An opening ceremony was held on Saturday for the 2025 World Exposition in the western Japanese city of Osaka, a day before the global event opens its doors to the public.
Dignitaries, including Emperor Naruhito and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, attended the ceremony at the expo venue on Yumeshima, an artificial island in Osaka Bay.
Under the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” the expo will run for six months, with more than 160 countries, regions and international organizations taking part.
Addressing the ceremony, Ishiba said the expo “offers a platform for the people of the world to come together and exchange dialogue,” noting “the world, having overcome the coronavirus pandemic, now faces a crisis over many different divisions.”
In his speech during the ceremony, Dimitri Kerkentzes, secretary-general of the Bureau International des Expositions, regarded Expo 2025 as a unique opportunity to reimagine a future society where lives are protected through advancements in public health and disaster readiness.
Kerkentzes said human potential is empowered through education and technology, where connections between people and ideas foster a more inclusive and more prosperous world.
The expo will open to the public at 9 a.m. local time on Sunday and run for 184 days until Oct. 13. The organizer is expecting a total of 28.2 million visitors, including more than 140,000 on the first day.
The China Pavilion is also set to officially open on Sunday.
Aerial photo taken on Jan. 30, 2021 shows a view of Fujian Fuqing Nuclear Power Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), in Fuqing, east China’s Fujian Province. [Photo/Xinhua] China carried out a successful nuclear security exercise at the Fuqing nuclear power base in the country’s eastern Fujian Province on Saturday, according to the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA). The exercise, codenamed “Storm-2025,” was organized by the CAEA, the Ministry of Public Security and multiple other government departments. Participants included the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the National Energy Administration and the local Fujian government. It was the sixth iteration of a biennial exercise and verified the emergency response capabilities of China’s nuclear facilities in extreme emergencies by simulating intrusions and attacks under different scenarios. It aimed to improve risk awareness among operators of nuclear facilities. The drill reinforced China’s commitment to balancing the safety and development of the nuclear industry, according to the CAEA.
People walk in the wind in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province, April 12, 2025. Many parts in northern China are experiencing gale-force winds and temperature drops on Saturday. [Photo/Xinhua] A sweeping cold front has brought fierce winds across northern China since Friday evening, prompting widespread weather warnings, transport suspensions and emergency response measures. The National Meteorological Center (NMC) on Saturday renewed an orange alert for strong gales that are expected to sweep the country’s northern and coastal regions over the weekend, warning that winds of up to force 13 (37.0-41.4 meters per second) on the national wind scale will hit parts of Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Hebei and Beijing from 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday. China has a four-tier weather-warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue. From 5 p.m. Friday to noon on Saturday, 109 weather stations in Beijing recorded gusts above force 10 (24.5-28.4 meters per second), and 296 stations registered winds at or above force 9 (20.8-24.4 meters per second). Gusts exceeding force 10 were recorded in 13 districts of the national capital, including Haidian, Chaoyang and Fengtai, according to municipal meteorological authorities. At 8 p.m. Saturday, the Beijing Meteorological Observatory issued a regional orange alert for high winds. Forecasts for 8 p.m. Saturday to 8 p.m. Sunday predict winds ranging between force 9 and force 11 (28.5-32.6 meters per second) in most areas in the districts of Yanqing, Huairou, Changping, Mentougou and Fangshan, and parts of the districts of Haidian, Shijingshan, Fengtai and Tongzhou, with mountainous areas potentially experiencing gusts above force 12 (32.7-36.9 meters per second). The gale alert has been lowered to yellow in other districts of Beijing. To ensure public safety, Beijing has temporarily shut 15 overground railway sections, affecting a total of 106 stations and over 200 kilometers of tracks, including Beijing Subway Capital Airport Express tracks. The Beijing-Tianjin intercity high-speed trains, and bullet trains between Beijing and major cities such as Shanghai, Guangzhou and Harbin, as well as some non-high-speed passenger trains running through mountainous areas, will temporarily suspend service on Sunday, given the scope of the gale winds, the China Railway Beijing Group said on Saturday. In Beijing, two airports have cancelled hundreds of flights scheduled for Saturday, and a humanoid-robot half marathon that was set to take place on Sunday has been postponed to April 19. Numerous parks and museums have been closed, including the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven and Beihai Park, and fueling operations at gas stations and oil depots have been suspended. A number of museums, including the National Museum of China, announced on Saturday evening that they would remain closed on Sunday. As of 10 a.m. Saturday, a total of 288 trees were toppled across the city due to the strong winds, damaging 19 vehicles, according to Beijing’s emergency management authorities. There have been no reports of damage to ancient trees. According to the local administration of financial regulation, as of 11 a.m. Saturday, the property insurance institutions in Beijing had handled 101 insurance claims involving gales, with an estimated loss worth over 1.6 million yuan (about 221,954 U.S. dollars). No injuries or fatalities related to the extreme winds have been reported in Beijing. In the neighboring Tianjin Municipality, peak gusts of 43.2 meters per second were recorded in Jizhou District’s Panshan area — the strongest winds since records began in 1951. In the city’s urban center, record-high winds reached 25.3 meters per second, and authorities have warned that the extreme conditions are expected to persist through Monday. Farther northeast, in Liaoning Province’s Dalian, local authorities have issued yellow alerts for strong winds that will affect both land and sea areas. In northern Shanxi Province, the State Grid branch has deployed over 3,000 personnel to inspect and reinforce electrical facilities. Emergency repair teams and mobile generators were positioned across the province in advance to ensure rapid power restoration in the event of outages. In the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, strong winds have disrupted rail, road and air traffic. Beijing-bound high-speed rail services departing from the region’s central and western areas have been temporarily suspended, and airports in cities like Hohhot, Xilinhot and Hulunbuir have canceled dozens of flights due to adverse weather conditions. Experts say that as the strong cold air hits northern China, most parts of Inner Mongolia have seen strong winds. Many places in the east have experienced heavy rain and snow, while blizzards swept across some areas, with the temperature dropping by 10 to 20 degrees Celsius. The regional meteorological authorities forecast on Saturday that rain and snow will continue in eastern Inner Mongolia over the next two days. Meanwhile, in central China’s Henan Province, extreme winds have triggered a Level-III emergency response and prompted the issuance of over 100 meteorological warnings. Multiple tourist attractions, including the Zhengzhou Fantawild Resort, have been temporarily closed as a precautionary measure.
Following years of intense negotiations, nations reached a landmark agreement on Friday to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from global shipping by setting mandatory fuel standards and introducing an industry-wide carbon pricing mechanism.
The framework, approved by the United Nations (UN) International Maritime Organization (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee, is the first to combine mandatory emissions limits and greenhouse gas pricing across an entire industry sector.
Scheduled for formal adoption in October 2025 and implementation by 2027, the measures will apply to large ocean-going vessels exceeding 5,000 gross tonnage, which are responsible for approximately 85 percent of carbon dioxide emissions from the global shipping fleet.
The framework adopts a dual approach: a global fuel standard that will progressively lower the annual greenhouse gas intensity of marine fuels, and a carbon pricing mechanism requiring high-emitting ships to pay for their excess pollution.
A key feature of the new framework is the IMO Net-Zero Fund, which will collect revenue from the carbon pricing mechanism to support innovation, research, infrastructure, and transition initiatives in developing countries.
