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Category: China

  • MIL-OSI China: Senior official says to join EU for women’s broad, in-depth participation in STEM education

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

    Senior official says to join EU for women’s broad, in-depth participation in STEM education

    BEIJING, Oct. 15 — Chinese State Councilor Shen Yiqin on Tuesday said China is ready to work with the European Union (EU) to continue to promote women’s broad and in-depth participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.

    Shen, also Chinese chairperson of the China-EU High-Level People-to-People Dialogue, made the remarks in a video speech towards the opening ceremony of the China-EU Great Wall Seminar, an education policy dialogue platform within the framework of the China-EU High-Level People-to-People Dialogue.

    Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China 75 years ago, the education level of Chinese women has improved significantly, and Chinese women’s participation in STEM education has achieved remarkable results, Shen said.

    China is ready to work with the EU to strengthen policy dialogue, experience sharing and people-to-people exchanges, carry out cooperation in digital education and sister school building, and continuously increase the breadth and depth of women’s participation in STEM education, so as to promote more equitable and inclusive education for women and girls around the world, said Shen.

    The China-EU Great Wall Seminar, an education policy dialogue platform within the framework of the China-EU High-Level People-to-People Dialogue, is held in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Oct. 15, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China to work with Tajikistan to tap cooperation potential: Premier Li

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Tajik Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda on the sidelines of the 23rd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Islamabad, Pakistan, Oct. 15, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Tuesday that China is ready to work with Tajikistan, focusing on the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, to tap the potential of cooperation in various fields and expand cooperation in emerging industries in a bid to inject more impetus into common development.

    Li made the remarks during his meeting with Tajik Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda on the sidelines of the 23rd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

    Li said that in July, President Xi Jinping paid a successful state visit to Tajikistan, during which the two heads of state jointly announced the decision to elevate China-Tajikistan relations to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in the new era, and to build the China-Tajikistan community with a shared future at a higher level, drawing a new blueprint for the development of China-Tajikistan relations and cooperation.

    China is ready to work with Tajikistan to further implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, carry forward traditional friendship, deepen mutual political trust, firmly support each other on core interests, lift China-Tajikistan all-round cooperation to a new level, and bring more benefits to the two peoples, he said.

    China is going to work with Tajikistan to strengthen the synergy of development strategies. Guided by the vision of the China-Tajikistan community with a shared future and focusing on the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, China stands ready to tap the potential of bilateral cooperation in various fields, advance cooperation in such fields as trade, investment, mining and agriculture, as well as in emerging industries including new energy and digital economy, promote connectivity, and strengthen people-to-people exchanges and cooperation in culture, education and tourism, in a bid to inject more impetus into common development, he said.

    China will work with Tajikistan to implement the outcomes of the first China-Central Asia Summit, strengthen multilateral cooperation, jointly carry out the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, practice true multilateralism, and uphold international fairness and justice, Li said.

    Rasulzoda said that the traditional friendship between Tajikistan and China is profound, mutual political trust is solid, and bilateral relations are at the highest level in history.

    Tajikistan congratulates the People’s Republic of China on its remarkable development achievements since its founding 75 years ago, and thanks China for its long-term valuable support for Tajikistan’s development, he said, noting that President Xi paid a successful state visit to Tajikistan not long ago, which strongly promoted the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Tajikistan and China to a higher level.

    Tajikistan is willing to work with China to fully implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state of China and Tajikistan, strengthen exchanges at various levels, promote the Belt and Road cooperation, deepen cooperation in such fields as trade, investment, e-commerce, energy, industry, transportation and agriculture, expand cooperation in emerging fields like digital economy and green economy, and deepen cultural and people-to-people exchanges to better benefit the two peoples, he said.

    Noting that Tajikistan supports the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind and the three global initiatives proposed by President Xi, Rasulzoda said Tajikistan expects to work with China to promote cooperation between Central Asian countries and China, deepen cooperation within the framework of the United Nations and the SCO, and jointly uphold regional and global peace, stability and development. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China eyes further fruitful partnership with Australia: Chinese VP

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 15, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines in Beijing on Tuesday, noting that China is willing to work with Australia to build a more fruitful bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.

    Noting that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership, Han said consolidating and developing bilateral ties serves the common interests of the two countries and is conducive to regional peace, stability and prosperity, as both China and Australia are important countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

    Han said China is ready to work with Australia to implement the important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, so as to build a more mature, stable and fruitful China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership and contribute to peace and development in the region and the world.

    Lines said she has felt the vitality and achievements of China’s development during this visit, adding that the close cooperation between Australia and China benefits the people.

    The Australian Senate is committed to promoting the sustained and steady development of Australia-China ties and the two countries being equal partners, Lines said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 11 killed, 19 wounded in Israeli airstrikes on different areas of Lebanon

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    At least 11 people were killed and 19 others wounded on Tuesday in Israeli airstrikes on different areas of Lebanon, local media reported.

    Five people were killed and 16 others wounded, while two children went missing in an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in Riyaq, a Lebanese town in the Bekaa governorate, according to an al-Jadeed local TV channel.

    The channel reported that civil defense teams are still searching for missing people under the rubble.

    In a separate incident, two nurses were injured in an Israeli airstrike on Mortada Hospital in Baalbek in eastern Lebanon, and they were transported to Dar al-Amal Hospital, according to al-Jadeed.

    Meanwhile, an Israeli airstrike on the southern village of Jarjouh killed an Amal Movement member and three of his family members.

    On a separate note, a violent Israeli raid targeted a house in the village of Jennata in the Tyre district, killing two people and wounding one, according to the National News Agency.

    Lebanese military sources told Xinhua that Israeli warplanes and drones carried out 17 raids on towns and villages in southern Lebanon and 11 raids on towns and villages in eastern Lebanon on Tuesday afternoon.

    For its part, Hezbollah announced that in support of the Palestinian people and in defense of Lebanon and its people, its fighters bombed the occupied city of Safed on Tuesday afternoon with a rocket salvo.

    It also announced a second attack on Marbad al-Zaoura in the occupied Syrian Golan, using a salvo of rockets and the Naftali base near the occupied city of Safed.

    Since Sept. 23, the Israeli army has been launching an unprecedented, intensive air attack on Lebanon in an escalation with Hezbollah.

    Since Oct. 8, 2023, Hezbollah and the Israeli army have been exchanging fire across the Lebanese-Israeli border amid fears of a broader conflict as the war between Hamas and Israel continues in the Gaza Strip.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: S. Korean military ‘main culprit’ of drone intrusion into Pyongyang: DPRK official

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A senior official of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Tuesday accused the South Korean military of being the “main culprit” of the drone intrusion into the airspace of Pyongyang, state media reported.

    Kim Yo Jong, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), issued a press statement saying the DPRK has “secured clear evidence” showing that the South Korean military is “the main culprit” of the hostile provocation of violating the DPRK sovereignty by intruding into the sky over its capital city of Pyongyang, the DPRK’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

    “The provocateurs will have to pay a dear price,” the senior DPRK official was quoted by the KCNA as saying.

    A day earlier, Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the WPK and president of the state affairs of the DPRK, convened a consultative meeting on national defense and security in the latest move by the country to address the escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, the KCNA said in an earlier report on Tuesday.

    The DPRK Foreign Ministry issued a statement last Friday evening, accusing South Korea of sending drones over Pyongyang. South Korea’s military denied the accusation on the same day, saying that “it did not send drones into North Korea.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: UK has no plans for EU-style tariffs on Chinese EVs

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    British Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has said that the United Kingdom (UK) has no plans to follow the European Union’s (EU) decision to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle (EV) imports.

    Reynolds said that there had not been any complaints from the UK automative industry to the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA), and he would not seek to follow the EU in pursuing tariffs, the Reuters reported on Monday.

    “We keep it under close analysis, but I think it’s important our industry is different, and as of yet industry itself hasn’t asked for that referral to the TRA,” Reynolds told reporters on the sidelines of the International Investment summit in London.

    Britain was an “outlier” in how little it had done in terms of building trade links with China, and engagement was a good thing, Reynolds added.

    Reynolds had made similar remarks at the G7 Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Italy in July, reaffirming that the UK would not impose punitive tariffs on Chinese EVs like the EU.

    China and the EU are yet to reach a mutually acceptable solution on the issue, despite important progress in certain areas, China’s commerce ministry said on Saturday.

    The EU’s move has also sparked criticism from several European countries and auto industries, who warn the move could backfire by undermining the EU’s own competitiveness.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Large-scale debt swap eyed to boost economy

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A worker counts Chinese currency renminbi at a bank in Linyi, East China’s Shandong province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China is likely to approve a debt swap program worth trillions of yuan as the beginning of a broader plan to decisively forestall any downward economic spiral, economists and policy advisers said.

    The debt resolution program — set to be the biggest of its kind in recent years — reflects policymakers’ priority not only to stimulate short-term growth, but also to proactively tackle major structural challenges, opening the door to further substantive policy support, they said.

    The policy focus for the coming quarters should include further addressing local governments’ delayed payments to businesses, acquiring idle housing and helping struggling real estate developers overcome difficulties, they said.

    The economists and advisers added that by alleviating debt pressures facing local governments, the debt swap plan will improve corporate performance, reinvigorate business expectations and serve as an important stepping stone to economic stabilization.

    Noting that this approach is as essential as direct demand stimulus, Robin Xing, chief China economist at Morgan Stanley, said, “Resolving the debt issue is a critical step in stopping a key deflationary downward spiral.”

    Xing added that the debt swap program would go beyond merely reducing interest payments. “It can improve the liquidity and balance sheets of local businesses (as local governments honor payables), but more fundamentally, restore stability in the regulatory environment and thus business expectations.”

    He estimated that the debt swap program will be no less than 6 trillion yuan ($843 billion) over multiple years, with the central government taking over some local debt burdens, and added that this year may see a 2 trillion yuan supplementary fiscal package for local debt resolution and bank recapitalization.

    Finance Minister Lan Fo’an said on Saturday that the Finance Ministry plans to increase the debt limit by a large scale at once and replace the hidden debt of local governments, without disclosing the specific size of the plan.

    The market is waiting for the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the country’s top legislature, to convene in late October or early November to approve the specifics of the plan.

    Sheng Zhongming, a research fellow at the CF40 Institute, which is affiliated with the China Finance 40 Forum think tank, said that a debt swap would convert high-cost and structurally complex implicit debt into more sustainable low-cost and standardized government bonds, reflecting a policy orientation of securing this year’s growth target while tackling persistent structural problems.

    China must confront the key structural issues of local debt risks, outstanding government payments to businesses, real estate concerns and the recapitalization needs of banks, Sheng said, which will require at least 10 trillion yuan in additional public funds over several years in order to be effectively addressed.

    Wang Yiming, vice-chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, suggested leveraging central government funding to address local governments’ overdue payments to businesses that accumulated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    To further address the real estate downturn, a feasible solution could be establishing a special fund, financed by fiscal funds, to acquire housing stock and convert it into government-subsidized rental housing for new urban residents, said Wang, who also serves as a monetary policy committee member of the nation’s central bank.

    Li Daokui, director of Tsinghua University’s Academic Center for Chinese Economic Practice and Thinking, said it is imperative to address the situation in which local governments face extremely tight cash flows while banks are flush with liquidity.

