beyond the geographical boundaries and mandate defined by its founding treaty. China firmly opposes NATO’s attempts to “move east” into the Asia-Pacific region, escalate tensions and create confrontation in it, and undermine peace and stability in the region and the world.
Stressing that Asia is the common home of China and other Asian countries, Lin Jian said it has maintained rapid growth in recent years and, through the joint efforts of countries in the region, has become an outpost of global growth and an oasis of peaceful development.
China has always been committed to the principles of goodwill, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness in its diplomacy towards neighboring countries, resolutely opposes bloc confrontation and has never sought the so-called “sphere of influence,” the Chinese diplomat said.
“Relevant parties should not make malicious guesses or sow discord among Asia-Pacific countries based on the Cold War mentality. Instead, they should do more to promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman concluded. -0-
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, June 4 (Xinhua) — State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhu Fenglian on Wednesday condemned recent remarks by Taiwan Chief Executive Lai Qingde and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leadership that denigrated the social system on the Chinese mainland.
In response to a question from the media, Zhu Fenglian said Lai Qingde and the DPP administration are maliciously slandering and attacking the Chinese mainland, trying to escalate the cross-shore confrontation and mislead international public opinion.
“Their intentions are extremely insidious and their methods are extremely unworthy,” Zhu Fenglian pointed out.
According to her, under the guise of slogans about “democracy,” they are trying to mislead the international community, in a vain attempt to challenge the international architecture based on the one-China principle.
Their actions completely violate the spirit of democracy, and the essence of their “fake democracy, real dictatorship” has long been visible to the world and condemned by Taiwanese compatriots, the official representative added. –0–
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
NEW YORK, June 4 (Xinhua) — The U.S. Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan agency, on Wednesday released an analysis projecting that President Donald Trump’s tax cut bill will reduce tax revenues by $3.7 trillion, increasing the federal budget deficit by $2.4 trillion over the next decade.
The report, published on the agency’s website on June 4 but dated May 20, also projects that if the bill is passed, the number of people without health insurance would increase by 10.9 million, including 1.4 million people who are in the country without legal status and who use government-funded programs.
The document, which D. Trump and Republican lawmakers call a “big, beautiful” bill, was passed by the House of Representatives (lower chamber) of the US Congress with a narrow majority of votes and is currently awaiting consideration by the Senate (upper chamber). –0–
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Hepburn, Professor, Deakin Law School, Deakin University
The federal government’s decision to extend the life of Woodside’s North West Shelf gas plant in Western Australia has been condemned as a climate disaster.
The gas lobby claims more gas is needed to secure energy supplies, pointing to predicted gas shortages in parts of Australia in the short term. But given most proposed gas projects are directed at the export market, the problem is likely to persist.
And the science is clear: no fossil fuel projects can be opened if the world is to avoid catastrophic climate change.
Despite this, a slew of polluting gas projects are either poised to begin operating in Australia, or lie firmly in the sights of industry.
Gas production in Australia harms the climate in two ways.
The first is via “fugitive” emissions – leaks and unintentional releases that occur when gas is being extracted, processed and transported. These emissions are typically methane, which traps more heat in the atmosphere per molecule than carbon dioxide.
Fugitive emissions count towards Australia’s greenhouse gas accounts, comprising about 6% of our total emissions.
So, government approval for new gas projects undermines Australia’s commitment to reaching net-zero emissions. Labor enshrined this goal in legislation in its previous term of government, and all states and territories have also adopted it.
The second climate harm occurs when Australia’s gas is burned for energy overseas. Those emissions do not count towards our national emissions accounts, but they substantially contribute to global warming.
Under national environment law, the federal government is not required to consider the potential harm a project might cause to the global climate. This loophole means fossil fuel developments can continue to win government backing.
Below, I outline six of the biggest gas projects Australia has in the pipeline.
This A$5.6 billion project by energy giant Santos is located in the Timor Sea, about 300km north of Darwin. The Australian government’s offshore energy regulator approved it in April this year.
