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Category: China

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 05/7/2025 Blackburn Confronts NBA on Its Shady Ties to Communist China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) pressed National Basketball Association (NBA) executive, William Koenig, on the league’s shady ties to Communist China. Estimates show that the NBA’s media rights in China are worth hundreds of millions of dollars per year and that team owners have invested more than $10 billion in the country all while the Chinese Communist Party has violated human rights and censored speech. Koenig refused to disclose how much the NBA has profited off investments in China.

    Click here to download video of Senator Blackburn’s remarks during the Senate Commerce Committee hearing. 
    On the NBA’s investments in China:
    Blackburn: “Why don’t you tell me what the broadcast rights in China are worth and how much NBA owners have invested in China?” 
    Koenig: “The NBA does have a very long history of distributing our games and content in China for more than 30 years.”
    Blackburn: “I’m not asking about the length of time you’ve been in China. I’m asking, ‘What are the media rights worth?’ You’re the president of global content and media distribution so what are those rights worth and how much have the NBA owners invested in China?’
    Koenig: “The NBA does not comment publicly on the financial terms of our relationships in the U.S. or abroad.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: HTX DeepThink: Liquidity Window Confirmed — Bitcoin Hits $100K Again, What’s Next?

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, May 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HTX DeepThink is a flagship market insights column created by HTX, dedicated to exploring global macro trends, key economic indicators, and major developments across the crypto industry. In a world where volatility is the norm, HTX DeepThink aims to help readers “Find Order in Chaos.”

    Last week, Chloe (@ChloeTalk1) from HTX Research accurately predicted that a liquidity window could emerge in early May, driving capital back into crypto markets. On May 8, Bitcoin surged past $100,000 for the first time in three months—confirming her forecast. How long can this momentum last, and what are the implications of the latest U.S.-UK tariff deal? In this bonus update, Chloe provides fresh analysis of the evolving landscape.

    UK–U.S. Tariff Agreement Signals Reduced Risk and Policy Support

    On May 8, the United Kingdom and the United States reached a breakthrough trade agreement. The UK agreed to open its agricultural market for U.S. products in exchange for a reduction in U.S. tariffs on British automobile exports. Tariffs on British steel and aluminum exports to the U.S. were reduced to zero, while a 10% “reciprocal tariff” remains in place on U.S. imports.

    Although the UK already runs a trade deficit with the U.S. and the economic impact of the deal may be modest, it signals a willingness by the U.S. government to re-engage diplomatically and release policy tailwinds.

    U.S. Commerce Secretary Lutnick further indicated that the next major trade agreement could involve a large Asian economy, suggesting that the U.S. administration is preparing to offer structural trade incentives on a broader geopolitical scale.

    Bitcoin’s Market Structure Shifts From Speculative Trading to Institutional Capital Allocation

    Concurrently with these easing policy conditions, Bitcoin’s capital flow dynamics have undergone a fundamental shift. Over the past three weeks, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have recorded substantial net inflows totaling $5.3 billion——the highest quarterly inflow since their launch.

    Notably, this increase has been driven by institutional participants, including the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, the Swiss National Bank (via MicroStrategy equity purchases), and increased allocations by BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF. This signals a structural transition in Bitcoin’s pricing logic—moving from short-term, volatility-driven speculation towards long-term capital allocation. BTC is evolving beyond a high-risk asset; it is gradually forming an independent capital ecosystem, increasingly viewed by institutional investors as a “supra-sovereign asset”—somewhere between gold and U.S. Treasuries.

    Bitcoin Volatility Remains Contained; Market Awaits Macroeconomic Catalysts

    Despite BTC’s recent rally to $100,000, the market has not yet exhibited signs of speculative exuberance. Implied volatility (IV) in Bitcoin options remains stable in the 50%–55% range, far below the extreme levels of 80%+ typically seen at the peak of past bull markets. CME Bitcoin futures open interest currently stands at $14.8 billion, well below the $20 billion peak observed during the 2020 U.S. presidential election period, indicating that leverage is still manageable. Meanwhile, the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield has repeatedly failed to break above 4.60%, now hovering around 4.40%, which remains a neutral-to-supportive zone for risk assets.

    Overall, as long as yields do not climb back above 4.8% and ETF inflows remain steady, Bitcoin is likely to consolidate in the $105,000–$115,000 range while awaiting the next breakout trigger.

    Hidden Risk: Breakdown in China–U.S. and EU–U.S. Trade Talks Could Reignite Tariff Battles

    Nevertheless, investors should remain vigilant about geopolitical risk. While U.S. negotiations with China and the EU are ongoing, significant unresolved tensions persist—particularly over tariffs, export controls, and industrial subsidies.

    President Trump has explicitly stated he has no intention of lowering the current 145% tariff on Chinese goods as a prerequisite for restarting trade negotiations. Meanwhile, EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič warned that if discussions with the U.S. fail, the EU is prepared to launch retaliatory tariffs, potentially targeting up to €100 billion worth of American goods.

    A breakdown in these negotiations could lead to the re-imposition of aggressive tariffs, reigniting global trade friction. This would likely dampen investor sentiment and place renewed pressure on risk assets, including Bitcoin. As such, the hidden risk of renewed tariff wars remains a key macro variable that should be incorporated into all forward-looking risk assessments.

    *The above content is not investment advice and does not constitute any offer or solicitation to offer or recommendation of any investment product.

    About HTX Research

    HTX Research is the dedicated research arm of HTX Group, responsible for conducting in-depth analyses, producing comprehensive reports, and delivering expert evaluations across a broad spectrum of topics, including cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, and emerging market trends.

    Connect with HTX Research Team: research@htx-inc.com

    Contact:
    Ruder Finn Asia
    glo-media@htx-inc.com

    Disclaimer: This is a paid post and is provided by HTX. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.
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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/CHINA – Chinese bishops congratulate Pope Leo XIV

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Friday, 9 May 2025

    Beijing (Agenzia Fides) – The Chinese bishops congratulate Pope Leo XIV on his election. As reported by the Chinese state news agency “Xin Hua” (New China), the Patriotic Association of the Chinese Catholic Church “Yi Hui Yi Tuan,” and the Chinese Bishops’ Conference, the congratulatory message to the new Pope is dated today, Friday, May 9, 2025.This morning, Chinese bishops and priests pronounced the Pope’s name during Mass and prayed for him as usual during the Eucharistic liturgy.The Chinese press and social media, both Catholic and non-Catholic, followed the Conclave and the period leading up to it step by step, reporting extensively and publishing accounts of the death of their beloved Pope Francis and his funeral, right up to the first black smoke. The white smoke arrived when it was already night in China, but despite the late hour, Chinese Catholics and the people waited in front of their computers, tablets, and smartphones for the announcement and the first words of the new Pope.Awaiting the “Habemus Papam”, a Chinese bishop told Fides: “I am happy because soon I will be able to pronounce the Pope’s name at morning Mass and pray for the new Pontiff.”When the name was announced, an article by Father Paul Han (https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/KAO2BN-FsKZAxllRTPNUmA), published on WeChat on May 6, immediately circulated on the Chinese internet. In this article, the priest not only predicted the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, but also the possible choice of the name “Leo XIV”, with a detailed biography.Following the announcement of the new Pope’s election, congratulations and prayers of thanks poured in, both online and during the first morning Masses of Chinese Catholics, who prayed “for a world and Church blessed by God through the pastoral ministry of Pope Prevost.”The choice of the name “Leo” was also highly appreciated by Chinese Catholics. It is a name that encompasses history, but at the same time also looks to the present and the future.His pastoral ministry will not only be a leadership role, but also a testimony of faith, love, and truth. The name represents continuity with his predecessors: in the midst of the storm, he wants to be the one who stands firm on the boat of Saint Peter, not only preserving the faith, but also leading us to hope! (N.Z.) (Agenzia Fides, 9/5/2025)
    Share:

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Economic Review: German manufacturers struggle under US tariffs amid growing global uncertainty

    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

    BERLIN, May 9 (Xinhua) — Germany’s manufacturing sector, long the backbone of Europe’s largest economy, is feeling the impact of new U.S. tariffs, with small and medium-sized exporters sounding the alarm over rising costs, shrinking profits and growing uncertainty.

    At the medium-sized gearbox manufacturer Tornado Antriebstechnik GmbH in northern Berlin, the production lines are running non-stop. In 2024, the company delivered 160,000 custom-made units, of which around 15 percent were destined for the US market. However, the recent tariff hikes have disrupted this flow, increasing cross-border costs and complicating investment planning.

    “We simply cannot cover these costs indefinitely,” said CEO Norbert Mensing, noting that the company has been forced to shift some of the burden onto its customers. “We were planning to develop in the American market, but now we are moving in a different direction,” he explained.

    Despite having a subsidiary in the US, some key components of the Tornado were subject to high tariffs, significantly increasing the overall cost of production. The company’s plans to expand production in the US are now on hold.

    “Due to the unpredictability of US trade policy, we are considering the possibility of curtailing our activities in this country and reorienting investments to the domestic market,” explained N. Mensing.

    Tornado’s predicament reflects broader concerns among German manufacturers, many of whom see unpredictable trade policies as a major threat to stability. The latest tariffs, dubbed “equivalence tariffs” by the Donald Trump administration, have introduced new risks into long-established transatlantic supply chains. German companies say the tariffs, intended to address trade imbalances, have actually increased uncertainty and dampened investment appetite.

    LOWER MARGINS, SLOWER GROWTH

    Germany’s export-oriented economy remains highly vulnerable to external shocks. While industrial giants like Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz have the flexibility to shift production around the world, smaller manufacturers like Tornado have far less ability to cope with the fallout.

    The fears are spreading across Germany’s industrial heartland. The country has a vast ecosystem of so-called “hidden champions” – small and medium-sized companies that have succeeded in niche markets. These companies thrive on precision engineering, long-term strategic planning and robust cross-border supply chains.

    For many of them, massive tariff hikes by the US and increasingly unpredictable trade policies are not just a blow to profits. They are shaking the foundations of the global production and supply chains on which these companies rely to remain competitive.

    Economist Hermann Simon, who coined the term “hidden champions,” noted that in today’s world, tariffs are no longer just price mechanisms — they have become structural disruptors. “Supply chains are so tightly intertwined that even small disruptions can have far-reaching consequences,” he told Xinhua.

    For companies built on trust, stability and global connectivity, uncertainty itself is more damaging than regulation, Simon warned.

