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Category: China

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressional Taiwan Caucus Co-Chairs’ Statement on the Passing of Gerry Connolly

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. –  U.S. Representatives Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL), Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA), and Andy Barr (R-KY), co-chairs of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, issued the following statement on the passing of co-chair Congressman Gerry Connolly:

    “We are deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Congressman Gerry Connolly, a dedicated public servant and a fierce champion of the U.S.-Taiwan relationship. As Co-Chair of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, Gerry brought unmatched conviction, vision, and leadership to the forefront of U.S. policy toward Taiwan.

    “Congressman Connolly was instrumental in advancing critical legislation that strengthened Taiwan’s international standing and deepened our economic ties. He led the introduction of the Taiwan International Solidarity Act, a firm response to efforts by the People’s Republic of China to distort United Nations Resolution 2758 and marginalize Taiwan on the global stage. His work made clear that Taiwan’s future must be determined by the people of Taiwan—not imposed through coercion or misrepresentation. 

    “He also spearheaded the Taiwan Tax Agreement Act, an important step toward eliminating double taxation and facilitating greater U.S.-Taiwan cross-border investment and innovation. This bipartisan legislation exemplified his understanding that economic cooperation is a core pillar of a strong, secure, and mutually beneficial partnership. 

    “Beyond legislation, Congressman Connolly was a steadfast advocate for democracy, human rights, and the values that unite the people of the United States and Taiwan. He visited Taiwan nearly two dozen times during his time working in the private sector and serving in Congress. He approached his work on the U.S.-Taiwan relationship with passion, principle, and a deep respect for the people of Taiwan. 

    “His absence will be deeply felt within the Congressional Taiwan Caucus and across Congress. We honor his legacy by continuing the work to which he dedicated so much of his life. 

    “Our thoughts are with his family, staff, and constituents during this time of profound loss.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Golden statement on courts’ rulings over Trump tariffs

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)

    WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) released the following statement in response to court rulings today regarding emergency tariffs imposed by President Trump under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act: 

    “While the executive and judicial branches debate the limits of executive authority, one thing is clear: The decades-old free-trade consensus is a failure. It has been great for Wall Street and multinational corporations, but a disaster for American workers, American industry and manufacturing communities across our country. We traded good jobs and an ability to make things ourselves for foreign investment and cheap goods produced overseas.

    “There is no question that Congress has the authority to step in and start to reverse the damage. First, we should pass the BUILT USA Act, my bill to rebalance trade and reinvigorate American manufacturing with a 10 percent global tariff — the foundation of the president’s tariff agenda. Then, we can turn our attention to rewriting the deeply flawed U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA) and renegotiating our trade relationship with China, which has consistently undermined our workers and our nation’s economic strength with unfair trade practices.

    “It’s time for Congress to do its job.” 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: View of night sky in Heilongjiang, NE China

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

    View of night sky in Heilongjiang, NE China

    Updated: June 2, 2025 16:57 Xinhua
    This photo taken on June 2, 2025 shows a view of aurora in Heihe City, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on June 2, 2025 shows a view of aurora in Hailin City, Mudanjiang City, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on June 1, 2025 shows a view of aurora in Fujin City, Jiamusi City, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on June 1, 2025 shows a view of aurora in Qiqihar City, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This stitched photo taken on June 1, 2025 shows a view of aurora and the Milky Way in Fujin City, Jiamusi City, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on June 2, 2025 shows a view of aurora in Shangzhi City, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This long exposure photo taken on June 1, 2025 shows an astronomy enthusiast watching the sky in the Wangkui County, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on June 2, 2025 shows a view of aurora in Huachuan County of Jiamusi City, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese researchers release Tianshan watershed streamflow dataset

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

    Chinese researchers have released a streamflow dataset of Tianshan Mountains watersheds, the key source region of Central Asian rivers.

    The study, led by researchers from the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was published in the journal Scientific Data.

    The dataset compiles daily streamflow data for 56 watersheds and monthly data for 89 watersheds in the Tianshan Mountains. The researchers reconstructed streamflow observations by integrating data from both domestic and international monitoring stations.

    The study revealed an overall increasing trend in Tianshan streamflow, which was particularly prominent between 1990 and 2019. Spatially, it showed higher streamflow in the west and south, and lower streamflow in the east and north.

    Due to scarcity of data and complex hydrological conditions in the Tianshan region, long-term and complete streamflow data are still lacking, said Li Shuai, first author of this study.

    “This is the first comprehensive and long-term streamflow modeling and data reconstruction effort at the watershed scale in the Tianshan Mountains,” said Li.

    The dataset fills the gap in the availability of comprehensive streamflow data for smaller basins in the Tianshan Mountains, and provides essential data for managing water resources and assessing the impact of climate change in the region, according to the study. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s Dragon Boat Festival holiday box office revenue hits 400M yuan

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

    As of 12:47 p.m. on Monday, China’s box office revenue for the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival holiday had surpassed 400 million yuan (about $55.67 million), a significant increase compared to the same period last year, according to box office tracker Maoyan.

    A still image from “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.” [Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures]

    The summer blockbuster “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,” the eighth installment in the long-running Hollywood action franchise, leads the holiday box office chart. As of 12:47 p.m., the film had grossed about 165.31 million yuan during the holiday period.

    As this year’s Dragon Boat Festival coincides with the International Children’s Day, the holiday lineup features a variety of family-friendly animated films that have captivated audiences nationwide.

    The second to fourth spots of the holiday box office chart were dominated by animated films, including Japanese animated film “Doraemon the Movie: Nobita’s Art World Tales,” domestic animated adventure “Endless Journey of Love,” and Disney’s live-action adaptation of “Lilo & Stitch.”

    The Dragon Boat Festival — also known as the Duanwu Festival — falls on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar. This year, it was celebrated on May 31, and the holiday continues from May 31 to June 2. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Mongolia, Turkmenistan sign cooperation documents

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

    Mongolia and Turkmenistan have signed several cooperation documents to enhance bilateral ties, according to the Mongolian presidential office website on Monday.

    The documents, which include a joint statement on further development of cooperation between Mongolia and Turkmenistan, as well as memorandums of understanding on cooperation in health, education, science, media, culture and light industry, were signed in Ulan Bator, capital of Mongolia.

    Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov arrived in Ulan Bator on Sunday evening for a two-day state visit at the invitation of Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, accompanied by a high-ranking delegation. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese-supported shelter offers hope, care to Pakistani orphans

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

    Muhammad Shahab has been living with his sister at the Islamabad China-Pakistan Youth One Heart Step and Cure Home (ICOSH), a compassionate shelter made possible through the generous support of the Chinese people, and has found strength, comfort and courage to dream of a brighter future.

    An orphan with no relatives, Shahab lost his mother, who bravely fought oral cancer. In her final days, she entrusted ICOSH with her children, a gesture that speaks volumes about the trust and love she felt for this place.

    “This home means everything to us. The Pakistani staff treats us with kindness and care, and Chinese friends visit us every week to see how we are doing. They ensure we have access to quality education, nutritious meals, and a safe, loving environment. ICOSH is more than a home, it is our protection, our hope, and our family,” the 11-year-old, who has been living in the home for about a year, told Xinhua.