The project will extract gas from the Barossa field and transport it to a liquified natural gas (LNG) facility in Darwin for processing and export.
The venture would reportedly be among the worst polluting oil and gas projects in the world. On one estimate, it would release about 380 million tonnes of climate pollution over its 25-year life.
Pluto Train 2 is an extension of Woodside’s existing Scarborough project, centred around a gas field about 375km off WA’s Pilbara coast. A 430-kilometre pipeline would connect that gas to a second LNG train at a facility near Karratha. “Train” refers to the unit in a plant that turns natural gas into liquid.
The project has federal and state approval. It is about 80% complete and scheduled to begin operating by next year. According to Climate Analytics, the expansion would create about 9.2 million tonnes of carbon-dioxide equivalent each year.
This coal seam gas project in Gladstone, Queensland, would be operated by Arrow energy – a joint venture between Shell and PetroChina.
It involves substantially expanding existing gas fields by building up to 450 new production wells. The project is expected to supply 130 million cubic feet of gas each day at its peak, and has been opposed by environment groups.
This $3.6 billion Santos project in northwest New South Wales involves drilling up to 850 coal seam gas wells over 95,000 hectares. The National Native Title Tribunal last month ruled leases for the project could be granted, leaving Santos only a few regulatory barriers to clear.
Environmental groups and Traditional Owners say the project threatens water resources, biodiversity and Indigenous sites. However, the tribunal found the project’s benefits to energy reliability outweighed those concerns.
The Beetaloo Basin is located 500km southeast of Darwin. It covers 28,000 kilometres and is estimated to contain up to 500 trillion cubic feet of gas. A number of companies are vying for the right to develop the huge resource.
It is predicted to emit up to 1.2 billion tonnes over 25 years. A CSIRO report says Beetaloo could be tapped without adding to Australia’s net emissions. However, experts say the report was too optimistic and relies far too heavily on carbon offsets.
Browse Basin, 425 kilometres north of Broome off WA, is considered Australia’s biggest reserve of untapped conventional gas.
Woodside plans to develop the Browse gas fields, but the area is remote and difficult to access. According to the ABC, Woodside’s North West Shelf project is considered the last hope for extracting the valuable resource.
Environmental groups say the project, if approved, would emit 1.6 billion tonnes of climate pollution – three times Australia’s current annual emissions.
The basin is also located near the pristine Scott Reef, a significant coral reef ecosystem.
The projects listed above, if they proceed, weaken Australia’s efforts to reach its emission reduction goals. And their overall climate impact is truly frightening.
The re-elected Labor government has pledged to revisit attempts to reform national environment laws. This presents a prime opportunity to ensure the climate harms of fossil fuel projects are key to environmental decision making.
Samantha Hepburn does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Woodside’s North West Shelf approval is by no means a one-off. Here are 6 other giant gas projects to watch – https://theconversation.com/woodsides-north-west-shelf-approval-is-by-no-means-a-one-off-here-are-6-other-giant-gas-projects-to-watch-257899
US Senate News:
Source: US Whitehouse
class=”has-text-align-left”>Today marks the 83rd anniversary of America’s seminal victory at the Battle of Midway—a watershed moment in World War II that set the Allied Forces on the path to ultimate triumph over forces of evil.
After the shocking attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Imperial Japan surged across the Pacific—dealing Allied forces a series of defeats from the fall of the Philippines, to the capture of Hong Kong and Singapore, to devastating air raids over Australia. With the U.S. Navy still reeling from the surprise attack, Japan’s ruthless push for regional dominance seemed unstoppable.
By the summer of 1942, Japan set its sights on Midway Island—a tiny American outpost with massive strategic value, just over 1,000 miles from Hawaii. The Japanese plan was clear: lure what remained of the battered U.S. Pacific Fleet out of Pearl Harbor, destroy it, and capture Midway, from where they would launch further offensives across the Pacific.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt knew our Armed Forces had to act decisively. He tasked Admiral Chester Nimitz, a submariner and newly appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet, with launching a full-scale effort to restore the Navy’s remaining ships to fighting condition. With vital intelligence from American codebreakers, the Allies stayed one step ahead, anticipating the major elements of Japan’s strategy.