    BREAKING TRUST

    Recent data confirms the growing concerns. In April, 28.3 percent of German companies surveyed by the Ifo Institute for Economic Research reported a deterioration in business conditions, the highest figure since late 2022. US trade policy was cited as the main external risk.

    That same month, Germany’s federal government cut its 2025 GDP growth forecast to zero, after falling in 2023 and 2024. If confirmed, it would mark the country’s first three-year economic contraction since World War II. Officials cited U.S. tariffs as a major factor in the revised forecast.

    According to estimates by the Institute of German Economy, if current tariffs remain in place until 2028, Germany’s total losses could reach 290 billion euros (about 325.48 billion US dollars), which is about 1.2 percent of annual GDP.

    The report notes that such tariff policies are becoming a catalyst for global economic turmoil, undermining investment confidence and hindering the coordinated development of industrial ecosystems around the world.

    “Many companies’ investment projects are being postponed or cancelled,” says G. Simon. “When companies stop expanding and start waiting, it sets off a chain reaction that can become a systemic brake.”

    INTERDEPENDENCE AND RISK

    Despite rising tensions, economic ties between the United States and Germany remain strong. In 2024, the United States accounted for 10.4 percent of German exports, the highest level since 2002. Last year, Germany also posted a record trade surplus with the United States of €69.8 billion.

    But German executives warn that unpredictable trade policy is undermining trust in the global rules-based trading system. In a world of tightly interconnected supply chains, sudden changes not only cause disruptions, they threaten the foundations of long-term industrial cooperation.

    This is particularly acute for mid-sized manufacturers like Tornado, which are often referred to as the “backbone” of the German economy. Unlike global multinationals, such firms cannot easily relocate production or overcome geopolitical upheavals. Their competitiveness depends on a stable environment, long-term investments and deeply integrated supplier networks.

    In the current circumstances, Germany faces significant challenges: it must uphold open market principles, restore confidence in industry and support its manufacturing sector in a world where economic certainty is increasingly difficult to find.

    While the US justifies its “equivalence tariff” policy on the principle of fairness, critics argue that this approach puts national interests above global stability. This could have the opposite effect, disrupting supply chains and harming American consumers. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Six killed in gas-air explosion in Uzbekistan

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    Tashkent, May 9 (Xinhua) — Six people were killed in a gas-air explosion in Samarkand, the Uzbek regional emergency department said on Friday.

    It is reported that on the night of May 8-9 in the city of Samarkand, a gas-air mixture flashed in one of the houses. The explosion caused by the ignition of the mixture led to the collapse of the reinforced concrete structures of the building.

    As a result of the actions carried out, the bodies of six citizens were discovered under the rubble.

    It is noted that fire and rescue teams arrived at the scene and began to eliminate the consequences of the accident.

    The incident is currently under investigation. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Statement in response to the United States decision to deny future funding to UNFPA

    Source: United Nations Population Fund

    UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, notes with deep regret that the United States of America has announced its intention to deny future funding to the organization by triggering the Kemp-Kasten Amendment. This decision is based on unfounded claims about UNFPA’s work in China that have long been disproved – including by the US Government itself. It comes in addition to termination notices UNFPA has already received for more than 40 existing humanitarian projects, amounting to some $335 million in funding.

    Following the abrupt termination of development assistance grants, this move will add further strain to the already-stretched global public health system. It will cut essential support for millions of people living in humanitarian crises and for midwives preventing mothers from dying in childbirth — work that is a ‘best-buy’ in development, a cost-effective investment that generates positive returns over generations.

    UNFPA’s decades-long partnership with the United States, a founding partner, has made the world safer, stronger and more prosperous. Together, we have strengthened health systems, saved millions of lives, and improved the economic prospects of families and communities worldwide. Over the past four years alone, with the US Government’s life-saving investments we prevented more than 17,000 maternal deaths, 9 million unintended pregnancies and nearly 3 million unsafe abortions by expanding access to voluntary family planning.

    UNFPA remains keen to maintain an open dialogue with the US Government, including through the UNFPA Executive Board, of which the USA is a member.

    We urge the United States to reconsider its stance and reclaim its position as a leader in global public health, saving millions of lives. Funding UNFPA – the only United Nations agency dedicated to reproductive health and rights – is the surest way of reducing the risk of coercive practices around the world.

    UNFPA staff and partners are determined to support safety and dignity, progress and hope for every woman and girl. We will continue to work tirelessly under our mandate to deliver on our collective promise to women and girls around the world.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN Security Council extends South Sudan mission amid rising instability

    Source: United Nations – Peacekeeping

    The Security Council has extended the mandate of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) for another year, as the world’s youngest nation teeters on the brink of renewed conflict.

    Introduced by the United States and supported by 11 other Council members, the resolution extended the mandate of UNMISS until 30 April next year.

    This action follows a short nine-day “technical rollover” approved by the Council on 30 April to allow more time for negotiations.

    Through the text – adopted on Thursday – the Security Council authorized the peacekeeping mission to “use all necessary means” to implement its mandate – including the protection of civilians, assisting aid delivery, supporting implementation of the 2018 peace agreement, and investigating violations of international law.

    Three nations – China, Pakistan, and Russia – abstained.

    Continue reading on UN News.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Major port explosions signal need for urgent action to strengthen safety and security in managing hazardous chemicals worldwide

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The massive explosion and fires that rocked the Shahid Rajaei port near Bandar Abbas, Iran, on 26 April 2025 took the lives of at least 57 people and injured over 1,200, according to media reports. The port’s activities and surrounding community were severely impacted and the hazardous smoke could have severe health and environmental effects. The government has stated that negligence and non-compliance with safety measures regarding the storage and handling of hazardous chemicals were the causes.  

    To prevent and mitigate the effects of future incidents, Member States worldwide are invited to engage in UNECE’s current interagency work to support governments  to strengthen safety and security measures across sectors for the  management of hazardous chemicals.  

    Major port explosions in Lebanon (Beirut port in 2020) and China (Tianjin port in 2015), as well as blasts in Equatorial Guinea (Bata barracks in 2021) and USA (West Fertilizer Explosion in 2013), have had lasting impacts. These resulted from inadequate storage and handling of hazardous chemicals and in some cases prompted governments to strengthen their inspections of chemical facilities, review inventories, follow-up on non-compliance and suspected irregularities and raise public awareness. As governments review and improve safety measures, risks need to be carefully assessed against the background of the ongoing global energy transition, aiming to mitigate climate change, while also adapting to its increasing impacts. Certain hazardous substances and technologies affiliated with the energy transition have potential to cause accidents if not properly managed. In a changing climate, increasingly severe and frequent natural hazards can trigger accidents and exacerbate their effects.  

    International instruments and standards support governments to manage risks of hazardous chemicals to prevent, prepare for and respond to industrial accidents. At UNECE, the Industrial Accidents Convention provides principles and guidance to manage technological disaster risk, aiming to enhance industrial safety nationally and across borders, in a  transboundary context. At UN level, the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) and UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods lay out measures to safely store, handle and transport hazardous chemicals.  

    ILO, IMO, UNDRR, UNEP, UNEP/OCHA Joint Environment Unit, UNITAR, WHO, OECD, the European Commission and European Investment Bank also support risk management from different angles, with their respective legal and policy instruments and guidance.  

    UNECE has also initiated a partnership with these organizations to follow-up on the 2020 Beirut port explosion and implement a three-year global project, supported by the European Union and the European Investment Bank. The initiative aims to promote and improve knowledge of international instruments that apply along the lifecycle of chemicals for preventing and mitigating accidents, strengthen capacities for related policies and governance and increase knowledge of authorities on preparedness and response.  

    A new video that introduces the risks of managing hazardous chemicals and tools available to manage them; a forthcoming information repository and report with more information on international instruments and national good practices; and a global seminar on this topic within the framework of the 14th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Industrial Accidents Convention at the end of 2026.  

    International cooperation and coordination, including across sectors, are key to enhancing knowledge and developing tools to avoid future incidents involving hazardous chemicals and to protect people, the environment and economies from them. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Nasa’s planned budget cuts could set back space science, but show how to future-proof the agency

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Loizos Heracleous, Professor of Strategy, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick

    Illustration of the Orion spacecraft. Nasa

    The 2026 Nasa budget proposal would slash around US$6 billion (£4.4 billion) in funding. This is a huge reduction, amounting to around 25% of recent Nasa budgets. The savings would mainly come from Nasa science programmes, potentially devastating high profile missions and international collaborations.

    However, the budget proposal also represents an intentional redirection of Nasa’s focus by government through resource allocation. The state has long supported the development of a robust commercial space sector, and this budget is a further step in that direction.

    Congress will have the final say and the cost to science could be high if the budget goes through without major amendments. One casualty could be Mars Sample Return (MSR), a joint endeavour with the European Space Agency that is intended to retrieve Martian soil and rock collected by the Perseverance rover and deliver it to laboratories on Earth.

    An audit of MSR released in February 2024, suggested that the mission’s overall cost could exceed US$7.5 billion (£5.6 billion). The timescale for the mission was also slipping into the 2040s.

    Nasa agreed to look at quicker and cheaper ways of carrying out the mission, a process which is ongoing. But as a big ticket item under the agency’s Science Directorate, MSR could nevertheless be cancelled if the proposed budget were to be passed.

    Other projects likely to be affected include the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which aims to investigate dark energy and exoplanets, and the DaVinci mission to Venus, which seeks to study the planet’s dense atmosphere and surface composition. Since the James Webb Space Telescope is already constructed and operating, it is expected to continue doing so.

    However broader funding reductions for Nasa’s Science Mission Directorate, from US$7.3 billion (£5.4 billion) to US$3.9 billion (£2.9 billion), may limit the scope of future projects and the pipeline of early innovations.

    The Nancy Grace Roman telescope could be one casualty of the budget proposal.
    Nasa

    The proposed budget could also lead to an accelerated retirement for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion crew capsule. These are the vehicles designed to carry US astronauts to the Moon under a Nasa programme called Artemis.

    This programme aims to establish a permanent US base on the Moon, allowing astronauts to carry out science and to learn how to make use of lunar resources –such as the abundant water ice sitting in craters at the poles.

    This ice could be turned into water for life support and chemically split to provide propellant for spacecraft. This could bring down the cost of space exploration because it would avoid having to transport supplies from Earth.

    The retirement of the SLS and Orion would happen after the Artemis III mission, which is planned to be the first to land astronauts on the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. This decision suggests that the administration has heeded those who warn that if China gets to the Moon’s surface before the US, it could damage American space leadership.