    Established in 2023 by the Beijing One Heart Sphere Charity Foundation and the China-Pakistan Youth Exchange Community (CPYEC), ICOSH began with the mission of assisting critically ill Pakistani patients seeking treatment in the capital. Today, it has grown into a haven offering temporary shelter for disabled and seriously ill children, as well as full-time residence for 21 orphans, including Shahab.

    Shahab’s late mother, who stayed at the compassionate home for several months, deeply appreciated the care she received and asked the center’s administration to look after her children after her passing, according to Sobia Adnan, the Pakistani director of ICOSH.

    “She was a seriously ill patient who entrusted her children to us based on her own experience here,” Sobia said. “It reflects the deep trust that people have in ICOSH.”

    She added that all orphans at the center have experienced some form of trauma in their lives, like Shahab and his sister, who witnessed their mother’s passing after a battle with cancer. Beyond meeting their basic needs, ICOSH places strong emphasis on the emotional well-being of the children.

    To support this, volunteer teachers visit the children in their rooms, fostering a nurturing and understanding environment where they can heal and thrive, she added.

    Since its establishment, ICOSH has provided care and assistance to 130 children who stayed temporarily while receiving treatment for various illnesses, before leaving once cured, Sobia said.

    The resident orphans attend local schools, with their education fully funded by Chinese support. In the future, based on their interests and talents, these children may be sent to China for higher education after completing their college education in Pakistan.

    “The center is a ray of hope for poor, underprivileged children who would have faced life’s hardships alone if the Chinese people had not extended their hand and offered them warmth,” she added.

    Speaking to Xinhua, Ma Bin, the head of the CPYEC, said the center embodies the deep friendship between the Pakistani and Chinese peoples.

    Since its inception, ICOSH has upheld the principle of “people-to-people communication,” offering shelter, medical care, and educational support to impoverished families and orphans.

    “Every recovered child and every smiling face tell the heartfelt story of China-Pakistan friendship. Love knows no borders, and good deeds have no boundaries. To support these beloved Pakistani children, many Chinese enterprises in Pakistan, with the backing of the Chinese embassy, have joined forces in this public welfare initiative, creating a strong relay of charitable efforts,” he said.

    “This collaboration not only empowers the development of vulnerable families but also helps the Belt and Road Initiative’s vision of people-to-people connectivity take root. We believe that even more social forces will join this caring mission in the future,” Ma added.

    As the partnership between Pakistan and China continues to strengthen, initiatives like this shelter stand as powerful symbols of solidarity and hope, Shiffa Butt, a volunteer at the home, told Xinhua.

    “Through sustained support and shared commitment, countless vulnerable children are being given the chance to rebuild their lives, pursue education, and dream of a brighter tomorrow, demonstrating the enduring impact of friendship beyond borders,” she added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 8 injured in Colorado ‘targeted terror attack’

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

    Eight people were injured Sunday in “a targeted terror attack” in Boulder, Colorado, authorities said.

    The suspect was identified as Mohamed Sabry Soliman, said Mark Michalek, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Denver office, on Sunday evening at a news conference.

    Boulder police confirmed Sunday night that eight people, namely four women and four men, were injured in the attack. Officials initially told news outlets that six victims had been taken to hospitals.

    The 45-year-old suspect was allegedly heard yelling “Free Palestine” while using a “makeshift flamethrower” during the attack. He was also reportedly heard yelling “They are killers” and “How many children you killed.”

    Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said at a news conference that Boulder dispatch received several calls reporting an incident at the county courthouse in downtown Boulder at approximately 1:26 p.m. local time (1926 GMT).

    Police officers found several victims suffering from burns and other injuries upon arriving at the scene.

    An organizer with Run For Their Lives, a group that holds weekly walks to raise awareness about Israeli hostages held in Gaza — told local television station KUSA that a man was waiting with bottles when they arrived at the historic courthouse near 13th and Pearl Streets.

    The suspect threw the bottles, burning multiple people, including a woman who was severely injured and had to roll on the ground to extinguish the flames, according to the report.

    One of the victims is a Holocaust survivor, said the report.

    In a social media post, FBI Director Kash Patel said, “We are aware of and fully investigating a targeted terror attack in Boulder, Colorado.”

    White House deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security advisor Stephen Miller said in a social media post that the terror attack was committed by “an illegal alien.”

    Fox News reported that Soliman is an Egyptian national who overstayed his visa after entering the United States, citing Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sources.

    CNN reported authorities are working to determine whether the suspect may have suffered mental health issues.

    “He’s shirtless, screaming, used rudimentary (explosive) devices, and stuck around to be arrested,” a source told CNN.

    Colorado Governor Jared Polis condemned the attack as a “heinous and targeted act on the Jewish community” in a statement.

    “Hate is unacceptable in our Colorado for all, and I condemn this act of terror. The suspect should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” he added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s westernmost border port goes 24/7 to boost Central Asia trade

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

    The Irkeshtam port in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region launched a trial of 24-hour freight clearance operations on Sunday, making it the second land port in the region and the first in southern Xinjiang to adopt such a system. This move is aimed at enhancing trade logistics between China and Central Asia, according to the local immigration inspection station.

    As China’s westernmost land port, Irkeshtam serves as a critical gateway to Kyrgyzstan and a hub for Central and West Asia, with rising cross-border activity and robust transport demand.

    To support the round-the-clock operations, the Irkeshtam immigration inspection station optimized staffing through shift rotations and implemented “on-arrival inspection” for freight vehicles, which strikes a balance between security and efficiency.

    Jiang Zhidong, chairman of the Kashgar-based Xinjiang Jiujiuxi International Trade Co., Ltd., said that the system will significantly boost cargo efficiency, cut logistics costs, further energize port operations and unleash foreign trade potential.

    Statistics show that port traffic has surged this year at Irkeshtam, with the station handling over 105,800 trips and 98,500 vehicles by Sunday, up 80 percent and 79 percent year on year, respectively. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Africa’s new credit rating agency could change the rules of the game. Here’s how

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Daniel Cash, Reader in Law, Aston University

    For governments, a credit rating is more than a financial signal. It is a verdict that can influence the cost of borrowing, access to markets and, ultimately, the ability to provide for their citizens.

    Rating decisions are made behind closed doors in a private process that isn’t open to assessment or scrutiny.

    For African countries, this opacity can be especially damaging. When rating decisions lack transparency, it’s impossible to challenge potential biases or inconsistencies in methodology that put developing economies at a disadvantage. The result is higher borrowing costs that drain resources from healthcare, education and infrastructure investment.

    Africa’s new credit rating agency has the chance to change this. The African Credit Rating Agency is an initiative under development by the African Union and its partners. It is more than a new entrant; it is an attempt to rethink how financial authority is earned, exercised and scrutinised. The new agency plans to introduce transparent governance structures that could revolutionise rating methodology.

    As a researcher who has looked closely at the working of rating agencies, I believe this opportunity to bring transparency to financial governance isn’t just about better ratings. It’s a step towards economic sovereignty.