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez praised member states for their cooperation and commitment during the negotiations. “The approval of draft amendments to MARPOL Annex VI mandating the IMO net-zero framework represents another significant step in our collective efforts to combat climate change, to modernize shipping, and demonstrates that IMO delivers on its commitments,” he said.
MARPOL Annex VI refers to provisions in the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, specifically addressing air pollution. It already includes mandatory energy efficiency requirements for ships and has 108 Parties, covering approximately 97 percent of the world’s merchant shipping fleet by tonnage.
Established in 1948 and headquartered in London, the IMO is a UN specialized agency responsible for the safety and security of global shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution from ships.
Rescuers search for survivors among the rubble of destroyed buildings in the Shuja’iyya neighborhood east of Gaza City, on April 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Saturday that Israel will soon expand its operations to most of the Gaza Strip territory.
He told Gaza residents in a message that they have to evacuate due to the expected operations.
“For those who are interested, voluntary crossing to several countries will also be possible” under Washington’s plan, which Israel is “working to implement,” Katz said, referring to U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial relocation proposal for Gaza residents.
“This is the last moment to remove Hamas, release all the Israeli hostages, and bring an end to the war,” Katz remarked.
Earlier in the day, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced in a statement that it had fully encircled southern Gaza’s Rafah city by completing the establishment of the “Morag Corridor,” a route in the south of the strip intended to separate Rafah and Khan Younis.
The IDF noted that it will extend operational control over the corridor and carry out “counter-terrorism” operations in the area. The Israeli military, through the seizure of the key route, turned the area between the “Morag Corridor” and the “Philadelphi Corridor” near the border with Egypt into part of its security zone.
Later on Saturday, the IDF said its Air Force intercepted three rockets fired from Gaza towards southern Israel.
The rocket launches triggered sirens in open spaces bordering Gaza, with no casualties reported, it added.
Following the rocket launches, IDF Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee said in a statement that Israel “will attack with great force any area from which rockets are fired,” and ordered residents of the Khan Younis area to move westward to the “designated” humanitarian zones in the Al-Mawasi area.
Residents are also being evacuated in northern Gaza, and territory is being taken there, along with the expansion of the military buffer zone on the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza, Adraee added.
Also on Saturday, the Hamas-run Gaza media office said Israel has used water as “a weapon of war” to commit “a crime of slow mass killing” against Gaza residents.
It accused Israel of destroying over 90 percent of the water and sanitation infrastructure in Gaza, preventing technical crews from reaching the strip to repair damaged facilities, targeting workers who were carrying out their humanitarian missions, and blocking the supply of electricity and fuel needed to operate wells and desalination plants, among others.
Israel has blocked the entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza since March 2. It then ended a two-month ceasefire with Hamas on March 18 and resumed deadly air and ground assaults on the enclave.
On Friday, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East issued an urgent warning over rapidly depleting essential supplies in Gaza.
The renewed Israeli attacks have so far killed 1,563 Palestinians and injured 4,004 others, Gaza health authorities said Saturday, adding the death toll in the enclave since the war began in October 2023 has risen to 50,933, with 116,045 injured.
A delegation led by President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries Yang Wanming visited Laos from Wednesday to Saturday.
Yang met with Sinlavong Khoutphaythoune, president of the Central Committee of the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC) and a politburo member of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee, and other senior officials.
He also attended a seminar on poverty reduction and common development and delivered a speech, and met with people from all walks of life in Laos.
During the visit, consensus was reached on promoting the building of a China-Laos community with a shared future, and strengthening people-to-people friendship, pragmatic cooperation and exchanges between youth.
The Chinese Embassy in Myanmar confirmed that as of 17:00 Beijing time (0300 GMT) on Saturday, the powerful earthquake in Myanmar has resulted in the deaths of eight Chinese citizens and injuries to 13 others.
The 7.9-magnitude earthquake, which jolted Myanmar on March 28, has claimed 3,689 lives and left 5,020 people injured, with 139 others remaining unaccounted for, according to Myanmar’s State Administration Council Information Team on Friday.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet (C, front) cuts the ribbon to inaugurate the National Road 71C in Tbong Khmum province, Cambodia, April 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Cambodia on Saturday inaugurated the China-funded National Road 71C, connecting the eastern Tbong Khmum province with the southeastern Kampong Cham province, for economic boom in the country.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said the 114.9-km road is crucial to facilitating travel and goods transportation and will play an important role in helping boost the local economy and tourism development.
“The National Road 71C is expected to help boost the efficiency of the exports of agricultural and agro-industrial products, particularly rubber,” he said. “It will also help attract more tourists and investors to areas along the road.”
Hun Manet said China is an “indispensable friend” of Cambodia for socio-economic development.
“China is recognized as No. 1 partner, who has been providing a great amount of concessional loans and grants for the development of infrastructure, including roads and bridges in Cambodia,” he said.
He said that alignment between China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Cambodia’s Pentagonal Strategy has provided “win-win results”.
Speaking at the event, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin said to date, China has helped construct national roads in a total length of over 4,000 km and more than 10 large-scale bridges.
“Roads and bridges across the Mekong and Tonle Sap Rivers have not only facilitated the daily travel of the Cambodian people, but also injected vigorous energy into the development of Cambodia,” he said.
“This is a vivid example of alignment between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Pentagonal Strategy,” he added.
Cambodian Minister of Public Works and Transport Peng Ponea said the road was built by the Shanghai Construction Group (SCG) in 42 months.
“The road will facilitate travel, trade, and tourism in both countries and nearby provinces,” he said. “It will also facilitate the transportation of crop seeds and agricultural and agro-industrial products, reducing costs and travel time.”
Taing Sim, a 52-year-old resident in Kampong Cham province, said that when the road had not been constructed, travel was quite difficult and it took a long time because of mud and bumpy conditions.
“Now, the road is nice, which will facilitate the fast transportation of goods such as tapioca, cashew nuts, and rubber latex,” she told Xinhua while attending the inauguration ceremony.
“I would like to thank China for helping develop Cambodia, and the Cambodian people are pleased to see good roads and bridges,” she added.
Cambodia has a proverb saying, “Where there is a road, there is hope,” Sim said, adding that China has built roads for Cambodia, which means that China has built hope for the Cambodian people.
Heng Sivleng, a 53-year-old resident in Kampong Cham province, said in the past, traveling on road from Tbong Khmum to Kampong Cham by motorcycle, it took up to three hours because of bad-conditioned road during the rainy season.
“Now, the road is good and convenient to travel, reducing costs on fuel and shortening travel time,” she told Xinhua.