At dawn on June 4, 1942, the U.S. Navy struck back. Despite facing a larger enemy force and suffering heavy losses, the U.S. fleet under the command of Admirals Jack Fletcher and Raymond Spruance fought with unmatched resolve. In the course of twenty-four hours, they sank four Japanese aircraft carriers, destroyed a heavy cruiser, and crushed Japanese hopes of advancing deeper into the eastern Pacific—paving the way for our Nation’s acceptance of Japan’s unconditional surrender and the end of World War II in 1945.
Today, former enemies stand united as allies. The United States and Japan have forged an enduring partnership built on the shared values of freedom, sovereignty, and an abiding commitment to peace across the Indo-Pacific. Together, we are advancing the causes of safety, security, prosperity, and liberty—all while confronting threats from China and North Korea.
The epic Battle of Midway stands to this day as a glorious reminder that, even in the face of long odds, perilous danger, and tremendous uncertainty, no challenge is too great for the strength of the American spirit. As our Nation commemorates this legendary battle, we honor the grit of our servicemen, we pay tribute to the sacrifice of our veterans, and we vow to carry forward the legacy of the fallen heroes who secured victory over tyranny in the Pacific 80 years ago.
Source: US State of New York
overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that Orbic Electronics Manufacturing, LLC, a specialized global manufacturer of telecommunications and consumer electronics devices, has broken ground on its new $110 million manufacturing global hub at 555 Wireless Boulevard in Hauppauge, Suffolk County. This project is expected to create more than 1,000 new high-tech and skilled manufacturing jobs, retain 66 existing positions currently based in Suffolk County, and will bring Orbic’s complete manufacturing and production operations from overseas facilities in India and China to its New York-based Headquarters. Empire State Development is supporting this landmark reshoring initiative with up to $10 million in performance-based Excelsior Jobs Tax Credits, recommended by the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council. The groundbreaking marks a pivotal moment in Long Island’s manufacturing sector and establishes New York as a national leader in rebuilding America’s critical technology supply chains.
“Today’s groundbreaking at Orbic Electronics represents the future we’re building across New York State — one where companies choose to invest, innovate, and create good-paying jobs right here at home,” Governor Hochul said. “This $110 million investment proves that when businesses want to lead in advanced manufacturing, they turn to New York. From Long Island to the North Country, we’re seeing companies recognize that our state offers the perfect combination of skilled workers, world-class infrastructure, and strategic support that makes success inevitable. With projects like this, we are proving that New York doesn’t just compete — we lead.”
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Orbic’s investment is a bold step forward for high-tech manufacturing in New York State. By choosing to grow in Hauppauge, Orbic is deepening its roots in a region known for its talent, infrastructure, and innovation potential. At Empire State Development, we are proud to support this strategic reshoring initiative, which will bring over a thousand jobs to the region while fortifying our state’s position in the global technology economy. Projects like this reflect our core mission — supporting smart, inclusive economic growth that creates lasting opportunity for New Yorkers in every corner of the state.”
Empire State Development Board Chairman Kevin Law said, “This groundbreaking represents a major milestone for Long Island and a turning point for advanced manufacturing in the region. Orbic’s expansion is proof that Long Island has everything companies need to thrive — from a highly skilled workforce and strong transportation networks to a vibrant ecosystem of research institutions and community partners. The company’s decision to invest more than $100 million here is not only a testament to our regional strengths, but a signal to the broader industry that Long Island is ready to lead in 21st-century manufacturing.”
Orbic CEO Mike Narula said, “This project marks an exciting milestone for Orbic and a powerful step forward for high-tech manufacturing on Long Island and New York State. This effort underscores our commitment to producing high-quality, American-made technology while supporting local vendors and strengthening the regional economy by bringing more than 1,000 new manufacturing jobs to the region from overseas. We are proud to grow in New York and to contribute to the state’s innovation economy, and we thank Governor Hochul and Empire State Development for their leadership, vision and invaluable support. Their dedication to building a prosperous New York has made a lasting impact on our company’s future, and we are deeply grateful for their partnership.”