    Li suggested that local debt at least equivalent to 20 percent of the country’s GDP, or around 30 trillion yuan, should be replaced with longer-term treasury bonds.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Taiwan leader Lai’s separatist remarks escalate cross-Strait tensions: mainland spokesperson

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Tuesday said Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te’s separatist remarks, especially his Oct. 10 speech, have escalated cross-Strait tensions and seriously undermined peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
    Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks in response to a media inquiry.
    The recent series of resolute and effective countermeasures taken by the mainland are a sovereign country’s just moves to punish separatist activities and safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as to safeguard the peace and stability across the Strait and the safety and wellbeing of Taiwan compatriots, said Chen.
    Chen warned Taiwan authorities led by Lai that each provocation made by “Taiwan independence” separatist forces will be met with more intense countermeasures from the mainland, until China’s complete reunification is realized. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: ADB to Support Green and Low-Carbon Urban Development in Chongqing, PRC

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    MANILA, PHILIPPINES (16 October 2024) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $200 million equivalent loan to help build and implement green, low-carbon, climate-resilient, and cross-sector urban development measures in Chongqing Gaoxin District in Chongqing Municipality, the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

    “Chongqing has ambitious climate change targets, as well as a strong commitment to evolving Chongqing Gaoxin District into a low-carbon, nature-based, and climate-resilient city. But a holistic and integrated approach is critical to long-term success,” said ADB Country Director for the PRC Safdar Parvez. “This results-based lending program will foster collaboration among stakeholders and benefit almost a million residents.”

    Chongqing experiences severe climate events, such as high temperatures, mountain fires, heavy rain, and droughts. The city’s rapid urban and industrial development has also degraded environmental quality, with Chongqing Gaoxin District facing frequent flooding, subpar infrastructure, and poor river water quality.

    The Chongqing Gaoxin District Green and Low-Carbon Urban Development Program will support green and low-carbon infrastructure and services, including improved domestic wastewater management, green buildings, and renewable-energy-powered district heating and cooling supply. It will also support the development of a green eco-district—which applies sustainable urban practices like efficient resource usage and lowered carbon emissions into design and operation—and application of nature-based solutions, including enhanced flood mitigation capacity and urban green spaces.

    The program will also strengthen institutional capacity and human capital to build and implement green and low-carbon initiatives, as well as train students, especially females, for roles toward climate-resilient urban development.

    ADB’s climate finance for the program is $124 million, with an estimated $72.75 million in mitigation costs and $51.25 million in adaptation costs. The total program cost is $841.9 million equivalent. It is expected to be completed in 2030.

    ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 69 members—49 from the region.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why China now wants to put some limits on its ‘no limits’ friendship with Russia

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Guangyi Pan, Teaching fellow, international politics, UNSW Sydney

    Just before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China announced to much fanfare a “no-limits friendship” with Russia, suggesting a future of close collaboration in trade, energy and, perhaps most importantly, security.

    Now, more than two years into the war, the meaning and interpretation of this “no-limits” commitment has evolved.

    There has been much debate in Chinese society in recent months about Beijing’s alignment with Moscow. While some have advocated for a more formal alliance with Russia, others have taken a more cautious stance.

    In sharp contrast to 2022, China’s growing wariness is increasingly being discussed in the open, even among those who were previously censored. In early 2022, for instance, a joint letter by six Chinese emeritus historians opposing Russia’s invasion was censored by the government. The scholars were also warned.

    Now, however, it appears the government is seeking to balance its relationships with both Russia and the West. Beijing may not want to be seen as a “decisive enabler” of the war.

    For example, the once-prominent “no-limits” friendship language quietly vanished from a Sino-Russian joint statement in May.

    And Beijing’s response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit that month was notably subdued. Putin ingratiated himself with Xi, saying they were “as close as brothers”. Xi’s response was more perfunctory – he called Putin a “good friend and a good neighbour”.

    Scholars are also articulating their concerns about China’s political and economic investments in Russia, both publicly and privately.

    Shen Dingli, a leading scholar of Chinese security strategy at Fudan University in Shanghai, said China doesn’t want to be seen as collaborating with Russia against Ukraine or any other country.

    He also quoted Fu Cong, China’s former ambassador to the European Union, who said last year the “no-limits” [friendship] is “nothing but rhetoric”.

    And in August, after Putin referred to China as an “ally” during a visit to far-eastern Russia, Chinese scholars promptly sought to clarify this statement to prevent any misunderstanding China wants a formal alliance with Russia.

    These statements carry weight. In many respects, leading Chinese scholars at the government-affiliated universities act as propagandists to convey and justify the government’s stance on issues. As a result, subtle shifts in their commentary provide insights into the strategic mindset in Beijing.

    Why China is rethinking its ‘no-limits’ friendship?

    There are three elements driving this re-evaluation of the Russia-China alignment.

    First, there is growing scepticism of Russia’s state capacities. The mutiny by the Wagner Group last year and Ukraine’s recent incursion into Russia’s Kursk region have prompted critical reassessments in Beijing of Russia’s political stability and military preparedness, as well as the growing anti-war sentiment in Russia.

    As Feng Yujun, director of Fudan University’s Russia and Central Asia Study Centre, argued, the Wagner rebellion was a reflection of Russia’s internal conflicts and domestic security challenges. He noted every time Russia has faced both internal and external crises in history, its regimes have become less stable.

    More recently, Feng has been even bolder, predicting Russian defeat in Ukraine. He argued China should keep its distance from Moscow and resume a policy of “non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-partisanship”.

    Second, China’s sluggish economy and its underwhelming trade with Russia have further exposed how dependent both countries are on the West.

    While Russia-China trade reached a record US$240 billion (A$360 billion) in 2023, it has slowed so far this year, as Chinese financial institutions have sought to limit connections with Russia.

    The relationship still heavily favours Beijing. Russia accounts for only 4% of China’s trade, while China accounts for nearly 22% of Russia’s trade.

    Many Chinese experts are now warning against an over-dependence on Russia, instead calling for more cooperation with neighbouring countries. This echoes a recent concern Russia has been using its natural resources as a bargaining chip to extract greater benefits from China.

    Russia’s value as a military ally

    Finally, there are rising Chinese concerns its international outlook does not align with Russia’s.

    Zhao Long, deputy director of the Shanghai Institute of International Relations, says there is an important difference in how they view the world:

    Russia wants to destroy the current international system to build a new one. China wants to transform the current system by taking a more prominent place in it.

    Shi Yinhong, a strategist at Renmin University in Beijing, has highlighted an unbridgeable gap preventing a stronger China-Russia alliance. He says there’s a deep mutual mistrust on regional security. Russia has never promised support for China in the event of a conflict over Taiwan, just as China has avoided involvement in the war in Ukraine.

    As Russia’s war in Ukraine reaches a stalemate, its value as a military ally is increasingly being questioned in China.

    Recently, Feng Yujun warned China risks being led by the nose by Russia, despite being the stronger economic partner. He says every time China has attempted an alliance with Russia in history, it has had negative consequences for China.

    Consequently, it is crucial for China to maintain its long-term partnership with Russia without undermining its constructive relationship with the West.

    Russia has arguably benefited from the current competition between the US and China, as it has sought to exploit the rivalry for its own benefit. But this has also led to uncertainty in the China-Russia relationship.

    As another analyst, Ji Zhiye, argues, relying too heavily on Russia will leave China isolated and vulnerable. And this is not a position China wants to be in.

    Guangyi Pan 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. Why China now wants to put some limits on its ‘no limits’ friendship with Russia – https://theconversation.com/why-china-now-wants-to-put-some-limits-on-its-no-limits-friendship-with-russia-238436

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Statement From Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder on PRC Military Drills Near Taiwan

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    We have closely monitored the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) exercise, JOINT SWORD 2024B, around Taiwan. This military pressure operation is irresponsible, disproportionate, and destabilizing. As the White House noted last week, it is a long-standing tradition for Taiwan’s president to deliver remarks on 10/10. It is a routine, domestic-focused address that has historically prompted little response from the PRC. Still, the PRC has chosen this opportunity to take provocative, military action.
     
    Deterrence remains strong in the Indo-Pacific, and the Department remains confident in its current force posture and operations in the region. The entire world has a stake in peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and we continue to see a growing community of countries committed to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. We will continue to work with allies and partners to advance our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, despite the PRC’s destabilizing behavior. The United States remains committed to its longstanding one China policy, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Joint Communiqués, and the Six Assurances.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: Frankfurt Book Fair 2024 kicks off

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The Frankfurt Book Fair officially opened on Tuesday, highlighting a variety of genres and topics, including the “New Adult” category – romantic novels targeting young adults – alongside children’s and young adult literature, comics, streaming services, and educational and academic publishing.

    One of the most anticipated discussions at the fair is the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the publishing industry.

    At a press conference, Karin Schmidt-Friderichs, Chairwoman of the German Publishers & Booksellers Association, acknowledged that while AI offers many opportunities for publishers, bookstores, and the logistics sector, it has yet to produce the kind of surprising, thought-provoking, or emotionally resonant works that come from human creativity.

    She also expressed concern about the ethical implications of AI, warning that its capabilities rely on “the largest-scale data theft in history.” She pointed out that massive amounts of text and images, many protected by copyright, have been used to train AI systems without proper consent or compensation for the original creators.

    Chinese publishers are making a significant impact at this year’s fair, showcasing more than 3,500 books, including 1,500 in foreign languages. In addition to new book releases, Chinese publishers are holding numerous premieres and signing ceremonies for copyright agreements, with up to 1,000 books available for copyright trade. The fair will also feature a promotional event for the 2025 Beijing International Book Fair and a session on copyright trade between China and Europe.

    Juergen Boos, Director of the Frankfurt Book Fair, noted the growing presence of Chinese publishers at the event, saying that they have evolved from being primarily copyright importers to becoming major copyright sellers. Boos also announced the introduction of an “Asian Stage” at the fair for the first time, which will foster dialogue between authors from China, other Asian countries, and Germany. Topics such as continuing education and training will be discussed to promote mutual learning between Chinese and German authors.

    This year’s Frankfurt Book Fair, which runs for five days, will feature thousands of exhibitors from around 100 countries.

    First held in 1949, the fair has since grown into the largest book fair in the world. Italy is the guest of honor for this year’s event.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Two giant pandas from China arrive in Washington, D.C.

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    An airplane transporting giant pandas arrives at the Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., the United States, on Oct. 15, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    A pair of giant pandas, Bao Li and Qing Bao, arrived at Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, after an approximately 19-hour trans-Pacific trip from Sichuan Province in southwest China.

    A dedicated “FedEx Panda Express” Boeing 777F aircraft landed at the Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C. at around 10:00 a.m. local time (1400 GMT).

    The pandas were loaded onto trucks and were sent to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI). The three-year-old pandas will make their new home at the zoo, as part of a 10-year international giant panda protection cooperation program.

    “Our team has worked tirelessly to prepare for the pandas’ arrival, and we’re thrilled to welcome Bao Li and Qing Bao to Washington, D.C.,” Brandie Smith, NZCBI’s John and Adrienne Mars director, said in a statement.