An aerial drone photo taken on July 14, 2024 shows the National Road 71C in Tbong Khmum province, Cambodia. [Photo/Xinhua]
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
2025 Chengdu Europe Culture Season & European Culture Street opens in SW China
Updated: April 13, 2025 10:10Xinhua
A visitor experiences riding while viewing the scenery of Denmark via VR glasses at the booth of Denmark at 2025 Chengdu Europe Culture Season & European Culture Street in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, April 12, 2025. The event, showcasing traditional European art, music and food, was organized by the European Union (EU)’s delegation to China. The year 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU. [Photo/Xinhua]Visitors taste food at the booth of Romania at 2025 Chengdu Europe Culture Season & European Culture Street in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, April 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]This photo shows a scene of the opening ceremony of 2025 Chengdu Europe Culture Season & European Culture Street in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, April 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]A visitor (R) dances with two actors dressed as cartoon characters at the booth of the Netherlands at 2025 Chengdu Europe Culture Season & European Culture Street in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, April 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]Visitors taste pizza at the booth of Italy at 2025 Chengdu Europe Culture Season & European Culture Street in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, April 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Over 20,000 second-generation Chinese sturgeons released into Yangtze River
Updated: April 13, 2025 07:20Xinhua
Staff members put a Chinese sturgeon into a release device in Yichang City, central China’s Hubei Province, April 12, 2025. More than 20,000 second-generation Chinese sturgeons were released into the Yangtze River during a release activity here on Saturday. [Photo/Xinhua]This photo taken on April 12, 2025 shows an activity to release Chinese sturgeons into the Yangtze River in Yichang City, central China’s Hubei Province. [Photo/Xinhua]This photo taken on April 12, 2025 shows the Chinese sturgeons that are about to be released into the Yangtze River in Yichang City, central China’s Hubei Province. [Photo/Xinhua]Staff members prepare to release a Chinese sturgeon in Yichang City, central China’s Hubei Province, April 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]A Chinese sturgeon slides into the Yangtze River through a release channel in Yichang City, central China’s Hubei Province, April 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]A staff member puts a Chinese sturgeon into a release channel in Yichang City, central China’s Hubei Province, April 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]This photo taken on April 12, 2025 shows the Chinese sturgeons that are about to be released into the Yangtze River in Yichang City, central China’s Hubei Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
TIANJIN, April 12 — At a recent investment promotion event in north China’s Tianjin Municipality, Turkish businessman Mehmet Sahin was seen exchanging business cards with entrepreneurs from Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member countries.
“I really appreciate attending this event,” said Sahin, vice president of global purchasing and logistics at Hattat Holding A.S., a Turkish company engaged in energy, automotive, agricultural and real estate development. He noted his assurance that the event would help him meet with potential Chinese and Russian investors and cooperation partners.
The China-SCO Sustainable Development Industrial Investment Promotion Event, which concluded on Friday, saw Sahin’s company engage in negotiations with the China Coal Technology & Engineering Group to explore investment opportunities in potential coal-cleaning projects.
Broader cooperation with Chinese enterprises is also underway in sectors such as engine assembly, production and sales, as well as wind power generation, according to Sahin.
“This event has been a good start, and the upcoming SCO summit will further promote mutual understanding and future planning among all participating countries,” he said.
China will host an SCO summit in Tianjin this autumn. Among the summit’s advance events, the promotional event Sahin attended has brought fresh momentum to economic and trade cooperation between China and SCO member states, observer states and dialogue partners.
Türkiye, Sri Lanka, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia were among the participating SCO dialogue partners.
During the event, the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone disclosed significant progress.
The Tianjin TEDA Electric Power Company announced a partnership with SCZone Utilities S.A.E., and revealed that the China-Africa TEDA Investment Co., Ltd., which developed the cooperation zone, will build a 200-megawatt substation.
This critical infrastructure project aims to resolve power supply constraints for major projects in the cooperation zone, lower business costs for enterprises while drawing in premium investors, and accelerate industrial clustering in the zone, according to Wang Weihua, general manager of the Tianjin TEDA Electric Power Company.
Established in 2008, the zone has become Egypt’s most competitive industrial hub, serving as a benchmark of China-Egypt cooperation.
“Tianjin TEDA is one of our best partners,” said Ahmed Salaheldin Abdelfattah Elhomosani, general manager of SCZone Utilities S.A.E., noting that the cooperation zone has attracted a significant amount of investment.
Trade between China and SCO member states, observer states and dialogue partners came in at a record high of 890 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, accounting for approximately 14.4 percent of China’s total foreign trade that year, according to official statistics.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
TBONG KHMUM, Cambodia, April 12 — Cambodia on Saturday inaugurated the China-funded National Road 71C, connecting the eastern Tbong Khmum province with the southeastern Kampong Cham province.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin attended the event.
Hun Manet said the 114.9-km road is crucial to facilitating travel and goods transportation and will play an important role in helping boost the local economy and tourism development.
Hun Manet said China is an “indispensable friend” of Cambodia for socio-economic development.
China is recognized as No. 1 partner, who has been providing a great amount of concessional loans and grants for the development of infrastructure, including roads and bridges in Cambodia, he said.
He said that alignment between China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Cambodia’s Pentagonal Strategy has provided “win-win results”.
Speaking at the event, Wang said to date, China has helped construct national roads in a total length of over 4,000 km and more than 10 large-scale bridges.
“Roads and bridges across the Mekong and Tonle Sap River have not only facilitated the daily travel of the Cambodian people, but also injected vigorous energy into the development of Cambodia,” he said.
“This is a vivid example of alignment between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Pentagonal Strategy,” he added.
Source: The White House
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE
THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY
THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
THE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR ECONOMIC POLICY
THE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS
THE SENIOR COUNSELOR TO THE PRESIDENT FOR TRADE AND MANUFACTURING
THE CHAIR OF THE UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
SUBJECT: Clarification of Exceptions Under Executive
Order 14257 of April 2, 2025, as Amended
In Executive Order 14257 of April 2, 2025 (Regulating Imports With a Reciprocal Tariff to Rectify Trade Practices that Contribute to Large and Persistent Annual United States Goods Trade Deficits), I declared a national emergency arising from conditions reflected in large and persistent annual U.S. goods trade deficits, and imposed additional ad valorem duties that I deemed necessary and appropriate to deal with that unusual and extraordinary threat, which has its source in whole or substantial part outside the United States, to the national security and economy of the United States.
In Executive Order 14257, I stated that certain goods are not subject to the ad valorem rates of duty under that order. One of those excepted products is “semiconductors.” The subsequent orders issued in connection with Executive Order 14257 — i.e., Executive Order 14259 of April 8, 2025 (Amendment to Reciprocal Tariffs and Updated Duties as Applied to Low-Value Imports from the People’s Republic of China), and the Executive Order of April 9, 2025 (Modifying Reciprocal Tariff Rates to Reflect Trading Partner Retaliation and Alignment), (Subsequent Orders) — incorporate the exceptions in Executive Order 14257, including for “semiconductors.”
That term’s meaning includes the products classified in the following headings and subheadings of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS):
· 8471
· 847330
· 8486
· 85171300
· 85176200
· 85235100
· 8524
· 85285200
· 85411000
· 85412100
· 85412900
· 85413000
· 85414910
· 85414970
· 85414980
· 85414995
· 85415100
· 85415900
· 85419000
· 8542
To the extent that the HTSUS does not currently fully reflect the products listed above as excepted from the ad valorem duties imposed under Executive Order 14257 and the Subsequent Orders, the HTSUS shall be modified by inserting in numerical order the headings and subheadings listed above into subdivision (v)(iii) of U.S. note 2 to subchapter III of chapter 99, effective as of 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on April 5, 2025. Any duties that were collected at or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on April 5, 2025, pursuant to Executive Order 14257 and the Subsequent Orders, on imports that are excepted under Executive Order 14257 and the Subsequent Orders because they are “semiconductors,” as explained in this memorandum, shall be refunded in accordance with U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s standard procedures for such refunds.
