NewzIntel.com

Category: Tourism

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s new visa-free policy for ASEAN tour groups boosts tourism, cultural bonds

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

    China’s new visa-free policy for ASEAN tour groups boosts tourism, cultural bonds

    KUNMING, Feb. 22 — On Friday, a group of 15 tourists from Thailand and Laos wrapped up their four-day trip to southwest China’s Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, boarding the China-Laos Railway for their return journey.

    It is the first tour group from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states to travel to the prefecture since China introduced its new visa relaxation policy. Since Feb. 10, tour groups from ASEAN countries have been allowed to visit Xishuangbanna, a popular tourist destination in Yunnan Province, without a visa for up to six days.

    China and ASEAN have long been key tourist markets for each other. Official data showed that in 2024, Xishuangbanna received 319,500 overseas visitors, a year-on-year increase of 264.67 percent. Laos, Thailand and Myanmar were the top contributors.

    This visa exemption policy marks the start of a new chapter in cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and ASEAN, said Qi Xiaobo from the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, adding that it signals China’s dedication to strengthening ties with the regional bloc.

    GROWING TOURISM INDUSTRY

    “Still want more,” Somnham Sithone, a Lao tourist in the group, said after visiting Xishuangbanna Virgin Forest Park. He also experienced a 7D movie featuring the Mekong River. “It is a perfect blend of nature and technology. I hope to explore more places in China.”

    Guided by a local travel agency, the tour group was immersed in natural scenery, sampled local cuisine and experienced Dai ethnic culture, including a traditional Dai dance and a water blessing ceremony.

    “Even though they are the first group with visa-free access, coordination between the border inspection bureau, public security bureau and travel agency has been smooth and efficient,” said Yu Hanla, the group’s tour guide.

    According to Jiang Jie, deputy director of the culture and tourism bureau of Xishuangbanna, the prefecture has launched 18 tourist routes, offering the opportunity to explore the area’s heritage and experience its culture.

    “We are designing more diverse routes tailored to ASEAN tourists, including tropical rainforest adventures and ethnic cultural activities,” said Liu Jun, general manager of a local travel agency.

    The influx of tourists is also a boon for hospitality, travel agencies and other sectors, and promotes the development of infrastructure, Qi said. He also emphasized the importance of enhancing services for international visitors, such as multilingual guides and signage, and financial services.

    Yu, who has nearly 10 years of experience as a tour guide and speaks both Thai and Lao in addition to her native tongue, returned to her hometown of Xishuangbanna from Beijing after the launch of the China-Laos Railway. “It is fulfilling to work in my hometown, and it provides a good income,” she said.

    DEEPENING CULTURAL TIES

    Cultural exchanges between China and ASEAN are expanding beyond tourism. As Chinese culture gains influence across the region, an increasing number of people from ASEAN countries are eager to learn the Chinese language.

    Fluent in Mandarin, Le Anh Lien, a 24-year-old from Vietnam, introduces Vietnamese specialties to customers in a cross-border food shop at Tianbao Port in Malipo County. Her language proficiency helped her secure her first job in Yunnan.

    According to a report from VietnamWorks, a job platform in Vietnam, students proficient in Chinese have an almost 100 percent chance of securing employment after graduation.

    The number of Lao students learning Chinese is also on the rise, with many pursuing vocational training in fields like logistics, e-commerce, tourism management and sports, said Zhou Bo, head of a vocational school in Mengla County in Xishuangbanna, adding that the school expects to welcome more than 500 new Lao students on Sunday.

    Data shows that the number of exchange students between China and ASEAN countries has surpassed 175,000, and collaborative projects between schools continue to grow, expanding the talent pool for both sides.

    “People-to-people exchanges between China and ASEAN are entering a new stage, with deeper cooperation in tourism, culture and other fields,” said Jia Chaozhishan with the Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s all-electric AS700D manned airship makes first test flight

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

    China’s independently-developed and fully electric-powered AS700D civil manned airship has completed its first scientific flight test in central China’s Hubei. The lithium battery-powered airship has a designed max speed of 80km/h and can reach an altitude of up to 3,100 meters, with a capacity to carry up to 10 people. After the AS700D enters the market, it can be widely used in various scenarios such as low-altitude tourism, aerial advertising, urban security, aviation exploration and emergency rescue.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Albanese Government provides tax relief to support investment and jobs

    Source: Minister for Trade

    The Albanese Labor Government will provide tax relief for Australia’s distillers, brewers and wine producers.

    Currently brewers and distillers get a full refund of any excise paid up to $350,000 each year. The Government will increase the excise remission cap to $400,000 for all eligible alcohol manufacturers. The Government will also increase the Wine Equalisation Tax (WET) producer rebate to $400,000.

    Adjusting the taxation arrangements will back an important local industry as well as supporting regional tourism, investment and job creation. Currently around 1,500 brewers and distillers and 3,000 wine producers access these tax incentives.

    The proposal will apply from 1 July 2026.

    In addition to the tax relief, the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) will be providing Australian distillers, brewers and wine producers with additional support to help them grow their exports in high priority overseas markets.

    This support includes the opportunity to join in trade missions, expert advice and connections to help our small and medium size exporters tap into fast growing markets, including in Southeast Asia and beyond.

    The tax relief is estimated to decrease tax receipts by $70 million over five years from 2024-25.

    Quotes attributable to the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:

    “To build Australia’s future, we need strong small and medium sized businesses generating jobs and economic opportunity for Australians.

    “This common sense measure will back thriving local industries and open the way for growth.”

    Quotes attributable to the Treasurer Jim Chalmers:

    “We’re pleased to have found room in a tight budget to provide some tax relief for a really important industry creating jobs and opportunities around Australia.

    “Brewers, distillers and winemakers play a large role in many local economies and this support will help them invest and grow.”

    Quotes attributable to the Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell:

    “Supporting small distillery, brewing and wine businesses is not just about producing exceptional products – it’s about creating jobs, fostering local economies, and building a better Australia.

    “By boosting our export support for these businesses, we are helping fast-track their success in international markets which will create even more jobs at home.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Cross-border railway’s benefits hailed

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The China-Laos-Thailand Railway, with construction ongoing for the Thai section, has significantly enhanced regional connectivity and economic growth, despite several social and environmental challenges, according to a recent report.