    “I am appreciative of our Chinese colleagues for our collaborative conservation and research efforts, to FedEx for providing them with safe transportation and to our donors and members whose philanthropic contributions makes our giant panda conservation program possible,” said Smith.

    Bao Li, male, whose name means “treasure” and “energy” in Chinese, was born in August 2021. He shares a special bond with the zoo, as he is the son of Bao Bao and the grandson of Tian Tian and Mei Xiang — all former residents of the zoo.

    Qing Bao, female, whose name means “green” and “treasure” in Chinese, was born in September 2021.

    Per standard procedure, the pandas will be quarantined in the panda house for a minimum of 30 days, according to the zoo.

    This is the second time this year that China has sent giant pandas to the United States. Two giant pandas, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, landed in California from China on June 27, and made their public debut on Aug. 9.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Blogging taxi driver takes road to fame

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Donning a cowboy hat, Ge You, one of the most renowned actors in the country, takes on the role of an ambassador of justice in his latest film, The Hutong Cowboy.

    However, unlike the typical cowboy archetype, the “weapon” of Ge’s character, Zhang Beijing, isn’t a sixgun holstered at his side. Instead, it’s the essential tools of the digital age — a smartphone and a selfie stick.

    In the movie, Zhang, a Beijing taxi driver in his 50s, unexpectedly becomes an internet sensation after a video capturing his moment of anger goes viral online. He seizes this newfound fame to start his own video blog, where he helps everyday individuals defend their rights.

    The footage shows the irate protagonist riding a sightseeing mini-train, chasing a soap seller dressed as a Transformers-like robot portrayed by actress Li Xueqin. The protagonist is triggered by the seller’s violation of his image rights. Earlier, the “robot” claw snags his wig, revealing his bald head, and this embarrassing moment is subsequently showcased on a large screen aimed at attracting more passersby to buy her soaps.

    As the latest directorial effort of veteran director Ning Hao and emerging talent Xu Lei, the 113-minute comedy was released across domestic theaters on Oct 1.

    Starring actress Gong Beibi as Zhang’s former wife and actor Wu Lei as his son, the movie unfolds with Zhang’s determination to deliver a parental speech at the upcoming wedding, rather than allowing his son’s wealthy entrepreneur stepfather to do so.

    Despite his efforts, including trying to rent luxury cars for the wedding and purchasing an expensive wig, Zhang eventually conceives a plan to become an internet influencer, aiming to demonstrate that he too can achieve success after the incident. However, the situation takes an unexpected turn.

    Director Ning, one of the most renowned figures among China’s “sixth-generation directors”, tells China Daily that he has been considering shooting a feature-length film centered on Zhang, a chatty yet warmhearted taxi driver representing the Chinese capital’s unique hutong culture, since 2019.

    Zhang’s character was initially introduced in Ning’s Nihao Beijing (Hello Beijing), one of the six standalone short stories featured in the 2019 anthology blockbuster My People, My Country. The narrative of Zhang was revisited in Beijing Haoren (A Kind-hearted Beijing Native), also directed by Ning, and one of the five separate stories of the 2020 anthology My People, My Homeland, a sequel to the 2019 film.

    Ning unveils that the inspiration for Zhang stems from the uncle of Wang Ang, the film’s scriptwriter.

    “We had interviewed his uncle before developing the storyline for the 2019 film,” recalls Ning.

    The archetype individual, characterized by his helpful, hospitable, and talkative nature, embodies a subset of native Beijing taxi drivers, who enjoy exchanging perspectives on international and domestic affairs with passengers and typically possess a broad spectrum of knowledge, Ning says.

    After being invited on board to codirect the film, Xu, who shot to fame for the award-winning suspense comedy Summer Detective, recalls that he and the cameraman Cheng Ma sought out the ideal filming locations in Beijing’s hutong areas.

    Living in a community near the East Fifth Ring Road, Xu shares that the journey has helped him realize the unique charm of Beijing — from its labyrinthine alleyways to the close-knit relationships among neighbors and the picturesque courtyards adorned with gray tiles, gray walls and red doors.

    “The preservation of hutong houses within the Second Ring Road represents a preservation of traditional and classical ways of living,” Ning adds.

    A native of Taiyuan, Shanxi province, Ning says that he believes Beijing locals, especially those residing in hutong, are renowned across the country for their wit and convivial dispositions, shaped by their distinctive living environment.

    “For many families, they share one courtyard with neighbors and have to go out to use communal toilets. Residents frequently run into each other. If nobody speaks, it can create pressure and lead to anxiety. Therefore, they rely on conversations and jokes to navigate life more smoothly,” Ning explains.

    Moreover, the film aims to capture how everyday individuals navigate the challenges of embracing a modern era dominated by livestreams, short videos and online commerce.

    Ning, seeking insights through his observations of daily life, recalls several instances that shed light on this dynamic. Intrigued by late-night livestreamed plant sales, Ning watched sellers diligently maneuvering electric bikes across fields to fulfill customers’ requests for close-ups of saplings. Similarly, he observed a grill restaurant owner fervently promoting her dishes to just a few online viewers. Even Ning’s shy and introverted nephew, who is recruited as a livestreamer to sell vehicles, found his primary audience to be Ning’s own relatives, who needed to support the young man as he struggled to attract enough customers.

    “Though the internet has reshaped our lives, it’s heartening to witness the resilience and fervor of ordinary individuals in the face of difficulties and challenges. Every single one of them is working hard to keep pace with the changes of the era,” reflects Ning.

    Interestingly, the courtyard of Zhang, the protagonist, was filmed within a hutong near Zhihua Temple, a Buddhist temple constructed during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The backdrop of the sweeping and fluid Galaxy SOHO complex, designed by the late Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, adds a metaphorical depth to the film.

    Director Xu explains that this deliberate contrast aims to convey a message about the potential for harmonious coexistence between tradition and modernity in a vibrant metropolis like Beijing.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Paintings explore odyssey of vision

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Gazing at the paintings of Chang Shuhong (1904-94), founding director of the Dunhuang Academy, people can still feel the fundamental draw of the Mogao Caves that brought him back from France in the 1930s, leaving behind a prospect of an emerging classical oil painter.

    The following five decades saw him immerse in the charm of the treasure trove of Buddhist murals and painted sculptures as a wholehearted protector of the grottoes in the Gobi Desert of Northwest China.

    His later works, therefore, were largely influenced by murals in the Mogao Caves of Dunhuang, Gansu province — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — and a more down-to-earth, local artistic expression of China popular at that time, says Zhang Yiqing, research librarian at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou, Chang’s hometown.

    In commemoration of the 120th anniversary of Chang’s birth, some of his oil paintings, watercolors and sketches are on show at the museum through to Sunday.

    The exhibits also include Chang’s copies of the murals in the Mogao Caves, as well as zhongcai (heavy-color) paintings, an important genre of Chinese painting with fine, precise delimitation and the layering of pigmented hues.

    Through Chang’s own depiction, the exhibition gives a display of early conservation efforts of the Dunhuang Academy, while tracing Chang’s artistic exploration and achievements before and after he went back from France.

    Chang was born in Hangzhou, a warm, wet and picturesque city along the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. In his early 20s, he went to France to study oil painting and fabric pattern design.

    His graduation work at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, Portrait of Madame G, ranked top among his peer graduates. He later entered the prestigious Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris with a scholarship funded by the city of Lyon.

    In France, Chang was active in salons, official art exhibitions sponsored by the French government. Having received several awards, some of his works were included among the collections of French cultural and artistic institutions, such as the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

    An encounter on the bank of the Seine changed his life.

    From a bookseller Chang got to read French explorer and Sinologist Paul Pelliot’s photo catalog, the six-volume Les Grottes de Touen-Houang (The Grottoes of Dunhuang). He then visited the Guimet Museum, or the National Museum of Asian Arts, to see the relics of Dunhuang taken by Pelliot.

    Chang marveled at the beauty and profoundness of the caves, first built more than 1,600 years ago, while mourning the loss of or damage to the cultural relics.

    He then made up his mind to go back to his home country and devote his life to the preservation of the grottoes and the promotion of Dunhuang studies.

    Chang came back in 1936. Amid the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45), he managed to arrive in Dunhuang after a month’s arduous journey in 1943 and prepared for the establishment of what is known today as the Dunhuang Academy.

    This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the academy, which currently oversees the Mogao Caves and several other relics sites in Gansu.

    In the late 1990s, Chang’s second wife Li Chengxian (1924-2003) and their children donated more than 200 paintings of Chang to the Zhejiang Provincial Museum, a small part of which are displayed at the museum’s permanent Chang Shuhong Gallery.

    Zhang, who is also curator of the ongoing temporary exhibition, says its more than 80 paintings serve as a larger presentation of Chang’s works housed at the museum, alongside the collection of Shanghai-based Long Museum and the private collection of Chang Jiahuang, Chang Shuhong’s second son.

    Sincere creativity

    With his subtle brush, Chang Shuhong recorded the Mogao Caves and the Dunhuang city in different seasons: the trees and blossoms in spring; the frozen Daquan River in front of the caves during winter, children playing on ice, a white stupa in the distance; and birds in snow against the backdrop of the landmark timber-structured nine-floor building that houses the tallest statue of Maitreya Buddha, or the Buddha of the Future, at the Mogao Caves.

    Upon his arrival, Chang Shuhong and colleagues pioneered a systematic conservation of the relics, planting trees and building protective walls, reinforcing the cliffs, constructing pathways, cleaning up the caves buried in sand, investigating and numbering them. Many of his paintings feature these efforts carried out at the windy and sandy Gobi Desert.

    He also depicted several times the bustling temple fair in front of the caves, falling annually around the eighth day of the fourth month on the Chinese lunar calendar, in celebration of the birthday of Siddhartha Gautama (better known as the Buddha).

    During the nine years in France, Chang Shuhong focused mainly on classical realistic oil painting, constantly exploring what could possibly become a “Chinese style of oil painting” and integrating it with his generation of artists’ reflection of life and concern about society.

    Hence, the art of Dunhuang particularly resonated with Chang Shuhong, as it was, in his own words, “created by ordinary people and for the ordinary people”. He saw in it exuberant, sincere creativity that he realized would have a significant impact on the creation of art in the coming decades, Zhang says.

    Two paintings of fresh produce Chang Shuhong created in different periods exemplify his transformation in artistic style. One was painted in 1933 in Paris, displayed at the Chang Shuhong Gallery, and the other in 1976, on show at the temporary exhibition.

    The earlier painting, conforming to the classical style, is overall of a gray tone with low saturation, whereas in the latter one, the painter used bold and clear lines, large red and green blocks to create striking contrast, though like before, the fish glisten in subtle light.

    Zhang adds that such transformation reflects the influence of the art of Dunhuang.

    Highlights of the exhibition also include one of Chang Shuhong’s facsimiles of a mural from Cave 254, dating back to the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534), depicting a well-known piece of the Jataka tales, narratives of former incarnations of the Buddha. In his lifetime, Chang Shuhong copied this mural many times.

    He once wrote, the creators of this mural, featuring Prince Sattva sacrificing himself to feed a hungry tigress, so cleverly and skillfully combined different scenes of different times in the space of a single picture — his trip to the jungles, his offering of his own blood and flesh to the tigress, as well as his two brothers’ discovery of his remains, their grief, and how they bury their sibling and build a stupa for him.