As explained in Executive Order 14257 and the Subsequent Orders, the Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, the Senior Counselor to the President for Trade and Manufacturing, and the Chair of the United States International Trade Commission, are authorized to employ all powers granted to the President by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) as may be necessary to implement Executive Order 14257 and the Subsequent Orders. Measures taken to implement Executive Order 14257 and the Subsequent Orders shall be done in accordance with this memorandum.
DONALD J. TRUMP
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Miao Sisters Festival celebrated in China’s Guizhou
Updated: April 12, 2025 21:10Xinhua
A woman in ethnic costume helps her fellow performer adjust head decorations during an activity to celebrate the Miao Sisters Festival in Taijiang County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, April 12, 2025. Recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage, the Miao Sisters Festival was celebrated here on Saturday. [Photo/Xinhua]A woman in ethnic costume attends an activity to celebrate the Miao Sisters Festival in Taijiang County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, April 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]Foreign tourists take photos at an activity to celebrate the Miao Sisters Festival in Taijiang County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, April 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]Children in ethnic costumes attend an activity to celebrate the Miao Sisters Festival in Taijiang County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, April 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]People in ethnic costumes attend an activity to celebrate the Miao Sisters Festival in Taijiang County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, April 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]People in ethnic costumes attend an activity to celebrate the Miao Sisters Festival in Taijiang County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, April 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]People in ethnic costumes attend an activity to celebrate the Miao Sisters Festival in Taijiang County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, April 12, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
by Cardinal Pietro Parolin*Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – We publish Cardinal Pietro Parolin’s preface to the book by the missionary and priest Antonio Sergianni, “The journey of the Gospel in China. In the footsteps of Father Matteo Ricci” (published by “La conchiglia di Santiago”, San Miniato, Pisa). The book is a precious and passionate testimony to the adventure of Christianity in China, which was also born out of personal encounters with Chinese bishops, priests, and Catholic laity.Father Sergianni (84), a spiritual son of Father Divo Barsotti, entered the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) as a young man and was ordained a priest in 1965. From 1980 to 2003, he served as a missionary in Taiwan, visiting several provinces of mainland China for long periods. He then worked for the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, now the Dicastery for Evangelization, where he was responsible for the affairs of the Catholic Church in China.***There are many ways to look at China. And for a Christian, it is legitimate to look at China “in the light of the Word of God.” Thus writes Father Antonio Sergianni, priest and missionary, at the beginning of this book, hinting at the source of the unique and incomparable power that permeates its pages.Faith in Jesus Christ, as the Orthodox theologian Olivier Clément used to say, ‘is not an anxious pietism of life.’ Nor is it an idealism dedicated to imagining and building alternative worlds. Just as it recognizes that the Kingdom of God ‘is not of this world, whose form is passing’ (Paul VI, Credo of the People of God), faith in Jesus Christ can, almost as a ‘side effect,’ out of grace and humility, also make our view of worldly affairs clearer and more penetrating. It can lead us to realistically grasp dynamics ignored by geopolitical analyses, factors disregarded by economic interpretations, which usually do not take into account the expectations of greatness and goodness that mysteriously vibrate in the history and life of peoples.Dynamics and factors that today seem even more hidden and distant due to the global flow of media and communication in which we are all involved.With his faithful gaze, Father Antonio captures the human greatness of the Chinese people’s and Chinese civilization’s journey through time, helping us grasp it in all its breadth. A dizzying greatness, a kind of mystery of History, with a continuity spanning more than a thousand years, which seems to cross and overcome the caesuras between historical epochs. A human entity without equal in its writing and forms of social organization, which has always assigned its authorities the task of mediating and ensuring the balance between human society and the natural order. This is a reality that inherited from the Confucian tradition the conviction of its universal mission, of the centrality and attraction of its civilization, and which now appears with renewed prominence on the world stage, arousing diverse reactions ranging from admiration to anxiety, from hostility to sympathy.With the gaze of faith, Father Sergianni in his book glimpses a possible overlap between the Chinese reality, which pervades history as an unprecedented mystery, and another reality linked to a mystery of a different kind: the mystery that came into the world with the birth of Christ and gave birth to a people who pervade history until the end of time.With the gaze of faith, Father Antonio traces all the historical periods that have marked the encounter between the proclamation of Christ and China, from the arrival of the monks of the ancient Church of the East on Chinese soil in the first centuries of Christianity to the present day. With historical clarity and, at the same time, moving compassion, the author traces the golden thread of the encounters between the “mystery” of China and the Christian mystery that have so often occurred during this long adventure. This golden thread mysteriously interweaves failures and new beginnings, missed opportunities and new beginnings, tribulations and moments of grace. Each passage seems like a deposit and promise of something great that will soon unfold. Already now, and yet not yet.In the final stretch of the journey of the last decades, the gaze of faith with which Father Sergianni looks at history, at China, and at faith in China, becomes above all the gaze of a witness. One can say that the power, the intimate strength of this book, comes from the fact that it is, first and foremost, a testimony of Christian love. The pages in which he casually recounts his encounters and his long-standing bond with Chinese brothers and sisters in faith – bishops, priests, nuns, lay men and women – allow the reason and source of this love to shine through. Along his life’s journey, his love for Christ was strengthened and embraced by encounters with Chinese Catholic brothers and sisters. His love for Jesus was grateful, even to the point of shedding tears, when he saw what Jesus himself was doing among them. Among people who performed simple tasks during the time of tribulation and carried bricks down the river for years. Like the priest who told him how he was mistreated because he did not know how to “clean the toilets,” and how, precisely in such moments, he “felt the risen Jesus Christ at my side, a great peace, and the desire to sing.”Because of this vision of faith and his love for Chinese Catholics, Father Antonio also appropriately and objectively documents the concern of the Popes and the Apostolic See for the affairs of the Church in China. His account of the papal interventions regarding the proclamation of the Gospel in China, from Benedict XV to Pope Francis, testifies to the consistency of the criteria followed by the Bishops of Rome in various circumstances, who have always acted in fidelity to the apostolic nature of the Church, preserving the treasure of communion even in times of trial.The documentation compiled by Father Sergianni in the appendix to this volume is a valuable and useful tool for all those who wish to retrace, in an objective yet passionate way, the most important stages of the unparalleled journey of the Chinese Catholic community in recent decades, beginning with the proclamation of the People’s Republic of China.With his book, Father Sergianni clarifies what Pope Francis said: Even in times of patience and trial, “the Lord in China has preserved the faith of the People of God on this journey.” And today, Chinese Catholics, fully Catholic and fully Chinese, “in communion with the Bishop of Rome, are moving forward in the present age. In the context in which they live, they also bear witness to their faith through works of mercy and charity, and in their witness they make a genuine contribution to the harmony of social coexistence, to the building of our common home” (cf. video message to the International Conference for the 100th Anniversary of the Concilium Sinense, Rome, May 21, 2024).In the daily life of the “small remnant” of Chinese Catholics, with all their human limitations and poverty, this encounter takes place between the mystery of Christ’s efficacious grace and the historical events of Chinese reality, which Father Antonio describes in his book. From this interconnectedness, gifts can be released for all. This encounter, too, can mysteriously contribute to ensuring that the breath and longing for greatness of the Chinese people and all other peoples do not become closed in on themselves and fuel fears with endless wars, but are channeled toward paths of peace that promote encounters and paths of fraternity, of fraternal coexistence between different peoples.For all these reasons, we must thank Father Sergianni for the gift of this book.(Agenzia Fides, 12/4/2025)*Vatican’s Secretary of State
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Secretary for Labour ＆ Welfare Chris Sun today attended the “Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Talent Development Showcase” in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Promoting Hong Kong’s unique advantages under the “one country, two systems” arrangement, Mr Sun outlined at a symposium that the city is uniquely positioned in the Greater Bay Area to serve a dual role as Mainland China’s gateway to Southeast Asia and as a springboard for companies in countries such as Malaysia to tap the Mainland’s vast domestic market.
