NewzIntel.com

Category: China

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Pakistan and India expel each other’s diplomats

    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

    ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI, May 14 (Xinhua) — Pakistan and India on Tuesday announced the mutual expulsion of one diplomat each from the country, accusing the officials concerned of spying.

    Pakistan has declared an employee of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad persona non grata. The Foreign Ministry said the diplomat had been ordered to leave the country within 24 hours.

    The Indian Charge d’Affaires was summoned to the Pakistani Foreign Office, where he was handed an official note informing him of the decision, the ministry said. The Pakistani side also called on the Indian mission to ensure that its staff refrain from actions that are inconsistent with their diplomatic status.

    According to Indian media, the Indian government earlier said it had expelled an employee of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi and also asked him to leave the country within 24 hours.

    The Pakistani diplomat, who was declared persona non grata by Indian authorities, was “engaged in activities inconsistent with his official status in India,” according to a statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Regular Press Briefing of the Ministry of National Defense on May 8th, 2025 2025-05-14 Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers recent media queries concerning the military on March 8th, 2025.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense 2

    On the afternoon of May 8th, 2025, Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, Spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND), answered recent media queries concerning the military.

    Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers recent media queries concerning the military on May 8th, 2025.  (mod.gov.cn/Photo by Zhang Zhicheng)

    (The following English text is for reference. In case of any divergence of interpretation, the Chinese text shall prevail.)

    Zhang Xiaogang: I have two pieces of information to announce on the top.

    Firstly, in mid-to-late May, the Chinese and Cambodian militaries will hold the “Golden Dragon-2025” joint exercise in Cambodia. Focusing on joint counter-terrorism and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations, the exercise will be conducted both on land and at sea, as well as in relevant air spaces. Cultural and sports exchanges, and vessel open day activities will also be conducted. This exercise will be the 7th of its kind between the Chinese and Cambodian militaries. It will facilitate practical cooperation between the two sides and contribute to the building of a China-Cambodia all-weather community with a shared future for the new era.

    Secondly, from May 13th to 14th, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense will host the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Military Medicine Seminar in Xi’an. Under the theme of “Building an SCO Community with a Shared Future: Contributions from Military Medicine”, leaders of military health departments and medical experts from countries including Russia, Cambodia and Sri Lanka will attend the event. As the rotating presidency of the SCO this year, China will host multiple events including the SCO Defense Ministers’ Meeting and the Military Medicine Seminar, and actively contribute to building a closer SCO Community with a Shared Future.

    Journalist: It is reported that the “Eagles of Civilization-2025” joint air force training between China and Egypt has recently concluded. Could you please review this joint training and brief us on its features?

    Zhang Xiaogang: From April 17th to May 4th, the air forces of China and Egypt held the first “Eagles of Civilization-2025” joint training at an Egyptian air force base. The Chinese Air Force dispatched J-10C, KJ-500 and YY-20 aircraft to participate. This was the first time that China sent force packages to Africa for joint training, during which the two sides conducted drills on such subjects as air superiority operations, suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD), battlefield search and rescue, and mixed grouping. Discussions and exchanges on training models, air combat tactics and aerial refueling were also held. This joint training marks a new starting point for the cooperation between the Chinese and Egyptian militaries. It enhanced the technical and tactical competence of the participating troops, and deepened friendship, mutual trust, and practical cooperation between the two militaries. It is also an effective test of the Chinese Air Force’s capabilities in long-range force projection, agile deployment and systemic operations.

    (Video by Yu Hongchun, Jia Chong and Li Kangxi)

    Journalist: NATO recently released its annual report, labeling China as a “systemic challenge” and claiming that the country is rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal and that its policies pose a threat to the interests, security, and values of NATO member states. What’s your comment on that?

    Zhang Xiaogang: The relevant report by NATO reflects nothing but the Cold War mentality. The hype-up of the so-called “China threat” is in blatant disregard of the facts and simply barking up the wrong tree. China never seeks to challenge or threaten anyone. China’s nuclear policy is highly stable, consistent, and predictable. China unswervingly follows a nuclear strategy of self-defense, with its nuclear forces always kept at the minimum level required for national security.

    In contrast, NATO has been overreaching in recent years, expanding its remit, and interfering in the Asia-Pacific. These actions seriously undermine regional peace and stability. NATO possesses the world’s largest nuclear arsenal through its nuclear-sharing arrangements. Some member states are investing heavily in upgrading their strategic forces and there are plans to pursue nuclear submarine cooperation that would involve the large-scale transfer of weapon-grade nuclear material to non-nuclear-weapon states. Relevant practices constitute a grave violation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), severely undermine the international nuclear non-proliferation system, and deal a huge blow to global strategic security and stability. We urge NATO to take a hard look at its own actions instead of making groundless accusations and shifting blame onto others.

    Journalist: It is reported that during the Philippine-U.S. “Balikatan” exercise, the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong appeared in the waters north of the Philippines. Some analysts believe this might be a response to the Philippine-U.S. military exercise, or to the Philippine patrol vessel’s entering into the waters near Huangyan Dao. Furthermore, the Philippine Navy spokesperson claimed that the Philippine military and Taiwan troops are only one step away from holding joint exercises. What is your comment on this?

    Zhang Xiaogang: The Shandong aircraft carrier task group was conducting its annual training mission in relevant waters to further test and enhance the integrated combat capabilities of the carrier task group. This is in accordance with international law and common practice, and is not directed at any specific country or target.

    Certain individuals in the Philippines are colluding with external forces such as the U.S., to “stir up the sea” for selfish gains, undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea region. They even attempt to play with fire on the Taiwan question. We sternly warn the Philippine side to cease its infringements and provocations, and stop offending China’s core interest in any form. China will continue to take resolute and forceful measures to defend its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

    Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers recent media queries concerning the military on May 8th, 2025.  (mod.gov.cn/Photo by Zhang Zhicheng)

    Journalist: According to reports, the US Secretary of Defense has directed the development of the 2025 National Defense Strategy (NDS), with a particular focus on strengthening deterrence against China in the Indo-Pacific region. Besides, the US military also plans to establish a large storage facility in Subic Bay, the Philippines before 2026, to store weapons, equipment, and logistical supplies. What’s your comment?

    Zhang Xiaogang: To maintain its hegemony and selfish gains, the US has repeatedly made an issue out of China in a vain attempt to turn the Asia-Pacific into a powder keg and reduce certain countries to pawns on the front line. Such actions seriously undermine the security and well-being of peoples across the region. Facts have repeatedly proved that being America’s enemy is dangerous, but being America’s friend can be fatal. We urge the countries concerned not to invite the wolf into the house or willingly become its pawns, and not to undermine the hard-won peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Uzbekistan to host first meeting of Termez Dialogue on connectivity between Central and South Asia

    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

    Tashkent, May 14 (Xinhua) — The first meeting of the Termez Dialogue on Central and South Asian Interconnection on the theme “Building a Common Space of Peace, Friendship and Prosperity” will be held in Termez, Uzbekistan, on May 19-21, the Narodnoye Slovo newspaper reported on its website on Wednesday.

    The organizers are reportedly the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

    “The main goal of the dialogue is to form a multilateral discussion platform for the practical promotion of the special resolution of the UN General Assembly “Strengthening the Connectivity between Central and South Asia”, adopted in 2022 on the initiative of the President of the Republic Shavkat Mirziyoyev,” the statement said.

    The forum participants will reportedly discuss the current state and prospects of interregional cooperation between Central and South Asia. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Delegation of the interim government of Afghanistan left Kabul for Russia

    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

    KABUL, May 14 (Xinhua) — A high-ranking delegation of the Afghan interim government led by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund left Kabul for Russia on Wednesday to attend the 16th International Economic Forum in Kazan, the National Radio and Television of Afghanistan (RTA) reported.

    The current forum is dedicated to strengthening relations and economic cooperation and development, especially in the areas of trade, investment and regional cooperation, RTA said, adding that the Afghan delegation will hold meetings with officials from different countries on the sidelines of the forum. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Trade Minister to meet US Trade Representative at APEC in Korea

    Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

    Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay travels to Korea today for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Trade Ministers meeting where he will meet with APEC and CPTPP trading partners including a first in person meeting with United Stated Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

    “These meetings are an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand exporters, discuss our strong and mutually beneficial trade relationships, and restate New Zealand’s opposition to high tariff regimes,” Mr McClay says.

    While in Jeju, Minister McClay will meet with Ministers from: Australia, China, Chile, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Peru, Singapore and the United States where he will talk about the need for certainty for consumers and exporters.  

    APEC’s 21 economies receive over 75 per cent of New Zealand’s exports and represent nearly 60 per cent of global GDP. 

    “Open and fair market access remains a priority for our Government as we look to double the value of exports in 10 years and grow the economy,” Mr McClay says. 

    “This meeting is an opportunity to deepen our connections with these major economic partners and support New Zealand exporters.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ15: Training of artificial intelligence talents

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Following is a question by the Hon Rock Chen and a written reply by the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, in the Legislative Council today (May 14):

    Question:

    In September last year, the State President delivered an important speech at the National Conference on Education, following which the 2024-2035 master plan on building China into a leading country in education (the master plan) was issued, setting out a roadmap for the national education development in the next 10 years. The master plan clearly proposed to establish a mechanism for co-ordinating and promoting the integration of education, technology and talent by leveraging the support of education to technology and talent. The master plan also set out the close collaboration with the development of the innovation and technology (I&T) hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the building of a high-calibre talent hub and platforms for talent attraction and retention, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of the innovation system. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (1) against the background of the master plan’s proposals to establish a mechanism for co-ordinating and promoting the integration of education, technology and talent as well as to closely collaborate with the development of I&T hub in the GBA, how the Government will further deepen the collaboration among the “government, industry, academic and research” sectors to promote the transformation of research and development outcomes of tertiary institutions into a driving force for innovation in the industry, with a view to enhancing Hong Kong’s competitiveness in the GBA’s I&T ecosystem;

    (2) as there are views that universities of applied sciences (UAS) play an important role in Hong Kong in complementing the master plan’s proposal to leverage the support of education to technology and talent, how the Government will further define the self-positioning of UAS and assist UAS in leveraging their unique advantages, so as to nurture more applied technology talents who suit the needs of the industries in the GBA;

    (3) how the Government plans to assist tertiary institutions and scientific research institutions in increasing their expenditure on research and development (R&D) and intensifying the efforts in nurturing talents in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), so that Hong Kong can contribute to the development of the I&T hub in the GBA in the aspect of AI technology’s R&D and application; and

    (4) whether it has studied how the Government should further strengthen STEAM (i.e. Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) education in primary and secondary schools (particularly focusing on AI), including teaching basic AI knowledge, methods of data processing and interdisciplinary knowledge, so as to enhance students’ skills in AI, critical thinking and capacity for innovation, thereby meeting the demand for education, technology and talent arising from the GBA development?