    A solemn and heavy atmosphere is strengthened with the lines and colors, the contours and content, as well as the deep brown hue, he added.

    Chang Shuhong wrote in 1948 that conservation of the caves required detailed, accurate and systematic facsimile of the murals with a faithful attitude, which is a matter of patience and sacrifice of one’s own style and personality. His devotion to protecting the Mogao Caves largely cut down the time and effort paid to his own painting.

    In 1951, staff members of the academy co-authored an article introducing their facsimile project, which said that over the past four decades, many of the murals presented in Pelliot’s photo catalog had been destroyed or faded. With limited scientific knowledge and facilities, facsimile had become their priority and urgency.

    According to Chang Jiahuang, since the 1950s, his father had been frequently inviting art majors from across the country to copy the murals and sculptures of the Mogao Caves, while learning the traditional arts of Dunhuang.

    In 1979, he also replicated the mural featuring Prince Sattva of Cave 254, when he and a dozen classmates at the Lanzhou-based Academy of Fine Art and Design of Northwest Normal University joined this program under the strict supervision of his father, who, nevertheless, would sometimes visit them without notice late at night in the caves where they were working, bringing pears he himself grew.

    Chang Jiahuang says: “It was only after a long time that I learned from my father’s memoir why he had such an attachment to this mural and why he wanted me to copy it.

    “During his most difficult times, this painting inspired him, generating courage for him to persevere. In those three months, I deeply felt the dedication of ancient painters of Dunhuang and my own parents.”

    This year also marks the 100th anniversary of his mother’s birth, who joined in the research and conservation of the Mogao Caves in 1947. In April, the son donated their family’s 1,500 boxes of belongings to Zhejiang University, his father’s alma mater, for research and digitalization.

    Embracing technology

    As early as in the 1980s, Chang Shuhong had foreseen the potential of digitalization in cultural relics conservation.

    Pan Yunhe, academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and former principal of Zhejiang University, who joined the initial digitalization exploration of the Mogao Caves, recalls his first meeting with Chang Shuhong in 1982.

    At that time, Chang Shuhong was among the jury of Pan’s first academic program, which pioneered in generating patterns with artificial intelligence. Chang Shuhong expressed interest in preserving the murals of Dunhuang with a digital approach, visiting Pan’s laboratory and discussing the feasibility.

    “He was open-minded and very sensitive to new things. Ahead of his time, he could always absorb new things into his own creation,” Pan says, adding that Chang Shuhong was very kind and gentle to young people like him, who was at that time in his 30s.

    In 1998, the Dunhuang Academy and Zhejiang University launched an academic program led by Pan and sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China to explore preservation, research and utilization of the Mogao Caves on a digital basis.

    Pan says, the launch of the program resulted from years of endeavor with the Chang family — the parents, firstborn daughter Chang Shana, who was director of what is now Academy of Arts and Design of Tsinghua University, and Chang Jiahuang — as well as Fan Jinshi, who took charge as director of the Dunhuang Academy that year.

    “Chang Shuhong was well-established in oil painting. It’s a pity he painted so little in the latter part of his life,” Pan said while visiting the exhibition at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum on Sept 29.

    That day, Chang Jiahuang said at the exhibition’s opening ceremony that as his parents’ student, secretary and assistant, he witnessed their twists and turns, their creation and research, and experienced their art and spirits, following which he grew to become introspective, modest and rigorous.

    According to him, the ongoing exhibition is the largest display of Chang Shuhong’s paintings since 1990 and a good presentation of the master’s spirits conveyed through his works.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Beijing People’s Art Theatre showcases Chinese theatre in Shanghai

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The star-studded cast of the play Tea House, a celebrated repertoire of Beijing People’s Art Theatre, announced the start of the theater’s residential project in Shanghai on Oct 13.

    Arguably the most esteemed theater company in China, Beijing People’s Art Theatre built a repertoire of more than 300 productions since its founding in 1952. The ongoing residential project is part of the program of the 24th China Shanghai International Arts Festival.

    Starting from the performance of Tea House at Shangyin Opera House on Oct 14 to 16, the company will present five plays altogether in Shanghai until Nov 9, and hold a series of workshops, lectures, and other public educational events.

    Since the company’s first large-scale tour to Shanghai in 1961, Beijing People’s Art Theatre has made several important visits to the city. Tea House is one of the most renowned productions featuring household names of actors such as Pu Cunxin, Yang Lixin, Wu Gang, Feng Yuanzheng, and so on. The play premiered in 1958 and is known to “encapsulate the history of theater art in China,” said Feng, director of the theater. The touring version, starring the second-generation cast of the show, alongside with a group of young actors, reflected the “inheritance of the theatrical tradition of the company,” he said.

    The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, a play adapted from the Pulitzer-prize winning novel by Herman Wouk, will be performed on Oct 20 to 22, and Sunrise, a play by modern Chinese theatrical master Cao Yu, who was also the first director of the Beijing People’s Art Theatre, will be presented from Oct 26-28.

    Poet Du Fu by playwright Guo Hongqi, depicting the life-story of the poet in the Tang Dynasty, will be shown from Nov 1 to 3, and Beneath the Red Banner, a new interpretation of the unfinished novel of the same title by Lao She, will be staged on Nov 7 to 9.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Exhibition in Budapest explores ancient China’s culinary secrets

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The Hungarian Museum of Ethnography in Budapest opened the highly anticipated exhibition “Fine Dining: Food Stories of Ancient China” on Tuesday, offering visitors a fascinating journey through China’s ancient culinary traditions.

    The exhibition, co-hosted with the National Museum of China, runs until Jan. 19, 2025, and features over 100 pieces of Chinese art and artifacts, providing an in-depth look at China’s rich and diverse food culture, which spans millennia.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Hungary Gong Tao emphasized that the exhibition “is not only a vivid demonstration of cultural exchange between China and Hungary but also a testament to the deep friendship between the two peoples.” He noted the widespread popularity of Chinese cuisine in Hungary and expressed hope that the exhibition would further strengthen cultural ties between the two nations.

    Lajos Kemecsi, director of the Hungarian Museum of Ethnography, called the event a “special occasion for Hungarian-Chinese cultural relations.” He remarked that the exhibition “not only showcases the long history of Chinese dining culture but also offers insights into the linguistic, philosophical, and spiritual aspects of Chinese gastronomy.”

    The exhibition presents a carefully curated collection of ancient cooking tools, dining utensils, and intricate artwork, illustrating the complexity and diversity of Chinese food culture. It highlights concepts such as the philosophy of “the right blend of five tastes” and the belief that “medicine and food come from the same source,” providing visitors with a holistic understanding of how gastronomy has shaped Chinese life and thought.

    Deputy Secretary of State Gabor Csaba, representing Hungary’s Ministry of Culture and Innovation, underscored the importance of cultural exchange between Hungary and China. He noted the vital role of diplomacy in fostering deeper understanding between nations, stating that “cultural cooperation based on mutual respect and understanding is crucial for establishing the foundations of harmonious development and shared prosperity.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 26 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    An injured man is transferred to a hospital in Gaza City, following an Israeli airstrike in the city, on Oct. 15, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    At least 26 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian medical and security sources.

    Medical sources said 11 Palestinians were killed in Israeli shelling near the al-Faluja area in Jabalia refugee camp, while at least 10 others were killed in an airstrike targeting an inhabited house east of Khan Younis city in southern Gaza.

    They added five more were killed in the Israeli bombing of a house in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, noting they were all transferred to Al-Aqsa Hospital.

    According to Palestinian security sources, Israeli tanks continue to besiege the Jabalia refugee camp for the 11th day in a row, as residents of Jabalia, its camp, and the nearby cities of Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia were ordered to evacuate southward.

    The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Tuesday that the IDF continues its operations in the Jabalia area targeting militant infrastructure and operatives embedded inside civilian areas.

    The IDF added it acted in line with international law to facilitate humanitarian aid to Gaza residents, particularly assistance concerning the health system, including the transfer of patients, accompanying personnel and hospital staff, as well as fuel delivery for operating hospitals.

    Israel has been conducting a large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which 1,200 people were killed and about 250 others taken hostage.

    The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza has risen to 42,344, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Tuesday.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Senior military official killed in al-Qaeda attack in SE Yemen

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A high-ranking military official of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) aligned with the Yemeni government was killed in an attack by al-Qaeda militants in Yemen’s southeastern Shabwa province on Tuesday, a security official said.

    “Ahmed Sulaimani, chief of staff of the First Brigade of Shabwa Defense Forces, lost his life when an explosive device detonated near his vehicle,” the official said on condition of anonymity, adding Sulaimani was on a pre-dawn inspection of his forces’ positions in As Said district when killed.

    Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has claimed responsibility for the attack and three other separate assaults on STC forces.

    The latest attack underscores the persistent security challenges facing the Yemeni government, as various armed groups continue to vie for control amid a protracted civil war between the government and the Houthi group, which has devastated the nation since 2014.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Large high-grade iron ore deposit found in east China

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A high-grade iron ore deposit has been discovered in east China’s Shandong Province, with estimated reserves at 104 million tonnes.

    The Department of Natural Resources of Shandong Province has identified 16 high-grade iron ore bodies in the Qihe-Yucheng region.

    High-grade iron ore typically has a total iron content of over 45 percent — making it a strategic mineral resource in short supply in China.

    Hu Zhiyong, an official with the department, said the newly confirmed high-grade iron ore deposit is one of few in China, and is notable for its large distribution, considerable ore body thickness, high ore quality, and promising exploration potential.

    He emphasized the global imbalance in iron ore supply and demand, noting that major reserves are concentrated in countries such as the United States, Australia, Brazil, Russia and China. Despite having iron ore reserves, China faces a shortage of high-grade iron ore.

    The Qihe-Yucheng area, now poised to become a major high-grade iron ore base, is expected to alleviate some of the resource challenges facing China and improve the nation’s security in terms of iron ore supply, he added.