    Led by scholars from China, Laos and Thailand, the report released in Bangkok earlier this week was based on research on the social and economic impact of the completed portion of the high-speed network that will connect Thailand with China through Laos.

    Currently, the railway has the section connecting the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming with the Laotian capital of Vientiane fully operational. Thailand expects to complete its portion of the network linking the country to China by 2030.

    In Thailand, construction of the first phase linking Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima is about 36 percent complete. On Feb 4, the Thai Cabinet approved the second phase of the project that will extend to Nong Khai, which borders Laos.

    The second phase also includes the construction of a logistics hub in the northeastern Nong Khai province, which will facilitate freight movement between Thailand’s 1-meter gauge railway and the 1.435-meter standard gauge used in the China-Laos Railway, offering a one-stop service for cargo transfer, Thai government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub said at a recent news conference.

    “The railway has improved trade efficiency and logistics, reinforcing China’s role as a global infrastructure leader,” said Tian Qian, director of the Institute of South and Southeast Asia Studies at Yunnan Minzu University.

    As a main contributor to the research’s section on the influence in China, Tian said the railway has also fostered cross-cultural exchanges and social mobility, facilitating better access to education and healthcare.

    Crucial economic link

    In Laos, the railway has emerged as a crucial economic and transportation link, enhancing tourism and boosting local businesses in Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Luang Namtha regions, according to Lumngeune Souliyavong, a researcher from the National University of Laos.

    “The influx of visitors has stimulated the hospitality, transportation, and trade sectors, creating new employment opportunities,” he added.

    In Thailand, anticipation is growing over the railway’s potential to drive urban expansion, economic connectivity and real estate growth in key cities, said Thanapauge Chamaratana, associate professor in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Khon Kaen University who led the research in Thailand.

    “Land prices near future railway stations have already surged, reflecting increased investment interest. The project is expected to solidify Thailand’s role as a logistics hub in Southeast Asia,” he said.

    However, the report also raises challenging issues such as noise and a shortage of skilled labor in railway operations.

    While the China-Laos-Thailand Railway is reshaping regional connectivity, trade and urban development, the report emphasized the need for sustainable and inclusive policies to ensure that the project benefits all stakeholders.

    It is suggested that addressing challenges such as community displacement, economic inequalities, and environmental concerns will be critical in the next phases of development.

    As the project progressed, researchers have called for continued collaboration among governments, the private sector and local communities to optimize the long-term benefits of this ambitious infrastructure initiative.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Shanghai Disney partners with Chinese universities to train tourism talent

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Shanghai Disney Resort launched its Shanghai Disney Dream Vocational Campus on Friday, a virtual college program that offers immersive learning and training opportunities at partner universities.

    From right to left: Andrew Bolstein, senior vice president of operations at Shanghai Disney Resort, Mickey Mouse and Professor Liu Xiaomin, Party secretary of the Shanghai Institute of Tourism, unveil the first Shanghai Disney Dream Vocational Campus in Shanghai, Feb. 21, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Shanghai Disney Resort]

    The program will leverage Shanghai Disney Resort’s operational expertise to provide hands-on learning experiences. This initiative represents a significant step in the resort’s ongoing commitment to high-quality talent development, aiming to create employment opportunities for graduates while supporting the evolving demands of the tourism industry.

    The Shanghai Institute of Tourism will pioneer the program in March, accepting internal applications from current students. Enrollment will be open to undergraduates pursuing degrees in tourism management and junior college students specializing in tourism, advertising and marketing, hotel management, catering and exhibition planning.

    “Shanghai Disney Resort is committed to nurturing the next generation of tourism professionals by equipping students with practical skills, real-world industry knowledge and employment opportunities early in their careers,” said Andrew Bolstein, senior vice president of operations at Shanghai Disney Resort.

    “Through the Shanghai Disney Dream Vocational Campus program, we are excited to expand our efforts in cultivating young talent by collaborating with local institutions like the Shanghai Institute of Tourism to provide hands-on learning experiences and industry insights,” Bolstein added. “These initiatives will help students excel in China’s tourism sector and advance its service quality.”

    Shanghai Disney Resort hosted an announcement ceremony on Friday morning with leaders, faculty and students from the Shanghai Institute of Tourism and representatives from the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Education, the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, the Administrative Commission of Shanghai International Resort, and Shanghai Shendi Group. The resort has become a major training ground for the local tourism sector, offering development programs that have produced thousands of industry professionals.

    The new initiative will bring together Disney’s operational expertise with university resources to create career pathways for young people. Students will benefit from a jointly developed curriculum, practical training and internships at Shanghai Disney Resort. This alignment of talent supply and demand will strengthen tourism education by incorporating Disney’s industry experience while creating lasting career opportunities for students.

    “The Vocational Campus is an important bridge between industry expertise and academic learning,” said Professor Kang Nian, president of the Shanghai Institute of Tourism. “The establishment of this campus reflects the deep cooperation between our school and Shanghai Disney Resort. It represents a new form of diversified education and industry-education integration. The vocational campus aims to cultivate highly skilled service and management talent for the tourism, leisure and vacation sector by enhancing mechanisms that incorporate professional values with technical education and integrate work experience with academics to provide practical solutions for industry-education integration.”

    The initiative builds on Disney’s existing partnerships with over 150 Chinese colleges and universities. The resort launched its Talent Class program at 14 institutions in 2016, combining industry-specific coursework with internship experiences. Nearly 50% of these interns have transitioned into full-time positions at the resort. Moreover, the resort’s annual Disney Imaginations Shanghai Design Competition, established in 2018, cultivates creative talent among students across diverse academic disciplines, expanding their career prospects in culture and tourism.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 2025 Action Plan for Stabilizing Foreign Investment

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

    2025 Action Plan for Stabilizing Foreign Investment

    Ministry of Commerce and

    National Development and Reform Commission

    Foreign investment is crucial for promoting high-level opening-up. It plays an important role in fostering new quality productive forces and advancing Chinese modernization. We have thus formulated this action plan to intensify efforts to attract and stabilize foreign investment in 2025.