State Senator Mario Mattera said, “The past few years have clearly shown the importance of our region becoming more self-sufficient. This significant project will help advance that goal while strengthening our economy and creating valuable opportunities for the local workforce. Long Island is home to some of the most hardworking and skilled men and women and the addition of over 1,000 jobs will enable them to work and stay on right here in our community. I commend Orbic for their commitment to Long Island and look forward to their continued success at this new facility.”
Assemblymember Michael Fitzpatrick said, “The arrival of Orbic’s $110 million manufacturing hub marks a significant step forward for Long Island’s economy. Creating over 1,000 skilled jobs and bringing production back to the U.S. strengthens our local workforce, benefits families across the region and will breathe new life into Long Island’s manufacturing sector. I am thankful to Governor Hochul and Empire State Development for making this transformative investment possible.”
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said, “We are grateful for Orbic’s decision to build their business in Suffolk County. This important project creates jobs and opportunities, helping Suffolk grow, and we look forward to seeing Orbic flourish.”
Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim said, “We are incredibly proud to see Orbic choose Smithtown as the home for this transformative investment. This is more than just bringing high-tech manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. — it’s about bringing them back to our community. Orbic’s expansion supports the Governor and the State’s goal of targeted investment, positioning New York as the premier East Coast destination for next-generation tech companies by leveraging our skilled workforce and innovation ecosystem. This move not only strengthens our regional economy and supports local families — it also puts Smithtown on the map as a hub for smart growth, forward-thinking development, and long-term opportunity. I commend the Governor and Orbic’s leadership for making this vision a reality.”
Orbic, established in 2016 and headquartered in Hauppauge, Long Island, offers a comprehensive portfolio of technology 4G and 5G connected devices and related products, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches, mobile hotspots, routers and accessories, catering to both consumer and enterprise customers and markets. In response to global supply chain challenges and increasing demand for domestically produced technology, Orbic launched a strategic initiative to relocate its manufacturing operations to the United States. As part of this effort, Orbic is investing approximately $110 million to renovate and retrofit a 69,500-square-foot existing facility and add an additional 75,000 square-feet, totaling 144,500 square feet. Once complete, the advanced manufacturing center will feature state-of-the-art surface mount technology (SMT) lines, automated testing stations, precision assembly lines, and cleanroom environments to support high-volume, high-quality production. Completion of construction and start of manufacturing is expected in early 2026.
The newly renovated production facility will be designed to manufacture up to five million devices annually — including smartphones, tablets, wearables, and networking equipment — meeting the needs of both consumer and enterprise customers. The new jobs being created will range from manufacturing technicians and quality assurance specialists to logistics personnel, engineers and support staff. Its location within the Hauppauge Industrial Park, one of the largest industrial parks in the Northeast, offers proximity to skilled labor, major transportation networks, and Orbic’s existing corporate offices, further enhancing operational efficiency and workforce integration.
A key component of Orbic Electronics’ investment is its focus on workforce development to ensure a robust pipeline of skilled talent for its operations. Orbic will collaborate with Suffolk County Community College and Queensborough Community College to create specialized training programs focused on advanced electronics manufacturing, including circuit board assembly, quality control, testing procedures, and advanced manufacturing processes. The partnership will not only support Orbic’s operational needs but also create a pipeline of skilled workers for Long Island’s growing advanced manufacturing industry. By integrating education and industry, these initiatives strengthen Long Island’s workforce, enhance its economic resilience, and position the region as a hub for advanced manufacturing innovation.
LIREDC Co-Chairs Linda Armyn, President and CEO at Bethpage Federal Credit Union, and Dr. Kimberly R. Cline, President of Long Island University, said, “Orbic’s decision to locate and grow its advanced manufacturing operations on Long Island is a direct result of thoughtful regional collaboration, strategic workforce partnerships, and a shared commitment to economic growth. By working with local colleges to train the next generation of high-tech talent, this project is helping ensure that the benefits of investment reach deep into our communities. The LIREDC is proud to support projects like this — ones that create sustainable jobs, foster innovation, and position our region as a long-term leader in advanced electronics and connected technologies.”
