NewzIntel.com

Category: China

  • MIL-OSI Security: Iranian Company and Two Iranian Nationals Charged with Conspiring to Provide Material Support to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and for Scheme to Procure U.S. Technology for Iranian Drones

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

    CEO and Commercial Manager of Iranian Company Charged in Connection with Conspiracies to Provide Material Support, Violate Export Control Laws and Commit Money Laundering

    BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, a complaint was unsealed charging Iranian nationals Hossein Akbari and Reza Amidi, and an Iran-based Rah Roshd Company (“Rah Roshd”), with conspiring to procure U.S. parts for Iranian Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (“UAVs”), also known as drones, conspiring to provide material support to the IRGC, a designated foreign terrorist organization, and conspiring to commit money laundering.  Akbari is the Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of Rah Roshd. Amidi is the company’s commercial manager and was previously the commercial manager of Qods Aviation Industries (“QAI”), an Iranian state-owned aerospace company.  They are both citizens of Iran and remain at large.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the charges.

    “As alleged in the complaint, the defendants conspired to obtain U.S.-origin parts needed to manufacture drones for military use in Iran and send those parts to Iran in violation of export control laws,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “The charges filed today demonstrate the commitment by my Office and our law enforcement partners to dismantle illicit supply chains and prosecute those who unlawfully procure U.S. technology in support of a foreign terrorist organization.  The IRGC and Qods Aviation Industries have been core players in the Iranian military regime’s production of drones, which threaten the lives of civilians, U.S. personnel, and our country’s allies.  These charges should serve as a warning to those who violate U.S. export control laws and who unlawfully seek to aid Iran’s drone program.”

    Mr. Durham expressed his appreciation to the FBI and the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) for their work on the case.  Today, OFAC sanctioned Akbari, Rah Roshd, and other companies and individuals for their roles in the sanctions-evasion scheme described in the complaint.  OFAC previously sanctioned Amidi.

    “Today’s charges lay bare how U.S.-made technology ended up in the hands of the Iranian military to build attack drones,” stated Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.  “The Justice Department will continue to put maximum pressure on the Iranian regime. We will relentlessly dismantle illicit supply chains funneling American technology into the hands of Iran’s military and terrorist organizations and pursue those complicit in operations that threaten our country.”

    “Hossein Akbari and Reza Amidi allegedly engaged in a multi-year conspiracy to obtain U.S. technology for use in Iranian made drones in violation of export laws and to provide material support to the IRGC—a designated terrorist organization,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.  “The Iranian government has repeatedly demonstrated they are willing to violate the laws of our nation—this time utilizing dishonest businessmen who deliberately misrepresented themselves—in order to further their treacherous goals.  The FBI will continue to protect the national security and interests of the United States through vigorous enforcement of export control laws put in place to prevent sensitive U.S. technology from being obtained by hostile foreign governments.”

    As set forth in the complaint, Akbari and Amidi operate Rah Roshd, which procures and supplies advanced electronic, electro-optical, and security systems to the Government of Iran and designs, builds, and manufactures ground support systems for UAVs.  Akbari serves as the CEO and Managing Director of Rah Roshd, and Amidi serves as the Commercial Manager.  Rah Roshd’s clients include the IRGC and several Iranian state-owned aerospace companies and drone manufacturers, including QAI, Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (“MODAFL”), Shahed Aviation Industries Research Center (“SAIRC”), and Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group (SBIG).

    Between January 2020 and the present, Amidi and Akbari used Rah Roshd in furtherance of a scheme to evade U.S. sanctions and procure U.S.-origin parts for use in Iranian-manufactured UAVs, including the Mohajer-6 UAV.  At least one of those parts was manufactured by a Brooklyn, New York-based company (“Company-1”).  In September 2022, the Ukrainian Air Force shot down an Iranian-made Mohajer-6 drone used by the Russian military in Ukraine.  The drone recovered by the Ukrainian Air Force contained parts made by several U.S. companies, including Company-1.

    To facilitate their scheme, Amidi and Akbari falsely purported to represent companies other than Rah Roshd, including a company based in the United Arab Emirates (“Company-2”) and a company based in Belgium (“Company-3”).  The defendants used a “spoofed” email address with a misspelled version of Company-2’s name to communicate regarding the procurement of parts, including parts manufactured by U.S. companies.  The defendants also used various “front” or “shell” companies to pay for UAV parts and to obfuscate the true end destination and the true identities of the sanctioned end users, including QAI and the IRGC, which were acquiring U.S.-made parts through Rah Roshd.  Amidi and Akbari also used aliases to obfuscate their true identities in furtherance of the scheme.

    Additionally, the defendants conspired to provide material support to the IRGC by providing goods and services for the benefit of the IRGC’s military campaign. This included constructing military shelters, providing cameras and drone field hangers, and conspiring to procure drone parts as well as parts to operate drones, including “servo motors,” “pneumatic masts,” which are a component of the operation of the Mohajer-6 drone, and engines.  The investigation uncovered correspondence from the IRGC, signed by the head of the UAV Command for the IRGC’s Aerospace Force, thanking Rah Roshd for its work on behalf of the IRGC and praising Rah Roshd’s achievements in designing and manufacturing servo motors for defense equipment.  The letter included a quote from the Supreme Leader of Iran regarding the importance of self-sufficiency and domestic production to strengthen Iran’s economy and “disappoint the enemies of the Islamic Republic.”  The letter also noted continued efforts of Rah Roshd “in strengthening the defensive capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”  Both Amidi and Akbari possessed documents indicating that they had purchased servo motors for delivery to Iran, including a servo motor contained in the Mohajer-6 drone.  Akbari also emailed supply companies located in China and noted that he was purchasing parts for drones to be shipped to Iran.

    Finally, Amidi and Akbari conspired to commit money laundering.  They used at least three shell companies, all based in the United Arab Emirates, to pay a China-based company that sent invoices to Rah Roshd for the sale of motors.  Those payments were processed through U.S.-based correspondent bank accounts. The defendants also used two of these shell companies to pay a separate China-based company for the sale of pneumatic masts.

    Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states.

    The charges in the complaint are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Nina C. Gupta and Lindsey R. Oken are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Rebecca Roth, along with Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Trial Attorney Charles Kovats of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. 

    The Defendants:

    HOSSEIN AKBARI (also known as “Danial Yousef” and “Danial White”)
    Age: 63
    Iran

    REZA AMIDI (also known as “Ali Rahmani”)
    Age: 62
    Iran

    RAH ROSHD COMPANY
    Tehran, Iran

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-MJ-114

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tariffs Work — and President Trump’s First Term Proves It

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    For the first time in decades, the United States will see fair trade as President Donald J. Trump announces tariffs to level the playing field for American workers and businesses.
    Despite the rhetoric from politicians and the media, studies have repeatedly shown tariffs are an effective tool for achieving economic and strategic objectives — just as they did in President Trump’s first term.
    A 2024 study on the effects of President Trump’s tariffs in his first term found that they “strengthened the U.S. economy” and “led to significant reshoring” in industries like manufacturing and steel production.
    A 2023 report by the U.S. International Trade Commission — which analyzed the effects of President Trump’s Section 232 and 301 tariffs on more than $300 billion of U.S. imports — found the tariffs reduced imports from China, effectively stimulated more U.S. production of the affected goods, and had very minor effects on downstream prices.
    According to the Economic Policy Institute, the tariffs implemented by President Trump during his first term “clearly show[ed] no correlation with inflation” and had only a fleeting effect on overall prices.
    Economic Policy Institute: “Following implementation of Sec. 232 measures in 2018—and prior to the global downturn in 2020—U.S. steel output, employment, capital investment, and financial performance all improved. In particular, U.S. steel producers announced plans to invest more than $15.7 billion in new or upgraded steel facilities, creating at least 3,200 direct new jobs, many of which are now poised to come online.”

    An analysis by the Atlantic Council found that “tariffs would create new incentives for US consumers to buy US-made products.”
    Former Biden Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen affirmed last year that tariffs do not raise prices: “I don’t believe that American consumers will see any meaningful increase in the prices that they face.”
    A 2024 economic analysis found that a global tariff of 10% would grow the economy by $728 billion, create 2.8 million jobs, and increase real household incomes by 5.7%.
    President Trump’s first term steel tariffs led to thousands of jobs gains in the metal industry, along with wage increases.
    The tariffs were hailed as a “boon” for Minnesota’s iron ore industry, with state officials crediting them for bolstering the local economy.
    Steel and aluminum imports drastically decreased during President Trump’s first term, falling by nearly one-third from 2016 to 2020.
    The tariffs led to a wave in investment across the United States, with more than $10 billion committed to build new mills.

    The Hill: “The Trump tariffs keep working, to the consternation of many economists”
    S&P Global: “Global Trade At A Crossroads: Trump Tariffs Forge Better Credit Quality For U.S.-Based Steel And Aluminum Producers With A Protectionist Stance”
    IndustryWeek: “Tariffs Are Keeping US Steel Production Strong”
    “With steel imports down, America’s steelmakers have started investing at home. In addition to Nucor and US Steel, companies like Cleveland-Cliffs, Steel Dynamics, CMC, and AK Steel have invested billions of dollars in at least 16 major new projects throughout the nation. The top five US steel companies more than doubled their total annual investments between 2017 to 2019, from $1.5 billion to $4.2 billion.”

    Predictably, the media was wrong.
    PBS (2018): “Trump tariffs may imperil a delicate global economic rebound”
    “President Donald Trump’s announcement Thursday that the United States would impose heavy tariffs on imported steel and aluminum — with some countries potentially exempted — suddenly raised a fear that few had anticipated: That U.S. tariffs could trigger a chain of tit-for-tat retaliation by America’s trading partners that could erupt into a full-blown trade war and possibly threaten the global economy.”

    NPR (2018): “Trump Plan To Impose Tariffs on Steel, Aluminum Raises Trade War Fears”
    “Chad Bown, an economist and trade specialist, says the tariffs will drive up the price of steel and aluminum for the multiple other industries that use the metals. Those industries actually employ more people than the steel and aluminum sectors, he says, ‘so this is a really big concern, just from an economic perspective.’”

    The New Yorker (2019): “Trump’s Trade War Could Make the Trump Recession a Reality”
    “What we do know for sure is that, the longer Donald Trump persists in his trade war, the greater the chances are of an outright slump developing.”

    Politico (2018): “Trump blasted at home and abroad for plan to impose steel, aluminum tariffs”
    “President Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariffs of 25 percent on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum reverberated across the world Thursday, spurring retaliatory threats from some of the nation’s closest allies and sending stock prices plummeting on investors’ fears of the global economic fallout.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Rosanna Law starts Beijing trip

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law commenced her visit to Beijing today by calling on the Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office of the State Council (HKMAO) and the General Administration of Sport of China (GASC).

    Miss Law briefed Director of the Hong Kong & Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the HKMAO Xia Baolong on the major work in the last four months and future plans of the Culture, Sports & Tourism Bureau.

    She expressed gratitude to Mr Xia and the HKMAO for their guidance and unwavering support. Mr Xia encouraged her to lead the bureau in taking forward its duties by staying innovative in utilising the rich resources of the city, particularly in tourism, to tell the good stories of Hong Kong.

    Miss Law then called on Minister of the GASC Gao Zhidan and briefed him on the preparatory work of the 15th National Games and the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games in Hong Kong.

    Emphasising that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government attaches importance to the mega sports event co-hosted with Guangdong and Macau, she said it not only demonstrates Hong Kong’s ability in hosting major sports events but also deepens trilateral collaboration and promotes Greater Bay Area development, laying the foundation for hosting more mega events in future.

    Miss Law also visited the Museum of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and met the museum’s Director Li Zongyuan. Noting that it was her second visit to the museum, she said she had a stronger impression this time.