    Success for the African Credit Rating Agency shouldn’t be measured by whether it displaces the “big three” rating agencies (Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s and Fitch). The real question isn’t whether an African agency can compete, but rather whether it can show the world how to rate credit differently.

    A flawed process

    The three big agencies do publish their methodologies – their criteria and risk models. This creates an illusion of transparency. Yet the final judgments emerge from committee meetings that produce no public record, no accountability, and no right of meaningful appeal.

    These rating committees typically comprise five to 10 analysts who meet in closed sessions to make each sovereign rating decision. S&P, Moody’s and Fitch each operate internal rating committees for every sovereign rating decision. The deliberations, dissenting views, and specific reasoning behind final votes remain confidential. Only a brief summary is provided with a rating decision.

    Research has shown that credit rating agencies are more accurate at assessing the creditworthiness of advanced economies than developing economies. There have also been studies on the discrepancy between what is expected when the public methodologies are applied and what the agencies actually rate. These studies have been done for economies like Hong Kong and China, but no equivalent research has yet been undertaken for African sovereigns.

    This discrepancy exposes an accountability void. When methodology-based predictions miss the mark, we must question what happens in those committee rooms. Especially when African nations are being assessed by analysts stationed continents away, with limited understanding of local economic and political realities.

    The African Credit Rating Agency could make three changes to the way ratings are done:

    • through public deliberations

    • by forming hybrid committees

    • with technological intervention.

    First, it could release committee transcripts within 30 days of each decision. This would give markets and governments unprecedented insight into rating rationales. This isn’t radical – central banks already publish meeting minutes, and courts publish opinions with dissenting views.

    Second, it could pioneer panels that include not only rating analysts, but regional economists, sectoral specialists, and even civil society observers. All with recorded votes. This diversified expertise would disrupt “group think” while capturing nuances of African economies that traditional agencies overlook.

    I have examined this idea from the perspective of injecting climate and sustainability-related expertise into credit rating committees. I believe this is a crucial step to take to evolve the concept of the credit rating committee.

    Third, the agency could use artificial intelligence to analyse patterns across committee discussions, flagging potential regional biases or inconsistent methodology application. It might be able to use secure digital ledgers to create unchangeable records of decisions.

    Why the big three keep it closed

    The industry thrives on privacy – protecting proprietary methodologies and shielding decisions from external challenge. And the natural oligopoly (a market dominated by a few large players due to high entry barriers, reinforced by market preference for predictability) helps it stay that way.

    The sovereign credit ratings of the three big agencies are built on quantitative and qualitative factors. But research shows that sovereign ratings are subjected to qualitative understandings. This puts developing economies at a disadvantage when agencies demonstrate pro-western biases because they lack data or knowledge.

    The impact of a credit rating downgrade for a sovereign borrower is usually multifaceted. Research shows that a single-notch downgrade can raise borrowing costs by more than 100 basis points, equivalent to an extra US$100 million annually on a US$10 billion bond.

    Investors prefer fewer, stronger signals rather than many competing views. So there’s little incentive for established players to change. The African Credit Rating Agency, as a new entrant, can offer something the incumbents won’t: governance innovation that serves both markets and nations.

    Radical openness will shake markets, at least at first. Committee members might face political pressure. Transparency alone doesn’t guarantee fair outcomes.

    But the world already demands transparency from central banks and constitutional courts. Why accept anything less from institutions that shape sovereign destiny?

    Next steps

    By 2050, one in four people on Earth will be African. The financial architecture serving them must evolve towards systems that recognise the continent’s unique strengths.

    Opening the rating committee to view represents more than technical reform – it’s about shifting who holds power in global finance. If it does this, the African agency won’t just deliver better ratings; it will model how global finance can be governed more justly.

    – Africa’s new credit rating agency could change the rules of the game. Here’s how
    – https://theconversation.com/africas-new-credit-rating-agency-could-change-the-rules-of-the-game-heres-how-257138

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI China: Uzbekistan finalizes WTO accession talks with Britain

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

    Uzbekistan has finalized World Trade Organization (WTO) accession talks with Britain, Azizbek Urunov, special representative of the president of Uzbekistan on WTO issues, said on Saturday.

    Urunov announced the completion of bilateral negotiations with Britain on LinkedIn. “Since then we have gone through internal procedures to sign the Protocol on the margins of the 10th Working Party meeting in Geneva on June 12, 2025,” he wrote.

    Britain is the 24th country to finish bilateral market access negotiations with Uzbekistan, he added, noting that “a few more WTO members are left for the entire completion of bilaterals.”

    According to his press office, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on May 14 reviewed Uzbekistan’s efforts and gave specific instructions to accelerate and systematically organize the accession process.

    “As part of the bilateral track, negotiations have been held with 33 countries on market access, of which talks with 24 countries have already been successfully concluded,” the press service said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Tokyo stocks end lower amid concerns over changing U.S. tariffs

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

    Tokyo stocks retreated Monday amid growing concerns over the flip-flops in U.S. tariff policies following President Donald Trump’s decision to double tariff rates on steel and aluminum.

    Japan’s benchmark Nikkei stock index, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average, ended down 494.43 points, or 1.30 percent, from Friday at 37,470.67.

    The broader Topix index, meanwhile, finished 24.28 points, or 0.87 percent, lower at 2,777.29.

    On the stock market, sentiment was dampened over fears of a global economic slowdown after Trump said Friday that he will raise tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to 50 percent from 25 percent imposed by his administration earlier this year.

    The benchmark Nikkei index briefly lost more than 500 points as heavyweight semiconductor-related shares faced selling after declines by their U.S. counterparts late last week. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Mongolia and Turkmenistan signed a number of documents on cooperation

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    ULAN BATOR, June 2 (Xinhua) — Mongolia and Turkmenistan have signed a number of documents on further development of bilateral relations and cooperation, the press service of the President of Mongolia said on Monday.

    The documents, including a joint statement on further development of cooperation between Mongolia and Turkmenistan, as well as memorandums of understanding on cooperation in the fields of healthcare, education, science, media, culture and light industry, were signed in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia.

    Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov arrived in the capital of Mongolia on Sunday evening for a two-day state visit at the invitation of Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, accompanied by a high-ranking delegation.

    This is the first state visit of the President of Turkmenistan to Mongolia since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1992. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: K. Nawrocki wins presidential elections in Poland

    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

    WARSAW, June 2 (Xinhua) — Karol Nawrocki, an independent candidate backed by the opposition Law and Justice party, has won the second round of Poland’s presidential election, the country’s National Electoral Commission said on Monday.

    The final result, marked “elected in the second round,” was posted next to K. Navrotsky’s name on the official website of the State Electoral Commission on Monday.

    Historian and head of the Institute of National Remembrance of Poland K. Nawrocki received 50.89% of the votes in the second round of the presidential elections, defeating Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, representing the ruling Civic Coalition, who received 49.11%.

    K. Nawrocki, born in 1983 in Gdansk, will replace the current president, Andrzej Duda, whose second and final term ends on August 6. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Six killed in road accident in central Myanmar

    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

    YANGON, June 2 (Xinhua) — Six people were killed and 11 others were injured when a passenger bus overturned in central Myanmar’s Mandalay region, a local fire department official told Xinhua on Monday.