    As of 2022, a total of 173 kinds of minerals had been found in China, according to a report released by the Ministry of Natural Resources.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Early cancer testing urged despite growing awareness

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Despite an increased awareness of cancer among older adults in China, it is important to step up early screenings for certain types, such as prostate cancer, to curb rising incidences, according to a recent report and experts.
    A rapidly aging population and changes in lifestyles have elevated cancer rates and related deaths in China. It is estimated that 2022 saw more than 4.8 million cancer cases, and nearly 2.6 million related mortalities, and incidence rates began rising significantly among those in their late 30s.
    According to a report, 85.8 percent of surveyed urban residents age 45 and older said that they are concerned about the risk of being diagnosed with cancer. Cancer of the lungs, stomach and liver are their biggest fears. These three types are also among the top five most common cancers in the nation, according to the report released on the sidelines of an event held by Chinese Aging Well Association on Friday.
    Moreover, more than 96 percent of surveyed men and women said they believe in the importance of cancer screenings, and more than 80 percent said they have undergone such tests.
    Women and high-income groups exhibit a stronger willingness to take screening examinations.
    While screenings for lung, liver and stomach cancer are the most prevalent, the report has called attention to the relatively low screening rates for prostate cancer and cervical cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer for men in two-thirds of the countries across the globe. In China, the incidence rate is lower than that in developed Western countries, but the rate has been on the rise in recent years.
    Xing Nianzeng, vice-president of the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, said that the incidence rate of prostate cancer has increased by about 7 percent annually in recent years. However, the five-year survival rate of the disease in China is around 70 percent, lower than the nearly 100 percent in developed countries.
    “There is a very simple and sensitive test called the PSA test, or prostate-specific antigen test, which only requires collecting a small amount of blood,” he said.
    “Abnormal test results signify that the man should go through further examinations.
    “It is important to raise awareness of early screening among high-risk groups,” he added.
    Experts suggested men age 50 and above take the test every two years, and those with a family history of prostate cancer are advised to have the test done annually starting at 45 years old.
    Gao Jie, chief physician at hepatobiliary surgery department at Peking University People’s Hospital, said during an interview with The-Paper.cn that about 70 percent of liver cancer patients are at an advanced or late stage when seeking treatment, and only 30 percent see a doctor at an early stage.
    Early screenings and diagnoses will play a significant role in tackling cancer, he added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Radio interview – ABC Tasmania, Mornings with Leon Compton

    Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs

    Leon Compton, host: Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Tasmania. At a speech last night, the Foreign Minister heckled by protestors angry at the Government’s non-sanctioning of Israel at a recent vote in the United Nations, and it’s an interesting look through your text questions this morning and how many of them are focused on that issue. We’ll get to them in a moment. If you’ve got a question, text me.

    I can also tell you the Foreign Minister is in the process of launching a new focus for humanitarian policy for Australia. Penny Wong, good morning to you.

    Penny Wong, Foreign Minister: Good morning, Leon. Good to be with you.

    Compton: Your Government is launching a new humanitarian policy, Foreign Minister, that says it will aim to, ‘strengthen adherence to international humanitarian law.’ Can I ask you to describe Israel’s adherence to international humanitarian law in Gaza and Lebanon, as Israel prosecutes the atrocities of October 7?

    Foreign Minister: Look, we have said from the start of this conflict that Israel was required to adhere to international law. And that includes the protection of civilians, the protection of aid workers. This is something we have said from day one, and you might recall that Mr Dutton has been very critical of me for saying so.

    I made the point at the United Nations in the National Statement there, that we have – there are rules of war and those rules apply even when confronting terrorists and even when acting in self-defence. So, we should continue to express our view that Israel is bound by international law, and work with others, as we have, to continue to press Israel on particular issues, and the most recent issue, obviously, is access of humanitarian aid into Gaza, where you’ve seen developments overnight.

    Compton: And we’ll get to those in just a moment. So, can you confirm you’re of a view that the Israeli Government under Benjamin Netanyahu have breached international humanitarian law in its conflict – in its conduct of this war?

    Foreign Minister: Well, Leon, ultimately those are decisions that international tribunals make. My job as the Foreign Minister for this country is not to sit as the international tribunal but to advocate for, and with others, advocate for, innocent civilians, and that’s what we’re doing.

    Compton: Can you understand the frustration that perhaps your language isn’t stronger on this, Penny Wong? I’ll read you a question that’s come in from one listener. It was the shortest of the questions we’ve received, many of them about exactly this. ‘Can you ask Penny Wong when she’s going to call for a ceasefire and stand up against the genocide?’

    Foreign Minister: I have called for a ceasefire. I did that months ago. And this is the problem with this debate, Leon – there’s a lot of disinformation that’s going around. You know, people – one person said yesterday, ‘When are you going to stop bombing Lebanon?’ I said, we’ve called for a ceasefire in Lebanon. We joined with the United States and all members of the G7 to call for a ceasefire in Lebanon over a week ago. In fact, that’s what Peter Dutton has been criticising the Government for. I called, the Prime Minister called, and we voted for a ceasefire months ago. We’ve said there should be a ceasefire in Gaza.

    Compton: The US, and you talked about, sort of the way things are turning overnight. Unless I’m wrong, are you referring to the fact that Israel have given – rather, the US have given Israel 30 days to improve humanitarian aid access to Gaza or else military support could be halted?

    Foreign Minister: Those and other actions by partners is what I was referring to. And I want to start by saying this: we can’t have Palestinian civilians continuing to pay the price for defeating Hamas. I’ve said that to Israel directly and personally, and I’ve said that publicly. I’ve said that, and I’ve been criticised for it by Mr Dutton. Part of what we agreed as an international community is you have to allow humanitarian aid in. When I went to Israel I put that directly to the President and to the Foreign Minister. We support the US and others who are putting pressure on Israel to allow more aid in.

    Compton: How do you explain the fact that Israel seems to just be able to feel it can – I mean, it has a right to do, you know, as it will, but it seems to have a right – see its role as thumbing its nose at its allies who are putting whatever level of pressure is being applied? It thumbs its nose to that pressure.

    Foreign Minister: Well, I’m not going to speak for Israel. I speak for Australia and the Australian Government, and our position from the start has been, you know, we, like all – I think all around the world looked at the atrocities of October 7, we recognise Israel’s right to respond to what was the greatest loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust. We understand what that meant. We know hostages are still being held.

    We’ve also said how Israel responds matters. And that international law, which includes the protection of civilians must be observed. I pointed out that we have seen over 11,000 children killed in Israel’s response since this conflict began. And that – we are deeply concerned about the loss of civilian life and that Palestinian civilians can’t continue to pay the price of defeating Hamas. I’ve said all of these things.

    I appreciate that some people would like us to end the war. That is not within our power. I also appreciate that there are some people who don’t like the fact that I talk about international law. You’ve seen a lot of criticism from Mr Dutton of me and the Prime Minister for talking about that. But I’ll continue to argue that, because that is in Australia’s interests.

    Compton: Penny Wong is our guest this morning, Australia’s Foreign Minister. You were speaking in Hobart last night, protestors interrupted your speech, heckled you repeatedly. Can I ask what you felt at that moment? Those that were there suggested that you seemed to be experiencing frustration. Can I ask what you felt during that interruption?

    Foreign Minister: I think it was probably the 10th interruption, I was a bit frustrated I couldn’t finish a sentence. Look, I understand the depth of feeling this issue generates. I understand people are upset, horrified, distressed by what they are seeing. What I’d say is what I said there – I don’t think we gain anything by shouting each other down. And I don’t think we gain anything by being disrespectful to one another. And some of the things that were being said and shouted were not true. As I said, the example – one example is being told to stop bombing Lebanon. We are calling for a ceasefire in Lebanon. So, these are, you know, untruths which are told as part of people’s response. This is a hard issue for Australians, and what I’d say is, we should try and deal with it respectfully. And I don’t think you ever gain by shouting another person down.

    Compton: On Mornings around Tasmania a couple of other policy issues: you’re releasing a new humanitarian policy focus document for Australia. It’s obviously complex. So, in a simple way of addressing this for our listener, might be asking this question: Penny Wong, how is it different from the policy that it replaces?

    Foreign Minister: Well, it’s responding to the world as it is. I mean, we’ve got more people displaced in the world. We have 117 million people around the world displaced. We’ve got more people who need humanitarian assistance. We’ve got 300-plus million people who need humanitarian assistance this year. So, we have to recast our policy to prioritise. And the three priorities are we’re going to focus on – there are three Rs really. One is readiness, so we want to do more to make sure we are ready for and prepared with local communities and countries for disasters before they occur. Second, we’ve got to respond, so respond to crises and deliver more support, particularly with others. And the third is reinforce – reinforce the international humanitarian system to say, look, these rules that humanity came together and agreed after World War II, that we would protect civilians, that we would protect aid workers – and you might recall, we had an Australian killed by the Israeli Defence Force, and I’ve spoken a lot about that, in a strike – that we would work with others to try and reinforce the international humanitarian system. That is the system that enables both protection of people and also aid to get in. So they’re the three priorities.

    Compton: Can we move on to a different issue, which is allied in some way?

    Foreign Minister: Sure.

    Compton: It would be great for the competition and it would be great for Papua New Guinea if Papua New Guinea gets a rugby league team. How significant would the federal – is the fact that the Federal Government would contribute seeing it as a way of sort of boosting international relations in the near region? How significant is that proposal for relationships between Australia and PNG?

    Foreign Minister: I think it’s really significant, Leon. And what I would say is this: you know, if you look at how do we make ourselves more safe and secure in the world, part of what we do is we ensure we have deep, stable, strong relationships with our near neighbours, with our region. And to do that we have to make sure we look at what is it we bring to the relationship. Now, some of that is history, people to people, some of that is economic. But some of it also is, you know, culture. And that includes sport. It’s part of who we are. It’s who, you know, Papua New Guinea is. So, obviously, Prime Minister Marape of Papua New Guinea has been really clear that he wants Papua New Guinea to be in the NRL. We know how much – if you’ve been – I don’t know if you’ve been to PNG, Leon, but they’re pretty focused on sport, both men and women. And obviously there’s a women’s team as well. So, I hope that we can get this moving and make a good announcement in the near future.

    Compton: And how significant with would that be, Penny Wong, in helping combat the influence of China in Papua New Guinea and the wider region?

    Foreign Minister: Look, China’s doing what great powers do, and great powers try to lift their influence and expand their influence in the region that they wish. I’ve described what’s happening in the Pacific as a permanent contest. We’re not going back to where we were, you know, 10 or 20 years ago. I think the opportunity to be the only partner of choice in the Pacific was lost under Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton. And now what we have to do is make sure we are a partner of choice and that we do do all we can to make sure we contribute to a stable region, a peaceful region and a region where the interests of Australia and the Pacific island nations such as Papua New Guinea or Samoa or Fiji, all of our interests in peace are respected.

    Compton: Final question for you – we’ve got a minute left to news, appreciate you talking to us, Foreign Minister – are you still committed to the construction of nuclear submarines for Australia given the capability gap that we’ll have while that happens between the Collins class going out, the nuclear subs coming in? Andrew Wilkie is in The Mercury newspaper today saying that this is a mistake, that diesel subs would be better, faster, cheaper and allow us to maintain more military independence.

    Foreign Minister: Yeah, look, first, any submarines would be under Australian command. We’ve been very clear about that. The second point is obviously we would prefer not to be in this position, that we haven’t had, three different submarine plans that were junked over time. We have addressed the capability gap. We think submarines are important. Very happy to discuss why they’re important. It’s obviously about, you know, changing the strategic calculous of the region. But ultimately everything we do, whether it’s obtaining more deterrents or the work we do diplomatically, we’re all about trying to ensure peace and stability for Australia.

    Compton: Appreciate you talking with us this morning. Thank you.

    Foreign Minister: Good to speak with you, Leon. Thanks for having me.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE’s speech in delivering “The Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address” to LegCo (1)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is the translation of the speech made by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, in delivering “The Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address” to the Legislative Council this morning (October 16):

    Mr President, Honourable Members and fellow citizens,

    I. Reform and Embrace Changes to Achieve Prosperity

    1. This is my third Policy Address.

    2. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC Central Committee) adopted the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization. The Resolution calls on Hong Kong to fully harness the institutional strengths of “One Country, Two Systems” while consolidating and enhancing its status as an international financial, shipping and trade centre. It also supports Hong Kong’s position to become an international hub for high-calibre talents, to exert a greater role in our country’s opening up to the world, and to deepen collaboration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) through better harmonisation of rules and mechanisms.

