NewzIntel.com

Category: China

  • MIL-OSI China: China enhances publicity, enforcement of law on cultural relics protection

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

    BEIJING, March 1 — Chinese authorities have issued a circular aimed at promoting the publicity and enforcement of the Law on the Protection of Cultural Relics, the National Cultural Heritage Administration said on Saturday.

    A revised version of the law, which takes effect on Saturday, was adopted during a session of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee on Nov. 8, 2024, as part of the country’s efforts to strengthen the protection of its abundant cultural heritage.

    The circular stipulates that local governments should organize educational and promotional activities related to the Law on the Protection of Cultural Relics to comprehensively, accurately and completely understand the purposes and main content of the revisions of the law.

    Local authorities are also asked to carry out campaigns to strengthen awareness of the law, and to promote it in enterprises, schools, communities and rural areas.

    Efforts should be made to encourage all sectors of society to fulfill their obligation to protect cultural relics in accordance with the law, per the document.

    China has been placing increasing emphasis on the protection of its cultural relics. The country is currently conducting a national census of cultural relics, which is set to run through 2026.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Omar, Schakowsky Reintroduce Bill to Address Rising Islamophobia Worldwide

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) reintroduced the Combating International Islamophobia Act, legislation to address the rise in Islamophobic incidents worldwide. The bill requires the State Department to create a Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Islamophobia and develop a comprehensive strategy for establishing U.S. leadership in confronting anti-Muslim bigotry across the globe. U.S. Representatives Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) reintroduced companion legislation in the House last month.

    From the violent atrocities against the Uyghurs in China and the Rohingya in Burma to the crackdowns on Muslim communities in India and Sri Lanka, the scapegoating of Muslim refugees in Hungary and Poland, and the rise of white supremacist violence targeting Muslims in New Zealand and Canada, Islamophobia remains a global crisis. Minority Muslim communities in Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan, Bahrain, and Iran, also continue to face systemic oppression and persecution.

    Here in the United States, incidents of Islamophobic hate crimes and discrimination have surged. Mosques have been vandalized, Muslims have been harassed in public spaces, and anti-Muslim rhetoric continues to be normalized in political discourse. The urgent need for federal action to combat this growing threat cannot be overstated.

    “Religious freedom is one of our nation’s most foundational values, and no one should ever have to live in fear of discrimination or violence for practicing their faith,” said Senator Booker. “Islamophobic attacks and rhetoric are on the rise in the United States and around the world, and this legislation would establish a Special Envoy at the State Department to monitor and combat Islamophobia in all its forms. We must dedicate resources to protecting people’s fundamental right to practice their faith and put an end to bigotry.”

    “Islamophobia is not just a problem overseas—it is on the rise here at home. From the desecration of mosques to the violent attacks on Muslim Americans, we are witnessing a dangerous resurgence of anti-Muslim bigotry in our communities,” said Representative Omar. “We cannot turn a blind eye while Muslim communities face targeted violence and systemic discrimination worldwide. That is why I am proud to reintroduce the Combating International Islamophobia Act alongside Senator Booker and Representative Schakowsky. The United States must take a stand and lead in the fight against this global crisis.”

    Anti-Muslim bigotry is on the rise in the U.S., and around the world, and we have a duty to stop it once and for all,” said Representative Schakowsky. “I’m joining my colleagues, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and Senator Cory Booker, in reintroducing the Combating International Islamophobia Act. This critical legislation will create a Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Islamophobia and will ensure the United States has the resources necessary to safeguard human rights and religious and cultural freedom around the world. I hope all our colleagues join us in standing together against Islamophobia. We must promote peace and acceptance for all.”

    During the 117th Congress, this bill was successfully passed in the House, marking a historic step forward in the fight against anti-Muslim hate. 

    To read the full text of the bill, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi stresses advancing Peaceful China Initiative to higher level

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has underscored efforts to promote the Peaceful China Initiative to a higher level.
    Xi made the remarks while presiding over a group study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on Friday.
    He called for continuous efforts to make the country safer, the society more orderly, the governance more effective, and the people more satisfied. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China welcomes U.S. companies to share opportunities

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Friday said that China welcomes enterprises from the United States to share its development opportunities and contribute to the stable, healthy, and sustainable development of China-U.S. ties.

    He made the remarks when addressing the annual appreciation dinner of the American Chamber of Commerce in the People’s Republic of China (AmCham China) in Beijing.

    The vice premier said that China and the United States share broad common interests and space for cooperation, and that bilateral economic and trade relations between the two countries are mutually beneficial in nature.

    He said that China is committed to promoting high-quality development, expanding opening-up at a higher level, and fostering a first-rate business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized.

    China welcomes U.S. companies to continue to invest in China, He added. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s manufacturing PMI at 50.2 in February

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for China’s manufacturing sector came in at 50.2 in February, up 1.1 percentage points from the previous month and bouncing back to the expansion zone, official data showed on Saturday.

    A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 reflects contraction.

    National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) statistician Zhao Qinghe said the PMI data in February was influenced by factors including enterprises resuming production after the Spring Festival holiday .

    NBS data also revealed that the sub-indices of production and new orders came in at 52.5 and 51.1, respectively.

    The February PMI for the equipment manufacturing sector and high-tech manufacturing sector stood at 50.8 and 50.9, respectively, according to the NBS. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Low-altitude economy boosts smart agriculture

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    As dawn breaks over the vast wheat fields, a fleet of drones hums to life, rising like a swarm of mechanical bees. Guided by skilled pilots, the drones glide over the expanse, spraying the crops with precisely measured doses of pesticide.

    In just three days, more than 80,000 mu (approximately 5,333.33 hectares) of wheat fields will be treated. This level of efficiency is unimaginable in traditional farming.

    In a display of agricultural modernization, this annual operation in Zhaoqiao Township, in Bozhou City, east China’s Anhui Province, highlights the increasing role of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in China’s agricultural sector.

    To ensure optimal pest control, nearly 40 skilled drone pilots operate UAVs weighing between 50 and 70 kilograms, swiftly maneuvering over vast wheat fields to apply pesticides efficiently and precisely.

    “Traditional manual pesticide spraying could only cover 10 to 15 mu per day. Now, a single agricultural drone can handle about 1,000 mu daily, ensuring even coverage without gaps or overlaps,” said Jiao Rui, a 33-year-old drone team leader.

    Bozhou alone has nearly 3,000 agricultural drones in operation, contributing to a nationwide total of 251,000 UAVs dedicated to agricultural services in 2024.

    These drones collectively covered 2.67 billion mu of farmland, marking a nearly 25 percent year-on-year increase. Beyond pest control, they are also used for fertilization, seeding, pollination, and field monitoring, significantly enhancing agricultural productivity.

    The recently released “No. 1 Central Document” for 2025 outlines priorities to deepen rural reforms further and solid steps to advance all-around rural revitalization. It emphasizes the importance of developing new quality productive forces in agriculture in light of local conditions.

    Han Wenxiu, executive deputy director of the Office of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs, emphasized at a recent press conference that smart technologies, including UAVs, mechanized farming, AI-driven agriculture, and low-altitude economy applications, hold vast potential for rural development.

    According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the country’s low-altitude economy is expected to reach a market size of 1.5 trillion yuan (about 209.09 billion U.S. dollars) by 2025 and could grow to 3.5 trillion yuan by 2035.

    This sector is rapidly integrating into various rural applications, from agricultural protection to forest fire prevention, water resource inspection, rural logistics, and tourism.

    In the mountainous Hongqi Village of Yuexi County, Anhui, a small white drone takes off daily from its automated docking station, ready to carry out its tasks.