Orbic’s reshoring of its manufacturing operations to New York State exemplifies Governor Hochul’s comprehensive strategy to revitalize New York’s manufacturing sector and establish the state as a national leader in advanced production. Under her administration, New York has secured transformative manufacturing investments including Chobani’s $100 million expansion in the Mohawk Valley, IBM’s multi-billion dollar semiconductor research initiatives, Micron Technology’s historic $100 billion semiconductor facility in Central New York — the largest private investment in state history — and numerous other reshoring projects that have created thousands of jobs statewide. The Governor’s focus on workforce development, supply chain resilience, and robust support for minority and women-owned businesses has positioned New York as the premier destination for companies seeking to bring critical manufacturing operations back to America. This latest investment in Long Island’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem demonstrates how strategic state partnerships can catalyze transformative economic development that strengthens communities, secures supply chains, and advances America’s technological competitiveness on the global stage.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California
May 28, 2025
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) released the following statement:
“The Supreme Court’s refusal to hear the Apache Stronghold’s request to pause the Trump administration’s land transfer giving sacred Oak Flat to Resolution Copper is unjust, irresponsible, and a direct threat to the health, safety, and rights of the Tribe and surrounding communities.
“The final environmental impact statement on Resolution Copper will confirm what tribal leaders and experts have warned all along: foreign mining giants, through their subsidiary Resolution Copper, will irrevocably destroy Oak Flat, where Native peoples have gone to pray, seek spiritual cleansing, and conduct ceremonies since time immemorial. Oak Flat—a federally recognized National Historic Site—will be nothing more than a two-mile-wide, thousand-foot-deep crater once Resolution Copper is done hollowing it out. This will spell the end of the Apaches’ religious practices forever, just so foreign mining corporations can make a quick buck. Because in America, your right to worship is sacred—unless what you worship sits on valuable real estate.
“And for all the fearmongering about “national security,” let’s be clear: there’s no guarantee the copper will even stay in the United States. In fact, Resolution Copper seems more than willing to ship it straight to the Chinese Communist Party.
“Rio Tinto’s scheme to mine Oak Flat is the latest chapter in a long, shameful history of extracting wealth from Native lands while destroying the communities who live there. The Supreme Court may have turned its back for now, but the fight to protect this sacred place—and the people who depend on it—is far from over.”
In December 2014, a non-germane midnight rider was inserted into the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that mandated the public land transfer of the Oak Flat area to Resolution Copper. Oak Flat is located in the Tonto National Forest and listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a Traditional Cultural Property.
On April 17, 2025, the Trump administration published their notice of intent to issue the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) for Resolution Copper in 60 days, i.e. on June 16, 2025. The 2014 NDAA language says the land transfer must happen within 60 days of the publication of the FEIS – but the transfer could happen immediately after the FEIS is published.
Resolution Copper is just the latest example of a reckless foreign-backed mining project that disrespects tribal sovereignty and threatens our public lands with no guaranteed benefit to the American people. The mine is owned by multinational, multi-billion-dollar mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP. Rio Tinto’s largest shareholder is a Chinese state-owned company and the Rio Tinto has a long, disturbing history of human rights violations around the world. Resolution Copper has never guaranteed any of the copper mined from Oak Flat will stay in the United States and have no plans to build smelting or refining capacity for the copper they mine. Instead, they appear to be making plans to ship the unrefined copper to China.
Three different legal challenges to the land transfer and Resolution Copper mine are currently working their way through the courts. The Supreme Court decided on May 27, 2025 not to hear a request from tribal organization Apache Stronghold to pause the land transfer while lower courts decide their case on the merits. Apache Stronghold alleges the land swap is an unconstitutional infringement on their religious freedoms under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the free exercise clause of the First Amendment. The San Carlos Apache Tribe and the Arizona Mining Reform Coalition with the Inter Tribal Association of Arizona have also asked the courts to pause the land transfer while their challenges to the land transfer are considered.