    But it also implies that White House officials are in no hurry to build up a sustained presence on the lunar surface, as laid out under the Artemis plan, since finding replacements for Orion and the SLS will take time.

    With each SLS launch costing upwards of US$4 billion, the rocket’s longer term financial sustainability has been repeatedly called into question. Cancelling the SLS and Orion could also lead to thousands of job losses. These concerns are valid. However, in a robust industry, there is opportunity for people.

    Globally, the space industry is growing fast, with a value of US$570 billion (£427 billion) in 2023, having grown 7.4% from the previous year. A flexible and vibrant industrial sector could offer ample opportunity for displaced workers.

    Other commercial players such as Blue Origin, Rocket Lab and Sierra Space are developing their own launch systems, crewed vehicles, and – in some cases – space stations. This competitive ecosystem accelerates innovation and reduces costs, which ultimately benefits the broader economy and the country.

    Having said all that, critics say an extended hiatus in crewed lunar exploration while commercial companies develop these spacecraft may hand China the advantage when it comes to establishing a dominant presence on the Moon.

    Past precedent

    The White House budget proposals are a request and not law. Congress has the final say in whether these programs are retired and when. There are precedents: in 2010 the Obama administration proposed the wholesale cancellation of the second Bush administration’s Constellation program to return to the Moon. However, Congress intervened to rescue the Orion spacecraft.

    While Constellation’s two rockets – the Ares I and Ares V – were technically cancelled, the SLS (which in many ways resembles the Ares V) was conceived as a compromise.

    If approved, the proposed budget cuts would usher Nasa more strongly towards an orchestrator or “systems integrator” role. This would see the agency convening and coordinating a complex web of commercial, academic, and international participants. Nasa would therefore shift towards focusing on oversight, seeding innovation, and ensuring mission coherence.

    The agency already has experience of public-private partnerships such as the programs that resupply the International Space Station with cargo and crew. The Artemis programme also aims to involve private companies as partners rather than simply contractors.

    The proposed cuts would indeed disrupt the agency, but they are also emblematic of a shift in national priorities toward support for the development of space capabilities by private companies. Many Nasa programmes carry high symbolic or scientific value – sometimes both.

    But in some cases, their costs are difficult to defend when commercial alternatives could be developed for either the full mission or parts of the mission at a fraction of the cost.

    As Nasa shifts toward an orchestrator role and the commercial space sector matures, these changes, though painful in the short term, may serve the interests of US leadership in space over the long term.

    Loizos Heracleous does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Nasa’s planned budget cuts could set back space science, but show how to future-proof the agency – https://theconversation.com/nasas-planned-budget-cuts-could-set-back-space-science-but-show-how-to-future-proof-the-agency-256103

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Germany’s new government wants to be a foreign policy power

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Gabriele Abels, Jean Monnet Professor for Comparative Politics & European Integration, University of Tübingen

    When the CDU/CSU and the SPD sealed their coalition agreement to form the next German government, the would-be chancellor Friedrich Merz proudly announced: “Germany is back on track”. Against a backdrop of considerable geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges, the partners wanted to send clear signal not only to the German public, but also to the European and international partners. After three years of intense government infighting, a new, stable administration was in charge in Germany.

    However, a very different message was ultimately sent when a routine vote to confirm Merz as chancellor became an unprecedented fiasco.

    Merz failed to gain enough support to be confirmed as chancellor, having lost votes from his own coalition. Merz did manage to secure the parliament’s nomination in a second round of voting, but there is now plenty of gossiping about who was responsible for this disaster. Who in his coalition was taking “revenge” by voting against him in this secret ballot – and on what grounds?



    Read more:
    Friedrich Merz confirmed as Germany’s chancellor – but betrayal by MPs in a secret ballot means he starts from a position of weakness

    Merz will have to work to move beyond this early blow to his authority and implications in the domestic and international arena. His first action was to embark on a multi-capital tour to meet his fellow European leaders. This is a strong sign of his intentions as chancellor – to look outward, emphasising foreign policy.

    Prioritising defence and consolidating power

    For a long time, continuity has prevailed when it comes to Germany’s policy towards Europe. However, relations with neighbours are currently undergoing a period of transition due to a changing international environment. A big step came under former social democratic chancellor Olaf Scholz, who overturned post-war policy by announcing a €100 million investment in the military in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    Merz now wants Germany to become a “leading medium-size power”. The coalition agreement signed between Merz’s CDU/CSU and the social democratic SPD, grants the chancellor a stronger role in order to achieve this aim.

    The 144-page document, entitled “Responsibility for Germany” (Verantwortung für Deutschland), prioritises defence, deterrence and strengthening resilience — in military, economic, political and social terms.

    EU partners expect leadership from the new German government and a stronger commitment from Merz in particular, because of his first-hand experience as a member of the European Parliament from 1989 to 1994. Merz is certainly committed to European integration and to the EU, which is mentioned in the coalition agreement as “a guarantor of freedom, peace, security and prosperity”.

    The coalition agreement emphasises closing ranks with the European partners. Merz cemented this commitment by visiting Paris and Warsaw the day after taking office to announce a reboot of the “Weimar triangle” – a regional allegiance between France, Germany and Poland created in 1991 – as a commitment to what he sees as Germany’s two most important European partners.

    There are strong elements of continuity between this government’s approach to Europe and that of its predecessor. There remains an unwavering commitment to the EU and NATO and comprehensive support for Ukraine. What is, however, new, is the strong emphasis on defence in the coalition agreement.

    “We want to be able to defend ourselves, so that we don’t have to defend ourselves,” the document states.

    With this in mind, a long-held conservative ambition is being realised — the creation of a national security council (Bundessicherheitsrat) within the federal chancellery. This gives the chancellor a stronger role in foreign policy.

    In addition, the new minister for foreign affairs, Johann Wadephul, is a Merz loyalist from the CDU. Traditionally, this was a role held by the junior coalition partner. This new situation, in which the chancellor and minister for foreign affairs are from the same party, plus the new national security council, means that power is concentrated in the chancellery.

    Further afield

    Beyond the immediate neighbourhood, positioning Germany towards the US, China and Israel are high on the agenda. In line with the German “Staatsräson” – an element of foreign policy that recognises Israel’s right to exist and sees Israeli security as a German national interest.

    Merz announced in February 2025 that he is willing to find “means and ways” to welcome the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Berlin. This despite the the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against him. Such a visit would be a breach with the strong German tradition of rule of law and the respect for multilateral institutions.

    Merz is also known to be a transatlanticist and his camp had already reached out to the US administration before taking office. Tariff wars are detrimental to the German economy given the strong dependence on exports to the US. It is similar for China, another important trading partner, but also a “systemic rival” which requires a sound “de-risking” strategy.

    Yet, given the destructive Trump presidency and the insecurity when it comes to the US commitment to European security, a policy towards the US will be paramount. Strengthening relations with the UK in cooperation with the EU partners is meant to go some way to balancing the lack of US support, especially in relation to Ukraine.

    Merz appears willing to take up these challenges and to focus his chancellorship on EU and foreign policy. It helps that the conservative European People’s Party (of which the CDU/CSU is a member) currently dominates the European Parliament and that the powerful position of European Commission president is currently held by a German, in the form of Ursula von der Leyen.

    Yet the ballot fiasco in the national parliament shows that Merz is more vulnerable at home than he would like to be. This may end up frustrating his ambition to lead change in Europe.

    Merz also still needs to win the trust of ordinary Germans, too. He is not a popular chancellor. Less than 40% Germans have trust in him and women especially dislike his style. In addition to efficient policymaking, he will need to improve on his pointed and polarising communicative style if he is to reach out to the people.

    Gabriele Abels is a member of the Europa-Union Deutschland which belongs to the Union of European Federalists.

    – ref. Germany’s new government wants to be a foreign policy power – https://theconversation.com/germanys-new-government-wants-to-be-a-foreign-policy-power-256190

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: In the Chinese city of Wuhan, the great feats of Soviet pilots were and are valued

    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

    WUHAN, May 9 (Xinhua) — “The Soviet volunteer pilots not only fought for China’s liberation, but also for peace and justice for all mankind,” Xu Ziyue, a graduate student at Jianghan University, said at a commemorative event for fallen Soviet volunteer pilots held in Jiefang Park (Liberation Park) in Wuhan, central China’s Hubei Province, in early April.

    According to park administration employee Wang Bin, during the three-day weekend of the traditional Chinese holiday Qingming (All Souls’ Day), which lasted from April 4 to 6 this year, about 40,000 people came to the park to honor the memory of fallen Soviet volunteer pilots.

    “People regularly and voluntarily come to the monument to Soviet martyrs in our park. Many of them lay flowers there,” he noted.

    In Jiefang Park stands an 8-meter-tall marble obelisk with ten gilded Chinese characters carved into the front of its base: “Tomb of the Fallen Soviet Volunteer Pilots.” The inscription, engraved in Chinese and Russian on the back of the monument, reads: “Eternal glory to the Soviet volunteer pilots who died in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.” The front of the granite monument lists the names of the fallen heroes, the oldest of whom was 33 years old at the time of his death, and the youngest only 24.

    In 1938-1939, major air battles broke out over the city of Wuhan, during which Chinese and Soviet pilots fought shoulder to shoulder against the Japanese invaders. Many Soviet pilots died during these battles. Some of the fallen were buried in the local park “Wanguo” /”Ten Thousand States”/. In 1956, their remains were reburied in a new cemetery for fallen Soviet heroes, which was built according to the Soviet model. A marble slab with the names of 15 fallen Soviet aces was erected there.

    In 2015, 14 more Soviet volunteer pilots were confirmed to have lost their lives in the air battles over Wuhan. Their names also appeared on the tombstone, bringing the total number of fallen Soviet volunteer pilots buried there to 29.

    Wang Bin said the park administration is constantly working on the protection and restoration of the monument and organizing educational services for group visitors.

    Next to the obelisk there is also a permanent exhibition dedicated to Soviet volunteer pilots. Local military fan Yan Heng actively participated in the formation of the exhibit.

    According to him, as a child he often went to Jiefang Park, where he learned about the heroism of Soviet volunteer pilots in the fight against the Japanese invaders. “I was told that heroes from the USSR who died defending our city are buried here. Their lives were cut short at a very young age. This touched me very much,” he emphasized.

    He noted that in 2017, the local newspaper Changjiang Ribao published an article about collecting items from around the world for the exhibition collection. He decided to come to the rescue so that more people could learn about the stories of Soviet volunteer pilots.

