Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Traditional activities were held across China to welcome the Lantern Festival, which falls on February 12 this year. Celebrated on the 15th day of the first month on the Chinese lunar calendar, the festival marks the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations. Click the video and find out how people celebrate the Lantern Festival across China!
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ1: Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering
LCQ1: Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering
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Following is a question by the Hon Chan Hak-kan and a reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (February 12):Question: Regarding the Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering (the Action Plan) promulgated by the Government last year, will the Government inform this Council:(1) given that the Action Plan proposes to “adopt a multi-fuel strategy”, but it is learnt that at present, there are many types of green maritime fuels in the market, and most of them are at an early stage of development, while investments in the diversified development of fuels will not only increase the operational burden on investors, but also reduce the cost-effectiveness of such investments, whether the authorities will expeditiously specify the “designated fuels” and set relevant standards, carbon reduction targets, timetables, etc, so that investors can concentrate their resources and carry out long-term development planning;(2) as it is learnt that at present, the Mainland is already one of the major producers of maritime fuels such as bio-diesel and green methanol, and the related technologies have become relatively mature, how the authorities will, through administrative measures, support Hong Kong enterprises in fully grasping the advantage of enjoying the strong support of the motherland to build Hong Kong into a maritime fuel bunkering centre; and(3) given that the Action Plan proposes to set up a Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering Incentive Scheme within this year to encourage pioneer companies to develop green maritime fuel bunkering business in Hong Kong, when the authorities will announce the details of the Scheme?Reply: President, The maritime industry accounts for about three per cent of the world’s carbon emissions. In order to reduce maritime operations’ negative impact on the environment, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set out a target of achieving net-zero carbon emissions from international shipping by or around 2050. There are many ways to reduce emissions, including adoption of energy saving technologies, switching to more energy-efficient vessels, usage of smart maritime technologies, among which the use of green maritime fuels is by far the most effective. Therefore, the industry has started to switch to using low or even zero-carbon green maritime fuels. Hong Kong must enhance its green maritime fuel bunkering capabilities to respond to market needs, so as to give full play to our advantage of our excellent geographical location and our position as a major bunkering port in South China, consolidate Hong Kong’s position as an international maritime centre, and maintain the competitiveness of our port. The Government promulgated the Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering (Action Plan) in November last year, setting out clear targets with five strategies and 10 action measures with an aim to develop Hong Kong into a green maritime fuel bunkering centre. The Government has received strong support from the industry and maintained positive communication with Legislative Council members since the promulgation of the Action Plan. Various domestic and international players from different parts of the green maritime fuel bunkering supply chain have also expressed their interest in developing relevant businesses in Hong Kong. Regarding the Hon Chan Hak-kan’s questions, the reply is as follows: (1) Currently, a number of green maritime fuels, including biodiesel, liquefied natural gas (LNG), green methanol, green ammonia and hydrogen are being used or tested by the industry, but not a single type of green maritime fuel is being particularly favoured. According to publicly available information on new vessels on order, by 2030 we expect that there will be over 1 000 vessels capable of being powered by LNG and nearly 400 methanol ones by 2030, as well as a number of hydrogen and green ammonia vessels in the world. Meanwhile, as most of the vessels that can use green maritime fuels will likely have dual-fuel engines, these vessels as well as the other traditional ones not yet due for replacement will likely adopt biodiesel, which is cheaper than other green maritime fuels currently, to reduce emission in the short term. Taking into consideration the current trend in the maritime industry to retrofit or build new vessels powered by different green maritime fuels, the aforementioned figures, the high investment involved in ordering or retrofitting vessels, and that new vessels can generally operate for around more than 20 years after delivery, we expect diversified development in the green maritime fuel bunkering market in the coming decades. On one hand, Hong Kong will adopt a “multi-fuel” strategy like major ports such as Singapore, Rotterdam and Shanghai. But on the other hand, as mentioned in Hon Chan Hak-kan’s questions, we aim to provide a clear orientation on fuel options to the industry and the society, including making biodiesel bunkering immediately available, developing LNG and green methanol bunkering in the short- and medium-term respectively, and considering the development of the bunkering of hydrogen and green ammonia in the long run. Following the aforementioned orientation and development directions, there are several actions we are about to implement, including:
in terms of LNG, we issued the Code of Practice (CoP) on LNG bunkering in January and the trade will soon conduct the first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering in Hong Kong waters this week;
on green methanol, we will within this year invite the industry to submit expressions of interest in relation to developing green methanol storage facilities on a site in Tsing Yi South, and complete the CoP on green methanol bunkering; and
as for hydrogen and green ammonia, we will simultaneously commence a feasibility study on the future bunkering of these fuels within this year, with a view to setting out a clear development direction.
As regards standards on green maritime fuels, the IMO expects to finalise a number of mid-term measures within this year, which are expected to enter into force around 2027 and among which the “Green House Gas (GHG) fuel standard” will require the phased reduction of the GHG intensity of maritime fuels. As an Associate Member of IMO, Hong Kong will respond and follow the requirements in this regard.(2) Establishing a stable green maritime fuel supply chain is one of the action measures set out in the Action Plan. Given Hong Kong’s proximity to the Mainland, which is a major producer of a number of green fuels, we expect that most of Hong Kong’s green maritime fuels will be imported from the Mainland. In fact, currently some Hong Kong companies have already set up production facilities in different provinces and cities in the Mainland, including Inner Mongolia and Foshan, to produce green maritime fuels, while some Hong Kong and Mainland producers have expressed interest in providing such fuels to Hong Kong. Such stable green maritime fuel supply chain can also allow Hong Kong to take advantage of its robust and resilient financial system, good business environment, and regulatory regime in line with international standards, to develop into an international green maritime fuel trading centre. At present, the Government will actively foster the conclusion of green maritime fuel offtake agreements by shipping companies interested in bunkering such fuels in Hong Kong. The Marine Department has set up a dedicated team to provide one-stop services for relevant companies, so as to help build a systematic and organic supply chain in Hong Kong. (3) As for the Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering Incentive Scheme, it aims to encourage pioneer enterprises to start green maritime fuel bunkering businesses in Hong Kong. At present, we are formulating the details of the scheme, and expect to establish the scheme in 2025 and will announce it in due course. Thank you, President.
Ends/Wednesday, February 12, 2025Issued at HKT 16:22
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Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the National Conference on Education last September, following which the 2024-2035 master plan on building China into a leading country in education (master plan) was issued, setting out a roadmap for the national education development in the next 10 years. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today (February 12) held a seminar on the master plan at the Central Government Offices. Vice Minister of Education Mr Wu Yan was invited to deliver a keynote speech to enable different sectors to obtain a deeper understanding of the significance of the master plan. The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, and the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, delivered the opening and closing addresses respectively.
The master plan is the first national action plan themed on building a leading country in education with the key mission to support the country’s modernisation in all aspects. It clearly proposed to establish a mechanism for co-ordinating and promoting the integration of education, technology and talent by leveraging the support of education to technology and talent. The master plan also set out the close collaboration with the development of the innovation and technology hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the building of a high-calibre talent hub and platforms for talent attraction and retention, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of the innovation system.
Speaking at the seminar, Mr Chan said that the Resolution of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization adopted in the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC suggested that Hong Kong be built into an international hub for high-calibre talent. The HKSAR Government has been proactively creating favourable room for development for talent from different backgrounds, and fostering synergistic development of nurturing talent, gathering talent and science and technology, to enable talent to make Hong Kong their home and give full play to their strengths for contribution to the high-quality development of Hong Kong and the country.
He pointed out that the HKSAR Government established the Committee on Education, Technology and Talents with him as the Chairman at the end of last year to enhance the systemic, holistic and synergistic nature of policies, which target the manpower demand of Hong Kong’s strategic positioning of “eight centres”. It aims to promote integrated development of education, technology and talent from the top and fully implement the work of invigorating the country through science and education.
Speaking at the seminar, Dr Choi said that with the rapid development of education in the country in the coming 10 years, Hong Kong’s education will also thrive. The Education Bureau (EDB) will keep its principles and be innovative to tie in with the national strategy of invigorating the country through science and education, and grasp the development opportunities offered by the country’s initiatives such as the Belt and Road and the Greater Bay Area to push forward with Hong Kong’s education development.
She stressed that the EDB will deepen Hong Kong’s role as an international post-secondary education hub, pooling together talent with a view to consolidating and developing Hong Kong’s education strengths. Apart from boosting the comprehensive strengths of tertiary education and forging new development competitive edges with digital education, the EDB will also create multiple pathways for young generations, further enhance students’ whole-person development, and raise teachers’ professional qualities and capabilities to achieve the goal of cultivating values and nurturing people.
A number of participants also shared their views at the seminar.
The seminar today was attended by around 400 participants, including representatives from the Ministry of Education, the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the CPC Central Committee, and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council; Hong Kong deputies to the National People’s Congress; Hong Kong Standing Committee members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference; members of the Legislative Council Panel on Education; the EDB directorate; representatives from the councils of universities and post-secondary institutions; representatives from school councils and principals’ associations in relation to kindergartens, primary schools and secondary schools, and representatives from relevant education organisations and advisory and statutory bodies.
Source: GlobalData
Supply chain drives M&A deal activity to record 5% YoY value growth in 2024, reveals GlobalData
Posted in Strategic Intelligence
Helped by a steady fall in interest rates and modest economic growth, global mergers and acquisition (M&A) deal activity surged during 2024, with a 5% increase in total deal value year-over-year (YoY). Supply chain resilience was a key theme that drove this momentum, with $160 billion in supply chain-related transactions across 22 deals, covering sectors like healthcare and industrials, reveals GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
GlobalData’s latest Strategic Intelligence report, “Global M&A Deals in 2024 – Top Themes by Sector – Strategic Intelligence,” reveals that in terms of deal volume, there was a 0.3% decrease from 2023 to record 31,952 deals in 2024.
Priya Toppo, Analyst, Strategic Intelligence at GlobalData, comments: “Rising geopolitical tensions, shifting demographics, heightened ESG regulations, ongoing labor shortages, and accelerated digital transformation have further intensified the focus on supply chain-related M&A deals. Companies are increasingly prioritizing resilient, localized, and technology-driven supply chains to mitigate risks and enhance operational efficiency. This was especially true in the healthcare, industrials, energy, and real estate sectors.”
The biggest supply chain deal was Novo Holdings’ acquisition of Catalent for $17 billion. This deal was also the biggest in the industrials sector in 2024. It was followed by China First Heavy Industries’ merger with China Shipbuilding for $16 billion and Johnson & Johnson’s acquisition of Shockwave Medical for $13 billion.
Toppo continues: “An ongoing trend is the dominance of North America in M&A deal activity, accounting for 12,571 deals worth $1.3 trillion during 2024. However, China, South America, and the Middle East and Africa saw a YoY decline in deal value.”
Toppo concludes: “The M&A outlook for 2025 is cautiously optimistic, as potential rate cuts in certain markets and an improving global economic environment could drive deal activity. However, mega-deals may continue to face challenges, particularly in the US, where antitrust scrutiny remains a key focus for regulators.”
Source: GlobalData
AI, big data and cloud prominent technology themes in hiring in 2024, reveals GlobalData
Posted in Business Fundamentals
The global job market dynamics in 2024 revealed a positive year-over-year (YoY) trend, despite companies continuing optimization efforts, with over 500 companies announcing layoffs. The retail sector experienced a rise in postings, driven by companies such as Amazon and Walgreens. The technology and communications sector, with major recruiters including Accenture, Reliance Jio, and Microsoft, also saw a rise in postings. Key technology themes driving hiring trends include artificial intelligence (AI), cloud, big data, cybersecurity, and batteries, reveals the Job Analytics Database of GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
GlobalData’s latest report, Global Hiring Activity Trends & Signals – 2024, reveals that the new job postings for 2024 were driven by roles for AI/ML Engineers, Cloud Architects, and Generative AI Solution Architects.
Sherla Sriprada, Business Fundamentals Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The AI theme has experienced a notable 61% increase in job postings, driven by the need for AI/ML Engineers, Cloud Architects, and Generative AI Solution Architects in 2024. There is a growing demand for professionals skilled in ChatGPT and Copilot, reflecting a heightened focus on GenAI, AI Agents, and Agentic AI roles.”
Countries such as China, Brazil, India, and Australia had a growth in job postings compared to the previous year. The US companies increased their hiring exposure to India while scaling back in China. The North American job onshoring declined in favor of postings in European and APAC nations.
Meanwhile, Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) gained traction, driven by Cloud Infra Leads, Infra Security Engineers, and Data Center InfraOps Managers. Additionally, office productivity applications and enterprise resource planning applications were trending in 2024.
Sriprada concludes: “2024 marks a pivotal year for the global job market, with tech themes driving much of the hiring activity. On the other hand, it is important to note that the shift towards onshoring in regions like India, coupled with reduced hiring in China, underscores the broader geopolitical and economic trends influencing talent acquisition strategies. This dynamic landscape presents both opportunities and challenges for organizations as they navigate the complexities of a rapidly evolving global workforce.”
Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister
Promoting AI accessibility to reduce digital divides
Ensuring AI is open, inclusive, transparent, ethical, safe, secure and trustworthy, taking into account international frameworks for all
Making innovation in AI thrive by enabling conditions for its development and avoiding market concentration driving industrial recovery and development
Encouraging AI deployment that positively shapes the future of work and labour markets and delivers opportunity for sustainable growth
Making AI sustainable for people and the planet
Reinforcing international cooperation to promote coordination in international governance
To deliver on these priorities:
Founding members have launched a major Public Interest AI Platform and Incubator, to support, amplify, decrease fragmentation between existing public and private initiatives on Public Interest AI and address digital divides. The Public interest AI Initiative will sustain and support digital public goods and technical assistance and capacity building projects in data, model development, openness and transparency, audit, compute, talent, financing and collaboration to support and co-create a trustworthy AI ecosystem advancing the public interest of all, for all and by all.
Signatory countries:
Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –
Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –
On February 10, the HSE hosted an awards ceremony for the winners and laureates of the 2024 Best Student Research Paper Competition. 1,916 papers were submitted to the competition, 320 people became winners and laureates, and the awards ceremony was held in four sections: social sciences, economic and managerial sciences, exact sciences, humanities, and creative industries.
The winners and laureates of the social sciences section were congratulated by the first vice-rector of the National Research University Higher School of Economics Vadim Radaev. He said that the audience included those who had started doing research while still students, and noted: “You did the right thing: it is better not to postpone a good deed.”
Vadim Radaev recalled that the NIS competition was first held in 2003 in five areas, and now there are 25 of them, with students not only from HSE but also from other Russian universities participating. Each application was read by at least two experts, there were more than a thousand of them in total, and they did this voluntarily and free of charge. The First Vice-Rector also thanked the experts and organizers of the competition.
First Vice Dean Faculty of Social Sciences Mikhail Mironyuk called winning the competition an achievement that he should build on in his future studies and career: enroll in master’s and postgraduate programs, find work in laboratories and research institutes.
Deputy Dean for Research Faculty of Law Alexander Larichev reported that the competition included research on various sections of jurisprudence, as well as interdisciplinary research. “Your works contain a fresh, non-trivial view, and this allows us to achieve new interesting results,” he added.
Vice-Rector of the National Research University Higher School of Economics Sergey Roshchin spoke at the section on economic and managerial sciences. He called the victory in the research competition no less important than receiving a university diploma.
“I am glad that among the winners of the NRS competition are students and graduates not only of HSE, but also of other universities. It is important to understand that beyond your usual environment there is a community that is moving in the same direction, solving similar problems and, perhaps, ahead of you in some ways,” the vice-rector added.
Dean Faculty of Economic Sciences Sergey Pekarsky said that the competencies demonstrated by the winners and laureates of the NIRS competition are needed always and everywhere. One of them is the ability to persuade: they were able to convince the experts that their works are the best.
According to the deputy director Higher School of Business HSE Igor Tsarkov, despite the importance of applied work in the field of management, “there is no more practical thing than a good theory,” and the NIRS competition contains many works completed in accordance with research canons. Associate Professor St. Petersburg School of Economics and Management Irina Sizova emphasized that the students demonstrated the ability not only to work with data, but also to collect it.
First Vice Dean Faculty of World Economy and World Politics Igor Kovalev recalled that the competition participants achieved success with the support of their scientific supervisors, and advised not to lose contact with them.
Opening the section on humanities and creative industries, Ivan Gruzdev, Director of Internal Research and Academic Student Development at HSE, called the award ceremony for winners and laureates “a moment of triumph of the mind,” since the smartest students are sitting in the audience.
Dean Faculty of Humanities Felix Azhimov stated that engineering and natural science disciplines are a priority all over the world today, but humanities are still in great demand. This cannot be explained by “escape from mathematics” (especially since, for example, linguists need it). The reason for the interest is different. By studying the humanities, a person demonstrates his best moral qualities, including honesty and willingness to take responsibility.
Scientific and technological progress is certainly of decisive importance, the director clarified. Institute of Media Faculty of Creative Industries Ernest Matskyavichyus, but if there are no humanities scholars, who will tell people that it has taken place? At the same time, it is important for media workers not to turn into “pure artisans”, they value the fundamental knowledge that is provided at the HSE. In his opinion, students here conduct research, demonstrating a new view, in which there are fewer prejudices, more courage and drive.
Deputy Dean for Research St. Petersburg School of Humanities and Arts Renata Goroshkova said that the winners and laureates of the NIRS competition are on the right path, which is “not always easy and not strewn with diamonds,” but, in her opinion, “the most interesting of all possible.”
At the exact sciences section, HSE Vice-Rector Elena Odoevskaya asked students about their impressions of the NIRS competition. During an informal conversation, it became clear, in particular, that for them the competition is an opportunity to receive not only feedback, but also recognition that they are interested in participating in the HSE students and young scientists academic development project “Republic of Scientists“.
“I would really like our partnership not to end with a diploma from the research competition and a beautiful photograph, so that you establish communication with scientists and the university administration, so that you can continue to remain in our wonderful science,” said Elena Odoevskaya. In her opinion, it is important to retain each winner and laureate of the competition in the scientific field.
Dean Faculty of Chemistry Vitaly Kotov emphasized that HSE holds various scientific competitions for students, and if at the NIRS competition research is assessed anonymously, then at another competition, organized by the Faculty of Chemistry, participants first present their work on stands, and then give flash reports.
Answering the question of the first vice-dean Faculty of Computer Science Tamara Voznesenskaya, what qualities a scientist should have, the students named patience, critical thinking and curiosity. She, in turn, noted that people who are characterized by curiosity find it difficult to do routine work in companies even for big money, and spoke about the opportunities for development in the scientific field.
Every year, students from different campuses of the HSE participate in the research competition, and in 2024, representatives of the St. Petersburg campus achieved significant success. In the Management program, they took almost all the prizes. Among them are students of the bachelor’s program “International Business and Management“Sofia Ilyakova and Shahzodakhon Shavkatjon kizi Botirova, who took first place.
“Our research focuses on the factors that influence the success of crowdfunding campaigns in the Russian film industry on the Planeta.ru platform. We examined two levels of campaign success – reaching 50% and 100% of the target amount, showing that success depends on the number of people who supported the project, the duration of the campaign and the stated goal. We also developed recommendations for managers in the film industry,” said Sophia.
In the Psychology category, third place was taken by students from the Master’s programData Analytics for Business and Economics» Ekaterina Kalganova and Daria Levanovich. They studied the impact of participation in events held in coworking spaces on the formation of team creativity of employees.
“My future plans include developing and deepening this research. I am also attracted by the prospect of publishing an article in one of the scientific journals. I am sure that winning a prize in the competition will be a turning point in my academic development,” Ekaterina noted.
In the category “World Economy”, a student from China, Wang Jinhai, distinguished himself by taking first place. He also became a laureate in the category “Finance”. At the St. Petersburg campus, he is studying in the master’s program “Global and Regional History” and is convinced that science is his calling.
“My research interests are quite broad. I am currently working on several other studies, the topics of which are interesting in the Russian context, and I have already submitted several articles to leading journals devoted to social sciences. I hope that winning the NIRS competition will help me interact with Russian scientists and contribute to a better understanding of their approaches to studying economics and finance,” Wang Jinhai noted.
Second place in the direction of “Urban studies, urban and transport planning” was taken by fourth-year students of the bachelor’s program “Urban planning» Zoya Ermokhina, Elizaveta Dekkusheva, Anna Kochetkova, Dmitry Moiseyev and Amira Tsarbaeva. The team was formed in the second year, and since then they have been writing scientific papers together.
Their research for the research competition was devoted to the topic of anniversaries as drivers of urban space modernization. “The topic was suggested by our scientific supervisor Anton Valerievich Gorodnichev, and we compared 11 cases of holding anniversaries in Russia, starting with the millennium of Kazan in 2005 and ending with the millennium of Suzdal in 2024. We identified three types of modernization: an image anniversary, that is, transformations for the promotion of the city, an anniversary for solving local problems, and a mixed type,” explains Amira.
“Our work is unique because no one before us has considered an anniversary as a modernization process. But an anniversary changes the urban space: new objects are built, infrastructure is created, improvements are carried out,” adds Dmitry. According to Elizaveta, they heard about the NRS competition from the first days of their studies at the HSE. “Even participating in it is already a success,” she says.
Student of the Master’s program “Systems and software engineering» Ilya Derezovsky took third place in the Computer Science category. “This is my first experience of participating in a research competition, as well as the experience of writing my first serious scientific publication. Therefore, winning the competition was doubly unexpected and pleasant,” he says.
The young scientist conducted a study in which he had to come up with an informative, visual and aesthetic way to visualize data as part of one of his projects NUL process-oriented information systems under the supervision of Alexey Mitsyuk, a senior research fellow at this laboratory and deputy dean for research at the Faculty of Computer Science. Ilya notes that he received positive experience in scientific work and the desire to continue developing in the academic environment thanks to the support of his colleagues at the laboratory.
“The atmosphere of HSE’s scientific laboratories is unique, charged with the energy of people interested in their topic, incredibly valuable experience, support and knowledge. HSE is the best place to try yourself in science, and the research is one of the most significant events at the university, where many young researchers begin their careers,” says Ilya Derezovsky.
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.
Source: Republic Of China Taiwan 2
Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu had the honor once again of meeting with the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon. John Howard, OM AC, and conveyed President Lai’s New Year greetings.
PM Howard generously shared his observations on the current global affairs and DG Wu updated him about Taiwan’s political and economic newly development.
As the second-longest-serving Prime Minister in Australia’s history, having called for four federal elections during his tenure, he offered in-depth insights on the upcoming Australian federal election.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Results and Highlights
Full Year 2024 Financial Results and Highlights
TEL AVIV, Israel, Feb. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Radware® (NASDAQ: RDWR), a global leader in application security and delivery solutions for multi-cloud environments, today announced its consolidated financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2024.
“We are pleased to report a strong finish to 2024, growing revenue 12% year-over-year and more than doubling non-GAAP EPS to $0.27 in the fourth quarter. Our full year results were driven by accelerated cloud ARR growth of 19%, the success of our DefensePro X DDoS protection refresh, and strong performance from our OEM partnerships,” said Roy Zisapel, Radware’s president and CEO. “Looking ahead, we plan to increase investment in and accelerate our cloud security growth by further expanding our market leading AI enabled security capabilities, opening new cloud security service centers and expanding our cloud channels. We are confident in our strategy, excited about the opportunities ahead, and believe in our ability to deliver long-term success.”
Financial Highlights for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024
Revenue for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024 totaled $73.0 million and $274.9 million, respectively:
GAAP net income for the fourth quarter of 2024 was $2.5 million, or $0.06 per diluted share, compared to GAAP net loss of $5.9 million, or $(0.14) per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2023. GAAP net income for the full year of 2024 was $6.0 million, or $0.14 per diluted share, compared to GAAP net loss of $21.6 million, or $(0.50) per diluted share, for the full year of 2023.
Non-GAAP net income for the fourth quarter of 2024 was $11.9 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, compared to non-GAAP net income of $5.5 million, or $0.13 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2023. Non-GAAP net income for the full year of 2024 was $37.7 million, or $0.87 per diluted share, compared to non-GAAP net income of $18.9 million, or $0.43 per diluted share, for the full year of 2023.
As of December 31, 2024, the Company had cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term bank deposits, and marketable securities of $419.7 million. Cash flow from operations was $12.7 million and $71.6 million in the fourth quarter and full year of 2024, respectively.
Non-GAAP results are calculated excluding, as applicable, the impact of stock-based compensation expenses, amortization of intangible assets, litigation costs, acquisition costs, restructuring costs, exchange rate differences, net on balance sheet items included in financial income, net, and tax-related adjustments. A reconciliation of each of the Company’s non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measure is included at the end of this press release.
Conference Call
Radware management will host a call today, February 12, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. EST to discuss its fourth quarter and full year 2024 results and first quarter 2025 outlook. To participate on the call, please use the following numbers:
U.S. participants call toll free: 1-877-704-4453
International participants call: 1-201-389-0920
A replay will be available for seven days, starting two hours after the end of the call, on telephone number 1-844-512-2921 (US toll-free) or 1-412-317-6671. Access ID 13750817.
The call will be webcast live on the Company’s website at: http://www.radware.com/IR/. The webcast will remain available for replay during the next 12 months.
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information and Key Performance Indicators
In addition to reporting financial results in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), Radware uses non-GAAP measures of gross profit, research and development expense, selling and marketing expense, general and administrative expense, total operating expenses, operating income, financial income, net, income before taxes on income, taxes on income, net income and diluted earnings per share, which are adjustments from results based on GAAP to exclude, as applicable, stock-based compensation expenses, amortization of intangible assets, litigation costs, acquisition costs, restructuring costs, exchange rate differences, net on balance sheet items included in financial income, net, and tax–related adjustments. Management believes that exclusion of these charges allows for meaningful comparisons of operating results across past, present, and future periods. Radware’s management believes the non-GAAP financial measures provided in this release are useful to investors for the purpose of understanding and assessing Radware’s ongoing operations. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for results prepared in accordance with GAAP. A reconciliation of each non-GAAP financial measure to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure is included with the financial information contained in this press release. Management uses both GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures in evaluating and operating the business and, as such, has determined that it is important to provide this information to investors.