    Equipped with high-definition and infrared cameras, as well as a loudspeaker, the drone patrols a 15-square-kilometer forest area for 40 minutes before returning to recharge.

    Later, it flies to check on elderly residents living alone, enabling local staff to communicate with them remotely. During flood season, the drone’s tasks expand to include river inspections.

    Since the launch of the pilot program in August 2024, drones in Hongqi Village have covered a total of 1,422.95 kilometers and detected over 30 safety hazards, all of which were promptly addressed.

    “Previously, forest patrols required two workers on motorcycles for an entire day, and visiting elderly residents in the mountains took about 90 minutes round-trip. With UAVs, we significantly enhance efficiency and service delivery,” said Shi Yongshi, the first secretary of Hongqi Village.

    Anhui’s local practices epitomize a broader national trend. By 2027, east China’s Zhejiang Province plans to have over 10,000 agricultural drones in operation, covering more than 65 million mu of farmland. Drone-based rural inspections are also set to reach over 30 percent of villages.

    Low-altitude logistics are expanding across cities and rural areas in Guangdong Province, focusing on high-value seafood transport, maritime supply deliveries, rapid medical shipments, and agricultural product transport from mountainous regions.

    “Beyond agriculture, the low-altitude economy is becoming a new engine for rural revitalization and industrial upgrading,” said Zhang Jian, a professor at the Civil Aviation Flight University of China. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Int’l trade in goods, services hits 4.05 trln yuan in January

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The value of China’s international trade in goods and services reached over 4.05 trillion yuan in January, official data showed on Friday.

    In U.S. dollar terms, the country’s exports of goods and services amounted to 315 billion dollars, while the imports was 249.4 billion dollars, resulting in a surplus of 65.6 billion dollars, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange said.

    In January, the export value of goods topped 2.01 trillion yuan, while the import value of goods reached nearly 1.38 trillion yuan — a surplus of 634.2 billion yuan.

    The export value of services reached 251.8 billion yuan and the import value of services stood at 414.9 billion yuan last month, producing a deficit of 163.1 billion yuan, according to the data. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s copyright registration surpasses 10.6 mln in 2024

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    China’s total number of copyright registrations in 2024 surpassed 10.63 million, up 19.13 percent year on year, the National Copyright Administration (NCA) announced Friday.
    According to the administration, 7.8 million works were registered for copyright in last year, a 21.39 percent year-on-year growth rate.
    The majority of these works were artworks, accounting for more than half of the total registrations. This was followed by photographic works, which accounted for 31.77 percent of the total number. Written works came in third, representing 9.33 percent of the total number. Other types of registered works included films, video, music, modeling, opera and architecture works.
    The NCA statistics also revealed that in 2024, nearly 2.83 million registrations for computer software copyright were completed, up 13.31 percent year on year. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Astronomer details dual targets of Tianwen-2 mission

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    China is set to launch the Tianwen-2 mission this year, aiming to unravel the mysteries of a “living fossil” of the solar system and one “rebel” of the main asteroid belt.
    The Tianwen-2 mission aims to achieve multiple goals in a single launch: it will collect samples from the near-Earth asteroid 2016HO3, as well as explore the main-belt comet 311P.
    An astronomer with the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC) recently explained why these two targets are so intriguing and what cosmic secrets they might hold.
    Discovered in 2016 by the Pan-STARRS telescope in Hawaii, asteroid 2016HO3, located millions to tens of millions of kilometers away from Earth, is the first quasi-satellite of Earth ever discovered. Though not a natural moon, this 40-100 meter-wide asteroid orbits the Sun with parameters almost identical to Earth’s, constantly “wandering” near our planet.
    “A quasi-satellite is essentially a small celestial body that orbits the Sun, just like Earth. Its trajectory is quite similar to Earth’s. From our perspective on Earth, it appears to oscillate periodically around us. That’s why we call it a quasi-satellite,” explained Yan Wei, senior engineer at the NAOC.
    Scientists believe such asteroids preserve critical information about the solar system’s infancy. “These ‘cosmic fossils’ could reveal details about early solar system composition and evolution,” Yan noted.
    However, some researchers speculate the asteroid 2016HO3 might be debris from an ancient cosmic collision.
    Upon arrival, the Tianwen-2 probe will photograph the asteroid’s surface, analyze its rotation patterns and composition. “Comparing its material composition with that of the moon and Earth will be the focus of our exploration,” Yan emphasized.
    The mission also targets main-belt comet 311P, a celestial anomaly discovered in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter by American scientists in 2013. It had multiple dust tails and resembled a comet, which was highly unusual in the dry asteroid belt. Further observations confirmed that this object had the stable orbit of an asteroid but occasionally released dusts. It was thus classified as a main-belt comet and became the seventh such object ever confirmed and the most peculiar one to date.
    “Main-belt comets are actually a unique type of asteroid, but exhibiting some cometary features. When they get closer to the Sun, they can release materials, including gases and particles,” Yan explained.
    Traditionally, comets are believed to originate from the outer edges of the solar system with large amounts of ice. When they approach the Sun, the ice evaporates, forming a spectacular tail.
    Located in the main asteroid belt, a region hosting over 90 percent of the solar system’s asteroids, 311P challenges astronomers’ conventional understanding, as the region is too close to the Sun for the celestial body to retain its volatile materials like water ice.
    Tianwen-2 will visit this “rebel” of the asteroid belt to uncover its mysteries and advance human’s understanding of the solar system. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Amphibious aircraft completes prior-certification flight tests

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    China’s AG600 large amphibious aircraft on Friday completed all of its prior-certification flight test subjects, a key step toward achieving its airworthiness certification target, announced the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).
    The Chinese independently-developed AG600 aircraft on Friday accomplished the compliance flight test subject of combustible liquid discharge at a civil aircraft flight test center in Pucheng County in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, the AVIC said.
    Over the past two years, the AG600 aircraft conducted up to 2,014 flight movements totaling 3,560 flight hours for flight test missions prior to its airworthiness certification, said the developer.
    The AG600 aircraft traveled to multiple sites across the country to carry out its flight tests in order to secure special meteorological conditions for some flight tests.
    The AVIC said the flight tests were conducted in diversified scenarios, such as water surface, extreme cold, high temperature and humidity, crosswinds, and typical firefighting tasks to verify the aircraft’s operational capabilities in various special environments.
    China’s AG600 large amphibious aircraft family is being developed as vital advanced aeronautical equipment to strengthen the country’s emergency rescue and natural disaster prevention capabilities.
    The AG600 aircraft family is tailored to carry out rescue missions such as firefighting and maritime search and rescue in all types of terrain across the country.
    The AG600 series amphibious aircraft features a unique configuration consisting of an integrated aircraft-shaped upper body and a ship-bottom-shaped lower body.
    AG600 series aircraft can be fitted with equipment and facilities to meet the diverse needs of users in fields such as marine environment monitoring, resource detection, and passenger and cargo transportation.
    The AG600 tech demonstrator successfully completed its maiden flight in 2017, the first take-off from a reservoir in 2018, and the maiden flight over the sea in 2020.
    Through prior certification flight tests, the development team verified the performance of the AG600’s aircraft platform.
    The flight test results showed that the aircraft’s operation and stability characteristics meet the design requirements, its stall characteristics are better than the expected indicators, and all of its systems function reliably.
    Meanwhile, the water dropping function and efficiency of the AG600 aircraft have been fully verified. It is capable of serving fire fighting missions in diverse scenarios such as plains, hills and plateaus.
    The AG600 tech-demonstrator successfully completed its maiden flight in 2017, the first take-off from a reservoir in 2018, and the maiden flight over the sea in 2020.
    The development of AG600 large amphibious aircraft enhances China’s design and manufacturing capabilities for large-sized special-purpose civil aircraft, and also promotes the leapfrog progress of the country’s aeronautical emergency rescue equipment system, said the AVIC. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Russia ready for dialogue with all countries, including U.S.: Kremlin

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Russia is open to dialogue with all countries including the United States, given that it is based on mutual respect, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

    “We want to build dialogue not only with America, but with all countries, based on mutual respect and mutual benefit,” Peskov said.