    I. Expanding self-initiated opening-up in an orderly manner

    1. Expanding pilot programs to open up the telecommunications, healthcare, and education sectors. We will support efforts of the pilot regions to publicize and implement the opening-up policies for value-added telecommunications, biotechnology, and wholly foreign-owned hospitals, and assemble special teams to follow foreign-invested projects under discussion and help solve problems timely, and push for early implementation of these projects. We will expand pilot programs to open up the telecommunications and healthcare sectors at an appropriate time. We will study and formulate plans to expand self-initiated opening-up of the education and cultural sectors in an orderly manner, publish them at an appropriate time and implement them with steady steps.

    2. Ensuring the lift of restrictions on foreign investment in the manufacturing sector is well-implemented. For areas not on the negative lists for foreign investment access, we will administer foreign investment access in the principle of equal treatment for domestic and foreign investment alike. We will revise the negative lists and further reduce the listed items to expand opening-up to all types of market operators.

    3. Improving the national comprehensive demonstration zones for expanding opening-up in the services sector. We will support the leading role of the Beijing demonstration zone in expanding services liberalization to accelerate and intensify the pilot efforts. We will further expand the scope of the pilot to include new elements and tasks, and experiment with the opening-up measures in key areas in the demonstration zones first. We will conduct in-depth studies on policy measures to open up the services sector further, closely follow the progress of the pilot, and timely replicate pilot experience. We will support the standardization in the national comprehensive demonstration zones for expanding opening-up in the services sector.

    4. Advancing opening-up of the biomedicine sector in an orderly manner. We will support the participation of qualified foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) in the segmented production of biological products on a pilot basis, speed up the review of pilot programs and quality monitoring programs at the provincial level, promote the optimization of resource allocation in the biomedicine industry, and coordinate for the timely resolution of difficulties facing enterprises in the pilot process. We will study and improve the opening-up policies for the pharmaceutical sector, facilitate more rapid launch of new drugs, optimize volume-based drug procurement, and make medical device procurement more predictable.

    5. Encouraging foreign equity investment in China. We will earnestly implement the Measures for the Administration of Strategic Investment in Listed Companies by Foreign Investors, formulate and release guidelines for making strategic investment, and intensify publicity efforts targeting listed companies, overseas funds, investment institutions, etc., to encourage more high-quality long-term foreign investment in listed Chinese companies.

    II. Improving the level of investment promotion

    6. Building continuously the brand of “Invest in China”. We will deepen the institutional reform of the foreign investment promotion system as required, devise an annual implementation plan for building the brand of “Invest in China”, and meticulously design and implement a series of “Invest in China” events. Central and local governments will make coordinated efforts in organizing overseas investment promotion events to fill in the gaps in and strengthen industrial and supply chains in the manufacturing sector with foreign investment. In light of the different characteristics of China’s major sources of foreign investment, we will research and formulate differentiated investment attraction targets and strategies, work closely with bilateral joint (mixed) economic and trade committees, and fully activate bilateral investment promotion working groups to boost project matchmaking.

    7. Strengthening support for FIEs’ reinvestment in China. We will keep optimizing the business environment and ensure full national treatment for FIEs. We will research and formulate policy measures to encourage FIEs to reinvest in China and use more of their profits made in China for reinvestment. We will pilot an information report program for FIEs’ investment in China.

    8. Encouraging foreign investment in a wider range of industries. We will revise and expand the catalogue of industries where foreign investment is encouraged, optimize foreign investment mix, promote the high-quality development of China’s manufacturing sector with foreign investment, steer foreign investment to the modern services sector, and support more foreign investment flows into China’s central, western and northeastern regions.

    9. Removing restrictions on foreign-invested investment companies’ access to domestic loans. Foreign-invested investment companies will be allowed to access domestic loans for equity investment. We will make greater efforts to communicate relevant policies and provide facilitation for multinational companies to invest in and establish headquarters and similar institutions in China.

    10. Encouraging multinational companies to invest in and establish investment companies. We will refine the rules for setting up foreign-invested investment companies and provide facilitation for multinational companies to invest in and establish investment companies in China in terms of foreign exchange administration, cross-border movement of personnel and cross border data flows. Companies invested in and established in China by foreign-invested investment companies will be eligible for FIE treatment in accordance with law and regulation.

    11. Facilitating merger & acquisition (M&A) investment in China by foreign investors. The Provisions on the Merger and Acquisition of Domestic Companies by Foreign Investors will be amended under the framework of the Foreign Investment Law, with refined M&A rules and transaction procedures, better defined scope of administration and lower threshold for cross-border share swaps.

    12. Intensifying investment attraction in key sectors. We will encourage and ensure national treatment for foreign investment in animal husbandry-related sectors such as breeding, production of rearing equipment and production of animal feed and veterinary medicine. To create more business opportunities and cooperation space for FIEs, we will support their participation in China’s new industrialization process, with a focus on high-tech sectors. Foreign investment utilization will be encouraged in services sectors including elderly care, culture and tourism, sports, healthcare, vocational education and finance to meet consumer demand for multi-tiered services.

    13. Promoting communications on economic policies and the business environment. Press releases and briefings, interviews and expert comments will be fully utilized to showcase and explain China’s new policies, measures and highlights for expanding high-standard opening up.

    III. Strengthening the functions of opening-up platforms

    14. Deepening institutional reforms in economic and technological development zones. We will improve policy support systems and develop policy papers on deepening reforms and innovations in national economic and technological development zones, roll out new measures in guaranteeing production factors, opening up key sectors, carrying out pilot reform tasks and delegating economic management power, so as to improve the standards of export-oriented economy in national economic and technological development zones. For national high-tech industrial development zones, special customs supervision areas and various provincial development zones, we will tap into their role as opening-up platforms for stabilizing foreign investment.

    15. Implementing the strategy to upgrade pilot free trade zones. We will improve the quality and efficiency of pilot free trade zones, expand the authorization of reform tasks, accelerate the implementation of core policies for the Hainan Free Trade Port and create a highland for attracting foreign investment. We support pilot free trade zones in stepping up stress tests in sectors accessible to foreign investment and continuing to expand institutional opening up in rules, regulation, management and standards.

    IV. Redoubling efforts to enhance services

    16. Promoting the implementation of major and key foreign-invested projects. We will encourage the inclusion of more foreign-invested projects in the lists of major and key foreign-invested projects and enhance policy support and services to accelerate the implementation of projects.