    In 2018, Yang Heng visited Moscow and received a huge amount of information and historical materials. After returning to Wuhan, he began organizing the exhibition.

    To make the exhibition more rich, Yang Heng’s team decided to recreate the real life of Soviet volunteer pilots during those war years using a multimedia installation and decorations.

    “I hope that more people today will learn about this history and cherish peace,” Yang Heng explained.

    In addition to the efforts of ordinary people to preserve the memory of Soviet volunteer pilots, work in this direction in China is also being carried out at the legislative and governmental levels.

    In 2013, China issued the Regulations on the Protection and Management of War Memorial Sites. The document states that war memorial sites of national importance may include monuments to famous foreign citizens who died in the name of China’s revolutionary struggle. The document stipulates the need to protect and manage historical monuments within the war memorial sites.

    One such site is the grave of the commander of a squadron of Soviet bombers, Grigory Kulishenko, which is located in the Wanzhou district of the city of central subordination of Chongqing /Southwest China/. Grigory Kulishenko died on October 14, 1939, in a battle over Wuhan at the age of 36.

    According to the administration of the Wanzhou Martyrs’ Memorial Park, more than 100 memorial events are held here every year, and the grave of the fallen Soviet hero is visited by an average of 300,000 people a year.

    Chen Anmin, associate professor at the Institute of History and Culture at Southwest University, stressed that the Chinese people and government always appreciate the Soviet Union’s just assistance in resisting the Japanese invaders and remember the great deeds of Soviet heroes.

    “The restoration and careful protection of memorial structures to Soviet fallen heroes testify to the fact that the Chinese people correctly and soberly assess history and value justice and friendship. Such actions help educate people and cultivate in them a love for peace and respect for true history,” he concluded. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China-Cambodia Rubber Base Opens in South China

    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

    NANNING, May 9 (Xinhua) — The China-Cambodia (Nanning) rubber production base was officially opened on Thursday in Nanning, capital of south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

    The new base aims to deepen industrial cooperation and strengthen cross-border trade with Southeast Asian countries.

    Located in the Nanning Comprehensive Bonded Zone, the 7,500 square meter factory building houses a rubber mixing production line with an annual capacity of 24,000 tons, as well as a research and development center and a finished product warehouse. The project was realized with joint investment from Cambodia and Thailand.

    Technical support and management of the facility is provided by a team of experts from Thailand.

    The base is expected to achieve an annual industrial output of 1.08 billion yuan (about 149.8 million US dollars) by 2026, with annual tax revenue of at least 54 million yuan.

    Nanning Vice Mayor Zhong Hong noted that it took only 79 days from planning to launch of the project, demonstrating Nanning’s determination to support investment from ASEAN countries.

    According to him, the base will become a key centre for rubber processing and trade in raw materials, targeting ASEAN countries.

    In the first quarter of this year, ASEAN remained China’s largest trading partner with a turnover of 1.71 trillion yuan, up 7.1 percent year on year and accounting for 16.6 percent of China’s total foreign trade. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: /Economic Review/ China’s Foreign Trade Maintains Steady Growth Despite External Challenges

    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 9 (Xinhua) — China’s foreign trade has shown resilience and steady growth since the beginning of the year despite challenges from the external environment, official data showed on Friday.

    According to the General Administration of Customs (GAC) of China, in April 2025, China’s total import and export volume of goods increased by 5.6 percent year-on-year.

    China’s exports rose 9.3 percent year-on-year to 2.27 trillion yuan (about $314 billion) in April 2025, while imports rose 0.8 percent to 1.57 trillion yuan.

    “Thanks to the concerted efforts of various regions and departments, China’s foreign trade has maintained steady growth since the beginning of the year in the face of external shocks,” said Lu Daliang, director of the Statistics and Analysis Department of the National Bureau of Statistics of the People’s Republic of China.

    In the first four months of this year, China’s total foreign trade in goods in yuan terms increased by 2.4 percent year-on-year to 14.14 trillion yuan.

    According to the data from the State Customs Administration of China, during the reporting period, China’s exports grew by 7.5 percent year-on-year to 8.39 trillion yuan, while imports fell by 4.2 percent to 5.75 trillion yuan.

    As noted by Wan Zhe, an expert from Beijing Normal University, the stable growth of China’s foreign trade in January-April fully reflects the stability of the country’s economy.

    The particularly impressive growth in foreign trade in April this year highlights China’s ability to quickly adapt to trade disputes and supply chain shocks, she added.

    According to the data from the General Customs Office of China, the growth rate of China’s trade turnover in April accelerated by 4.3 percentage points compared with the first quarter.

    As Wan Zhe emphasized, China’s recent foreign trade performance, exceeding market expectations, has confirmed the indispensability of China’s manufacturing sector in global supply chains.

    Data from the National Customs Office of China also shows that the structural improvement of foreign trade continues. In January-April 2025, China’s exports of electromechanical equipment increased by 9.5 percent year-on-year to 5.04 trillion yuan, accounting for 60.1 percent of the country’s total merchandise exports during the period.

    According to Lyu Daliang, high-tech products showed outstanding results, with their total trading volume in the four months amounting to 1.52 trillion yuan, up 7.4 percent year on year.

    ASEAN retained its status as China’s largest trading partner in January-April this year. During this period, trade turnover between China and ASEAN countries reached 2.38 trillion yuan, up 9.2 percent year-on-year.

    During the same period, China’s trade turnover with the EU grew by 1.1 percent to 1.78 trillion yuan, and with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative by 3.9 percent to 7.25 trillion yuan.

    According to the data, China’s trade turnover with the United States fell by 2.1 percent year-on-year to 1.44 trillion yuan during the reporting period. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China-CEEC cooperation sees steady development, important opportunities: commerce ministry

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

    China-CEEC cooperation sees steady development, important opportunities: commerce ministry

    BEIJING, May 9 — Economic and trade relations between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) have developed healthily and stably, presenting great opportunities for future cooperation, China’s commerce ministry said on Friday.

    China’s trade with CEEC has grown at an average annual rate of 8.8 percent since 2012, while its import from the countries has grown at an average annual rate of 7.4 percent, both outpacing the growth rate of China’s foreign trade during the same period, Yan Dong, deputy head of the ministry told a press conference.

    In 2024, China’s trade with CEEC increased by 6.3 percent year on year, reaching a record high of 142.3 billion U.S. dollars, data from the ministry shows.

    Meanwhile, the two sides also saw more and more robust investment activities, Yan said, adding that China’s investment in the countries has exceeded 24 billion dollars so far.

    A new highlight of China-CEEC investment cooperation has emerged in recent years as Chinese enterprises from the industrial chains of electric vehicles and power batteries intensified their efforts in investigation and investment in the CEEC, he noted.

    In the future, there will be important opportunities for China-CEEC cooperation, with China’s efforts to comprehensively deepen high-level opening-up, as well as the establishment of various economic and trade platforms safeguarding bilateral cooperation, according to Yan.

    The complementarity between China and CEEC in the sectors of industry, trade of goods and services trade also provides new space for cooperation, Yan added.

    The 4th China-CEEC Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair will be held in Ningbo, east China’s Zhejiang Province from May 22 to May 25 this year. The event is expected to be one of the main platforms for showcasing the characteristic products of CEEC, expanding imports from CEEC, and promoting mutual investment between China and the countries, according to the ministry.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s central bank to enhance financial services to boost consumption

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

    BEIJING, May 9 — China’s central bank will implement a series of measures to improve financial services aimed at stimulating consumer spending, according to a report released Friday by the People’s Bank of China (PBOC).

    According to the PBOC’s first-quarter 2025 monetary policy report, it will better implement the moderately loose monetary policy. At the same time, it will explore the application of structural policy tools. These tools will be used to guide financial institutions to better support consumption across key sectors, such as tourism, catering, entertainment and education.

    According to the report, the PBOC will introduce a comprehensive package of financial policies to stimulate consumption, with emphasis on supply-side support.

    Financial institutions will be encouraged to optimize credit products and services for key consumption scenarios, major strategies and priority groups, and the central bank will support auto finance companies and consumer finance firms in issuing financial bonds, said the report.

    Additionally, the central bank aims to build an efficient and convenient payment ecosystem while improving payment convenience for foreigners visiting China.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China to boost vocational training for professionals in domestic services

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

    BEIJING, May 9 — China plans to offer domestic service vocational training with an annual trainee attendance of 1.5 million from 2025 to 2027 to meet the growing market demand in the sector.

    The initiative will serve individuals interested in entering the sector and those already engaged in the field, covering a range of skills related to various occupations, according to a notice released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and other five government organs.

    The extensive training is intended to make the domestic service sector more professional, promote high-quality employment and meet public demand for domestic service, according to the ministry.

    To improve the effectiveness of training, the notice specifies that a comprehensive assessment of jobseekers’ and workers’ training needs in the sector will be conducted to provide tailored programs for them.

    The number of domestic service professionals in China has exceeded 30 million, and there are over one million domestic service enterprises, with the sector’s market size exceeding 1.1 trillion yuan (about 152.58 billion U.S. dollars).

    As part of efforts to boost consumption, China in April issued a guideline focusing on expanding and improving the quality of domestic services, with steps to make related services more accessible to consumers, enhance policy support and optimize the consumption environment.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by FS at Europe Day 2025 reception (English only) (with photos/video)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at Europe Day 2025 reception today (May 9):

    Ambassador Harvey Rouse (Head of the European Union Office to Hong Kong and Macao), Deputy Commissioner Li Yongsheng (Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region), Consuls-General, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

    Good evening.

    It is a great pleasure to join you this evening to celebrate Europe Day — a day that honours the enduring commitment to unity and shared prosperity on the European continent.

    On this very day 75 years ago, French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman delivered a visionary declaration, proposing the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community. It laid the foundation for the European Union (EU).

    From the ruins of post-war Europe, nations once divided by conflict came together to build mechanisms of co-operation that would avert future wars and ensure long-term peace. As Schuman memorably said, and I quote: “World peace cannot be safeguarded without the making of creative efforts proportionate to the dangers which threaten it.” Those words remain as relevant today as they were in 1950.

    Today, we are once again confronted by rising geopolitical tensions and economic fragmentation, now exacerbated by unilateral tariffs unseen for generations.

    History teaches us that protectionism and unilateralism were among the factors that led to some of the 20th century’s most devastating conflicts. We must never forget those lessons. Collaboration among nations is essential to ensuring lasting peace and prosperity.