    3. In running for office, more than two years ago, I stated that “we must embrace a reform mind-set” and we “need further revamping”. I proposed to build a “result-oriented” government, setting key performance indicators (KPIs) to create a new government culture. I put forward a series of reform measures, including the establishment of Care Teams to enhance district services, introduction of the Advance Allocation Scheme to shorten the waiting time for public housing, and assistance to junior secondary students living in subdivided units (SDUs) for tackling intergenerational poverty. I believe that we must maintain our development momentum and self-renewal, and that we must embrace changes while staying principled, innovative and flexible in meeting challenges and opportunities.

    4. Regarding system reforms, I work on the principle that anything essential but lacking in the system must be established; any serious shortcomings must be rectified; any bottlenecks, weaknesses or hurdles must be overcome; and any areas in need of consolidation must be reinforced and improved. In the reform process, we have to decide what should be built from scratch, what should be overhauled to set things right, and what should be consolidated and bolstered. In taking forward reforms, we must have a systemic mind-set and manage the relationships between overall and local interests, between the present and the future, between macro and micro concerns. While we may make reference to the successful experiences of other places, we cannot adopt them directly given the differences in the basis and structure of our systems. Our reform proposals must take heed of the prevailing circumstances and be tailored to local conditions.

    5. Since becoming Chief Executive, I have carried out reforms along the above principle.

    6. On implementation of “One Country, Two Systems”, we fulfilled the constitutional responsibility to enact local legislation for Article 23 of the Basic Law; we reformed the institutional set-up of the District Councils by implementing the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong”; we enacted a new legislation to enable an essentially automatic extension of land leases in an orderly manner for a term of 50 years to beyond 2047, manifesting the long-term adherence to “One Country, Two Systems”.

    7. On governance, we reformed the government structure and reshuffled the duties among policy bureaux, increasing their number from 13 to 15. We created three new Deputy Secretaries of Department to strengthen co-ordination of work across bureaux, setting up task forces led by the Deputy Secretaries to enhance implementation. We cultivated a government culture focusing on results. We also introduced a mechanism mobilising the Government at all levels to respond to major incidents.

    8. In economic development, we established the Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited (HKIC) to optimise the use of government funds for the development of industries and our economy. We pressed ahead with the development of the “eight centres” and the Northern Metropolis, taking an industry-oriented approach. We set up the Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) and the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) to strengthen our efforts in trawling for talents and enterprises. We also established Hong Kong as a regional hub for higher education.

    9. As for people’s livelihood, we implemented healthcare reform and took steps to build our primary review mechanism for drugs and medical devices. We set up a system for bringing in healthcare professionals to alleviate manpower shortage in the public healthcare system. We also launched Light Public Housing (LPH) to fill short-term gaps in the supply of public housing, and established the Task Force on Tackling the Issue of Subdivided Units. We pooled resources for targeted poverty alleviation. We established an annual review mechanism for minimum wage protection. We also rationalised traffic flow among the three road harbour crossings.

    10. Reform is a continuous process. Over the past two years, my team and I have focused on economic growth and on improving people’s livelihood through development, with the well-being of the people of Hong Kong close to our hearts. This Policy Address will deepen our reforms and explore new growth areas. Measures include building an international gold trading market, promoting high value-added maritime services, and building a commodity trading ecosystem and internationally-accredited metal warehouses. We will promulgate the Development Outline for the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park in the Loop, building a testing ground for policy and institutional innovation. We will also set up a working group on developing the low-altitude economy.

    11. In this Policy Address, I will continue to follow through the “four proposals” put forward by President Xi Jinping in his important speech delivered on 1 July 2022. I will also outline our vision and objectives for reforms and changes, as well as the related key measures and KPIs. A Supplement offering more details on the policy measures and related matters has also been compiled.

    (To be continued.)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: World Buddhist Forum showcases over 2,000 exhibits

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    People visit an exhibition of the sixth World Buddhist Forum in Ningbo, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Oct. 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)

    An exhibition of more than 2,000 pieces (sets) of fine cultural relics, original paintings and calligraphic works, multimedia images, grotto reproduction, and interactive installations opened Tuesday at the ongoing sixth World Buddhist Forum in the coastal city of Ningbo, east China’s Zhejiang Province.

    The exhibits show the essence of the world Buddhist culture in an all-round and multi-dimensional way, and the course of the integration of Buddhism with Chinese culture after its entry into China, the organizers said.

    The exhibition is one of major activities during the forum. The exhibition area is the largest among all previous editions, with four thematic sub-exhibitions covering world Buddhist art and culture, and inheritance and development of Buddhism in China.

    First launched in 2006, the triennial forum has successfully organized five editions, and evolved into the largest and most influential multilateral platform for international Buddhist-related exchange and dialogue initiated by China.  

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China eyes further fruitful partnership with Australia

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 15, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines in Beijing on Tuesday, noting that China is willing to work with Australia to build a more fruitful bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.

    Noting that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership, Han said consolidating and developing bilateral ties serves the common interests of the two countries and is conducive to regional peace, stability and prosperity, as both China and Australia are important countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

    Han said China is ready to work with Australia to implement the important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, so as to build a more mature, stable and fruitful China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership and contribute to peace and development in the region and the world.

    Lines said she has felt the vitality and achievements of China’s development during this visit, adding that the close cooperation between Australia and China benefits the people.

    The Australian Senate is committed to promoting the sustained and steady development of Australia-China ties and the two countries being equal partners, Lines said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE’s speech in delivering “The Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address” to LegCo (3)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    III. Consolidate and Enhance Our Status as an International Financial, Shipping and Trade Centre

    29. The development of international financial, shipping and trading centres are closely intertwined. Besides expanding and strengthening our existing businesses, we will also explore new growth areas, specifically by creating a commodity trading ecosystem to attract relevant enterprises to establish presence in Hong Kong, turning our city into an operation centre for international commodity trading, storage and delivery, shipping and logistics, risk management, and more. This will help develop the markets in international gold, non‑ferrous metal, green transportation, and others, further promoting the integrated development of Hong Kong as an international financial, shipping and trade centre.

    30. Hong Kong ranks among the world’s largest import and export markets for gold by volume. The current complexity in geopolitics underscores our city’s edge in security and stability, and hence an attractive location for investors for gold storage, spurring relevant activities such as gold trading, settlement, and delivery. We will capitalise on our strengths as an international financial centre to build Hong Kong into an international gold trading centre.

    31. The Government will facilitate an international commodity exchange to set up accredited warehouses in Hong Kong. We will also introduce measures such as a preferential tax regime to attract enterprises to expand their business in Hong Kong, and to increase storage and trade volume of commodities.

    32. Green shipping and aviation is a global trend. The Government will nurture industrial development of sustainable aviation fuel and green maritime fuel, and establish a fuel bunkering centre, leveraging the development opportunities in finance, trading and maritime sectors stemming from new energy.

    (A) International Financial Centre

    33. Hong Kong is an international financial centre, ranking third globally and first in investment environment. The Government will continue with reforms to reinforce and enhance our status as an international financial centre.

    Deepen Mutual Market Access and Enrich Offshore Renminbi Business

    34. We will continue to enhance the mutual market access regime and reinforce our status as the world’s largest offshore Renminbi (RMB) business hub, contributing to the internationalisation of RMB. Key measures include continuously improving our infrastructure and upgrading the Central Moneymarkets Unit to facilitate the settlement of various assets in different currencies by international investors. We will also develop the fixed income market infrastructure by, for instance, setting up a central clearing system for RMB‑denominated bond repurchase (repo) transactions, making RMB sovereign bonds issued in Hong Kong a more popular choice of collateral in offshore markets. We will look to enhance the Cross‑boundary Wealth Management Connect Scheme as well.

    35. We will also strive to bolster offshore RMB liquidity and make good use of the currency swap agreement between the HKSAR and our country, enabling the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) to better support Hong Kong’s economic and trade development; expand the night‑time, cross‑boundary service capability of Hong Kong’s RMB Real Time Gross Settlement System to facilitate global settlement in offshore RMB markets; and explore the provision of more diversified channels for obtaining offshore RMB financing.

    36. We will provide more RMB‑denominated investment products –

    (i) the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) to encourage more listed companies to have shares listed in the RMB stock trading counter, and expand the scope of RMB equities;

    (ii) to increase issuance of RMB bonds and support issuance of more green and sustainable offshore RMB bonds in Hong Kong;

    (iii) to seek support from the Ministry of Finance for boosting the size and frequency of issuing RMB sovereign bonds, and launching offshore RMB sovereign bond futures as soon as possible, in Hong Kong; and

    (iv) to actively liaise with the Mainland authorities to expand the Bond Connect (Southbound Trading) as appropriate, including expanding the scope of eligible Mainland investors to non‑bank financial institutions such as securities firms and insurance companies; and enriching liquidity management tools that facilitate offshore investors’ investment in onshore bonds by actively exploring and introducing, at appropriate juncture, various bond repo and collateral products and arrangements using onshore RMB bonds.

    Further Enhance Our Status as an International Risk Management Centre

    37. Hong Kong has the highest concentration of insurance companies and the highest insurance density in Asia. To further strengthen Hong Kong’s position as a global risk management centre, the Insurance Authority will initiate a review next year. We will examine capital requirements for infrastructure investment, enriching insurance companies’ asset allocation for risk diversification and driving investment in infrastructure such as the Northern Metropolis. We will also continue to invite Mainland and overseas enterprises, including large state‑owned enterprises in the Mainland, to establish captive insurers in Hong Kong.

    Further Enhance Our Status as an International Asset and Wealth Management Centre

    38. There are 2 700 single‑family offices in Hong Kong, and the industry has predicted that Hong Kong will become the world’s largest cross‑boundary wealth management centre by 2028. We will make every effort to attract more global capital to be managed in Hong Kong, including facilitating the opening of new distribution channels for private equity funds through HKEX’s listing, and:

    (i) collaborating with sovereign wealth funds in regions along the Belt and Road (B&R) – We will strive to collaborate with large‑scale sovereign wealth funds in regions such as the Middle East, in financing the setting up of funds to invest in assets in the Mainland and other regions;

    (ii) enhancing the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme – Effective today, investment in residential properties is allowed provided that the transaction price of the residential property concerned is no less than $50 million, with the amount of real estate investment to be counted towards the total capital investment capped at $10 million. In addition, investments made through an eligible private company wholly owned by an applicant will be counted towards the applicant’s eligible investment with effect from 1 March 2025; and

    (iii) expanding the scope of tax concessions – The Government will consult the industry on the proposal to add qualifying transactions eligible for tax concessions for funds and single‑family offices.

    Proactively Expand Markets and Deepen Overseas Networks

    39. We will continue to actively expand and deepen our overseas networks, including forging financial co‑operation with the Middle East and the region of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), organising more international financial mega events, and exploring further collaboration with Islamic markets in the area of finance.