    Highlighting that Hong Kong is planning for the construction of a museum to showcase the achievements of the country, she expressed hope that support and professional guidance from the Museum of the CPC could be given in future exhibitions and collaborations.

    The culture chief also watched an evening performance by Wiener Symphoniker at the National Centre for the Performing Arts to experience high-level arts and cultural exchanges.

    Miss Law will continue her Beijing visit tomorrow.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: How to Test Drive Adulthood and Change Your City for the Better

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Participants of the Youth Parliament in the Legislative Assembly of Saint Petersburg

    Volunteering is helping with specific actions, and an active life position is promoting and implementing initiatives for the benefit of society. This is the motto of the first deputy chairman of the student council of SPbGASU, head of the Open For Students project Ivan Baranovsky (a third-year student of the Faculty of Engineering Ecology and Urban Economy) and the editor-in-chief of the student council of SPbGASU Alexandra Polyanskaya (a second-year master’s student of the Faculty of Architecture). They have already accumulated a solid baggage of good deeds, successfully implemented many ideas and, as they admit, do not intend to stop there. We talk to them about their initiatives, supported by the Youth Parliament under the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg, and the priority areas that they are developing.

    – How did your path to social activity and the volunteer movement begin?

    Ivan Baranovsky: The path of volunteering began in elementary school. What prompted it? Probably a simple desire to help. I realized that seeing happy faces in response, for whom you try to do something without asking for anything in return, is the most pleasant result. I get pleasure when I help people. Our university has a well-developed student government, thanks to which volunteering develops. In fact, we all do volunteering in one way or another throughout our lives: we help friends, the elderly, strangers. It became the starting point for me in active social activities.

    Alexandra Polyanskaya: I started doing social work back in the St. Petersburg State Academy of Art and Industry named after A. L. Stieglitz, where I joined the team of a grant project to create a media center. I have always been attracted by the opportunity to turn ideas into real products that others see and appreciate. And when I entered the master’s program at SPbGASU, I decided to continue what I had started: I joined the student council, completed the POTOK and Open for Students training programs. I wanted not just to study, but to create events, help the guys from the university, and develop the media direction. Volunteering and activism gave me the tools for this – from organizing events to working with people whose stories inspire.

    – What areas of volunteering are particularly in demand today and how are they developing in our university and city?

    Alexandra Polyanskaya: Media volunteering and projects related to patriotic education are in high demand now. For example, our university requires organizers, content creators, photographers, videographers, and designers to hold the events of the Golden Faculty or Architectural Seasons. This is a large team of diverse specialists, primarily from the student council media center, which trains these specialists to join its team under the Open for Students program. In addition, we are actively developing the media direction: in the last year alone, we have launched websites for elections, Olympiads, and workshops using neural networks. Such skills help activists in life: thanks to them, they can find a decent part-time job while studying. In St. Petersburg, there is a growing demand for projects that unite young people around common values: for example, helping the families of SVO participants or preserving historical memory. The state supports and encourages activists. Thus, Ivan received two honorary medals for his active civic position and contribution to public life.

    Ivan Baranovsky: When I learned about the awards, I was quite surprised: yes, I volunteered at the call of my heart, often went and collected humanitarian aid to the SVO zone, participated in charity events, helped the families of SVO participants, but I didn’t even think about any award. The first medal was awarded for assistance in conducting the Special Military Operation. The second medal, “Active Participant in the Volunteer Movement,” is for activities in the field of volunteerism.

    – What skills does active social activity help to develop?

    Ivan Baranovsky: Being active in public life develops communication and management skills, and most importantly, the ability to motivate your team to implement a project at the idea level. The student council is a small test drive of adult life: here you gain a lot of experience and expand your circle of acquaintances for the realization of yourself and others. The city has many opportunities for the comprehensive development of students, many youth organizations that also develop volunteering in one form or another.

    Alexandra Polyanskaya: Working in the student council of our university allows you to discover incredible opportunities in yourself that you never even knew about! Student council events became one of the compelling reasons for me to enroll in the master’s program at SPbGASU. Self-development in these areas is inevitable. For example, for the needs of the student council to implement our collective ideas, I mastered web design and the basics of UX/UI, although I had no experience in this area before. Organizing a workshop on neural networks for Young Design forced me to immerse myself in the world of AI tools in order to explain them clearly even to beginners. In general, volunteering for me is an opportunity to live thousands of lives at once, try myself in completely different areas and improve in what I already understand. Recently, Ksenia Vitsina, chairperson of the student council of SPbGASU, noted that after the student council, our guys want to work in the same active team, with a developed corporate culture.

    – You are taking part in the Youth Parliament of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg of the second convocation. It is appropriate to note your personal growth. What are your achievements in this area?

    Ivan Baranovsky: The Youth Parliament of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg is an advisory and consultative body that works on a voluntary basis. Its goal is to facilitate the activities of the Legislative Assembly in the area of legislative regulation of the rights and legitimate interests of young people. Our team of four people put forward an initiative to completely update the design of contactless smart cards (BSC) and contactless electronic smart cards (BEPK). This initiative passed the second reading, now all that remains is to hold a competition for the best design. I hope that this summer the design of the cards in St. Petersburg will completely change.

    I am also developing two initiatives for federal legislation: the first concerns the rules for advertising placement, the second is to supplement the Federal Law “On the Protection of Consumer Rights” (No. 2300-1). I will be able to tell you more about it later.

    Alexandra Polyanskaya: The Youth Parliament is a structure that helps active young people influence the life of the city. Here we support youth projects, interact with the city administration and promote ideas that are aimed at improving the life of the city and, in the long term, the country. Now, for example, we are developing socially useful ideas for federal legislative initiatives. I am working on ideas for the Federal Law on the Protection of Cultural Heritage, including the topic of zoological parks, which overlap with my master’s thesis. This topic combines two areas that excite me at once – architecture as a life’s work and love for animals.

    We have just started our activities in the Youth Parliament, but I am sure that there is a lot of good ahead, as we receive incredible support from the curator of the Youth Parliament, Advisor to the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg Maryana Borisovna Yakovleva.

    Vanya and I are on different committees, but I promote and defend his legislative initiatives, and Vanya helps me with project ideas. Our personnel reserve also includes the head of the SECOND HOM project, a student of the construction faculty, Olga Kostyleva.

    – How do you manage to combine your studies with active social activities? And what plans have you outlined for yourself?

    Ivan Baranovsky: It’s hard to combine. But I don’t intend to retreat: I need to successfully graduate from university, enroll in a master’s program, and implement all the ideas I have planned for 2025.

    Alexandra Polyanskaya: Strict planning helps to combine studies with active social activities. Without it, everything turns into chaos from a large number of different tasks. In such cases, notepads and reminder apps help. Although in reality, sometimes it is extremely difficult to manage everything due to the workload and specifics of the faculty. I prioritize my studies.

    At some point, there were so many tasks that I wanted to have a separate person to plan them, but nothing is impossible. You can contact Vanya and me on the topic of legislative and project initiatives: for example, now we are working on helping the SECOND HOM student council project hold the Russia-China festival. Vanya works more with projects, and I – in the field of legislation, mainly related to architecture and construction. Now I am also trying to improve my knowledge of legislation in general. At present, we are developing ideas for federal initiatives to solve certain problems. One of them is to provide students studying in a specialized field with the opportunity to participate in the examination of cultural heritage sites. I think it is very important for students to prove themselves in the professional field even before receiving a diploma, in order to gain initial experience. Then they are more likely to work in their profession, and good young people will come to the industry.

    I plan to enroll in graduate school and do not rule out that I will stay to work at the university in order to motivate the younger generation to take an active life position both in the professional environment and in public life.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Construction begins on cross-border bridge between China, Vietnam

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

    Construction begins on cross-border bridge between China, Vietnam

    Updated: April 2, 2025 17:18 Xinhua

    A cross-border bridge connecting Basa in Hekou County, southwest China’s Yunnan Province and Bat Xat district in Lao Cai Province of Vietnam, began construction on Monday.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese manufacturing sees growing innovation strength

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

    BEIJING, April 2 — China’s manufacturing sector has seen growing innovation capabilities, according to an industrial index released by the China Center for Information Industry Development.

    A report by the center, which is affiliated to China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, reveals that the innovation index for the country’s leading manufacturing enterprises had consistently increased, with an annualized average growth rate of 11.6 percent during the 2013-2023 period.

    The manufacturing innovation index comprises five first-tier indicators covering innovation resources, innovation output, innovation collaboration, innovation performance and innovation environment, as well as another 17 sub-indicators that track data such as the proportion of large firms that have set up specialized R&D centers and their number of invention patents.

    The report said the impact from Chinese firms’ innovation has been steadily growing, and collaboration in innovation has also experienced rapid growth. It advised further efforts to promote cooperation among industries, colleges and research institutions, and to optimize the environment for innovation.

    China’s industrial production experienced accelerated growth in 2024, driven by the country’s continued efforts to optimize and upgrade its industrial structure. Its manufacturing industry has also maintained the top position globally in terms of scale for 15 consecutive years.

    There has been a more upbeat sentiment recently following the release of data early this week, which showed the nation’s manufacturing sector continues to expand in March as business production accelerated amid sustained economic recovery. The purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for China’s manufacturing sector came in at 50.5 in March, up 0.3 percentage points from February. A PMI reading above 50 reflects expansion.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Blooming flowers boost rural tourism of Guiding County, SW China’s Guizhou

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

    Blooming flowers boost rural tourism of Guiding County, SW China’s Guizhou

    Updated: April 2, 2025 20:37 Xinhua
    Tourists take selfies at a scenic spot in Panjiang Town of Guiding County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, on April 1, 2025. Guiding County, with a development model integrating agriculture and tourism, has vigorously developed specialty industries such as canola, yellow peaches and roxburgh roses planting in recent years. In the spring, when the flowers are in full bloom, more and more people are coming to the county, boosting rural tourism in sectors such as catering, homestays and transportation. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Tourists in traditional clothing are pictured at a yellow peach planting base in Guiding County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, on April 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo shows the scenery of a scenic spot in Panjiang Town of Guiding County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, on April 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A tourist cycles at a scenic spot in Panjiang Town of Guiding County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, on April 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A drone photo taken on April 1, 2025 shows tourists visiting a yellow peach planting base in Guiding County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A drone photo taken on April 1, 2025 shows tourists in traditional clothing posing for pictures at a yellow peach planting base in Guiding County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A drone photo taken on April 1, 2025 shows tourists visiting a yellow peach planting base in Guiding County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A panoramic drone photo taken on April 1, 2025 shows a scenic spot in Guiding County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Tourists take photos at a scenic spot in Panjiang Town of Guiding County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, on April 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 1 quake survivor found in Myanmar

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region team currently assisting in the search and rescue work in the quake-stricken areas of Myanmar, found one survivor today.

    The Hong Kong team had set off for Myanmar on March 29.

    In a joint operation in Mandalay, the Hong Kong SAR team and the China Search & Rescue Team successfully located a survivor, and rescued and assisted in moving him to an ambulance.

    Commander of the Hong Kong SAR search and rescue team Cheu Yu-kok said: “We have spared no effort in the search and rescue work upon arrival, and are very encouraged and excited to be able to find one survivor six days after the earthquake.

    “The team will grasp every opportunity, never give up and do its best to find the remaining survivors.”

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Defense spokesperson says PLA’s drills around Taiwan “legitimate, necessary, reasonable” 2025-04-02 A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense on Wednesday said that the latest multi-subject drills conducted by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army in waters around the Taiwan Island are completely legitimate, necessary and reasonable.