    He said Moscow will follow the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expected to take place in Washington on Friday, including the outcomes of the talks and the related statements to be made.

    Trump said Wednesday that the Ukrainian leader would go to Washington on Friday to sign a minerals partnership agreement.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s public security ministry firmly opposes U.S. threat of additional tariff hike

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Public Security on Friday voiced firm opposition to the U.S. threat of imposing an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese exports.

    The spokesperson made the remarks in response to a media inquiry on the United States’ threatened tariff hike, which would be in effect from March 4 and cited fentanyl issues as the cause.

    Once again, the United States is using the fentanyl issue as a pretext to impose tariffs on Chinese goods, the spokesperson said.

    China has some of the strictest and most thoroughly enforced anti-drug policies in the world, and it actively engages in international cooperation on drug control.

    China has provided support to the United States in addressing the fentanyl issue out of humanitarian goodwill and has achieved significant results, according to the spokesperson.

    The spokesperson noted that the root cause of the U.S. fentanyl crisis lies within the country itself, adding that reducing domestic drug demand and strengthening law enforcement cooperation are the fundamental solutions.

    The U.S. side ignores objective facts and fails to address the core issue of drug demand while shifting blame onto other countries. This approach does not contribute to solving the problem and will severely impact China-U.S. cooperation on drug control, the spokesperson said.

    The Chinese side urges the U.S. side to correct its wrongful actions, preserve the hard-won progress in bilateral anti-drug cooperation, and return to the right path that benefits the people of both nations. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: UN chief: US foreign aid cuts to ‘run counter to’ Washington’s global interests

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The consequences of severe cuts in U.S. foreign aid will be especially devastating for vulnerable people across the world, and the move will “run counter to” Washington’s global interests, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Friday.

    Guterres said at a press conference that he is deeply concerned about information received in the last 48 hours by UN agencies and aid NGOs regarding severe cuts in U.S. funding.

    “These cuts impact a wide range of critical programmes. From lifesaving humanitarian aid, to support for vulnerable communities recovering from war or natural disaster. From development, to the fight against terrorism and illicit drug trafficking,” he said. “The consequences will be especially devastating for vulnerable people around the world.”

    Besides those hit-hardest countries, including Afghanistan, Syria, South Sudan, and Ukraine, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime will be forced to stop many of its counter-narcotics programmes, including the one fighting the fentanyl crisis, and dramatically reduce activities against human trafficking, Guterres told reporters.

    “Now going through with these cuts will make the world less healthy, less safe and less prosperous,” the UN chief said, warning that the reduction of U.S. humanitarian role and influence “will run counter to American interests globally.”

    Guterres expressed his hope that Washington can reverse these decisions based on more careful reviews.

    The U.S. Department of State announced Wednesday that it had slashed almost all of multi-year aid contracts after a sweeping pause on existing foreign aid last month.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: IS-related ADF kills 23 civilians in eastern DRC, kidnaps dozens: UN

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Attacks by the Islamic State (IS)-related Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have killed at least 23 civilians, UN humanitarians said on Friday.

    The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), citing local authorities, said the deadly escalation occurred in several Ituri Province villages on Tuesday and Wednesday.

    “Dozens more people were kidnapped in the raids, while other villagers fled to neighboring areas for safety,” OCHA said. “ADF attacks were also reported in Beni Territory of North Kivu Province on Wednesday, killing 17 civilians.”

    The ADF, an affiliate of the Islamic State in Central Africa, is a Ugandan rebel group operating in the forests of the eastern DRC. The rebel group is blamed for causing havoc in villages in the eastern DRC.

    The office said that in South Kivu Province, insecurity remains a significant concern, including in the provincial capital, Bukavu, where local medical sources report that explosions on Thursday at an M23 rally killed at least 11 people and injured dozens more in Bukavu city center.

    OCHA said its partners temporarily suspended assessments of humanitarian needs in the area following the explosions. They have since resumed.

    “Local authorities in South Kivu also estimate that more than 125,000 people have been displaced since early February amid clashes in the south-east of Bukavu,” the humanitarians said. “Most of these people have sought shelter in schools, churches and soccer fields, and ongoing clashes in the area are hindering humanitarian access.

    “Our colleagues at the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) tell us the number of Congolese civilians fleeing the conflict continues to rise,” said Stephane Dujarric, chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. “In just two weeks, 60,000 men, women and children have fled the DRC to Burundi, some walking hundreds of kilometers in desperate search for safety.”

    Dujarric told reporters at a regular briefing that UNHCR and partners are stepping up assistance, setting up tents, food distribution and water to new arrivals. Relief items such as sleeping materials, buckets and soap are also being distributed.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Trump, Zelensky cancel signing of minerals deal after White House shouting match

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A press conference at the White House scheduled for Friday where U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky planned to sign the U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal was canceled, following a tense shouting match between the two inside the Oval Office earlier in the day.

    U.S. President Donald Trump (C) welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (R) at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Feb. 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

    What should have been a normal press pool spray before the high-stakes Trump-Zelensky bilateral meeting transpired into a fireworks-filled blowup aired on TV that no one would expect, all starting with an interjection by U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who was present in the room, demanding that the Ukrainian leader be thankful for Trump’s effort to get his country out of its three-year conflict with Russia.

    “You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict,” Vance told Zelensky during the unprecedented public confrontation, which later saw the three of them — Trump and Vance versus Zelensky — repeatedly race to talk over one another.

    Rebuking Vance, Zelensky’s remarks that the United States will “in the future” feel the problem brought to it by the Ukraine-Russia conflict was pushed back by Trump, who said Zelensky was “in no position to dictate what we are going to feel” given that he “allowed” himself “to be in a very bad position.”

    “You don’t have cards right now. With us you start having cards,” Trump said as Zelensky, whose voice was barely audible in the face of a shouting Trump, was heard saying he was not playing cards.

    “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War III. You’re gambling with World War III. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country,” Trump piled on and continued.

    After the chaotic Oval Office confrontation, Trump posted a statement on Truth Social saying: “I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”

    For his part, Zelensky took to X and said: “Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you (President Trump), Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China welcomes U.S. companies to share development opportunities: vice premier

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

    China welcomes U.S. companies to share development opportunities: vice premier

    BEIJING, Feb. 28 — Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Friday said that China welcomes enterprises from the United States to share its development opportunities and contribute to the stable, healthy, and sustainable development of China-U.S. ties.

    He made the remarks when addressing the annual appreciation dinner of the American Chamber of Commerce in the People’s Republic of China (AmCham China) in Beijing.

    The vice premier said that China and the United States share broad common interests and space for cooperation, and that bilateral economic and trade relations between the two countries are mutually beneficial in nature.

    He said that China is committed to promoting high-quality development, expanding opening-up at a higher level, and fostering a first-rate business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized.

    China welcomes U.S. companies to continue to invest in China, He added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China honors female role models in run-up to International Women’s Day

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

    BEIJING, Feb. 28 — The All-China Women’s Federation (ACWF) held a meeting on Friday to mark International Women’s Day, which is observed on March 8, and honor female role models across the country.