    Reply:

    President,

    Solid promotion of education and technological development can provide and replenish talents and manpower for various trades and industries, boost socio-economic development, and render firm support for building an international hub for high-calibre talents. The 2024-2035 master plan on building China into a leading country in education, issued earlier by the nation, clearly proposes establishing an integrated co-ordinating mechanism for education, technology and talents, and strengthen the supporting role of education for science and talents. To this end, the Government has set up the Committee on Education, Technology and Talents, which is led by the Chief Secretary for Administration, to co-ordinate and drive the integrated development of education, technology and talents, expand connections, formulate policies to attract and cultivate talents, foster the development of technologies, and also promote Hong Kong as an international hub for high-calibre talents.

    The replies of the Education Bureau (EDB) and the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau to the Hon Rock Chen’s questions are as follows:

    (1) With an aim to enhance the innovation and technology (I&T) ecosystem and Hong Kong’s competitiveness on the I&T front in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), the Government has been promoting collaboration among the Government, industry, academic and research sectors through various measures, and adopting a multi-pronged approach to support commercialisation of research and development (R&D) outcomes of tertiary institutions. For example, the $10 billion Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme under the Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF) funds, on a matching basis, research teams from universities with good potential to become successful start-ups to transform and commercialise their R&D outcomes, while industry sponsorship is a mandatory requirement. Furthermore, the ITF will continue to provide annual funding to the Technology Transfer Office of each of the eight University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities, thereby supporting the development of innovative ideas and R&D outcomes into new products or services. The R&D centres set up by the Government have also been taking forward industry-driven applied R&D work that suits market needs and transferring technologies to the industries through contract researches, licensing arrangements, etc to commercialise their R&D outcomes. Meanwhile, the Government has facilitated the establishment of the Hong Kong New Industrialisation Development Alliance. The Alliance serves as a platform for collaboration among the Government, industry, academia, research and investment sectors, with a view to promoting new industrialisation and co-operation among enterprises and organisations.

    (2) To provide an alternative pathway to success for young people who aspire to pursue careers in professional skills sectors, the Government has been promoting the establishment of universities of applied sciences (UAS), and, in February 2024, promulgated the criteria for qualifying as UAS along with the relevant mechanisms. UAS provide vocational and professional education and training (VPET) programmes with an applied focus blending theory and practice, including applied degree programmes, and closely collaborate with professional skills sectors, incorporating substantial internship and work-based learning opportunities in other degree programmes to nurture students’ applied skills, demonstrating a clear division of labour with traditional academic research universities. The EDB announced in March and November 2024 respectively that Hong Kong Metropolitan University and Saint Francis University had been confirmed as the first two UAS in Hong Kong after undergoing stringent procedures and reviews.

    The Government proactively supports UAS to collaborate with industries and other stakeholders in accordance with the VPET development strategy of fostering industry-institution collaboration and diversified development to respond to the keen manpower needs of different sectors and nurture more professional talent with applied skills. In this connection, the Government has allocated $100 million to support UAS and VPET institutions to establish the Alliance of UAS (the Alliance) in November 2024. The Alliance has been actively engaging supporting organisations and stakeholders and has drawn up the future work plan and strategic direction, which include fostering collaboration and joint promotion efforts among member institutions and over 80 supporting organisations from different sectors, organising international conferences, and strengthening exchanges and co-operation with Mainland and overseas UAS. Amongst others, the Alliance has planned to visit VPET institutions in the GBA within the year to strengthen exchanges and co-operation. The EDB will continue to work closely with the Alliance to support its work.

    (3) Strengthening the nurturing of local I&T talents and fostering the deep integration of technology and industry are key factors in advancing the development of the artificial intelligence (AI) industry. Taking the opportunity of the triennial planning exercise for the UGC-funded universities, the Government set out strategic directions to guide the universities to align their planning with our nation’s and Hong Kong’s strategic development and policy priorities, including nurturing talents for growth, transformation and future challenges.

    With the advent of AI, innovative and breakthrough technology in the new era, the universities are encouraged to introduce appropriate teaching frameworks and new programmes to meet ever-changing societal needs and enhance support for academic staff and students. A number of UGC-funded universities have offered AI-related undergraduate programmes in the 2025-28 triennium in response to the strategic directions, for example, Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Artificial Intelligence and Educational Technology and Bachelor of Education (Honours) (Primary) – Mathematics of the Education University of Hong Kong, Bachelor of Engineering in Artificial Intelligence of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Engineering in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science of the University of Hong Kong.

    In addition, the Government has been developing the AI ecosystem on different fronts through various measures such as provision of infrastructure and computing power, promoting R&D and talent cultivation. The first-phase facility of Cyberport’s Artificial Intelligence Supercomputing Centre (AISC) commenced operation to meet the strong local demand and enhance Hong Kong’s R&D capabilities in various technological research and application fields. With a view to encouraging the industry to optimise the AISC’s computing resources, the Government launched the Artificial Intelligence Subsidy Scheme to subsidise local institutions, R&D centres and enterprises, etc to leverage the AISC’s computing power to achieve scientific breakthroughs and launch promotional and educational activities. As of April 2025, Cyberport has organised 35 promotional activities (including information seminars at local institutions), attracting over 6 500 participants. The Government is also nurturing local talents and gathering top-notch researchers from all around the world, through the AIR@InnoHK research cluster and its R&D laboratories focusing on AI and robotic technologies. To further promote the R&D and applications of AI in Hong Kong, the 2025-26 Budget announced the establishment of the Hong Kong Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Institute (AIRDI), which will spearhead and support Hong Kong’s innovative R&D and industry applications of AI, facilitating upstream R&D, midstream and downstream transformation of R&D outcomes, and expanding application scenarios. We expect the AIRDI will help pool talents in AI-related fields, promote R&D and extensive application of AI, and facilitate exchanges on AI between Hong Kong and the Mainland (including the GBA) as well as overseas countries and regions.

    The Finance Committee of the Legislative Council approved on May 9 a funding of $3 billion for the implementation of the Frontier Technology Research Support Scheme, with a view to attracting international top-notch talents in frontier technology areas such as AI to conduct research in Hong Kong, thereby expanding Hong Kong’s research capacity. The eligible applicant institutions for the Scheme are local universities funded by the UGC, and funding will be provided to the institutions concerned on a matching basis to encourage them to invest in research, promote cross-sector collaboration and enhance manpower training.

    (4) To align with the national strategy of building a leading country in education, keeping pace with global development trends, and nurturing talents for the advancement of I&T in Hong Kong, the EDB has been stepping up to promote STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) education in primary and secondary schools, further promoting the digitalisation of education. Through a range of diversified strategies, including ongoing curriculum renewal, strengthening teacher training, providing resource support to schools, and enhancing collaboration with stakeholders, the EDB seeks to integrate digital technology into learning and teaching, enhance students’ creativity and problem-solving skills, and lay a solid foundation of talent for the future development of the country and society. Additionally, the EDB established the Steering Committee on Strategic Development of Digital Education in early 2025, making reference to the latest developments on the Mainland and relevant policies and experiences from other countries, to propose recommendations on the goals, strategies and future directions for the implementation of digital education in Hong Kong.

    Regarding curriculum renewal, the EDB launched the “Module on Artificial Intelligence for Junior Secondary Level” in the 2023/24 school year that covers topics such as AI basics and AI ethics. The EDB also launched the “Enriched Module on Coding Education for Upper Primary Level” to enhance computational thinking and creative thinking. At present, almost all publicly-funded primary and secondary schools have implemented enriched coding education and AI education at the upper primary and the junior secondary levels respectively. On the other hand, the newly introduced Primary Science and the updated Junior Secondary Science will be implemented starting from the 2025/26 and 2027/28 school years respectively. Both curricula emphasise inquiry-based learning and cross-disciplinary learning, with a view to cultivating students’ capabilities in innovation.

    As for teacher training, the EDB focuses on empowering teachers by helping them equipping with AI-related knowledge and teaching strategies. The EDB continuously organises training programmes on the aforementioned AI and coding education modules, covering fundamental AI theories, applied technologies, pedagogical practices, data security, and the use of generative AI in education. These training sessions are conducted in both online and face-to-face modes to broaden participation and coverage among teachers. Furthermore, the EDB promotes the application of AI in learning and teaching through an “AI+Subject” approach and provides relevant teacher training. Examples include the launch of the “AI for Science Education” programme in Junior Secondary Science, the integration of digital technologies (including AI elements) into mathematical modelling activities in Mathematics, and the incorporation of AI into learning and teaching activities in Visual Arts. These efforts aim to enhance teachers’ confidence and competence in utilising AI to assist teaching.