    17. Establishing a system of standards for domestic products in government procurement. We will speed up developing and issuing relevant documents to specify the standards of domestic products in government procurement and ensure that products produced by enterprises of different ownerships within China participate equally in government procurement activities. We will enhance policy communication in the field of government procurement and improve the handling of complaints from FIEs.

    18. Broadening financing channels for FIEs. We will encourage financial institutions to provide financing services for FIEs, research the borrowing needs, investment and operation of key FIEs, and organize targeted bank-enterprise matchmaking events. Various types of funds will be guided to carry out equity investment cooperation with FIEs, and FIEs supported in expanding their investment and business and deepening their footprint in China.

    19. Facilitating personnel exchange. We will accelerate negotiations on mutual visa exemption agreements, and continue to expand the coverage of China’s unilateral visa-free policy in a prudent manner. Policies for port visa, visa-free transit and regional visa-free entry will be optimized to promote cross-border movements of people. A Guide to Working and Living in China as Business Expatriates will be upgraded.

    20. Improving the level of trade facilitation for FIEs. We will work earnestly on issuing Certificates of Origin under preferential trade agreements to help FIEs enjoy tariff concessions from agreement partners. The inspection and regulation of complete sets of equipment imported for key foreign-invested projects will be optimized. More efforts will be made to support FIEs in obtaining the “Authorized Economic Operator” (AEO) certificate, and random inspections will be further optimized and reduced for AEOs. We will promote the adoption of inspection results of imports in an active and prudent manner, and include more qualified Chinese and foreign inspection institutions on the list of institutions whose inspection results are adopted. FIEs will be encouraged to apply for recordation of their intellectual property rights, and any infringement in the process of import and export will be resolutely combated.

    Under the centralized and unified leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, all regions and relevant departments should unswervingly deepen reform and opening up, refine specific implementation measures, and innovate working methods and strengthen policy and factor support in areas including investment promotion, rights and interests protection and services guarantee, to ensure that the measures can be put in place and take effect in 2025, so as to effectively boost the confidence of foreign investors. Relevant departments should be organized to visit key regions and major FIEs to better understand the requests of FIEs and effectively respond to their concerns. The Ministry of Commerce and the National Development and Reform Commission will work with relevant departments and agencies to enhance guidance and coordination for effective policy communication and implementation. Significant matters should be reported in a timely manner.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Virginia Lawmakers to Trump Administration: Reverse Park Service Staffing Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine and U.S. Reps. Bobby Scott, Gerry Connolly, Don Beyer, Jennifer McClellan, Suhas Subramanyam and Eugene Vindman (all D-VA) pushed the Trump administration to reverse staffing cuts at the National Park Service (NPS), outlining the effect directives to eliminate employees and rescind and delay job offers will have on safety at Virginia’s 22 national park units, which serve 22 million visitors and contribute $1.5 billion to local economies each year.

    “We write today to express our deep concern over alarming directives issued to eliminate roughly one thousand full-time employees, rescind hundreds of offers for full-time positions, and delay thousands of offers for seasonal positions at the National Park Service (NPS). These roles are critical to protecting America’s treasured natural assets, maintaining public safety, and promoting exceptional standards expected at national parks across Virginia and the nation,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “We urge you to reverse these directives and prevent additional cuts to existing staffing going forward given the critical role that the vast majority of NPS staff play in ensuring public safety. If these directives are not reversed, we fear it will significantly undermine the Park Service’s ability to protect both visitors and park resources, particularly as we approach peak visitation season.”

    The NPS  workforce plays a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation of our nation’s parks and the safety of the millions of visitors who explore them each year, and are also responsible for protecting the priceless natural, historic, and cultural resources that belong to the American people. However, recent staffing directives from the Trump administration – which included the dismissal of probationary employees and the rescinding of job offers at NPS with no input from park superintendents – are expected to make it significantly more difficult for NPS to carry out its mission, especially as peak visitor season approaches. Staff positions affected by the administration’s unilateral staffing directives include frontline park rangers responsible for ensuring visitor safety and protecting park assets, maintenance staff tasked with addressing the deferred maintenance backlog and reducing the risk of wildland fires, and support staff responsible for raising revenue for NPS through fee collections.

    “It has been reported that the only exemptions offered were for positions that respond to public safety incidents, including law enforcement rangers, public safety dispatchers, and wildland firefighters. However, public safety response is just part of the work that goes into protecting the public,” wrote the lawmakers. “Countless other positions from rangers to natural resource specialists to wastewater specialists to maintenance mechanics that are not covered under the exemptions have wide-ranging responsibilities for preventing public safety incidents in the first place. Eliminating these positions put our parks at greater risk of damage and make them less safe for visitors. We are particularly concerned about reports that NPS rescinded offers for positions directly responsible for fire safety at Shenandoah National Park – coinciding with the start of wildfire season.”

     

    Continued the members, “While it is encouraging that NPS recently walked back its decision to rescind offers for nearly 5,000 seasonal positions, park superintendents have received no guidance as to the next steps they can take to move forward with seasonal hiring. The late winter and early spring months are critical for ramping up seasonal staff in preparation for the summer visitation surge. Without clear guidance for superintendents on seasonal hiring, the continued delay in hiring could jeopardize the ability of these parks to safely accommodate millions of visitors this summer.”

    In the letter, the Virginia lawmakers also noted that the staffing directives threaten to undermine the progress Congress has made in recent years to invest in repairing and restoring our national parks.

    “For over one hundred years, NPS has been charged with safeguarding millions of acres of America’s irreplaceable natural, historic, and cultural resources. However, persistent underfunding of NPS resulted in the Service’s inability to properly staff park units and the growth of a multi-billion-dollar backlog of deferred maintenance projects. In recognition of the worsening situation at our national parks, bipartisan majorities in Congress passed and President Trump signed into law the Great American Outdoors Act of 2020 (GAOA), one of the largest ever investments in conservation and public lands in our nation’s history. The GAOA gave NPS the resources it needed to dedicate billions of dollars for addressing deferred maintenance across the country, including over $470 million for projects in Virginia. As a result of these staffing directives, units will be forced to reallocate remaining staff to support regular operations at the expense of staff hours dedicated to reducing the deferred maintenance backlog,” they wrote.