    Chinese State Councilor Shen Yiqin, also president of the ACWF, addressed the event and extended her greetings to women from various sectors and ethnic groups, as well as her congratulations to awardees.

    A total of 606 outstanding individuals and 994 groups received awards at the event.

    In her address, Shen called on women across the country to fulfill their indispensable role in advancing Chinese modernization, and to deepen relevant international cooperation to demonstrate China’s sense of duty as a major country in promoting women’s causes worldwide and building a shared community for humanity.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China greenlights 13 foreign firms for pilot value-added telecom services

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

    BEIJING, Feb. 28 — In a significant move to open its telecommunication sector further, China has approved 13 foreign-invested companies for pilot operations in value-added telecom services in Beijing, Shanghai, Hainan and Shenzhen.

    The companies are permitted to engage in value-added telecom activities such as internet access and information services in accordance with the approval, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said on Friday.

    Another major step in the opening-up of China’s information and communication sector, the approval is an important move for the country to align actively with high-standard international economic and trade rules, the MIIT said.

    The related businesses by these firms are expected to provide Chinese consumers with a more diverse range of telecom services and products. This development is anticipated to further stimulate market vitality, enhance service quality and standards, and better meet the growing digital lifestyle needs of the public.

    Among the approved companies are affiliates of well-known multinationals such as T-Systems P.R. China Ltd., which is affiliated with Deutsche Telekom in China, and Siemens Digital Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.

    By the end of February 2025, the number of foreign-invested telecom enterprises increased by 30 percent year on year to exceed 2,400, latest data showed.

    For firms like Deutsche Telekom, the approval will promote the iterative upgrading of various products within China’s data center industry, and help establish a more comprehensive data center service system.

    “It brings unprecedented opportunities for us,” said Li Wenfang, vice president of T-Systems P.R. China Ltd.

    “We can better integrate global resources, enhance technological innovation and service capabilities, and provide higher-quality solutions and services for multinational corporations, as well as industries operating in China such as the manufacturing and automotive industries, thereby leading more German companies to enter the Chinese market,” Li said.

    Similarly, Airbus China, which operates a large digital platform for the analysis of global aircraft performance data, sees the approval as a crucial step in enhancing its offerings for China’s aviation industry.

    “With this new policy, we can introduce more sophisticated digital solutions for fleet management and operational efficiency,” said Xu Gang, CEO of Airbus China, noting that the approval will simplify the time and resources required for business operations in the country significantly, and accelerate the introduction of digital products and services.

    “This will not only lead the digital transformation of the aviation industry to new heights, it will also support the entire sector in achieving more efficient and safer development amid the digital wave,” he added.

    Airbus China has completed the initial development and local deployment of its first digital products and services for Chinese airlines, and plans to launch them later this year, responding to the Civil Aviation Administration’s strategy for smart civil aviation that aims to provide intelligent technical support for airlines.

    Friday’s approval came not long after the MIIT launched a pilot program in last October to expand opening-up in value-added telecom services in four designated areas in Beijing, Shanghai, Hainan and Shenzhen.

    It allows foreign investors to operate wholly-owned businesses in fields such as internet data centers, and engage in online data processing and transaction processing within designated areas. They can also gain greater access to China’s cloud computing service and computing power service markets.

    Despite simmering global trade tensions and a global surge in protectionism, China is ramping up efforts to expand its high-standard opening-up and reinforce its appeal to foreign investment. On Feb. 19, an action plan to stabilize foreign investment in 2025 was unveiled.

    Per the plan, devised by the Ministry of Commerce and the National Development and Reform Commission, China will support pilot regions in effectively implementing opening-up policies related to such areas as value-added telecommunication, biotechnology and wholly foreign-owned hospitals, providing whole-journey services for foreign-invested projects in these sectors.

    The country will also continue expanding its pilot programs to open up fields such as telecommunication and medical services in a timely manner.

    According to the Beijing Communication Administration, Friday’s approval will inject new vitality into economic growth and offer a wider range of telecommunication services options and other differentiated services to users.

    “It will also encourage local enterprises to actively innovate and grow through healthy competition and collaboration in the market, enhancing their competitiveness and influence in the international market,” the administration said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s ‘two sessions’ to offer clear policy signals for high-quality development

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

    China’s ‘two sessions’ to offer clear policy signals for high-quality development

    A journalist works at a press center for China’s annual “two sessions” in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 27, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    BEIJING, Feb. 28 — China will unveil its annual GDP growth target and policy arrangements for high-quality development at the upcoming national “two sessions” in Beijing.

    Contrary to slowdown forecasts by certain Western naysayers, the Chinese economy is well-positioned to sustain its recovery and maintain steady growth this year.

    During the “two sessions,” the annual meetings of China’s national legislature and top political advisory body, measures to expand domestic demand and promote sci-tech innovation and high-standard opening up are expected to be outlined.

    As a priority, domestic demand will be expanded comprehensively. China has huge potential in consumption and investment. The record highs seen in the domestic Spring Festival holiday box office and the number of trips made during the 40-day festival travel rush attest to the vitality of China’s consumption and economy. More targeted steps are expected to uplift consumption further. Fruitful campaigns such as large-scale equipment upgrade and consumer goods trade-in programs will be expanded. Investment will gain steam in projects to implement major national strategies and build up security capacities in key areas.

    This photo taken on Feb. 13, 2025 shows a poster for the Chinese animated film “Ne Zha 2” at a cinema in Chaoyang District of Beijing, capital of China. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The private sector, in particular, is expected to gain more momentum in its healthy, high-quality development. In February, a symposium on private enterprises in Beijing lent a significant boost to morale in the sector, which contributes more than 60 percent of GDP and 80 percent of urban employment in China. The country plans to promulgate a private sector promotion law this year, which will stimulate the sector’s development momentum and promote high-quality development.

    Fresh efforts are expected to develop new quality productive forces through scientific and technological innovation. Startups DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics, both of which have caught global attention, highlight China’s technological progress. Under the country’s AI Plus initiative and other programs, the integrated development of technology and industry will generate new sources of growth for the Chinese economy. China’s new energy industries and overall green transition, driven by its cutting-edge technologies, will continue to be important growth drivers.

    A humanoid robot is on display in Wuhan, central China’s Hubei Province, Feb. 5, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Amid rising global trade protectionism, China remains committed to expanding its high-standard opening up. An action plan to stabilize foreign investment in 2025 has outlined 20 measures to attract foreign investment, such as those related to upgrading pilot free trade zones and expanding pilot programs in fields such as telecommunication and medical services. China will also work to ensure new progress in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with partner countries.

    This year is important in terms of the further, comprehensive deepening of reform to advance Chinese modernization. Reform measures planned for this year are expected to boost high-quality development by optimizing resource allocation and improving the market environment.

    Last year, the Chinese economy met its annual growth target of around 5 percent, outperforming other major economies and remaining the biggest engine of global economic growth. The 2025 growth target will be a key indicator of the projected operations of the world’s second-largest economy.

    A central economic work conference last December set the tone for a more proactive policy stance, and called for the enrichment of the national policy arsenal this year, as well as improved policy coordination.

    With the pro-growth policies rolled out since last September and a raft of new pragmatic measures for the year ahead at hand, there should be little doubt that China will be capable of navigating challenges at home and abroad, and of securing steady growth while promoting high-quality development. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 649, Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 649 would allow schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program to serve whole, reduced-fat, or low-fat milk that is flavored or unflavored to students. Under current law, schools must offer milk that is fat-free or low-fat and may only offer flavored milk if it is fat-free or low-fat. The bill would exclude the saturated fat in milk from calculations of the amount of such fat that is allowed under the program for an average meal.