Annual recurring revenue (“ARR”) is a key performance indicator defined as the annualized value of booked orders for term-based cloud services, subscription licenses, and maintenance contracts that are in effect at the end of a reporting period. ARR should be viewed independently of revenue and deferred revenue and is not intended to be combined with or to replace either of those items. ARR is not a forecast of future revenue, which can be impacted by contract start and end dates and renewal rates and does not include revenue reported as perpetual license or professional services revenue in our consolidated statement of operations. We consider ARR a key performance indicator of the value of the recurring components of our business.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements made herein that are not statements of historical fact, including statements about Radware’s plans, outlook, beliefs, or opinions, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “estimates,” “plans,” and similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” “may,” and “could.” Because such statements deal with future events, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties, and actual results, expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, could differ materially from Radware’s current forecasts and estimates. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: the impact of global economic conditions, including as a result of the state of war declared in Israel in October 2023 and instability in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, and the tensions between China and Taiwan; our dependence on independent distributors to sell our products; our ability to manage our anticipated growth effectively; a shortage of components or manufacturing capacity could cause a delay in our ability to fulfill orders or increase our manufacturing costs; our business may be affected by sanctions, export controls, and similar measures, targeting Russia and other countries and territories, as well as other responses to Russia’s military conflict in Ukraine, including indefinite suspension of operations in Russia and dealings with Russian entities by many multi-national businesses across a variety of industries; the ability of vendors to provide our hardware platforms and components for the manufacture of our products; our ability to attract, train, and retain highly qualified personnel; intense competition in the market for cyber security and application delivery solutions and in our industry in general, and changes in the competitive landscape; our ability to develop new solutions and enhance existing solutions; the impact to our reputation and business in the event of real or perceived shortcomings, defects, or vulnerabilities in our solutions, if our end-users experience security breaches, if our information technology systems and data, or those of our service providers and other contractors, are compromised by cyber-attackers or other malicious actors, or by a critical system failure; outages, interruptions, or delays in hosting services; the risks associated with our global operations, such as difficulties and costs of staffing and managing foreign operations, compliance costs arising from host country laws or regulations, partial or total expropriation, export duties and quotas, local tax exposure, economic or political instability, including as a result of insurrection, war, natural disasters, and major environmental, climate, or public health concerns, such as the COVID-19 pandemic; our net losses in the past two years and possibility we may incur losses in the future; a slowdown in the growth of the cyber security and application delivery solutions market or in the development of the market for our cloud-based solutions; long sales cycles for our solutions; risks and uncertainties relating to acquisitions or other investments; risks associated with doing business in countries with a history of corruption or with foreign governments; changes in foreign currency exchange rates; risks associated with undetected defects or errors in our products; our ability to protect our proprietary technology; intellectual property infringement claims made by fourth parties; laws, regulations, and industry standards affecting our business; compliance with open source and fourth-party licenses; and other factors and risks over which we may have little or no control. This list is intended to identify only certain of the principal factors that could cause actual results to differ. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting Radware, refer to Radware’s Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the other risk factors discussed from time to time by Radware in reports filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and, except as required by applicable law, Radware undertakes no commitment to revise or update any forward-looking statement in order to reflect events or circumstances after the date any such statement is made. Radware’s public filings are available from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or may be obtained on Radware’s website at www.radware.com.
About Radware
Radware® (NASDAQ: RDWR) is a global leader in application security and delivery solutions for multi-cloud environments. The company’s cloud application, infrastructure, and API security solutions use AI-driven algorithms for precise, hands-free, real-time protection from the most sophisticated web, application, and DDoS attacks, API abuse, and bad bots. Enterprises and carriers worldwide rely on Radware’s solutions to address evolving cybersecurity challenges and protect their brands and business operations while reducing costs. For more information, please visit the Radware website.
Radware encourages you to join our community and follow us on: Facebook, LinkedIn, Radware Blog, X, YouTube, and Radware Mobile for iOS.
©2025 Radware Ltd. All rights reserved. Any Radware products and solutions mentioned in this press release are protected by trademarks, patents, and pending patent applications of Radware in the U.S. and other countries. For more details, please see: https://www.radware.com/LegalNotice/. All other trademarks and names are property of their respective owners.
Radware believes the information in this document is accurate in all material respects as of its publication date. However, the information is provided without any express, statutory, or implied warranties and is subject to change without notice.
The contents of any website or hyperlinks mentioned in this press release are for informational purposes and the contents thereof are not part of this press release.
CONTACTS
Investor Relations:
Yisca Erez, +972-72-3917211, ir@radware.com
Media Contact:
Gerri Dyrek, gerri.dyrek@radware.com
| Radware Ltd. | ||||
| Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets | ||||
| (U.S. Dollars in thousands) | ||||
| December 31, | December 31, | |||
| 2024 | 2023 | |||
| (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | |||
| Assets | ||||
| Current assets | ||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | 98,714 | 70,538 | ||
| Marketable securities | 72,994 | 86,372 | ||
| Short-term bank deposits | 104,073 | 173,678 | ||
| Trade receivables, net | 16,823 | 20,267 | ||
| Other receivables and prepaid expenses | 14,242 | 9,529 | ||
| Inventories | 14,030 | 15,544 | ||
| 320,876 | 375,928 | |||
| Long-term investments | ||||
| Marketable securities | 29,523 | 33,131 | ||
| Long-term bank deposits | 114,354 | – | ||
| Other assets | 2,171 | 2,166 | ||
| 146,048 | 35,297 | |||
| Property and equipment, net | 15,632 | 18,221 | ||
| Intangible assets, net | 11,750 | 15,718 | ||
| Other long-term assets | 37,906 | 37,967 | ||
| Operating lease right-of-use assets | 18,456 | 20,777 | ||
| Goodwill | 68,008 | 68,008 | ||
| Total assets | 618,676 | 571,916 | ||
| Liabilities and equity | ||||
| Current liabilities | ||||
| Trade payables | 5,581 | 4,298 | ||
| Deferred revenues | 106,303 | 105,012 | ||
| Operating lease liabilities | 4,750 | 4,684 | ||
| Other payables and accrued expenses | 51,836 | 41,021 | ||
| 168,470 | 155,015 | |||
| Long-term liabilities | ||||
| Deferred revenues | 64,708 | 60,499 | ||
| Operating lease liabilities | 13,519 | 16,020 | ||
| Other long-term liabilities | 14,904 | 17,108 | ||
| 93,131 | 93,627 | |||
| Equity | ||||
| Radware Ltd. equity | ||||
| Share capital | 754 | 742 | ||
| Additional paid-in capital | 555,154 | 529,209 | ||
| Accumulated other comprehensive income | 1,103 | 77 | ||
| Treasury stock, at cost | (366,588) | (365,749) | ||
| Retained earnings | 125,850 | 119,812 | ||
| Total Radware Ltd. shareholder’s equity | 316,273 | 284,091 | ||
| Non–controlling interest | 40,802 | 39,183 | ||
| Total equity | 357,075 | 323,274 | ||
| Total liabilities and equity | 618,676 | 571,916 | ||
| Radware Ltd. | |||||||||||
| Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss) | |||||||||||
| (U.S Dollars in thousands, except share and per share data) | |||||||||||
| For the three months ended | For the twelve months ended | ||||||||||
| December 31, | December 31, | ||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | ||||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | ||||||||
| Revenues | 73,031 | 65,032 | 274,880 | 261,292 | |||||||
| Cost of revenues | 13,992 | 12,824 | 53,252 | 51,710 | |||||||
| Gross profit | 59,039 | 52,208 | 221,628 | 209,582 | |||||||
| Operating expenses, net: | |||||||||||
| Research and development, net | 18,472 | 19,712 | 74,723 | 82,617 | |||||||
| Selling and marketing | 32,505 | 31,869 | 122,450 | 126,237 | |||||||
| General and administrative | 7,071 | 8,030 | 28,342 | 32,408 | |||||||
| Total operating expenses, net | 58,048 | 59,611 | 225,515 | 241,262 | |||||||
| Operating income (loss) | 991 | (7,403) | (3,887) | (31,680) | |||||||
| Financial income, net | 3,570 | 3,239 | 16,552 | 13,927 | |||||||
| Income (loss) before taxes on income | 4,561 | (4,164) | 12,665 | (17,753) | |||||||
| Taxes on income | 2,109 | 1,686 | 6,627 | 3,837 | |||||||
| Net income (loss) | 2,452 | (5,850) | 6,038 | (21,590) | |||||||
| Basic net income (loss) per share attributed to Radware Ltd.’s shareholders | 0.06 | (0.14) | 0.14 | (0.50) | |||||||
| Weighted average number of shares used to compute basic net income (loss) per share | 42,238,469 | 41,806,042 | 41,982,851 | 42,871,770 | |||||||
| Diluted net income (loss) per share attributed to Radware Ltd.’s shareholders | 0.06 | (0.14) | 0.14 | (0.50) | |||||||
| Weighted average number of shares used to compute diluted net income (loss) per share | 43,725,803 | 41,806,042 | 43,362,906 | 42,871,770 | |||||||
| Radware Ltd. | |||||||||
| Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Information | |||||||||
| (U.S Dollars in thousands, except share and per share data) | |||||||||
| For the three months ended | For the twelve months ended | ||||||||
| December 31, | December 31, | ||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | ||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | ||||||
| GAAP gross profit | 59,039 | 52,208 | 221,628 | 209,582 | |||||
| Share-based compensation | 126 | 112 | 366 | 515 | |||||
| Amortization of intangible assets | 992 | 992 | 3,968 | 3,968 | |||||
| Non-GAAP gross profit | 60,157 | 53,312 | 225,962 | 214,065 | |||||
| GAAP research and development, net | 18,472 | 19,712 | 74,723 | 82,617 | |||||
| Share-based compensation | 1,434 | 2,305 | 6,113 | 8,505 | |||||
| Non-GAAP Research and development, net | 17,038 | 17,407 | 68,610 | 74,112 | |||||
| GAAP selling and marketing | 32,505 | 31,869 | 122,450 | 126,237 | |||||
| Share-based compensation | 3,173 | 3,489 | 10,881 | 12,554 | |||||
| Restructuring costs | – | 578 | – | 1,851 | |||||
| Non-GAAP selling and marketing | 29,332 | 27,802 | 111,569 | 111,832 | |||||
| GAAP general and administrative | 7,071 | 8,030 | 28,342 | 32,408 | |||||
| Share-based compensation | 2,187 | 2,965 | 8,667 | 12,448 | |||||
| Acquisition costs | 130 | 359 | 701 | 1,128 | |||||
| Non-GAAP general and administrative | 4,754 | 4,706 | 18,974 | 18,832 | |||||
| GAAP total operating expenses, net | 58,048 | 59,611 | 225,515 | 241,262 | |||||
| Share-based compensation | 6,794 | 8,759 | 25,661 | 33,507 | |||||
| Acquisition costs | 130 | 359 | 701 | 1,128 | |||||
| Restructuring costs | – | 578 | – | 1,851 | |||||
| Non-GAAP total operating expenses, net | 51,124 | 49,915 | 199,153 | 204,776 | |||||
| GAAP operating income (loss) | 991 | (7,403) | (3,887) | (31,680) | |||||
| Share-based compensation | 6,920 | 8,871 | 26,027 | 34,022 | |||||
| Amortization of intangible assets | 992 | 992 | 3,968 | 3,968 | |||||
| Acquisition costs | 130 | 359 | 701 | 1,128 | |||||
| Restructuring costs | – | 578 | – | 1,851 | |||||
| Non-GAAP operating income | 9,033 | 3,397 | 26,809 | 9,289 | |||||
| GAAP financial income, net | 3,570 | 3,239 | 16,552 | 13,927 | |||||
| Exchange rate differences, net on balance sheet items included in financial income, net | 1,463 | 563 | 1,232 | (207) | |||||
| Non-GAAP financial income, net | 5,033 | 3,802 | 17,784 | 13,720 | |||||
| GAAP income (loss) before taxes on income | 4,561 | (4,164) | 12,665 | (17,753) | |||||
| Share-based compensation | 6,920 | 8,871 | 26,027 | 34,022 | |||||
| Amortization of intangible assets | 992 | 992 | 3,968 | 3,968 | |||||
| Acquisition costs | 130 | 359 | 701 | 1,128 | |||||
| Restructuring costs | – | 578 | – | 1,851 | |||||
| Exchange rate differences, net on balance sheet items included in financial income, net | 1,463 | 563 | 1,232 | (207) | |||||
| Non-GAAP income before taxes on income | 14,066 | 7,199 | 44,593 | 23,009 | |||||
| GAAP taxes on income | 2,109 | 1,686 | 6,627 | 3,837 | |||||
| Tax related adjustments | 61 | 61 | 246 | 246 | |||||
| Non-GAAP taxes on income | 2,170 | 1,747 | 6,873 | 4,083 | |||||
| GAAP net income (loss) | 2,452 | (5,850) | 6,038 | (21,590) | |||||
| Share-based compensation | 6,920 | 8,871 | 26,027 | 34,022 | |||||
| Amortization of intangible assets | 992 | 992 | 3,968 | 3,968 | |||||
| Acquisition costs | 130 | 359 | 701 | 1,128 | |||||
| Restructuring costs | – | 578 | – | 1,851 | |||||
| Exchange rate differences, net on balance sheet items included in financial income, net | 1,463 | 563 | 1,232 | (207) | |||||
| Tax related adjustments | (61) | (61) | (246) | (246) | |||||
| Non-GAAP net income | 11,896 | 5,452 | 37,720 | 18,926 | |||||
| GAAP diluted net income (loss) per share | 0.06 | (0.14) | 0.14 | (0.50) | |||||
| Share-based compensation | 0.16 | 0.21 | 0.60 | 0.78 | |||||
| Amortization of intangible assets | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.09 | 0.09 | |||||
| Acquisition costs | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.03 | |||||
| Restructuring costs | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.04 | |||||
| Exchange rate differences, net on balance sheet items included in financial income, net | 0.03 | 0.01 | 0.03 | 0.00 | |||||
| Tax related adjustments | (0.00) | (0.00) | (0.01) | (0.01) | |||||
| Non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share | 0.27 | 0.13 | 0.87 | 0.43 | |||||
| Weighted average number of shares used to compute non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share | 43,725,803 | 42,462,751 | 43,362,906 | 43,655,555 | |||||
| Radware Ltd. | ||||||||
| Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow | ||||||||
| (U.S. Dollars in thousands) | ||||||||
| For the three months ended | For the twelve months ended | |||||||
| December 31, | December 31, | |||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||
| (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | |||||
| Cash flow from operating activities: | ||||||||
| Net income (loss) | 2,452 | (5,850) | 6,038 | (21,590) | ||||
| Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities: | ||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 2,918 | 3,028 | 11,836 | 12,244 | ||||
| Share-based compensation | 6,920 | 8,871 | 26,027 | 34,022 | ||||
| Amortization of premium, accretion of discounts and accrued interest on marketable securities, net | (190) | 638 | (417) | 1,754 | ||||
| Loss (income) related to securities, net | – | (1) | – | 243 | ||||
| Increase (decrease) in accrued interest on bank deposits | (1,279) | 549 | 3,366 | (3,265) | ||||
| Increase (decrease) in accrued severance pay, net | (151) | 207 | (45) | (299) | ||||
| Decrease (increase) in trade receivables, net | 3,140 | (7,895) | 3,444 | (2,515) | ||||
| Decrease (increase) in other receivables and prepaid expenses and other long-term assets | (1,252) | 2,236 | (97) | (305) | ||||
| Decrease (increase) in inventories | (487) | (2,550) | 1,514 | (4,116) | ||||
| Increase (decrease) in trade payables | (970) | (1,771) | 1,283 | (2,166) | ||||
| Increase (decrease) in deferred revenues | (4,829) | (3,856) | 5,500 | (14,951) | ||||
| Increase (decrease) in other payables and accrued expenses | 6,222 | 9,383 | 13,274 | (1,415) | ||||
| Operating lease liabilities, net | 255 | (336) | (114) | (1,141) | ||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | 12,749 | 2,653 | 71,609 | (3,500) | ||||
| Cash flows from investing activities: | ||||||||
| Purchase of property and equipment | (1,059) | (936) | (5,279) | (5,429) | ||||
| Proceeds from other long-term assets, net | 41 | (11) | 81 | 66 | ||||
| Proceeds from (investment in) bank deposits, net | (46,682) | 29,686 | (48,115) | 81,031 | ||||
| Investment in, redemption of and purchase of marketable securities ,net | 23,249 | 16,764 | 18,793 | 17,111 | ||||
| Investment in other deposits | (5,000) | – | (5,000) | – | ||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | (29,451) | 45,503 | (39,520) | 92,779 | ||||
| Cash flows from financing activities: | ||||||||
| Proceeds from exercise of share options | – | 63 | 3 | 371 | ||||
| Repurchase of shares | – | (10,103) | (839) | (63,234) | ||||
| Payment of contingent consideration related to acquisition | – | – | (3,077) | (2,063) | ||||
| Net cash used in financing activities | – | (10,040) | (3,913) | (64,926) | ||||
| Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | (16,702) | 38,116 | 28,176 | 24,353 | ||||
| Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period | 115,416 | 32,422 | 70,538 | 46,185 | ||||
| Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period | 98,714 | 70,538 | 98,714 | 70,538 | ||||
| Radware Ltd. | ||||||||
| RECONCILIATION OF GAAP NET INCOME (LOSS) TO EBITDA AND ADJUSTED EBITDA (NON-GAAP) | ||||||||
| (U.S Dollars in thousands) | ||||||||
| For the three months ended | For the twelve months ended | |||||||
| December 31, | December 31, | |||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||
| (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | |||||
| GAAP net income (loss) | 2,452 | (5,850) | 6,038 | (21,590) | ||||
| Exclude: Financial income, net | (3,570) | (3,239) | (16,552) | (13,927) | ||||
| Exclude: Depreciation and amortization expense | 2,918 | 3,028 | 11,836 | 12,244 | ||||
| Exclude: Taxes on income | 2,109 | 1,686 | 6,627 | 3,837 | ||||
| EBITDA | 3,909 | (4,375) | 7,949 | (19,436) | ||||
| Share-based compensation | 6,920 | 8,871 | 26,027 | 34,022 | ||||
| Restructuring costs | – | 578 | – | 1,851 | ||||
| Acquisition costs | 130 | 359 | 701 | 1,128 | ||||
| Adjusted EBITDA | 10,959 | 5,433 | 34,677 | 17,565 | ||||
| For the three months ended | For the twelve months ended | |||||||
| December 31, | December 31, | |||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||
| Amortization of intangible assets | 992 | 992 | 3,968 | 3,968 | ||||
| Depreciation | 1,926 | 2,036 | 7,868 | 8,276 | ||||
| 2,918 | 3,028 | 11,836 | 12,244 | |||||
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today held a seminar on China’s 2024-2035 master plan to become a leading country in education, with Vice Minister of Education Wu Yan delivering a keynote speech to give representatives of various sectors a deeper understanding of the plan.
The seminar was attended by around 400 participants. Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki and Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin delivered the opening and closing addresses, respectively.
The master plan was issued following an important speech by President Xi Jinping at the National Conference on Education last September. It sets out a roadmap for national education development over the next 10 years.
The plan proposes a mechanism for co-ordinating and promoting the integration of education, technology and talent. It also outlines pathways for the development of an “innotech” hub in the Greater Bay Area, the establishment of a high-calibre talent hub, and systems for talent attraction and retention, in order to boost innovation.
Mr Chan highlighted that a resolution, adopted in the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), to deepen reforms advancing the nation’s modernisation proposed that Hong Kong be built into an international hub for high-calibre talent.
He elaborated that the Hong Kong SAR Government is committed to pursuing the development of talent from different backgrounds, fostering synergistic talent development, and supporting science and technology to draw talent to the city and contribute to high-quality development in Hong Kong and the country at large.
Mr Chan said that the Committee on Education, Technology & Talents – which he chairs and which was established at the end of last year – will strive to shape the development of systemic, holistic and synergistic policies that respond to the manpower needs of Hong Kong’s “eight centres” strategy. It will also promote the integration of education, technology and talent and the country’s invigoration through science and education, he added.
Stating that education in Hong Kong will thrive with its rapid development in the country overall in the coming 10 years, Ms Choi said the Education Bureau will deepen the city’s role as an international post-secondary education hub.
Besides boosting the comprehensive strengths of Hong Kong’s tertiary education sector and forging new competitive edges through digital education, the bureau will create multiple pathways for young generations, enhance students’ “whole-person” development, and raise teachers’ capacity to cultivate values and nurture people, she added.
Source: United Kingdom UK House of Lords (video statements)
Former top diplomat Simon McDonald, Lord McDonald of Salford, is the latest guest on Lord Speaker’s Corner.
Lord McDonald shares his views on a range of current international issues from President Trump and Greenland to the Chagos Islands and British soft power, plus changes to the global approach of the USA, China and Russia:
‘For most of my career, the reasons why the institutions of the late 1940s were fraying were because Russia and then China were not particularly happy with that post Second World War settlement. The surprise in recent years is the United States being a revisionist power, not liking the bill paid by the United States to underpin that settlement.’
Lord McDonald was previously Head of the Diplomatic Service, the most senior civil servant in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and has served as Ambassador to Israel and to Germany. In this episode, he speaks to Lord McFall about what drew him to public service both in the Foreign Office and the House of Lords:
‘I think British public service is part of what defines our country and helps us through crisis. And I think it is a fact that in this House there are a group of people who are here to help, to help other people, not to help themselves. They are here to bring their expertise to bear. They’re here to listen to other people. They are here to gather evidence before they make up their minds. And I think those are solid attributes of public service.’
Lord McDonald also talks about the role of the Civil Service and ministers, plus the challenges of planning for successive governments:
‘One reason why our projects across the board are worse than, say, similar projects in Japan or China or even France, is our planning regime, that every single road, bridge, railway has to go through a very protracted planning legal procedure. Every government I’ve worked for identified our planning laws as an obstacle, and every government so far has failed really to grip it. I note that the new Labour government is gearing up to attempt. I hope they succeed. But I note that every previous effort has failed.’
See more from the series https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/house-of-lords-podcast/
#HouseOfLords #UKParliament #LordSpeakersCorner #LordsMembers
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
February 12 marks the Lantern Festival of 2025 in China, falling on the 15th day of the first month on the Chinese lunar calendar. In Taiyuan, capital of north China’s Shanxi Province, an exciting drum competition has taken place in celebration. Team members went all out with dynamic drum formations and majestic rhythms, offering audiences an atmosphere of festivity. Various folk performances were also interwoven throughout the event.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Lantern fairs held in Beijing to mark Lantern Festival
Source: Peoples Bank of China
Announcement on Open Market Operations No.27 [2025]
(Open Market Operations Office, February 12, 2025)
In order to keep liquidity adequate in the banking system, the People’s Bank of China conducted reverse repo operations in the amount of RMB558 billion through quantity bidding at a fixed interest rate on February 12, 2025.
Details of the Reverse Repo Operations
|
Maturity |
Volume |
Rate |
|
7 days |
RMB558 billion |
1.50% |
Date of last update Nov. 29 2018
2025年02月12日
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
HARBIN, Feb. 12 — Harbin Ice-Snow World, the world’s largest ice-and-snow theme park, has welcomed over 3 million visits as of Tuesday, setting a new attendance record just 52 days into its 26th edition, organizers announced.
Located in Harbin, the capital of northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province and often referred to as the “city of ice,” this year’s park was built with 300,000 cubic meters of ice and snow and features elaborate ice structures inspired by the 9th Asian Winter Games, which Harbin is hosting.
Beyond its artistic ice sculptures, the park offers a range of interactive winter attractions, including a snowflake ice maze, ice rinks, and a massive ice slide complemented by over 20 smaller ones.
“It’s freezing, but absolutely stunning! During the day, the ice sculptures glisten like crystals, and at night, dazzling lights transform the park into a winter wonderland,” said Mandizvidza Shalom Zivo, a visitor from Zimbabwe.
The park covers 1 million square meters, up from 800,000 square meters last year. This is the largest in its 26-year history.
As an established ice-and-snow theme park, Harbin Ice-Snow World stands out as one of China’s iconic winter attractions. It surged in popularity on Chinese social media last winter, becoming an internet sensation as passion for winter sports and tourism continues to rise across the country.
“Through this park, we aim to enhance the global reputation of Heilongjiang and Harbin as premier winter destinations,” said Sun Zemin, deputy director of the marketing department at Harbin Ice-Snow World Park Co., Ltd.
With its booming ice-and-snow tourism, northeast China has gained fresh appeal. Once known as the country’s rustbelt, the region has long struggled with a painful economic transition and talent outflows.
China aims to boost its ice-and-snow economy as a new source of growth, targeting an economic scale of 1.2 trillion yuan (about 167.34 billion U.S. dollars) by 2027 and 1.5 trillion yuan by 2030, according to guidelines released by the State Council last year.
Source: China State Council Information Office 2
This photo shows the exterior design of China’s moon-landing spacesuit during the third Spacesuit Technology Forum in Southwest China’s Chongqing municipality, Sept 28, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) on Wednesday unveiled the names of the moon-landing spacesuit and manned lunar rover for the country’s manned lunar exploration missions.
The moon-landing spacesuit is named Wangyu, meaning gazing into the cosmos, and it echoes the name of the country’s extravehicular spacesuit, Feitian, which means flying into space, according to the CMSA.
The manned lunar rover is called Tansuo, meaning to explore the unknown. This name reflects the lunar rover’s mission and practical value in aiding the Chinese people to uncover the mysteries of the moon, said the agency.
Currently, research and development endeavors concerning both Wangyu and Tansuo are progressing smoothly, the CMSA stated.
Source: China State Council Information Office 2
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Command tracked and monitored two U.S. ships that passed through the Taiwan Strait from Monday to Wednesday and maintained vigilance throughout the process.
The passage of a U.S. destroyer and a marine survey ship was effectively handled by the navy and air force of the PLA Eastern Command, according to Li Xi, a spokesperson for the command on Wednesday.
Li said the U.S. action has sent wrong signals and heightened security risks.
“The armed forces of the command will stay on high alert at all times to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and security, and maintain regional peace and stability,” Li said.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China expands silver tourism train services to cater to growing elderly travel market
BEIJING, Feb. 12 — As the sun rose over the snow-capped peaks of the Qinling Mountains, a group of silver-haired retirees eagerly boarded a Silk Road-themed tourism train in Xi’an, the capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province.
For the next three days, these seniors embarked on a leisurely journey through the picturesque landscapes of central China, relaxing in hot springs and savoring local delicacies, traveling on one of many specialized tourism trains that are revolutionizing travel for China’s growing elderly population.
On Tuesday, nine Chinese government agencies and state-owned enterprises, including the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, unveiled an action plan to expand and improve senior-friendly tourism train services, in the latest bid to create more inclusive and enjoyable travel experiences for the elderly.
The initiative aims to enrich the tourism market, promote services consumption and cater to the growing demand for elderly-friendly travel options. It plans to create a nationwide network of specialized trains catering to older travelers by 2027, with over 100 designed routes and 2,500 scheduled trips annually, according to a press conference held later on Tuesday.
The concept of senior-focused rail travel has been gaining momentum across China. According to China Railway Qinghai-Xizang Group Co., Ltd., over 77 percent of passengers on its special tourism trains have been aged 55 or above in recent years.
A 15-day railway tour to the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has proved particularly popular, allowing seniors to explore the vast region’s diverse landscapes and cultural heritage in comfort. “Compared to self-drive tours, railway tours cut costs, save time and conserve energy, making them very suitable for elderly travelers,” 61-year-old Wang Zhanqi, who hails from Qinghai Province and took the Xinjiang railway tour last year, told Xinhua.
He particularly enjoyed photographing the winding streets and traditional architecture in the ancient city of Kashgar, and sampling water from Karez wells, which collect the melted ice and snow from the Tianshan Mountains.
Shaanxi’s Silk Road train, capable of carrying over 200 passengers per trip, is equipped with senior-friendly features like wide beds, temperature control systems and emergency call buttons. The train also boasts such entertainment facilities as karaoke rooms and mahjong tables, creating a lively and social atmosphere for its passengers.
These specialized trains provide more than just transportation, offering comprehensive services tailored to the needs of older travelers. Many feature onboard medical staff, health monitoring equipment and specially designed meals. The popular Panda Express service, which departs from Sichuan Province, includes niche cultural activities such as ethnic-style welcome ceremonies and traditional performances, adding a level of cultural immersion to an already distinctive journey.
“We strive to ensure a safer, more comfortable travel experience for the elderly,” said Yang Tao, general manager of Xi’an Railway International Travel Service Co., Ltd. “Silver-haired tourists generally have strong purchasing power and are inclined to buy handicrafts.”
The economic potential of this market is substantial. According to a recent blue paper on China’s silver economy, the sector is currently valued at 7 trillion yuan (about 976 billion U.S. dollars), accounting for about 6 percent of the country’s GDP, with tourism being a key growth area.
Elderly adults in China had amassed wealth totaling 78.4 trillion yuan by 2023, according to the China National Committee on Aging. And the overall silver economy is projected to reach 30 trillion yuan by 2035, which would represent 10 percent of China’s GDP.
Recognizing the increasing purchasing power and travel aspirations of China’s elderly population, the action plan released on Tuesday outlines a series of measures to develop the sector further, including measures to expand services offerings, develop themed routes, and enhance medical and senior care services on trains.
Measures will be taken to upgrade the trains so that they are more age-friendly, green and comfortable, which will be supported by China’s large-scale equipment upgrade and consumer goods trade-in programs, and additional measures will be implemented to tailor themed travel routes and products for seniors.
Highlighting the integration of health care services into senior tourism trains, the action plan notes that medical professionals will be stationed on board, and medical expenses incurred during travel will be eligible for cross-regional medical insurance settlement, simplifying the claims process for elderly passengers.
The plan also advocates improved coordination between tourism trains and scenic areas, encouraging local tourist destinations to offer tailored services such as reservations, green channels, transportation connections and dedicated reception facilities for senior travelers.
The action plan aims to create a comprehensive national network of senior-friendly tourism trains by 2027, with established service standards and recognizable brand identities.
These specialized train services will utilize off-peak travel periods to avoid conflicting with regular passenger services, ensuring that the trains operate efficiently without disrupting the broader transportation system, MOC official Kong Dejun said at the press conference.
From onboard medical care to senior-friendly meals and entertainment, silver tourism trains are more than a mode of transport: they are redefining what it means to travel in one’s golden years. Analysts note that China’s railways, already arteries of economic development, are poised to enrich the lives of the nation’s growing elderly population.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
‘Wulong Xuhua’ show held to celebrate Lantern Festival in Guizhou
Source: United Nations MIL OSI b
As intense round-the-clock COP29 climate talks enter their final stretch in Baku, delegates on Wednesday are eagerly awaiting updates on the progress of negotiations regarding a new climate finance target. Meanwhile, high-level discussions also continued, with a focus on key issues such as urbanization, transport, and tourism.
The source of the hundreds of billions, if not trillions, of funds that developing nations say will be needed to adapt to a fast-changing climate – governments, multilateral banks, or the private sector – has become a major subject of contention during the last eight days.
Meanwhile, away from the COP29 negotiations, the urgent need to cut emissions, adapt to a changing climate, lessen the effects of the crisis, and shield people from catastrophic weather events are among the themes in the many speeches given by government officials, heads of UN organizations, climate experts and leaders of civil society.
Home to half the world’s population, with some 2.4 billion more expected to move to urban areas within the next 20 years, cities contribute significantly to global emissions while also being disproportionately impacted the effects of climate change.
In its latest World Cities report, UN-Habitat, the UN agency dealing with human settlements and sustainable urban development, says billions of people currently living in cities could experience an additional temperature rise of at least 0.5 degrees Celsius by 2040.
At the same time, measures to offset the impact of climate change on urban populations still do not match the scale and intensity of the challenges faced by cities.
Addressing a ministerial meeting at COP29 today, Anaclaudia Rossbach, the Executive Director of UN-Habitat, warned that rapid and unplanned urban development pose threats to biodiversity, the environment, and food security.
This also leads to social fragmentation and financial deterioration. While the construction sector accounts for 40 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, the UN-Habitat chief said 96 homes need to be built every day to meet the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
As such adequate funding and cooperation at all levels are necessary to address these twin challenges.
“There is only one road to pursue, one track, one we walk collectively where social, urban, and climate needs are addressed harmoniously over solid economic ground,” Ms. Rossbach stressed.
She added: “Yes, we do need more finance flowing to cities. We need to plan and prioritize. Land is scarce and needs to fulfill its social and ecological functions. Social and housing needs are vast.”
“We take care of people; people take care of the planet. And we should leave no one behind,” she concluded.
UNFCCC/Kiara Worth
Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, addresses a Ministerial meeting on urbanization and climate change, at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
In a separate session today, speakers noted an ongoing issue that could seriously hamper many efforts to address climate-driven impacts in cities, and elsewhere.
According to the latest report from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), global emissions increased by 1.3 per cent in 2023 – when they should have decreased.
“To limit warming to 1.5°C, updated National Contributions – climate commitments that each country makes – should enable a 42 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and 57 per cent by 2035,” said UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen.
She highlighted that 52 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions come from just 25 megacities, including, among others, Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, Moscow, and New York City.
“This means the actions you take in setting standards for energy efficiency, determining energy sources, managing waste and methane emissions, improving public transport, encouraging electric mobility, and promoting pedestrian-friendly cities can make a massive impact,” she told mayors from around the world gathered at the event.
For the first time ever the issue of tourism is being discussed at a COP, formally the Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) in the context of its impact on climate.
In 2023, the tourism sector recovered from the doldrums of the COVID-19 pandemic, as international arrivals rebounded to almost 90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. That year, the sector contributed three per cent to the global gross domestic product (GDP), amounting to $3.3 trillion, and employed one in every ten people worldwide.
In an interview with UNifeed, Ms. Andersen reiterated her call on stakeholders at COP29 to make sure tourism industry lessens its carbon footprint.
“We need to understand that the tourism sector is impacted by climate change. And so, it is both a victim of and a contributor to climate change. That is why having this first tourism focus at a COP is very important.”
Meanwhile, Selwyn Hart, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Climate Action, reminded attendees at COP29 that humanity already has the knowledge and tools needed to effectively combat climate change.
“A revolution in the transition to renewable energy is already underway. It cannot be stopped,” he said.
“However, the question remains whether the speed of this transition will prevent its worst consequences. And secondly, whether it will be fair enough to reduce inequality within and between countries.”
UNFCCC/Kiara Worth
Negotiating teams at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, pictured here during a break in the talks, are working to reach agreement on a new climate financing deal.
The results of the negotiations in Baku will provide answers to some of these questions.
The focus of the Baku talks is on agreeing a new climate finance goal that will provide countries – especially the most vulnerable – with the means to take stronger climate action. At stake are trillions of dollars that developing countries need to mitigate the effects of climate change and adapt to rapidly changing conditions.
According to UNEP, Cedric Schuster, chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), stated yesterday that the “top-level priority is minimum allocation floors for small island developing States of $39 billion a year, and $220 billion a year for least developed countries, both in grant-equivalent terms. Any [outcome] texts that do not include these aspects will not be acceptable for these groups.”
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Jiwoh Abdulai, emphasized the concern many developing countries share, namely, the form this money should take.
“Don’t use the word ‘donor,’” he said on Tuesday. “That implies charity. There is a climate debt that needs to be paid. We are talking about lives and livelihoods. Our people are paying with their lives.”
Discussions also touched on the very definition of a ‘developing country.’ Some negotiators have argued that countries like China or certain Gulf states no longer fall into this category, given the growth of their economies since the adoption of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992.
Cecilia Kinuthia-Njenga, Director of the Division of Intergovernmental Support and Collective Progress of the UNFCCC, noted that every delegation comes to COP29 with its aspirations and hopes.
“In multilateralism, the results are sometimes different from what any one country imagines. This underscores the importance of flexibility, cooperation, and the willingness to adapt to changing circumstances and international relations,” she said.
Want to know more? Check out our special events page, where you can find all our coverage of COP29, including stories and videos, explainers and our newsletter.
Source: Republic of China Taiwan
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2025-02-08
Presidential Office thanks US and Japan for joint leaders’ statement
On February 7 (US EST), President Donald Trump of the United States and Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru of Japan issued a joint leaders’ statement reiterating “the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of security and prosperity for the international community.” In the statement, the two leaders also “encouraged the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues, and opposed any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion” and “expressed support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations.” Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) on February 8 expressed sincere gratitude on behalf of the Presidential Office to the leaders of both countries for taking concrete action to demonstrate their firm support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and for Taiwan’s international participation. Spokesperson Kuo pointed out that there is already a strong international consensus on the importance of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The spokesperson emphasized that Taiwan, as a responsible member of the international community, is capable and willing to work together with the international community and will continue strengthening its self-defense capabilities as it deepens its trilateral security partnership with the US and Japan and works alongside like-minded countries to uphold the rules-based international order. The spokesperson said that Taiwan will work toward ensuring a free and open Taiwan Strait and Indo-Pacific region, as well as global peace, stability, and prosperity, as it continues to act as a force for good in the world.
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2025-02-08
President Lai’s response to Pope Francis’s 2025 World Day of Peace message
President Lai Ching-te recently sent a letter to Pope Francis of the Catholic Church in response to his message marking the 58th World Day of Peace. The following is the full text of the president’s letter to the pope: Your Holiness, In your message for the 2025 World Day of Peace entitled Forgive us our trespasses: grant us your peace, you called for a cultural change that would bring an end to the governance of interpersonal and international relations by a logic of exploitation and oppression and herald true and lasting peace. I wholeheartedly admire and identify with your point of view. Since transitioning from a medical career to politics, I have remained true to my original intentions in the sense that, while a doctor can help only one person at a time, a public servant can simultaneously assist many people in resolving the difficulties affecting their lives. In my inaugural address in May 2024, I pledged that every day of my term, I would strive to act justly, show mercy, and be humble, which accord with the teachings of the Bible. I promised to treat the Taiwanese people as family and prove myself worthy of their trust and expectations. With an unwavering heart, I have accepted the people’s trust and taken on the solemn responsibility of leading the nation forward and building a democratic, peaceful, and prosperous new Taiwan. In this new year, the changing international landscape continues to present many grave challenges to democratic nations around the world. As the Russia-Ukraine war persists, the steady convergence of authoritarian regimes, including China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, threatens the rules-based international order and severely impacts peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and the world at large. Your Holiness has stated that war is a defeat for everyone. I, too, firmly believe that peace is priceless and that war has no winners. A high level of consensus has formed in the international community on upholding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The Taiwanese people also maintain an unyielding commitment to safeguarding a way of life that encompasses freedom, equality, democracy, and human rights. Taiwan will continue to spare no effort in preserving regional peace and stability and serving as a pilot for global peace. In your World Day of Peace message, you urged prosperous countries to assist poorer ones. This compassion is truly touching. Taiwan is proactively implementing values-based diplomacy and, under the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project, enhancing allies’ development through a range of initiatives. Over many years, Taiwan has accumulated abundant and unique experience of providing foreign assistance. Seeking to foster self-reliance among disadvantaged countries, we have extended genuine support to help alleviate poverty through such avenues as strengthening basic infrastructure, transferring technology, and cultivating talent. In your message, you reminded countries worldwide that assistance should not be merely an isolated act of charity and pointed to the need to devise a new global financial framework so that food crises, climate change, and other challenges could be jointly addressed. I hold this view in high regard. I therefore earnestly hope that international organizations will stop excluding Taiwan for political reasons. Taiwan is willing to shoulder its international responsibilities so that it can contribute and share its valuable experience through many global platforms. On behalf of the government and people of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I again express our interest in collaborating with the Holy See to advance world peace through concrete action. We also aspire to demonstrate Taiwanese values and the Taiwanese spirit and work together with the Holy See to uphold the core values of justice, democracy, freedom, and peace. Please accept, Your Holiness, the renewed assurances of my highest consideration, as well as my best wishes for your good health and the continued growth of the Catholic Church.
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2025-02-08
President Lai meets former US Vice President Mike Pence
On the afternoon of January 17, President Lai Ching-te met with former Vice President of the United States Mike Pence. In remarks, President Lai thanked former Vice President Pence for his contributions to the deepening of Taiwan-US relations, noting that he actively helped to strengthen Taiwan-US cooperation and facilitate the normalization of military sales to Taiwan, and did his utmost to deepen the Taiwan-US economic partnership. The president indicated that former Vice President Pence also spoke up for Taiwan on numerous occasions at international venues, backing Taiwan’s international participation. President Lai expressed hope for a stronger Taiwan-US partnership to maintain peace and stability throughout the world, and that the two sides can advance bilateral exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, and industry. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I am delighted to welcome former Vice President Pence and Mrs. Karen Pence to the Presidential Office. Former Vice President Pence is not only an outstanding political leader in the US, but also a staunch supporter of Taiwan on the international stage. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I would like to take this opportunity to extend our deepest gratitude to former Vice President Pence for his contributions to the deepening of Taiwan-US relations. Thanks to former Vice President Pence’s strong backing, ties between Taiwan and the US rose to unprecedented heights during President Donald Trump’s first administration. Former Vice President Pence actively helped to strengthen Taiwan-US security cooperation and facilitate the normalization of military sales to Taiwan, helping Taiwan reinforce its self-defense capabilities. He also did his utmost to deepen the Taiwan-US economic partnership. Former Vice President Pence also paid close attention to the military threats and diplomatic isolation faced by Taiwan. He spoke up for Taiwan on numerous occasions at international venues, taking concrete action to back Taiwan’s international participation. We were truly grateful for this. As we speak, China’s political and military intimidation against Taiwan persist. China and other authoritarian regimes, such as Russia, North Korea, and Iran, are continuing to converge and present serious challenges to democracies around the globe. At this moment, free and democratic nations must come together to bolster cooperation. I believe that a stronger Taiwan-US partnership can be an even more powerful force in maintaining peace and stability throughout the world. Former Vice President Pence has previously supported the signing of a trade agreement between Taiwan and the US. Taiwan looks forward to continuing to work with the new US administration and Congress to advance bilateral exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, and industry. This is the first time that former Vice President Pence and Mrs. Pence are visiting Taiwan, and their visit is significantly meaningful for Taiwan-US exchanges. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I want to extend a warm welcome. Moving forward, I hope we will jointly realize even more fruitful achievements through Taiwan-US cooperation. Former Vice President Pence then delivered remarks, thanking President Lai for his hospitality on his and his wife’s first visit to Taiwan, saying that it is an honor to be here to reaffirm the bonds of friendship between the people of America and the people of Taiwan, which are strong and longstanding. The former vice president indicated that the American people admire the people of Taiwan and all that has been accomplished in a few short decades for Taiwan to rise to one of the world’s preeminent economic powers and free societies. He said that he is grateful for President Lai’s courageous and bold leadership of Taiwan, and grateful to be able to express the support of the overwhelming majority of the American people for this alliance. Former Vice President Pence indicated that the values shared by Taiwan and the US, including freedom, the rule of law, and respect for human rights, bind us together in a partnership that transcends geographic boundaries and cultures. He then assured President Lai that China’s increasingly aggressive posture in the Taiwan Strait and across the Indo-Pacific, for the values and interests that both sides share, is deeply concerning to the American people. Former Vice President Pence stated that America is a Pacific nation, and is committed to the status quo, adding that they recognize it is China that wants to change the status quo that America, Taiwan, and other allies in the region want to preserve, which has created an environment of extraordinary growth and prosperity. The former vice president concluded by once again thanking President Lai and his team for their gracious hospitality and conveying best wishes to him and the people of Taiwan. Former Vice President Pence then assured President Lai that just as Taiwan will never surrender its freedom, he will continue to be a voice for a strong US-Taiwan relationship in the defense and the benefit of Taiwan, the US, and the free world. Later that day, Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao hosted a banquet for former Vice President Pence and his delegation at Taipei Guest House to thank him for his longstanding friendship and staunch support for Taiwan-US ties.
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2025-02-08
President Lai meets delegation to 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of US president and vice president
On the morning of January 16, President Lai Ching-te met with Taiwan’s delegation to the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of the President and Vice President of the United States. In remarks, President Lai stated that democratic Taiwan stands united, working hard to deepen Taiwan-US ties together. He then entrusted the delegation with three missions: to convey best wishes from the people of Taiwan, convey our firm commitment to democracy, and help Taiwan-US relations reach a new milestone. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: The 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of the President and Vice President of the US will be held on January 20. I want to thank Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), president of the Legislative Yuan, for accepting my invitation to lead our nation’s representative delegation to the event. I also thank Legislative Yuan Members Ko Chih-en (柯志恩), Wang Ting-yu (王定宇), Ko Ju-chun (葛如鈞), Lee Yen-hsiu (李彥秀), Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷), Kuo Yu-ching (郭昱晴), and Chen Gau-tzu (陳昭姿) for joining this visit to the US to attend the inauguration of President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance. We have gathered together today despite differences in party affiliation because in democratic Taiwan, while parties may compete domestically, when it comes to engagement externally, they stand united and share responsibility, working hard to deepen Taiwan-US ties and strive for the best interests of the nation. We share the value of defending freedom and democracy, and we share the goal of advancing peace and prosperity. Today, we engage with the world together as those from the same country – the Republic of China (Taiwan). In this complex and volatile new international landscape, and as the nation faces difficulties and challenges, I want to stress that in Formosa, there is no hostility that cannot be let go, and no hardship that cannot be overcome. Unity is the most important, and I hope that Taiwan can stand united, because there is true strength in unity. Democratic Taiwan must stand united in engaging with the world and initiate exchanges with confidence. On that ground, I am entrusting this delegation with three key missions. First, convey best wishes from the people of Taiwan. Just last year, Taiwan and the US celebrated the 45th anniversary of the passage of the Taiwan Relations Act. And on May 20, the US sent a senior bipartisan delegation to congratulate me and Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao on our inauguration. As the leader of this cross-party delegation, Speaker Han must clearly convey the well-wishes of the people of Taiwan, congratulate President Trump and Vice President Vance on their inauguration, and wish success to the new administration and prosperity to the US. Second, clearly convey the firm commitment of the people of Taiwan to democracy. The theme of these inaugural ceremonies is “Our Enduring Democracy: A Constitutional Promise.” Taiwan and the US share the universal value of democracy and are staunch allies. I hope that the delegation can faithfully convey the firm commitment to democracy that the people of Taiwan have, which will not change even in the face of authoritarian threats. Taiwan is willing to stand side by side with the US and other members of the democratic community to defend the sustainable development of global democracy and prevent the expansion of authoritarianism. Third, help Taiwan-US relations reach a new milestone. In recent years, Taiwan-US relations have continued to grow, with the first agreement under the Taiwan-US Initiative on 21st Century Trade having formally taken effect last month. This morning, the House of Representatives also passed the US-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act. I hope that the delegation can help Taiwan-US relations reach a new milestone through these exchanges so that our relations continue to grow, our cooperation expands even more, and so that we can achieve even greater success after the new administration takes office. Four years ago, Taiwan’s representative to the US inaugural ceremonies was Vice President Hsiao, who was then our representative to the US. Everyone has a lot to learn from her. I have specially invited everyone here to converse so that you can draw from Vice President Hsiao’s experience and ensure an even smoother visit. Washington, DC was also hit by a rare blizzard recently, and the weather has been very cold, so make sure to stay warm. I am sending everyone off with hand warmers and thermoses so that you can bring some warmth from Taiwan with you on your journey. And I ask that Speaker Han exercise his wisdom to help generate some warmth between the ruling and opposition parties through cooperation, which they can then bring back to Taiwan. Let us unite to give our all for diplomacy so that we can unite to give our all for Taiwan. I wish the delegation a smooth and safe trip, and hope your missions can be carried out successfully. Speaker Han then delivered remarks, stating that it was an honor to be invited by President Lai to organize a delegation to represent our nation at the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of the President and Vice President of the US in Washington, DC, and express the Republic of China’s sincere and cordial best wishes. The Legislative Yuan’s president has assumed this important task numerous times in the past, he said, not only to represent the government of the Republic of China, but also to take on the mission of conveying the voices of 23 million people. He went on to say that he is honored to take up the baton, lead eight legislators to the US to attend this celebration that will attract global attention, and express sincere best wishes to newly elected President Trump, Vice President Vance, and the new administration’s team. As enjoined by President Lai, he hopes the delegation’s trip will help open a new chapter in Taiwan-US exchanges. Speaker Han stated that the US is the most free and democratic country in the world. He noted that in 1776 in the US Declaration of Independence, founding father Thomas Jefferson propounded the concept of “unalienable rights,” and emphasized that the people have a right to freedom and the pursuit of happiness, democratic ideas that have long been rooted in the people’s hearts. Today, he said, democracy is also embedded in the DNA of Taiwan’s 23 million people, and this hard-won democratic achievement is a result of the concerted efforts of our pioneering predecessors, thinkers, and activists over the past 100 years. Speaker Han stated that during this visit, the Legislative Yuan delegation hopes to convey the voice of Taiwan as a democratic country. Taiwan’s security, he said, is like the four legs of a table: The first leg is defending the Republic of China, the second is defending freedom and democracy, the third is maintaining Taiwan-US relations, and the fourth is maintaining cross-strait peace. The delegation will travel to the US amidst severe cold weather to show that we value our relationship with the US, and our citizens have great hopes and expectations. Speaker Han stated that this will be a cross-party delegation of eight legislators, all of whom have a strong sense of mission. He hopes that all democratic nations will acknowledge Taiwan’s importance, and pay attention to Taiwan’s 23 million people. The delegation, he said, will do its utmost to convey the goodwill and warmth that the people of Taiwan give to each and every one of our good friends.
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2025-02-08
President Lai confers decoration on former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis
On the morning of January 14, President Lai Ching-te conferred the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon upon former Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis of the Republic of Lithuania in recognition of his remarkable contributions to deepening Taiwan-Lithuania relations. In remarks, President Lai thanked former Minister Landsbergis for standing firmly with Taiwan and remaining a staunch defender of democratic values, yielding fruitful cooperative results. The president expressed hope that the two countries will engage in even more cooperation and exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, technology, and culture, and continue to advocate for the values of freedom and democracy so that together we can contribute even more to our nations’ development and to peace and prosperity throughout the world. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: Today, by conferring the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon upon former Minister Landsbergis, we recognize his outstanding contributions during his time as foreign minister of Lithuania. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I thank him for the key role he has played in deepening Taiwan-Lithuania relations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to the efforts of former Minister Landsbergis, Lithuania was the first European nation to donate vaccines to Taiwan. On that occasion, he stated that “freedom-loving people should look out for each other.” His statement was very moving and left a deep impression on many Taiwanese people. We will never forget it. Former Minister Landsbergis has continued to express the spirit of those words through his concrete actions. With his staunch support, Taiwan and Lithuania have mutually established representative offices. Moreover, our representative office in Lithuania was the first in Europe to incorporate “Taiwan” in its name. As for bilateral cooperation, Taiwan and Lithuania have seen fruitful results in such fields as semiconductors, laser technology, finance, and medicine. Be it overcoming the challenges posed by the pandemic or resisting expanding authoritarianism, former Minister Landsbergis has stood firmly with Taiwan and remained a staunch defender of democratic values. We greatly admire and appreciate his spirit. Today, authoritarian regimes continue to converge, posing threats and challenges to democracies around the world. Taiwan, Lithuania, and other democratic countries must come closer together, drawing on the strength of unity, so as to jointly safeguard freedom and democracy and uphold the rules-based international order. Looking ahead, we hope that Taiwan and Lithuania will engage in even more cooperation and exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, technology, and culture. Let us continue to advocate for the values of freedom and democracy. Together, we can contribute even more to our nations’ development and to peace and prosperity throughout the world. In closing, I once again thank you, former Minister Landsbergis, for your support and for all that you have done for Taiwan. We welcome you and your wife to visit often. I wish you both a smooth and successful visit in Taiwan, and hope you leave with lasting memories. Former Minister Landsbergis then delivered remarks, saying that it is a great honor to receive the decoration today. He noted that only partially can he accept the honor, as there have been many people who worked together with him in the ministry and in the whole country who support the people of Taiwan and see the benefit of supporting democracy in Taiwan. He often says that in Lithuania they remember well the fight for their freedom, and just today, he mentioned, he was shown the permanent exhibition in the Presidential Office, where he saw similar pictures of Taiwanese people fighting for democracy. He emphasized that not even one generation has passed since these events took place here in Taipei or similar events took place in Vilnius. Former Minister Landsbergis said that decision-makers in the Lithuanian government are either people who were themselves fighting for freedom, or, as in his case, those who were sitting on the shoulders of parents who were fighting for freedom. So for them, he underlined, freedom, democracy, liberty, and sovereignty are very real concepts that they cherish, not just things read about in a history book. He said that this is the main connector between Lithuania and Taiwan, a feeling of freedom and support for each other. Former Minister Landsbergis stated that in the face of authoritarians who do not wish us prosperity, who do not wish us freedom and future achievements, what he expects from the future is that the friendship, collaboration, and mutual support between Lithuania and Taiwan will inspire others to join in. This, he said, will make other countries not be afraid to support freedom and democracy, and will allow our group of friends to continue to grow. Lithuanian history, the former minister said, is difficult, and a big part of it was fighting for their freedom. He explained that during the 19th century when Lithuania was part of Russia’s empire, they had several revolutions and uprisings with the aim of becoming free, and that they were fighting for that freedom alongside Poland and Belarus. He then applied a phrase that they used in the revolution of 1864 – “for your freedom and ours,” meaning that they will continue to fight for their freedom while helping Taiwan fight for ours. Also in attendance at the ceremony were former Minister Landsbergis’ wife Dr. Austėja Landsbergienė and Lithuanian Representative to Taiwan Paulius Lukauskas.
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2025-01-01
President Lai delivers 2025 New Year’s Address
On the morning of January 1, President Lai Ching-te delivered his 2025 New Year’s Address, titled “Bolstering National Strength through Democracy to Enter a New Global Landscape,” in the Reception Hall of the Presidential Office. President Lai stated that today’s Taiwan is receiving international recognition for its performance in many areas, among them democracy, technology, and economy. In this new year, he said, Taiwan must be united, and we must continue on the right course. The president expressed hope that everyone in the central and local governments, regardless of party, can work hard together, allowing Taiwan sure footing as it strides forward toward ever greater achievements. President Lai emphasized that in 2025, we must keep firm on the path of democracy, continue to bolster our national strength, make Taiwan more economically resilient, enhance the resilience of supply chains for global democracies, and continue working toward a Balanced Taiwan and generational justice, ensuring that the fruits of our economic growth can be enjoyed by all our people. The president said that Taiwan will keep going strong, and we will keep walking tall as we enter the new global landscape. A translation of President Lai’s address follows: Today is the first day of 2025. With a new year comes new beginnings. I wish that Taiwan enjoys peace, prosperity, and success, and that our people lead happy lives. Taiwan truly finished 2024 strong. Though there were many challenges, there were also many triumphs. We withstood earthquakes and typhoons, and stood firm in the face of constant challenges posed by authoritarianism. We also shared glory as Taiwan won the Premier12 baseball championship, and now Taiwanese people around the world are all familiar with the gesture for Team Taiwan. At the Paris Olympics, Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) and Lee Yang (李洋) clinched another gold in men’s doubles badminton. Lin Yu-ting (林郁婷) took home Taiwan’s first Olympic gold in boxing. At the International Junior Science Olympiad, every student in our delegation of six won a gold medal. And Yang Shuang-zi’s (楊双子) novel Taiwan Travelogue, translated into English by King Lin (金翎), became a United States National Book Award winner and a tour de force of Taiwan literature on the international level. Our heroes of Taiwan are defined by neither age nor discipline. They have taken home top prizes at international competitions and set new records. They tell Taiwan’s story through their outstanding performances, letting the world see the spirit and culture of Taiwan, and filling all our citizens with pride. My fellow citizens, we have stood together through thick and thin; we have shared our ups and downs. We have wept together, and we have laughed together. We are all one family, all members of Team Taiwan. I want to thank each of our citizens for their dedication, fueling Taiwan’s progress and bringing our nation glory. You have given Taiwan even greater strength to stand out on the global stage. In this new year, we must continue bringing Taiwan’s stories to the world, and make Taiwan’s successes a force for global progress. In 2025, the world will be entering a new landscape. Last year, over 70 countries held elections, and the will of the people has changed with the times. As many countries turn new pages politically, and in the midst of rapid international developments, Taiwan must continue marching forward with steady strides. First, we must keep firm on the path of democracy. Taiwan made it through a dark age of authoritarianism and has since become a glorious beacon of democracy in Asia. This was achieved through the sacrifices of our democratic forebears and the joint efforts of all our citizens. Democracy’s value to Taiwan lies not just in our free way of life, or in the force driving the diverse and vigorous growth of our society. Democracy is the brand that has earned us international trust in terms of diplomacy. No matter the threat or challenge Taiwan may face, democracy is Taiwan’s only path forward. We will not turn back. Domestic competition among political parties is a part of democracy. But domestic political disputes must be resolved democratically, within the constitutional system. This is the only way democracy can continue to grow. The Executive Yuan has the right to request a reconsideration of the controversial bills passed in the Legislative Yuan, giving it room for reexamination. Constitutional institutions can also lodge a petition for a constitutional interpretation, and through Constitutional Court adjudication, ensure a separation of powers, safeguard constitutional order, and gradually consolidate the constitutional system. The people also have the right of election, recall, initiative, and referendum, and can bring together even greater democratic power to show the true meaning of sovereignty in the hands of the people. In this new year, the changing international landscape will present democratic nations around the world with many grave challenges. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and conflict between Israel and Hamas rage on, and we are seeing the continued convergence of authoritarian regimes including China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, threatening the rules-based international order and severely affecting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and the world at large. Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are essential components for global security and prosperity. Taiwan needs to prepare for danger in times of peace. We must continue increasing our national defense budget, bolster our national defense capabilities, and show our determination to protect our country. Everyone has a responsibility to safeguard Taiwan’s democracy and security. We must gather together every bit of strength we have to enhance whole-of-society defense resilience, and build capabilities to respond to major disasters and deter threats or encroachment. We must also strengthen communication with society to combat information and cognitive warfare, so that the populace rejects threats and enticements and jointly guards against malicious infiltration by external forces. Here at home, we must consolidate democracy with democracy. Internationally, we must make friends worldwide through democracy. This is how we will ensure security and peace. The more secure Taiwan, the more secure the world. The more resilient Taiwan, the sounder the defense of global democracy. The global democratic community should work even closer together to support the democratic umbrella as we seek ways to resolve the war in Ukraine and conflict between Israel and Hamas. Together, we must uphold stability in the Taiwan Strait and security in the Indo-Pacific, and achieve our goal of global peace. Second, we must continue to bolster our national strength, make Taiwan more economically resilient, and enhance the resilience of supply chains for global democracies. In the first half of 2024, growth in the Taiwan Stock Index was the highest in the world. Our economic growth rate for the year as a whole is expected to reach 4.2 percent, leading among the Four Asian Tigers. Domestic investment is soaring, having exceeded NT$5 trillion, and inflation is gradually stabilizing. Export orders from January to November totaled US$536.6 billion, up 3.7 percent from the same period in 2023. And compared over the same period, exports saw a 9.9 percent increase, reaching US$431.5 billion. Recent surveys also show that in 2024, the average increase in salaries at companies was higher than that in 2023. Additionally, over 90 percent of companies plan to raise salaries this year, which is an eight-year high. All signs indicate that Taiwan’s economic climate continues to recover, and that our economy is growing steadily. Our overall economic performance is impressive; still, we must continue to pay attention to the impact on Taiwan’s industries from the changing geopolitical landscape, uncertainties in the global economic environment, and dumping by the “red supply chain.” For a nation, all sectors and professions are equally important; only when all our industries are strong can Taiwan be strong as a nation. Our micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are the lifeblood of Taiwan, and the development of our various industrial parks has given Taiwan the impetus for our prosperity. We must carry the spirit of “Made in Taiwan” forward, bringing it to ever greater heights. Thus, beyond just developing our high-tech industry, our Executive Yuan has already proposed a solution that will help traditional industries and MSMEs comprehensively adopt technology applications, engage in the digital and net-zero twin transition, and develop channels, all for better operational structures and higher productivity. Taiwan must continue enhancing its economic resilience. In recent years, Taiwan has significantly increased its investments in the US, Japan, Europe, and the New Southbound countries, and such investment has already surpassed investment in China. This indicates that our efforts in diversifying markets and reducing reliance on any single market are working. Moving forward, we must keep providing assistance so that Taiwan industries can expand their global presence and market internationally from a solid base here in Taiwan. At the same time, Taiwan must use democracy to promote economic growth with the rest of the world. We must leverage our strengths in the semiconductor and AI industries. We must link with democratic countries so that we can together enhance the resilience of supply chains for global democracies. And through international cooperation across many sectors, such as UAVs, low-orbit communications satellites, robots, military, security and surveillance, or biopharmaceuticals, renewable energy technology, new agriculture, and the circular economy, we must keep abreast of the latest cutting-edge technology and promote diverse development. This approach will help Taiwan remain a leader in advancing global democratic supply chains, ensuring their security and stability. Third, we must continue working toward a Balanced Taiwan and generational justice, ensuring that the fruits of our economic growth can be enjoyed by all our people. Democracy means the people have the final say. Our nation belongs to all 23 million of us, without regard for ethnic group, generation, political party, or whether we live in urban or rural areas. In this new year, we must continue to pursue policies that promote the well-being of the nation and the people. But to that end, the central government needs adequate financial resources to ensure that it can enact each of these measures. Therefore, I hope that the ruling and opposition parties can each soberly reconsider the amendments to the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures and find a path forward that ensures the lasting peace and stability of our country. For nine consecutive years, the minimum wage has continued to rise. Effective today, the minimum monthly salary is being raised from NT$27,470 to NT$28,590, and the hourly salary from NT$183 to NT$190. We hope by raising the pay for military personnel, civil servants, and educators for two consecutive years, coupled with benefits through wage increases and tax reductions, that private businesses will also raise wages, allowing all our people to enjoy the fruits of our economic growth. I know that everyone wants to pay lower taxes and rent. This year, we will continue to promote tax reductions. For example, unmarried individuals with an annual income of NT$446,000 or less can be exempt from paying income tax. Dual-income families with an annual income of NT$892,000 or less and dual-income families with two children aged six or younger with an annual income of NT$1,461,000 or less are also exempt from paying income tax. Additionally, the number of rent-subsidized housing units will also be increased, from 500,000 to 750,000 units, helping lighten the load for everyone. This year, the age eligibility for claiming Culture Points has been lowered from 16 to 13 years, so that now young people aged between 13 and 22 can receive government support for experiencing more in the arts. Also, our Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative is about to take effect, which will help more young people in Taiwan realize their dreams by taking part in education and exchange activities in many places around the world. We are also in the process of establishing a sports ministry to help young athletes achieve their dreams on the field, court, and beyond. The ministry will also be active in developing various sports industries and bringing sports and athletics more into the lives of the people, making our people healthier as a result. This year, as Taiwan becomes a “super-aged society,” we will launch our Long-term Care 3.0 Plan to provide better all-around care for our seniors. And we will expand the scope of cancer screening eligibility and services, all aimed at creating a Healthy Taiwan. In addition, Taiwan will officially begin collecting fees for its carbon fee system today. This brings us closer in line with global practices and helps us along the path to our goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. We will also continue on the path to achieving a Balanced Taiwan. Last month, the Executive Yuan launched the Trillion NT Dollar Investment National Development Plan and its six major regional flagship projects. Both of these initiatives will continue to expand the investment in our public infrastructure and the development of local specialty industries, narrowing urban-rural and wealth gaps so that all our people can live and work in peace and happiness. My fellow citizens, today’s Taiwan is receiving international recognition for its performance in many areas, among them democracy, technology, and economy. This tells us that national development is moving in the right direction. In this new year, Taiwan must be united, and we must continue on the right course. We hope that everyone in the central and local governments, regardless of party, can work hard together to ensure that national policies are successfully implemented, with the people’s well-being as our top priority. This will allow Taiwan sure footing as it strides forward toward ever greater achievements. In this new year, we have many more brilliant stories of Taiwan to share with the world, inspiring all Taiwanese, both here and around the world, to cheer time and again for the glory of Taiwan. Taiwan will keep going strong. And we will keep walking tall as we enter the new global landscape. Thank you.
Source: China State Council Information Office
People visit the 12th APEC Small and Medium Enterprises Technology Conference and Fair (APEC SMETC) in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province, Nov. 10, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]
An index tracking the development of China’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) edged up in January, data from an industry association showed Tuesday.
The SME development index rose by 0.1 points to 89.0, compared to the previous month, the China Association of Small and Medium Enterprises data showed.
Six of the eight sub-indices rallied in January, including market, labor and investment, according to the association.
In terms of sectors, sub-indices for the industry, transport, real estate, wholesale and retail sales, social service, and information transmission software sectors grew by 0.1, 0.4, 0.2, 0.2, 0.5 and 0.3 points, respectively.
In terms of regions, the sub-indices for the east, west and northeast regions stood at 89.7, 88.1 and 81.0, up 0.1, 0.3 and 0.3 points, respectively. The sub-index for the central region was 89.9, equivalent to the previous month.
In China, more than 90 percent of private companies are SMEs, and more than 90 percent of SMEs are private companies.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The Ministry of Education has issued a guideline to promote science education in elementary and high schools, and support the nation’s ongoing drive to boost its self-reliance and strength in science and technology.
The guideline, released on the ministry’s website on Jan 22, asks local education authorities to ensure the availability of sufficient science teachers in elementary schools.
The release came days after China publicized a sweeping plan to turn itself into a leading country in education by 2035, which elaborated on measures needed for improving students’ science literacy.
Junior and senior high schools should have enough science teachers, as well as teachers for other related subjects such as physics, chemistry, biology, geography and information science and technology, the guideline said.
To ensure that schools stay committed to improving science education, the ministry requires them to have at least one “vice-principal of science”, and encouraged scientists and experts from high-quality universities and research institutions to take on the role.
These vice-principals are tasked with making full use of their resources and professional backgrounds, and lead their schools’ science education by conducting lectures, participating in the design of curricula and overseeing students’ science projects.
Normal universities — universities that train teachers — should improve the curricula and programs of their science education majors, the guidance said, while emphasizing the cultivation of science literacy for elementary and high school teachers.
Resources at universities, research institutions and science museums should be fully mobilized to develop a training system to improve science teachers’ abilities, including the ability to design and carry out experiments and projects, it said.
Students’ performance in experiments should be tested in proficiency exams before they graduate from junior high school, and their performance in daily experiments and science projects should also be assessed at school, the guideline said.
Schools should enhance their science education facilities, set up laboratories and let students participate in more open inquiry experiments, it said.
It also called for schools to explore experiments with teaching using artificial intelligence and virtual reality.
More science courses should be included in school after-class activities to meet the needs and interests of students in different school years, the guideline said.
The guideline also urges schools to tap into natural resources such as rivers, ponds, farmland and woods, and introduce knowledge about nature by setting up signs and posters and displaying specimens.
It also called on universities, research institutions and the National Natural Science Foundation of China to work together to conduct research in educational theories and strengthen international cooperation in the field.
Local authorities should carry out surveys to determine the level of science literacy of students, and make policies to improve science education based on the surveys, it said.
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
The number of injuries has risen to 25 as a high-speed train collided with a semi-trailer at a railway crossing in Hamburg, Germany, on Tuesday.
The accident occurred on the outskirts of Hamburg when an InterCity Express (ICE) train en route from Hamburg to Munich crashed into the semi-trailer at high speed. One passenger, a 55-year-old man, sustained critical injuries and died shortly after the collision.
Among the injured, six are reported to have sustained moderate injuries, according to German public broadcaster ARD’s Tagesschau program. Eyewitnesses stated that the force of the collision shattered windows, particularly in the front carriages.
Reports suggest that the truck was attempting to cross the tracks when the crash occurred, and the driver managed to jump out just before the impact. The collision caused a large debris field, with heavy iron and track parts scattered around, as the semi-trailer was reportedly carrying railway tracks.
Despite the severity of the crash, fire department officials confirmed that the approximately 300 remaining passengers aboard the long-distance train were unharmed and have safely disembarked. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the accident.
Source: China State Council Information Office
An Airbus A350 aircraft without livery is pictured in north China’s Tianjin Municipality, Feb. 11, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
An Airbus A350 aircraft without livery flew from Toulouse, France, to north China’s Tianjin Municipality on Tuesday, marking the first such arrival in 2025, the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus said.
The jet, which completed assembly overseas, will undergo final cabin installation, painting, and flight testing at the Airbus Tianjin Widebody Completion and Delivery Center (C&DC) before its delivery to the customer.
Airbus established its A320 Family Final Assembly Line Asia in Tianjin in 2008, its first production facility outside Europe. The C&DC, inaugurated in 2017 and the first of its kind outside Europe, began supporting A350 completion and delivery in 2020.
As of the end of 2024, the C&DC had delivered 767 A320 Family jets, 16 A330s and 25 A350s.
“China is Airbus’ largest single-country market globally,” said George Xu, Airbus executive vice president and Airbus China CEO.
According to Xu, aircraft delivered to Chinese customers account for about 20 percent of Airbus’ global annual deliveries. Additionally, the company’s market share in China has risen from some 20 percent in 2008 to more than 50 percent today.
Xu said that 2025 marks the 40th anniversary of Airbus civil aircraft entering the Chinese mainland market, and the company will continue working with Chinese aviation partners to promote the high-quality development of China’s aviation industry.
Source: China State Council Information Office
A worker drives a forklift to transfer cathode copper at a Hunan branch of China Minmetals in Changning City, central China’s Hunan Province, Jan. 2, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
China aims to enhance the resilience and security of its copper industrial and supply chains over the next few years, according to an implementation plan published on Tuesday.
China will strive to increase its copper ore reserves by 5 percent to 10 percent by 2027, and further improve the level of recycled copper utilization, according to the plan released by 11 government departments including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
The country will work to achieve breakthroughs in key technologies for the green and efficient development and utilization of copper resources, and enhance its high-end equipment manufacturing capabilities.
China will also cultivate a number of high-quality enterprises, and further optimize the industrial structure of the copper industry, according to the plan.
Copper is an important basic raw material and a strategic resource. In recent years, China’s copper industry has developed rapidly, making the country the world’s largest producer and consumer of copper products.
In 2024, China topped the world in the production of both refined copper and copper-processed materials, with output volumes reaching approximately 13.64 million tonnes and 23.5 million tonnes, respectively.
Source: China State Council Information Office
This photo shows a Hyper SSR of GAC Aion at the 22nd Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition at the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou, south China’s Guangdong province, Nov. 15, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
China’s passenger car production logged steady growth in January, with new energy vehicles (NEVs) posting strong performance during the period, data from an industry association showed Tuesday.
In January, China’s passenger car output totaled about 2.11 million units, up 3.6 percent year on year. The country exported 380,000 units of passenger automobiles, representing a year-on-year increase of 3 percent, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).
During the period, the production and sales of new energy passenger vehicle grew by 25.8 percent and 10.5 percent, respectively, from a year earlier to reach 940,000 units and 744,000 units, respectively.
Exports of new energy passenger vehicles accounted for 35.9 percent of the country’s total auto exports last month, an increase of 7.5 percentage points compared to the same period last year, according to the data.
Chinese automobile manufacturers have rapidly built up their global competitiveness in recent years. In December 2024, China’s auto sales accounted for 41 percent of the world’s total, a historic high.
China’s passenger car market is expected to maintain steady growth in February, with NEVs as a key driver, the CPCA said. It noted that technological progress and consumption upgrade are key factors promoting market development.
The association predicted that domestic auto sales will grow 2 percent to 23.4 million units for 2025, while passenger NEV sales are expected to surge 20 percent to about 13.3 million units this year.
Source: China State Council Information Office
People welcome a released Palestinian prisoner in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Feb. 8, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that if the Israeli hostages held in Gaza were not returned by Saturday, the ceasefire with Hamas will be canceled, and Israel will resume “intensive fighting” in the war-torn enclave.
In a video statement, Netanyahu said the move was unanimously approved by his Cabinet ministers during a four-hour meeting held in the afternoon.
Under the decision, “if Hamas does not return our hostages by noon on Saturday, the ceasefire will end, and the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) will resume intense fighting until Hamas is decisively defeated,” he said.
All of Israel’s Cabinet ministers welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza takeover plan and his ceasefire ultimatum, the prime minister added.
Netanyahu’s remarks came a day after Hamas announced that the handover of hostages scheduled for Saturday would be postponed until further notice.
On Monday, Abu Obeida, spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said in a statement that during the past three weeks, the resistance leadership had monitored Israel’s failures to abide by the terms of the ceasefire agreement.
Accordingly, the handover of the hostages will be postponed until further notice and until Israel ensures adherence to the deal and compensates for the past weeks retroactively, Obeida noted. “We affirm our commitment to the terms of the agreement as long as the occupation commits to them.”
In response, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Monday in a statement that Hamas’ announcement is “a complete violation of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.”
Katz said he had ordered the IDF to “prepare at the highest level of readiness for any possible scenario in Gaza and to defend the communities near the enclave.”
The Israeli military announced on Tuesday that it would increase its forces near the Gaza Strip and call up reservists after the Israeli Cabinet decided to cancel the ceasefire with Hamas if the Israeli hostages were not returned by Saturday.
A military spokesperson confirmed in a statement, “It was decided to reinforce the area with additional troops, including reservists.” The spokesperson emphasized that this decision was made “in accordance with the situational assessment.”
The spokesperson further explained, “The reinforcements and mobilization of reservists are being implemented to prepare for various scenarios.”
Trump also issued an ultimatum to Hamas on Monday, saying if all Israeli hostages were not released from Gaza by noon on Saturday, he would propose canceling the ceasefire agreement and letting “all hell break loose.”
These developments came after an Israeli delegation returned from Qatar, where indirect talks were held regarding the next phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, and amid continuous regional and international outcry against Trump’s and Netanyahu’s remarks made recently concerning Gaza.
On Feb. 4, Trump announced a controversial plan to take over the Gaza Strip and relocate Palestinians from the enclave during a joint press conference with Netanyahu in Washington.
Two days later, Netanyahu suggested during an interview with Israel’s Channel 14 that “Saudis can establish a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia; they have plenty of land there.”
On Monday, when being asked in an interview with Fox News if the Palestinians now residing in Gaza, who under Trump’s proposal will face forced displacement to make way for the rebuilding of the enclave, would “have the right to return,” Trump said, “No, they wouldn’t.”
Reacting to Trump’s and Netanyahu’s remarks, many countries have voiced their rejection of displacing Palestinians from their homeland and their support for the two-state solution.
Under the current ceasefire, which took effect on Jan. 19 after 15 months of war, 21 hostages — 16 Israelis and five Thais — were released from Gaza in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian detainees freed from Israeli jails. During the first phase of the agreement, which spans six weeks, 33 Israeli hostages and about 2,000 Palestinian detainees are expected to be released.
Source: China State Council Information Office
This photo taken on Feb. 10, 2025 shows a tent camp for displaced families in Gaza City. [Photo/Xinhua]
Hamas accused Israel on Tuesday of failing to uphold its commitments under the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
In a statement, Hamas said, “Israel has not fulfilled its commitments and bears full responsibility for any complications or delays.”
The movement reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire as long as Israel abides by it, emphasizing that the agreement was brokered and guaranteed by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, with international oversight.
Hamas’ armed wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, announced on Monday that the planned release of Israeli captives set for Saturday would be postponed indefinitely due to what it described as Israel’s failure to uphold the ceasefire terms.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that if the Israeli hostages held in Gaza were not returned by Saturday, the ceasefire with Hamas will be canceled, and Israel will resume “intensive fighting” in the war-torn enclave.
Under the current ceasefire, which took effect on Jan. 19 after 15 months of war, 21 hostages — 16 Israelis and five Thais — have been released from Gaza in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian detainees freed from Israeli jails.
During the first phase of the agreement, which spans six weeks, 33 Israeli hostages and about 2,000 Palestinian detainees are expected to be released.
Source: China State Council Information Office
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he plans to propose Russia direct territory exchange if U.S. President Donald Trump manages to get Kiev and Moscow at the negotiating table, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported Tuesday.
“We will swap one territory to another,” Zelensky was quoted as saying.
Ukraine could cede the areas it held in Russia’s Kursk region, Zelensky said, without specifying what areas Kiev would seek in return.
“I don’t know, we’ll see. But all our territories are important, there is no priority,” Zelensky said.