    Concluded the lawmakers, “Significant disruptions to NPS staffing during the critical months prior to peak season threaten to harm the tourism economy associated with Virginia’s national parks that supports hundreds of small businesses and thousands of jobs. We urge you to swiftly reverse these directives and communicate clear guidance to park superintendents to ensure that NPS units in Virginia and across the country can move forward with hiring both seasonal and permanent positions that are critical to ensuring the safety of millions of park-goers.”

    A copy of the letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Labrador Letter – DOGE’ing the Collapse of our Republic

    Source: US State of Idaho

    Dear Friends,
    This past month has been a remarkable period in our national history.  The new Department of Government Efficiency, known colloquially as DOGE, has uncovered waste, inefficiency and corruption at unprecedented levels and in every agency examined so far.
    USAID, the United States Agency for International Development, has been at the center of this first round of audits. From DEI projects in Serbia to transgender operas and comic books in South America, to tourism promotion in Egypt and sex changes in Vietnam, the USAID projects appear to lack both fiscal restraint and accountability.  Tens of millions, hundreds of millions, even billions of taxpayer dollars are being carelessly thrown at projects around the globe without consideration for our national security, priorities, or strategic interests. USAID resources have even ended up in the hands of designated terrorist organizations like Hezbollah.
    Other upcoming audits include FEMA, which recently sent $59 million to New York City to house illegal immigrants in luxury hotels instead of providing disaster relief in North Carolina.  Also being examined is the Pentagon, which failed its seventh straight audit last year.  Another essential audit will be the Department of the Treasury, which issues every government check.  Following the money is critical in any competent review.
    Those reviews recently uncovered that the Environmental Protection Agency recklessly distributed $20 billion to outside financial institutions in the final hours of the Biden Administration, just to get the money off the books.  Just this week, it was discovered that two billion of those dollars were given to an organization connected to die-hard Biden supporter and two-time failed Georgia democratic gubernatorial candidate, Stacey Abrams, for “climate change.”  One Biden-appointed bureaucrat confided that it was, “throwing gold bars off the Titanic.”
    These audits aren’t without controversy for some.  Seventy-seven million Americans who voted for President Trump may cheer the well-advertised reckoning that was promised daily in his campaign to root out government fraud and waste.  Others have expressed concerns that their private data may be accessed by enthusiastic auditors.
    Unsurprisingly, the oversight bureaucracies previously set up to find fraud appear to be disinterested, at best, and complicit, at worst. Instead of investigating the billions of dollars wasted, they repeat the talking points of the coordinated efforts opposing the Trump Administration’s in-depth review.  They say that unelected and “unvetted” bureaucrats, specifically Elon Musk and the DOGE team, might access their social security and tax data, and that unelected people just aren’t accountable.
    Having spent four terms in Congress representing Idaho, I can say confidently there are exactly 537 elected people in your entire federal government:  435 Congressmen, 100 Senators, the Vice-President, and the President.  That’s it!   Everyone else is an unelected bureaucrat — from the agency heads to the generals, all the way to the accountants who currently have access to your personal data — well over two million government workers in total.  I have to admit that I am amused by the Left’s newfound skepticism of unelected bureaucrats. Welcome to my side.  In reality, if these groups are concerned about DOGE, it’s because of what Elon Musk and his team are likely to uncover and not the fact they are unelected.
    This isn’t a partisan issue, or at least it shouldn’t be.  We as taxpayers have a very vested interest in where our money is going and why.  No single political party has a monopoly on improper spending.  Waste and corruption have occurred across many administrations, Republican and Democrat alike.  Those who have taken advantage of the system to enrich themselves or others need to be held accountable, regardless of any party affiliation.  I have confidence that accountability will happen under these audits, and it hints at why there was such unnaturally visceral opposition to President Trump, even before DOGE was a common term.
    As your Attorney General, my office is monitoring the situation closely in the interest of Idahoans.  While I am confident that no Idaho laws are being broken, I will stand up for the protection of Idahoans’ information and privacy.  At the same time, I will also stand up against the corruption and waste in our federal government.  Those two goals are not in conflict at all.  We absolutely can and should do both.
    President Trump was very clear about his promise to audit how the federal government spends money, and his appointed team is carrying that promise out.  Those weren’t just empty words on a campaign stage.  People aren’t used to politicians keeping promises and it likely shocks some people.
    But that shock is something we as a nation must work through.  Our Republic is strong enough to ask hard questions and demand hard answers, because that’s how we grow, adapt, and improve.  Change is uncomfortable, even painful.  But the slow decay of disinterest is terminal.  We need to see these audits through.  America’s best years are ahead of us, and we need to push forward to get there.
    Alexander Fraser Tytler, a Scottish author and jurist, wrote:
    “A Democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government.  It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse [money] from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefit from the public treasury, with the result that democracy always collapses over a loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship.”
    We simply cannot allow the loose fiscal policy Tytler warned against to collapse our country.  Our nation must stand strong against the graft and self-interest of bureaucrats and technocrats and reclaim the authority of our national checkbook – not to vote ourselves money, but to ensure that money spent is in the very best interests of America and Americans.  This will require restraint, vigilance, and discipline.
    To avoid the dangers of a direct democracy and the temptation to vote ourselves money from the public treasury, our Founders wisely gifted us with a Constitutional Republic. As your Attorney General, I’ll fight with all my might to keep it and will support President Trump’s efforts to rein in government fraud, waste and abuse.