    The bill also would prohibit participating schools from purchasing or offering milk produced by China state-owned enterprises.

    CBO expects that enacting the bill would not affect reimbursement rates or participation in the program, so there would be no effect on the cost of benefits. CBO estimates that the administrative costs to update the dietary regulations would be insignificant; any spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Susan Beyer. The estimate was reviewed by Christina Hawley Anthony, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Baldwin Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Increase Oversight of Foreign Ownership of American Agriculture

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act to increase scrutiny surrounding the purchase of agricultural land by foreign adversaries like China. The bipartisan bill would permanently add the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to add additional scrutiny of farmland and agricultural industry purchases by foreign adversaries like China, North Korea, Russia, or Iran and help prevent improper foreign disruption to the U.S. agriculture industry.
    “Wisconsin’s farms are the backbone of our state,” said Senator Baldwin. “They’re not just about food, they’re about people’s livelihoods, our economy, and our way of life. That’s why I’m fighting to protect our family farms and agricultural communities from bad actors like China that threaten our food supply, economy, and national security. I’m proud to work with Democratic and Republican colleagues to protect our farmers and rural communities and ensure our Made in Wisconsin agricultural economy stays strong for the next generation.”
    CFIUS is the governmental body that oversees the vetting process of foreign investment and acquisition of American companies. In addition to permanently adding the Secretary of Agriculture to CFIUS, the bill would require that the Secretary report any transaction that could threaten national security, specifically concerning purchases made by adversarial nations like China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran.
    Over the past few years, the United States has experienced a rapid increase in foreign investment in the agricultural sector, particularly from China. Growing foreign investment in agriculture and other essential industries, like health care and energy, threatens our country’s national security. 
    According to USDA data from December 2023, foreign investors own approximately 45 million acres of U.S. agricultural land. This represents an increase of over 1.5 million acres in one calendar year. Foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land increased modestly from 2012 to 2017 at an average increase of 0.6 million acres per year. However, since 2017, this number skyrocketed to an average of 2.6 million acres annually. Additionally, between 2010 and 2021, entities or individuals from China increased their ownership of U.S. agricultural land more than twentyfold, from 13,720 acres to 383,935 acres.
    Data from the 2023 Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) report shows that Kansas agricultural land with foreign interest totals over 1.3 million acres.
    CFIUS is authorized to oversee and review foreign investment and ownership in domestic businesses as it relates to national security. Currently, the Committee does not directly consider the needs of the agriculture industry when reviewing foreign investment and ownership in domestic businesses.
    Specifically, the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act would:
    Add the Secretary of Agriculture as a member of CFIUS
    Protect the U.S. agriculture industry from foreign control through transactions, mergers, acquisitions, or agreements
    Designate agricultural supply chains as critical infrastructure and critical technologies
    Require a report to Congress on current and potential foreign investments in the U.S. agricultural industry from USDA and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) 
    The bill is led by Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) and also co-sponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Todd Young (R-IN), and Deb Fischer (R-NE). U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse (R-WA-04) also introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
    Full text of the legislation can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: LZ Technology Holdings Limited Announces Closing of Initial Public Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HUZHOU CITY, China, Feb. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LZ Technology Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: LZMH) (“LZ Technology” or the “Company”), an information technology and advertising company, today announced the successful closing of its initial public offering of 1,800,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.000025 per share (the “Class B Ordinary Shares”), at a public offering price of $4.00 per share. The offering generated total gross proceeds of approximately $7.2 million, before deducting underwriting discounts and other offering expenses. The Company’s Class B Ordinary Shares started trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on February 27, 2025 under the ticker symbol “LZMH.”

    In addition, the Company has granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 270,000 Class B Ordinary Shares at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts. LZ Technology intends to use the net proceeds from this offering for research and development, international expansions, strategic acquisitions, marketing efforts and working capital.

    The offering was conducted on a firm commitment basis. Benjamin Securities, Inc. and D. Boral Capital LLC acted as underwriters for the offering (the “Underwriters”). Bevilacqua PLLC acted as U.S. securities counsel to the Company, and Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC acted as U.S. securities counsel to the Underwriters in connection with the offering.

    A registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-276234) relating to the offering, as amended, has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and was declared effective by the SEC on February 26, 2025. The offering was made only by means of a prospectus, forming part of the registration statement. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, copies of the final prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained from Benjamin Securities, Inc. by email at info@benjaminsecurities.com, by standard mail to 3 West Garden Street, Suite 407, Pensacola, FL 32502, or by telephone at +1 (516) 931-1090; or from D. Boral Capital LLC by standard mail to D. Boral Capital LLC, 590 Madison Ave 39th Floor, New York, NY 10022, or by email at info@dboralcapital.com, or by telephone at +1(212)-970-5150.

    This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction.

    About LZ Technology Holdings Limited

    LZ Technology Holdings Limited is an information technology and advertising company operating through its subsidiaries in China. The Company’s business spans three key verticals: Smart Community, Out-of-Home Advertising, and Local Life. Its Smart Community services provide intelligent access control and safety management systems, installed in thousands of residential communities in China. Its Out-of-Home Advertising division offers multi-channel advertising solutions through a vast network of monitors across approximately 120 cities in China, with ad placements on access control screens, SaaS platforms, and third-party advertising spaces. The Company’s Local Life vertical connects businesses with consumers through online promotions, social media marketing, and retail sales of various products and services. LZ Technology is committed to providing high-quality services to communities and businesses.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Certain statements in this press release are “forward-looking statements” as defined under the federal securities laws, including, but not limited to, the Company’s statements regarding the use of proceeds from the sale of the Company’s shares in the offering. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can find many (but not all) of these statements by the use of words such as “believe”, “plan”, “expect”, “intend”, “should”, “seek”, “estimate”, “will”, “aim” and “anticipate”, or other similar expressions in this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company’s registration statement and other filings with the SEC.

    For further information, please contact:

    Michael Wu
    Investor Relations
    LZ Technology Holdings Limited
    michael@lzmh.co

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Joins Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democrats’ Statement Blasting Trump Administration’s Reckless Termination of U.S. Foreign Assistance Programs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    February 28, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee—joined her fellow SFRC Democratic colleagues Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Coons (D-DE), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) in issuing the following statement on the Trump Administration’s reckless termination of nearly all U.S. foreign assistance programs: 

    “It is clear that the Trump Administration’s foreign assistance ‘review’ was not a serious effort or attempt at reform but rather a pretext to dismantle decades of U.S. investment that makes America safer, stronger and more prosperous. There is no indication Secretary Rubio conducted a program-by-program review of the more than 9,000 awards or considered the dire national security implications of these rash actions. Ending programs first and asking questions later only jeopardizes millions of lives and creates a power vacuum for our adversaries like China and Russia to fill. 