    Further Enhance the Securities Market

    40. Relevant measures include:

    (i) opening up new sources of capital overseas – Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) tracking Hong Kong stock indices will be launched in the Middle East, seeking to attract allocation of capital in the market to Hong Kong stocks;

    (ii) striving for more listing of enterprises in Hong Kong – We will leverage the advantages brought about by our mutual access with the Mainland’s financial markets to attract international enterprises to list in Hong Kong. We will also encourage large‑scale Mainland enterprises to list here, particularly aiming to have more prominent initial public offerings in the near term;

    (iii) optimising vetting of listing applications – The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and the HKEX will announce specific measures for further optimising relevant procedures to provide greater certainty regarding the time required for vetting of listing applications; and

    (iv) boosting market efficiency – The SFC and the HKEX will boost market efficiency and lower transaction costs, including reviewing the arrangement for deposit of margin, and refining the requirements on placement of margin and collateral.

    Provide Convenient Cross-boundary Financial Services Arrangement

    41. To promote financial inclusion, we will facilitate members of the public in making cross‑boundary transactions and payments.  The HKMA and the People’s Bank of China are pushing forward the linkage of fast payment systems in the two places, i.e. the Faster Payment System (FPS) in Hong Kong and the Internet Banking Payment System (IBPS) in the Mainland, to facilitate real‑time, cross‑boundary small‑value payments by residents on both sides; and they will implement the arrangement enabling issuance of bank cards by Mainland branches of Hong Kong‑incorporated banks in the Mainland.

    Build an International Gold Trading Market

    42. Hong Kong ranks among the world’s largest import and export markets for gold by volume. Amidst the increasingly complicated geopolitics, our city’s security and stability gives us a clear edge as an attractive place for physical gold storage, driving more gold trading, settlement and delivery activities, and potentially propelling Hong Kong into a gold trading centre. This will spur development of the related industry chain, ranging from investment transactions, derivatives, insurance, storage, to trading and logistic services.

    43. The Government will promote the development of world‑class gold storage facilities, facilitating the storage and delivery of spot gold by users and investors in Hong Kong, and driving demand for related services such as collateral and loan businesses, opening up new growth areas of the financial sector.

    44. The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB) will set up a working group to take forward the establishment of an international gold trading centre. This will include, among other things, strengthening the trading mechanism and regulatory framework, promoting application of cutting‑edge financial technology, and actively exploring with the Mainland authorities on the inclusion of gold‑related products in the mutual market access programme.

    Enhance the Green Finance Ecosystem

    45. Hong Kong is a leading sustainable finance hub in Asia. The international carbon market (Core Climate) launched by the HKEX is the world’s only carbon market to offer Hong Kong dollar (HKD) and RMB settlement for trading of international voluntary carbon credits.

    46. The HKMA will roll out the Sustainable Finance Action Agenda. In addition, the FSTB will launch a roadmap on the full adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards – Sustainability Disclosure Standards (ISSB Standards) this year, leading Hong Kong to be among the first jurisdictions to align its local requirements with ISSB Standards.

    (B) International Shipping Centre

    47. Hong Kong is one of the world’s busiest and most efficient ports, and ranks fourth in the International Shipping Centre Development Index (ISCDI). The average length of stay of container vessels in the Hong Kong port is 0.95 days, about half the average of 1.85 days for the world’s top 20 container ports, earning our city the reputation as a “catch‑up port” for vessels to make up for delays in other ports.

    48. The shipping business is composed of the port sector and maritime services, in which maritime services (including professional services such as ship broking, financing and leasing, maritime insurance, maritime law and arbitration) are the high‑value‑added segment of shipping business and the source of growth, having grown by nearly 40% over the past three years (from 2019 to 2022) in terms of economic contribution. We will step up our efforts in fostering Hong Kong’s maritime industry while taking a multi‑pronged approach to consolidate our status as an international shipping centre.

    Establish the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Development Board

    49. The existing Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board will be reconstituted into the “Hong Kong Maritime and Port Development Board”, a high‑level advisory body to assist the Government in formulating policies and long‑term development strategies. To be chaired by a non‑official member, with other members largely from the maritime sector, the new body will be underpinned by dedicated staff to undertake research and publicity work. Additional funding will be provided to enhance its research capabilities, strengthen its Mainland and overseas promotional work and step up manpower training, supporting the Government in policy implementation more effectively and promoting the sustainable development of Hong Kong’s maritime industry.

    Promote Development of High Value-added Maritime Services

    50. We will strive to promote the development of high value‑added maritime and professional services. Indeed, the Government has been encouraging more shipping commercial principals and maritime service enterprises to establish presence in Hong Kong by providing tax exemptions for ship leasing business and offering half‑rate tax concessions for marine insurance, ship management, ship agency and ship broking. We will continue to boost Hong Kong’s maritime strengths. Relevant measures include:

    (i) enhancing and promoting tax concessions – To strengthen the local maritime ecosystem, we will step up promotion of existing tax concessionary measures for maritime services and enhance the preferential tax regime (including introducing new tax deduction arrangements for ship lessors pursuant to international tax rules);

    (ii) attracting maritime service enterprises to establish presence in Hong Kong – We will encourage leading or high‑potential marine insurance business operators to establish presence in our city to broaden the range of marine insurance products; and

    (iii) developing maritime services talents – We will strengthen collaboration with international marine insurance organisations to promote the training of marine insurance talents, and expand the scope of the Maritime and Aviation Training Fund to cover more green energy courses, marine insurance examinations, and others.

    Advance Development of Green Maritime Centre

    51. We will develop Hong Kong into a green maritime centre through:

    (i) promoting the green transformation of registered ships – The Marine Department earlier this year began offering cash incentives to ships meeting relevant international standards on decarbonisation, and it will step up promotion of this initiative;

    (ii) developing a green maritime fuel bunkering centre – We will promulgate the Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering by the end of this year. We will take forward the related infrastructural development such as green maritime fuel bunker terminals, promote port emissions reduction, offer incentives to encourage green maritime fuel usage, co‑operate with ports in the GBA, and construct a green shipping corridor with major trading partners; and

    (iii) offering green fuel bunkering facilities – We will provide green ships with smart information concerning navigational safety, and enhance the ship monitoring systems to ensure safety during fuel bunkering.

    Create a Commodity Trading Ecosystem

    52. Commodities including metals and minerals account for more than half of the global shipping trade volume. Shipowners and commodity traders are the key users of shipping routes and maritime services. Their presence and operation in Hong Kong can drive the maritime services industry, and boost demand for related financial and professional services such as hedging activities of related futures products, conducive to consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong’s status as an international financial, shipping and trade centre. We will explore the introduction of tax concessions and support measures to attract relevant enterprises in the Mainland and overseas to set up businesses in Hong Kong, building a commodity trading ecosystem in our city.

    53. There has been an international commodity exchange expressing its intention to establish accredited warehouses in Hong Kong for storage and delivery of commodities, including non‑ferrous metal products. We will capitalise on this opportunity to establish relevant supporting facilities so as to attract Mainland enterprises to engage in commodity trade, especially of non‑ferrous metal, in Hong Kong, further expanding the demand for our maritime and trade services.

    Develop the Smart Port and Conduct International Promotions

    54. The Government will complete installation of a port community system next year. It will be equipped with functions such as shipment tracking, real‑time transport information, electronic information and document retrieval, and port data analysis, enabling the flow and sharing of data among stakeholders in the maritime, port and logistics industries.

    55. The Government will also organise more major events with international maritime organisations and enterprises to showcase to the world Hong Kong’s maritime strengths.

    Expand High Value-added Logistics Services

    56. We are taking forward the Action Plan on Modern Logistics Development, and will release four quality logistics sites for industry to develop modern, high‑end, multi‑storey logistics facilities. The findings of the planning study on the development of modern logistics clusters in the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area (NDA) will be published next year.

    57. The Government will continue to strengthen co‑operation in the logistics sector with the western part of Guangdong and other neighbouring areas, making good use of the Hong Kong‑Zhuhai‑Macao Bridge (HZMB) to expand the catchment area of our cargo services and facilitate more goods to go through Hong Kong.