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Source: US Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)
Appropriations Letter Urges Congress to Fund BOEM’s Office of Renewable Energy Programs, Prioritize Efficiency in Federal Permitting for Offshore Wind Projects
Offshore Wind Projects Projected to Create 56,000 Jobs by 2030
Washington, D.C – Congressman Dan Goldman led 18 of his Democratic colleagues in writing to House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Chair Congressman Mike Simpson (ID-02) and Ranking Member Chellie Pingree (ME-01) requesting they robustly fund the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) Office of Renewable Energy Programs, as well as include language in the FY26 budget to find increased efficiencies in the permitting process for offshore wind projects, which are an economic and national security imperative.
“We request that you take action to ensure robust funding for the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) Office of Renewable Energy Programs that supports the timely review and permitting of offshore wind projects. We also ask that you include report language in the bill that supports finding increased efficiencies in the federal permitting process to allow for projects to come online as fast and proficiently as possible, without compromising the safety and integrity of the review process,” the Members began.
Permitting, constructing, and connecting offshore wind to the energy grid is imperative to ensuring the United States’ long-term energy needs are met. Domestic energy demands are projected to rise 50% by 2050 as a result of crypto and AI, and offshore wind will be an essential part of generating the energy necessary to meet the future. However, the benefits of offshore wind extend beyond energy capacity.
“By the end of 2024, the industry had already announced more than $9.5 billion in supply chain investments, including investing in the creation of nearly 40 new domestic vessels to serve offshore wind projects. These jobs are inextricably intertwined with project permitting timelines, and investing in BOEM’s permitting capacity will increase job security for thousands of Americans and investment confidence for developers,” the Members wrote.
Additionally, offshore wind provides a local, reliable, and infinite source of energy, independent of geopolitical rivals and fluctuations in global energy markets. Fully funding the BOEM’s Office of Renewable Energy Programs and streamlining project permitting will strengthen American manufacturing and make us a world leader in spearheading the green energy transition. Failing to prioritize offshore wind in the federal budget will allow China and other nations to fill the gap.
“Committing our support to technologies like offshore wind will also help diversify our grid, making it more safe, reliable, and resilient. It is imperative that we provide BOEM with the resources they need to facilitate the timely, efficient, reliable and accurate review of offshore wind project applications so we don’t slow down this momentum,” the Members wrote.
Dear Chair Simpson and Ranking Member Pingree,
As you prepare the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, we request that you take action to ensure robust funding for the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) Office of Renewable Energy Programs that supports the timely review and permitting of offshore wind projects. We also ask that you include report language in the bill that supports finding increased efficiencies in the federal permitting process to allow for projects to come online as fast and proficiently as possible, without compromising the safety and integrity of the review process. As energy demand soars across the country, it is vitally important that we diversify our grid, support energy production in the United States, and build out an offshore wind project pipeline that can contribute to the “all-of-the-above approach to energy supply.
Current estimates project that domestic energy demand will grow by 2% annually and by more than 50% by 2050. Due in large part to the increased computing capacity needed to sustain rapidly expanding industries such as crypto and A.I., this unprecedented growth in demand requires a commensurate growth in supply. To meet these needs, to truly take an “all-of the-above” energy approach, and to ensure that we don’t fall behind our geopolitical adversaries in the race for energy dominance, we must ensure that offshore wind remains a part of our energy equation.
Over the past decade, the industry has advanced tremendously. By the end of 2024, BOEM had approved 19 GW of energy from offshore wind projects – enough to power 6 million homes — of which 10.8 GW were approved to begin construction. It is imperative that we continue this momentum, in collaboration with other energy sources, to meet the whopping 531 GW of expected grid demand in the coming decades.
The benefits of offshore wind extend beyond just energy capacity. They create massive economic investment and significant job opportunities across America, further diversify energy sources in the event of catastrophe, facilitate energy independence and energy dominance, and advance our geopolitical and national security interests.