    “While it’s easy to assume that these cuts will only affect people thousands of miles away, the fact is, the impact will be felt by American farmers who will no longer get top dollar for their crops to feed the hungry, churches who will no longer have the support of the U.S. government in their missions, American families who fall sick when diseases like Zika, Ebola and Malaria once again reach our shores and U.S. biotech companies who will no longer sell their drugs to treat the vulnerable overseas. Secretary Rubio should immediately come before our Committee. We expect him to not only consult with Congress but follow the law,” said the Senators in their statement.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Files Civil Complaint To Forfeit 9,000 Boys’ Suits Imported From China That Contained Unsafe Levels Of Lead

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – The United States Attorney’s Office filed a civil complaint today to forfeit more than 9,000 boys’ suits that were intercepted at the Port of New York/Newark after being imported from China, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

    As alleged in the civil forfeiture complaint, the boys’ suits were seized by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in March 2020, after the buttons on the boys’ suits were tested by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and found to contain prohibited levels of lead. Further, and as alleged in the civil forfeiture complaint, this was at least the third instance in which the importer, Angels New York US, Inc., attempted to import children’s clothing that contained unsafe levels of lead.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited members of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Port of New York/Newark, under the direction of Port Director Jeffrey Greene, and members of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter A. Laserna of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering and Recovery Unit.

    The accusations in the complaint, and the description of the complaint, constitute only allegations.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: US inflation has increased since Trump took office – why prices are unlikely to come down soon

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Conor O’Kane, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Bournemouth University

    The cost of living crisis, which saw inflation in the US peak at a four-decade high of 9.1% in 2022, played a significant role in determining the outcome of last November’s presidential election.

    Exit polls across ten of the key battleground states showed 32% of voters considered the economy to be the most important election issue. Among that group of voters, a staggering 81% voted for Donald Trump.

    Trump had spent most of his election campaign saying his administration would tackle high prices – even vowing to bring them down on day one. However, the latest figures suggest inflation in the US has increased since he took office, rising unexpectedly to a six-month high of 3% in January.

    This rise is largely because of the economy Trump inherited. But some experts have expressed concerns that his stated economic strategy, including trade tariffs, major tax cuts and lower interest rates, will only add to inflation.

    While tax cuts and interest rate changes are familiar policies, the use of tariffs has been less common in recent decades. These are used by governments to balance trade relationships or in retaliation to tariffs imposed by other countries. They generally make foreign imported goods more expensive while also raising tax revenues for governments.

    The Trump administration has set tariffs of 25% on all steel and aluminium imports, and imposed 10% trade tariffs on a wide range of consumer imports from China. While proposed tariffs of 25% on imports from Mexico and Canada have been temporarily paused, the US has signalled its intention to introduce tariffs on imports from the European Union.

    A General Motors car assembly facility in Ontario, Canada, where economists predict the proposed tariffs would have a catastrophic effect.
    JHVEPhoto / Shutterstock

    Will tariffs lead to inflation?

    Trump’s aides insist the tariffs won’t have a negative impact on American consumers and businesses. On February 18, Peter Navarro, senior counsel for trade and manufacturing at the White House, told the New York Times: “It’s not going to be painful for America. It’s going to be a beautiful thing.”

    Navarro argues that foreign exporters, concerned about losing market share, will reduce the pre-tariff price they charge US importers.

    But economic theory suggests that tariffs generally do lead to higher prices. Peter Lavelle, a trade expert at the UK’s Institute for Fiscal Studies, says that evidence from Trump’s first term – when tariffs were imposed on solar panels, washing machines, steel and aluminium – shows these costs were “almost entirely passed on to domestic consumers”, thus adding to inflation.

    A key reason for the tariffs is to make US domestic manufacturing more competitive on the international stage. This could bring manufacturing jobs back to the US. Manufacturing employment declined by 35% in the US from its peak of 19.6 million in 1979 to 12.8 million in 2020.

    However, there was no evidence of tariffs bringing manufacturing jobs back to the US during Trump’s first term. In fact, manufacturing employment remained static between 2017 and 2021.

    There are fears that tariffs could instead trigger a trade war, where countries retaliate with tariffs of their own. Canadian officials, for instance, have made it clear they will introduce retaliatory tariffs on the US – “selected in order to hit particularly red and purple [Trump-supporting] states”.

    Economists analyse such scenarios using game theory. A trade war takes the form of what economics-speak calls a “non-cooperating Nash equilibrium”, where the economic outcome is negative for all countries involved.

    Some recent modelling on the impact of Trump’s proposed tariffs on Canada and Mexico supports this view. Tariff retaliation is likely to raise inflation rates even further than otherwise in all three economies.

    A trade war could also squeeze profit margins for exporting producers in the US, by making some US-produced goods relatively more expensive. This would show up in lower real income through reduced employment and wages. This outcome, like higher prices, is unlikely to be popular with US voters.


    Given the evidence from Trump’s first term, it is difficult to see how tariffs will be anything but inflationary. Trump’s proposed tax cuts valued at US$5-11 trillion would also add to inflationary pressures, as would the lower interest rates he has called for.

    Ana Swanson, a trade and international economist at the New York Times, believes the threat of tariffs is being used merely as a negotiating strategy. However, like many other economists, Swanson sees uncertainty as the biggest impact of Trump’s tariff policy.

    In a podcast on February 4, she said: “If you, as the business, are watching out for the threat of tariffs, are you going to make an investment in a new factory or hire new workers?” Uncertainty leads to reduced investment and lower growth.

    Realistically, Trump was never going to bring down prices for US consumers. To do that would be deflationary, and economists generally fear deflation even more than inflation. Falling prices lead to deferred spending and can be devastating for economic growth.

    The best outcome for US consumers is that prices increase at a slower rate, close to the US Federal Reserve’s inflation target of 2%. However, given the recent uptick in inflation, as well as Trump’s strategy of tariffs, tax cuts and lower interest rates, the direction of travel all points towards higher price rises.

    Recent evidence from elections in many advanced economies shows that voters do not like inflation, and will punish administrations who are in power during inflationary periods.

    Since inflation peaked in many advanced economies in 2022, more than 70% of incumbent administrations have been voted out of government. Trump should keep this in mind as he embarks on his quest to make America’s economy great again.

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

    – ref. US inflation has increased since Trump took office – why prices are unlikely to come down soon – https://theconversation.com/us-inflation-has-increased-since-trump-took-office-why-prices-are-unlikely-to-come-down-soon-249956

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Global biodiversity agreement mobilises $200 billion boost for nature

    Source: United Nations 2

    Climate and Environment

    Governments on Friday reached agreement on a strategy to raise an additional $200 billion each year to better protect the world’s flora and fauna by 2030.

    Delegates met in Rome this week for the resumption of the UN Biodiversity Conference to hammer out an agreement at COP16.2 after attempts to reach a deal on financing at COP16 in Cali, Colombia, fell short last November.

    It is hoped that the hard-won decisions made by parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity will shore up biodiversity and fragile ecosystems which are bearing the brunt of increased conflict, deforestation, mining, toxic waste dumping and other environmental impacts worldwide.

    “We very much welcome this announcement,” the UN Secretary-General’s Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Friday. “We need to mobilise at least $200 billion dollars a year by 2030 to close the global biodiversity finance gap.”

    However, discussions on who pays to protect the Earth’s biodiversity have long been a point of contention, while more than a million plant and animal species are now threatened with extinction.

    © Gregoire Dubois

    Hammering out an agreement

    “These days of work in Rome have demonstrated the commitment of the parties to advance the implementation of the [Kunming-Montreal] Global Biodiversity Framework,” said COP16 president Susana Muhamad, referring to the landmark 2022 agreement and underscoring “the collective effort to reach consensus of key issues that were left pending in Cali”.

    Why is biodiversity important? Read our explainer here.

    Delegates worked through Friday morning following days of intense negotiation and reached decisions on outstanding issues including biodiversity finance, planning, monitoring, reporting and review.

    Negotiators also agreed on a set of indicators to measure global and national progress towards implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework.