    The EDB also provides various resource support to schools. The EDB updated the “Information Literacy for Hong Kong Students” Learning Framework to strengthen data security and AI ethics education, and collaborated with the Hong Kong Police Force and the Journalism Education Foundation to launch teaching resources on cyber security and media and information literacy, to help students to develop critical thinking skills when using I&T. Moreover, the Quality Education Fund has allocated $500 million for the implementation of the e-Learning Ancillary Facilities Programme, supporting 22 projects related to AI, big data and education technology. These projects cover various subjects and deploy innovative technologies to enhance learning and teaching effectiveness. As at end-March 2025, around 400 schools and 31 000 students have participated in this programme. It is expected that the deliverables of the projects will be successively released starting from mid-2025 for subscriptions and use by all local schools.

    The EDB actively promotes collaboration and exchange by deepening partnerships with local, Mainland, and international stakeholders. The EDB works closely with tertiary institutions and I&T-related organisations to conduct various projects and activities, enabling school leaders and teachers to stay abreast of the latest developments in science and I&T. Examples include the “Exchange cum Training Programme for Hong Kong STEAM Education Leaders”, co-organised with the Teacher Education Centre under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and the “Professional Development Programme on Innovation and Technology”, co-organised with Cyberport. In collaboration with Hong Kong Education City, the EDB is organising the “Digital Education Week” from June 30 to July 7 this year. Key events include the “Learning & Teaching Expo”, and the International Summit on the Use of AI in Learning and Teaching Languages and Other Subjects & Post-Summit Workshop Series jointly hosted with the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The events will invite experts to share insights on I&T education (including the use of AI in teaching) to promote the integration of AI in education.

    The EDB will actively align with the competencies and skills required by national and global trends. In close collaboration with stakeholders from various sectors, the EDB aims to strengthen basic education in primary and secondary schools. To dovetail the integrated development of “education, science and technology, and talent” advocated by our country, the EDB is committed to nurturing the next generation of innovators in science and technology.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Mining Week (AMW) 2025 to Spotlight the Impact of Gabon’s Mining Code

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 14, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Gabon strives to expand the mining industry’s GDP contribution to over 30% by the mid-2030s, using policies such as the Mining Code to attract investment and fuel development. By offering competitive incentives such as tax holidays ranging from three to eight years and a modest 3-5% royalty on base metals, the Mining Code offers improved terms for investors, thereby providing positive implications for the country’s mineral sector.

    African Mining Week – Africa’s premier gathering for African mining stakeholders, scheduled for October 1–3, 2025 in Cape Town – will provide an overview of Gabon’s Mining Code. A dedicated panel discussion, titled Navigating Gabon’s Mining Code: A Guide for Investors, will explore how the country is using the Mining Code to catalyze mining development and attract capital.

    Already the world’s third-largest producer of manganese (apo-opa.co/44ES9QA), Gabon is leveraging the code to strengthen the sector though international partnerships and new investments. French mining major Eramet, operator of the high-grade Moanda Minesin Gabon, signed a manganese supply agreement with Australia’s Firebird Metals (apo-opa.co/44yGrXD) to support electric vehicle (EV) battery production in China. Similarly, India’s state-run MOIL (apo-opa.co/4koDe1z) is in talks to develop manganese assets in Gabon, highlighting the country’s growing role in the global manganese, EV and battery storage market.

    Beyond manganese, Gabon is diversifying its mineral production base. Canadian company Millennial Potash Corp (apo-opa.co/43gSiHB) is advancing the Banio Potash Project, where high-grade potash intersections were confirmed in May 2025. Once operational, the project will be Gabon’s first commercial potash facility, supplying a global market driven by demand for fertilizers and pharmaceutical applications.

    Iron ore is another growth frontier where the country is using the Mining Code to secure investment. In partnership with Australia’s Genmin and China’s Sinohydro (apo-opa.co/43e25xN), the country is progressing the Baniaka Iron Ore Project, which targets five million tons of annual output initially, ramping up to 10 million tons in the future. Australia’s Fortescue is also expanding its Belinga iron ore project while South Africa’s Menar (apo-opa.co/3F7k0OO) signed agreements to invest in the sector, illustrating growing investor confidence fostered by Gabon’s Mining Code.

    Amid this growth, African Mining Week will connect investors, government officials and private sector leaders to advance projects. With a focus on legal clarity, resource potential and project-ready opportunities, the event will foster high-level dialogue and promote Gabon as a rising hub for responsible, high-return mining investment in Africa.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Level of public investment and state of implementation of the artificial intelligence strategy – E-001547/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001547/2025/rev.1
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Pierre Jouvet (S&D)

    On 11 February 2025, the Commission President announced that EUR 200 billion would be allocated to developing artificial intelligence (AI) in Europe. However, the figures set out in the AI Continent Action Plan two months later were much lower. The total investments amount to just a fraction of the EUR 200 billion announced, which raises serious doubts as to the reality of EU commitments and fuels fears of a potential technology gap, which would mean depending on China and the United States.

    • 1.In this context, can the Commission explain the nearly 85% difference between the EUR 200 billion announced on the sidelines of the Paris AI summit and the amounts provided for in the action plan?
    • 2.Can the Commission outline the details of the investment funds allocated for AI and the amounts that have already been provided for each project?
    • 3.If this gap is due to private investments being taken into account, why does the Commission not adopt a more ambitious public funding strategy, given that it is aware of the importance of this issue and that Europe is lagging behind?

    Submitted: 16.4.2025

    Last updated: 14 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: LexinFintech Holdings Ltd. to Report First Quarter 2025 Unaudited Financial Results on May 21, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SHENZHEN, China, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LexinFintech Holdings Ltd. (“Lexin” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: LX), a leading credit technology-empowered consumer financial service enabler in China, today announced that it will report its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025, after the U.S. market closes on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.

    The Company’s management will host an earnings conference call at 10:00 PM U.S. Eastern time on May 21, 2025 (10:00 AM Beijing/Hong Kong time on May 22, 2025).

    Participants who wish to join the conference call should register online at:
    https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BI0dc0f8f7695c4583bd50587c8b103490

    Once registration is completed, each participant will receive the dial-in number and a unique access PIN for the conference call.

    Participants joining the conference call should dial in at least 10 minutes before the scheduled start time.

    A live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available at the Company’s investor relations website at http://ir.lexin.com.

    About LexinFintech Holdings Ltd.

    We are a leading credit technology-empowered consumer financial service enabler. Our mission is to use technology and risk management expertise to make financing more accessible for young generation consumers. We strive to achieve this mission by connecting consumers with financial institutions, where we facilitate through a unique model that includes online and offline channels, installment consumption platform, big data and AI driven credit risk management capabilities, as well as smart user and loan management systems. We also empower financial institutions by providing cutting-edge proprietary technology solutions to meet their needs of financial digitization.

    For more information, please visit  http://ir.lexin.com.

    For investor and media inquiries, please contact: 

    LexinFintech Holdings Ltd.

    IR inquiries:
    Will Tan
    Tel: +86 (755) 3637-8888
    E-mail: willtan@lexin.com

    Media inquiries:
    Ruifeng Xu
    Tel: +86 (755) 3637-8888
    E-mail: ruifengxu1@lexin.com

    SOURCE LexinFintech Holdings Ltd.

    The MIL Network –

  • Operation Sindoor: From strategic restraint to sovereign retaliation

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India’s military response to the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack marked not merely a tactical action, but a fundamental shift in its strategic doctrine. Operation Sindoor, the codename for a bold retaliatory air campaign, shattered the long-standing tenets of India’s restraint-driven security posture. This was not just about responding to a cross-border provocation it was a calculated assertion of sovereign will, combining military strikes with economic countermeasures and an unapologetic geopolitical stance. The Indian Air Force struck deep into Pakistani territory, hitting eleven military installations, including the highly sensitive Nur Khan airbase near Islamabad a key node in Pakistan’s air defence and nuclear command infrastructure. These strikes were not reactionary outbursts; they were precisely timed, meticulously planned, and unilaterally executed. The choice of targets reflected not only the resolve to punish terror networks, but to decapitate the infrastructure that shields and enables them under the garb of nuclear deterrence. India, for the first time, did not blink in the face of Pakistan’s nuclear threats. It called the bluff and did so with devastating precision.

    What followed was unprecedented. The international community, which once scrambled to de-escalate tensions in South Asia, remained eerily silent. Washington, London, Brussels, and even Beijing offered no real condemnation. The world had no playbook for this new India an India that acted without seeking permission, validation, or multilateral endorsement. The traditional scripts were obsolete. This quietude wasn’t diplomatic oversight it was stunned recalibration. India had crossed the Rubicon and declared that its security calculus would no longer be bound by Cold War legacies or post-colonial deference. Strategic restraint, once considered a virtue of mature statecraft, had evolved into a liability. Operation Sindoor rewrote the doctrine as ‘sovereign retaliation’ became the new normal. This retaliatory strike wasn’t just a military action; it was a geopolitical signal, a declaration of strategic independence.

    What made this moment historic wasn’t just the airstrikes. Within days, India struck in the economic domain, announcing retaliatory tariffs worth $1.9 billion on U.S. exports, sanctioned by the WTO. While officially framed as a response to American tariffs on Indian steel and aluminium, this move carried deeper implications. It was a direct indictment of Washington’s double standards. Despite its rhetoric of partnership through platforms like the Quad, the U.S. continued to bankroll Pakistan through IMF bailouts, the latest of which came on May 9, 2025 at a time when India & Pakistan were engaged in a military standoff. Washington remained ambivalent, offering neither support nor criticism. Worse, it failed to pressure its NATO ally Turkey to halt drone transfers to Pakistan and made no effort to leverage its defence ties with Pakistan to prevent further escalation. India responded not with pleading, but with policy. The WTO move was not only about trade but also about establishing a doctrine of economic deterrence where tariffs serve as diplomatic instruments just as missiles serve as military ones.