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

      BEIJING, April 2 (Xinhua) — A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense on Wednesday said that the latest multi-subject drills conducted by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army in waters around the Taiwan Island are completely legitimate, necessary and reasonable.

    loading…

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China issues new guideline to strengthen price governance mechanism

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    China has unveiled a guideline to further deepen price reform and improve the price governance mechanism.
    The guideline was issued by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council.
    It aims to improve the market price formation mechanism to promote efficient resource allocation, the price guidance mechanism for key areas’ development and security, the price regulation mechanism to maintain reasonable price levels, and the transparent and predictable market price supervision mechanism.
    China will enhance the market price formation mechanism by deepening market-oriented price reform, accelerating the market construction of key areas and creating a competitive and orderly market environment.
    Price guidance will target five critical areas: agricultural products to ensure food security, energy pricing to support green transition, public utilities for sustainable development, public services for equitable access, and innovative pricing approaches for safe and efficient public data utilization.
    Control over the overall price level will be strengthened through better synergy between price policies and fiscal, monetary, industrial, and employment policies. Additionally, efforts will be made to strengthen the price stability of important commodities.
    The guideline will further optimize the market price supervision mechanism, create a transparent and predictable regulatory environment for business entities, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: POET Expands Global Reach as It Teams with South Korea’s Lessengers To Develop 800G DR8 Transceivers for AI and Hyperscale Markets

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — POET Technologies Inc. (“POET” or the “Company“) (TSX Venture: PTK; NASDAQ: POET), a leader in the design and implementation of highly-integrated optical engines and light sources for artificial intelligence networks, today announced it has partnered with Lessengers, an innovative optical solution provider based in South Korea, to offer a differentiated 800G DR8 transceiver. The transceiver will include POET’s transmit and receive optical engines and Lessenger’s “Direct Optical Wiring” (DOW) technology for a cost-effective solution for AI and hyperscale data center applications.

    POET will supply the highly integrated POET Infinity™ transmit and receive optical engines configured in an 800G DR8 architecture, which includes electronic and photonic components.

    Lessengers expects to have transceiver samples ready for its customers to review in the second half of 2025.

    “Like POET, Lessengers is bringing cutting-edge innovation to the market. It is a perfect partnership of companies that are finding new solutions by unlocking the vast abilities of optical technology. We’re thrilled to continue our growth in the industry through a co-development arrangement with a likeminded and truly inventive company,” commented Raju Kankipati, POET’s Chief Revenue Officer.

    Lessengers Chief Marketing Officer Taeyong Kim added: “POET’s production-ready optical engines provide Lessengers with a high-quality component that allows us to bring more value to our transceiver customers. POET offers a complementary technology to Lessengers’ direct optical coupling that saves on costs and improves efficiency.”

    The two companies’ booths are situated next to each other at the Optical Fiber Communications (OFC) Conference at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California. POET is at Booth 5315 through the show, which ends on Thursday, April 3.

    About POET Technologies Inc.
    POET is a design and development company offering high-speed optical modules, optical engines and light source products to the artificial intelligence systems market and to hyperscale data centers.  POET’s photonic integration solutions are based on the POET Optical Interposer™, a novel, patented platform that allows the seamless integration of electronic and photonic devices into a single chip using advanced wafer-level semiconductor manufacturing techniques. POET’s Optical Interposer-based products are lower cost, consume less power than comparable products, are smaller in size and are readily scalable to high production volumes. In addition to providing high-speed (800G, 1.6T and above) optical engines and optical modules for AI clusters and hyperscale data centers, POET has designed and produced novel light source products for chip-to-chip data communication within and between AI servers, the next frontier for solving bandwidth and latency problems in AI systems.  POET’s Optical Interposer platform also solves device integration challenges in 5G networks, machine-to-machine communication, self-contained “Edge” computing applications and sensing applications, such as LIDAR systems for autonomous vehicles. POET is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with operations in Allentown, PA, Shenzhen, China, and Singapore.  More information about POET is available on our website at www.poet-technologies.com.

    About Lessengers

    Lessengers is an innovative optical solution provider, powered by its patent DOW technology, which enables cost effective direct optical coupling without the use of lens optics. This provides the most suitable solution for data center applications such as 800G/1.6T optical transceivers, active optical cables (AOCs), on-board, near packaged, or co-packaged optics.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This news release contains “forward-looking information” (within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws) and “forward-looking statements” (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Such statements or information are identified with words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “plan”, “intend”, “potential”, “estimate”, “propose”, “project”, “outlook”, “foresee” or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding any potential outcome. Such statements include the Company’s expectations with respect to the success of the Company’s product development efforts, the performance of its products, operations, meeting revenue targets, and the expectation of continued success in the financing efforts, the capability, functionality, performance and cost of the Company’s technology as well as the market acceptance, inclusion and timing of the Company’s technology in current and future products and expectations regarding its successful development of high speed transceiver solutions and its penetration of the Artificial Intelligence hardware markets.

    Such forward-looking information or statements are based on a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions which may cause actual results or other expectations to differ materially from those anticipated and which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the completion of its development efforts with its customers, the ability to build working prototypes to the customer’s specifications, and the size, future growth and needs of Artificial Intelligence network suppliers. Actual results could differ materially due to a number of factors, including, without limitation, the failure to produce optical engines on time and within budget, the failure of Artificial Intelligence networks to continue to grow as expected, the failure of the Company’s products to meet performance requirements for AI and datacom networks, operational risks in the completion of the Company’s projects, the ability of the Company to generate sales for its products, and the ability of its customers to deploy systems that incorporate the Company’s products. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information or statements are reasonable, prospective investors in the Company’s securities should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because the Company can provide no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking information and statements contained in this news release are as of the date of this news release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise this forward-looking information and statements except as required by law.

    Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3b54b7e2-2d7c-4795-bae5-90e693fc854c

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Cerence AI Honored with 2025 ECARX Best Contribution Award

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SHANGHAI and BURLINGTON, Mass., April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cerence Inc. (NASDAQ: CRNC) (“Cerence AI”), a global leader pioneering conversational AI-powered user experiences, today announced that it has received a Best Contribution Award at the 2025 ECARX Partnership Conference, held on March 11, 2025, in Hangzhou, China. ECARX, a global automotive technology provider partnering with OEMs to accelerate the future of software-defined vehicles, presented the award in recognition of Cerence AI’s extensive contributions as a trusted, long-term partner delivering cutting-edge, AI-driven solutions to ECARX and its OEM customers. This is the second consecutive year that Cerence AI has been recognized with this award.

    ECARX and Cerence AI are long-term partners, having collaborated since ECARX’s founding in 2017 on automotive programs across a range of Geely brands, including innovative Audio AI solutions and multilingual support in vehicle infotainment systems – all contributing to Geely’s global expansion. This joint effort has also delivered advanced AI-powered voice assistants to enhance the driving experience in Geely’s Proton-, smart-, and Lotus-brand vehicles, as well as equip the entire Lynk & Co lineup with AI capabilities to appeal to the European market.

    Most recently, the companies expanded their partnership to enable ECARX to deploy Cerence’s generative AI-powered solutions to create a more intuitive and integrated experience for smart drivers. In addition, leveraging Cerence AI’s extensive global language capabilities, the ECARX Antora 1000 platform – deployed in the Hongqi 007/009 models – featured enhanced voice functionalities, including English language speech recognition and text-to-speech capabilities in 17 languages, supporting Hongqi’s expansion into global markets.

    “It’s an honor to be acknowledged for the second year in a row by our long-term partners at ECARX for our continuous effort and innovation,” said Christian Mentz, Chief Revenue Officer, Cerence AI. “Cerence’s AI-powered, intuitive solutions are a core component of ECARX’s innovative computing platforms. Together, we aim to consistently deliver unparalleled value to automakers, fostering the evolution of AI-driven user experiences across China and in global markets.” 

    To learn more about Cerence AI, visit www.cerence.ai, and follow the company on LinkedIn.

    About Cerence Inc.
    Cerence Inc. (NASDAQ: CRNC) is a global industry leader in creating intuitive, seamless, AI-powered experiences across automotive and transportation. Leveraging decades of innovation and expertise in voice, generative AI, and large language models, Cerence powers integrated experiences that create safer, more connected, and more enjoyable journeys for drivers and passengers alike. With more than 500 million cars shipped with Cerence technology, the company partners with leading automakers, transportation OEMs, and technology companies to advance the next generation of user experiences. Cerence is headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, with operations globally and a worldwide team dedicated to pushing the boundaries of AI innovation. For more information, visit www.cerence.ai.

    About ECARX
    ECARX (Nasdaq: ECX) is a global automotive technology provider with capabilities to deliver turnkey solutions for next-generation smart vehicles, from the system on a chip (SoC), to central computing platforms, and software. As automakers develop new electric vehicle architectures from the ground up, ECARX is developing full-stack solutions to enhance the user experience, while reducing complexity and cost.

    Founded in 2017 and listed on the Nasdaq in 2022, ECARX now has over 1,800 employees based in 12 major locations in China, UK, USA, Sweden, Germany and Malaysia. To date, ECARX products can be found in over 7.3 million vehicles worldwide.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/MYANMAR – Earthquake ends international isolation of ruling military junta

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Karuna Myanmar

    Naypyidaw (Agenzia Fides) – The severe earthquake in Myanmar has broken the international political isolation that had surrounded the country’s ruling military junta following the 2021 coup. This has given new strength to the position of ruling General Min Aung Hlaing, as diplomatic channels that had been closed for four years have been opened. By interacting publicly and directly with countries such as India, China, and Russia, with other Asian and non-Asian nations, and with international organizations to organize humanitarian aid, the General is presenting himself as Myanmar’s most important public authority.Last week, General Min Aung Hlaing spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and these talks led to a flow of international aid. A meeting between the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), from which Myanmar has been excluded, is also scheduled to take place soon and will almost certainly result in Burmese representatives returning to the table to organize regional humanitarian assistance.The earthquake occurred just weeks after the junta announced it would hold general elections at the end of 2025 – a program considered impractical and unrealistic given that 50 percent of the country is under the control of the resistance fighters. However, the tragic event of the earthquake has opened a new window for the Burmese leadership to interact with regional powers.According to analysts, the military junta could also exploit the crisis by denying aid to towns, villages, and populations close to the opposition groups. The resistance organization ‘Octopus’ also noted in a statement that “the army carried out several airstrikes on some towns and villages in the days following the earthquake.” “Myanmar’s youth are ready to help during this time of natural disaster. However, due to the forced recruitment imposed by the junta last year, many were forced to flee to border regions or abroad,” the organization said. “We are grateful for the humanitarian aid reaching earthquake victims. However, because the aid is administered by the military junta, we are deeply concerned that it is not truly reaching all those who truly need it,” the statement reads. In light of the ongoing aftershocks in Myanmar, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has provided emergency assistance to approximately 25,000 survivors in the Mandalay and Naypyidaw regions and assessed critical needs in the Mandalay, Magway, and Sagaing regions. A total of 45% of the 3.8 million internally displaced people who have already fled their homes as a result of Myanmar’s civil war live in the earthquake-affected areas. The UNHCR continues to call for “unhindered access for humanitarian agencies to assist communities in urgent need of assistance,” emphasizing the need for an immediate ceasefire in the civil war, a demand also made by the Burmese Catholic Church (see Fides, 31/3/2025), to enable relief efforts to proceed. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 2/4/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Import of Rare Earth Metals

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 2:19PM by PIB Delhi

    The details on the quantum of rare earth metals imported and the countries from which it has been imported during the last five years is given at Annexure-I.