He added that the multilingual nature of both Hong Kong and Malaysia facilitates the smooth integration of Malaysian talent in Hong Kong.
Mr Sun outlined that Hong Kong’s Committee on Education, Technology & Talents, chaired by the Chief Secretary, seeks to build on the city’s standing as an international hub for high-calibre talent across various sectors, in line with the “eight centres” concept.
After attending the symposium, Mr Sun toured a career fair being staged as part of the showcase to learn about companies’ demand for international talent. Featuring almost 40 leading bay area enterprises from a variety of industries, it was well-attended both by local professionals and students from Malaysian universities.
Running today and tomorrow, the showcase is organised by the Labour & Welfare Bureau and Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) and is expected to attract more than 4,000 attendees.
Mr Sun said: “Hosting the showcase in Malaysia, a dynamic emerging economy with strategic development potential, the bureau and HKTE aimed at implementing (a) strategy to attract international high-calibre talent under the memorandum of understanding on promoting talent services co-operation in the GBA signed last year by nine municipalities in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau.”
Yesterday, Mr Sun visited Universiti Malaya, an eligible university under the Top Talent Pass Scheme, paid a courtesy call on the Chinese Embassy in Malaysia’s Chargé d’Affaires Zheng Xuefang and called on Malaysia’s Minister of Human Resources YB Steven Sim.
Whilst in Kuala Lumpur, the labour chief also met representatives of the Hong Kong-Malaysia Business Association and the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia. He invited them to visit Hong Kong to explore opportunities.
Mr Sun concluded his three-day visit this afternoon and returned to Hong Kong this evening.
Health workers spoke out at a rally condemning Israel’s genocide in Gaza and the latest atrocity against Palestinian aid workers today, calling on the New Zealand government to join global demands for an independent investigation.
They were protesting over last month’s massacre of 15 Palestinian rescue workers and the destruction of their ambulances in Gaza’s Rafah district under heavy fire.
One PRCS paramedic, Assaad al-Nassasra, was reported to be still missing.
Among the speakers in the rally in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s Te Komititanga Square, Amnesty International’s Audrey Van Ryn said: “These killings must be independently and impartially investigated and the perpetrators held to account.
“Medical personnel carrying out their humanitarian duties most be respected and protected in all circumstances.”
Health worker Jason Brooke read out a message from the secretary-general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Jagan Chapagain, in response to the killing of the Palestinian first-responders.
‘Their ambulances were clearly marked’ “I am heartbroken. These dedicated ambulance workers were responding to wounded people. They were humanitarians. They wore emblems that should have protected them; their ambulances were clearly marked,” said Chapagain.
“They should have returned to their families; they did not.”
Fourteen of the Palestinian aid workers killed by Israel last month. The 15th is still missing. Graphic: Al Jazeera/Creative Commons
Their bodies were discovered a week later by fellow workers. A video from one of the slain Palestinian Red Crescent medics contradicting the lies propagated by Israel’s military that the vehicles were “advancing suspiciously toward IDF troops without headlights or emergency signals”
These first responders were not mistakenly misidentified. They were travelling, clearly visible in red crescent marked ambulances with their lights on. They posed no threat.
“Whether it’s first-responders and medics, health workers or reporters, not only are these workers being targeted with impunity by the IOF, but their deaths seem to barely cause a ripple,” said Brooke, who was greeted with cries of shame.
“Where is the condemnation of our politicians? Our media?”
‘Dehumanisation of Palestinian life’ “As the Palestinian poet and author Mohammed El-Kurd suggests, what we are witnessing is the dehumanisation of Palestinian life.
“Israel only has to mention the word ‘Hamas’ and the indoctrinated look-away. As if resistance to genocide itself were a crime — the punishment a life predetermined for death.
“Genocide does not distinguish between civilian, aid worker, health worker, reporter and militant. All are condemned.”
Medical personnel, medical transport, hospitals and other medical facilities, the injured and sick are all specifically protected under international humanitarian law.
The devastating Gaza massacre represents the single most deadly attack on Red Cross or Red Crescent workers anywhere in the world since 2017.
Secretary-general Chapagain said: “The number of Palestine Red Crescent volunteers and staff killed since the start of this conflict is now 30.
“We stand with Palestine Red Crescent and the loved ones of those killed on this darkest of days.”
PSNA advocate Janfrie Wakim . . . “We mourn those thousands of innocent people . . . who made the ultimate sacrifice with their lives.” Image: Asia Pacific Report
‘Palestine wants freedom to live’ Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) advocate Janfrie Wakim called on the crowd to give each other “high fives” in recognition of their solidarity in turning up for the protest in the 79th week since the war began.
“I like the sign in front of me: ‘Palestine wants the freedom to live while Israel has the freedom to kill!’ she said.
“We mourn those thousands of innocent people — some with families here and in Gaza and the West Bank — who made the ultimate sacrifice with their lives, and the thousands unaccounted for in rubble and over 100,000 injured.
“Palestine wants the freedom to live while Israel has the freedom to kill!” . . . a placard at today’s Auckland solidarity rally. Image: Asia Pacific Report
“Mostly women and children.
“The humanitarian workers who have been murdered serving humanity.”
Wakim said the genocide had been enabled by the wealthiest countries in the world and Western media — “including our own with few exceptions”.
“Without its lies, its deflections, its failure to report the agonising reality of Palestinians suffering, Israel would not have been able to commit its atrocities.”
All fatalities women and children Meanwhile, the United Nations reports Palestinian women and children were the only fatalities in at least three dozen Israeli air strikes on Gaza since mid-March, as it warned that Israel’s military offensive threatened Palestinians’ “continued existence as a group”.
Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said on Friday that the office had documented 224 Israeli strikes on residential buildings and tents for displaced people in the Gaza Strip between March 18 and April 9.
“In some 36 strikes about which the UN Human Rights Office corroborated information, the fatalities recorded so far were only women and children,” she said.
The findings come as Israel’s attacks on Gaza have killed more than 1500 Palestinians since the Israeli military broke a ceasefire in March, according to figures from the Palestinian Ministry of Health, reports Al Jazeera.
A German official was the latest to call for an independent probe over Israel’s killing of the 15 medical aid workers.
An investigation into Israel’s killing of paramedics must be carried out independently, said German Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Assistance Luise Amtsberg.
“This alleged violation of international law must not go unpunished,” Amtsberg said in a message on social media platform Bluesky.
Israel’s ‘distortion’ straining ties “The investigation must be carried out quickly and independently, and the perpetrators must be brought to justice as soon as possible. The Israeli government and judiciary have a duty here,” she said.