    India’s shift did not occur in a vacuum. It was built on a decade of foundational reforms strategic autonomy in defence procurement, diversified energy and trade partners, and a strengthening of indigenous technological platforms. In 1971, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi after a big military victory in the Bangladesh war made a strategic retreat from West Pakistan giving up the gains, handing back 93,000 Pakistani POWs and affording Pakistan army an Off-Ramp to save its honour at Shimla Accord. Prime Minister Modi’s India on other hand in 2025 stood sovereign in policy and posture. There were no Nixon-era backchannels to arm-twist India, no Chinese diversionary threats in Ladakh, no economic leverages to constrain action. This was a state that had absorbed the lessons of the past and finally acted with the strategic decisiveness it long possessed but rarely deployed. Operation Sindoor was not about conquest; it was about calibrated decapitation. It struck hard enough to cripple, but restrained enough to avoid collapse. It was punitive, not escalatory a textbook demonstration of escalation dominance.

    The military phase of Operation Sindoor saw coordinated precision strikes across a range of Pakistani targets including Bahawalpur, Muridke, Kotli, Muzaffarabad, and Skardu etc targeting the terror camps and infrastructure on 7th May 2025. On May 10th, 2025 in response to Pakistani escalation by way of Turkish drones, targeting religious places, civilians and Indian military installations; the Indian Airforce struck Pakistani airbases like Rafuqui, Murid, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Chunian, Jacobabad, Nur Khan, Sargodha and Bholari airbases. These were not token air raids but deep-penetration missions utilizing BrahMos cruise missiles, targeting air defence systems, radar systems, electronic jammers, and bunkers. The Nur Khan Airbase strike sent shockwaves not just through Rawalpindi, but across global defence communities. The base’s proximity to Islamabad and its criticality to Pakistan’s nuclear logistics underscored India’s new resolve. The IAF’s rapid execution within 90 minutes disabled Pakistan’s air defence grid and neutralized its early-warning capabilities. It was a surgical dismantling of Pakistan’s conventional deterrence. The world watched, waited, but did not intervene. The silence was deafening.

    India’s leadership under Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not seek applause or permission. Unlike previous governments that lobbied for global sympathy post-Kargil or after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Modi’s government acted decisively and let its actions speak. There were no diplomatic pilgrimages to world capitals, no speeches at the UN, no dossier handovers. The message was simple, India will defend itself without intermediaries and if that means targeting strategic installations of a nuclear state, then so be it. Pakistan’s nuclear doctrine had long shielded it from Indian retaliation. That shield was dismantled not just through bombs, but through boldness. It was a psychological strike as much as a physical one.

    While Pakistan bore the immediate brunt, the real targets of India’s message were China and the United States. Beijing, deeply invested in Pakistan through CPEC and military-industrial collaboration, refrained from open escalation. Even as Chinese-built drones and radars were destroyed, Beijing chose silence, perhaps wary of jeopardizing its broader trading relationship with India amidst tensions in Taiwan and trade war with USA. The United States, meanwhile, struggled with its strategic schizophrenia. India’s actions conflicted with the expectations Washington had long harboured that India would remain a “responsible stakeholder” and junior partner in the Indo-Pacific architecture. But Operation Sindoor, and the WTO retaliation that followed, made it abundantly clear that India no longer played by G2 rules. It would not be managed, moderated, or manipulated.

    India’s challenge to the informal U.S.-China duopoly has now become structural. For over a decade, the G2 logic where Washington and Beijing informally co-managed global affairs has sidelined emerging powers. But India’s unilateralism broke that frame. It did not consult either power before acting militarily. It did not apologize for retaliating economically. It neither sought validation nor acknowledged criticism. That defiance is what defines India’s rise not as a “balancing power” but as a disruptor, a sovereign pole in a genuinely multipolar world. Its model of statecraft is rooted in pre-modern civilizational confidence, not post-modern liberal anxieties. It invokes Dharma, not doctrine; sovereignty, not subservience.

    For Washington, this presents a strategic conundrum. Should it try to rein India in through pressure and conditionality? Or should it accept India’s autonomy and recalibrate the partnership? The Trump administration has oscillated, unable to decide whether India is a rebellious ally or an indispensable partner. But India has made its position clear it will not compromise on national interests, and certainly not under duress. There will be no compromise disguised as cooperation. India’s economic sovereignty, military autonomy, and civilizational narrative are now core to its foreign policy, and no partnership that demands dilution of these values will be entertained.

    This transformation is not without risks. India’s assertiveness threatens entrenched interests. Both the U.S. and China, despite their rivalry, will seek to manage or constrain India’s ascent. Turkey’s deepening drone alliance with Pakistan is one such pressure point. The hybrid warfare against India via drones, trade barriers, and information warfare is likely to intensify. America’s willingness to offer off-ramps to Pakistan and equate Indian retaliation with Pakistani provocation betrays a strategic myopia. India must now navigate this terrain with agility escalating when necessary, de-escalating on its terms, and retaliating across all domains.

    The day India launched its strikes on Pakistani airbases, Washington and Beijing came to an agreement on a tentative trade deal an act that reinforced the enduring G2 instinct. But in doing so, they also acknowledged the emerging reality that the future will not be defined by their binary logic alone. India’s assertion has introduced a third pole, one that neither seeks to dominate nor to align, but to act independently. That is the defining hallmark of multipolarity within bipolarity. India has entered this arena not as a substitute power, but as an original force a civilizational state that finally acts in accordance with its historical identity and strategic destiny. Operation Sindoor, in that sense, is not a finite event. It is the inaugural move of a long game, a game where India leads not just in South Asia, but influences the very grammar of global order. The world must now learn to engage with a new India one that retaliates, redefines, and refuses to retreat.

    (Navroop Singh is an Intellectual Property Attorney in New Delhi and a geopolitical analyst with the ‘Niti Shastra’ platform. He has co-authored three books and writes on foreign policy, law, history, and public affairs.) 

  • MIL-OSI Russia: New US sanctions against Iran incompatible with nuclear talks – Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    TEHRAN, May 14 (Xinhua) — The U.S.’s new sanctions against Tehran are in conflict with bilateral nuclear talks, Iran’s ISNA News Agency reported, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said at the 36th Tehran International Book Fair in the Iranian capital on Tuesday, commenting on the U.S.’s imposition of new sanctions against Iran amid indirect talks between the two countries brokered by Oman.

    He criticized US officials for making “contradictory” statements about the goals they seek to achieve in the talks, stressing that the other side should “organize its thoughts” and refrain from making contradictory statements.

    E. Baghaei noted that Iran’s positions are “resolute, clear and unchangeable” in the talks, adding that Iran approaches the talks with all seriousness, since “we have always negotiated with the aim of achieving results, and not using them as a tool to waste time.”

    He stressed that in the negotiations, Iran seeks to preserve its nuclear achievements, “based on national needs,” and also to achieve the lifting of the “cruel” sanctions imposed on the Iranian people.

    On Monday, the US State Department announced sanctions against three Iranian individuals and one Iranian entity “associated with the Defense Research and Innovation Organization of Iran.”

    The new sanctions came as Iranian and US delegations held a fourth round of proximity talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme and the lifting of US sanctions in the Omani capital Muscat on Sunday.

    The first and third rounds took place in Muscat on 12 and 26 April, and the second in Rome on 19 April. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s State Council outlines legislative priorities for 2025

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

    BEIJING, May 14 — The General Office of the State Council has unveiled its legislative agenda for 2025, with a focus on strengthening legislation in key sectors, emerging industries, and areas involving foreign affairs.

    In its push for high-quality development and a high-standard socialist market economy, the legislative plan lists draft laws including the national development planning law and the financial law.

    As part of efforts to improve governance and promote rule-based administration, the State Council is set to introduce regulations on the sharing of government data, among others.

    To enhance public well-being, the legislative plan includes draft laws such as the social assistance law and the medical insurance law.

    The plan also includes draft amendments to the Food Safety Law and the Prison Law.

    To bolster legal frameworks related to foreign affairs, the agenda includes a proposed revision to the Foreign Trade Law and new rules for implementing China’s Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese researchers build high-precision topographic dataset for Chang’e-6 landing area

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

    Chinese researchers build high-precision topographic dataset for Chang’e-6 landing area

    Xinhua | May 14, 2025

    Chinese researchers have created a high-precision terrain dataset with millimeter-to-decimeter spatial resolution around the landing site of China’s Chang’e-6 lunar probe.

    Based on this dataset, the researchers from the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences determined the accurate location of the landing site of Chang’e-6 and conducted a microscale geological analysis, according to a recent research article published in the journal Nature Communications.

    Through comparison, the researchers found that the geological features of the region, such as surface roughness, the ratio of crater depth to diameter, the thickness of lunar regolith, and the number of rocks, all fall between those of the landing sites of Chang’e-4 and Chang’e-5, indicating that the surface exposure time of the region is also roughly intermediate between the two.

    Through detailed topographic analysis, they have revealed that the Chang’e-6 landing area was primarily covered by local Mare materials, which were excavated from a nearby unnamed crater with a diameter of about 51 meters and accounted for 30-35 percent in volume.