    The framework was finalised a little over two years ago – a historic UN-driven agreement to guide global action on nature through to 2030, which was hashed out at meetings in Kunming, China, and Montreal, Canada, in 2022.

    Keeping promises made in Canada and China

    The Global Biodiversity Framework aims to address biodiversity loss, restore ecosystems and protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples, who suffer disproportionately from biodiversity loss and environmental degradation.

    The global framework also contains concrete measures to halt and reverse nature loss, including protection measures covering 30 per cent of the planet and 30 per cent of degraded ecosystems by 2030.

    Currently only 17 per cent of land and around eight per cent of marine areas are protected.

    “Only by working together can we make peace with nature a reality,” said Ms. Muhamad.

    ‘Multilateralism works’

    Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, said the positive outcome in Rome shows that “multilateralism works” and is “the vehicle to build the partnerships needed to protect biodiversity and move us towards peace with nature”.

    After intense negotiations, parties to the convention agreed on a way forward in terms of resource mobilisation with a view to close the global biodiversity finance gap and achieve the target of at least $200 billion a year by 2030.

    This includes working to improve existing financial tools, especially to provide resources for developing countries, under the temporary leadership of UN agencies and partners.

    “We now have a clear mandate” for implementation, Ms. Schomaker said. “As we do this and implement the other supporting elements for resource mobilisation, the world will have given itself the means to close the biodiversity finance gap.”

    Call for pioneering investors

    On the margins of COP16.2, the Cali Fund, which was created in Colombia in late 2024, was officially launched, ushering in a new era for biodiversity financing.

    “Today’s launch is the culmination of multilateralism that delivers,” said Elizabeth Mrema, Deputy Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

    “The ball is now in the court of businesses around the world. Those who pay into the fund will go down in history as pioneers and will reap the benefits as the public increasingly recognises the importance of giving back to nature.”

    Here’s how the Cali Fund will benefit biodiversity:

    • Companies making commercial use of data from genetic resources in nature in a range of lucrative industries will be expected to contribute a portion of their revenue to the fund
    • Contributions to the Cali Fund will be used to implement the UN Biodiversity Convention, including by supporting the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
    • At least 50 per cent of the Cali Fund resources will be allocated to Indigenous Peoples and local communities, recognising their role as custodians of biodiversity

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Concludes Seventy-Seventh Session after Adopting Concluding Observations on Reports of Croatia, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda and the United Kingdom

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights this afternoon concluded its seventy-seventhsession after adopting concluding observationson the reports of Croatia, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda and the United Kingdom under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights .

    The concluding observations will be transmitted to the States concerned and made available on the webpage of the session   on the afternoon of Monday, 3 March.

    Laura-MariaCraciunean-Tatu, Committee Chair, said that during the intense session, in addition to engaging with five States parties, the Committee had considered two follow-up reports; adopted three lists of issues on Cabo Verde, North Macedonia and Turkmenistan; conducted work on communications under the Optional Protocol; and discussed one draft and two future general comments and one statement.

    Ms. Craciunean-Tatu said that this session, the Committee had welcomed four new members, and would formally welcome its fifth, Peijie Chen (China), in its next session. Despite the discontinuance of formal hybrid meetings, the Committee continued to engage with a wide range of stakeholders in person and remotely outside of formal meeting time. Ms. Craciunean-Tatu expressed thanks to all those who worked to promote and protect the rights enshrined in the Covenant.

    During the session, she said, the Committee adopted assessments on the follow-up reports to concluding observations for Serbia and Uzbekistan. The assessments would be transmitted to the States concerned and made available publicly in the weeks to come. The Committee urged other States to submit follow-up reports which were overdue or due.

    Under the Optional Protocol, the Committee adopted decisions relating to 48 individual communications. It found violations of the Covenant in three cases concerning the right to housing; declared admissible one case on alleged violation of the right to work of a human rights defender; and declared inadmissible two cases on alleged unequal pay for overtime in teaching-related activities and alleged wage discrimination. The Committee further discontinued the consideration of 42 cases concerning the right to housing. Finally, it adopted a follow-up progress report on individual communications.

    Ms. Craciunean-Tatu saidthe Committee had adopted a Statement on Tax Policy and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. It hoped that this statement would guide States parties, both domestically and in the context of international tax cooperation, to observe increasingly inclusive and transparent tax policy-making processes, thus encouraging the implementation of tax systems that supported the enjoyment of the rights enshrined in the Covenant, with a focus on disadvantaged and marginalised groups.

    Regarding general comments, the Committee completed a second reading of the draft general comment on the environmental dimension of sustainable development, and continued discussing the scope of two general comments on drug policy and on armed conflict as they related to the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights. These discussions would continue at the next session.

    During the session, Ms. Craciunean-Tatu said, the Committee held an informal meeting with States on 20 February and engaged in discussion on all aspects of its work. In addition to the numerous contacts the Committee had with civil society organizations, it also held this morning its annual meeting with non-governmental organizations, in which it heard their views on several important topics, including strategic litigation and the right to a clean and healthy environment.

    Ms. Craciunean-Tatu also said that the Committee had held informal meetings with other stakeholders, including with treaty body members, United Nations agencies and the Special Rapporteurs on climate change and in the field of cultural rights. The engagement of all concerned was deeply appreciated.

    In its next session, she said, in addition to reviewing the reports of seven States parties, the Committee would adopt lists of issues on the reports of Eswatini, Germany, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritius, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova and Tunisia. It would also adopt assessments on the follow-up reports of El Salvador and Luxembourg.

    This session, the Committee reaffirmed its decision to implement a simplified reporting procedure and had requested the Secretariat to prepare a structured implementation plan, Ms. Craciunean-Tatu said. However, until such a plan was operationalised, she encouraged States parties to submit reports under the regular reporting procedure, including long overdue reports.

    The Committee had not yet held dialogues with 24 States parties that had not submitted their initial reports, of which five were overdue for more than 10 years. In total, 51 States’ periodic reports were also overdue, at least 16 of which for more than 10 years. The capacity building programme established pursuant to the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 68/268 (2014) was available to offer support to States requiring technical assistance in this regard, including with respect to the establishment of national mechanisms for reporting implementation and follow-up.

    Ms. Craciunean-Tatu invited all States to ratify the Covenant and encouraged States that were parties to the Covenant but had not acceded to or ratified the Optional Protocol to do so, and to enter the declarations for its articles 10 and 11. She welcomed the accession, two weeks ago, of Albania to the Optional Protocol.

    In closing, Ms. Craciunean-Tatu thanked the Committee and all who had contributed to the busy session. The Committee looked forward to, in its next session, holding dialogues with States, pursuing other work, and engaging with a wide variety of stakeholders to achieve the effective promotion and protection of all the rights enshrined in the Covenant.

    In its seventy-eighth session, to be held from 8 September to 3 October 2025, the Committee will review the reports of Australia, Chile, Colombia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Netherlands, Russian Federation and Zimbabwe.

    ___________

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

    CESCR25.007E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scott Highlights Need to Confirm Trump Administration Nominees for Top Economic, Financial Regulator Posts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

    WASHINGTON — At yesterday’s nominations hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) highlighted the qualifications of President Trump’s nominees to top economic policy and financial regulator posts: 

    • Dr. Stephen Miran, nominee to be Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, Executive Office of the President
    • Mr. Jeffrey Kessler, nominee to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security, Department of Commerce
    • Mr. William Pulte, nominee to be Director, Federal Housing Finance Agency
    • Mr. Jonathan McKernan, nominee to be Director, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection

    Senator Scott emphasized the importance of quickly advancing President Trump’s nominees to rebuild the economy, restore confidence in the financial system, and ensure American families have the tools to thrive.