    Best regards,
    Not yet subscribed to the Labrador Letter?  Click HERE to get our weekly newsletter and updates.  Miss an issue?  Labrador Letters are archived on the Attorney General website.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: More funding for biodiversity protection

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government is boosting investment in the QEII National Trust to reinforce the protection of Aotearoa New Zealand’s biodiversity on private land, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says.
    The Government today announced an additional $4.5 million for conservation body QEII National Trust over three years.
    QEII Trust works with farmers and landowners who voluntarily set aside permanently protected areas including forests and wetlands on private property using covenants.
    “Many of our most at-risk plants and animals are found on private land,” Mr Potaka says. “Landowners provide a significant contribution to conservation efforts through additional planting, pest control, and fencing work.
    “The QEII Trust has proven extremely effective in collaborating to protect these crucial habitats, particularly in lowland and coastal zones where much of our threatened biodiversity exists.
    “This funding increase acknowledges the Trust’s excellent track record and growing demand from landowners to protect special areas of bush, wetland, and biodiversity for future generations,” Mr Potaka says.
    This brings the Trust’s total annual funding from the Government to just under $5.8 million per year for the next three years.
    “For nearly half a century, QEII Trust has worked with landowners, councils and others to protect over 187,000 hectares of land in 5,200 covenanted areas – you could think of it as about 187,000 rugby fields. 
    “I’m also pleased to announce a one-off funding injection of $750,000 over three years for the Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust Sanctuary.
    “The Sanctuary – a popular tourist destination in the Waikato region – is home to native kākāpō, Mahoenui giant wētā, takahē, banded kōkopu, giant kōkopu (native NZ fish) and tuna (longfin eel).
    “I’m confident this funding will help the Sanctuary continue their work with our precious native species.
    “Kia kaha te mahi tahi. We all have a role to play in looking after Aotearoa New Zealand’s incredible and vulnerable nature.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Virginia Lawmakers to Interior Dept: Reverse Park Service Staffing Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine and U.S. Reps. Bobby Scott, Gerry Connolly, Don Beyer, Jennifer McClellan, Suhas Subramanyam and Eugene Vindman (all D-VA) pushed the Trump administration to reverse staffing cuts at the National Park Service (NPS), outlining the effect directives to eliminate employees and rescind and delay job offers will have on safety at Virginia’s 22 national park units, which serve 22 million visitors and contribute $1.5 billion to local economies each year.
    “We write today to express our deep concern over alarming directives issued to eliminate roughly one thousand full-time employees, rescind hundreds of offers for full-time positions, and delay thousands of offers for seasonal positions at the National Park Service (NPS). These roles are critical to protecting America’s treasured natural assets, maintaining public safety, and promoting exceptional standards expected at national parks across Virginia and the nation,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “We urge you to reverse these directives and prevent additional cuts to existing staffing going forward given the critical role that the vast majority of NPS staff play in ensuring public safety. If these directives are not reversed, we fear it will significantly undermine the Park Service’s ability to protect both visitors and park resources, particularly as we approach peak visitation season.”
    The NPS workforce plays a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation of our nation’s parks and the safety of the millions of visitors who explore them each year, and are also responsible for protecting the priceless natural, historic, and cultural resources that belong to the American people. However, recent staffing directives from the Trump administration – which included the dismissal of probationary employees and the rescinding of job offers at NPS with no input from park superintendents – are expected to make it significantly more difficult for NPS to carry out its mission, especially as peak visitor season approaches. Staff positions affected by the administration’s unilateral staffing directives include frontline park rangers responsible for ensuring visitor safety and protecting park assets, maintenance staff tasked with addressing the deferred maintenance backlog and reducing the risk of wildland fires, and support staff responsible for raising revenue for NPS through fee collections.
    “It has been reported that the only exemptions offered were for positions that respond to public safety incidents, including law enforcement rangers, public safety dispatchers, and wildland firefighters. However, public safety response is just part of the work that goes into protecting the public,” wrote the lawmakers. “Countless other positions from rangers to natural resource specialists to wastewater specialists to maintenance mechanics that are not covered under the exemptions have wide-ranging responsibilities for preventing public safety incidents in the first place. Eliminating these positions put our parks at greater risk of damage and make them less safe for visitors. We are particularly concerned about reports that NPS rescinded offers for positions directly responsible for fire safety at Shenandoah National Park – coinciding with the start of wildfire season.”
    Continued the members, “While it is encouraging that NPS recently walked back its decision to rescind offers for nearly 5,000 seasonal positions, park superintendents have received no guidance as to the next steps they can take to move forward with seasonal hiring. The late winter and early spring months are critical for ramping up seasonal staff in preparation for the summer visitation surge. Without clear guidance for superintendents on seasonal hiring, the continued delay in hiring could jeopardize the ability of these parks to safely accommodate millions of visitors this summer.”
    In the letter, the Virginia lawmakers also noted that the staffing directives threaten to undermine the progress Congress has made in recent years to invest in repairing and restoring our national parks.
    “For over one hundred years, NPS has been charged with safeguarding millions of acres of America’s irreplaceable natural, historic, and cultural resources. However, persistent underfunding of NPS resulted in the Service’s inability to properly staff park units and the growth of a multi-billion-dollar backlog of deferred maintenance projects. In recognition of the worsening situation at our national parks, bipartisan majorities in Congress passed and President Trump signed into law the Great American Outdoors Act of 2020 (GAOA), one of the largest ever investments in conservation and public lands in our nation’s history. The GAOA gave NPS the resources it needed to dedicate billions of dollars for addressing deferred maintenance across the country, including over $470 million for projects in Virginia. As a result of these staffing directives, units will be forced to reallocate remaining staff to support regular operations at the expense of staff hours dedicated to reducing the deferred maintenance backlog,” they wrote.
    Concluded the lawmakers, “Significant disruptions to NPS staffing during the critical months prior to peak season threaten to harm the tourism economy associated with Virginia’s national parks that supports hundreds of small businesses and thousands of jobs. We urge you to swiftly reverse these directives and communicate clear guidance to park superintendents to ensure that NPS units in Virginia and across the country can move forward with hiring both seasonal and permanent positions that are critical to ensuring the safety of millions of park-goers.”
    A copy of the letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: IWAI Board commissions feasibility study for Urban Water Transport System in 17 cities

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 21 FEB 2025 6:30PM by PIB Delhi

    The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) Board – in its 196th Board Meeting – took a key decision to carry out feasibility study for developing Urban Water Transport System in various cities.  The Board decided to explore Water Metro in full or part in 17 cities across 12 states of India.  Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) have been appointed to carry out the feasibility study.

    This initiative will provide a robust and sustainable urban transport system by utilising existing navigable waterways. The Water Metro model represents a breakthrough in urban water transportation, offering safe, efficient, and environmentally-friendly alternatives to conventional modes of transport. Leveraging India’s rich network of rivers, canals and other water bodies, the project will focus on cities with significant potential for urban water transport system.