    The Chang’e-6 lunar probe returned to Earth in June last year, with 1,935.3 grams of lunar samples collected from the previously unexplored far side of the moon. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ21: Deepening international exchanges and co-operation

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ21: Deepening international exchanges and co-operation 
    Question:
     
         In the country’s Report on the Work of the Government this year, it was mentioned that Hong Kong must deepen international exchanges and co-operation. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is also actively attracting overseas companies to Hong Kong and helping Mainland companies go global to align with the overall development strategy of the country. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) how it will promote alignment between Hong Kong’s financial services industry and national policies to leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantages, reinforce its connectivity with both the Mainland and the world, and actively promote international exchanges and co-operation; whether it will consider providing further support to financial services enterprises to expand into new markets and broaden their international networks;
     
    (2) as it is learnt that many Hong Kong enterprises, business associations, non-profit organisations, and international trade organisations possess extensive overseas networks, whether the Government has compiled the relevant statistics; if so, of the details; how the Government will leverage the power and resources of non-governmental organisations to foster citizen diplomacy;
     
    (3) to align with the country’s overall development strategy, will the Government review and optimise the division of responsibilities and functions of different government departments or public organisations responsible for promoting trade (such as the Economic and Trade Offices, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Invest Hong Kong, and other overseas offices), so as to avoid overlapping structures and enable them to focus more on delivering services under existing policies;
     
    (4) whether the Government will formulate specific policy measures to support and sponsor various enterprises and organisations to participate in industrial and commercial, and financial exhibitions, etc, in overseas countries in order to promote commercial co-operation with Middle East countries and Belt and Road countries, and to promote Hong Kong to such countries; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
     
    (5) whether the Government has a comprehensive plan to tell good stories of Hong Kong to the outside world through targeted publicity and promotion strategies, and to better leverage Hong Kong’s international advantages to attract more international financial institutions and investors to establish presence in Hong Kong?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         Having consulted the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Robert Lee is as follows:
     
         The Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of the People’s Republic of China and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035 (14th Five-Year Plan) supports Hong Kong to enhance its status as an international financial centre, strengthen its functions as a global offshore Renminbi (RMB) business hub, an international asset management centre and a risk management centre, as well as deepen and expand the mutual access between the financial markets of the Mainland and Hong Kong.
     
         In this regard, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has been committed to deepening the interface of Hong Kong’s financial services industry with national policies in accordance with the 14th Five-Year Plan. For example, in terms of mutual market access, the Stock Connect has made some breakthroughs over the past few years, including the inclusion of exchange-traded funds and the addition of eligible stocks of foreign companies primarily listed in Hong Kong. This has become the most reliable channel for international investors to access the Mainland securities market. In terms of global offshore RMB business, at present, Hong Kong has the world’s largest offshore pool of RMB funds, currently processing about 80 per cent of global offshore RMB payments. On attracting Mainland enterprises to list in Hong Kong, as driven by a series of listing enhancement measures, there are currently over 1 480 Mainland enterprises listed in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) has established listing avenues for new economy with weighted voting rights structures, and specialist technology companies as well as the technology enterprises channel, with a view to accurately addressing the financial service demands of Mainland’s emerging innovation and technology industries and leveraging Hong Kong’s strengths to serve our country’s needs.
     
         We also continue to deepen exchanges and co-operation with the global financial community, actively strengthen and expand our circle of friends with the global community, organise major financial events of global significance such as the Asian Financial Forum, the Wealth for Good in Hong Kong Summit and the Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit, in a bid to further enhance the voice and influence of our country and Hong Kong in the international financial community and showcase to the international investors the strengths and opportunities of Hong Kong as an international financial centre.
     
         In addition, the HKSAR Government, regulators and the HKEX are committed to promoting Hong Kong’s financial services industry, securities market and fundraising platform to overseas and Mainland enterprises and investors (including target markets such as the Middle East and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regions), through organising and participating in different thematic flagship summits, outreach activities, thematic roadshow events, etc, with a view to strengthening Hong Kong’s linkage with overseas and Mainland markets, fostering financial market co-operation, as well as facilitating the local financial services industry to open up new markets.
     
         We will continue to deepen and step up our efforts to seize the national development opportunities, bringing more new opportunities to the industry and continuing to contribute to our country’s development as a financial powerhouse.
     
         On the other hand, the HKSAR Government has been actively promoting the sustainable development of Hong Kong as an international trade centre through diversified measures. The global trade landscape and geopolitics are rapidly changing, with parts of the supply chains shifted to the Global South and Belt and Road (B&R) countries, while Mainland enterprises are also proactively establishing their presence abroad. Hong Kong’s rich experience in international trade and world-class professional services will be of assistance to such Mainland enterprises in re-deploying their global supply chains. According to the 2024 Policy Address, Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) set up in December 2024 a high value-added supply chain services mechanism for attracting Mainland enterprises to establish international or regional headquarters in Hong Kong for managing offshore trading and supply chain, and providing one-stop professional advisory services for enterprises in Hong Kong looking to go global. The mechanism is conducive to Hong Kong’s economic development on the one hand, and facilitates the deepening of its international exchanges and co-operation on the other hand, thus responding to meet Premier Li Qiang’s expectations for Hong Kong, as set out in his work report this year, integrating into the overall national development while making contribution to the country.
     
         Besides, the HKSAR Government will continue to organise a number of outbound missions to B&R markets to assist Hong Kong enterprises and professional services to further explore business opportunities and build long-lasting collaborative relationships with relevant local enterprises and organisations. We will also continue to actively organise various major events to promote Hong Kong’s advantages and facilitate business matching and project participation between Hong Kong and B&R countries. In addition, the HKTDC’s overseas network has already covered the major markets along the B&R, including regions of the Middle East. By leveraging its global network, the HKTDC will continue to launch diversified outreach activities, information platforms, large-scale international exhibitions and conventions, to highlight Hong Kong’s opportunities and role as a two-way business and investment platform, and facilitate the co-operation among enterprises of the Mainland and Hong Kong, investors and professional service providers, as well as the project owners from B&R countries.
     
         For overseas exhibitions activities, the HKSAR Government strives to encourage and provide funding support for non-listed Hong Kong enterprises to upgrade and restructure, enhance competitiveness of enterprises as well as sectors and conduct promotional activities through various funding schemes and measures, including the Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales, the SME Export Marketing Fund and the Trade and Industrial Organisation Support Fund. Enterprises/organisations could apply for funding to participate in promotional activities such as exhibitions in markets outside Hong Kong to develop their businesses. The HKTDC has also been actively leading Hong Kong companies to participate in large-scale exhibitions overseas and set up Hong Kong pavilions in selected large-scale exhibitions. In addition, the HKTDC offers preferential participation rates and a range of value-added services, including the arrangement of business matching meetings, for Hong Kong companies to grasp the opportunities to promote their products and services.
     
         Currently, the HKSAR Government has 14 overseas Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (ETOs). Together with the offices of the HKTDC and InvestHK worldwide, Hong Kong has set up offices in 68 cities around the world, covering 129 countries, including emerging markets. The ETOs, InvestHK’s Dedicated Teams for Attracting Businesses and Talents based in the ETOs and its consultant offices in other locations, as well as the HKTDC’s offices are responsible for different aspects of work, while collaborating from time to time to generate synergy. The trio promote bilateral economic and trade relations between Hong Kong and overseas economies. InvestHK and the HKTDC mainly serve the business community. InvestHK is responsible for promoting inward direct investment to Hong Kong. Through its teams based in Hong Kong, the Dedicated Teams for Attracting Businesses and Talents based in the ETOs, as well as consultant offices in other locations, the department has all along been reaching out to a wide spectrum of companies in different sectors and industries around the world to attract and assist them to set up or expand their businesses in Hong Kong, and offering one-stop customised support services, from the planning to implementation stages. As for the HKTDC, it is responsible for trade promotion as well as facilitating, assisting and developing trade in Hong Kong. Through organising international exhibitions, conferences and business missions, the HKTDC creates business opportunities in the Mainland and international markets for Hong Kong enterprises. The ETOs are committed to maintaining close communication and exchanges with the international community and overseas stakeholders in different sectors (including government officials, think tanks, media organisations, academics, cultural and business groups and other key opinion leaders in countries under their purview), promoting and explaining the HKSAR Government’s important policies and Hong Kong’s unique advantages under “one country, two systems”, with a view to telling the good stories of Hong Kong and promoting economic and trade development between Hong Kong and overseas.
     
         Meanwhile, the ETOs will strengthen ties and co-operation with foreign chambers of commerce in Hong Kong and the local political and business sectors, and take the opportunity of the latter’s overseas visits to collaborate in promoting Hong Kong’s latest developments and major policy measures through different forms of activities, and jointly tell the good stories of Hong Kong from multiple perspectives.
    Issued at HKT 15:33

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ18: Manpower of lifeguards

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Following is a question by the Hon Luk Chung-hung and a written reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, in the Legislative Council today (May 14):
     
    Question:
     
    There are views pointing out that the problems of insufficient manpower and recruitment difficulties of lifeguards in Hong Kong have remained unresolved for many years, which may lead to the chaotic situation of unlicensed lifeguards being employed, undermining the dignity of the industry’s workforce and jeopardising the lives and safety of swimmers. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) of the current number of vacancies of civil service lifeguards; whether the Government has assessed the impact of the vacancy situation on the services to the public;
     
    (2) whether it has studied if the Government has difficulties in recruiting lifeguards; if it has studied and the outcome is in the affirmative, of the support measures and proposals to resolve the problem;
     
    (3) as some members of the industry have relayed that at present, civil service lifeguards have limited promotion prospects and their remuneration packages are inadequate, and their posts are only included in the Artisan grade, but they have to obtain a number of certificates and regularly renew their licenses in order to be employed on a continuous basis, which has resulted in a high wastage rate and stifled the development of the industry, whether the Government will further review and adjust the grade structure of civil service lifeguards, thereby retaining talents and attracting new blood to join the industry;
     
    (4) of the respective numbers of (a) surprise and (b) non-surprise (i) inspections of private swimming pools conducted by the relevant government departments in the past three years, and the respective numbers of non-compliance cases found during such inspections in which (ii) there was insufficient manpower on duty at the swimming pools, and (iii) unqualified lifeguards were employed and on duty (set out in the table below); the actions taken by the Government to pursue such non-compliance cases;

    Year (a) (b)
    (i) (ii) (iii) (i) (ii) (iii)
    2022            
    2023            
    2024            

    (5) as it has been reported that the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) will check the identity documents and Pool Lifeguard Awards (PLA) of the lifeguards on duty during inspections of private swimming pools and verify the validity of PLA with the Hong Kong China Life Saving Society (HKCLSS), of the specific procedures adopted by the FEHD for verifying the validity of the PLAs with the HKCLSS, including whether the FEHD has established a formal and regular liaison mechanism with the HKCLSS; if so, of the details; if not, whether it will consider establishing such mechanism; and
     
    (6) as it has been reported that the HKCLSS intends to introduce an online service for checking the qualifications of lifeguards, whether the Government will collaborate with the HKCLSS to establish a checking system for qualified lifeguards, so as to rigorously combat unlicensed lifeguards and, at the same time, facilitate employers in checking the qualifications of the lifeguards they employ?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
    In consultation with relevant policy bureaux and government departments, the consolidated reply to the questions raised by the Hon Luk Chung-hung is as follows:
     
    (1) The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) is responsible for managing 46 public swimming pools, 42 gazetted beaches (Note 1) and five water sports centres. As at May 1, 2025, a total of 1 308 civil service lifeguards were employed by the LCSD. The number of vacancies was 188 (Note 2) .
     