    Senator Scott’s opening remarks as delivered:

    I want to take a second to congratulate each of our nominees before us today and thank you for your willingness to serve our country.

    If confirmed, you will help put our nation back on the path to prosperity. 

    As we reflect on the past four years, we must acknowledge the severe damage created by the Biden administration’s reckless spending.

    It’s hard for me to forget, as a kid and my brother growing up in poverty, single parent household, watching my mother trying to make every single dollar count. She did the best she could with what she had. 

    Inflation is especially cruel to the communities like the one I grew up in.

    No one should have to make a choice between putting food on the table and keeping the lights on.

    During Joe Biden’s time in office, overall prices rose by over 20 percent, energy by 34 percent, transportation 31 percent, groceries 22 percent.

    I refuse to accept that the last four years will be the next four years.

    Unlike his predecessor, President Trump understands what it takes to create a blue-collar comeback. And I’m excited about that.

    Each of the nominees before us today will play a critical role in rebuilding the economy, restoring confidence in our financial system, and ensuring that American families can thrive once again.  

    The Council of Economic Advisers serves as the White House’s chief advisors, think tank so to speak, providing the President with data-driven guidance on policy decisions. 

    Dr. Stephen Miran is an accomplished economist with a strong record of advocating for fiscal responsibility and pro-growth policies.

    He will play an instrumental role in helping President Trump rebuild America’s economy. 

    Turning to Mr. Kessler, the Department of Commerce’s mission is to create an environment for economic growth and opportunity for all communities.

    Unfortunately, under President Biden, we saw China rapidly advance in developing advanced technologies that support its military capabilities, distort global markets, and erode competitiveness of U.S. companies.  

    Mr. Kessler’s experience in trade and national security policy will be critical in strengthening our supply chains and ensuring the U.S. leads in the next generation technologies. 

    Now, let’s talk about housing. Under President Biden, the dream of homeownership became unaffordable for millions and millions of Americans. The FHFA plays a crucial role in overseeing Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Bank – entities that significantly influence the U.S. housing finance market.

    These institutions not only impact mortgage rates and housing affordability, but also provide essential liquidity to the mortgage market, ensuring a stable supply of funds for home loans. 

    William Pulte is a businessman with a deep understanding of the housing market. His insight and passion for people will serve him well in leading the FHFA’s efforts to address our broken housing system.

    And finally, the CFPB was allegedly created to protect American consumers, but under the Biden administration, it overstepped its authority, burdened businesses with excessive politically driven regulation, and drove up costs for consumers.

    The CFPB has become a tool for progressive overreach, making it harder for small banks and lenders to serve their communities.

    Jonathan McKernan has the expertise needed to rein in the CFPB’s excesses and ensure that the agency works for consumers – not against them.

    Today’s hearing is not just about these four nominees – it is about the future of our economy and the direction of our country.

    We have an opportunity to undo the failures of the past four years and usher in a golden era of American prosperity.

    That begins by confirming these well-qualified individuals who will stand up for the American families, American workers, and for small businesses.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Supporting the EastMed pipeline to reduce energy dependence on non-EU countries – E-000560/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000560/2025/rev.1
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Afroditi Latinopoulou (PfE)

    The EastMed pipeline aims to transport natural gas from reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean region to Europe. Of vital importance for the EU’s energy strategy and geopolitical strength, the project will provide a reliable and strategically critical source of energy. The pipeline’s construction will enhance the EU’s autonomy and reduce its dependence on non-EU countries, such as Russia, Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Qatar, which control key energy sources and routes.

    The EastMed pipeline is expected to have an initial capacity of 10 billion cubic metres per year (bcm/y), with the potential to expand to 12-20 bcm/y. It will be able to cover a significant portion of the EU’s needs and help reduce Russian energy imports by 30-40 % by 2040. In addition, it will further diversify the EU’s energy mix and contribute towards building a resilient energy system in Europe.

    In view of the above:

    • 1.What measures does the Commission intend to take to accelerate the EastMed pipeline project as a means of reducing dependence on Russian gas?
    • 2.Are there plans to support the EastMed pipeline project with European funding programmes that will speed up its construction and completion?
    • 3.What steps can the Commission take to ensure the pipeline project’s implementation in the face of emerging geopolitical threats of a hybrid nature from Türkiye, Russia and China?

    Submitted: 6.2.2025

    Last updated: 28 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Protect Louisiana Rice from India, China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), John Boozman (R-AR), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) introduced the Prioritizing Offensive Agricultural Disputes and Enforcement Act to protect the Louisiana rice industry against dumping of cheap produce into U.S. markets from India and China. 
    “Louisianans want to eat rice grown in their backyard, not from the other side of the world,” said Dr. Cassidy. “The rice industry is critical to Louisiana’s economy. We must level the playing field for our rice farmers.”  
    “As a strong advocate for our agriculture industry and the ability of American producers to compete fairly on the global stage, I will remain steadfast in fighting those nations that undermine our farmers. When countries blatantly violate their WTO commitments, they must be held accountable. Giving the USDA a bigger role in trade disputes is a crucial step to safeguard a key sector of Mississippi’s and our nation’s economy. I am proud to once again support it,” said Senator Hyde-Smith. 
    “American rice and wheat farmers continue to be targeted by India’s egregious over-subsidization, and there are countless other examples. This legislation will give us the tools needed to address unfair practices and market manipulation by our trading partners to level the playing field and maintain a competitive advantage in the global marketplace,” said Senator Boozman. 
    “In Iowa, trade directly impacts the everyday lives of our hardworking farmers and is critical to the success of our entire state. Breaking down the bureaucratic barriers between the USDA and USTR will help ensure Iowa farmers are on a level playing field when engaging with global markets,” said Senator Ernst. 
    “America’s ag industry can out-compete anyone in the world—as long as the rules are fair. But right now, our farmers, ranchers, and fishermen are suffering because of foreign countries violating their trade obligations. We must level the playing field to bolster our domestic ag industry. I’m proud to join Senator Cassidy’s efforts to eliminate barriers to our agriculture exports and will keep working to remove red tape for those in our ag industry,” said Senator Tuberville.
    The Prioritizing Offensive Agricultural Disputes and Enforcement Act establishes a joint task force on agricultural trade enforcement led by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). The task force will more proactively monitor upcoming Indian and Chinese industrial subsidies, rather than waiting to react after subsidies are in place. The bill will also require the task force to report recommendations to Congress to deal with unfair subsidies they identify.
    Background
    Earlier this month, Cassidy asked U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer if he would commit to putting tariffs on shrimp coming from other countries that use illegal antibiotics and forced labor during Greer’s confirmation hearing. Greer replied that USTR would consider tariffs if an investigation found that unfair trade practices were not remedied.
    Last year, Cassidy worked to secure $27,152,411.00 for Louisiana fisheries, shrimpers, and fishing communities affected by natural disasters between 2017 and 2022.
    In April 2024, Cassidy advocated for Louisiana shrimpers and rice producers at a U.S. Senate Finance Committee hearing with former U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai. He pressed her on progress USTR is making to prevent shrimp dumping from Asia. Cassidy also highlighted a whistleblower report on the safety of shrimp imported from India.
    In 2023, Cassidy also introduced the India Shrimp Tariff Act to raise U.S. tariffs to be equivalent to subsidies received by the Indian shrimp farming industry. India is the world’s top shrimp exporter, accounting for roughly 40 percent of U.S. shrimp imports, largely due to massive state subsidies. 

    MIL OSI USA News –