Israel’s distortion of the event was “once again” straining ties between Germany and Israel, she added.
Myriam Laaroussi, an emergency coordinator with Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initials MSF, told Al Jazeera from al-Mawasi, an area west of Khan Younis that houses thousands of displaced Gaza families, that the health system had been destroyed.
Due to the Israeli blockade, the supplies needed to treat patients were lacking and had left children in Gaza vulnerable to disease, she said.
The desalination unit was not functioning any more due to Israel’s decision to cut electricity, which had decreased the capacity to retain good hygiene and was leading to outbreaks of polio and scabies.
“We see that it’s a ‘slow death’ for many Palestinians, with shortages of food and water leading to a loss of weight and medical issues,” she said.
The ceasefire had been an opportunity to scale up the capacity of the different health facilities, but it had been too short to have enough effect, and now health facilities were being attacked again.
A “Free free Palestine” placard at today’s Auckland solidarity rally. Image: Asia Pacific Report
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Oral statement to Parliament
Business and Trade Secretary steel statement
Opening remarks from the Business and Trade Secretary in the House of Commons.
Mr Speaker we meet under exceptional circumstances to take exceptional action in what are exceptional times.
Our request to recall Parliament was not one we have made lightly. And I am grateful, genuinely grateful, to Honourable members on all sides of this House for their cooperation and for being here today as we seek to pass emergency legislation that is unequivocally in our national interest.
I would also like to particularly thank the staff here in Parliament for facilitating today.
I would like to thank the Prime Minister, the Chancellor and the Home Secretary for their support.
Indeed, the only reason we can take this action today is because of the restoration of economic stability and the dedicated resources for steel in the last Budget.
I would like to recognise my honourable friend for Scunthorpe and the honourable member for Brigg and Immingham and for all my honourable friends from Teesside for their advocacy and engagement on behalf of their constituents throughout this matter.
As honourable members will know, since taking office this government has been negotiating in good faith with British Steel’s owners, Jingye.
We have worked tirelessly to find a way forward, making a generous offer of support to British Steel that included sensible, common sense conditions to protect the workforce, to protect taxpayers’ money, and create a commercially viable company for the future.
Despite our offer to Jingye being substantial, they wanted much more, frankly, an excessive amount.
We did, however, remain committed to negotiation. But over the last few days, it became clear that the intention of Jingye was to refuse to purchase sufficient raw materials to keep the blast furnaces running.
In fact, their intention was to cancel and refuse to pay for existing orders.
The company would therefore have irrevocably and unilaterally closed down primary steel making at British Steel.
Now I want to make absolutely clear that separate to any conversation about a possible deal to co-invest in new facilities, the British Government offered to purchase raw materials in a way that would have ensured no losses whatsoever for Jingye in maintaining the blast furnaces for a period of time.
A counter offer was instead made by Jingye for us to transfer hundreds of millions of pounds to them without any conditions to stop that money, and potentially other assets, being immediately transferred to China.
They also refused a condition to keep the blast furnaces maintained and in good working order.
Now even if I had agreed to these terms, I could not guarantee that further requests for money would not then be made.
In this situation, with the clock being run down, doing nothing was not an option.
We could not, will not, and never will, stand idly by while heat seeps from the UK’s remaining blast furnaces without any planning, any due process, or any respect for the consequences.
And that is why I needed colleagues here today.
Verbatim readout of opening statement delivered to the House of Commons on Saturday 12th April 2025
China has initiated a multi-department program to provide vocational training, job support and other assistance for rural left-behind women, aiming to address their difficulties, according to a recent document. The working plan, jointly issued by 11 state departments, proposed providing vocational and handicraft training for rural left-behind women to improve their skills and enhance employment opportunities. It encourages their involvement in care services for left-behind children, elderly care and support for people with disabilities. The working plan also calls for assistance to rural left-behind women with disabilities or financial difficulties and their families, while supporting charitable organizations in launching targeted public welfare initiatives. In addition, the state departments would strengthen the protection of rural left-behind women’s legal rights, work to prevent discrimination and domestic violence, and expand access to healthcare services for this population, according to the working plan. Rural left-behind women are defined as those who remain in rural areas while their husbands work away from home for more than six months.
Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)
WEEK OF VICTORIES at the White House!
145% Tariffs on China Bilateral with Netanyahu L.A. Dodgers & Racing Champions Gas and Energy Prices Down Real Wages UP, Inflation DOWN Companies Invest Billions U.S. Coal EO 4 SCOTUS Wins
Watch Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s MAGA Minute!
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
HAIKOU, April 12 — The 5th China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) will be held in south China’s island province of Hainan from April 13 to 18.
As China’s only national-level exhibition focused on consumer goods, this year’s edition emphasizes innovation and global collaboration.
One of the most noticeable highlights of the expo is its global participation and record scale. An estimated 71 countries and regions are set to participate, showcasing over 4,100 brands, including 65 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders.
Slovakia will make its debut with a national pavilion, while Brazil’s Sao Paulo State, along with several others, will launch regional pavilions for the first time.
Britain, this year’s guest country of honor, will occupy over 1,300 square meters to display 53 brands spanning fashion, beauty, and home goods. Beijing, participating as a guest city for the first time, will feature a 400-square-meter themed exhibition zone.
Some exhibition zones spotlighting cutting-edge technologies and emerging trends are set to become another major highlight of the expo.
The tech innovation zone in Hall No. 1 features artificial intelligence (AI), smart homes, and low-altitude economy applications. Brands like Huawei, Tesla, and Unitree will demonstrate products such as their latest smartphones, humanoid robots, and AR glasses.
Live displays of low-altitude tech, such as Xpeng AeroHT’s “flying car” and EHang’s drones for cross-sea transport and tourism, will take center stage.
In the global lifestyle zone in Hall No. 4, luxury watches, cosmetics, and premium foods will offer visitors an immersive cross-border shopping experience.
This year’s CICPE will also offer visitors tech-driven experiences, with debut showcases of brain-computer interfaces, exoskeletons, and sleep assistance tech designed for elderly care.
Chinese provinces and municipalities will showcase their unique cultural heritage through innovative products. Meanwhile, international brands and Chinese time-honored names will unveil flagship products and heritage collections.
China’s Ministry of Commerce, one of the organizers of the expo, will launch the “Shop in China” campaign, a nationwide initiative promoting shopping, dining, and tourism.
The eco-friendly theme of the expo will be prominently featured throughout the event. The mascots, “Yuanyuan” and “Xiaoxiao,” inspired by Hainan gibbons, symbolize rainforest conservation. Expo branding seamlessly blends tropical elements with green concepts.
The “message-in-a-bottle” sculpture at Haikou’s iconic Cloudscape library symbolizes global cultural exchange. Similarly, the 2025 CICPE aims to become Asia-Pacific’s largest consumer goods expo, bridging global brands with China’s market and highlighting Hainan’s role as a key free trade hub.