    As the Confucian saying goes, “和而ä¸�å�Œ”, harmony in diversity. We may differ in our histories, cultures and systems, but we can still work together in pursuit of common goals.

    Ladies and gentlemen, the challenges we face today, from protracted conflicts and climate change to widening development gaps, are complex and inter-connected. They cannot be resolved by a divided world. That is why the global community must stand by its commitment to multilateralism, and support the institutions and efforts to address these and many other issues.

    These are values that China, our country, firmly embraces. We advocate for an equitable multipolar world and inclusive globalisation, striving to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

    At a time of uncertainties in the global economy stemming from escalating tariff measures, our country’s message and actions are clear and consistent: China welcomes global business, remains committed to high-level opening-up, and will continue to be a source of stability and growth in the international system.

    Hong Kong, under the “one country, two systems” principle, has long served as a “super connector” between China and the rest of the world. This role demands that we remain what we have always been: an open, diverse and vibrant international city, a free port and a staunch supporter of free trade. No less important, we are committed to the rule of law backed by a judiciary exercising powers independently, firmly protecting the rights of our residents and businesses.

    I’m pleased to say that the international business community recognises our commitment, as reflected in numerous surveys and the growing number of companies choosing Hong Kong to establish their base.

    Allow me to highlight a few key areas where Hong Kong and Europe can work together to seize opportunities in today’s evolving global trade and financial landscape.

    First, as the Mainland continues to open its economy, Hong Kong serves as a strategic gateway for European companies to access the immense opportunities offered by the Greater Bay Area and the broader Chinese Mainland market. And with supply chains undergoing significant realignment, our deep ties with ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) make Hong Kong an ideal connector to those markets as well.

    In the financial sector, there’s an increasing demand from global investors to diversify their asset allocation. Hong Kong’s capital market provides unparalleled access to investment opportunities in one of the world’s fastest-growing regions. Hong Kong is also a global leader in asset and wealth management, providing huge opportunities for European firms in the industry.

    Climate action is another area of promising collaboration. Hong Kong is firmly committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. But more than that, we are keen to work with the EU to contribute to global decarbonisation, in such areas as technology partnership, green finance, climate risk disclosures and green taxonomies.

    As Ambassador Rouse noted just now, the annual Green Way conference on sustainability, organised by the EU Office in Hong Kong, advances dialogue and co-operation. And we are happy to explore more partnerships with you in this connection.

    Beyond business and finance, we continue to treasure and welcome cultural co-operation. This includes longstanding partnerships in cultural exchange, like the annual French May Arts Festival, which is now on. Italy, let me add, is this year’s country partner for Business of Design Week.

    And, I’m glad to hear more good news: the first Europe Day Festival in Hong Kong will take place this Saturday at PMQ. The family-focused event will feature live performances. Plus plenty of fine food and drinks, dance workshops and all the cultural richness and diversity that the EU’s 27 member states offer. For that, and so much more, my thanks to the EU Office and all the EU member state Consulates General.

    Ladies and gentlemen, the opportunities for deeper co-operation between Hong Kong and the EU are long-term and far-reaching. Let us work together to seize that promise for our economies and our peoples.

    May our longstanding ties continue to flourish. Thank you very much.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Beijing achieves continued progress in air and water quality in 2024

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

    The Chinese capital of Beijing achieved continued progress in air and water quality last year, according to a report released on Friday.

    Data from the report on Beijing’s ecological environment shows that in 2024, Beijing’s average density of PM2.5, a key indicator of air pollution, stood at 30.5 micrograms per cubic meter, dropping by 65.9 percent compared to that of 2013. The municipality recorded 290 days of good air quality and only two days with heavy air pollution.

    The municipality’s water quality has also made notable progress. Among Beijing’s five major water systems with a total length of rivers reaching 2,551.6 km, 87.2 percent were rated as having good water quality in 2024, up 15.9 percentage points year on year and nearly 40 percentage points compared to 2013, said the report.

    According to the report, the Ecological Index (EI) of Beijing was 71.4 last year, with a year-on-year growth of 0.85 percent. This indicates that the city is seeing steady improvements in the quality of its ecological environment. From 2020 to 2024, Beijing documented 7,121 species, including rare ones such as freshwater jellyfish and the oriental stork.

    “Beijing will continue to implement precise, scientific and law-based pollution control,” said Liu Baoxian, deputy head of Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau, also the report’s publisher. He added that the city will synergistically promote environmental protection and economic growth. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Tensions remain as Pakistan-India flare-ups enter 3rd day

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

    Tensions have remained as flare-ups between Pakistan and India have entered the third day.

    Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has firmly rejected Indian media reports alleging cross-border attacks originating from Pakistani territory, calling them “baseless, fabricated, and aimed at creating a false pretext for escalation.”

    “The repeated pattern of leveling accusations against Pakistan without any credible investigation reflects a deliberate strategy to manufacture a pretext for aggression and to further destabilize the region,” the ministry said in a statement late on Thursday.

    Separately, Pakistani security sources dismissed claims carried by Indian media alleging drone or missile attacks in the Indian-controlled Kashmir and the downing of a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet.

    “No drone or missile has been launched from Pakistan,” the sources told Xinhua. “These reports are outright fake, politically motivated, and part of a broader campaign of disinformation.”

    In India, the Indian army on Friday released a short video showing a strike hitting a target in Pakistan.

    In the short, low-resolution video, a projectile (apparently a missile) can be seen moving and hitting a structure.

    The army described it as a “befitting reply” to Pakistan’s shelling, but the exact location of the destroyed structure has not been disclosed.

    Meanwhile, authorities in the Indian capital region Delhi on Friday installed and tested air raid sirens.

    According to social media giant X, formerly known as Twitter, the Indian government has asked it to block 8,000 accounts on the social media platform, including those belonging to international news organizations and prominent X users.

    On Wednesday, India launched airstrikes on Pakistani targets to avenge last month’s killing of 26 people by gunmen in Pahalgam town, about 89 km east of Srinagar, the summer capital of the Indian-controlled Kashmir.

    The situation along the Line of Control, dividing Kashmir, has been tense as troops of India and Pakistan deployed on both sides of the ceasefire line were engaged in an exchange of fire and artillery.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King, Bipartisan Colleagues Collaborate to Expand Tax Credit for Small Businesses Investing in Research & Development

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), is cosponsoring bipartisan legislation to help the United States outcompete foreign adversaries like China that are significantly investing in research and development (R&D). The American Innovation and Jobs Act would help American small businesses expand and strengthen research and development (R&D) by extending and making permanent vital tax credits –allowing full expensing of R&D—previously included in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
    Companies and startups investing in R&D have long been able to either claim a tax credit or deduct their investments, which helps them to invest in developing new, innovative products. The legislation would also permanently restore full expensing of R&D costs while allowing businesses to retroactively take advantage of the deduction for the tax years during which full expensing had expired.
    “’Made in America’ products are essential to demonstrating American superiority on the world stage – from maintaining access to critical supply chains to preserving control of sensitive intellectual property,” Senator King said. “The bipartisan American Innovation and Jobs Act will allow American small businesses to innovate and grow their footprints with the certainty of expanded, permanent tax credits that make this critical research more economically desirable. I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for recognizing the importance of strengthening American industry to build jobs here at home, address national security challenges, and compete on the global stage.”
    More specifically, the American Innovation and Jobs Act would:
    Restore incentives for long-term R&D investment by ensuring that companies can continue to fully deduct R&D expenses each year by repealing the change made by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to section 174 of the tax code.
    Expand support for innovative startups by:
    Immediately doubling the cap on the refundable R&D tax credit from $250,000 to $500,000, and ultimately raising it to $750,000 over ten years.
    Expanding access to the R&D tax credit for startups by lowering certain threshold needed to qualify.
    Expand the number of startups eligible to use the refundable R&D credit by:
    Increasing the eligibility threshold from $5 million to $15 million in gross receipts.
    Increasing the period during which startups can claim the credit from 5 years to 8 years after beginning to generate at least $25,000 in revenue.
    In addition to King, cosponsors of the legislation include Senators Todd Young (R-IN), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), James Lankford (R-OK), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Steve Daines (R-MT), Mark Warner (D-VA), John Barrasso (R-WY), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Gary Peters (D-MI), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Patty Murray (D-WA), John Kennedy (R-LA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Katie Britt (R-AL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Ted Budd (R-NC), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Jon Husted (R-OH), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM.).
    The legislation is endorsed by the R&D Coalition, which includes companies of all sizes and many trade associations including Business Roundtable, National Association of Manufacturers, Information Technology Industry Council, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
    As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee, Senator King is committed to advancing American competitiveness in 21st century technologies and reducing America’s reliance on fossil fuels while improving national security and strengthening cyberdefenses. Senator King is the co-chair of the Senate Semiconductor Caucus, and has been one of the Senate’s leading advocates for improving battery technology and recycling as a way to strengthen national security and create good-paying American jobs. He was also a cosponsor of the Critical Minerals Security Act to direct the U.S. Department of the Interior to evaluate the global supply and ownership of critical minerals, establish a process to assist U.S. companies seeking to divest critical minerals operations in foreign countries, and develop a method for sharing intellectual property for clean mining and processing technologies with U.S. allies and partners.
    Full text of the legislation can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NPC Standing Committee Launches Inspection of Implementation of Food Safety Law

    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 9 (Xinhua) — The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislature, on Friday launched a new round of inspection on the implementation of the Food Safety Law, aiming to strengthen supervision over food safety and further intensify overall efforts to ensure food safety.

    The Food Safety Law was promulgated and put into effect in 2009, and underwent a comprehensive revision in 2015. The NPC Standing Committee previously conducted inspections on the law’s implementation in 2009, 2011 and 2016.

    During this latest round of inspection, the inspection team will conduct on-site assessments in provincial-level regions such as Heilongjiang, Shanghai, Jiangxi, Henan, Guangxi and Gansu.

    In addition, the standing committees of the people’s congresses of Tianjin, Liaoning, Anhui, Hubei, Guizhou and Qinghai will be instructed to inspect the law enforcement situation in their respective administrative regions.

    The inspection teams will focus on eight key areas, including the establishment of a food safety risk monitoring and assessment system, supervision of food safety in schools and supervision of food imports and exports.