    The 17 cities chosen by IWAI, in consultation with Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, for developing water metro include – Ayodhya, Dhubri, Goa, Guwahati, Kollam, Kolkata, Prayagraj, Patna, Srinagar, Varanasi, Mumbai, Vasai, Mangalore (Gurupura River), Gandhinagar-Ahmedabad (Sabarmati River), Alleppey in Kerala as well as Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands where inter-island ferry services could transform connectivity.

    The Urban Water Transport System will connect mainland and adjoining municipalities/panchayat areas/islands through waterways and integrate the system with other modes of transport. Besides, it will promote tourism and regional economic growth. It will employ non-polluting and sustainable measures through energy-efficient electric ferries, modernised terminals and ensure seamless multimodal connectivity.

    Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the able guidance of Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, IWAI has been making several infrastructural interventions to develop waterways as a robust engine of growth. With its concerted efforts, IWAI is expanding its footprint throughout the country – from Arunachal Pradesh in the East to Gujarat in the West and Jammu and Kashmir in the North to Kerala in the South. 

    In line with Harit Nauka guidelines, the Authority has taken multiple green initiatives which includes procurement of electric catamarans for passenger ferries.  Two such catamarans have already been deployed, one each at Varanasi and Ayodhya.  Six more shall be deployed soon in Mathura and Guwahati.  One hydrogen fuel cell powered vessel has also been procured which recently completed the trials successfully. The move to strengthen urban water transport system by developing water metro projects will be an extension to these proactive initiatives being taken by the Authority.

    ***

    G.D. Hallikeri / Henry

    (Release ID: 2105345) Visitor Counter : 45

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: BOLSTERING INNOVATION: GOVERNOR HOCHUL AND SENATOR SCHUMER ANNOUNCE $65 MILLION EXPANSION OF NEXT-GENERATION BATTERY INNOVATION COMPANY BAE SYSTEMS IN THE SOUTHERN TIER

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    BAE Systems Commits To The Creation Of More Than 130 New Good-Paying Jobs At Village Of Endicott Location
    Continued New York State Investments Support The Southern Tier Region’s Comprehensive Strategy To Revitalize Communities And Grow the Economy By Focusing On Clean Energy Solutions
    Governor Kathy Hochul and Senator Charles Schumer today announced that BAE Systems is investing $65 million to expand operations in the Village of Endicott, Broome County. The company will add a total of 150,000 square-feet to its existing site to make way for the addition of a new battery production line and lab space, and new office space. As a result of the expansion, the company has committed to creating up to 134 good-paying jobs onsite. BAE Systems is a global defense, aerospace and security company with approximately 93,500 employees worldwide. The BAE Systems facility in Endicott designs, develops and produces a broad portfolio of safety-critical electronic systems from flight and engine controls to power and energy management systems. The company has been operational at the Huron Campus site since 2011.
    “BAE Systems’ decision to further expand its business represents yet another win for New York State and for the Southern Tier, which is laser focused on becoming a global hub for next-generation battery innovation efforts,” Governor Hochul said. “Since taking office, I have remained committed to bringing jobs back to Upstate New York. This incredibly successful company chose to grow its operations here, spurring top-quality, good-paying job creation in the region because they have seen firsthand how hardworking New Yorkers are.”
    Senator Charles Schumer said, “BAE Systems is adding 130+ good-paying jobs right here in the Southern Tier to make sure the next generation of America’s batteries are stamped ‘Made in Upstate NY.’ This $65 million expansion to add a new battery production line, research lab, and office helps show how we can bring this supply chain back from overseas, with the Southern Tier leading the way to make sure the future of battery manufacturing is manufactured in Broome County, not Beijing. BAE Systems is a vital part of the Southern Tier economy, with a world-class workforce of over 1200 people, and selecting this area for their major battery production expansion is no accident. I’m proud of the millions in federal support I’ve delivered – via the American Rescue Plan and my bipartisan CHIPS & Science Act – to the region to make it a global center for battery research and set the stage for today’s announcement. Today BAE is helping add another loop to establish this region as a core of manufacturing and innovation for America’s battery belt.”
    The project involves the expansion of BAE Systems battery production line, including the purchase and installation of machinery and equipment to efficiently produce an energy storage system for electric/hybrid electric aircraft. This facility will include an automated state-of-the-art production line, an engineering lab, and an aftermarket center, and is expected to be fully complete in 2027.
    Empire State Development is assisting the project with up to $8.5 million in performance-based Excelsior Jobs Tax Credit Program in exchange for the job creation commitments. Broome County is also providing assistance for the project.
    BAE Systems Senior Director Jim Garceau said, “This facility expansion reinforces our commitment to the Southern Tier and builds on New York State’s vision to create a regional hub for battery innovation.  With this investment, we will enhance our capabilities to address the emerging needs of the next-generation hybrid/electric aircraft.”
    Bolstering Next-Generation Battery Innovation
    Governor Hochul and Senator Schumer were instrumental in the company’s decision having worked closely with company officials to ensure that the project would move ahead in New York’s Southern Tier region which is laser-focused on supporting next-generation energy efforts – a top priority for the governor and senator.
    In January 2024, the Governor and Senator announced that the U.S. National Science Foundation had designated the New Energy New York (NENY) Storage Engine as a Regional Innovation Engine (NSF Engine), which was created by the Senator’s bipartisan CHIPS & Science Law. The NENY Storage Engine, anchored at Binghamton University in the Southern Tier Region, will receive up to $15 million in federal funding for two years and up to $160 million over 10 years to establish a hub that will accelerate innovation, technology translation and the creation of a skilled workforce to grow the capacity of the domestic battery industry. Through Empire State Development, New York State will match up to 20 percent for the first five years of the project as well as provide support through established programs. The NENY Storage Engine was chosen for its diverse, cross-sector coalition that will build a leading ecosystem driving battery technology innovation, workforce development and manufacturing to support U.S. national security and global competitiveness.
    Schumer has long fought to secure federal investment to boost the Southern Tier’s battery manufacturing and R&D. In 2021, Schumer created the Build Back Better Regional Challenge in the American Rescue Plan that he led to passage as Majority Leader. The senator personally advocated for the selection of the Binghamton University-led New Energy New York’s (NENY) battery hub proposal, helping deliver a $63.7 million federal investment with a $50 million funding match from New York State. In 2023, Schumer also delivered the prestigious federal Tech Hub designation, also created by his bipartisan CHIPS & Science Law for the Binghamton University-led NENY proposal.
    Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Governor Hochul’s strategic and laser-focused support for next-generation clean energy companies accelerates this cutting-edge industry’s growing presence in New York State. BAE Systems’ expansion will create top-quality jobs and opportunities in the Southern Tier, furthering the region’s leadership in battery technology innovation.”
    New York State’s Climate Agenda
    New York State’s climate agenda calls for an affordable and just transition to a clean energy economy that creates family-sustaining jobs, promotes economic growth through green investments, and directs a minimum of 35 percent of the benefits to disadvantaged communities. New York is advancing a suite of efforts to achieve an emissions-free economy by 2050, including in the energy, buildings, transportation, and waste sectors.
    New York Power Authority President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said, “BAE Systems has been a major driver of economic growth in Broome County, and I congratulate them on their new $65 million expansion. Thanks to strategic investments from Governor Hochul and Senator Schumer, New York has become a testbed for battery storage innovation, and NYPA will continue to support firms like BAE Systems developing cutting-edge technology and spurring economic growth with low-cost power.”
    New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “With this investment in next generation battery technology at their Broome County location, BAE Systems is supporting local jobs and strengthening the state’s clean energy supply chains, ensuring New York continues to lead the way in innovation and clean tech economic opportunity. The expansion will also advance clean transportation in the aviation industry and support NYSERDA’s efforts in research, development, and demonstration of new technologies in the energy storage sector.”
    State Senator Lea Webb said, “It’s exciting to see BAE Systems expand its next-generation battery innovation operations right here in the Southern Tier, bringing up to 134 new jobs to the Village of Endicott, ” said State Senator Lea Webb. “This investment strengthens our region’s role as a leader in clean energy technology and advanced manufacturing. I want to thank Governor Hochul for her commitment to growing our local economy and everyone who made this expansion possible. This investment not only creates new opportunities for workers but also reinforces New York’s leadership in the future of sustainable energy solutions.”
    Assemblymember Donna Lupardo said, “Years of hard work and dedication have made our area a designated hub for battery innovation and manufacturing. BAE’s expansion to include a new battery production line will further establish our community as a leader in clean-energy technology. Their work on electric/hybrid bus and aircraft battery systems are game changers for the industry and for our local workforce. I’d like to thank BAE Systems for their continued investment in our community, and the Governor and Empire State Development for their ongoing support of this important work.”
    Broome County Executive Jason Garnar said, “BAE Systems’ expansion in Endicott is another major win for Broome County, reinforcing our region’s role as leader in next-generation battery innovation while creating even more job opportunities for our community. Thank you to Governor Hochul for her continued commitment to economic growth in the Southern Tier and to BAE Systems for choosing to expand here in Broome County.”
    Village of Endicott Mayor Nick Burlingame said, “BAE Systems’ decision to expand its operations in Endicott is a testament to the strength of our community, our workforce, and our region’s commitment to innovation. This investment not only reinforces Endicott’s legacy as a hub for cutting-edge technology but also brings new opportunities for local families and businesses. We are proud to support BAE Systems as they continue to grow and shape the future of clean energy and battery innovation right here in our village. We look forward to the jobs, economic impact, and advancements this expansion will bring to Endicott.”
    For additional information about BAE Systems, visit: https://jobs.baesystems.com/global/en/.
    Accelerating Economic Development in the Southern Tier
    Today’s announcement advances the Southern Tier Strategic Plan and complements “Southern Tier Soaring” strategy by facilitating economic growth and community development. These regionally designed plans focus on attracting a talented workforce, growing business and driving next-generation innovation. More information is available here.
    About Empire State Development
    Empire State Development is New York’s chief economic development agency, and promotes business growth, job creation, and greater economic opportunity throughout the state. With offices in each of the state’s 10 regions, ESD oversees the Regional Economic Development Councils, supports broadband equity through the ConnectALL office, and is growing the workforce of tomorrow through the Office of Strategic Workforce Development. 
    The agency engages with emerging and next generation industries like clean energy and semiconductor manufacturing looking to grow in New York State, operates a network of assistance centers to help small businesses grow and succeed, and promotes the state’s world class tourism destinations through I LOVE NY. For more information, please visit esd.ny.gov, and connect with ESD on LinkedIn, Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Buddhist statues in Nankan grottoes scenic spot, China’s Sichuan