China’s meteorological authority renewed an orange alert on Saturday for strong gales expected to sweep across the northern regions and coastal areas over the weekend. The National Meteorological Center (NMC) said that from 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday, winds of up to force 13 (37.0-41.4 m/s) on the national wind scale will hit parts of Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Hebei, and Beijing. Meanwhile, parts of the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea will also experience gales up to force 13, the NMC said. A yellow alert for snowstorms was also renewed, with forecasts predicting snowfall of 20 to 28 millimeters in parts of Inner Mongolia and Jilin. The meteorological center also continued to issue a blue alert for sandstorms that will hit Xinjiang. The NMC has advised the public in affected regions to take all necessary precautions. China has a four-tier weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow, and blue.
The 22nd batch of the Chinese medical team in The Gambia conducted an outreach clinic and medical supplies donation event at the Farafenni General Hospital in the North Bank Division on Friday.
The event, which began on April 7, covered multiple specialties including gynecology, pediatric surgery, orthopedic trauma, and traditional Chinese medicine.
A total of 21 surgeries, mainly general and pediatric, were performed, and over 300 patients received treatment and consultations.
Momodou Nyassi, director of health services at the Gambian Ministry of Health, said the long-term medical assistance from China has greatly alleviated the shortage of healthcare resources in The Gambia and improved the treatment capacity of the beneficiary hospitals.
“The latest outreach clinic by the Chinese team was not just a medical intervention, but a concrete example of China’s commitment to improving the health and well-being of the Gambian people,” he said.
Famara Sillah, executive administrator at the Farafenni General Hospital, said the Chinese medical team not only brought professional expertise but also donated urgently needed medications, which will benefit many more patients.
Since their arrival in The Gambia in July last year, the 22nd Chinese medical team has carried out four free outreach clinics.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday met with Steve Witkoff, a special envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump, in St. Petersburg for talks on the Ukraine conflict.
The Kremlin said the meeting focused on “various aspects of the Ukrainian settlement,” without elaborating.
The talks were held behind closed doors, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said earlier. He said the two sides would exchange views on the Ukraine issue but no breakthrough was expected in the talks.
Before meeting with Putin, Witkoff held talks with Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and the Russian special presidential envoy for economic cooperation with foreign countries. Dmitriev later said that talks with Witkoff were “productive.”
According to Russian news agency TASS, Witkoff arrived in Russia on a business visit Friday morning and departed St. Petersburg late in the evening.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO-02)
Washington, D.C. – Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) Subcommittee Chair Ann Wagner (MO-02) hosted a roundtable of industry leaders to hear how private sector companies are working with the Intelligence Community (IC) to support the U.S. national security mission through the use of OSINT. The industry panel included representatives from WireScreen, Recorded Future, the Grist Mill Exchange, and Reality Defender. The goal of the event was for these private sector companies to showcase for the subcommittee members the capabilities they offer to the IC.
This OSINT subcommittee roundtable served as another touchpoint in a series of events the newly established subcommittee is holding in its fact-finding mission to examine how the IC can more effectively and efficiently use Commercially Available Information (CAI) to create open-source intelligence products.
“OSINT is changing the way intelligence is being gathered and analyzed, unlocking new opportunities for the IC,” said Chair Wagner. “As a maturing discipline within the IC, we must be cognizant of how data is being purchased across the various agencies and ensure we are standardizing contract structures to meet necessary mission requirements. I appreciate the panel sharing their honest and valuable perspectives to help inform our subcommittee’s work. Open-source Intelligence is vitally important to the intelligence gathering process, and we must understand what is and is not working when doing business with the IC.”
During the roundtable, WireScreen, a global intelligence platform with a focus on China and global supply chains, showcased how its platform enables the IC to proactively counter CCP influence efforts in a variety of ways.
Recorded Future, a threat intelligence company explained how its platform provides complete coverage across adversaries, infrastructure, and targets. By combining its Intelligence GraphⓇ-powered AI with the world’s largest collection of specialized threat data, Recorded Future enables cyber teams to see the complete picture, and proactively act with confidence.
Grist Mill Exchange, a commercial data marketplace that connects government agencies with thousands of commercial data sets from hundreds of data providers, underscored the opportunity for the IC to harness the rapid innovation happening in the private sector. By leveraging proven commercial data solutions, the IC can quickly advance its OSINT missions while strengthening its capacity to derive new insights for decision advantage. This approach positions the IC to stay ahead of future technological advancements by building on the momentum already underway in the private sector.
Reality Defender, a deepfake detection startup that has developed a multi-model and multimodal AI detection platform, shared with the members how they support private companies and governments in detecting AI-generated content at scale.
Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu Vice-Rector Ana-Raluca Sassu speaks during an event marking the International Chinese Language Day in Sibiu, Romania, on April 11, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
The Confucius Institute at Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu held a vibrant celebration on Friday to mark the 2025 International Chinese Language Day, attracting more than 100 students from the university and local high schools.
The event showcased a rich variety of cultural experiences, including traditional Chinese calligraphy, Guzheng performances and lectures, tea ceremonies, and themed workshops. Interactive activities such as painting Peking Opera masks, crafting herbal sachets, and sculpting traditional Chinese foods from clay offered participants a hands-on exploration of Chinese culture.
Hua Yafang, charge d’affaires ad interim (a.i.) of the Chinese Embassy in Romania, emphasized the power of language in bridging cultures, saying that “learning Chinese can deepen your understanding of China’s rich heritage and its dynamic development today.”
“The establishment of International Chinese Language Day reminds us that language learning is not only about mastering a skill, but also about opening doors to the world and the future,” said Lucian Blaga University Vice-Rector Ana-Raluca Sassu.
A student paints a traditional Chinese mask during an event marking the International Chinese Language Day in Sibiu, Romania, on April 11, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Cultural performances by faculty and students of the Confucius Institute included dances inspired by Ascending Spring Mountain and A Moment of Romance, a Guzheng solo of Liu Yang River, and concluded with a lively group rendition of Beijing Welcomes You, bringing the atmosphere to a festive climax.
Eva-Maria Cazan, a second-year Chinese major, said she enjoyed practicing Chinese with her teachers and making new friends during the event.
Wang Jiong, Director of the Confucius Institute, said the event aimed to inspire students by connecting language learning with cultural experiences. She added that the institute plans to further expand its outreach beyond schools and into the wider community.
Since its establishment in 2007, the Confucius Institute at Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu has trained approximately 35,000 learners in Chinese language and culture.
Students watch a Chinese tea art demonstration during an event marking the International Chinese Language Day in Sibiu, Romania, on April 11, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
A contestant delivers a speech on the theme “One World, One Family” during the preliminary round of the 24th “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students held in Vladivostok, Russia, on April 10, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
The preliminary round of the 24th “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students was held in Vladivostok, Russia, on Thursday.
Covering various dimensions including Chinese history, geography, literature and arts, the competition featured three main sections: themed speeches, a quiz and impromptu speeches, and talent performances.
After delivering speeches on the theme “One World, One Family,” participants responded to questions related to China in the quiz and impromptu speech section.
During the talent segment, some contestants sang Chinese songs with emotions, some dubbed scenes from the cartoon movie Ne Zha 2, while others performed recitations of classical Chinese poetry, all earning rounds of applause from the audience.
Vanessa Stermer, a third-year biology student at Far Eastern Federal University, won first place. “I often read Chinese scientific literature and documents, and I also follow Chinese history,” she told reporters.
In his opening remarks, Wang Jun, acting consul general of the Chinese Consulate General in Vladivostok, expressed his hope that participants would use language as a vessel and cultural exchange as a bridge to fully experience the charm of Chinese culture through the competition, and to gain knowledge, friendship and personal growth in their journey of discovering the beauty of the Chinese language.