    NPC Standing Committee Vice Chairman Cai Dafeng stressed the importance of strictly implementing the basic principles of food safety, enhancing the efficiency of food safety supervision, and further promoting the comprehensive and effective implementation of the Food Safety Law to provide a strong legal guarantee for public health and safety. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Skycorp Solar Group Limited Rings Nasdaq Opening Bell, Unveils Strategic Expansion into U.S. Solar Market

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York, May 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Skycorp Solar Group Limited (Nasdaq: PN) (“Skycorp” or “the Company”), a solar PV product provider engaged in the manufacture and sale of solar cables and solar connectors, marked its Nasdaq debut by ringing the Opening Bell, signaling a transformation phase in its mission to accelerate renewable energy adoption worldwide. The achievement also coincides with the Company’s plan to localize operation in the United States as Skycorp gears up to set up local team to drive growth in this high-growth market.

    “We are in a process to set up a subsidiary in the United States to seize growth opportunities offered by this burgeoning market where the installed capacity is expected to double to 375 GW by 2030 (SEIA, 2024),” said Mr. Weiqi Huang, Chief Executive Officer of the Company. “Today in the U.S., nearly 7% of the electricity already comes from solar energy, which is more than seven times that of ten years ago (SEIA, 2024). So Skycorp’s Nasdaq listing provides critical capital to help us localize operations in the country,” said Mr. Huang.

    “Skycorp also looks to form strategic partnerships with U.S. financial institutions to co-develop integrated solar-storage-charging projects and establish local teams to better support commercial and industrial clients and spearhead market research tailored for the U.S. market,” Mr. Huang added.

    Years of Innovation: From Startup to Nasdaq

    Founded in 2011 with the vision of “benefiting all human being with solar,” Skycorp has over the years become a leading provider of solar cables and connectors. The Company’s patented fire-retardant solar cables and ultra-durable waterproof connectors, which follow European International Electrotechnical Commission and TÜV production standards, serve clients across 30+ countries, while boasting a 90% customer retention rate.

    Future-Focused Initiatives

    Skycorp in its prospectus unveiled plans to launch smart junction boxes and intelligent solar charging stations for EVs by late 2025, designed to simplify renewable energy integration for consumers and enterprises.

    “The U.S. market is critical to our global strategy,” Mr. Huang continued, “By localizing innovation, we also aim to make Skycorp synonymous with affordable, American-made solar solutions.”

    About Skycorp Solar Group Limited

    Skycorp Solar Group Limited is a solar photovoltaic (PV) product provider focused on manufacturing and selling solar cables and connectors. Our operations are managed through our subsidiaries, including Ningbo Skycorp Solar Co., Ltd., in China.

    The Company’s mission is to become a green energy solutions provider by utilizing solar power and delivering eco-friendly solar PV products. By leveraging the Company’s expertise in solar technologies and relationships with worldwide clients, it aims to expand offerings of solar PV products and energy solutions for enterprise customers. For more information, please visit: https://ir.skycorp.com/.

    Forward-Looking Statement

    This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. When the Company uses words such as “may, “will, “intend,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate” or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of the registration statement filed with the SEC. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company’s filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

    For more information, please contact:

    Skycorp Solar Group Limited
    Cathy
    Investor Relations
    Email: ir@skycorp.com
    Tel: +86 185 0252 9641 (CN)

    WFS Investor Relations Inc.
    Connie Kang
    Partner
    Email: ckang@wealthfsllc.com
    Tel: +86 1381 185 7742 (CN)

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: China, Russia pledge to join forces against bullying, power politics

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

    MOSCOW, May 9 — China will work with Russia to shoulder the special responsibilities entrusted by the times, Chinese President Xi Jinping told his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, during their talks here on Thursday, as global uncertainties are exerting more pressure on the global economy.

    Today, in the face of unilateralist countercurrents, bullying and acts of power politics, China is working with Russia to shoulder the special responsibilities of major countries and permanent members of the UN Security Council, Xi said.

    Putin, for his part, criticized the imposition of high tariffs, saying it defies common sense, has no legal basis, and will only backfire.

    In early April, the United States rolled out so-called “reciprocal” tariffs against almost all of its trading partners worldwide, triggering widespread opposition and concerns over a possible global economic recession. Many countries have vowed to retaliate.

    On Thursday, the European Commission launched a public consultation targeting U.S. imports worth 95 billion euros (107.2 billion U.S. dollars), warning that retaliatory measures could take effect if ongoing negotiations with the United States over the so-called “reciprocal” tariffs fail to yield an agreement.

    A meeting on economic and trade affairs between Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will take place at the request of the U.S. side, during He’s May 9-12 visit to Switzerland. China’s Commerce Ministry stressed that China will not seek to reach any agreement at the expense of sacrificing its principles or the cause of international fairness and justice.

    Following their Thursday talks, Xi and Putin signed a joint statement on further deepening the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era. In the document, China and Russia voice firm opposition against unilateral and unlawful restrictive measures such as trade and financial restrictions.

    The statement said that certain countries, under various pretexts, have arbitrarily imposed tariffs on their trading partners, seriously infringing upon the legitimate rights and interests of other countries, gravely violating WTO rules, severely undermining the rules-based multilateral trading system, and profoundly disrupting the stability of the global economic order.

    The two countries condemned acts of bypassing the UN Security Council to implement measures that violate the UN Charter and international law, obstruct justice and violate the rules of the WTO.

    They also pledged to continue to jointly deal with the downward pressure on the world economy, and facilitate the participation of more Global South countries in international and regional trade.

    In today’s world, China and Russia collaborate to establish a more just, sustainable and multipolar world order, said Vladimir Petrovskiy, chief researcher at the Institute of China and Contemporary Asia at the Russian Academy of Sciences.

    To this end, China and Russia have been working closely in mechanisms like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which are vital platforms for Global South countries to address development challenges and promote universal peace, he said.

    Xi is in Moscow for a state visit to Russia and celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union’s Great Patriotic War. He and Putin have met over 40 times on various occasions.

    On Thursday, Xi and Putin held back-to-back small-group and large-group talks, and also had a chat over tea at the presidential office in the Kremlin.

    When the two presidents met the press following their talks, Xi described his talks with Putin as “in-depth, cordial and fruitful,” adding that they reached many important new consensuses. Putin said Xi’s visit is of great significance, and will inject strong momentum into the development of bilateral ties.

    The two presidents also witnessed the exchange of over 20 bilateral cooperation documents, covering areas such as global strategic stability, upholding the authority of international law, investment protection, digital economy, quarantine and film cooperation.

    In 2024, trade between China and Russia reached 244.8 billion dollars. China has remained Russia’s largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years.

    Russia-China relations are built on equality and mutual respect, Putin said during talks with Xi. It is neither directed against any third party nor swayed by any transient matters, Putin noted.

    The political trust between Russia and China is unparalleled in the world, said Alexander V. Lomanov, a researcher at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences.

    In this context, there is vast potential to further facilitate the movement not only of tourists, but also of experts, scientists and cultural figures between the two countries, he noted.

    “There is much more we can do to deepen our exchanges,” he said. “The more frequent these interactions become, the stronger our mutual understanding will grow.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: /China Spotlight/ Integrating Futuristic Robotics into Scenic Natural Landscapes Helps Renew China’s Tourism Experience

    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 9 (Xinhua) — It’s so exciting to see how China’s tourism industry embraces technology! Robot-assisted walking tours and artificial intelligence (AI) tours are just the beginning. Such futuristic travel experiences are becoming more common across the country, and they are making the travel experience more exciting than ever!

    This year’s May Day holiday, which ran from May 1 to 5, was one of the busiest tourism periods of the year in China, with many tourist attractions using cutting-edge technology to offer visitors unique and unforgettable experiences, from virtual reality equipment providing digital tours to drones creating dramatic patterns in the sky or monitoring crowd density at scenic spots.

    At the Shichuan Ancient Pear Garden, an incredible pear blossom attraction located in the remote inland county of Gaolan, Gansu Province, northwest China, you will be amazed to see robots developed by Chinese startup Unitree Robotics guiding tourists around the garden’s iconic landmarks. These advanced robots demonstrate dynamic obstacle avoidance and terrain-crossing skills that are truly impressive.

    The tech company, based in the bustling eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, has taken the world by storm with its humanoid robots, which made a splash at the 2025 Spring Festival (Chinese Lunar New Year) gala, leaving everyone in awe.

    At the Gaolan Museum of Agriculture, robots can be seen interacting with traditional farming tools. It is a fascinating dialogue between ancient and modern times, showing visitors how China’s ancient agricultural civilization has evolved to embrace modern technology.

    “It was a wonderful surprise! I didn’t expect to befriend high technology in an ancient pear orchard,” said one visitor surnamed Zhang, who got a first-hand look at the cutting-edge technology by shaking hands with a robot.

    “His movements were incredibly flexible and he seemed to be listening to me carefully. It was like communicating with a real person,” he said.

    Under the “AI Plus Consumption” initiative outlined in the State Council’s recently released special action plan to promote consumption in the country, the use of AI applications has become ubiquitous in numerous scenarios both online and offline.

    The tourism industry, which is usually associated with scenic views and cultural heritage, is undergoing significant changes thanks to the integration of robotics and advanced technologies.

    A striking illustration of this integration is the recent introduction of exoskeleton robots, which have become particularly popular among mountain climbers and mountaineers. These devices saw a significant surge in demand during the aforementioned vacations on Mount Taishan, a famous scenic area in eastern China’s Shandong Province.

    Li Gang, a senior official with Taishan Cultural Tourism Group, which organizes trips to Mount Taishan, said that in the last few days of the May Day holiday, rentals of exoskeleton robots were particularly busy every day, with some visitors waiting for two hours.

    The use of wearable and lightweight intelligent devices such as exoskeleton robots can reduce the burden on humans as they recognize the user’s intentions and dynamically apply mechanical force to key body parts. Such devices have an instantaneous traction force of 200 kg and an eight-hour endurance.

    With Mount Tai’s scenic beauty and cultural heritage evident on the steepest sections of its hiking trails, exoskeleton robots have proven effective in alleviating the discomfort associated with intense physical activity, cutting the expected three-hour climb up the steep mountainside in half.

    As Li Gang noted, during the holiday period, all available exoskeleton robots were fully booked in advance, with a rental price of 80 yuan (about $11) for three hours of “work.” The devices were designed not only to assist with walking, but also to monitor a person’s physical condition in real time and have functions such as emergency calls and landmark information.

    It is no secret that similar robots have been installed at other mountain tourist attractions in provincial-level administrative units such as Hebei, Anhui, Shaanxi, Jiangxi and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

    Chinese travelers made an estimated 314 million domestic trips during the five-day holiday period, with a significant proportion expressing deep satisfaction with new experiences using AI or human-robot interactions.