    During the swimming season every year (i.e. April to October), the LCSD needs to employ about 700 seasonal lifeguards. However, with increasing market demand for lifeguards due to the growing number of local private swimming pools in recent years, it has become more challenging for the LCSD to recruit seasonal lifeguards, which inevitably affects the provision of services at aquatic venues. The LCSD has all along flexibly deployed its serving lifeguards and other resources with a view to maintaining the services provided at aquatic venues as far as possible. The LCSD will arrange sufficient lifeguards to be on duty at aquatic venues that are open and deploy additional manpower when necessary, such as calling off-duty lifeguards to report for duty or arranging lifeguards to work overtime where practicable. Having regard to the usage of swimming pools and habits of swimmers, the LCSD will also temporarily close facilities with low usage rates during sessions with fewer attendees to optimise the use of manpower resources.
     
    (2) The LCSD proactively puts in place various measures to increase and stabilise the manpower supply of lifeguards, including improving the remuneration package of seasonal lifeguards, enhancing the flexibility of recruitment procedures and exploring the recruitment of more eligible persons to join lifesaving services, etc.
     
    The LCSD has recruited 110 full-year lifeguards on a two-year contract since 2023, and further employed 70 additional full-year lifeguards on a two-year contract in 2024 and 2025 respectively. Such relatively long contract period is conducive to stabilising the manpower supply of lifeguards. The LCSD has also taken into account market trends to further enhance the remuneration package of seasonal lifeguards, with monthly salary reaching as high as $23,000 (excluding end-of-contract gratuity) to reduce the salary gap between lifeguards in the public and private sectors.
     
    Furthermore, as contractors of outsourced services offer more flexibility on remuneration packages and working hours, which makes the recruitment arrangement more flexible and attractive, the LCSD has outsourced lifesaving and first aid services at six public swimming pools on a trial basis since September 2024. The relevant service contractor has been providing stable lifesaving and first aid services. The LCSD will continue to review and evaluate the effectiveness of outsourcing lifesaving and first aid services.
     
    As for expanding the new labour markets, the LCSD will continue to step up its publicity efforts for recruitment exercises, including extensively displaying recruitment posters and disseminating recruitment information/advertisements to reach out to more target groups. The LCSD will also proactively liaise with youth services organisations and schools to promote and encourage young people to pursue a career in lifeguarding, as well as to raise their interests in working as seasonal lifeguards, with a view to increasing the manpower supply of lifeguards. Besides, the LCSD launched the “Combined Seasonal Lifeguard Training Scheme” in 2023 and has so far organised six “Integrated Certificates Courses on Life Saving” to attract more people with no lifesaving qualifications to join the profession. In addition, the LCSD has collaborated with the Employees Retraining Board to organise specific lifesaving training programmes and provide relevant job opportunities with a view to increasing the manpower supply of lifeguards.
     
    (3) Under the prevailing policy of the Civil Service Bureau (CSB), when a specific civil service grade has proven and persistent recruitment and retention difficulties, or fundamental changes in the job nature, job complexity and responsibilities, the Government will consider conducting a grade structure review for the grade concerned. There have been no fundamental changes to the job nature, job complexity and responsibilities of civil service lifeguards. In the past three years, the average vacancy rate of civil service lifeguards was 5.28 per cent, which was lower than the rate of 9.38 per cent for the entire civil service in the same period. The LCSD will continue to monitor the situation with the CSB.
     
    (4), (5) and (6) In the past three years, the number of surprised inspections conducted by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) on licensed swimming pools is provided below:
     

      Number of inspections Number of cases of insufficient number of personnel on duty Number of non-compliance cases involving
    employment of unqualified lifeguards
    2022 8 845 0 0
    2023 8 834 0 0
    2024 12 828 4 0

    As all inspections conducted by the FEHD on licensed swimming pools are surprise inspections, there is no record on non-surprise inspections.
     
    For the four cases in 2024 in which sufficient number of qualified lifeguards was not made available in accordance with the law or licensing conditions, the FEHD had taken prosecution or issued warnings to the licensees depending on the actual situation.
     
    The lifesaving qualifications required by lifeguards are assessed and awarded by the Hong Kong China Life Saving Society (HKCLSS) (Note 3). Starting from May 19, 2025, the FEHD will implement a number of measures to strengthen the monitoring of the qualifications of lifeguards at private swimming pools. These measures include stepping up inspections of swimming pools. Apart from checking the identity documents of lifeguards on duty and their Pool Lifeguard Awards (PLA) during each surprise inspection, the FEHD will also send all information of the PLA to the HKCLSS for verification. The FEHD and the HKCLSS have established a regular verification mechanism to handle the matter.
     
    Note 1: Lifesaving services are not provided by the LCSD at three of the gazetted beaches as beach facilities such as beach buildings and shark prevention nets are not available there.
    Note 2: With lifesaving and first aid services being outsourced at six public swimming pools under the LCSD on a trial basis since September 2024, the 98 civil service lifeguard vacancies in the venues concerned will not be filled for the time being.
    Note 3: The HKCLSS is the only national sports association recognised by the International Life Saving Federation for assessing lifeguard qualifications and awarding lifeguard certificates in Hong Kong.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: CBL International Limited (NASDAQ: BANL) to Participate in the Lytham Partners Spring 2025 Investor Conference on May 29, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CBL International Limited (NASDAQ: BANL) (the “Company” or “CBL”), the listing vehicle of Banle Group (“Banle” or “the Group”), a leading marine fuel logistic company in the Asia-Pacific region, today announced that Dr. Teck Lim Chia, Chairman and CEO, will participate in a  webcasted fireside chat and Ms. Venus Zhao, our IR and PR Director, will host one-on-one meetings with investors at the Lytham Partners Spring 2025 Investor Conference, taking place virtually on Thursday, May 29, 2025.

    Company Webcast

    The webcast presentation will take place at 12:30 pm on Thursday, May 29, 2025, Eastern Time. The webcast can be accessed by visiting the conference home page at https://lythampartners.com/spring2025/ or directly at https://app.webinar.net/bNM Pk09l74O. The webcast will also be available for replay following the event.

    1×1 Meetings

    Management will be participating in virtual one-on-one meetings throughout the event. To arrange a meeting with management, please contact Lytham Partners at 1×1@lythampartners.com or register for the event at https://lythampartners.com/spring2025invreg/.

    About the Banle Group

    CBL International Limited (Nasdaq: BANL) is the listing vehicle of Banle Group, a reputable marine fuel logistic company based in the Asia Pacific region that was established in 2015. We are committed to providing customers with one-stop solution for vessel refueling, which is referred to as bunkering facilitator in the bunkering industry. We facilitate vessel refueling mainly through local physical suppliers in over 60 major ports covering Belgium, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mauritius, Panama, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam, as of 16 April, 2025. The Group actively promotes the use of sustainable fuels and is awarded with the ISCC EU and ISCC Plus certifications.

    For more information about our company, please visit our website at: https://www.banle-intl.com.

    CBL INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
    (Incorporated in Cayman Islands with limited liabilities)
       
    For more information, please contact:
    CBL International Limited
    Email: investors@banle-intl.com
       
    Strategic Financial Relations Limited
    Shelly Cheng Tel: (852) 2864 4857
    Iris Au Yeung Tel: (852) 2114 4913
    Email: sprg_cbl@sprg.com.hk

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China and Colombia Sign Cooperation Plan to Jointly Implement Belt and Road Initiative /detailed version-1/

    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, May 14 (Xinhua) — China and Colombia should take the latter’s formal accession to the Belt and Road Initiative as an opportunity to improve the quality and level of bilateral cooperation, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday.

    Xi made the remarks during a meeting with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who is in Beijing to attend the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC Forum (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States).

    Following the meeting, the heads of state witnessed the signing of a cooperation plan between the governments of the two countries on the joint construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: New Chinese TV series ‘The Regroup’ marks WWII anniversary

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

    A new TV series commemorates the 80th anniversary of the victories of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Soviet Union’s Great Patriotic War and the World Anti-Fascist War, with release expected later this year.

    A poster for “The Regroup.” [Image courtesy of Tencent Video]

    “The Regroup,” produced by Tencent Video under guidance from the National Radio and Television Administration, follows a Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army squad during China’s 14-year-long struggle against Japanese aggressors.

    The series depicts soldiers who become cut off from their main forces and the Communist Party of China leadership after a fierce battle, forcing them to endure relentless Japanese pursuit. Bound by their oath to fight to the death, they survive extreme hardships to regroup and return to the battlefield, their sacrifice contributing to China’s victory and the world anti-fascist triumph.

    The series is directed by Zang Xichuan and Zhao Yang, with a screenplay developed by celebrated screenwriter Gao Mantang along with Li Li, Ru Sheng and Li Zhou. The ensemble cast features Hu Jun, Li Naiwen, Chen Jingke, Yuan Shanshan, Ren Bin and Song Jiateng. Renowned musician and singer Han Hong serves as music supervisor.