    Government is aware of the occurrence of neodymium in the country. The Geological Survey of India (GSI), under the Ministry of Mines, is actively engaged in carrying out mineral exploration across the country following guidelines of United Nations Framework Classification [UNFC stage viz. reconnaissance surveys (G4), preliminary exploration (G3) and general exploration (G2)] and the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) (MEMC) Rules, 2015 with an aim to augment resource for various mineral commodities including critical minerals specified in Part D of the First Schedule of the Mines & Minerals (Development & Regulation) (MMDR) Amendment Act, 2023. During Field Season (FS) 2021-22 and 2022-23, GSI had taken up three reconnaissance stage projects for Rare Earth Elements including neodymium in Sirohi and Bhilwara districts of Rajasthan as per the approved field season programme. The details are given at Annexure-II.

    The Department of Atomic Energy has explored 1,11,845 tonne in-situ Rare Earth Elements Oxide (REO) in hard rock terrains in parts of Balotra (erstwhile Barmer) district, Rajasthan. As policy framework for utilizing critical minerals, including rare earth metals, the National Critical Mineral Mission has been launched, which is India’s strategic initiative to secure critical mineral supply chain by increasing domestic critical minerals production and foreign supply sources.

    Under the Mission, GSI has prioritized and intensified its exploration activities for critical and strategic minerals across the country including Rajasthan, with an aim to find out potential mineralized locales as well as to establish more resources for these minerals. During the current FS 2024-25, GSI has taken up 195 exploration projects including 35 projects in Rajasthan, to assess the mineral potential of strategic and critical minerals. The detailed list of mineral exploration projects taken up by GSI in Rajasthan exclusively for REE/RM and associated minerals from FS 2021-22 to 2024-25 is given at Annexure-III. Since MMDR Amendment Act, 2015, GSI has established resource of REE in Barmer and Sikar districts of Rajasthan. GSI has handed over one resource bearing geological report (GR) on REE, one Geological Memorandums (GM) on REE and one GM on tungsten for auctioning.

    ANNEXURE-I

    Annexure-I referred to in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 5253 answered on 02.04.2025 regarding ‘Import of Rare Earth Metals’

    Table: Country wise quantum of rare earth metals imported by India during last 5 years

     Quantity in Tonnes

    #

    HS Code- Description

    2019-20

    2020-21

    2021-22

    2022-23

    2023-24

    Country

    Qty

    Country

    Qty

    Country

    Qty

    Country

    Qty

    Country

    Qty

    1.

    28053000– Alkali or alkaline earth metals: Rare-earth metals, scandium and yttrium, whether or not intermixed or inter alloyed

    China

    437

    China

    445

    China

    714.5

    China

    709

    China

    699

    Hong Kong

    34

    Japan

    11

    Japan

    34

    Japan

    42

    Hong Kong

    234

    Japan

    2

    Sweden

    10

    USA

    6.6

    Singapore

    20

    Japan

    192

    USA

    0.57

    USA

    4.69

    Hong Kong

    5

    Hong Kong

    20

    Mongolia

    60

    UK

    0.08

    Hong Kong

    0.05

    Russia

    1

    USA

    1.09

    UK

    0.11

    Others

    0.00

    Others

    0.07

    Others

    0.06

    Others

    0.18

    Others

    0.02

    Total

    473.65

    Total

    470.61

    Total

    761

    Total

    792

    Total

    1,185

    2.

    2846- Compounds, inorganic or organic, of rare earth metals

    Russia

    452

    China

    695

    China

    745

    China

    796

    China

    780

    China

    434

    Russia

    156

    Japan

    196

    Korea

    150

    Japan

    148

    Japan

    255

    Japan

    133

    Korea

    93

    Japan

    148

    Korea

    90

    Germany

    59

    Korea

    91

    Austria

    41

    USA

    20

    USA

    24

    Austria

    31

    Austria

    46

    Russia

    40

    France

    14

    France

    19

    Others

    144

    Others

    129

    Others

    69

    Others

    24

    Others

    24

    Total

    1,375

    Total

    1,250

    Total

    1,183

    Total

    1,153

    Total

    1,086

     

    REE Total

     

    1,848

     

    1,721

     

    1,944

     

    1,945

     

    2,270

    Note:REE has 17 elements. HS codes 280530 and 2846 pertain to REE as a whole and not to a particular element.

     

    ANNEXURE-II

    Annexure-II referred to in reply to part (b) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 5253 answered on 02.04.2025 regarding ‘Import of Rare Earth Metals’

    Table: G4 stage projects taken up for Rare Earth Elements including neodymium in Rajasthan during FS 2021-22 and FS 2022-23

    Sl. No

    State

    District

    Name of Mineral Block / Area/ Belt

    UNFC Stage

    Mineral Commodity

    FS: 2021-22

    1

    Rajasthan

    Sirohi

    Jirawal-Sanpur

    G4

    Neodymium and Dysprosium

    2

    Rajasthan

    Bhilwara

    Mahendragarh-Gundli-Bawri

    G4

    Neodymium and associated REE

    FS: 2022-23

    3

    Rajasthan

    Bhilwara

    Kodukota-Raser-Lulas-Kallyakhera

    G4

    REE and associated Neodymium

     

    ANNEXURE-III

     

    Annexure-III referred to in reply to part (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 5253 answered on 02.04.2025 regarding ‘Import of Rare Earth Metals’

    Table: List of projects taken up by GSI on REE/RM and associated minerals from FS 2021-22 to FS 2024-25

     

    Sl. No.

    State

    District

    Name of Mineral Block / Area / Belt

    UNFC Stage

    Mineral Commodity

    FS: 2021-22

    1

    Rajasthan

    Jaipur

    Asalpur, Boraj, Bichun

    G4

    REE & RM, basemetal

    2

    Rajasthan

    Sikar

    South East of Nanagwas

    G3

    REE & RM, basemetal

    3

    Rajasthan

    Sirohi

    Jirawal-Sanpur

    G4

    Neodymium, Dysprosium (REE)

    4

    Rajasthan

    Bhilwara

    Mahendragarh-Gundli-Bawri

    G4

    Neodymium, REE

    5

    Rajasthan

    Barmer

    Sainji Ki Beri-Meli

    G4

    REE

    6

    Rajasthan

    Barmer

    Indrana-Siwana

    G4

    REE

    7

    Rajasthan

    Barmer

    WNW of Sukleswar Ka Mandir

    G3

    REE & RM

    8

    Rajasthan

    Barmer

    Nimale Ki Pahari-Dantala

    G4

    REE & RM

    9

    Rajasthan

    Barmer

    Kundal-Dhiran

    G4

    REE & RM

    10

    Rajasthan

    Jaisalmer

    Jaisalmer-Pokran

    G4

    REE, RM

    FS: 2022-23

    1

    Rajasthan

    Barmer

    SE of Mawri

    G3

    REE

    2

    Rajasthan

    Barmer

    north of Kalaur Ka Danta

    G3

    REE, RM

    3

    Rajasthan

    Barmer

    Kalaur Ka Danta

    G3

    REE, RM

    4

    Rajasthan

    Barmer

    Kaluri-Tapra-Buriwara

    G4

    REE

    5

    Rajasthan

    Bhilwara

    Kodukota-Raser-Lulas-Kallyakhera

    G4

    Neodymium and associated REE

    6

    Rajasthan

    Barmer

    Bachharau-Dhorimana

    G4

    REE

    7

    Rajasthan

    Barmer

    south of Gura Nal

    G3

    REE

    8

    Rajasthan

    Sikar

    Ladi Ka Was

    G3

    REE, RM, Basemetal

    9

    Rajasthan

    Sikar

    Kalakhera

    G3

    REE, RM, Basemetal

    10

    Rajasthan

    Barmer

    SE of Gugrot

    G3

    REE

    11

    Rajasthan

    Jalore

    Ahor-Beria-Ajitpura

    G4

    REE, RM

    12

    Rajasthan

    Barmer

    WNW of Sukleswar Ka Mandir

    G3

    REE, RM

    13

    Rajasthan

    Barmer

    Relon Ki Dhani – Telwara

    G4

    REE

    FS: 2023-24

    1

    Rajasthan

    Alwar

    Dadikar, Harsora and Khairthal

    G4

    REE, RM, Tungsten, Tin, Niobium, Beryllium, Tantalum, Hafnium

    2

    Rajasthan

    Udaipur

    Semari

    G4

    REE, Gold, Basemetal

    3

    Rajasthan

    Udaipur

    Seriya

    G4

    REE, Gold, Basemetal

    4

    Rajasthan

    Sirohi

    Wan-Mochhal-Bhev

    G4

    REE, RM

    5

    Rajasthan

    Udaipur

    Padrara-Sayra

    G4

    REE

    6

    Rajasthan

    Ajmer

    Piloda Nagola

    G4

    REE

    7

    Rajasthan

    Banswara

    Bhongra-Bargun

    G4

    Graphite, RM

    8

    Rajasthan

    Barmer

    East of Gugrot

    G3

    REE

    9

    Rajasthan

    Jalore&Sirohi

    Jastwantpura

    G4

    REE

    10

    Rajasthan

    Sirohi

    Punawa-Ranela-Kooma

    G4

    REE

    11

    Rajasthan

    Dungarpur

    Barwasa -Lodowal

    G4

    REE, RM

    12

    Rajasthan

    Barmer

    Nakoda

    G4

    REE, RM

    FS: 2024-25

    1

    Rajasthan

    Sikar

    Ladi ka Bas

    G2

    REE, RM

    2

    Rajasthan

    Dungarpur

    Gara Sialia

    G4

    REE, RM

    3

    Rajasthan

    Jalore

    Dorda-Ambatri

    G4

    REE, RM

    4

    Rajasthan

    Tonk

    Kalyanpura-Kakor

    G4

    REE

    5

    Rajasthan

    Ajmer and Pali

    Ratangarh-Jetgarh

    G4

    RM

    6

    Rajasthan

    Sirohi

    Malawa-Nagani

    G4

    REE, RM

    7

    Rajasthan

    Pali and Sirohi

    Chhotila-Badla-Raghunathpura

    G4

    REE, RM

    8

    Rajasthan

    Alwar

    Sibagaon North

    G3

    Tin, Lithium, RM

    9

    Rajasthan

    Nagaur and Ajmer

    Chinwali-Bhutas

    G4

    REE, Basemetal

    10

    Rajasthan

    Barmer

    Jhak and Khimpar

    G4

    REE

    11

    Rajasthan

    Barmer

    Kitpala-Sinli

    G4

    REE

    12

    Rajasthan

    Pali

    Thandi Beri

    G4

    RM

    13

    Rajasthan

    Barmer and Jodhpur

    Patodi-Thob

    G4

    REE

    14

    Rajasthan

    Sirohi

    Rewakakri-Moras-UparlaSavela

    G4

    RM

    15

    Rajasthan

    Sirohi and Pali

    Malnu-Velar-Chotila ki Bhagli

    G4

    RM

    16

    Rajasthan

    Sirohi

    Isra Darbar Khera Chhota-Dhanta

    G4

    RM

     

    This information was given by Union Minister of Coal and Mines Shri G. Kishan Reddy in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

    ****

    Sunil Kumar Tiwari

    (Release ID: 2117701) Visitor Counter : 65

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: A relatively dry and mild March

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    A relatively dry and mild March 
    The northeast monsoon over the coast of Guangdong was gradually replaced by a relatively dry easterly airstream on March 8. While it was mainly cloudy with one or two light rain patches that morning, there were sunny periods that afternoon and in the following two days. With a band of clouds covering the coast of Guangdong, the weather became mainly cloudy from March 11 to 12, with one or two rain patches on March 12. Winds were weak over the coast of Guangdong on March 13. Locally, it was hot with sunny periods. With a humid easterly airstream affecting the coast of Guangdong the next day, the weather turned mainly cloudy with one or two light rain patches. Visibility was rather low in some areas and once fell to around 1 000 metres in the harbour.
     