    In Guangdong province alone, 42 events organized by tech companies or telecom operators showcasing new AI applications attracted more than 2.1 million people.

    The integration of robotics into the tourism industry extends beyond entertainment and support functions and is finding applications in the areas of safety and security.

    A four-wheeled robot named Xiaoyu is currently being tested for patrol and safety inspection in the Grand Canal Cultural and Tourism Zone in Beijing’s Tongzhou District.

    Xiaoyu was designed to provide tourists with timely safety alerts, and can detect smoke and locate fire sources using its built-in thermal imaging and heat-sensing camera. The technology used in the robot can assess the health of trees and detect signs of pests or disease. In the event of an emergency, tourists can press the SOS button on the robot’s shoulder to contact the facility’s staff.

    These innovations are having a profound impact on how Chinese people travel and experience the world around them, from enhancing experiences to improving safety and efficiency. The May Day holiday provided a glimpse into an exciting future where the boundaries between people and technology become blurred, opening up new opportunities for the travel industry.

    An article published recently on the China News Service website quoted Guo Qiang, a sales manager at a humanoid robot company in central China’s Hunan Province, as saying that the company had received more than 100 orders from tourist sites across the country for tasks such as performing Tai Chi, serving tea, or assisting with hiking.

    “The presence of robots in China’s scenic areas is growing rapidly and on a large scale. This phenomenon can serve as a catalyst for the upgrading of cultural tourism services,” Guo Qiang shared his opinion. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Missile strikes and drone attacks heighten South Asian crisis – 8 questions answered over the role of Pakistan’s military in responding

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Ayesha Jalal, Professor of History, Tufts University

    A mosque lies in ruins after an Indian airstrike in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, on May 7, 2025. Zubair Abbasi/Middle East Images//AFP via Getty Images

    Pakistan’s government has pledged to respond “at a time, place and manner of its choosing” following an air attack from India that killed 31 people in Pakistan on May 6, 2025.

    The missile strike comes at a time of increased tension between the two South Asian neighbors following a terror attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir on April 22 that resulted in the deaths of 26 Indian tourists.

    India blamed the assault on its neighbor although has yet to provide any solid proof of a link between the assailants and the Pakistani state.

    To understand more about how Pakistan’s powerful military is viewing the incident, and weighing a response, The Conversation U.S. turned to Ayesha Jalal, an expert on South Asian history and politics who is the Mary Ricardson Professor of History at Tufts University.

    Who will makes the decisions over how Pakistan responds?

    This is clearly a defense issue, so the Pakistani military is going to take the lead. Any decision over how to respond to the Indian airstrikes will have to be done in consultation with the civilian government. But ultimately it will be the powerful Pakistani generals that will be making the decisions.

    In Pakistan, this is the usual way of doing things. The military has dominated politics in Pakistan for decades. Partly, this is due to the very dynamic we are seeing now. From the creation of Pakistan onward, there has been tension with India, including over Kashmir. Indeed the two countries went to war over Kashmir within a year of the partition of India soon after the creation of Pakistan. So the military has always been seen as central to Pakistan’s view of itself as an independent nation.

    Then in 1958, the Pakistani army toppled the civilian government in the country’s first of several military coup attempts, three of which have been successful.

    Since that time onward, no civilian government has been able to govern successfully for long without the support of the army. Recent political developments in the country – the ouster and arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and a 2024 election that resulted in a weak coalition government – have only strengthened the hand of Pakistan’s military.

    What do we know about Pakistan’s army chief Gen. Syed Asim Munir?

    Despite the Pakistani Army’s position of power, Gen. Syed Asim Munir, the Chief of Army Staff, is someone who has tried to keep out of the spotlight. He is known as a very religious character – he is a Hafiz, meaning he has memorized the Quran. And he is seen as a tough, fairly inaccessible soldier.

    He is also a hawk when it comes to relations with India. Speaking after the Kashmir attack and before India’s airstrikes, Munir warned, “Let there be no ambiguity: Any military misadventure by India will be met with a swift, resolute, and notch-up response.”

    Chief of Army Staff Syed Asim Munir on July 16, 2023.
    Iranian Presidency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

    This approach is somewhat of a departure from that of the man he replaced in 2022, former Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa. Bajwa was more inclined to look for a peaceful resolution with India over Kashmir and other issues.

    Munir, by contrast, presents a a more belligerent front in the face of what many in Pakistan see as Indian aggression, while framing the rivalry between the two nations in religious terms.

    What role has he and the Pakistani army played so far in the crisis?

    A lot has been made, especially in India, of comments that Munir made a few days before the attack in Pahalgam.

    Munir described Kashmir as Pakistan’s “jugular vein” and framed the long-running animosity between Pakistan and India in religious terms, invoking the “two-nation” theory that states that India is a homeland for Hindus; Pakistan is one for Muslims. The theory, conveyed by much of India’s media, is that Munir’s was an inflammatory statement that encouraged the Pahalgam attack.

    But there is nothing in what he said that was entirely original or new: This has been the narrative of the Pakistani military for several decades. It is simply how they talk.

    Is there evidence that Pakistan’s military played a role in the attack?

    None that India has presented as yet.

    India has blamed Pakistan for supporting the Kashmiri militants responsible – but hasn’t articulated what the actual relationship is between Pakistan and the militant group, The Resistance Front.

    Certainly, Pakistan has in the past had ties to some of the many militant groups in Kashmir. For some groups, that has meant crossing over from Indian-controlled Kashmir to Pakistan for training.

    But the argument that “Pakistan used to do it, so they must be doing it now” seems unsupported – certainly, Indian hasn’t presented solid evidence to any international body.

    What has the reaction of the international community been?

    India is not on as strong of ground as it was in 2019, when a suicide bomber in Pulwama, Indian-administerd Kashmir, killed 40 members of the Central Reserve Police Force. On that occasion, the international community swung behind India, with the U.S. offering counterterrorism support while calling on Pakistan to stop sheltering terrorists.

    Without firm evidence of a link between the attack and Pakistan this time around, the international community has found it difficult to go with India’s narrative of the attack. The U.S. has called on both sides to find a “peaceful resolution.”

    Meanwhile China has indicated that it is standing by Pakistan in a statement in which it expressed “regret over India’s military actions” while also calling on both India and Pakistan to “avoid taking actions that further complicate the situation.”

    What pressures will the Pakistani army be under to respond?

    In Pakistan, the view is this is India attempting to assert its dominance and create what analysts have called a “new normal” in relationships between the two countries – one in which India will retaliate to any perceived Pakistani-linked terror attack with missile strikes on Pakistan’s territory.

    The theory here is that India doesn’t mind escalation, in fact it is seen as serving the Hindu nationalist aims of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    But I wouldn’t describe it as public pressure on Pakistan’s military to respond, it is more strategic pressure. Pakistan will need to prevent this “new normal” happening, and so will, in my view, very likely respond in kind to the Indian airstrikes.

    What can Pakistan do in response?

    Well, for starters it has, in theory, the capacity to hit over 200 Indian cities with its arsenal of missiles. But Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has already said that strikes would only target Indian military targets and not civilians. Pakistan also has to weigh how India may respond to any retaliatory strikes.

    But India has expanded the usual terms of engagement when it comes to Kashmir. Typically in recent years, fighting has been contained along the “line of control” – the border between Indian- and Pakistani-controled Kashmir.

    But the Indian airstrike was deep within Pakistan. India says that the targets were all terrorist, but civilians were killed in the process – and Pakistan’s military will not be able to just leave it at that. A response is very much expected, especially now that India has upped the ante by using Israeli made Harop drones in an attempt to target the Pakistani air defense system. Pakistan claims it has shot down 25 of these drones.

    What are the risks of escalation for Pakistan?

    Obviously the most pressing risk is that Pakistan and India are both nuclear states. If Pakistan retaliates in an escalatory way, and then India responds in a similar fashion, this gets to a point where the use of nuclear weapons is a very real risk.

    War would also hit Pakistan’s economy at a time when it is seen to be improving after years of crisis. But that will likely be of secondary importance in the decision-making process for Pakistan’s military if it believes that the country’s integrity is being threatened.

    In addition, Pakistan’s generals will likely be of the view that India, in attacking Pakistan, is trying to thwart any economic recovery in Pakistan – with the belief being that India’s government fears a powerful, more economically stable rival.

    Ayesha Jalal does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Missile strikes and drone attacks heighten South Asian crisis – 8 questions answered over the role of Pakistan’s military in responding – https://theconversation.com/missile-strikes-and-drone-attacks-heighten-south-asian-crisis-8-questions-answered-over-the-role-of-pakistans-military-in-responding-256185

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The first group of cross-border autotourism participants in 2025 departed from the Chinese city of Hunchun to 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

    CHANGCHUN, May 9 (Xinhua) — The first group of participants in a cross-border car tour in 2025 set off from the Chinese border city of Hunchun, northeast China’s Jilin Province, to Russia on Thursday.

    The event involved 16 people from all over China who drove through the Hunchun checkpoint in cars, starting a 6-day cross-border journey.

    The event will last from May 8 to May 13. During this period, the motorcade will successively arrive in Kraskino, Andreyevka, Slavyanka, Nakhodka and Vladivostok.

    “Since its launch, the China-Russia cross-border car tour has been popular among car travel enthusiasts in China. The participants of the current group come from Beijing, Liaoning, Anhui and other parts of the country,” said Mao Ruijin, the group’s leader.

    It is expected that 10 such groups will be sent out from Hunchun City this year as part of the China-Russia cross-border car tours. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: ​Chinese-Russian Zoomer Couple ‘Discover New World’ Through Video Camera Lens

    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

    Experience the “atmosphere of old Shanghai” in Shanghai’s hutongs, study Huangmei opera dressed in hanfu in Anhui Province, and get to know the pottery culture in Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province… Sasha (Alexandra Antonenko), a Russian zoomer, studies Chinese customs and traditions and posts her impressions through the lens of her camera on her social media account, “Doctor of Sciences Alexandra.”

    Having appeared on social media two years ago, the doctoral student of Shanghai Jiaotong University has become a “super popular blogger”, and her “hits”: “Everyday Life of a Chinese-Russian Family”, “How Much Do You Know About Russia?”, “Sasha Learns Chinese” and other videos have won numerous awards. In 2023, her work won first place in the short video competition “Generation Z Sings About China – The History of Shanghai”; and in 2024, she was recognized as one of the best in the 6th International Short Video Competition “A Look at China from the Outside”.