    He said the passenger bus carrying about 19 passengers skidded off the road due to rain and overturned in Meiktila township in Mandalay at around 3:30 a.m. local time on Monday.

    All the victims were taken to a local hospital, he added. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chief adviser to Bangladesh caretaker government urges Chinese investors to make the country their home and manufacturing hub

    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

    DHAKA, June 2 (Xinhua) — Chief Adviser to Bangladesh’s Caretaker Government Muhammad Yunus on Sunday called on Chinese investors to make the country their homeland and manufacturing hub.

    Speaking at the China-Bangladesh Investment and Trade Conference, M. Yunus said Chinese companies are masters of manufacturing and Bangladesh wants to be their partner.

    According to him, the interim government of Bangladesh is consistently implementing reforms, improving the investment climate, streamlining the legal framework and providing favorable conditions for business activities.

    M. Yunus suggested that Chinese investors explore the vast opportunities that Bangladesh offers in textile, pharmaceutical, food and agro-processing, fisheries and information technology.

    The conference was attended by more than 400 representatives from Chinese and Bangladeshi enterprises and business associations. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Number of victims in bridge collapse in Bryansk region reaches 104 — governor

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    Moscow, June 2 /Xinhua/ — The total number of victims in the collapse of a bridge in the Bryansk region has reached 104, the region’s governor Alexander Bogomaz told reporters.

    “Today we have 104 victims in total. Seven dead, 104 injured. It turns out that three are “serious”, the rest /are in a condition/ of moderate severity and mild,” TASS quotes the governor as saying.

    On the evening of May 31, in the Bryansk region, a road bridge and a truck driving on it collapsed onto a passenger train. The locomotive and four carriages derailed, and one carriage was crushed by the bridge debris. There were 388 people on the train. Seven people died. Sixty-four passengers were hospitalized in the region and Moscow, the Russian Ministry of Health reported earlier. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: MoonFox Data Releases New Report: Pop Mart’s Emotional Consumption Model Drives Global Expansion and Record Growth

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Shenzhen, June 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — [Shenzhen, China] – [June 1, 2025] – MoonFox Data, a leading provider of market intelligence and data analytics, today released its latest report, “Pop Mart Business Decoded: Measuring the Value of Emotional Consumption.” The report reveals how Pop Mart, a pioneer in the pop toy industry, has leveraged emotional consumption and IP innovation to achieve record-breaking growth and global expansion in 2024 and 2025.

    The year 2025 is undoubtedly a landmark year for Pop Mart. At the end of March, the company released financial results that drew wide attention across the industry: Pop Mart’s 2024 revenue exceeded RMB 13 billion, a fivefold increase since its listing on the HKEX in 2020. Just before the Labor Day holiday, the Pop Mart app topped the U.S. App Store shopping chart for the first time, with American consumers queuing overnight to purchase new releases. Despite tariff pressures, its new products continued to see rapid growth overseas…

    16 years after its founding, Pop Mart’s ambition to “become a global super IP” is gradually materializing. What was once a trend-led toy store has transformed into a spiritual refuge for young people. So how exactly has Pop Mart captured the hearts of youth both in China and abroad? And what challenges lie ahead?

    I.        A Look Back: Repeated Comebacks in Brand Development

    1. In the Early Stages, Focused Track and Model Innovation Drove Growth

    Founded in 2010, Pop Mart began as an offline “trendy variety store” and struggled to survive amid the rise of e-commerce. In 2015, the founder drew inspiration from Japan’s blind box trend and introduced the popular Hong Kong pop toy BabyMolly to the Chinese mainland market. Pop Mart also secured domestic distribution rights for Japan’s Sonny Angel, successfully pivoting from a variety store to a curated pop toy store.

    However, in the following year, the termination of several IP licensing agreements forced the company to pivot again. Pop Mart began aggressively seeking collaborations with original designers to acquire copyright partnerships. In 2016, it launched its own IP blind box product, the Molly Zodiac Series, which became a growth driver. At the time, Pop Mart’s pop toy model of fast product rotation, bulk sales, and the blind box mechanism was a novelty that disrupted the traditional toy market. From then on, Pop Mart shifted from an offline retail distributor to an IP operator, with Molly becoming its signature icon.

    2. After Going Public: Diversification to Break the Revenue Ceiling

    Pop Mart entered the overseas market in 2018 and continued its steady revenue growth after its 2020 IPO. However, from 2020 to 2022, its gross profit margin declined continuously. By 2022, Pop Mart hit a growth bottleneck, with negative product reviews on social media indicating weakening consumer interest in blind boxes.

    In 2022, Pop Mart’s gross profit margin dropped by 4%, and operating profit fell by 49%. Domestically, revenue declined not only due to pandemic-related disruptions to offline store sales, but also because of a slump in online channel performance.

    Table 1: Pop Mart Annual Revenue and Profit Changes (2018 – 2024)

    Year Revenue Gross Profit Operating Profit Gross Profit Margin Revenue Growth Gross Profit Growth Operating Profit Growth
    2018 0.51 billion 0.3 billion 0.13 billion 57.9 % 225 % 296 % 2951 %
    2019 1.68 billion 1.09 billion 0.6 billion 64.8 % 227 % 266 % 348 %
    2020 2.51 billion 1.59 billion 0.72 billion 63.4 % 49 % 46 % 20 %
    2021 4.49 billion 2.76 billion 1.15 billion 61.4 % 79 % 73 % 60 %
    2022 4.62 billion 2.65 billion 0.58 billion 57.5 % 3 % -4 % -49 %
    2023 6.3 billion 3.86 billion 1.23 billion 61.3 % 36 % 46 % 111 %
    2024 13.04 billion 8.71 billion 4.15 billion 66.8 % 107 % 125 % 238 %

    Data Source: Company financial reports, compiled by MoonFox Research Institute.

    Table 2: Pop Mart Annual Online and Offline Revenue Changes (2020 – 2024)

    Year Online Channel Revenue YoY Offline Channel Revenue YoY
    2020 0.95 billion 77 % 1.33 billion 35 %
    2021 1.9 billion 100 % 2.14 billion 61 %
    2022 1.92 billion 1 % 2.22 billion 4 %
    2023 1.68 billion -12 % 3.85 billion 74 %
    2024 4.15 billion 147 % 7.6 billion 97 %

    Data Source: Company financial reports, compiled by MoonFox Research Institute.

    In 2023, as offline economic activity rebounded, Pop Mart’s diversified business strategy began to show results. Its commitment to deepening overseas markets and refining IP operations laid the foundation for a strong performance in both 2024 and 2025.

    On one hand, the brand’s overseas expansion has become a key secondary growth driver. While revenue from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and overseas markets accounted for only 9.8% of total revenue in 2022, this proportion rose to 38.9% by 2024. Pop Mart has expanded its network of international concept stores across Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America, growing the total number of overseas stores to 130.