    With a trough of low pressure over inland Guangdong developing into a cold front and moving across the coastal areas on March 15, heavy showers and severe squally thunderstorms ahead of the cold front brought around 20 millimetres of rainfall and violent gusts to many places in Hong Kong that afternoon. Hail was even reported at Tai Po. Under the influence of the associated northeast monsoon, the weather became drier and cooler in the following six days. There were sunny periods on March 16. Affected by a band of clouds covering southern China, it became cloudier with one or two rain patches on the next two days. With the departure of the band of clouds and the influence of an anticyclone aloft, the weather turned fine and dry from March 19 to 25. Under the influence of a southerly airstream, the weather became relatively humid with rising temperatures from March 26 to 28. There were fog patches and the weather was hot on March 28. The temperatures at the Observatory rose to a maximum of 29.4 degrees that afternoon, the highest of the month. A cold front moved across the coast of southern China that evening and brought a few rain patches and significantly cooler weather to Hong Kong that night and the following two days. Under the persistent influence of the associated northeast monsoon, the last two days of the month remained cold in the morning.
     
    There was no tropical cyclone over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in March 2025.
     
    Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in the month are summarised in Table 1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for March are tabulated in Table 2.
    Issued at HKT 15:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ12: Promoting the setting up of family offices in Hong Kong

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by the Hon Jeffrey Lam and a written reply by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, in the Legislative Council today (April 2):
     
    Question:
     
         The Government has proposed in the latest Budget that it will formulate proposals on the preferential tax regimes for funds, single family offices and carried interest, and develop a vibrant ecosystem for family offices. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) given that the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions for Family-owned Investment Holding Vehicles) Bill 2022 was passed by this Council in 2023, which sought to provide profits tax concessions for family-owned investment holding vehicles managed by single family offices in Hong Kong, whether the authorities have assessed the adequacy of such tax concession measures and their effectiveness in encouraging family offices to establish a business presence in Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
     
    (2) as it is learnt that a single family office is not required to apply for any licence under the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) if it does not carry on a business of regulated activity in Hong Kong, whether the Government has estimated the number of family offices in Hong Kong which have not applied for such licence; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
     
    (3) of the progress and details of the Government’s formulation of proposals on the preferential tax regimes for funds, single family offices and carried interest this year; and
     
    (4) whether it will study encouraging more Mainland high-net-worth individuals to make cross-border investments through family offices set up in Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         Family office (FO) business is an important segment of the asset and wealth management sector. According to the Asset and Wealth Management Activities Survey 2023 published by the Securities and Futures Commission, the size of private banking and private wealth management business attributed to FOs and private trusts clients reached $1,452 billion as of end-2023, providing huge business opportunities for the asset and wealth management sector and other related professional services. In consultation with Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), the reply to various parts of the question is as follows:
     
    (1) and (3) The Legislative Council passed the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions for Family-owned Investment Holding Vehicles) Bill 2022 in May 2023, under which family-owned investment holding vehicles managed by single FOs in Hong Kong fulfilling the minimum asset threshold of HK$240 million and substantial activities requirement can enjoy profits tax exemption for qualifying transactions. The Government have maintained communication with the industry to evaluate the effectiveness of the tax concession regime, and announced in the 2025-26 Budget the proposals to further enhance the preferential tax regimes for funds, single FOs and carried interest, including expanding the scope of “fund” under the tax exemption regime, increasing the types of qualifying transactions eligible for tax concessions for funds and single FOs, enhancing the tax concession arrangement on the distribution of carried interest by private equity funds. The Government have completed the industry consultation on the enhancement measures on the preferential tax regimes. The Government are formulating the relevant enhancement measures with financial regulators based on the feedback received. The Government target to work out the details of the proposals by this year and submit the legislative proposals to the Legislative Council for consideration in 2026. If approved, the relevant measures will take effect from the year of assessment 2025/26.
     
    (2) and (4) A single FO is not required to apply for a licence under the Securities and Futures Ordinance if it does not carry on a business of regulated activity in Hong Kong. According to the research findings of the consultant commissioned by InvestHK and publicised in March 2024, there were around 2 700 single FOs operating in Hong Kong as of end-2023, with over half of them set up by ultra-high-net-worth individuals having a wealth of US$50 million or above. Meanwhile, since its establishment in June 2021 up to end-February 2025, the dedicated FamilyOfficeHK team of InvestHK has assisted over 160 FOs to set up or expand their business in Hong Kong (including 135 FOs having set up or expanded their business in Hong Kong after the profits tax exemption regime for single FOs has taken effect), including 98 single FOs and 63 multi-FOs. Currently, around 150 FOs have indicated that they are preparing or have decided to set up or expand their business in Hong Kong as tabulated below by geographical region:
     

    Region FOs preparing or having decided to set up or expand business in
    Hong Kong
    Mainland and Taiwan, China 82
    Europe and Americas 34
    Asia Pacific and Oceania 22
    Middle East 9
    Total 147

     
         InvestHK will continue to conduct diversified investment promotion activities (e.g. roundtables, seminars, meetings with investors, media interviews and external visits) to proactively reach out and encourage more high-net-worth individuals (including high-net-worth individuals from the Mainland) to set up FOs in Hong Kong. Furthermore, investors from the Mainland currently can make investment in Hong Kong through various mutual access arrangements. The Government has been actively exploring opportunities to introduce further expansion initiatives, including enhancements to the Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect has been further enhanced since February 2024 to increase individual investor quota, lower the threshold for participating in the Southbound Scheme, expand the scope of participating institutions, the scope of eligible investment products, and enhance the promotion and sales arrangements. The Government will continue to discuss with financial regulatory authorities in the Mainland on various cross-boundary remittance arrangements, including how to provide more facilitation arrangements while ensuring that the risks are manageable.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ2: Exploring economic, trade and investment opportunities in Latin America

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by the Hon Martin Liao and a reply by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, in the Legislative Council today (April 2):
     
    Question:

         In November last year, the Hong Kong Government signed a Free Trade Agreement with the Latin American country Peru, and the Chancay Port in Peru, an important project under the Belt and Road Initiative jointly invested by the Chinese and Peruvian enterprises, has also been open for use. Regarding the exploration of economic, trade and investment opportunities between Hong Kong and Latin America, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) whether it will provide Hong Kong businessmen with the latest market information, technical support and consultation services etc, so as to assist them in expanding into the Latin American market; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
     
    (2) how it will assist Hong Kong’s professional services sectors in grasping the development opportunities of the emerging markets in Latin America; and
     
    (3) whether it will step up efforts to attract enterprises from Latin American countries to come to Hong Kong and make use of Hong Kong as the gateway to enter into the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and even the entire market of China, so as to expand their businesses; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         In response to the question raised by the Hon Martin Liao, I provide below the consolidated reply.
     
         The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has been actively expanding the economic and trade network, and exploring development opportunities in different markets, with particular emphasis on strengthening economic and trade ties with and market development in emerging markets and those of potential in recent years. In 2024, the total merchandise trade between Latin America and Hong Kong amounted to about HK$124.3 billion, representing an increase of 17 per cent when compared with 2023. On services trade, the total trade between the two places amounted to about HK$7.8 billion in 2023, representing an increase of about 24 per cent when compared with 2022. With the good foundation of economic and trade connection the HKSAR Government has built with the Latin America, we will continue to foster closer economic and trade ties with the Latin American region, opening up more trade and investment opportunities for Hong Kong businesses.
     
         As part of our efforts in expanding the economic and trade network, the HKSAR Government strengthens economic co-operation with trading partners, assists Hong Kong enterprises in developing markets and securing better market access, and enhances protection of investors’ overseas investments through forging free trade agreements (FTAs) and investment agreements. Hong Kong signed an FTA and an investment agreement with Chile in 2012 and 2016 respectively, an investment agreement with Mexico in 2020, and an FTA with Peru in 2024. In addition, Hong Kong is exploring with Peru the signing of an investment agreement, and is also proactively seeking to forge FTAs and investment agreements with more trading partners in the Latin American region, with a view to further promoting economic and trade relations between Hong Kong and our major trading partners in the Latin American region.
     
         Hong Kong and Chile have updated their commitments on trade in services under the FTA in recent years. Chile has made commitments in over 50 new service sectors, encompassing priority service sectors in which Hong Kong has traditional strengths or has potential for priority development, such as professional and business services, technical testing and analysis services, convention services, distribution services etc. Relevant Hong Kong services as well as their providers, subject to specific exceptions or conditions, enjoy access to the Chilean market and treatment no less favourable than that for Chile’s local service providers. The updated commitments, which entered into force in 2023, create more opportunities for relevant service providers and investors.
     
         In addition, Hong Kong and Peru signed an FTA in November 2024. Under the FTA, Hong Kong service providers in over 150 services sectors, including professional services, can enjoy legal certainty of better market access and national treatment when operating in Peru. We have been actively conducting a series of publicity and promotional activities (including holding and participating in seminar, reception and exhibition; launching designated webpage; and issuing circulars and promotional leaflets) to introduce the content, benefits and implementation arrangements of the FTA, and encourage Hong Kong’s businesses to grasp the opportunities brought by this FTA, as well as through Peru and our FTA and investment agreement partners including Peru, Chile and Mexico to expand their businesses in the Latin American markets. In the meantime, we have also conveyed the benefits brought by the FTA to Latin American companies by outreaching events to promote collaboration in trade and investment. For instance, Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) and the Trade and Industry Department (TID) cohosted a reception for the Ibero-American community on March 13, 2025, promoting further collaboration through, among other initiatives, trade and investment agreements.
     
         Besides, the TID has been closely monitoring the trade development in the Latin American region, issuing circulars regarding the latest policies and measures concerned of the economies there, as well as publishing factsheets on Hong Kong’s commercial relationship with its major trading partners in that region for Hong Kong enterprises. The TID has also established hotline, email account and webpages to assist Hong Kong enterprises in obtaining and inquiring about the relevant information of trading partners in Latin America, including FTAs and investment agreements signed by Hong Kong, helping businesses understand and develop markets in the Latin American region.
     
         Meanwhile, the Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales (BUD Fund) provides funding support for enterprises to develop business in economies with which Hong Kong has signed FTAs and/or investment agreements. The geographical coverage of the BUD Fund covers 40 economies including Chile, Mexico and Peru to further support enterprises in exploring more diversified markets.
     
         To assist Hong Kong enterprises in tapping the markets of Latin America, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) has established consultant offices in Brazil’s Sao Paulo, Chile’s Santiago and Mexico’s Mexico City, to support the HKTDC’s local trade promotion activities and business matching services. The HKTDC will continue to leverage its consultant offices in Latin America to provide Hong Kong enterprises with information on the latest developments of Latin America and invite enterprises in Latin America to participate in Hong Kong’s large-scale exhibitions and conferences, in order to reinforce Hong Kong’s role as a two-way global investment and business hub.
     
         As for InvestHK, through its teams based in Hong Kong, the Dedicated Teams for Attracting Businesses and Talents based in the Mainland Offices and the overseas Economic and Trade Offices of the HKSAR Government, as well as consultant offices in other locations (including those located in Latin America, namely, Mexico City, Mexico; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Santiago, Chile; and Lima, Peru), it has all along been reaching out to a wide spectrum of companies in different sectors and industries around the world to attract and assist them to set up or expand their businesses in Hong Kong, and offering one-stop customised support services from the planning to implementation stages.
     