Vladivostok Deputy Mayor Daria Stegniy said that China’s successful economic and social development is widely recognized, and it is no surprise that young people are enthusiastic about learning Chinese and understanding Chinese culture.
“Chinese is one of the most difficult languages in the world. I want to thank the Confucius Institute for making Chinese more accessible and giving our children the opportunity to learn it in a fun and practical way,” she said.
The event was co-hosted by the Chinese Consulate General in Vladivostok and the Confucius Institute at Far Eastern Federal University.
Gale-force winds are sweeping across northern China and are expected to persist through Sunday, prompting authorities to implement measures to ensure public safety. Raging winds have already lashed regions including Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Beijing and Ningxia, driven by a powerful cold vortex moving southeast from Mongolia. The National Meteorological Center (NMC) said in an updated forecast that from 8 p.m. Friday to 8 p.m. Saturday, winds of up to force 13 (37.0-41.4 m/s) on the national wind scale will hit parts of Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Hebei and Beijing. At 5 p.m. Friday, strong winds of 23.3 meters per second struck Yanqing District on the outskirts of Beijing, while scattered showers have already occurred and are expected to continue across most areas of the municipality by this evening, according to the Beijing Meteorological Service. The strongest winds will hit on Saturday, with temperature highs dropping to 14 degrees Celsius — a 13-degree-Celsius decrease in temperature within a 24-hour period, the service said. On Friday afternoon, gusts reaching a maximum force of level 13 hit northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, causing severe sandstorms that are expected to impair visibility, according to the region’s meteorological authorities. In northeast China’s Liaoning Province, temperatures are expected to drop by as much as 12 degrees Celsius by Saturday. Over the weekend, some areas of the province will experience moderate rain turning to sleet, followed by heavy snowfall and blizzards, with extreme blizzards anticipated in certain mountainous areas, according to the provincial meteorological service. NMC also issued alerts for strong gales, snowstorms, sandstorms and rainstorms on Friday, which are expected to impact northern regions and parts of central China. The meteorological center has advised the public in affected regions to stay indoors and avoid lingering under tall buildings, billboards, temporary structures and trees when outdoors. In response, multiple tourist sites in regions including Beijing and Ningxia have announced temporary closures. High winds have also led to the postponement or cancellation of some performances in Tianjin, as well as the suspension of ferry services. Farmers in Liaoning have been advised to spray antifreeze agents to prevent frost damage to their fruit and to reinforce their greenhouses. The province also recommends conducting thorough inspections and maintenance of infrastructure, such as power lines and communication cables, to prevent damage or short circuits caused by severe weather conditions. Beijing’s transportation authorities announced the suspension of certain bus routes passing through mountainous areas and some elevated rail services on Saturday. Over 14 train services in Beijing and surrounding areas will be temporarily suspended on Friday and Saturday to ensure safe operation, according to the China Railway Beijing Group Co., Ltd. The Beijing Capital International Airport has also warned that the strong winds may disrupt normal operations, potentially leading to flight delays or cancellations. The Chinese capital has postponed several sporting events, including marathons and football matches scheduled for the weekend, while residents are advised to avoid nonessential travel.
China on Friday completed and shipped the final set of Correction Coil In-Cryostat Feeder components to the site of ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) in southern France, signifying that all the super-large components needed for ITER’s magnet feeder system have now been successfully developed, its developer said. The ITER magnet feeder system was developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Plasma Physics (ASIPP), and it is known as the “lifeline” of the ITER magnet system. Its largest component, the Correction Coil In-Cryostat Feeder, comprises 9 sets built as half-ring structures measuring 16 meters in diameter and 3 meters in height. The ITER, one of the largest and most important international scientific research projects in the world, is popularly known as “Artificial Sun.” This nickname stems from its ability to generate clean, carbon-free energy in a way similar to the sun, by emitting light and heat through fusion reactions. The ITER is jointly funded by the European Union, China, the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India and Russia. According to Lu Kun, deputy director of ASIPP, the magnet feeder system is crucial to ITER. It provides energy and cooling media to the fusion reactor magnets, sends back critical control signals, and also acts as a discharge channel to safely release stored magnet energy. Independently manufactured and tested by ASIPP, the system is the most complex of China’s ITER procurement packages, consisting of a total of 31 sets, with a total weight of about 1,600 tonnes, Lu added. Song Yuntao, vice president of the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science and director of ASIPP, noted that over the past 20 years, ASIPP has built stable collaborative relationships with more than 140 research institutions across over 50 countries, assisting many emerging countries in developing their own fusion research programs and facilities.
A growing number of Chinese students are choosing Asian universities over traditional destinations in Europe and North America as their destinations for overseas study, signaling a shift in international education trends, according to experts and a blue paper released on Friday. A range of factors contributed to the shift, including geographic proximity, affordability and safety, experts said. “An increased number of Chinese students choosing Malaysia as the preferred higher education option has been observed,” said Noor Azuan, President of Universiti Malaya. “This reflects the continued upward trend of Chinese students attracted to Malaysia’s educational offerings, especially at the postgraduate level.” Asian universities are also benefiting from China’s regional development strategies such as the Belt and Road Initiative, while the improving global reputation of Asian institutions has made them more appealing to students seeking both education quality and job opportunity, Azuan said. Safety concerns in the United States and Europe, especially regarding gun violence and geopolitical tensions, have further contributed to the shift, he added. The 2024 Blue Paper for Chinese Overseas Students Returning to China for Employment, published by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange under the Ministry of Education, highlights a steady rise in the proportion of Chinese students returning from Asian universities. From 2020 to 2023, the share of returnees with overseas degrees from Asia increased from 21.61 percent to 31.35 percent. In contrast, those returning from North America declined from 25.62 percent to 18.73 percent over the same period, the paper said. The trend is even more pronounced among high-level talent with postgraduate degrees. In 2023, a record 21,574 Chinese students with doctoral degrees returned to China, a 51 percent increase from 2020. Among them, 53.07 percent had obtained their PhDs from Asian universities, up 7 percentage points from 2022. Meanwhile, the share of PhDs from North America dropped to 16.3 percent, down nearly 11 percentage points from 2020. In terms of master’s degrees, 31.7 percent of returnees in 2023 had studied in Asia, while only 13.73 percent had studied in North America, marking a decrease of 6 percentage points compared to 2021. On Friday afternoon, Wang Sheng was seeking postgraduate study opportunities for his son at the 2025 China International Education Exhibition Tour in Beijing. Currently a student at the University of Queensland in Australia, his son aims to pursue further education at the National University of Singapore’s business school, Wang said. “We value the school’s academic quality and job prospects after graduation … We never considered Europe or the US. They don’t feel safe, and we’re worried about racial discrimination,” the father said. According to the blue paper, South Korea has emerged as a key destination for Chinese students, ranking second in terms of doctoral returnees since 2021, with over 11 percent of returning PhDs having studied there. “Chinese students are increasingly interested in studying in South Korea,” said Zhang Ying, director of China admissions at Daegu Catholic University. “South Korea offers a safe, culturally similar and cost-effective alternative for students with average academic performance,” she said, adding that the university enrolled over 1,000 Chinese students last year.