    Table 3: Number of Pop Mart Physical Stores in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and Overseas (2020 – 2024)

    Year Number of Stores Number of Robot Shops New Countries Entered Overseas Theme Stores
    2020 1 No statistics South Korea
    2021 7 9 Singapore and other Southeast Asian countries
    2022 43 120 UK, New Zealand, USA, Australia
    2023 80 159 France, Malaysia, Thailand, Netherlands
    2024 130 192 Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Italy, Spain Louvre Theme Store (Paris)
    K-POP Theme Store (South Korea)
    CRYBABY Theme Store (Thailand)

    Data Source: Company financial reports, compiled by MoonFox Research Institute.

    Table 4: Pop Mart’s Revenue of Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and Overseas (2021 – 2024)

    2021 – 2024 Annual Revenue of Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and Overseas
    Year Revenue Proportion Growth Rate
    2021 1.9 4.10 % 156 %
    2022 4.5 9.80 % 137 %
    2023 10.7 16.90 % 138 %
    2024 50.7 71.30 % 374 %
    2021 – 2024 Revenue Breakdown by Channel of Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and Overseas (RMB 100 million)
    Year Offline Channel Online Channel Wholesale & Other Channels
    2021 0.1 0.4   1.4  
    2022 1.5 0.9   2.1  
    2023 6.4 1.6   2.7  
    2024 30.7 14.6   5.4  
    2024 Regional Revenue Distribution of Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and Overseas (RMB 100 million)
    Region Revenue Proportion Growth Rate
    Southeast Asia 24 47.40 % 619 %
    East Asia & Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan 13.9 27.40 % 185 %
    North America 7.2 14.30 % 557 %
    Europe, Oceania & Others 5.5 10.90 % 311 %

    Data Source: Company financial reports, compiled by MoonFox Research Institute.

    On the other hand, the company has shifted its focus from pursuing rapid product launches and expanding the number of IPs to prioritizing IP quality. The period from 2020 to 2022 marked a critical phase of supply chain upgrades for Pop Mart, including greater supply chain flexibility, digital transformation of warehousing and logistics, the establishment of self-owned factories, and overseas warehouse construction, all of which laid a strong foundation for future growth. Around 2023, Pop Mart began transforming its overseas business model by bypassing intermediary distributors and transitioning to a DTC (Direct-to-consumer) approach. This shift significantly improved the company’s ability to reach global consumers quickly. As a result, e-commerce revenue from overseas independent platforms surged in 2024.

    Table 5: 2024 Pop Mart’s Online Revenue in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and Overseas Markets

    Online Channel Revenue (RMB 1 million) Proportion Growth Rate
    Pop Mart Official Website 531 36.50 % 1246 %
    Shopee 324 22.30 % 656 %
    TikTok 262 18.00 % 5780 %
    Other Online Channels 338 23.20 % 389 %

    Data Source: Company financial reports, compiled by MoonFox Research Institute.

    II.        Building Deeper Connections with Consumers: Accelerating IP Universe Development Through User Value Alignment

    1.        From the “Lipstick Effect” to a Lifestyle Brand: Cultivating Long-Term Consumption Habits

    Pop Mart has mastered the art of the blind box model. Before the product launch, intensive marketing campaigns are carried out, with each figurine being given a complete backstory. However, the blind box purchasing model extends the time it takes for consumers to have their expectations met. The unboxing experience after purchase creates delayed gratification and a sense of emotional reward. Meanwhile, the inherent consumer instinct to collect or complete a series further drives repeat purchases. While the inclusion of “hidden” editions creates an illusion of “scarcity”, adding perceived collectible value while stimulating consumer desire to purchase.

    With low individual costs, intricate design, rapid product updates, and wide variety, consumers often become “loyal fans” without realizing it. Generation Z, who value emotional expression and self-exploration, are willing to pay for emotional fulfillment. Character-driven dolls and figurines have become tools for self-solace. Meanwhile, the use of social media further transforms blind boxes into a form of social currency. From celebrities and macro influencers to niche KOLs and even KOCs of WeChat Moments, posting about figurines, unboxing videos, and product swaps has spurred enthusiasm and imitation among fans.

    Meanwhile, Pop Mart has deepened its IP development, expanding beyond toys into lifestyle products. For example, its original IP “HIRONO” features a rebellious child character whose lonely and aggrieved expressions still convey a defiant spirit, an image that has won over many fans. By 2025, the IP had evolved to its seventh generation, with related merchandise extending beyond blind boxes to include a wide range of products such as apparel, home goods, and digital accessories. In addition to blind boxes, “HIRONO” has expanded to apparel, home goods, and tech accessories. It also engages users emotionally through animated shorts, offline sculptures, and art exhibitions.

    Table 6: Revenue Contribution of “HIRONO” IP

    Revenue in 2024 Revenue Share Revenue in 2023 Revenue Share YoY Growth
    0.73 billion 5.60 % 0.35 billion 5.60 % 106.9 %

    Data Source: Company financial reports & public data, compiled by MoonFox Research Institute.

    2.        From Emotional Value to Cultural Identity: Brand Consumption as a Form of Self-Expression

    In 2025, American consumers queued overnight for LABUBU from the classic IP “THE MONSTER”, known for its mischievous grin and dark aesthetic, a sharp contrast to Pop Mart’s other characters. Initially positioned as a “forest sprite”, LABUBU saw modest success until a 2024 rebranding introduced plush-skinned vinyl dolls that went viral in Thailand and later gained traction in China.

    Today, LABUBU is not only a crowd favorite at Pop Mart’s themed parks but also a global “symbol of subculture”. The character’s sharp teeth, heterochromatic eyes, and dark style wrapped in soft textures challenge mainstream beauty standards, echoing youth subculture’s desire to break norms. On global social media platforms, celebrities like LISA, Rihanna, and Dua Lipa have been seen with LABUBU dolls, while fans engage in remakes and cosplay to express individuality.

    Table 7: Revenue Contribution of “THE MONSTER” IP

    Revenue in 2024 Revenue Share Revenue in 2023 Revenue Share YoY Growth
    3.04 billion 23.30 % 0.37 billion 5.80 % 726.6 %

    Data Source: Company financial reports & public data, compiled by MoonFox Research Institute.

    Through diversified operations and refined strategies, Pop Mart is steadily constructing an IP universe that meets consumer needs in socialization, emotional expression, and self-identity.

    Its in-house IP operations are now more finely segmented by target audience and product type, with distinct strategies for blockbuster development. For high-end consumers and international markets, Pop Mart strengthens its collaborations with cultural IPs across various fields, collaborating with cultural IPs, such as Chinese intangible heritage artists and British pop artists, producing limited editions (primarily under the MEGA line) that emphasize collectability and cultural expression. For mass-market consumers, collaborations between original IPs and fast fashion, coffee and beverage brands, and anime/gaming franchises have become routine, integrating Pop Mart products into daily life. Overseas, store design increasingly incorporates local cultural elements, offering immersive experiences, such as Korea’s K-POP theme store and France’s Louvre theme store, and launching regional co-branded limited editions to lower the threshold for cross-cultural interaction among consumers from different regions.

    On the operational front, the growth of figurine revenues has slowed in recent years. To adapt, the company has launched new product lines, including Molly Beans, plush toys, and the MEGA series. In 2024, plush and MEGA categories accounted for 35% of revenue and showed rapid growth, now forming a major revenue pillar. In physical retail, Pop Mart is expanding from pure retail to experiential offerings. Beyond traditional stores and vending machines, more themed parks, pop-up stores, and curated art exhibitions are being introduced to enhance customer engagement.