         InvestHK will continue to proactively provide overseas enterprises, including those from Latin America, with the latest information on Hong Kong’s business environment and promote Hong Kong’s distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world and other core strengths under “one country, two systems”, as well as the immense opportunities brought by key national strategies including the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development and the Belt and Road Initiative, with a view to attracting these enterprises to set up or expand their businesses in Hong Kong and leverage Hong Kong as a springboard to enter the Mainland market. For example, InvestHK plans to visit Medellín, Colombia; Lima, Peru; and Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2025, and co-organise investment promotion activities with local chambers of commerce to strengthen investment promotion work in Latin America.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ13: Development of Hong Kong athletes in Mainland

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    ​Following is a question by the Hon Stanley Ng and a written reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, in the Legislative Council today (April 2):
     
    Question:
     
    It has been reported that Hong Kong athletes have all along been unable to be certified for acquiring the technical grade titles awarded to Mainland athletes because of their status as Hong Kong citizens, even though they won championships in sports competitions held in the Mainland. In view of this, the Administrative Measures for Technical Grades of Athletes (the Administrative Measures) was promulgated by our country in March last year to point out clearly that athletes from Hong Kong, the Macao Special Administrative Region (Macao SAR) and Taiwan may be awarded technical grade titles when they participate in national competitions and provincial competitions. The Administrative Measures have been implemented since January 1 this year to ensure that Hong Kong athletes and Mainland athletes are entitled to the same treatment. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) whether it has compiled statistics on the current number of Hong Kong athletes pursuing development in the Mainland, with a tabulated breakdown by province;
     
    (2) whether it knows the specific process through which Hong Kong athletes pursuing development in the Mainland are certified for acquiring the technical grade titles awarded to Mainland athletes; whether the process is handled by the General Administration of Sport of China in a centralised manner, or there is a designated organisation in Hong Kong which is responsible for handling the relevant certification for them; if there is such a designated organisation, of the organisation;
     
    (3) as the Administrative Measures point out that prior consent should be obtained from the relevant National Sports Associations (NSAs) in Hong Kong and Macao SAR for awarding technical grade titles to their registered athletes, whether it has compiled statistics on the current number of athletes registered with NSAs in Hong Kong who are awarded the Mainland athletes’ technical grade titles upon obtaining consents from their relevant NSAs; whether there are cases in which NSAs did not give consents for their athletes to acquire the Mainland athletes’ technical grade titles; if so, of the details;
     
    (4) whether it knows the mechanism for Hong Kong athletes pursuing development in the Mainland without registration with the relevant NSAs in Hong Kong who are eligible to be certified under the standards for technical grades of athletes to obtain certification for acquiring the technical grade titles awarded to Mainland athletes; and
     
    (5) to facilitate the professional development of Hong Kong athletes in the Mainland, whether the Government will set a timetable for regular review of the existing process through which Hong Kong athletes are certified for acquiring the Mainland athletes’ technical grade titles, and streamline the relevant procedures in a timely manner?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
    My consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Stanley Ng is as follows:
     
    The General Administration of Sport of China (GASC) promulgated the “the Administrative Measures for Technical Grades of Athletes” (the Administrative Measures) in 2014 to award athletes with different technical grade titles after attaining specific results in competitions. In order of priority, the technical grade titles are namely International Elite Athlete, Elite Athlete, Grade One Athlete, Grade Two Athlete and Grade Three Athlete.
     
    To promote the integration of Hong Kong into national development, the GASC promulgated the “Notice by the General Office of GASC on the Work of Awarding the Technical Grade Titles to Athletes from Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Macao SAR and Taiwan” in 2021, which explicitly indicated that it accepts Hong Kong athletes’ applications for award of the technical grade titles. For Hong Kong athletes who wish to be awarded the technical grade titles, they are required to submit written applications. In addition to submitting proof of results, the applications should be endorsed by the relevant National Sports Associations (NSAs) to which they belong.  
     
    Subsequently, having communicated with the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) and the sports sector to understand the situation, the GASC has revised the the Administrative Measures to simplify the application procedures. The GASC promulgated the amended Administrative Measures on March 14, 2024.
     
    Article 15 of the amended Administrative Measures specifies that Hong Kong athletes can be awarded the technical grade titles directly according to their results in national and provincial competitions, without having to submit written applications. The awarding body (e.g. the relevant sports centres or associations) may publicise the proposed technical grade titles directly based on the competition results for a period of five working days. The athletes will be awarded the respective technical grade titles if there is no objection within the period.
     
    The amended Administrative Measures also indicate that for Hong Kong athletes who are registered with specific NSAs, they should obtain endorsement from the relevant NSAs before participating in competitions (i.e. providing a letter of consent from the relevant NSAs when participating in the competitions). In that way, the athletes can be awarded the technical grade titles based on their competition results after the public announcement period. Hong Kong athletes who are not registered with specific NSAs are not required to seek endorsement from relevant NSAs before they are awarded the technical grade titles. The amended Administrative Measures have come into effect from January 1, 2025.
     
    The CSTB does not have the relevant information about the number of Hong Kong athletes currently developing in the Mainland, the number of NSA-registered Hong Kong athletes who have been awarded the technical grade titles with endorsement of the relevant NSAs, and the cases not being endorsed by the relevant NSAs.
     
    The Hong Kong SAR Government encourages and supports Hong Kong athletes and NSAs to enhance exchange and co-operation with athletes and associations of various sports from different provinces and cities in the Mainland. The amended Administrative Measures, which came into effect on January 1, 2025, facilitate the award of the technical grade titles to Hong Kong athletes. The amended Administrative Measures also promote development opportunities of Hong Kong athletes in the Mainland, and enhance the integrated development of Hong Kong and the Mainland. The CSTB will continue to maintain communication with the GASC on the relevant arrangements.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Finalists for WAVES Comics Creator Championship & WAVES Awards of Excellence Announced

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 01 APR 2025 7:37PM by PIB Mumbai

    Mumbai/Bhopal, 1 April 2025

     

    The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), Government of India, in collaboration with Indian Comics Association (ICA) and ASIFA India, has announced the finalists for two prestigious competitions under the WAVES Create in India Challenge—the WAVES Comics Creator Championship and the WAVES Awards of Excellence.

    The competitions have attracted participation from across India and internationally, highlighting the country’s potential as a global hub for content creation, intellectual property, and technological innovation. The winners will be announced at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES 2025), scheduled to be held in Mumbai from May 1-4, 2025.

    Additional Director General, PIB, Bhopal, Shri Prashant Pathrabe said that, WAVES is an important event that provides a global platform for professional entrepreneurs, investors, producers and innovators to connect, collaborate, innovate and contribute in the entertainment sector.

       

    Photo caption : Shri Prashant Pathrabe, Additional Director General, PIB Bhopal addressing the ceremony of announcement of finalists of Waves Comics Creator Championship and Waves Awards of Excellence

     

    WAVES Comics Creator Championship:

    Indian Comics Association (ICA) President Ajitesh Sharma stated that ICA has selected 10 teams for the final round and that the candidates for the final round were selected based on their creative story, artistic skills and overall impact.

    Photo caption: Shri Ajitesh Sharma, President, Indian Comics Association addressing the Waves Comics Creator Championship and Waves Awards of Excellence finalists announcement ceremony.

    The finalists for the Comics Creator Championship are as follows:

    Finalists – Professional Category:

    1. Mohit Sharma (Meerut) – Ayush Kumar (Delhi)

    2. Aparna Chaurasia (Chhatarpur)

    3. Bijoy Raveendran (Delhi) – Tadam Gyadu (Delhi)

    4. Puneet Shukla (Gorakhpur) – Piyush Kumar (Ranchi)

    5. Tejas Janardhan Kamble (Mumbai)

    Finalists – Amateur Category:

    1. Suvojit Pal (Howrah) – Vivek Pradhan (Raipur)

    2. Vindhyarsh Mishra (Bareilly)

    3. Rohit Shukla (Chennai) – Shivangi Shaily (Indore)

    4. Ritesh Patra (Kolkata)

    5. Randeep Singh (Kendrapara)

    Jury Panel for Comics Creator Championship

    The five-member jury to evaluate the competition entries included: Dilip Kadam – Renowned comic artist and illustrator; Nikhil Pran – Acclaimed comic creator and son of Pran Kumar Sharma; Jajil Homaveer – Creator of the web manga The Beast Legion; Sanjay Gupta – Founder of Raj Comics; Preeti Vyas – President & CEO of Amar Chitra Katha. The jury panel will now select the winners by evaluating the Semi-Finalists’ entries. The selected 10 Finalists will then compete at the Mumbai Waves Event from 1-4 May 2025.The final competition will take place at WAVES 2025 in Mumbai, where the best talents in Indian comics will be recognized on an international stage.

    ASIFA announces Waves’ Awards of Excellence

    The WAVES Awards of Excellence, organized by ASIFA (Association Internationale du Film d’Animation) India under the Create in India Challenge, has received 1,331 entries from 28 Indian states and 13 countries.

    Shri Sanjay Khimesara, President, ASIFA India addressing the Waves Comics Creator Championship and Waves Awards of Excellence finalists announcement ceremony.

    Jury for WAVES Awards of Excellence

    The evaluation process for the WAVES Awards of Excellence was led by an esteemed five-member international jury, ensuring global standards in selection: Dr. Anastasia Dimitra (Greece) – VP, ASIFA International & Animation Educator; Briana Yarhouse (USA) – Director, Awards of Excellence & Professor; Pramita Mukherjee (USA) – Sr. Creature FX Developer, DreamWorks; Dhimant Vyas (India) – Professor of Practice, IDC School of Design; B.N. Vichar (India) – Art Director, Technicolor Games

    The winning entries will receive mentorship, global exposure, and networking opportunities with industry leaders.

     

    Final Nominations-Professionals

    1

    Patrick

    Smith

    ASIFA24102

    Onward Ye Costumed Souls

    USA

    2

    Fabian

    Driehorst

    ASIFA24142

    Little Fan

    Germany

    3

    Yingyan Chen

    Linxiao Zhou, Zehao Chen

    ASIFA24205

    Online interview

    China

    4

    Long Qin

    CHINA

    ASIFA24207

    IN BEWTEEN

    China

    5

    Suresh

    Eriyat

    ASIFA24298

    The Seed

    Mumbai, India

    6

    Adithi

    Krishnadas

    ASIFA24299

    The Legend of Arana

    Mumbai, India

    7

    Suresh

    Eriyat

    ASIFA24302

    Pune Design Festival Versus Ident Film

    Mumbai, India

    8

    Swati

    Agarwal

    ASIFA24654

    Chalisa’

    Mumbai, India

    9

    Swathy

    Pushpalochanan

    ASIFA24678

    Anpu

    Kollam, Kerala

    10

    Bimal

    Poddar

    ASIFA24693

    IPL opening graphics

    Mumbai, India

    11

    Bimal

    Poddar

    ASIFA24694

    Home season opening graphics/Legend

    Mumbai, India

    12

    Bimal

    Poddar

    ASIFA24696

    RADHA

    Mumbai, India

    13

    Bimal

    Poddar

    ASIFA24697

    13th Portal

    Mumbai, India

    14

    Bimal

    Poddar

    ASIFA24698

    More kaka

    Mumbai, India

    15

    Prateek

    Sethi

    ASIFA24726

    Informa Markets In India – Milan

    Mumbai, India

    16

    Ujwal

    Nair

    ASIFA24740

    Lucky Dog

    Chennai, India

    17

    Gary

    Schwartz

    ASIFA2492

    FLINTMATION ll

    USA

    18

    David

    Ehrlich

    ASIFA2494

    A New World

    USA

    19

    Suresh

    Eriyat

    ASIFA251377

    Desi Oon

    Mumbai, India

    20

    Amit

    Sonawane

    ASIFA251402

    What’s Your Story

    Mumbai, India

    Top 26 Nominated works includes Showreels/Shorts from students from across India including states/UT’s of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, West Bengal, Chandigarh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Gujarat, New Delhi.