    The series’ release date has not yet been announced, but its theme song “Return” was released on May 9 to coincide with the anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in the Great Patriotic War. The occasion was marked in Russia by a grand military parade at Red Square earlier that day, featuring over 11,500 military personnel, including contingents from more than 10 countries. Notably, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Guard of Honor participated in the event.

    Reflecting the historical connection between the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army and the Soviet Union, singer Zhou Shen performs the series’ theme song in a music video featuring alternating verses in Chinese and Russian. The song features lyrics by Shu Wang, music by Li Ran and Russian lyrics adapted by He Xiangji and Wang Liye, with orchestral accompaniment by musicians from the China Philharmonic Orchestra.

    Tencent Video said the bilingual song commemorates the wartime mutual support between Chinese and Soviet forces against fascism, symbolizing their revolutionary camaraderie and shared vision for peace.

    The song celebrates the soldiers who fought in the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army by honoring those “bravely facing national peril, remaining loyal to the homeland, sacrificing for righteousness and uniting against aggression,” according to the production company.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese pop star bridges cultures with global ambition

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

    With his new single “Buck” released and a new album set for July, Chinese pop icon Jackson Wang continues to consolidate and expand his global influence with unwavering ambition.

    The album cover art for Jackson Wang’s “Magic Man 2.” [Image courtesy of Team Wang Records]

    His new album “Magic Man 2” is now set for July 18 release in the United States, while release dates for other territories are pending. Fans are already rushing to secure pre-orders, which include standard and limited-edition signed CDs, vinyl, boxed sets with exclusive apparel and posters, retailer exclusives like a Barnes & Noble’s opaque orchid vinyl and a cappella bonus track CD in Target’s. 

    The sequel to his solo debut “Magic Man” — which entered the Billboard 200 at No. 15 in 2022 and garnered over 123 million streams worldwide — has Wang raising expectations. He explicitly proposed during a recent conversation with Billboard News: “Please make me top five.”

    The forthcoming album marks Wang’s most personal and ambitious body of work to date, continuing his global ambition as he positions himself as a Chinese cross-cultural ambassador through music and collaboration. Taking a step back from the spotlight and music landscape in 2024 unearthed unaddressed emotions, which he transformed into an unfiltered chronicle of growth: from manic highs fueled by denial to the painful reckoning of lost identity, from setting boundaries and shedding people-pleasing tendencies to ultimately finding peace through acceptance. Produced entirely by Wang and crafted over a year, the album confronts outside exploitation and inner demons while showcasing his artistic evolution.

    Since February, the album’s rollout has made waves worldwide. Wang released three singles while maintaining a grueling global schedule — traveling between the United States, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand and China for music video shoots, celebrity collaborations, performances and promotional appearances. This has enabled him to connect local audiences, just as his whirlwind tour further expands his international stardom. 

    A behind-the-scenes photo of “Buck” music video shows Jackson Wang and Diljit Dosanjh together. [Photo courtesy of Team Wang Records]

    The third and latest single “Buck” — an eerie bop released on May 9 — pairs Wang with Punjabi megastar Diljit Dosanjh, an Indian music and film icon. Wang’s smoky vocals anchor the track, accompanied by a sinister music video co-directed with Nicholas Lam. Macabre visuals and frenetic choreography highlight Wang’s razor-sharp showmanship.

    “I dreamed of going all the way to hell to deal with you,” Wang shared, setting the tone for this hard-hitting dance-pop track. 

    The song debuted as the No. 9 top new entry on Worldwide iTunes Song Chart, reaching No. 1 in seven countries and regions including Thailand, Fiji and Sri Lanka, and peaking at No. 35 overall. Its music video has surpassed 1.4 million YouTube views since release. 

    Previously, the new album’s lead single “High Alone” debuted at No. 1 on Apple Music in 22 countries and regions, with its music video amassing over 2.65 million views since its Feb. 13 release. Its follow-up “GBAD” outperformed these results, going viral with its surrealist black comedy short film amassing 32 million YouTube views since March 28. The track’s popularity also spawned notable international remixes, including a collaboration with Japanese group Number_i and American producer JasonTheWeen, further boosting its global reach.

    A series of product drops tied to the four thematic chapters of “Magic Man 2” will roll out over the coming weeks, offering collectible chapter-specific editions.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Central Cordoba edge toward Libertadores knockout stage

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

    Gaston Veron scored late as Argentina’s Central Cordoba moved closer to securing a place in the Copa Libertadores round of 16 with a 2-1 away win over Venezuela’s Deportivo Tachira on Tuesday.

    The hosts were reduced to 10 men in the 12th minute when teenage defender Edicson Tamiche was shown a straight red card for a deliberate handball.

    It didn’t take long for the visitors to capitalize on their numerical advantage, and Jonathan Galvan gave his side the lead by heading home from a corner.

    Deportivo equalized against the run of play as Carlos Sosa’s superb through ball allowed Bryan Castillo to tap home from the edge of the six-yard box 15 minutes from time.

    But Central Cordoba restored its lead almost immediately through Gaston Veron, who fired a first-time effort into the far corner after Fernando Martinez’s cut-back from the right corner flag.

    The result leaves Central Cordoba top of Group C with 11 points from five outings, while Deportivo Tachira is yet to register a point.

    In other Copa Libertadores fixtures on Tuesday, Universidad de Chile won 4-0 at home to Carabobo, Atletico Bucaramanga held Fortaleza to a goalless home draw, and Cerro Porteno edged to a 1-0 away win over Sporting Cristal. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Moscow Export Center to Select Ambassadors of Capital Business Abroad

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Moscow Export Center (MEC) opened its first official selection of ambassadors capital business abroad. Specialists help city companies successfully enter foreign markets: they support businesses in friendly countries, establish business connections, open up export opportunities and become representatives of Moscow brands in the international arena.

    Ambassadors are professionals living and working abroad, who have a good understanding of local business culture, legislation and business processes. They help Moscow exporters find partners, analyze potential demand for products in the region, contact retail networks and distributors and personally accompany export contracts and negotiations on the ground.

    Within the framework of the MEC pilot project, ambassadors have been working in other countries for several years and have proven their effectiveness in practice. The Moscow Export Ambassador service has been used by 213 Moscow companies. They have concluded export contracts for a total of over 2.7 billion rubles. Experts represent Moscow in China, India, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Malaysia and Iran.

    Now the program is moving to a new level. MEC has formalized and systematized the criteria for selecting ambassadors to make the participation process more transparent and convenient. Candidates need to submit an application, in which they must confirm their experience in international business, business connections with local partners, knowledge of the language and understanding of the specifics of the regional business environment. The main candidates will be able to sign a contract with MEC. You can study all the requirements for candidates on the website Moscow Export Center.

    Active and involved experts with experience in international trade are invited to share successful mechanisms for entering foreign markets and represent the interests of Moscow companies abroad. Participants in the Moscow Export Ambassador program will be able to become part of a team that forms the image of the Russian capital as a reliable and active export player on the world stage.

    Get the latest news quickly in the official telegram channel the city of Moscow.

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

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

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/153786073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi meets Colombian president

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

    Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who is here for the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    BEIJING, May 14 — Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Colombian President Gustavo Petro in Beijing on Wednesday.

    Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who is here for the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi meets Chilean president

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

    Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Chilean President Gabriel Boric, who is here for the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    BEIJING, May 14 — Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Chilean President Gabriel Boric in Beijing on Wednesday.

    Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Chilean President Gabriel Boric, who is here for the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China, Vietnam open new int’l road transport route

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

    BEIJING, May 14 — At 10:40 a.m. on Wednesday, convoys carrying electronic components, fresh vegetables, and daily necessities departed simultaneously from Nanning in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Kunming in southwest China’s Yunnan Province, heading for Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.

    This marks the first time that Chinese freight vehicles operating under the Greater Mekong Sub-region Cross-border Transport Facilitation Agreement (CBTA) will reach Vietnam’s inland regions directly via the newly opened route.

    The route represents a significant enhancement in facilitating international road transport between China and Vietnam, resulting in a notable improvement in transportation efficiency.

    Compared with previous routes, the new corridor saves each truck approximately one day in transport time and reduces costs up to 1,000 yuan (about 138.97 U.S. dollars).

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s first AI-generated sci-fi series draws millions of viewers

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

    “The Sun That Fell,” China’s first AI-generated science fiction micro drama, has drawn significant attention from viewers and industry insiders since its online debut on April 30, marking a breakthrough in AI-driven content production.

    A still from “The Sun That Fell.” [Image courtesy of Wukong Media]

    Director Zheng Hang told China.org.cn the sci-fi series contains more than 50 characters and 200 scenes across 30 episodes. Each episode follows the “micro drama” format popular in China, with ultra-short installments running just two to three minutes in length.

    Every step of the project — from generating scenes and creating characters to filming and visual effects — was handled entirely by AI, according to Zheng. This approach dramatically reduced both production time and costs, allowing the team to finish all episodes in just three months.

    The Chinese short-video platform Douyin selected Zheng’s project for its premium original content program after reviewing multiple proposals. Platform executives cited “The Sun That Fell’s” compelling narrative structure and dramatic tension as key factors in their decision to greenlight the production.

    Adaptation to the micro-drama format demanded nearly half the content be newly created, ensuring each brief episode sustained the intensity and narrative momentum this condensed storytelling style requires.

    The micro drama, based on Zhang Ran’s Chinese Nebula Award-winning novella, depicts a future where solar storms cripple Earth’s energy supply. In the story, humanity constructs three space stations to harness solar power, but rival factions weaponize these installations. The AI-produced series combines disaster spectacle with philosophical questions as Earth battles both cosmic dangers and technological threats. Douyin, Sichuan New Media Group and Wukong Media co-produced the project.

    A photo captures director Zheng Hang during the production of “The Sun That Fell.” [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

    Zheng said the script became the production’s biggest challenge due to a compressed timeline of just over a month, having originally targeted a Spring Festival release. 