    (To be continued.)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE’s speech in delivering “The Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address” to LegCo (2)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    II. Steadfastly and Successfully Implement “One Country, Two Systems” and Strengthening Our Governance Systems (A) Fully and Faithfully Implement the Principle of “One Country, Two Systems”Optimise the Institutional Strengths of “One Country, Two Systems”12. The institutional advantages of “One Country, Two Systems” are numerous. Whether Hong Kong was fighting against the pandemic, tackling economic challenges, or seeking development opportunities, the Central Government always stands by Hong Kong and supports Hong Kong through a multitude of facilitation measures, ensuring our long-term prosperity and stability.13. Under the principle of “One Country, Two Systems”, Hong Kong is rooted in “One Country” and enjoys the benefits of “Two Systems”, enabling Hong Kong to serve the country’s needs with its own strengths. Hong Kong boasts both national and international advantages, enjoying the benefits of policies, guarantees and opportunities of our country. Hong Kong is an international city fully open to the world, underpinned by a capitalist system, with free flow of capital, people and information. It adopts a common law system, maintains its own legislative and judicial systems, laws, tax regime, currency and financial system, and is a separate customs territory. Hong Kong is a global metropolis.14. We will continue to fully, faithfully and resolutely implement the principles of “One Country, Two Systems”, “Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong” and a high degree of autonomy. We will continue to fully leverage the institutional strengths of “One Country, Two Systems” for sustaining the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, contributing to China’s building into a great country and realising the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.Safeguard National Security15. Security and development work together like the two wings of a bird. Development requires a safe social environment. In March 2024, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) fulfilled the constitutional responsibility and historic mission of enacting local legislation for Article 23 of the Basic Law. The newly enacted Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO) achieves convergence, compatibility and complementarity with the Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL). Together they form a comprehensive legal system and enforcement mechanism for safeguarding national security. But threats to national security may spring up any time. We must stay vigilant and put up our guard.16. Public officers are duty bound to safeguard national security. Section 8(3)(a) of the SNSO stipulates that if the law of the HKSAR confers any function on any person, the function is to be read as including a duty to safeguard national security. Section 114 stipulates that public servants must provide assistance for the work on safeguarding national security. All bureaux and departments must review their codes, guidelines and procedures to ensure compliance with these provisions.17. It is of utmost importance that our people safeguard national security of their own accord. Since opening in August, the National Security Exhibition Gallery has been well-received by the public. We will train up tutors at district level for promotion of national security education in the community. Thematic exhibitions will be rolled out by the gallery to dovetail with the 10th National Security Education Day next year. The Education Bureau (EDB) will also update the Curriculum Framework of National Security Education.Foster Patriotic Education18. The Working Group on Patriotic Education has formulated promotion strategies and measures for supporting the organisation of more activities such that the spirit of patriotism can take root in society. Next year marks the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance. The Government will host commemorative activities to strengthen the sense of patriotism. The EDB will organise a range of joint school and cross-sectoral activities under the “Love Our Home, Treasure Our Country 3.0” series, continue to enhance Chinese History and national geography education in primary and secondary schools, and enrich patriotism and history elements in Mainland exchange programmes.Promote Chinese Culture19. Established in April, the Chinese Culture Promotion Office earnestly promotes Chinese culture, including planning for the construction of a museum to showcase the development and achievements of our country, and a new Chinese Culture Experience Centre. It also continues to organise the Chinese Culture Festival and exhibitions of the General History of China series.(B) Strengthen Our Governance Systems20. Since taking office, the current-term Government has taken forward various reforms on cross-disciplinary co-ordination and governance culture so as to strengthen our governance systems. Apart from introducing three Deputy Secretaries of Department to strengthen leadership and cross-bureau co-ordination, I have set indicators for specified tasks and monitored their progress and outcomes, creating a government culture focusing on actions and delivery of results. Moreover, we have updated the Civil Service Code to spell out the core values and standards of conduct that civil servants should uphold, and introduced a mechanism to mobilise the Government at all levels to enhance emergency response. The Government will deepen the reforms and continue to strengthen our governance systems.Enhance the Cross-bureau Co-ordination Mechanism21. We will enhance the leadership and cross-bureau co-ordination mechanisms, and fully leverage the leading and co-ordinating functions of Secretaries and Deputy Secretaries of Department. We will establish the following committee and working groups:(i) The Committee on Education, Technology and Talents, chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration with the Secretary for Education, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, and Secretary for Labour and Welfare, as members, will co-ordinate and promote the integrated development of education, technology and talents. It will also expand connections, attract and cultivate talents, foster the development of technologies, and promote Hong Kong as an international hub for high-calibre talents; (ii) The Working Group on Developing Low-altitude Economy, led by the Deputy Financial Secretary, will kick-start projects with application prospects, formulate development strategies and action plans on the low-altitude economy, as well as take forward regulatory reform and plans for related infrastructural facilities;(iii) The Working Group on Developing Tourist Hotspots, led by the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, will strengthen cross-departmental co-ordination and leverage community efforts, identifying and developing tourist hotspots of high popularity and with strong appeal in various districts; and(iv) The Working Group on Promoting Silver Economy, led by the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, will formulate measures to expedite the development of the silver industry in line with the daily needs of the elderly.Strengthen Governance Capabilities of the Civil ServiceStrengthen Civil Service Management22. Efforts in strengthening the reward and punishment system in the past two years include launching the Chief Executive’s Award for Exemplary Performance, streamlining the mechanism of directing officers with persistent sub-standard performance to retire, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of handling disciplinary cases. We will review the Public Service (Administration) Order and Public Service (Disciplinary) Regulation to enhance the civil service disciplinary mechanism, and will consult with the Public Service Commission on the preliminary proposals next year.National Studies and International Training23. The civil service must have a full grasp of the policy objectives and strategies of our nation. The Government will organise seminars and learning activities on the important policies, reports and so on delivered by the Central People’s Government (CPG).  We will also arrange for the middle, senior and directorate level officers to receive training at renowned institutions in the Mainland and overseas to help foster their sense of national identity and develop global perspectives.24. With the support of the CPG, the HKSAR Government will continue to send officers to work in various offices of the United Nations through a dedicated programme.Civil Service Exchange Programme between Hong Kong and the Mainland25. The Government will collaborate with the Mainland cities in the GBA, as well as Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Wuhan and Hangzhou to launch mutual civil service exchange programmes.Launch the Governance Talents Development Programme26. The Civil Service College will launch a Governance Talents Development Programme to further develop governance capabilities of officers at leadership ranks. The college will also enhance its internal research and training capability building.Digital Transformation of Public Services27. The Digital Policy Office (DPO) will endeavour to fortify information systems of the Government and public organisations. The DPO will also spearhead the pilot use of a locally developed generative artificial intelligence (AI) document processing copilot application in government departments. About 20 digital government and smart city initiatives will also be launched this year, including using blockchain technology for issuing electronic certificates for designated civil service examinations and electronic licensing by the Fire Services Department, as well as the use of AI for handling public enquiries.Bolster Security of Computer Systems of Critical Infrastructure28. The Government will require critical infrastructure operators to undertake obligations to protect their computer systems, so as to reinforce their resilience against cybersecurity challenges. A bill will be introduced later this year.(To be continued.)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Mayor to promote Auckland in key international markets

    Source: Auckland Council

    Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is embarking on official visits to Brazil and China aimed at increasing trade and fostering relations between New Zealand’s largest city and countries with a combined population of over 1.6 billion.

    He will be supporting senior delegations of Auckland-based business leaders seeking to promote their products in these key markets.

    The potential creation of a dedicated passenger and freight air link between Asia, Auckland and South America – the Southern Cross trade connection, also known as Southern Link – will be a key discussion point on both legs.

    “Trade between China and Brazil totals around $490 billion annually – there is a huge opportunity for Auckland to tap into that with an air link that stops here and allows our businesses to get their products into these markets reliably, quickly and cost-effectively,” Mayor Brown said.

    “This is all about driving new investment in Auckland and helping companies based here to tap into export opportunities.

    “We have to be proactive and unapologetic about reaching out, building links and letting the world know that Auckland is a thriving and progressive place that welcomes trade and investment.

    “I’m very pleased to have a number of Auckland-based business leaders joining me at their own expense who see value and opportunity in taking our city to the world.

    “Modern Auckland is a cultural melting pot – we are a Pacific city in Asia, with more than 170,000 people who identify as Chinese alone living here. It’s important to keep reinforcing that we are proud, outward-looking people wanting to participate in the world around us.”

    The Mayor is well-acquainted with both countries, having been to Brazil on several occasions and written a book that was translated into Portuguese and sold well in Brazil. He has also led business delegations to China while he had his own interests.

    In 2008, he was invited by then-Prime Minister Rt Hon Helen Clark to travel to Beijing for the signing of the China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, where a particular highlight was attending the formal lunch to celebrate the signing with Premier Wen Jiabao.

    He is an official invited guest of the New Zealand Government whilst in Brazil, departing October 20 and returning October 25. It will be the first time an Auckland Mayor has made an official visit to Brazil, with a population well in excess of 200 million.

    He will accompany Trade Minister Todd McClay to a bilateral meeting with the Vice-Governor of São Paulo and participate in an economic and business briefing.

    There will also be a roundtable event hosted by NZ Trade and Enterprise, a partnership signing between New Zealand companies and their Brazilian customers and a NZ Business Technology Showcase featuring local companies in the technology and manufacturing sectors.

    The Mayor will return to Auckland before travelling to China on 31 October, leading a delegation of New Zealand business leaders for a series of official events.

    It will be the first time in five years an official delegation from Auckland has gone to China – New Zealand’s biggest export market worth more than $20 billion annually.

    He will have meetings with members of the Hainan Government in Haikou, support Auckland businesses exhibiting at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai, meet the China Chamber of Commerce in Ningbo, meet the Mayor of Ningbo and speak at a function in Guangzhou recognising 35 years of Auckland’s sister city relationship.

    While in Guangzhou, the Mayor will visit Auckland companies with operations there, including Zuru, before attending the International Friendship Cities Cooperation and Development Conference in Chengdu at the invitation of the Sichuan Government.

    The Mayor will be taking a particular interest in China’s approach to rapid infrastructure development – noting it has rolled out 46,000km of high-speed rail in under 20 years – and will look for opportunities for Auckland to benefit from better, faster and cheaper delivery methods.

    He will stop briefly in Tokyo en-route back to Auckland for a meeting with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and attend part of the 50th Japan-New Zealand Business Council Conference before returning to Auckland on 17 November.

    The travel has been approved by the chair of council’s audit committee and complies with council rules. One Mayoral Office staff member will accompany the Mayor on each leg and the total cost is expected to be around $75,000, with business delegates meeting their own travel costs.

    Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson will be Acting Mayor in Mayor Brown’s absence.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Political settlement of peninsula issue urged

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    China has taken note of the current situation on the Korean Peninsula and urged relevant parties to work actively for a political settlement of the issue, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Tuesday.

    “As a close neighbor of the Korean Peninsula, China is closely monitoring the developments of the situation on the peninsula and the relations between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea,” Mao said at a regular news briefing in Beijing.

    The ROK’s joint chiefs of staff said its military fired shots within southern limits of the inter-Korean border as it bolstered its readiness and surveillance posture, as the ROK issued a statement saying that the DPRK blew up parts of inter-Korean roads in the north.

    The statement said the DPRK military carried out detonations around noon, purportedly with the objective to block roads on the DPRK side of the western Gyeongui and the eastern Donghae lines, north of the military demarcation line.

    On Oct 9, the general staff of the Korean People’s Army said the DPRK would completely cut off road and railway links to the ROK and fortify relevant areas on its side with strong defense structures.

    Mao, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said that tensions on the peninsula do not serve the common interests of parties concerned and the top priority is to avoid further escalation of the situation.

    “China’s position of being committed to safeguarding peace and stability on the peninsula and promoting a political settlement has not changed,” she said.

    After Tuesday’s demolitions, a video released by the ROK military showed an explosion and a plume of smoke rising above an area of road where the DPRK had put up a black barrier.

    The cross-border roads and railways are remnants of rapprochement that included a 2018 summit.

    Tensions mounted after the DPRK last week accused the ROK of sending drones over its capital Pyongyang. It said the drones scattered a “huge number” of anti-DPRK leaflets, and warned that Seoul would “pay a dear price” for this.

    The DPRK has “secured clear evidence” showing that the ROK military is the “main culprit” of the hostile provocation of violating the DPRK’s sovereignty by intruding into the sky over its capital, said Kim Yo-jong, vice-department director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea.

    The ROK government has declined to say whether its military or civilians had flown the alleged drones.

    The government of the ROK’s Gyeonggi Province, bordering the DPRK, said on Tuesday that a special police force would be brought in to crack down on the practice of flying anti-DPRK leaflets from some border areas.

    The ROK’s constitutional court overturned a ban on such practice last year.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chengdu adjusts home purchase policy

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    This photo shows a light show in Chengdu, capital of southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Oct. 1, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The metropolis of Chengdu, located in southwest China’s Sichuan Province, on Tuesday granted all home-owners and home buyers in the city eligibility to apply for household registration in that city.

    Individuals who purchase commodity housing which is already delivered or second-hand housing within the administrative area of Chengdu, are eligible to apply for the city’s household registration at the location of the housing, according to new regulations issued by city authorities.

    Residential or household registration, referred to as hukou in Chinese, has always been a key attraction for non-natives in major cities, as it leads to opportunities and benefits upon securing permanent residency in a city.

    Chengdu has a population of more than 21 million people, making it one of the most economically dynamic cities in southwest China. The number of people with household registration status in Chengdu currently totals nearly 16 million, according to the Chengdu Municipal Statistics Bureau.

    The new regulations, valid for three years, grant home-owners and home buyers undifferentiated eligibility to apply for residential status in Chengdu — eliminating hukou qualification restrictions prescribed in previous regulations concerning the size of the purchased housing and the amount of time that has passed since the purchase.

    Recently, major Chinese cities including the Chinese capital of Beijing and the likes of Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, have adjusted their real estate policies, with a slew of measures unveiled to boost local property markets.

    Meanwhile, China’s Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development said that it would support municipal governments, especially those in the first-tier cities, to leverage their decision-making powers to regulate the real estate market and adjust policies restricting housing purchases based on local conditions.

    MIL OSI China News –