    Final Nominations- Students

    S.No

    First Name

    Last Name

    Tracking Number

    Project Title

    Location

    1

    Varun

    Choudhry

    ASIFA24942

    Varun Choudhry | Modeling Reel 2024

    Mumbai

    2

    Hussain

    Bohra

    ASIFA24744

    IRAN 600 BC

    Udaipur

    3

    Shavikant

    Chauhan

    ASIFA24474

    texturing showreel

    Surat

    4

    Karan

    Meghlan

    ASIFA24930

    Karan_Malghan_Modeling_Texturing_Reel_Wave

    Pune

    5

    Rajat

    Aingh

    ASIFA241036

    CG Lighting Showreel_Rajat Singh

    Chandigarh

    6

    Ajit Tanaji

    Kinare

    ASIFA24881

    CG Lighting

    Mumbai

    7

    Ankan

    Samanta

    ASIFA24850

    Rigging Showreel By Ankan Samanta

    Hooghly, WB

    8

    Sumedha

    Paul

    ASIFA24814

    Rigging Showreel

    Kolkata

    9

    Arjun

    kumar

    ASIFA24157

    Animation Showreel

    Chandigarh

    10

    Arpit

    Thakur

    ASIFA24948

    Animation Showreel By ARPIT THAKUR

    Chandigarh

    11

    Kumkum

    Gupta

    ASIFA24966

    Digital_Painting_Kumkum Gupta

    Mumbai

    12

    Ishwari

    Tarkar

    ASIFA24969

    Digital_Painting_Ishwari_Tarkar

    Mumbai

    13

    Tarun

    None

    ASIFA24800

    Digital Matte Painting

    Bengaluru

    14

    Arena

    Andheri

    ASIFA241073

    Matte Paint-Sameer Parab

    Mumbai

    15

    ElangoM

    Elango

    ASIFA241306

    Digital matte painting

    Bengaluru

    16

    Prajval

    Nanote

    ASIFA241005

    Motion graphic

    sausar
    Chhindwara,MP

    17

    Sk

    Nur Islam

    ASIFA241121

    Motion Graphics Showreel

    Malda, WB

    18

    Sourav

    Bishwakarma

    ASIFA241202

    Compositing Showreel

    Kanchrapara,WB

    19

    Varun

    Sapkal

    ASIFA24565

    Showreel Varun Sapkal VFX

    Mumbai

    20

    Vijay

    Bangar

    ASIFA24922

    Kothrud_Vijay_Bangar

    Kothrud, Pune

    21

    Shaikh

    Sahil

    ASIFA241176

    Avengers: Infinity War movie Shots

    Mankhurd, Mumbai

    22

    Aditi

    Dixit

    ASIFA251357

    Showreel

    Delhi

    23

    Rutvik

    Dhole

    ASIFA24736

    Arwick 2d Animated explainer Video Ad

    Not specified

    24

    Debopom

    Chakraborty

    ASIFA24661

    Rasmalai

    Gurgaon, Haryana

    25

    Kartik

    Mahajan

    ASIFA24731

    Phool Dei

    Dehradun, Utta

    26

    Harshita

    Nehlani

    ASIFA251352

    Adhoori Pehchaan [Incomplete Identity]

    GLS, A’bad

     

    About WAVES

    The first World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES), a milestone event for the Media & Entertainment (M&E) sector, will be hosted by the Government of India in Mumbai, Maharashtra, from May 1 to 4, 2025.

    Whether you’re an industry professional, investor, creator, or innovator, the Summit offers the ultimate global platform to connect, collaborate, innovate and contribute to the M&E landscape.

    WAVES is set to magnify India’s creative strength, amplifying its position as a hub for content creation, intellectual property, and technological innovation. Industries and sectors in focus include Broadcasting, Print Media, Television, Radio, Films, Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, Sound and Music, Advertising, Digital Media, Social Media Platforms, Generative AI, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Extended Reality (XR).

    Have questions? Find answers here  

    Stay updated with the latest announcements from PIB Team WAVES

    Come, Sail with us! Register for WAVES now

     

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    Follow us on social media: @PIBMumbai    /PIBMumbai     /pibmumbai   pibmumbai[at]gmail[dot]com  /PIBMumbai     /pibmumbai

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: ProMOS Adopts Silvaco Victory TCAD Solution for the Development of Next-Gen Silicon Photonics Devices

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Silvaco Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SVCO) (“Silvaco” or the “Company”), a provider of TCAD, EDA software and SIP solutions that enable semiconductor design and digital twin modeling through AI software and innovation, today announced that ProMOS Technologies has adopted Silvaco’s Victory TCAD™ simulation solution to accelerate the development of next-generation silicon photonics devices. By leveraging Silvaco’s cutting-edge technology, ProMOS aims to enhance the accuracy, efficiency, and reliability of its photonic device designs.

    Silvaco’s Victory Process™ is a comprehensive and technology-agnostic simulation solution that enables precise modeling of real-world fabrication steps, including etching, deposition, oxidation, implantation, and diffusion. Unlike simple emulation tools, Victory Process provides a detailed and accurate representation of semiconductor manufacturing, ensuring that simulated outcomes closely match actual production processes.

    The Victory TCAD solution supports a wide range of cutting-edge applications, including Photonics, CMOS, Power, Memory, and Display technologies. Its user-friendly interface, automation capabilities, and advanced simulation features allow for efficient process optimization, rapid design iteration, and robust Design of Experiments (DoE) implementation. With Victory TCAD, ProMOS gains a powerful platform for accelerating innovation and refining the performance of its photonic devices.

    “The adoption of Silvaco’s Victory TCAD tools marks a significant step forward for ProMOS in developing next-gen photonic devices,” said Lynn Lin, Vice President at ProMOS. “Silvaco’s product leadership, service, and technical support were instrumental in our decision to select Silvaco for our photonic device development, helping us accelerate the pace of our innovation.”

    “The adoption of the Victory TCAD solution by ProMOS highlights the growing demand for advanced simulation solutions in silicon photonics,” said Eric Guichard, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the TCAD business unit at Silvaco. “We are thrilled to support ProMOS in their silicon photonics development journey. Victory TCAD provides a comprehensive simulation environment that enables companies like ProMOS to take into account process variation to optimize device performance while exploring new frontiers in photonics and semiconductor innovation.”

    About Silvaco
    Silvaco is a provider of TCAD, EDA software, and SIP solutions that enable semiconductor design and AI through software and innovation. Silvaco’s solutions are used for process and device development across display, power devices, automotive, memory, high performance compute, photonics, internet of things, and 5G/6G mobile markets for complex SoC design. Silvaco is headquartered in Santa Clara, California and has a global presence with offices located in North America, Europe, Brazil, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan.

    Contacts
    Media Relations:
    Tiffany Behany, press@silvaco.com

    Investor Relations:
    Greg McNiff, investors@silvaco.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: MOFA response to Belgian Foreign Ministry’s 2025 policy statement and Foreign Minister Prévot expressing concern over cross-strait developments

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    MOFA response to Belgian Foreign Ministry’s 2025 policy statement and Foreign Minister Prévot expressing concern over cross-strait developments

    March 30, 2025  

    The Belgian Foreign Ministry in March submitted a 2025 policy statement to the Chamber of Representatives. The statement reaffirmed its support for the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific policy report, issued by the European Union in 2021, and called for the maintenance of harmony and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Referring to China’s escalating threats toward Taiwan in recent years, it pointed out that China had expanded military drills around Taiwan and continued to deliberately undermine social stability in Taiwan. The statement also emphasized that an invasion of Taiwan by China would have significant political and economic consequences for Europe. It urged all related parties to uphold the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and avoid taking any provocative actions that could trigger a conflict.

     

    Furthermore, in response to questions on the policy statement raised by the Chamber of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee on March 26, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot expressed concern over China’s recent escalation of military activities around the Taiwan Strait. He emphasized that Belgium should remain highly vigilant to developments in the region and do its utmost to uphold the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.

     

    The 2025 policy statement issued by the Belgian Foreign Ministry marked another statement of significant concern regarding the cross-strait situation following the Belgian coalition government’s inclusion of Taiwan-friendly content in its coalition agreement in February. In addition, on March 20 the Belgian Chamber of Representatives adopted, by an overwhelming majority, a resolution expressing concern regarding the growing threat of China to Taiwan. This underscores the high level of consensus and support shared by the Belgian administration and parliament for ensuring the status quo of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

     

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs highly welcomes their support and looks forward to deepening bilateral exchanges and cooperation with Belgium so as to jointly safeguard the rules-based international order and advance peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Taiwan’s government and civil society ready to join international efforts to assist Myanmar in postdisaster reconstruction

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    Taiwan’s government and civil society ready to join international efforts to assist Myanmar in postdisaster reconstruction

    • Date：2025-03-30
    • Data Source：Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs

    March 30, 2025
    No. 084

    A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on March 28, causing significant casualties and vast property damage. In response, Taiwan’s government and nongovernmental organizations quickly mobilized needed resources. Through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Myanmar, the Taiwan government expressed concern to the government of Myanmar and conveyed Taiwan’s readiness to assist in rescue operations.

    While Myanmar was formulating a coordinated response, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung instructed TECO in Myanmar to establish a single contact window (email: mmr@mofa.gov.tw; phone: +95-9-427355550) to ensure that Taiwan’s assistance efforts could proceed smoothly. It would be responsible for coordinating and tallying the forms of assistance that related Taiwan agencies and groups could provide and then contacting the Myanmar government, affected areas, and related institutions, as appropriate.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) stresses that the government of Taiwan is both able and willing to provide assistance. It also appreciates that Taiwanese NGOs have shown initiative and are working together to extend care and support to people in affected areas, highlighting Taiwan’s humanitarian concern. MOFA hopes that the concerted efforts by the Taiwan government and civil society can help speed up postdisaster reconstruction in Myanmar so that people there can rebuild their homes and resume a normal life. (E) 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Institutions and permanent offices qualified for interim measure applications announced

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Institutions and permanent offices qualified for interim measure applications announced* Hong Kong Maritime Arbitration Group
    * South China International Arbitration Center (HK)
    * eBRAM International Online Dispute Resolution Centre
    * Shanghai International Arbitration (Hong Kong) Center
    * Asia Pacific International Arbitration Chamber Hong Kong Arbitration Center
    * AALCO Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre
    * China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission Hong Kong Arbitration Center
    * International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce – Asia OfficeIssued at HKT 18:42

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – 7-8 April: Votes on FDI screening, Ukraine safeguards; US tariffs, China, South Korea – Committee on International Trade

    Source: European Parliament

    On 8 April, Members will vote on the INTA position on two key legislative proposals: the revision of the foreign investment screening regulation and on the suspension of the EU Safeguard Regulation vis-à-vis Ukraine. Members will hold an in camera debate with DG Trade Director-General Sabine Weyand on EU-US trade relations following the announcement of US reciprocal tariffs of 2 April. Members will also exchange with the Commission on the state of play of EU-China trade and investment relations.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Huawei Wins Nine Lightwave+BTR Innovation Reviews Awards, Hitting a Record High

    Source: Huawei

    Headline: Huawei Wins Nine Lightwave+BTR Innovation Reviews Awards, Hitting a Record High

    [Shenzhen, China, April 2, 2025] On April 1, Lightwave, a world-renowned telecom media, presented its Lightwave+BTR Innovation Reviews winners. Huawei won nine awards with its OptiXtrans DC908 Pro, C+L Dual-band WSS module, OptiXtrans DX808, OptiXtrans E9600/6600 series, OptiX OSN 9800 K36, 50G PON solution, Premium Broadband solution, FTTR-B solution, and FTTO solution. This was Huawei’s highest number of Lightwave Reviews honors and also the most of any vendor this year, demonstrating the company’s technical leadership in the optical network field.
    Huawei Wins Nine Lightwave Innovation Reviews Awards