According to a 2024 report published by American Clean Power, in large part due to the American energy credits in the Inflation Reduction Act, the offshore wind industry was projected to create 56,000 jobs across the country by 2030. These jobs span a number of industries and are largely good-paying, stable, manufacturing and marine trades jobs. By the end of 2024, the industry had already announced more than $9.5 billion in supply chain investments, including investing in the creation of nearly 40 new domestic vessels to serve offshore wind projects. These jobs are inextricably intertwined with project permitting timelines, and investing in BOEM’s permitting capacity will increase job security for thousands of Americans and investment confidence for developers. In turn, this will usher in additional spending in domestic offshore wind workforce development and supply chains.
Further still, ratepayers stand to gain significantly from the deployment of offshore wind as energy from such projects are projected to save households hundreds of dollars on their annual electricity bills. One study identified that 9 GW of offshore wind energy in New England would save New Englander’s between $2.79 to $4.61 a month on their electricity bill, adding up to about $630 annually. It would also provide nearly $362 million in annual public health savings as it would help prevent thousands of tons of dangerous pollution in our communities.
Finally, supporting offshore wind is a national security imperative. Offshore wind provides a local, steady, infinite source of energy that is not subject to the whims of our geopolitical rivals. It allows coastal areas, oftentimes with little space to build large new generation facilities, the ability to meet increased demand without depending on foreign sources of energy. And it provides a critical opportunity to build relationships in developing nations that expand far beyond energy production. Moreover, if we do not meet this demand, China will, which will increase their global footprint and influence.
Committing our support to technologies like offshore wind will also help diversify our grid, making it more safe, reliable, and resilient. It is imperative that we provide BOEM with the resources they need to facilitate the timely, efficient, reliable and accurate review of offshore wind project applications so we don’t slow down this momentum. While the industry is still relatively new, we have now seen a number of projects successfully permitted and we must learn from these examples and continue to improve and streamline the federal permitting process. As such, in addition to robust funding for BOEM Office of Renewable Energy Programs, we ask the committee include the following report language in their bill:
The Committee understands the value of streamlining the federal permitting process for offshore energy development, including wind power. As such, the committee directs the Bureau of Ocean Management, in consultation with the Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Defense, and any other relevant agencies to identify efficiencies in the federal permitting process, including unnecessary duplicative efforts, to responsibly expedite reviews while maintaining comprehensive stakeholder engagement, tribal consultation, and environmental analysis so as to ensure that project development processes carefully consider impacts on marine life and ensure co existence with incumbent industries.
Thank you for your consideration.
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Source: European Parliament
The European Union (EU) is seeking to boost its competitiveness to help ensure the well-being of its society in the face of global challenges. Central to this objective is the EU’s innovation ecosystem, which has fallen behind the United States (US) and China. As innovative European companies grow, they struggle to attract the necessary technical and financial support within the continent. The European Commission plans to put forward a legislative proposal for a 28th regime as part of a programme of measures to boost the EU’s innovation ecosystem. The European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) is preparing a legislative-initiative report to inform the development of this proposal. This briefing, produced at the request of the committee, seeks to support its work on the file. The research identified four issues that are relevant for EU action: (1) the EU financial system has a low appetite for risk; (2) innovative companies struggle to attract workers (within the EU and beyond) with the relevant skills; (3) innovative companies face a high cost of failure and/or restructuring; and (4) there is high variation in laws affecting companies across the EU. While the proposed Savings and Investments Union could help to address the immediate and pressing demand for capital from innovative European companies, other measures such as the 28th regime could be complementary and offer European added value. Establishing one common set of EU-wide rules and introducing an EU stock option plan could boost the regime’s attractiveness for innovative European companies. Embedding links to the EU innovation ecosystem and ‘European preference’ incentives could also be beneficial. Levelling the playing field for innovative European companies, particularly by reducing the period of time to establish a company, complete funding rounds and advance through the lifecycle, could help to attract venture capital and boost the number of innovative scale-ups.