    III.        Cracks beneath the Billion-RMB Myth

    The booming pop toy industry is becoming increasingly competitive, with multiple players racing to innovate on both product and concept. As consumer aesthetics continue to evolve, this intensifies pressure on leading brands. TOPTOY, a pop toy chain under MINISO founded in 2020, has rapidly expanded into lower-tier cities with its more affordable pricing and iconic IP offerings. By the end of 2024, TOPTOY had opened 276 retail stores nationwide, generating over RMB 980 million in annual revenue. Meanwhile, classic international IPs are enjoying a resurgence in the Chinese market. In 2024, merchandise related to Harry Potter, the Disney 100th Anniversary, and Chiikawa surged in popularity, posing a growing challenge for the breakout success of original IPs. Backed by this trend, MINISO has leveraged the influence of established IPs to drive both revenue and brand recognition. The 2024 financial report shows the total revenues exceeding RMB 17 billion, a 22.8% YoY increase.

    Turning the lens back to Pop Mart itself, managing the lifecycle of original IPs, and the handoff between older and newer IPs, remains a critical challenge for pop toy companies to build their “super IPs”. Pop Mart has been launching original IPs for over a decade. Iconic characters such as Molly, LABUBU, and THE MONSTER have recently reignited consumer interest through new product categories and refreshed designs. At the same time, many emerging IPs have gained visibility and emotional resonance with post-2000s and even younger generations. As Pop Mart’s portfolio of original IPs continues to expand, more of these properties will face the challenge of prolonged life cycles in the future. Maintaining innovation and consistently creating hit products that resonate with the evolving preferences of young consumers will become a long-term challenge for the brand’s development.

    Overall, Pop Mart has successfully pioneered a business model that monetizes emotional value, anchoring its revenue growth in rich content and cultural significance. Its strong in-house production capabilities and DTC strategy have accelerated its reach among global consumers. While recent revenue surges are not a fleeting phenomenon, they do not come without risk. Looking ahead, Pop Mart must continue to enhance its content innovation capabilities to keep its IPs vibrant. Only by maintaining a careful balance between innovation and legacy, and between emotional appeal and cultural expression, can the brand sustain high growth and realize its long-term ambition of becoming a “super IP” powerhouse.

    About MoonFox Data

    As a sub-brand of Aurora Mobile, MoonFox Data is a leading expert in data insights and analysis services across all scenarios. With a comprehensive, stable, secure and compliant mobile big data foundation, as well as professional and precise data analysis technology and AI algorithms, MoonFox Data has launched iAPP, iBrand, iMarketing, Alternative Data and professional research and consulting services of MoonFox Research, aiming to help companies gain insights into market growth and make accurate business decisions.

    About Aurora Mobile

    Aurora Mobile (NASDAQ: JG) established in 2011, is a leading customer engagement and marketing technology service provider in China. Its business includes notification services, marketing growth, development tools, and data products.

    For Media Inquiries:
    Contact: zhouxt@jiguang.cn | Website: http://www.moonfox.cn/en

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressmen Krishnamoorthi and Moore Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Bring Electronics Manufacturing to America and Strengthen Supply Chains

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

    WASHINGTON – Congressmen Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Blake Moore (R-UT) have reintroduced bipartisan legislation to bolster domestic printed circuit board (PCB) and integrated circuit substrate production, which will strengthen U.S. supply chain security in a critical technology sector. The Protecting Circuit Boards and Substrates Act will encourage domestic PCB manufacturing and R&D to reduce supply chain disruptions, address national security concerns related to foreign PCB production, and further enhance America’s economic leadership.

     

    “While we’ve made real progress in domestic chip production, microchips can’t function without printed circuit boards – 90% of which are made in Asia, including half in the People’s Republic of China,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “Our bipartisan bill reduces that dangerous dependence by rebuilding U.S. manufacturing, strengthening supply chains, and supporting American workers.”

    “There has never been a more important time for Congress to get to work on reshoring our manufacturing and strengthening our critical supply chains,” Congressman Blake Moore said. “The Chinese government’s open willingness to withhold access to technology and rare earth minerals proves that we are in a race against Beijing at all levels of the microelectronics ecosystem. This bill provides a tried-and-true approach to incentivizing American companies to produce printed circuit boards here at home: it will maintain the integrity of military and national security commercial materials, boost our economy and workforce, and usher in a new era of American manufacturing. I am grateful to reintroduce this bill with Congressman Krishnamoorthi and am hopeful this bipartisan effort will successfully move through the legislative process.”

    “The PCBs Act addresses a critical and long-overlooked weakness in America’s electronics supply chain,” John W. Mitchell, IPC President and CEO, said. “Every electronic device relies on PCBs and substrates, but the U.S. no longer has the capabilities or capacity to meet current demand, much less address future technology requirements. This bill is a vital step toward rebuilding the nation’s ability to manufacture electronics from silicon to systems—an essential foundation for innovation, security, and economic strength.”

    “Remember, chips don’t float. They need printed circuit boards and substrates to connect to any electronic device. With production of American-made semiconductors ramping up, we need to do the same for PCBs. Without a concurrent increase in support for PCBs and substrates, those new American-made chips travel to Asia to be packaged with Asian-made PCBs and substrates,” Shane Whiteside, Chairman of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America (PCBAA) and CEO of Summit Interconnect, said. “We need to end our over reliance on Asia through public and private investment. This bill will set that in motion.”

    “From F-35s to F-150s, the modern world is built on printed circuit boards, and we need to make more of them in America,” David Schild, Executive Director of PCBAA, said. “This bill will lead to new factories, high paying jobs and an ecosystem to support the work being done by our colleagues in the semiconductor industry.”

    Background

    Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are the material on which semiconductors sit (often the green-colored surface in images of chips) and are a critical part of the supply chain. An assessment from the Departments of Commerce and Homeland Security called for domestic investment and production of key information and communications technology products such as PCBs.

    The Protecting Circuit Boards and Substrates Act includes the following provisions to incentivize domestic PCB manufacturing and R&D:

    1. Provides a 25% tax credit for the purchase or acquisition of American-made PCBs;

    2. Establishes a financial assistance program, modeled on the CHIPS for America Act, for American facilities manufacturing or researching PCBs;

    3. Requires a Presidential determination for single financial awards over $150 million;

    4. Provides for delay and technology clawbacks of award funds in the event that funding is not used efficiently or in a manner that raises national security concerns;

    5. Authorizes appropriations of $3 billion to carry out the program.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman DeSaulnier Statement on Independent, Nonpartisan Agency Finding that the Trump Administration Broke the Law by Blocking Electric Vehicle Funding

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier Representing the 11th District of California

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, made the following statement after the Government Accountability Office (GAO), an independent, nonpartisan government agency, issued a legal opinion finding that the Trump Administration violated the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 by illegally withholding funds for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program.

    “When the Trump Administration illegally suspended implementation of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program in February, I immediately called on the Secretary of Transportation to reverse this reckless decision that would set us back in the fight against climate change, surrender global competitiveness to China, and hurt American drivers’ bottom lines.

    I am pleased the GAO has issued this finding that the Administration’s actions were not just foolish – they were illegal. Congress appropriated funding for the NEVI program and the Department of Transportation must implement it by immediately releasing the previously approved funds to the states.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: At the Irkeshtam checkpoint on the Chinese-Kyrgyz border, customs clearance of goods has begun on a trial basis in the “24/7” mode

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    URUMQI, June 2 (Xinhua) — The 24/7 customs clearance regime officially began trial operation at the Irkeshtam border checkpoint on the China-Kyrgyzstan border in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Sunday, the local border control agency said.

    Thus, Irkeshtam, which is the westernmost land border crossing of China, became the second such checkpoint in Xinjiang, where it was possible to ensure continuous operation in the field of customs clearance of goods, following the Khorgos checkpoint. This will further contribute to the uninterrupted trade and logistics channels between China and Central Asia.

    There has been a steady increase in the number of people and vehicles entering and leaving China through the Irkeshtam checkpoint in recent years, indicating high demand for cross-border transportation.

    According to Jiang Zhidong, chairman of a local international trade company, 24/7 customs clearance of goods will significantly improve the efficiency of cargo transit through Irkeshtam and reduce logistics costs.

    According to data as of June 1, the number of people and vehicles that passed through the Irkeshtam checkpoint after inspection amounted to more than 105,800 person-times and more than 98,500 units, respectively, which is 80 percent and 79 percent more in annual terms.

    Since the trial launch of the 24/7 customs clearance regime for cargo at 10:00 on Sunday, as of 08:00 on Monday, a total of 966 incoming and outgoing trucks have been checked and cleared at the Irkeshtam checkpoint. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese researchers release dataset on water flow from river basins in Tianshan Mountains

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    URUMQI, June 2 (Xinhua) — Chinese researchers have released data on river runoff in the Tianshan Mountains watershed, an important region where Central Asian rivers flow.

    The study, conducted by scientists from the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was published in the journal Scientific Data.

    The dataset collected daily runoff data from 56 river basins and monthly data from 89 river basins in the Tianshan Mountains. The researchers reconstructed runoff observations by combining data from both local and international monitoring stations.

    The study found a general trend of increasing water runoff in the Tianshan Mountains watersheds, which was particularly noticeable between 1990 and 2019. Spatially, it showed increasing runoff in the west and south and decreasing runoff in the east and north.

    According to the first author of this study, Li Shuai, due to data shortage and complex hydrological conditions in the Tianshan region, there is still no consistent and systematic data on river runoff.

    “This is the first comprehensive and long-term study on streamflow modeling and data reconstruction at the watershed scale in the Tianshan Mountains,” Li Shuai said.

    According to the results, the study helped to obtain comprehensive data on river runoff from small basins in the Tianshan Mountains and provides necessary data for water resources management and impact assessment of extreme weather events in the region. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Uzbekistan and the UK have completed bilateral negotiations on WTO accession

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    Tashkent, June 2 /Xinhua/ — Uzbekistan and the United Kingdom have completed bilateral negotiations on joining the WTO, the UzDaily.uz news portal reported on Sunday, citing the words of Uzbekistan’s chief negotiator Azizbek Urunov.

    “At the end of last month, we were in London to hold bilateral talks with the British side. Now I am happy to announce their completion,” A. Urunov noted. According to him, after returning to Tashkent, the Uzbek delegation carried out all the necessary internal procedures.

    It is noted that the UK has become the 24th country with which Uzbekistan has completed bilateral negotiations on market access.

    According to him, negotiations still need to be held with several WTO member countries to complete the entire process of bilateral agreements. The agreement reached with the UK is considered a significant step forward in the overall process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the international trading system. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Russian Foreign Minister and US Secretary of State Discuss Ukraine Crisis in Phone Call

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    Moscow, June 2 (Xinhua) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had a telephone conversation on Sunday. The parties discussed the situation related to the crisis around Ukraine. The corresponding information was published by the press service of the Russian Foreign Ministry on the same day.

    US Secretary of State M. Rubio expressed his sincere condolences over the civilian casualties resulting from the bombings of railway infrastructure in the Bryansk and Kursk regions on June 1.

    The Russian side emphasized that the competent authorities are conducting the most thorough investigation and the results will be published in the nearest future. The guilty parties will definitely be identified and will inevitably suffer the punishment they deserve.

    S. Lavrov and M. Rubio also exchanged views on various initiatives concerning the political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, including plans to resume direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations in Istanbul on June 2. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Summary: Ukraine announced attacks against Russian airfields, Russian Defense Ministry reported several aircraft units catching fire

    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

    Kyiv/Moscow, June 2 (Xinhua) — The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said Sunday that 34 percent of strategic cruise missile carriers at Russia’s main airfields were hit in an attack carried out on Sunday. The Russian Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said several aircraft caught fire.

    According to a message published by the SBU on Facebook, the estimated cost of the damaged strategic aviation is about 7 billion US dollars.

    The Interfax-Ukraine news agency, citing its sources, reported that drones struck four military airfields on Russian territory: Belaya in the Irkutsk region, Dyagilevo in the Ryazan region, Olenya in the Murmansk region, and Ivanovo in the Ivanovo region.

    According to the agency, more than forty A-50, Tu-95 and Tu-22 aircraft, which Russia used to strike Ukrainian territory, were hit as a result of the attack.

    The Russian Defense Ministry, in turn, reported that the Ukrainian side committed a terrorist attack using FPV drones against airfields in the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur regions. All terrorist attacks at military airfields in the Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur regions were repelled.

    According to the Russian military department, several aircraft units caught fire in the Murmansk and Irkutsk regions as a result of FPV drones being launched from the territory located in the immediate vicinity of airfields. The fires have been extinguished. There are no casualties among military personnel or civilian personnel. Some of the participants in the terrorist attacks have been detained.

    Irkutsk Region Governor Igor Kobzev reported on his Telegram channel that the first drone attack in Siberia took place in the region on a military unit in the village of Sredniy. “At the moment, it is known that this was a drone attack on a military unit in the village of Sredniy. The first in Siberia. One drop was on an old building in Novomaltinsk. The exact number of UAVs has not yet been counted. Operational and security services have been deployed to the scene: FSB officers, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and Russian National Guard fighters. They set up an operational headquarters. I also went to the Usolsky District,” I. Kobzev wrote. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: By the end of May 2025, 17.7 million heads of breeding cattle had produced offspring in Mongolia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    ULAN BATOR, June 2 (Xinhua) — By the end of May 2025, Mongolia’s breeding stock of cattle, or 17.7 million heads, counted at the beginning of the year, had produced offspring, local media reported on Monday, citing data from the country’s Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry.

    “Thus, since the beginning of 2025, the number of young animals has increased by 17.5 million heads compared to the same period of the previous year,” the official statement says.

    Livestock farming is one of the main levers of the Mongolian economy, as almost 40 percent of the country’s nomadic population depends on it.

    However, due to the harsh and long winter, most of the Mongolian nomadic herders lose their livestock every year, which reduces their livelihood.