    Lightwave has been organizing and presenting the annual Lightwave+BTR Innovation Reviews awards in optical communications for many years. The panel of judges consists of carriers, analysts, communications vendors, media, engineers, and researchers from universities. It is one of the most influential technical awards for the optical networks sector. Huawei’s nine honor-winning products and their categories are as follows:
    Huawei OptiXtrans DC908 Pro Won the DCI Platforms award
    DC908 Pro implements ultra-broadband, simplified, and intelligent all-optical interconnection between distributed data centers. The single-wavelength rate reaches up to 2 Tbps, and the single-fiber capacity reaches 96 Tbps. The innovative Storage + Optical Connection Coordination (SOCC) optimizes the protection performance from the aspects of storage I/O links and optical links, thereby greatly slashing the exception duration of financial transactions.
    Huawei C+L Dual-band WSS Module Won the Optical Components award
    The C+L-band integrated wavelength selective switch (WSS) can groom 240 wavelengths in C band and L band in any direction within one single module, doubling the module integration and grooming capability. OXC using C+L WSS can provide an optical-layer grooming capability greater than 3 Pbps.
    Huawei OptiXtrans DX808 Won the Optical Subsystems award
    OptiXtrans DX808 is an industry-leading all-optical switch used in data centers. It introduces the all-optical cross-connect (OXC) technology to data center networks (DCNs) and supports 256 x 256 non-blocking all-optical switching. The power consumption of the entire system is lower than 300 W. It also supports inter-generational reuse of DCNs at intelligent computing centers, increasing the network scale and efficiency of intelligent computing clusters.
    Huawei OptiXtrans E9600/E6600 Series Won the Optical Transport Systems award
    OptiXtrans E9600/6600 series is the industry’s first product that supports fgOTN. Designed for private production networks in industries such as electric power and transportation, it supports one network to carry different services, 10M to 100G+ elastic bandwidth, and 99.9999% ultra-high reliability, meeting deterministic computing requirements in the AI era.
    Huawei OptiX OSN 9800 K36 Won the Optical Transport Systems award
    OSN 9800 K36 is the industry’s first OTN platform for the AI era, with a single-subrack capacity of 100T, ultra-high energy efficiency, and super intelligent enabling network reliability of 99.9999%. At the recently held MWC25, the latest K12 platform with a smaller size was released, and the new hitless switching technology is introduced to improve the intelligent computing collaboration efficiency.
    Huawei 50G PON Solution Won the FTTH/Optical Access Platforms award
    Based on the MA5800T series products, the industry’s first commercial 50G PON solution supports high-density deployment of 8-port/16-port symmetric/asymmetric triple-mode 50G PON. It also supports smooth upgrade without changing existing ODNs.
    Huawei Premium Broadband Solution Won the Monitoring & Analysis award
    Premium Broadband Solution provides visible and manageable home broadband experience, and introduces AI technologies to build “HBB(Home Broadband) Agent”. It proactively identifies experience issues and performs intelligent optimization to reduce the user churn rate. For user complaints, the solution supports remote fault locating and fast handling, cutting OPEX.
    Huawei FTTR-B Solution Won the Wi-Fi Solutions award
    FTTR-B Solution supports all-optical 2000 Mbps Wi-Fi networking, ensuring committed experience for users. It supports ultra-large concurrency, guaranteeing 300 users to work at the same time. In addition, its dynamic antenna provides 100% coverage without blind spots, while its simplified O&M achieves self-service for users.
    Huawei FTTO Solution Won the Wi-Fi Solutions award
    FTTO solution has been put into commercial use in over 10,000 campuses in education, healthcare, and hotel scenarios, efficiently supporting local AI deployment in campuses. Computing is boosted with optical technologies, achieving 50G to rooms and 10G to APs, and providing higher bandwidth, more connections, and AI-based dynamic energy saving. In addition, direct fiber connection to APs supports Seamless Roaming Coordinated Network, making the solution the new normal for campuses in the AI era.
    Lightwave+BTR Editor-In-Chief Sean Buckley expressed congratulations, stating: “On behalf of the Lightwave+BTR Innovation Reviews, I would like to congratulate Huawei on achieving 9 well-deserved level honoree status. Lightwave+BTR showcases and applauds the most innovative products, projects, technologies, and programs that significantly impact the industry through this program, and it’s well-deserved that Huawei won these nine honoree reviews.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI China: MOFA response to reaffirmation of importance of cross-strait peace at meeting of US, Japan defense ministers

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    MOFA response to reaffirmation of importance of cross-strait peace at meeting of US, Japan defense ministers

    • Date：2025-03-31
    • Data Source：TAIWAN-JAPAN RELATIONS ASSOCIATION

    March 31, 2025 

    Japan’s Minister of Defense Gen Nakatani met with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on March 30 in Tokyo. During the meeting, they expressed concern over China’s military activities around Taiwan and reiterated opposition to China’s attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion in the East and South China Seas. Underscoring the importance of maintaining cross-strait peace and stability, the two sides stressed that they would bolster cooperation with regional partners Australia, the Republic of Korea, and the Philippines to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific. 

     

    This was the first meeting of the defense chiefs of the United States and Japan since Secretary Hegseth took office. Coming on the heels of the February Japan-US summit, the meeting saw the two countries reiterate the importance they attached to cross-strait issues, highlighting the high degree of consensus in the global democratic camp for cross-strait peace. It was also further evidence that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are indispensable to the promotion of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

     

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung affirms and welcomes the continued expression of staunch support for cross-strait peace and stability by Japan and the United States at important international venues, as well as the two sides’ concern for China’s challenge to the global order. Minister Lin also stresses that Taiwan will abide by the spirit of integrated diplomacy and continue to cooperate closely with like-minded countries to uphold democracy and universal values, develop democratic non-red supply chains, and promote peace, stability, and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait and in the Indo-Pacific region. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: MOFA response to false claims regarding Taiwan in joint statement between PRC and Bangladesh

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    MOFA response to false claims regarding Taiwan in joint statement between PRC and Bangladesh

    • Date：2025-03-31
    • Data Source：Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs

    March 31, 2025

    Chief Adviser of the interim government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during a visit to Beijing from March 27 to 29. The two sides issued a joint statement on March 28 that made spurious claims in referring to the so-called “one China principle” and to Taiwan being an inalienable part of China’s territory. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) solemnly refutes these claims. 

    MOFA reiterates that the Republic of China (Taiwan) is an independent and sovereign country; that neither the ROC (Taiwan) nor the People’s Republic of China is subordinate to the other; and that no claim seeking to distort Taiwan’s sovereign status can alter the internationally recognized status quo across the Taiwan Strait. The government of Taiwan will staunchly safeguard national sovereignty and dignity and work with friendly and like-minded countries to protect the values of freedom and democracy and ensure regional peace, stability, and development. 

    MOFA calls on Bangladesh to adopt an open and pragmatic stance; strengthen economic and trade cooperation and substantive relations across all domains with Taiwan; and proactively contribute to democracy, peace, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: MOFA strongly condemns China for unilateral provocations and repeated attempts to escalate cross-strait and regional tensions

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    MOFA strongly condemns China for unilateral provocations and repeated attempts to escalate cross-strait and regional tensions

    • Date：2025-04-01
    • Data Source：Department of Policy Planning

    April 1, 2025

    No. 086

    The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command launched joint military drills around Taiwan on April 1, under the pretext of serving as “a stern warning to and powerful deterrent against separatist forces agitating for Taiwan independence.” This marked a renewed challenge to the rules-based international order and a serious unilateral attempt to jeopardize peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the region. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly denounces China and urges it to immediately halt unwarranted military provocations.

     

    China has recently conducted military intimidation and maritime gray-zone operations near New Zealand and Australia, in the South China Sea, and near the Republic of Korea, Japan, the Philippines, and Taiwan. Its relentless actions aimed at challenging the international order and undermining the regional status quo demonstrate incontrovertibly that China is a destabilizing force in the region and beyond.

     

    Maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is a matter of international consensus and serves the interests of all parties. However, China intractably continues to conduct military drills to intimidate Taiwan and neighboring countries, unilaterally seeking to alter the cross-strait and regional status quo. Such actions seriously undermine peace, stability, and security in the Indo-Pacific and do not serve to improve its international image. MOFA calls on China to stop such behavior and return to norms. 

     

    As a responsible member of the global community, Taiwan will work in concert with like-minded nations to jointly safeguard global and regional peace, stability, prosperity, and development. (E)

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: MOFA response to statement by European External Action Service Spokesperson on China’s April 1 large-scale military drills surrounding Taiwan

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    MOFA response to statement by European External Action Service Spokesperson on China’s April 1 large-scale military drills surrounding Taiwan

    • Date：2025-04-02
    • Data Source：Department of European Affairs

    April 2, 2025

    On April 1, the spokesperson of the European External Action Service (EEAS) released a statement regarding China’s large-scale military drills targeting Taiwan. The statement pointed out that the drills are increasing cross-strait tensions and reiterated that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are of strategic importance for regional and global security and prosperity. The European Union (EU) has a direct interest in the preservation of the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and opposes any unilateral actions that change the status quo by force or coercion. The EU calls on all parties to exercise restraint and avoid any actions that may further escalate tensions, which should be resolved through cross-strait dialogue.

    This is the third time the EEAS has expressed timely concern over China’s unilateral actions increasing cross-strait tensions. The previous two times were responses to China’s Joint Sword military exercises last year. The White Paper for European Defence – Readiness 2030 released this March by the European Union points out that China has been rapidly expanding its military capabilities and intensifying its political, economic, military, and cyber and cognitive measures to coerce Taiwan. It emphasizes that the shifting Taiwan status quo could have profound economic and strategic consequences for Europe. 

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung affirms and welcomes the EU’s continued demonstration of staunch support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait through concrete action. MOFA also stresses that Taiwan, as a key country in the Indo-Pacific region and a responsible member of the international community, will continue to strengthen cooperation with the EU and other allies to safeguard freedom and openness in the Indo-Pacific region, uphold the rules-based international order, and together protect regional and global peace, stability, and prosperity. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: MOFA response to statements by US White House and Department of State concerning China’s military exercises around Taiwan

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    MOFA response to statements by US White House and Department of State concerning China’s military exercises around Taiwan

    • Date：2025-04-02
    • Data Source：Department of North American Affairs

    April 2, 2025

    The United States Department of State released a statement on April 1 in which it pointed out that China was once again escalating tensions through aggressive military activities and rhetoric targeting Taiwan, and thereby jeopardizing regional security and global prosperity. The statement added that in the face of China’s intimidation tactics and destabilizing behavior, the long-standing US commitment to Taiwan and other allies and partners remained unchanged. It also reiterated US support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and opposition to the use of force or coercion to unilaterally alter the status quo.

    Moreover, in responding to media questions on April 1, the White House press secretary said that US President Donald Trump emphasized the importance of maintaining peace across the Taiwan Strait, encouraged peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues, and reiterated US opposition to any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force or coercion.

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung thanks the White House and State Department for reiterating US support of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and its opposition to the use of force or coercion to change the status quo; for clearly pointing out China’s threat to Taiwan and regional security; and for noting that China’s behavior undermines the status quo. With China frequently conducting military activities and gray-zone harassment around Taiwan, the international community understands clearly that China is the troublemaker in the Taiwan Strait and globally and that it is China that is attempting to challenge the status quo. 

    As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan will continue to work with the United States and other allied nations to jointly ensure peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and across the Taiwan Strait, safeguard a free and open Indo-Pacific region, and defend the rules-based international order. Taiwan also calls on all countries to jointly monitor China’s gray-zone coercion of Taiwan—including military intimidation and lawfare—as well as its actions that unilaterally escalate regional tensions.

    MIL OSI China News –