    The team wrote and produced simultaneously, revising the script more than a dozen times and redoing completed scenes when necessary. The production faced additional technical hurdles with scenes involving multiple characters and group interactions, which current AI technology struggles to render convincingly. 

    Several space station sequences required multiple redesigns, and creating the station’s collapse demanded extra effort because the novella provided limited descriptive details.

    To overcome these limitations, the production team utilized nearly all major AI models currently available, combining their various capabilities to achieve the final result.

    “The Sun That Fell” has garnered over 4.7 million views so far on Douyin, impressing viewers with visual effects and character performances that approach human-created quality.

    “Honestly, I’m surprised,” said author Zhang Ran. “Sci-fi has always been among the hardest genres to adapt. Future, space and extraterrestrial elements always demand extensive visual effects, which traditionally meant prohibitive costs. Many writers instinctively avoided such ambitious concepts. But AI-generated content (AIGC) now liberates creators. This breakthrough empowers all storytellers to think bigger.”

    Director Zheng sees similar potential, noting that AIGC technology can enable adaptation of literary works that lack top-tier IP status.

    A photo captures a creative meeting during the production of “The Sun That Fell.” [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

    “AIGC provides more than just simple cost reduction; it creates a more efficient feedback loop between content and commerce,” he said. “We can achieve bolder ideas at lower costs and quickly receive market feedback, forming a new business model that feeds back into the creative process.”

    “Through this efficient, high-quality sci-fi content, we can gradually build reputation, cultivate audience taste and ultimately establish stable paying habits among viewers, enabling continuous output,” Zheng added.

    Dong Jing, assistant to the chair of the Chinese Nebula Awards organizing committee, said that high costs, long timelines and risks have long challenged sci-fi adaptations.

    “AIGC is reshaping that model, which is significant,” he said. “The project marks a milestone and signals new possibilities for the sci-fi industry.”

    Dong Renwei, a prominent figure in China’s sci-fi community and co-founder of the Chinese Nebula Awards, described the AI-produced series as a significant milestone for adapting Chinese sci-fi, following major adaptations like “The Three-Body Problem” and “The Wandering Earth.”

    He noted that numerous classic works by Chinese science fiction authors remain unadapted, with the Chinese Nebula Awards archive serving as a repository of high-quality content awaiting screen adaptation.

    Wukong Media’s previous AI-generated sci-fi project “Awakening” garnered over 50 million views in 2024. Following the release of “The Sun That Fell,” the production company has secured agreements with more than 10 Chinese science fiction authors to develop additional AI-generated content series. 

    Zheng said his team plans to eventually produce feature-length films using AI, but recognized that audience expectations for theatrical releases would require further technological advancement.

    A still from “The Sun That Fell.” [Image courtesy of Wukong Media]

    Zheng downplayed concerns about AI replacing human talent in filmmaking as “somewhat sensational,” though he acknowledged the possibility of significant industry transformation through gradual integration of the technologies.

    “The technology is evolving rapidly,” he said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s National Pavilion explores co-existence at 2025 Venice Biennale

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

    Visitors explore the China’s National Pavilion at the 2025 Venice International Architecture Biennale in Venice, Italy on May 9, 2025. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

    China’s National Pavilion at the 2025 Venice International Architecture Biennale opened on Friday, May 9, 2025, in Venice, Italy, presenting the theme “CO-EXIST.” Curated by renowned architect Ma Yansong, founder of MAD Architects, and organized by China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the exhibition will run through Nov. 23, 2025.

    This year’s pavilion features 10 pieces (sets) of exhibits, exploring topics such as the Liangzhu Culture, Dunhuang Mogao Grottos, the Beijing central axis, and vision for future cities. The works reflect how contemporary Chinese architects are drawing inspiration from the traditional worldview of harmony between humanity and nature, reinterpreting this philosophy amid the ongoing shift from the industrial age to an intelligent era. By incorporating this ancient wisdom into material innovation, urban planning, and landscape regeneration, the exhibition offers a Chinese perspective and solutions to some of the challenges facing global society.

    Speaking at the opening, Jia Guide, China’s Ambassador to Italy, highlighted the significance of this year’s exhibition, noting that 2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the China Pavilion’s participation in the Venice Biennale. “Over the past two decades, the China Pavilion has grown into a dynamic cultural window,” he said. “Visitors from around the world can experience the beauty and innovation of Chinese modern art and design.”

    Ambassador Jia also mentioned 2025 commemorates the 55th anniversary of China-Italy diplomatic relations. He said that the two countries are deepening cultural exchanges such as the friendship between World Cultural Heritage sites, exhibitions and performances of fine arts, and personnel exchanges in the spirit of opening-up and inclusiveness, mutual learning, and mutual benefit.

    Massimiliano De Martin, deputy mayor of Venice, praised the China Pavilion’s contribution to the Biennale. He noted that the exhibition encourages visitors to critically reflect on the relationship between sustainability, technology and capital, promoting a deeper awareness of the resilient and enduring bond between humanity and nature.

    Curator Ma Yansong described the showcase of young architects’ works as a platform to express their interpretation of Chinese traditional culture, while offering forward-looking solutions to contemporary issues. He added that these diverse perspectives reveal the evolving possibilities of traditional Chinese culture.

    The China National Pavilion will remain open until Nov. 23, 2025.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China nurtures 140,000 innovative SMEs

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

    China has so far cultivated more than 140,000 innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that use specialized, sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products, including 14,600 elite “little giant” firms, according to a press conference Tuesday.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Taiwan’s DPP faces widespread criticism for rebranding local ethnic Han people

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

    Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities have drawn intense criticism after reclassifying people of the Han ethnic group as the island’s “other” population in its official demographic data.

    The move has been widely condemned as a politically charged attempt to sever cultural and historical ties between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland.

    On the official website of Taiwan’s executive body, descriptions of the island’s demographic groups were quietly rephrased earlier this month to state that Taiwan’s current registered population is composed of 2.6 percent indigenous residents, 1.2 percent immigrants, and 96.2 percent “others.”

    The revision erased explicit recognition of the Han people — Taiwan’s largest ethnic group, which has constituted the island’s majority for centuries.

    Chi Chia-lin, chief of a Taiwan history research association, told Xinhua that the revision exposes the DPP’s ideological push to cut the historical ties between Taiwan and the mainland.

    “This is blatant distortion of objective data,” he said. “It is a betrayal of our history and ancestry.”

    Chen Ching-hui, a lawmaker from the Chinese Kuomintang party (KMT), accused the DPP of waging a “cognitive warfare” campaign.

    “The standard statistical practice is to present the majority first and label the rest as ‘others.’ The DPP’s method is truly bizarre,” Chen said.

    The revision has triggered outrage and ridicule online, with one social media user writing in a sarcastic post, “We are the others now, and soon we will be the spares.”

    In addition to rebranding the Han ethnic group, the DPP authorities also removed a description of people from Minnan, who are descendants of migrants from the south of Fujian Province on the mainland.

    The Taipei-based China Times has noted in an editorial that the DPP authorities are trying their utmost to avoid mentioning that people from Minnan make up the largest portion of Taiwan’s population.

    “The DPP seeks to fabricate a vague and incoherent ‘Taiwan independence’ ideology by distorting historical facts, evading truth, and twisting history,” the article reads.

    The rephrasing of Taiwan’s demographic descriptions follows a series of DPP-led initiatives to downplay the island’s Chinese cultural heritage, including those to dilute Chinese history in school curricula and minimize Han cultural references.

    The United Daily News called these actions a carefully-designed campaign to exclude the Chinese culture in the name of promoting diversity. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China successfully completes test of 140-ton reusable liquid rocket engine

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) — China has successfully completed a full-scale test of a 140-ton liquid oxygen-methane propellant engine that will power the country’s reusable launch vehicles, the engine’s maker said Tuesday.

    The rocket engine, developed by the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, has the highest thrust among China’s existing open-cycle liquid oxygen and methane engines.

    It is intended to be used as a critical power source for reusable rockets and will play a vital role in future space-to-Earth transportation systems, reusable launch vehicles and the development of heavy-lift rockets.

    The academy said the latest successful test marks a breakthrough in the country’s development of 100-ton liquid oxygen and methane engines. The entire process from the official start of engine development to the completion of testing took just seven months.

    In December 2024, the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology tested its 90-ton reusable liquid oxygen-kerosene engine for commercial spacecraft, a major achievement since it began focusing on commercial spaceflight in 2023.

    China’s 2024 government work report called commercial space exploration “a new engine of economic growth.”

    The academy assured that additional efforts will be made to develop heavier engines, in particular, 200-ton reusable engines running on liquid oxygen and methane. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Wang Huning stresses key role of scientific and technological innovation in driving high-quality development

    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, May 14 (Xinhua) — Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), on Tuesday stressed the key role of scientific and technological innovation in cultivating new-quality productive forces and advancing high-quality development.

    Wang Huning made the remarks during a consultative meeting on developing new-quality productive forces through scientific and technological innovation.

    He noted that it is necessary to make full use of the advantages of the new type of nationwide mobilization system in order to achieve victory in the intense struggle to master the main key technologies.

    Wang Huning called for deepening the integration of scientific and technological and industrial innovation, building a modern production system, strengthening international scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation, and comprehensively reforming systems and mechanisms in education, science and technology, and human resource development.

    Wang Huning called on the CPPCC National Committee members to conduct in-depth research, actively put forward proposals, and make contributions to high-quality development and China’s modernization.

    About 100 members of the CPPCC National Committee attended the meeting.

    Member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Zhang Guoqing also attended the meeting and delivered a speech.

    Zhang Guoqing stressed that it is necessary to strengthen the status of enterprises as subjects of innovation activities and promote the commercialization of the results of scientific and technological activities.

    In addition, Zhang Guoqing noted the need to use artificial intelligence (AI) to develop the real sector of the economy and promote new-type industrialization, and coordinate the development of AI with digital transformation to promote high-quality development. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –