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Category: China

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 01/23/2025 Blackburn, Van Hollen, Colleagues Introduce the Restoring Confidence in the World Anti-Doping Agency Act as U.S. Withholds Funding to WADA

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Representatives John Moolenar (R-Mich.) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) released the following statements after introducing the Restoring Confidence in the World Anti-Doping Agency Act. This legislation would permanently provide the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) the authority to withhold up to the full amount of membership dues to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) if the organization fails to operate as a fair and independent actor to ensure athletes are competing in drug-free Olympic and Paralympic Games.
    The U.S. is currently withholding funding from WADA after new details emerged about the agency’s complicity in covering up the wrongdoing of 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug before the 2021 Olympics. WADA has threatened to remove the U.S. from a position on its Executive Committee for withholding funding.
    “Since details of the Chinese doping scandal emerged, the World Anti-Doping Agency has tried to intimidate advocates for fair play at every single turn, and its officials have also stonewalled and lied to Congress,” said Senator Blackburn. “My colleagues and I have a message for WADA, the IOC, and any other international organization who tries to strong arm the United States: we are calling your bluff, and we won’t be silenced in our mission to promote fair play in sports. There must be real oversight and accountability at WADA, and that starts by passing this legislation.” 
    “Both our Olympians and the public should have confidence that all athletes competing in the Olympic Games are held to the same standards. But for too long we’ve lacked that assurance, due to WADA’s failure to provide transparency and accountability when it comes to enforcing anti-doping measures,” said Senator Van Hollen. “Our bipartisan, bicameral bill will help restore faith that athletes from around the world are playing on a fair and level field and ensure the integrity of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
    “This bipartisan legislation builds on the U.S. funding freeze for WADA by delivering substantive accountability and reform,” said the Chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Representative Moolenaar. “Athletes deserve a fair and level playing field, and this bill ensures transparency and supports clean competition in international sports.”
    “Athletes and spectators across the globe must be able to trust that we have a level playing field for all levels of sports, including the Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said the Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on the CCP, Representative Krishnamoorthi. “Our Restoring Confidence in the World Anti-Doping Agency Act will help free the sports world from performance-enhancing drugs by ensuring anti-doping standards are properly enforced, thereby protecting the integrity of the highest levels of competition for clean athletes around the world.”
    Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) also co-sponsored this legislation.

    ENDORSEMENTS:

    This legislation is endorsed by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, Joel Rosinbum, and Greta Neimanas.
    “Athletes can wait no longer for change at WADA. Now is the moment. We thank the U.S. Government for protecting the rights of athletes and fair sport by withholding funding from WADA to encourage accountability. We also commend Senator Marsha Blackburn, and the many other champions of clean sport in Congress, for the reintroduction of the Restoring Confidence in the World Anti-Doping Agency Act. Passage of this legislation will be especially important since the U.S. is hosting many major events over the next decade, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 and 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Games.” – Travis Tygart, CEO, U.S. Anti-Doping Agency
    “As part of the Team USA Athletes Commission leadership team, I’m proud to support this important legislative effort. Fair play is the foundation of sport, and every athlete deserves to compete on a level playing field. The Restoring Confidence in WADA Act is a positive step toward meaningful reform, but real change requires a global commitment to clean sport. We need every nation that values fairness to step up and do their part, alongside WADA, to ensure our athletes can trust the integrity of their competitions.” – Joel Rosinbum, Team USA Athletes’ Commission Leadership Member
    “I am grateful that members of Congress are supporting Team USA athletes by introducing the Restoring Confidence in WADA Act. For far too long, WADA has been inefficient and, as of late, incapable of ensuring fair competition and clean sport, with the Russian ice skating and Chinese swimming scandals as the most recent examples. The ONDCP should be empowered to push for much-needed reforms within WADA and be able to withhold the United States’ financial contributions to WADA until they implement change.” – Greta Neimanas, Paralympian and Team USA Athletes’ Commission Leadership Member

    BACKGROUND:

    Last year, reporting revealed that more than two dozen Chinese swimmers tested positive for performance enhancing drugs one month before the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. The Chinese Anti-Doping Agency secretly cleared the swimmers of the doping.
    When WADA learned of these positive tests, the agency chose not to intervene or require China to follow WADA rules. Over a dozen of these swimmers competed in the 2021 Olympic Games, winning several medals, including gold.
    Last summer, new reporting revealed two additional Chinese swimmers – including one who competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics – tested positive in 2022 for a banned drug but were secretly cleared of doping by Chinese authorities.

    RESTORING CONFIDENCE IN THE WORLD ANTI-DOPING AGENCY ACT:

    The Restoring Confidence in the World Anti-Doping Agency Act would allow the ONDCP to withhold up to the full amount of membership dues to WADA. The U.S. is the WADA’s greatest contributor, which makes this a powerful tool. 
    The bill would also authorize ONDCP to use all available tools to ensure that WADA fully implements all governance reforms, including a proper conflict-of-interest policy, and that independent athletes from the United States and other democratic countries, or representatives of such athletes, have a decision-making role on WADA’s Executive Committee and governing bodies.
    Click here for bill text.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Cornyn Applauds Nominees Tasked with Enacting Pres. Trump’s Economic Agenda

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    WASHINGTON – Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) expressed his support for President Trump’s nominees chosen to help implement his economic agenda, including Scott Bessent at the Department of the Treasury, Howard Lutnick for Secretary of Commerce, and Russ Vought to lead the Office of Management and Budget. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.
    “These three gentlemen bring a wealth of experience and expertise, and I have no doubt that America will be better off with them at the helm, assisting President Trump during his administration.”
    “We all remember the tragic story of 9/11, what happened that day. More than two-thirds of Cantor Fitzgerald’s employees—Howard Lutnick’s company—including his own brother, were killed that day.”
    “In the midst of this personal tragedy and with the future uncertain, Howard picked up the pieces and rebuilt Cantor Fitzgerald. This is a man unlike most men, a person of heroic character.”
    “Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Scott Bessent in the Senate Finance Committee on which I serve.”
    “Mr. Bessent rightly noted last week that China has one of the most unbalanced economies in the history of the world, and they’re using their surpluses to fund their military machine to modernize and threaten the peace.”
    “Mr. Bessent is going to be a great partner because he understands how the economy works and how it’s intertwined with our national security.”
    “Finally, I had the pleasure of speaking once again to Russ Vought, who was formerly the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, a job he held previously under President Trump during his first administration. Mr. Vought led the OMB then, and so he’s had extensive experience to build on in President Trump’s second term.” 
    “It’s no secret that the American people were profoundly disappointed at the Biden administration’s handling of the U.S. economy, but I have no doubt that with President Trump, Howard Lutnick, Scott Bessent, and Russ Vought on President Trump’s team, we will be in good shape to get the economy and our national security back on track.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump has fired a major cyber security investigations body. It’s a risky move

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Toby Murray, Professor of Cybersecurity, School of Computing and Information Systems, The University of Melbourne

    Before the end of its first full day of operations, the new Trump administration gutted all advisory panels for the Department of Homeland Security. Among these was the well-respected Cyber Safety Review Board, or CSRB.

    While this change hasn’t received as much notice as Trump’s massive announcement about AI, it has potentially significant implications for cyber security. The CSRB is an important source of information for governments and businesses trying to protect themselves from cyber threats.

    This change also throws into doubt the board’s current activities. These include an ongoing investigation into the Salt Typhoon cyber attacks which began as early as 2022 and are still keeping cyber defenders busy, attributed to hackers in China.

    Salt Typhoon has been described as the “worst telecommunications hack” in US history. Among other activities, the hackers obtained call records data made by high-profile individuals and even the contents of phone calls and text messages. The phones of then presidential nominee Donald Trump were reportedly among those targeted.

    What does the Cyber Safety Review Board do?

    The board was established three years ago by the Biden administration. Roughly speaking, its job is the cyberspace equivalent of government air traffic investigation bodies such as the US National Transportation Safety Board, or the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

    The CSRB investigates major cyber security incidents. Its job is to determine their causes and recommend ways government and businesses can better protect themselves, including on how to prevent similar incidents in future.

    Its members include global cyber security luminaries from industry, such as cyber executives from Google and Microsoft, and US government leaders from several departments and agencies concerned with security.

    The US CSRB has previously published three major reports. Its first covered the infamous 2021 Log4j vulnerability, described at the time as the “single biggest, most critical vulnerability ever”. (A vulnerability is a weakness in a computer system that cyber criminals can exploit.)

    The board’s most recent published investigation involved a very sophisticated hacking campaign that targeted Microsoft’s cloud email services in 2023. As a result, hackers even gained access to the emails of various US government agencies.

    Cyber security experts widely consider the CSRB as a positive thing. Late last year, Australia even committed to establish its own version, the Cyber Incident Review Board.

    At the time of writing, it’s unclear whether the CSRB will continue – perhaps with different membership – or whether its activities will cease entirely.

    Either way, the decision to fire the board’s members has significant security implications. It comes at a moment in history when cyber threats have never been more severe.

    What is Salt Typhoon?

    The CSRB has been investigating the Salt Typhoon hacking campaign. Salt Typhoon is the name Microsoft assigned to a sophisticated group of hackers believed to be operated by China’s Ministry of State Security. The ministry is somewhat like a combination of an intelligence agency and a secret police service.

    Salt Typhoon is best known for hacking into several US telecommunication companies, first reported in August 2024. In December, it came to light Salt Typhoon’s telco hacks may also have impacted countries beyond the US. American, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand authorities also jointly issued public guidance to organisations to help defend against Salt Typhoon.

    Salt Typhoon reportedly targeted prominent figures, including political leaders. The hackers’ goal appears to have been to collect intelligence, rather than cause damage.

    For example, it has been reported Salt Typhoon collected a list of all phone calls made near Washington DC, which could help them determine who was talking to whom in the US capital.

    Salt Typhoon also reportedly obtained a list of phone numbers wiretapped by the US Justice Department. This confirmed the fears of many people opposed to the government’s powers to lawfully wiretap citizens’ phones.

    It is unclear why the hackers obtained that information. Some have speculated it would identify which of their own operatives were being monitored by US law enforcement.

    To say the Salt Typhoon revelations created waves in government and cyber security circles is putting it mildly. Telecommunications are critical infrastructure, as well as highly valuable targets for intelligence collection.

    The idea that foreign spies could burrow so deeply into the communication fabric of the US was unprecedented and disturbing.

    In October 2024 the CSRB was tasked with investigating Salt Typhoon’s activities.

    An uncertain future

    With the board now fired, the future of the Salt Typhoon investigation remains unclear.

    A thorough and impartial investigation of the Salt Typhoon hacks, had it been allowed to run, was likely to have delivered highly valuable cyber security lessons. Those lessons are important for both US companies and those in Australia, which have also been the targets of Chinese intelligence collection.

    The future of the CSRB itself is now also in question. The board and its overseas equivalents serve a vital role in promoting cyber information-sharing that helps to improve best practices.

    It is imperative these bodies are staffed with a diverse collection of impartial experts, able to carry out their work free from government and corporate interference.

    It remains to be seen whether dissolving the current CSRB will be a gift to Chinese hackers (as some have claimed), or simply a speed bump in the evolution of the board.

    Toby Murray is the Director of the Defence Science Institute, which receives Commonwealth and State government funding. Toby receives research funding from the Australian government and has previously received funding from the US Department of Defense, Facebook and Google.

    – ref. Trump has fired a major cyber security investigations body. It’s a risky move – https://theconversation.com/trump-has-fired-a-major-cyber-security-investigations-body-its-a-risky-move-248106

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Senior Chinese official urges further efforts to counter cross-border gambling

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

    BEIJING, Jan. 23 — Senior Chinese official Wang Xiaohong on Thursday called for new achievements and breakthroughs to be made in China’s fight against cross-border gambling.

    Wang, a member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and state councilor, made the remarks while addressing a national teleconference on anti-cross-border gambling work.

    Over recent years, with the country’s ever-improved prevention and control system, once-rampant activities of cross-border gambling have been effectively brought under control, Wang said.

    Noting the importance of maintaining a zero-tolerance approach during the fight, Wang called for systemic and comprehensive efforts to address both the symptoms and root causes of cross-border gambling.

    He also urged efforts to fully tap into the country’s political and institutional advantages and further strengthen accountability enforcement, mechanism-building and legal guarantees in the fight.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Votes No on Advancing DOE and DOI Nominees in Energy and Natural Resources Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    January 23, 2025
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement after voting no to advance the nominations of Doug Burgum to be Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Chris Wright to be Secretary of the Department of Energy:
    “After years and years of Republicans standing in the way, Congress finally passed my technology neutral clean energy tax credits as a centerpiece of the Inflation Reduction Act. The clean energy tax credits are the biggest investment in American competitiveness and clean energy in history. 
    “Donald Trump’s determination to roll back this law is unilaterally disarming America while we are embroiled in an energy arms race with China. Clean energy investments will not stop. They will go to China, and our energy security will be undermined. Repealing the Inflation Reduction Act is, at best, a sign of Donald Trump’s incompetence and recklessness and, at worst, a sign of his willingness to line the pockets of his uber-wealthy fossil fuel friends at the expense of every American’s energy bill. And the Americans who will suffer the most are in rural areas where the bulk of our booming clean energy investments are going today to create jobs and infrastructure that Trump will blithely dismantle. 
    “Trump may say over and over again that he wants to beat China. I can say with absolute certainty that gutting clean energy tax credits is not the way to do that. I cannot support these nominees who will carry out Trump’s policies that throw out America’s greatest advantages.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Trump voices willingness to get along with China in Davos teleconference

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    U.S. President Donald Trump said his government looks forward to “doing very well with China and getting along with China” in virtual remarks to the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday.

    Trump emphasized that the leaders of the United States and China are going to have a “very good relationship.”

    Addressing the ongoing situation in Ukraine, Trump acknowledged China’s role and expressed hope for cooperation. “Hopefully, we could work together and get that (armed conflict) stopped,” he said.

    In his message to global business leaders, Trump promised what would be “among the lowest taxes of any nation on Earth” for those who bring manufacturing operations to the United States, but still warned of tariffs for those who do not.

    Trump also voiced concerns over rising oil prices, adding that he would ask Saudi Arabia and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to bring down costs.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: New wildfire in Los Angeles scorches over 10,000 acres

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A fast-moving brush fire erupted Wednesday in Los Angeles County, and has burned over 10,000 acres (40 sq km) by Wednesday night, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

    The blaze, dubbed Hughes Fire, broke out around 11:00 a.m. local time in the area of Lake Hughes Road near Castaic Lake, about 80 km northwest of downtown Los Angeles. It quickly expanded to over 8,000 acres (32 sq km) in less than 6 hours, and had crossed the county line to the neighboring Venture County.

    As of Wednesday night, the fire is 14 percent contained, according to Cal Fire. No structures have been reported damaged or destroyed, Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone told a press briefing Wednesday evening.

    Approximately 31,000 residents in the area are under evacuation orders, while 23,000 are under evacuation warnings, said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.

    “We have over 4,000 firefighting personnel assigned to the incident,” Marrone said. “The situation remains dynamic and the fire remains a difficult fire to contain, although we are getting the upper hand,” he said.

    Students from middle and elementary schools in the Castaic community were evacuated on Wednesday afternoon, and the Castaic Regional Sports Complex was also under a mandatory evacuation order, which was used by firefighters as a command post.

    The Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic evacuated 476 inmates to the nearby North County Correctional Facility.

    The National Weather Service (NWS) Los Angeles warned Wednesday afternoon that high winds were expected to continue in Southern California throughout the afternoon and overnight, further inhibiting firefighting efforts against the wildfires raging in the region.

    “DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER environment thru Friday, peaking on Thursday. Any new fires can grow fast and out of control. Stay aware of your surroundings,” NWS Los Angeles warned.

    The entirety of Angeles National Forest is closed to the general public through Friday, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

    Los Angeles County has been inundated with deadly blazes this month. The Palisades and Eaton fires, the largest ones in the most populous county of the United States, have killed 28 people, sparked numerous mandatory evacuations, and destroyed thousands of structures.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: US Senate confirms John Ratcliffe as CIA director

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    U.S. Senate on Thursday voted to confirm former director of national intelligence John Ratcliffe as the next Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director under President Donald Trump.

    The upper chamber voted 74-25 to approve the nomination of Ratcliffe, who served as Trump’s director of national intelligence for the last eight months of his first term. Ratcliffe previously served as a U.S. House representative for Texas’s 4th congressional district from 2015 to 2020.

    Twenty-one Democrats joined Republicans in supporting Ratcliffe’s nomination, indicating bipartisan support in a divided political climate.

    Despite that, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he opposed Ratcliffe because he is deeply worried that Ratcliffe will be unable to stand up to people like Trump and Trump’s nominee to be the director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, “who are known to falsify intelligence.”

    Thursday’s vote took place three days after the Senate unanimously confirmed U.S. Senator from Florida Marco Rubio as Secretary of State, just hours after Trump’s inauguration, making it the second major appointment for the new administration.

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune has set up votes for more of Trump’s nominees, including Pete Hegseth, nominated for Secretary of Defense. Hegseth has faced criticism for his lack of military leadership experience, as well as allegations of alcohol abuse, sexual assault, and financial mismanagement of organizations he led.

    Thune has criticized Democrats for delaying Trump’s nominees, urging them to allow quick votes on the matter.

    Republicans currently have a 53-47 majority in the Senate. To confirm a presidential nomination, a simple majority is needed, meaning the Republicans can afford to lose no more than two votes if all Democrats oppose the nomination.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Neolithic lakeside relics found on Qinghai-Xizang Plateau

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    A relics site, first discovered in southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region in 2019, has been identified as the earliest Neolithic lakeside site in the heartland of Qinghai-Xizang Plateau with the highest altitude and longest duration, according to local authorities.

    This undated combo photo shows the unearthed relics discovered at the Mapu Tsho relics site in the city of Xigaze, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region. (Xizang Institute for Protection and Research of Cultural Relics/Handout via Xinhua)

    The findings are the result of a five-year excavation project at the Mapu Tsho relics site in the city of Xigaze. The excavations were jointly carried out by the Xizang regional institute of cultural relics protection and institutions including Lanzhou University and Peking University, between 2020 and 2024.

    The site, located at altitudes of 4,410 to 4,430 meters on the shore of Mapu Tsho Lake, has a distribution area of more than 140,000 square meters. An area of 1,650 square meters was excavated at the site, said the Xizang regional institute of cultural relics protection.

    During the excavations, archaeologists collected large amounts of materials, including the specimens of the phytoliths, residues and ancient DNA of the sediment at the site.

    Through subsequent analysis and research, the results indicated that the cultural remains of the site date back approximately 4,800 to 2,000 years, according to Shargan Wangdue, head of the joint archaeological team.

    He said that the unearthed relics show that the ancestors at the Mapu Tsho site were typical of the people from East Asia and represented indigenous groups of the plateau.

    The excavations and multidisciplinary research of the relics at the site have for the first time identified the “historical origins” of the prehistoric culture in the central part of Xizang 4,000 years ago, said Shargan Wangdue.

    He added that the discovery marks another milestone in Xizang’s Neolithic archaeological research after the Karub ruins in the city of Qamdo and the Qugong ruins in the regional capital of Lhasa.

    “The Mapu Tsho site provides us with practical examples to understand how the prehistoric plateau people utilized lake resources and adopted different cultural and economic strategies to adapt to different developmental stages through cultural integration,” said Shargan Wangdue.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: China has invested billions in ports around the world. This is why the West is so concerned

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claudio Bozzi, Lecturer in Law, Deakin University

    Shutterstock

    On his way to the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro in November, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Peruvian President Dina Boluarte to officially open a new US$3.6 billion (A$5.8 billion) deepwater mega-port in Peru called Chancay.

    China’s state-owned Cosco shipping giant had purchased a 60% stake in the port for US$1.6 billion (A$2.6 billion), which gave the company exclusive use of the port for 60 years.

    Days later, the first ship departed for Shanghai loaded with blueberries, avocados and minerals.

    Chancay is part of China’s vision of a 21st century maritime Silk Road that will better connect China’s manufacturing hubs with its trading partners around the world. This has involved a heavy investment in ports in many countries, which has the West concerned about China’s expanding influence over global shipping routes.

    Newly re-elected US President Donald Trump made clear these concerns when he claimed China was “operating” the Panama Canal and the US intended to take it back.

    China does not operate the canal, though. Rather, a Hong Kong company operates two ports on either side of it.

    A booming port expansion

    The scale and scope of the maritime Silk Road is impressive. China has invested in 129 ports in dozens of countries through its state-owned enterprises, mostly in the Global South. Seventeen of these ports have majority-Chinese ownership.

    According to one estimate, Chinese companies invested US$11 billion (A$17.7 billion) in overseas port development from 2010–19. More than 27% of global container trade now passes through terminals where leading Chinese firms hold direct stakes.

    China has entered Latin America aggressively, becoming the region’s top trading partner. Its port strategy has clearly signalled a long-term goal to access the exports essential to its food and energy security: soybeans, corn, beef, iron ore, copper and battery-grade lithium.

    Last year, for example, Portos do Paraná, the Brazilian state-owned enterprise that acts as the port authority in the state of Paraná, signed a letter of intent with China Merchants Port Holdings to expand Paranaguá Container Terminal, the second-largest terminal in South America. China may invest in even more Brazilian ports, as 22 terminals are scheduled to be auctioned before the end of 2025.

    In Africa, Chinese investment grew from two ports in 2000 to 61 facilities in 30 countries by 2022.

    And in Europe, Chinese enterprises have complete or majority ownership of two key ports in Belgium and Greece – the so-called “dragon’s head” of the Belt and Road Initiative in Europe.

    What’s driving this port strategy?

    China’s emergence as a maritime and shipping power is central to Xi’s ambition for global economic dominance.

    For one, China requires stable access to key trading routes to continue meeting the demand for Chinese exports globally, as well as the imports Beijing needs to keep its economy humming.

    Controlling ports also enables China to create economic zones in other countries that give port owners and operators privileged access to commodities and products. Some fear this could allow China to disrupt supplies of certain goods or even exert influence over other countries’ politics or economies.

    Another key driver of this strategy is the metals and minerals needed to fuel China’s rise as a tech superpower. Beijing has concentrated its port investment in regions where these critical resources are located.

    For example, China is the world’s largest importer of copper ore, mainly from Chile, Peru and Mexico. It is also one of the world’s major lithium carbonate importers.), mainly from Chile and Argentina. And its port deals in Africa give it access to rare earths and other minerals.

    In addition, tapping into Latin America counteracts the trade tensions China has experienced recently with Europe. It also preempts concerns about possible US tariffs imposed on Chinese goods by Trump.

    Military concerns

    These moves have prompted concern in Washington that China is challenging US influence in its own backyard.

    China maintains that its seaport diplomacy is market oriented. However, it has established one naval base in the strategically located African nation of Djibouti. And it is believed to be building another naval base in Equatorial Guinea.

    According to a recent report by the Asia Society Policy Institute, strategy analysts believe China is seeking to “weaponise” the Belt and Road Initiative.

    One way it is doing this is by requiring the commercial ports it invests in to be equally capable of acting as naval bases. So far, 14 of the 17 ports in which it has a majority stake have the potential to be used for naval purposes. These ports can then serve a dual function and support the Chinese military’s logistics network and allow Chinese naval vessels to operate further away from home.

    US officials are also concerned China could leverage its influence over private companies to disrupt trade during a time of war.

    How is the West responding?

    While China’s investments are raising suspicions, the West’s willingness to invest in ports at this scale is limited. The US International Development Finance Corporation, for instance, has a much slower, rigorous process for its investments, which generally leads to fairer outcomes for both investors and host nations.

    However, some Western companies are acquiring stakes in established and newly built ports in other countries, albeit not to the extent of Chinese enterprises.

    The French shipping and logistics company CMA CGM’s global port development strategy, for example, includes investments in 60 terminals worldwide. In 2024, it acquired control over South America’s largest container terminal in the Port of Santos, Brazil.

    Trump has threatened tariffs as one way of countering China’s global sea power. An advisor on his transition team has proposed a 60% tariff on any product transiting through the Chancay port in Peru or any other Chinese-owned or controlled port in South America.

    Rather than making nations reluctant to sign port deals with Beijing, however, this kind of action just erodes Washington’s regional influence. And China is likely to take retaliatory measures, like banning the export of critical minerals to the US.

    Host nations like Peru and Brazil, meanwhile, are using the competition for port investment to their advantage. Attracting interest from both the West and China, they are increasingly asserting their autonomy and adopting a strategy of using ports to “play everywhere” on the global stage.

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

    – ref. China has invested billions in ports around the world. This is why the West is so concerned – https://theconversation.com/china-has-invested-billions-in-ports-around-the-world-this-is-why-the-west-is-so-concerned-244733

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: FS attends thematic meetings at World Economic Forum Annual Meeting (with photos/video)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    FS attends thematic meetings at World Economic Forum Annual Meeting (with photos/video)
    FS attends thematic meetings at World Economic Forum Annual Meeting (with photos/video)
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         The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, concluded his visit to Davos, Switzerland, yesterday (January 23, Davos time). He attended thematic meetings at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting and met with political, business and financial leaders from around the globe.     In the morning, Mr Chan participated in a discussion session titled “Stemming Financial Fragmentation” and served as one of the panelist’s. The session focused on addressing the risks of financial fragmentation amid rising geopolitical tensions.     Mr Chan noted that while geopolitics may subject regional and global financial markets to greater volatility, Hong Kong boasts a robust financial system and strong buffer, maintains a free and open business environment, and steadfastly upholds the linked exchange rate system. A recent survey conducted by a foreign chamber of commerce in Hong Kong revealed that international investors and companies remain optimistic about the city’s business prospects. He emphasised that Hong Kong’s financial markets have undergone remarkable transformation on various fronts, including the stock market and asset and wealth management business which have achieved significant growth since Hong Kong’s return to the motherland. Meanwhile, Hong Kong is actively embracing financial innovation, including the development of digital assets, with appropriate regulations in place to promote the responsible and sustainable growth. In response to questions, Mr Chan stated that China’s economy is steadily advancing, with solid progress towards high-quality development. The country is also committed to accelerating high-level openness and mutually beneficial cooperation as its national policy.     Later, Mr Chan participated in a thematic meeting organised by the Giving to Amplify Earth Action launched by the WEF, where he spoke on promoting investment in climate projects. He noted that Hong Kong, as an international financial centre, plays to its strengths as a “super connector” and “super value-adder”: on one hand, Hong Kong provides financial support for green and transition projects through its comprehensive financial services; on the other hand, it actively seeks to facilitate cooperation among the public, private and philanthropic sectors. Examples include hosting international conferences such as “Wealth for Good in Hong Kong”, which brings together decision-makers from global funds (including family funds) to promote synergies between global wealth and climate projects, thereby fostering impact investments. Through these efforts, Hong Kong seeks to make greater contributions to regional and global sustainable development.     Mr Chan also continued his meetings with various political and business leaders yesterday. He held bilateral discussions with the Minister of Investment of Saudi Arabia, Mr Khalid Al-Falih, and the Minister of Finance of Egypt, Mr Ahmed Kouchouk, respectively. During these meetings, they exchanged views on international and regional landscapes, and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral investment and trade relations. Mr Chan said that Hong Kong actively seeks to develop trade relations with “Global South” countries, and extended invitations to the Ministers to lead business delegations to Hong Kong to explore mutually beneficial cooperation opportunities.     In the afternoon, Mr Chan met with the President and the Chief Executive Officer of Franklin Templeton, Ms Jenny Johnson, to discuss the business expansion plans of the international fund group in the region. They also exchanged views on the current global economic and financial market landscapes.     Mr Chan is scheduled to depart from Switzerland today (January 24, Davos time) and will return to Hong Kong on Saturday morning (January 25, Hong Kong time).

     
    Ends/Friday, January 24, 2025Issued at HKT 9:00

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China launches communication tech test satellite

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    China sent a new test satellite for communication technology into space from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan on Thursday.
    The satellite was launched by a Long March-3B rocket at 11:32 p.m. (Beijing Time) and entered the planned orbit successfully.
    According to the launch center, the satellite will be used for satellite communications, radio and television and data transmission services. It will also serve as a platform for testing and validating related technologies.
    This launch was the 558th mission of the Long March series carrier rockets.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China willing to promote stable economic relations with US

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China is willing to work with the United States to promote stable, healthy and sustainable economic and trade relations, based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

    “Tariff measures are not conducive to the interests of either China or the United States, nor to the rest of the world,” said He Yadong, the spokesperson for the ministry, during a regular press conference. He made the remarks in response to a question about the possible 10 percent tariff increase imposed by the Trump administration on Chinese imports starting Feb. 1.

    Answering a question about TikTok, He said China has always respected and safeguarded the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises, and opposed actions that violate the basic principles of the market economy and harm the legitimate interests of enterprises.

    “We hope that the United States will listen more to the voices of enterprises and the public, and provide a fair and just business environment for companies from all countries, including Chinese enterprises,” He said.

    China hopes the United States will take more actions conducive to bilateral economic and trade cooperation and the well-being of the people in both countries, He added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Geely launches EV model Geely EX5 in Indonesia

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China’s automotive company Geely Auto introduced the Geely EX5 as its first model for the Indonesian market.

    “We firmly believe that Indonesia has great potential to become a hub for smart and sustainable mobility. Geely is here to offer mobility solutions that prioritize technology, sustainability, and an exceptional driving experience,” said Evin Ye, vice president of Geely Auto International Corporation, during the Geely EX5 launching in Jakarta on Wednesday.

    According to him, the company plans to establish a knock-down factory for local vehicle production in the archipelagic country and begin manufacturing in the third quarter of 2025.

    Cahyo Purnomo, investment promotion director for East Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa at the Ministry of Investment and Downstream Industry, said that Chinese investment continues to grow and is an important part of Indonesia’s industrial development, particularly in the field of electric vehicles.

    Geely Auto’s presence is more than just business, according to Cahyo, it also brings the newest electric car technology, which adds to the domestic automotive ecosystem and supports the archipelagic country’s economic progress.

    Geely Auto is a subsidiary of Geely Holding Group, an automotive manufacturer based in Hangzhou, China, that has operated in over 100 countries.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Mainland official visits Taiwan business people, compatriots ahead of Spring Festival

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    The Chinese mainland’s top Taiwan affairs official has extended festive greetings to representatives of the Taiwan business community ahead of the Spring Festival, and reaffirmed the mainland’s commitment to deepening cross-Strait integrated development and delivering benefits to Taiwan compatriots.
    Song Tao, head of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks during his visit to Taiwan enterprises and cross-Strait exchange events with nearly 400 Taiwan businesspeople and compatriots in Shenzhen, a technology hub in southern China, and Xiamen, a coastal city located near Taiwan, from Tuesday to Thursday.
    Song learned about the business operations and development of Taiwan enterprises and listened to their opinions and suggestions. He emphasized that the mainland will continue to refine policies and mechanisms to promote cross-Strait economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation, while further advancing cross-Strait integrated development.
    The shared values of peace, harmony and the pursuit of a better life among people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait remain the foundation of the development of cross-Strait relations, Song said.
    He expressed the hope that Taiwan compatriots will uphold the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, firmly oppose “Taiwan independence” separatism and external interference, and work together to expand cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, and achieve integrated development.
    “The warm atmosphere of Spring Festival brings a sense of comfort. The mainland’s support for Taiwan enterprises and compatriots has given those from Taiwan and Taiwan-funded businesses in Fujian greater confidence to continue their investments and support the cross-Strait integrated development,” said Wu Chia-ying, executive vice president of the Association of Taiwan Investment Enterprises on the Mainland. Wu attended a cross-Strait exchange event celebrating Spring Festival in Xiamen, east China’s Fujian Province, on Thursday.
    Designated as a demonstration zone for cross-Strait integrated development, Fujian saw 920,000 trips by Taiwan compatriots in the past year, and 8,817 trips were operated on direct routes between Fujian’s coastal areas and Kinmen and Mazu, transporting over 1.37 million passengers, marking year-on-year increases of 67.2 percent and 78.8 percent, respectively.
    In 2024, the mainland achieved its primary goals for economic and social development, shaping new advantages for cross-strait economic cooperation and providing new opportunities for Taiwan compatriots and businesses to deepen their engagement in the mainland, Song said.
    Last year, 7,941 Taiwan-funded companies were newly opened on the mainland, and the trade volume across the Strait reached 292 billion U.S. dollars, up 9.4 percent year on year, according to the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs.
    Guangdong Province, where Shenzhen is located, serves as the front line of China’s reform and opening up and is geographically close to Taiwan. It has become one of the first destinations for Taiwan compatriots and businesses venturing into the mainland.
    “Most of the Taiwan businesses in Guangdong were engaged in manufacturing in the past. But now they can leverage their advantages to make forays in the service industry, semi-conductors and artificial intelligence here,” said Jeff Chen, president of the Dongguan Taiwanese Business Association.
    Guangdong is a representative example of Taiwan businesses seeking success on the mainland. Official statistics reveal that by the end of 2024, Guangdong had introduced nearly 35,000 Taiwan enterprises, involving more than 94 billion U.S. dollars of investment.
    Hsu Fu-hsien, president of the Taiwanese association in Shenzhen, who also manages a manufacturing company, has been settled in Shenzhen for 35 years. “I benefited a lot from the reform and opening up in the 1990s. We are now keeping in pace with the times to invest more in automation and innovation,” he said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Senior CPC official delivers Spring Festival greetings to religious groups

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, extends festive greetings at a symposium with leaders of national religious groups ahead of the Chinese New Year on Jan. 23, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Thursday delivered Spring Festival greetings to religious personages and believers nationwide.
    Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, extended festive greetings at a symposium with leaders of national religious groups ahead of the Chinese New Year.
    Speaking highly of the work of religious groups in 2024, Wang urged efforts to develop religions in the Chinese context, strengthen governance of religious affairs, and build active and healthy religious relations, in a bid to contribute to Chinese modernization.
    He stressed maintaining guidance of core socialist values and Chinese culture, and thus forming religious doctrines that are in line with China’s national conditions step by step.
    Highlighting strengthening law-based religious affairs governance, Wang called for efforts to enhance self-education, self-management and self-restraint of religious circles.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi inspects steelmaker in northeast China

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Thursday afternoon inspected a steelmaker in Benxi City, northeast China’s Liaoning Province.
    Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation.ChinaNews App Download

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China promotes winter tourism, Spring Festival charm in Budapest

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

    BUDAPEST, Jan. 23 — Tourism professionals and cultural enthusiasts gathered at Budapest on Thursday evening for an event promoting China’s winter tourism offerings while celebrating the upcoming Chinese Spring Festival.

    Organized by the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism and its Budapest Tourism Office, the event featured vivid video presentations and cultural activities, highlighting China’s iconic winter destinations known for their rich ice and snow resources. Regions such as Xinjiang, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Inner Mongolia, and Hebei were showcased as premier travel spots.

    Li Huixin, director of the China National Tourist Office in Budapest, stressed the mutual potential for collaboration between China and the Central and Eastern European countries, noting their roles as both significant source markets and tourist destinations.

    China’s diverse and abundant ice and snow tourism resources make it a premier destination for winter sports enthusiasts worldwide, Li said. Featured attractions include Changbai Mountain and Harbin Ice and Snow World in the Northeast, Zhangjiakou Chongli (a key venue for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics), and the Tianshan Ski Resort in Xinjiang.

    Hungarian students Janka Kenez, currently studying master’s degree in China Studies at Eotvos Lorand University (ELTE), shared her personal experience of traveling in China. “Traveling through China is not just about famous sites like the Great Wall, it’s about the personal encounters that touch your heart,” she told Xinhua. Expressing admiration for China’s natural beauty, she called winter an ideal time to visit.

    Balazs Szigethy, a PhD student at ELTE, highlighted the convenience of exploring in China. “With high-speed rail and user-friendly apps, exploring China has never been easier,” he said, encouraging attendees to experience the country’s winter attractions and its people firsthand.

    The event also featured interactive activities, including a digital game to “light up” ice lanterns and a lucky draw. Guests also enjoyed Chinese delicacies and a musical performance of the “Spring Festival Overture” by the Cantabile Trio.

    The event showcased the synergy between China’s winter tourism offerings and its rich cultural heritage, inspiring attendees to explore the charm of the Chinese Spring Festival and beyond.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Spring Festival travel rush: Shenzhen airport sees surge in passengers, flights

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

    During the Spring Festival travel rush from January 14 to 22, Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport saw nearly 164,000 inbound and outbound passengers and nearly 1,700 flights, up 48.7 percent and 50.1 percent, respectively, from the previous year.

    Outbound travel was mainly driven by tourism, while inbound travel saw a surge due to visa-free policies, with over 11,500 foreigners arriving in a week, up 11.5 percent year on year.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Members of China’s 41st Antarctic expedition team prepare for upcoming Spring Festival

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

    Members of China’s 41st Antarctic expedition team prepare for upcoming Spring Festival

    Updated: January 24, 2025 09:54 Xinhua
    A member of China’s 41st Antarctic expedition team decorates the dining hall on Chinese research icebreaker Xuelong 2, Jan. 23, 2025. Chinese research icebreaker Xuelong 2, or Snow Dragon 2, is conducting a month-long marine ecosystem survey in the Amundsen Sea, which include a comprehensive investigation and monitoring of biological ecology, water, sedimentary and atmospheric environment, and pollutant distribution. Members of the expedition team decorated the vessel to greet the upcoming Spring Festival. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Members of China’s 41st Antarctic expedition team prepare to deploy a Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD) instrument on Chinese research icebreaker Xuelong 2, Jan. 18, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Members of China’s 41st Antarctic expedition team work on board of Chinese research icebreaker Xuelong 2, Jan. 19, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Members of China’s 41st Antarctic expedition team decorate the dining hall on Chinese research icebreaker Xuelong 2, Jan. 23, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A member of China’s 41st Antarctic expedition team works on board of Chinese research icebreaker Xuelong 2, Jan. 19, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Members of China’s 41st Antarctic expedition team work on a boat in the Amundsen Sea on Jan. 19, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A member of China’s 41st Antarctic expedition team filters the water sample on Chinese research icebreaker Xuelong 2, Jan. 22, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Members of China’s 41st Antarctic expedition team decorate the dining hall on Chinese research icebreaker Xuelong 2, Jan. 23, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A member of China’s 41st Antarctic expedition team collects water sample from a Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD) instrument on Chinese research icebreaker Xuelong 2, Jan. 18, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China eyes substantial progress in all-around rural revitalization by 2027

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

    China has issued a plan for all-around rural revitalization, aiming to advance agricultural and rural modernization to a new stage by 2027. This initiative, issued by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, targets substantial progress in rural revitalization.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China launches 6th batch of Spacesail Constellation satellites

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

    China has just sent a new satellite group into space from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China’s Shanxi Province. The satellite group was launched at 1:15 p.m. Beijing Time on January 23 aboard a modified Long March-6 carrier rocket and entered orbit successfully. The group consists of 18 commercial satellites, which is the sixth batch that will constitute the Spacesail Constellation.

    Spacesail is a low-Earth orbit mega-constellation that aims to offer global satellite internet services, supporting sectors such as transportation, new energy, smart cities, smart agriculture, emergency disaster relief and the low-altitude economy. The constellation officially began commercial network construction on August 6, 2024.

    The modified Long March-6 carrier rocket is a new generation of medium-sized launch vehicle that both uses solid and liquid propulsion. The rocket has a carrying capacity of no less than 4.5 tonnes to a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 700 kilometers.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Home appliances retail sales surge in December 2024

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Retail sales of home appliances in China’s businesses whose operating income reaches a certain scale surged by 39.3 percent year on year in December, backed by the country’s trade-in program, according to the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) on Thursday.

    The growth rate went up by 17.1 percentage points from that in November 2024, the MOC said, citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics.

    Businesses whose operating income reaches a certain scale refers to wholesalers with an annual main business turnover of at least 20 million yuan (about $2.79 million), retailers with that reaching 5 million yuan, and accommodation and catering businesses with that of at least 2 million yuan.

    In December, the retail sales of consumer goods rose 3.7 percent year on year, while that of the whole year climbed 3.5 percent from 2023, contributing 44.5 percent of the country’s economic growth, the data showed.

    Retail sales of services marked rapid growth to climb 6.2 percent year on year, 3 percentage points faster than retail sales of consumer goods, the data also showed.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Shanghai receives over 6.7M inbound tourists in 2024

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Inbound tourists arriving by cruise ship watch a lion dance performance in Shanghai, east China, Jan. 8, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Shanghai recorded over 6.7 million inbound tourist trips in 2024, an 84 percent increase from the previous year, partly thanks to the country’s loosening visa policies, local tourism authorities said Thursday.

    Overnight stays in Shanghai exceeded 6 million last year, an increase of over 80 percent year on year, with international tourists more than doubled to nearly 4.8 million, according to the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism.

    The Republic of Korea, the United States and Japan topped the list in terms of visitor source countries, each accounting for over 400,000 tourists to Shanghai. Meanwhile, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia were the top three source countries with the fastest-growing tourist numbers, said the administration.

    In particular, Shanghai recorded over 300,000 tourist trips from Thailand, marking a staggering year-on-year increase of more than 300 percent.

    The surge in inbound tourism is partly attributable to the continuous optimization of visa-free policies. To date, China has established comprehensive mutual visa exemption agreements with 25 countries, introduced unilateral visa-free policies for 38 countries, and implemented transit visa-free arrangements for 54 countries.

    Riding the wave of “China Travel,” which has gained massive popularity since last year, many scenic spots in Shanghai have gone viral on global social media platforms.

    German tourist Paul Liehr visited Shanghai’s Wukang Road during his Asian sightseeing tours. “The visa-free policy made my trip in China more convenient,” he told Xinhua.

    Shanghai will facilitate its tourism services and promote its appeal to attract more inbound tourists, according to the administration.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Turkish Airlines resumes flights to Damascus after 13-year suspension

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A Turkish airliner lands at Damascus International Airport in Damascus, Syria, on Jan. 23, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    A Turkish Airlines passenger jet carrying Syrian passengers landed at Damascus International Airport on Thursday for the first time in 13 years, state news agency SANA reported.

    In a press conference at the airport, Syrian Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates for Humanitarian Affairs Ahmad Dukhan applauded the resumption of flights, thanking “the Turkish government and people for standing by the Syrian people.”

    Dukhan underscored the “deep roots” of the bilateral relationship, calling the return of direct flights “the beginning of renewed cooperation” and a ray of hope for Syrians abroad hoping to return to their country with dignity.

    Turkish Airlines Director General Bilal Akshi said the move would serve the interests of Syria, its people, and the region.

    Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz, also on board the flight, hailed the development as “a historic moment,” saying the restored air link will reconnect Damascus to the rest of the world.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Europe gravitates to greater self-reliance as Trump begins new term

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    This photo taken on Dec. 18, 2024 shows a view of the Voelklingen Ironworks in Saarland, Germany. [Photo/Xinhua]

    U.S. President Donald Trump’s first days in the White House have sent ripples of unease through Europe. Accusing the EU of unfair treatment, Trump has vowed to impose tariffs to address trade imbalances.

    In response, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met in Paris on Wednesday, describing Trump as “a challenge” for Europe while stressing Europe’s strength and unity.

    Trump’s policies are poised to affect not just U.S.-Europe trade relations but also Europe’s territorial integrity, defense priorities and economic outlook.

    “President Trump’s initial statements and executive orders put transatlantic relations under pressure, not only because of their unpredictability, but also because raw power seems to be more important than legality and international cooperation,” said Philippe Monnier, former executive director of the Greater Geneva Berne Area’s Economic Development Agency.

    Bleak economic outlook

    The specter of U.S. tariffs on EU imports threatens to send shockwaves through the European economy. Although many EU countries have taken lessons from Trump’s first term and braced themselves for such scenarios, the potential impact remains significant.

    Yannis Stournaras, governor of the Bank of Greece, warned that the projected eurozone economic growth of 1.1 percent in 2025 could decline by 0.5 percentage point within two years if the United States imposes 10-percent tariffs.

    The effects are expected to be more pronounced in European economies with substantial exports to the United States. Export-oriented countries like Germany are likely to bear the brunt first.

    Germany’s exports to America could decline by 10-15 percent in the long term, potentially reducing its GDP by 0.3 percent, said Moritz Schularick, president of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. “It might not sound like much, but we’ve barely had any growth beyond that level recently.”

    “Trump isn’t concerned with the interests of the Old Continent. He just wants to squeeze more money out of Europeans,” Francois Heisbourg, special advisor at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, told Austrian newspaper Der Standard.

    Italy, a close U.S. ally notwithstanding, is also expected to face challenges. With its significant trade surplus with the United States and relatively low defense spending, Italy is likely to be targeted by Trump’s tariff policies, according to the Italian Institute for International Political Studies.

    Speaking at the Handelsblatt Energy Summit in Berlin on Tuesday, German Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck said that while Germany should engage with the new government under Trump with “an outstretched hand… We should not crawl in submission.”

    He warned that Germany is ready with countermeasures should tariffs be imposed. “We do not need to be pushed around.”

    Valdis Dombrovskis, the EU’s economy commissioner, also affirmed the EU’s readiness to respond in “a proportionate way” to any U.S. actions.

    Monnier cautioned that strained transatlantic ties could escalate further.

    Pushback in Europe

    On top of trade, Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization (WHO) has deepened rifts with his European counterparts, who remain strong advocates of climate action and global health initiatives.

    Addressing the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “The world is not at a single inflection point; it is at multi-inflection points.” She reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement and urged countries to “deepen global collaboration more than ever before.”

    In an interview on Tuesday with Bel RTL, a local media outlet, Belgian Foreign Minister Bernard Quintin voiced concerns over Trump’s isolationist tendencies, viewing them as a culmination of a longstanding trend of U.S. unilateralism.

    Critics argue that Trump’s withdrawals allow the United States to evade its financial responsibilities toward global climate protection and public health initiatives.

    “This is certainly not a good sign for international climate protection” if the United States is not included, climate researcher Niklas Hoehne from the NewClimate Institute told Germany’s dpa news agency, saying such moves made global climate achievements “more difficult.”

    An analysis by Climate Action Tracker, a Berlin-based non-profit climate science and policy institute, estimates that the U.S. withdrawal alone could add 0.04 degree Celsius to global warming by the end of the century.

    Europe’s sense of urgency

    Trump’s “America First” agenda has galvanized European leaders to advocate for greater autonomy from Washington.

    In the realm of defense, Macron has called for a reevaluation of Europe’s defense spending. He said on Monday that Europe’s military budgets of billions of euros should not be directed toward purchasing American weapons.

    A report on Europe’s future competitiveness authored by Mario Draghi, former Italian prime minister and former European Central Bank president, revealed that between June 2022 and June 2023, nearly two-thirds of the EU’s defense spending was directed to U.S. companies.

    During a joint press conference with Scholz on Wednesday, Macron stressed the need for Europeans “to play their full part in consolidating a united, strong and sovereign Europe.” France and Germany should ensure that Europe is capable of defending its interests while maintaining transatlantic ties, he said.

    The recent revelation of Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, has further alarmed European nations.

    French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot has warned of the resurgence of “might makes right” policies, calling on Europe to bolster its strength. Speaking to France Inter radio recently, Barrot noted that Greenland is a “territory of the European Union and of Europe.”

    “It is undoubtedly no way that the European Union would let other nations of the world, whoever they are, attack its sovereign borders,” he said.

    Schularick, the Kiel Institute president, said: “What is certain is that Trump is more interested in deals than in a rules-based global economy. The era of faster globalization, lower tariffs and dispute resolution within the framework of the World Trade Organization is now temporarily over.”

    “Europeans cannot remain passive at the risk of disappearing tomorrow,” Jordan Bardella, president of France’s National Rally party and member of the European Parliament, said at the European Parliament on Tuesday.

    With Trump’s comeback, Europe faces a critical juncture — whether to remain tethered to Washington or chart its own course in the face of renewed challenges.

    “The EU needs to make changes, and this is a good opportunity to get rid of its dependence on Washington and implement its own independent policies by cooperating with other countries in Asia, South America and Africa,” said Croatian political analyst Robert Frank.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: WEF calls for global cooperation

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    This photo taken on Jan. 20, 2025 shows the logo of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Amid unprecedented global uncertainty and rising protectionism, the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting has emphasized the urgent need for an open, inclusive global economy and strengthened international cooperation to address economic challenges and ensure a sustainable recovery.

    Weak recovery

    The global economy is poised for another year of uncertainty and uneven growth, according to the WEF’s latest Chief Economists Outlook, which was launched ahead of the annual meeting that is themed “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age” this year.

    The outlook said 56 percent of surveyed chief economists expected the global economy to weaken in 2025, compared to only 17 percent anticipating improvement. In addition, key discussions at the annual meeting were dominated by phrases such as “extremely high uncertainty” and “at a crossroads.”

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) released an update to its global outlook on Jan. 17 projecting the global economic growth at 3.3 percent both in 2025 and 2026. However, the figure is below the average of 3.7 percent during the period from 2000 to 2019.

    Global solution for global problems

    The escalation of geopolitical conflicts and regional instability have brought the level of global cooperation to a low point, according to the Global Cooperation Barometer 2025 report released by the WEF on Jan. 7.

    Speaking at the WEF annual meeting on Tuesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen noted that the world has entered a new era of harsh geostrategic competition. “We will need to work together to avoid a global race to the bottom, because it is in no-one’s interest to break the bonds in the global economy,” she said.

    While acknowledging the current climate of competition and inward-looking tendencies in many countries, WEF President Borge Brende has reiterated that cooperation remains the only way to address the world’s common challenges. “For global problems, you have to find global solutions,” he told Xinhua in an interview.

    The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also issued a stark warning about mounting global crises, including the climate crisis and geopolitical divisions. Calling the challenges a “Pandora’s box of troubles,” Guterres urged the international community to prioritize collaboration. “As a global community, we must live up to these responsibilities,” he said, echoing the WEF’s call for unity.

    Free trade, no protectionism

    Protectionism emerged as a focal point of concern at the meeting. The WEF’s Chief Economists Outlook report warned that rising trade barriers and geopolitical conflicts could cause lasting disruptions to trade patterns. Over half of surveyed economists foresee a grim future driven by trade barriers, soaring public debt and uneven recovery.

    The IMF also warned against unilateral measures such as tariffs, non-tariff barriers or subsidies that could hurt trading partners and spur retaliation.

    Brende warned that decoupling would have a significant negative impact on the global economy. The IMF estimates that severe decoupling, combined with high tariffs, could shrink the global economy by as much as 7 percent. He urged all countries to engage in dialogue, address tariff issues constructively, and avoid the pitfalls of decoupling and protectionism.

    The World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala also voiced strong opposition to protectionism. “We do not want tariffs. We do not want a tariff war,” she said during the “Finding Growth in Uncertain Times” panel on Tuesday.

    “This will not really benefit anyone, the U.S. and the rest of the world. It’s going to be inflationary in many cases,” she noted, “We still need try to work together to make sure we keep open and predictable markets.”

    In his speech at the WEF annual meeting, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stressed that Germany would be defending free trade as the basis of prosperity, including in cooperation with other partners.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On Senate Floor, Shaheen Raises National Security Concerns with Nomination of Pete Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense, Announces She Will Vote Against His Confirmation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), took to the Senate floor to outline her concerns for our national security ahead of the possible confirmation of Pete Hegseth as the next U.S. Secretary of Defense. Specifically, Shaheen addressed Hegseth’s inconsistencies on various foreign policy issues, including respect for the norms of armed conflict, support for our alliances like NATO and Putin’s war on Ukraine. At the conclusion of her remarks, Senator Shaheen announced she will vote against the Secretary of Defense nominee—the first time she’s done so since joining the U.S. Senate. You can watch the Senator’s full remarks here.

    Key quotes from Senator Shaheen:

    • “The almost three million men and women who serve our nation in uniform deserve a Secretary of Defense who will not needlessly throw them in harm’s way or seek to divide them with partisan politics.”
    • “Just as America’s national security interests are not to be trifled with, neither is our commitment to defending democracy and the international world order. And any inconsistency in our commitment to support our allies and partners, to support democracy around the world, to support the international world order is going to be seen and exploited by our adversaries.”
    • “And again, I think it’s very important that we stand by our ally Ukraine, because of the message it sends not just to the Russians and Vladimir Putin, but because of the message it sends to Xi in China, to the Iranians, to the North Koreans, to anyone who is an adversary of the United States. If they think we’re going to walk away from our allies, they’re going to do everything they can to divide us.”
    • “He [Mr. Hegseth] has a documented history of supporting individuals who have violated military and international law by committing war crimes […] I don’t think we can afford to entrust the safety and success of our men and women in uniform to a man who would himself disregard the laws of armed conflict and leave American credibility and moral authority in tatters on the world stage.”  
    • “I am very concerned that Mr. Hegseth lacks the consistency and the moral clarity to lead the most combat-credible military in the world […] Our men and women in uniform deserve better. And therefore, the first time since I was elected to represent the people of New Hampshire in the United States Senate, I plan to vote against this nominee for Secretary of Defense.”   

    Remarks as delivered can be found below:

    Mr. President, I come to the floor today to address some of my concerns about the qualifications of the President’s nominee to lead the Department of Defense, Mr. Pete Hegseth. 

    Like many of my colleagues on the Armed Services Committee, I left Mr. Hegseth’s hearing last week with a number of unanswered questions and some real concerns about his qualifications and abilities to serve in the role of Secretary of Defense. 

    Now, every single nominee for Secretary of Defense—from both Democrat and Republican administrations—have met with me and other members from both sides of the aisle on the committee before their confirmation hearings.  

    And I voted for every one of those nominees from both Democrat and Republican administrations: Secretaries Panetta, Hagel, Carter, Mattis, Esper and Austin.  

    I didn’t always agree with their views or their policies, but I felt that they had the qualifications and the temperament to be Secretary of Defense, so I supported their confirmations. 

    But Mr. Hegseth chose not to meet with me or any other Senate Democrats, except the Ranking Member, Jack Reed. And he broke with strong, longstanding tradition to ensure that our work on national security remains free from partisanship.

    And I think that’s the important point: we are stronger as Senators, as Congress, as a nation if we are acting together.

    The Committee unfortunately was not afforded the opportunity to ask a number of rounds of questions, and so there were a number of questions about his views, particularly regarding foreign policy and military policy that we did not get an answer to.

    I’ve become the Ranking Member on the Foreign Relations Committee, and so I’m very concerned about the role of the United States in the world.

    I think the American people expect transparency regarding Mr. Hegseth’s ability to stand by our allies and partners, to uphold international agreements, to abide by rules of engagement and the bottom line—support the men and women in the military in a way that not only keeps us safe, but protects them as well.

    The almost three million men and women who serve our nation in uniform deserve a Secretary of Defense who will not needlessly throw them in harm’s way or seek to divide them with partisan politics. 

    So, I’d like to address a few issues now that we were not able to get to at the hearing, because we were not able to ask more than one round of questions. And I want to start with the role alliances and that our allies and partners play in our own national security.

    I believe – and we’ve seen it many times since the start of this nation – that we are stronger and safer when we lead together with our allies. 

    And we’re fortunate, because we have strong allies and partners. We don’t see that coming from Vladimir Putin, from Xi in China, we don’t see it from the North Koreans or the Iranians, but the United States has strong allies who can stand with us.

    The most important security agreement we’ve had, I think any time in our nation’s history, is NATO.

    It is a critical, indispensable part of our national security, and yet, the President’s nominee for Secretary of Defense wrote in his book, American Crusade, that NATO is quote “a relic” and quote that it “should be scrapped.”

    Now since his nomination, Mr. Hegseth has tried to walk back his opposition to one of our key international alliances, to NATO. 

    In advance policy questions for the Committee, he calls NATO a quote, “vital U.S. interest” in defending Europe and American interests from Russia and Vladimir Putin. 

    This sudden reversal is welcome, because I think it’s very important that our Secretary of Defense understand how critical NATO is, and that it’s stronger now than it was any time since it was formed, probably. We now have 32 members of NATO.

    But Mr. Hegseth’s 11th hour conversion to understanding the importance of our allies and partners raises questions about what he really believes.

    We asked on our questions for the record about NATO, and we didn’t get much of a response.

    Now, if I had had the opportunity, I would have brought up Ukraine and Mr. Hegseth’s head-spinning contradictions on this matter.

    Just as America’s national security interests are not to be trifled with, neither is our commitment to defending democracy and the international world order. 

    And any inconsistency in our commitment to support our allies and partners, to support democracy around the world, to support the international world order, that is going to be seen and exploited by our adversaries. 

    So again, I’m puzzled about how we should think about Mr. Hegseth’s contradictory positions on a variety of national security and foreign policy issues.

    For example, he was critical of the Biden administration—as have many of us on both sides of the aisle been in this chamber—for not moving fast enough to aid Ukraine. But then question the wisdom of sending any U.S. assistance to Ukraine at all. 

    In 2022, Mr. Hegseth called Vladimir Putin a “war criminal” and called for faster U.S. aid to Ukraine. Now, he says the idea of Russia launching a nuclear war is “over-inflated” and plays down the severity of the conflict as merely Putin’s “give-me-my-shit-back war.”

    Well, I don’t think that our NATO allies, those in the Baltics and Poland and Eastern Europe, think Vladmir Putin’s nuclear ambitions are “over inflated.”

    They know the threat he poses to their countries and the world.

    And to be flippant about the threat of nuclear war, I think is beneath the office of the Secretary of Defense, who will have to engage with those partners on a regular basis. 

    Now, I agree with President Trump that the American people want to see a resolution to this years-long war. I’m sure that’s true of the Ukrainians as well.

    But Mr. Hegseth has not, either in his hearing nor in response to the questions that we submitted to him for the record, expanded on what the Department of Defense’s role should be with respect to Ukraine, even though we have already invested $66 billion in military assistance.

    And again, I think it’s very important that we stand by our ally Ukraine, because of the message it sends not just to the Russians and Vladimir Putin, but because of the message it sends to Xi in China, to the Iranians, to the North Koreans, to anyone who is an adversary of the United States.

    If they think we’re going to walk away from our allies, they’re going to do everything they can to divide us.

    Now, on Afghanistan, Mr. Hegseth has also been inconsistent on his views of the President’s foreign policy.

    Actually, he’s been inconsistent in general on the President’s foreign policies.

    In the lead up to the 2016 election, Mr. Hegseth was highly critical of then-candidate Trump’s foreign policy stances, particularly on Iraq and Afghanistan. 

    Mr. Hegseth called Mr. Trump, who was a candidate at the time, and I quote “all bluster, very little substance” and again quoting, “an armchair tough guy.” 

    He criticized then-candidate Trump in 2015 for advocating for the withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan, but then he took the criticism back. 

    He sharply criticized the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, as did I, but he’s failed to publicly comment on President Trump’s 2020 deal with the Taliban, which is what set the date certain for withdrawal in 2021 that then the Biden administration was actually tied to.

    Now, I agree. I agree that that withdrawal was not what I wanted to see. I didn’t support it.

    But they were terms that President Trump, in his first term, set with the Taliban. 

    Terms that I thought gave away the store to the Taliban. Because there were no concessions from them, on what we were to get from the United States. The Government of Afghanistan was not at the table and now we’re seeing the fallout from that.  

    And I know that no one is watching for gaps in U.S. national security policy more closely than President Xi and the People’s Republic of China. 

    Now Mr. Hegseth identifies China as our peer competitor, something that I think all of us on the Armed Services Committee and probably everyone this chamber agree with.

    But if Mr. Hegseth is so concerned about China, then he should realize that nothing will encourage President Xi’s aggression more than seeing America abandon our allies and partners. 

    Mr. Hegseth sees China’s ambitions as, quote, “a fait accompli,” and yet, he does not seem to recognize that his own inconsistencies on all these foreign policy positions could contribute to this.

    A question I would like Mr. Hegseth to attempt to answer is: What message would it send to our adversaries if the U.S. ceases its support not just for Ukraine, but for the international rules and norms that underpin the global order?

    Now, I’m also concerned about that with respect to the conduct of conflict. In his book “The War on Warriors,” Mr. Hegseth argued, and again I’m quoting, “our boys should not fight by rules written by dignified men in mahogany rooms eighty years ago. America should fight by its own rules.”  

    Well, the rules that he’s talking about are the Geneva Conventions—which established bare minimum protections against violence, torture and inhumane treatments.

    And they don’t just protect those people we’re fighting on the battlefield, they protect American soldiers.

    During his hearing, he even doubled down to say, quote, “restrictive rules of engagement” have “made it more difficult to defeat our enemies,” and that it would be his priority, quote, “that lawyers aren’t getting in the way.”

    Unfortunately—and dangerously—this appears to be the few issues that Mr. Hegseth is consistent on. 

    He has a documented history of supporting individuals who have violated military and international law by committing war crimes.  

    These are individuals who were turned in not by our enemies, but by members of their own units who were convicted of crimes by military juries. Individuals for whom Mr. Hegseth lobbied to get pardons.  

    I don’t think we can afford to entrust the safety and success of our men and women in uniform to a man who would himself disregard the laws of armed conflict and leave American credibility and moral authority in tatters on the world stage.  

    Now, while embracing officers convicted of war crimes, Mr. Hegseth has stated it is his intent to review all general officers currently serving in the Department of Defense. 

    And when asked if he would remove the current chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mr. Hegseth responded, on the record, that, quote, “all senior officers will be reviewed.”

    So, let’s just think about what that means – subjecting our general officers, in our military that is not politicized, to a political litmus test is not only unprecedented, it is dangerous. 

    It will convey to the American public that their leadership is political. 

    One of the most important roles of the Secretary of Defense is to seek out and consider open, honest and direct military advice from the senior officers in charge of our forces.  

    I don’t know how Mr. Hegseth expects to receive open and honest advice from his commanders when he is advocating for a purge of anyone who disagrees with him. 

      

    And I am also deeply troubled by the idea that Mr. Hegseth would act as a “yes man” himself, putting his own personal political interests above the wellbeing of our military men and women.

    At Mr. Hegseth’s confirmation hearing, when asked what he would do if he received orders from President Trump that he knew to be illegal or unconstitutional, Mr. Hegseth wouldn’t give a straight answer. All he could do was deny that President Trump was capable of giving an illegal order.

    And just for the record, to be clear: in his first term, President Trump did give an illegal order that then-Secretary Esper refused to follow. 

    And for that, Secretary Esper was fired by the President. 

    So, Mr. President, I am very concerned that Mr. Hegseth lacks the consistency and the moral clarity to lead the most combat-credible military in the world. 

    And I’m very disappointed that this body would put a nominee on the floor without the due process of advise-and-consent that the position of the Secretary of Defense deserves. 

    Our men and women in uniform deserve better. 

    And therefore, the first time since I was elected to represent the people of New Hampshire in the United States Senate, I plan to vote against this nominee for Secretary of Defense.  

    Thank you, I yield the floor.

    As the second-ranking Democrat on the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Shaheen is instrumental in helping to accomplish top national security objectives and enhancing New Hampshire’s role in support of America’s national defense. A member of the Committee since 2011, Shaheen has voted to confirm multiple nominees from both parties under multiple administrations. During his confirmation hearing, Shaheen questioned Hegseth about his support for women service members and the Shaheen-led Women, Peace and Security law. The bipartisan Women, Peace and Security Act, was signed into law by President Donald Trump, which Shaheen leads with Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), was signed into law in 2017 and requires the U.S. Government to strengthen the meaningful participation of women in conflict prevention and peace negotiations. 

    Senator Shaheen is the top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and also serves on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs and Defense. In 2018, Shaheen re-established the bipartisan U.S. Senate NATO Observer Group with U.S. Senator Tillis (R-NC). Senator Shaheen believes that a strong and active United States is fundamental to securing our national interests at home and abroad. She also believes that U.S. global leadership is directly tied to the strength of our ideals, our alliances and our diplomacy, and she is constantly working to ensure our national security policies reflect our broader democratic values. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: United Nations Sanctions (Yemen) Regulation 2019 (Amendment) Regulation 2025 gazetted

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    United Nations Sanctions (Yemen) Regulation 2019 (Amendment) Regulation 2025 gazetted
    United Nations Sanctions (Yemen) Regulation 2019 (Amendment) Regulation 2025 gazetted
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         ​The Government today (January 24) gazetted the United Nations Sanctions (Yemen) Regulation 2019 (Amendment) Regulation 2025 (the Amendment Regulation), which came into operation today.      ​”The Amendment Regulation amends the United Nations Sanctions (Yemen) Regulation 2019 to give effect to certain decisions relating to sanctions in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2758 in respect of Yemen,” a Government spokesman said.      The amendments renew the financial sanctions and travel ban.      The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has all along been implementing fully the sanctions imposed by the UNSC. The Amendment Regulation aims to give effect to the instructions by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for fulfilling the international obligations of the People’s Republic of China as a Member State of the United Nations.

     
    Ends/Friday, January 24, 2025Issued at HKT 11:00

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Primary, secondary schools to place greater focus on science

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

    China’s top education authority has issued a guideline to enhance science education in primary and secondary schools, emphasizing a more comprehensive curriculum, a stronger teaching workforce and better integration of science education resources.

    The guideline requires each primary school to have at least one science teacher with a master’s degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. Schools must also appoint at least one vice-principal for science, tasked with leading science lectures, collaborating with teachers, developing courses and supervising student projects.

    STEM scientists and experts from leading universities and research institutions are encouraged to take on these vice-principal roles in primary and middle schools.

    The guideline builds on ongoing efforts to improve science education, including the establishment of 125 national science education experimental zones and 994 experimental schools under construction.

    “Promoting high-quality development in science education requires designing a comprehensive system, training highly qualified science teachers, creating robust education resources and leveraging digital tools to develop open science courses,” Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng said at a December conference on science education.

    The document emphasizes strengthening theoretical research on science education through collaboration among universities, research institutes and natural science foundations, as well as fostering international exchanges. Teachers are encouraged to engage in research on science education.

    It also advocates establishing science education and practice bases through partnerships with universities, research institutes, science museums and technology companies. Schools are urged to organize regular extracurricular scientific activities at these locations.

    The guideline promotes a coordinated science curriculum system integrating national, local and school-based content, focusing on critical thinking, scientific exploration, engineering practices, technology and the humanities. Interdisciplinary learning projects combining science education with moral, aesthetic, labor and physical education are recommended.

    Science education is also to be incorporated into after-school activities tailored to students’ knowledge, experiences, cognitive abilities and interests.

    Activities such as nature observation, scientific exploration, engineering practices and project research are suggested to make these services more engaging.

    Education administrators are directed to guide schools in utilizing the Smart Education of China platform, which provides digital learning resources for teachers and students.

    The development and sharing of high-quality digital resources for science education are to be prioritized.

    The guideline also calls for immersive learning environments powered by intelligent technologies such as virtual simulations, computer modeling and data analysis, to enhance teaching models and improve learning assessments.

    MIL OSI China News –