    According to the National Statistical Committee of Mongolia, by the end of 2024, the total livestock population in the country decreased by 10.9 percent, amounting to 57.6 million heads. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Lidiya Kondratieva elected as an honorary professor of Henan Urban Development University (PRC)

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –

    Lidiya Nikitovna Kondratieva, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor of the Department of Geotechnics at SPbGASU, was elected as an Honorary Professor of Henan University of Urban Development (HUUC) in Pingdingshan, China, where she currently teaches.

    Lidiya Nikitovna has been working at SPbGASU since 2004. From 2004 to 2006, she was the vice-rector for educational work, from 2008 to 2015 – the head of the department of structural mechanics, then she became a professor of the department of geotechnics. From 2006 to 2014, she served as the academic secretary of the University Academic Council.

    She is a member of two dissertation councils: the first one is on structural mechanics, building structures, buildings and constructions; the second one is on foundations and bases, underground structures. She worked for a long time in the dissertation council on architecture. She was the scientific secretary of the first of the three named councils.

    Published more than 70 scientific and educational works.

    For her conscientious work, she has been repeatedly awarded university certificates. In 2005, she received gratitude from the Vice-Governor of St. Petersburg for many years of conscientious work and personal contribution to the development of the city’s construction industry, and was awarded the Certificate of Honor of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation. In 2012, she was awarded the title of “Honorary Worker of Higher Professional Education of the Russian Federation”.

    Henan University of Civil Engineering is one of the top 500 universities in China (according to the Shanghai Ranking). The university was founded in 1983. It is the only university in the field of civil engineering and urban development in Henan Province and one of two Chinese universities that train specialists in the field of urban engineering. In 2022, a cooperation agreement was signed between SPbGASU and Henan University of Civil Engineering.

    We wish Lidiya Nikitovna further creative and pedagogical success!

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Critical thinking key to AI education, experts say

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

    A student takes online course at home in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 17, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

    As intelligent digital transformation has dramatically reshaped higher education globally, universities must strengthen students’ competencies in critical thinking, creativity and ethical judgment to harness technological opportunities while addressing the risks, university presidents, professors and scholars said at a forum on Sunday.

    They made the remarks at the Global University Presidents Forum held at Southwestern University of Finance and Economics in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

    The forum, part of the university’s 100th anniversary celebrations, attracted presidents of over 100 universities from home and abroad. More than 30 experts delivered speeches on topics including intelligent digital transformation, innovation in global higher education and talent cultivation.

    Philip H. Dybvig, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis and 2022 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences, said reacting to AI is a challenge for universities at the moment, and it is a good example why students need to acquire both knowledge and critical thinking.

    Dybvig said, “Large language models such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek make a lot of tasks easier. However, to use LLMs most effectively, it will be essential to have knowledge of programming in general and knowledge of how they work in particular.”

    He emphasized that it will also be essential to use critical thinking to anticipate, identify and correct problems. “LLMs lack a moral filter and this must be provided by our students,” he added.

    Mary Gorman, vice-president for enrollment management and strategic academic initiatives at Baruch College, City University of New York, said that universities must prepare their students for a world that is not only rapidly changing but also increasingly reliant on AI-driven technologies.

    “To truly prepare our students for the digital era, we must weave AI into the fabric of our academic programs,” Gorman said, adding that the integration of AI into higher education must be guided by a strong ethical foundation.

    “We must teach students to critically evaluate when and how to use AI, and, crucially, when not to use it,” she said.

    To prepare students for workplace expectations, Gorman suggested universities adopt a phased approach to AI integration.

    “Early in their academic journey, students should focus on foundational skills — critical thinking, quantitative reasoning and ethical analysis,” she said. “Once these competencies are solidified, we can introduce AI as a tool for problem-solving and innovation.”

    Li Yongqiang, president of Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, emphasized that universities must adapt to the rapid evolution of intelligent science and technology by optimizing academic discipline structures.

    “We should place greater emphasis on cultivating AI literacy, deep learning capabilities, and future-oriented adaptability and creativity in students,” Li said, adding that universities should accelerate digital infrastructure development centered on data, computing power, disciplinary AI models and intelligent services.

    Universities must also be ready for the impact of intelligent digital transformation in fields including knowledge innovation, social interactions and institutional governance, he said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Beijing Ronald McDonald House hosts Children’s Day celebration

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

    The Beijing Ronald McDonald House held an International Children’s Day event on May 29 for children with critical illnesses and their families, featuring activities designed to provide support during medical treatment.

    Ronald McDonald poses for photos with children at the Beijing Ronald McDonald House during an International Children’s Day celebration, May 29, 2025. [Photo by Chen Xinyan/China.org.cn]

    The Beijing McDonald’s Volunteer Group, backed by Ronald McDonald House Charities of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, organized clay workshops, cookie-making, remote-controlled car races and games with the McDonald’s mascot.

    “I wish all the children at Beijing Ronald McDonald House a happy International Children’s Day and good health,” one volunteer said before the event began.

    While laughter and joy filled the air at the event, the children present were confronting serious health challenges, including tumors and blood disorders.

    Ronald McDonald interacts with children at the Beijing Ronald McDonald House during an International Children’s Day celebration, May 29, 2025. [Photo by Chen Xinyan/China.org.cn]

    One of three Ronald McDonald Houses in China, the Beijing facility sits across from Beijing Children’s Hospital and provides free temporary housing for families traveling long distances for their children’s medical treatment.

    The facility has 10 family rooms, a kitchen, laundry room, playroom and dining area. Staff organize regular events, including holiday parties and birthday celebrations, to support children during treatment.

    The facility provides more than just accommodation, serving as a “home away from home” for families with sick children, according to Li Huiru, director of the Beijing Ronald McDonald House.

    Ronald McDonald gives gifts to children at the Beijing Ronald McDonald House during an International Children’s Day celebration, May 29, 2025. [Photo by Chen Xinyan/China.org.cn]

    “For children at the Ronald McDonald House, International Children’s Day is the most anticipated moment of the year,” Li told China.org.cn. “We, as the organizers of the event, want to create joy and hope for these children on this special day.”

    The Ronald McDonald House program and broader community support enable children with severe diseases to receive high-quality care at leading children’s hospitals far from home.

    Children and their families engage in a clay-making activity at the Beijing Ronald McDonald House, May 29, 2025. [Photo by Chen Xinyan/China.org.cn]

    “The Ronald McDonald House has already provided beacons of hope for families with children battling severe diseases,” Li added. “We hope more facilities like ours will emerge to help these families navigate their children’s treatment more smoothly.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Museum of Chinese Gardens hosts Dragon Boat Festival cultural bazaar

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

    Editor’s Note: This Dragon Boat Festival holiday, the Museum of Chinese Gardens and Landscape Architecture is hosting a cultural bazaar featuring traditional Chinese embroidery and intangible cultural heritage crafts such as lacquer fan-making. Set within the museum’s classical garden grounds, these activities let visitors experience traditional crafts in an authentic historical setting.

    A girl in traditional attire poses for a photo at the Museum of Chinese Gardens and Landscape Architecture, Beijing, May 31, 2025. [Photo by Liao Jiaxin/China.org.cn]

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    MIL OSI China News –