    “Social networks create our world in “real time”, many of my foreign friends are interested in how I live in China, so I came up with the idea to show my daily life, culture and local cuisine through video. So I hope to build a cultural bridge between China, Russia and the whole world through the camera,” Sasha told the ChinaNews internet portal in an exclusive interview why she decided to make short videos.

    The fact that Sasha became a “star blogger” is largely due to the “behind-the-scenes” support of her husband Zhao Yiwei. In 2022, Sasha, who at that time had only lived in China for a month, met Zhao Yiwei in a coffee shop, gradually, thanks to many common interests, they discover each other’s spiritual world – this is how a love story begins that knows no boundaries. Over three years, they visited more than 20 cities in China, tried dishes from different regions, visited great mountains, saw great rivers … The videos that Sasha filmed during her trips made her family in Russia and fans from all over the world exclaim: “It turns out that China is not only skyscrapers!”

    Her video “How to be safe in China” has gone viral abroad in particular. In this video, Sasha walks alone along the night streets of Shanghai and has friendly conversations with passersby who give her the warmth and ease of this city. “Many people are getting to know China again through many real stories like ours, this is the main purpose of why we make such videos and their value, and this motivates us to continue this work,” said Zhao Yiwei.

    In February 2025, Sasha and Zhao Yiwei registered their marriage in China.

    Like many multinational couples, they have encountered cultural contradictions during their life together, but their openness and willingness to learn from each other always allow them to find quick solutions to problems. In the future, Sasha dreams of combining scientific work and filming videos. She is diligently studying Chinese and plans to conduct research on China’s foreign policy in order to create a more professional platform for cultural communication that will help those who are interested. And Zhao Yiwei emphasized that it is important not only to read a lot of books, but also to travel ten thousand li, he does not want to engage in superficial propaganda, but hopes to build a “cultural bridge” for communication step by step, brick by brick.

    In February 2025, the “cross-border love story” ended happily: Sasha and Zhao Yiwei registered their marriage in China, and in May they plan to hold a wedding with elements of Chinese and Russian styles. On their social media accounts, they received many comments from fans wishing them “eternal love”, which prompted them to continue filming videos.

    “Cultural differences are not a barrier, but a key that opens a new world, I am sure that our story is just beginning,” says Sasha.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Russian Sinologist: Building Language Bridges to Chinese Culture

    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

    At the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Russia from May 7 to 10 and take part in the celebrations in Moscow dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Russian sinologist, director of the Confucius Institute at the Russian State University for the Humanities (RSUH) Taras Ivchenko (Chinese name – Yi Fucheng) is looking forward to this event with great interest.

    “To deepen cooperation between countries, we must first build a bridge of communication, and language is such a bridge,” Yi Fucheng said figuratively in an exclusive interview with Zhongxin News Agency, speaking about the importance of teaching Chinese for humanitarian exchanges between the two countries. “Our task is to make this bridge even stronger and more reliable.”

    As the director of the first Confucius Institute in Moscow, Yi Fucheng has witnessed the entire process of its development since its founding in 2007. He said that at RSUH, about 400 students study Chinese in various departments, including such specialties as philosophy, linguistics, international relations, political science, cultural studies, and others. In his teaching practice, Yi Fucheng always pays attention to how to help students truly understand the culture behind the Chinese language.

    “It is not enough for cultural promoters to simply talk about China. They cannot limit themselves to talking about dumplings, calligraphy, or poetry from the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties. They must explain the culinary traditions, aesthetic tastes, and deep meanings of poetry behind them. Only in this way can the charm of culture be truly revealed,” Yi Fucheng emphasized.

    In September 2023, the first Orchid Award ceremony was held in Beijing, where Yi Fucheng was awarded the Friendship Ambassador Award. The award is a recognition of his long-standing efforts to promote cultural exchanges between China and Russia, as well as a reflection of his love for the Chinese language.

    Today, more and more young Russians are “discovering” the world of Chinese through social media. Short videos and real-time comments make communication between the youth of the two countries more intense. And Fucheng is happy about this: “Expanding exchange is good.” However, he also reminds that language learning should delve into the culture itself.

    In his classes, he tries to instill this in-depth approach in his students. Not only does he encourage them to participate in cultural activities, but he also recommends books with philosophical depth. “For example, Qian Mu’s Public Lectures on Chinese Thought or Feng Youlan’s A Brief History of Chinese Philosophy. I often suggest that students try reading them, although they say it’s difficult,” he smiles. “But I always tell them, ‘If you get down to it, difficult things will become easy.’ The more difficult it is, the more interesting and valuable it is to learn.” In his opinion, interest is the starting point in learning a language, but only a constant desire for knowledge allows a person to move forward.

    In addition to traditional culture, Yi Fucheng emphasizes the importance of understanding modern China. Speeches by Chinese leaders and government reports are required reading in his classes. “You need to learn to feel the precision of expression and the way of thinking of the country’s political language hidden behind the words.”

    In March 2013, during President Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia, a meeting was held with Russian sinologists, students studying Chinese, and media representatives. Yi Fucheng was invited to the meeting and acted as one of the representatives. He still remembers the event well.

    As a Sinologist, Yi Fucheng hopes that in the future the two countries can deepen cooperation in education and people-to-people exchanges by implementing more educational projects.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Russian officials: Chairman Xi Jinping’s visit will give new impetus to bilateral relations

    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

    At the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Russia from May 7 to 10 and take part in the ceremonial events in Moscow dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Russian representatives are confident that this visit is of great importance, demonstrates the high level of trust and mutual support between the two countries, and will contribute to the further development of Russian-Chinese relations.

    As reported by the TASS news agency on May 7, the Chairperson of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko emphasized that the state visit of Chairman Xi Jinping to Russia and his participation in the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Victory have “important historical significance.”

    Matviyenko noted that some countries are trying to distort the historical memory of the victory over fascism and militarism, and Russia and China are jointly opposing these attempts, playing a decisive role in preserving the historical truth for future generations.

    On May 6, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told RIA Novosti, TASS and other leading Russian media outlets that Russian-Chinese relations were at an “unprecedentedly high level” and both sides viewed them as “an example of genuine relations between great powers.” He stressed that President Xi Jinping’s visit was of particular importance and would contribute to the further development of bilateral relations based on “complete mutual trust, equality, mutual benefit and non-targeting of third countries.”

    Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on May 6 that Chairman Xi Jinping’s state visit to Russia and his participation in the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Victory “once again confirm the unprecedentedly high level of trust, mutual understanding and support that characterizes current Russian-Chinese relations.”

    Zakharova added that Russian-Chinese relations “are comprehensive in nature, are constantly enriched with new constructive content, meet the fundamental interests of the peoples of both countries and enjoy their comprehensive support.” According to her, under the leadership of the leaders of the two countries, Russian-Chinese cooperation will develop steadily in the long term.

    Zakharova also noted that Russia and China are committed to protecting international justice, promoting the central role of the UN, and building a truly equal and fair multipolar world order at various multilateral venues.

    Director of the Institute of China and Modern Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences Kirill Babayev expressed confidence in an interview with the Xinhua news agency that Russian-Chinese cooperation will maintain its positive dynamics, becoming a global example of mutually beneficial cooperation between great powers in all areas. Deputy Director of the IMEMO RAS Alexander Lomanov noted that the level of political trust, close ties and deep mutual understanding between Russia and China are unique in relations between the world’s largest powers.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Hainan is a magnet for Russian tourists

    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 9 (Xinhua) — While busloads of Russians flock to morning markets in the city of Heihe in northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, a significant number of Russian travelers are heading to pristine beaches on the other side of the country in southern China’s Hainan Province after long-haul flights.

    Data from local authorities in Sanya, a resort city in the island province of Hainan, shows that Russian tourists made 173,900 trips to the city in 2024, an eleven-fold increase from the previous year.

    In Sanya’s Dadonghai Bay, the beaches are filled with sunbathing Russians, and even fruit vendors are calling out to potential customers in Russian.

    “The warm climate, abundant sunshine and clear water, as well as the unique tropical climate and seascapes are the key reasons that attract Russian tourists,” said Chen Xiaolei, a local Russian-speaking tour guide.

    In addition to the exotic coastal landscapes, Russian travelers are also attracted by Hainan’s favorable visa-free policy and fast customs clearance.

    The State Immigration Administration (SIA) of the People’s Republic of China has expanded the visa-free entry regime to Hainan for citizens from 59 countries, effective February 9, 2024.

    In July of the same year, the CIU introduced a visa-free regime allowing foreign tourist groups from the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SAR) to enter and stay in Hainan for 144 hours, and in December, the transit visa-free stay period for foreigners in Hainan was increased to 240 hours.

    A tourist named Konstantin, who flew to the resort of Sanya on a direct flight from Krasnoyarsk, said: “China’s visa-free regime is incredibly practical and convenient for us. We plan to stay in Sanya for 10 days, which gives us enough time to enjoy the trip.”

    The Sherikovs, a Russian couple celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary in Sanya, said: “The customs clearance process took less than 10 minutes and was much easier than we expected.”

    An expanding international flight network with more direct routes from Russian cities to Sanya has also made the coastal city more accessible.

    In the first quarter of 2025, there were about 500 flights between Russia and Sanya, 400 percent more than in the same period last year. According to the Fenghuang border checkpoint in Sanya, more than 5,000 Russian tourists arrive here every week.

    Huang Xing, head of the Sanya Bureau of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports, said that to improve the experience of foreign tourists, local hotels and scenic spots have installed multilingual signboards in English, Russian and Chinese, facilitated international credit card payments and opened foreign currency exchange offices, and regularly hosted concerts, cultural performances and sports events.

    While enjoying sunbathing, tropical fruits and vibrant nightlife, more Russian tourists are beginning to delve deeper into Chinese culture to get more unique travel experiences in Sanya, such as traditional Chinese medicine treatment, he said.

    Huang Juhai, director of the specialized treatment department of the Druzhba International Sanatorium of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in Sanya, said: “TCM is very popular among Russian tourists as the recognition of TCM by foreign visitors has increased significantly.”

    Chen Xiaolei, a local tour guide, said more than half of his Russian clients prefer TCM treatment.

    “Many of them seek TCM treatment for neck and lower back pain, joint problems, obesity and digestive disorders,” he said. -0- /Source: China Daily/

    MIL OSI Russia News –