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

    Buddhist statues in Nankan grottoes scenic spot, China’s Sichuan

    Updated: February 21, 2025 21:13 Xinhua
    This photo taken on Feb. 19, 2025 shows Buddhist statues in Nankan grottoes scenic spot in Bazhou District of Bazhong City, southwest China’s Sichuan Province. Nankan grottoes, known for its 179 carved grottoes which house over 2,700 painted Buddhist statues, is a tourist attraction in Bazhong City. The carving of the grottoes began in the Sui Dynasty (581-618). The statues here are rich in content, exquisite in shape, bright in color and well preserved. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on Feb. 19, 2025 shows Buddhist statues in Nankan grottoes scenic spot in Bazhou District of Bazhong City, southwest China’s Sichuan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on Feb. 19, 2025 shows Buddhist statues in Nankan grottoes scenic spot in Bazhou District of Bazhong City, southwest China’s Sichuan Province.[Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on Feb. 19, 2025 shows a view of the Nankan grottoes scenic spot in Bazhou District of Bazhong City, southwest China’s Sichuan Province.[Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on Feb. 19, 2025 shows a Buddhist statue in Nankan grottoes scenic spot in Bazhou District of Bazhong City, southwest China’s Sichuan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on Feb. 19, 2025 shows a view of the Nankan grottoes scenic spot in Bazhou District of Bazhong City, southwest China’s Sichuan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on Feb. 19, 2025 shows a Buddhist statue in Nankan grottoes scenic spot in Bazhou District of Bazhong City, southwest China’s Sichuan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India Japan partnership rooted in brotherhood, democracy,culture and economic cooperation: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal

    Source: Government of India (2)

    India Japan partnership rooted in brotherhood, democracy,culture and economic cooperation: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal

    The partnership reflects a unique fusion of Sushi and Spices, distinct yet complementary: Shri Goyal

    Posted On: 21 FEB 2025 5:07PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal stated that India and Japan share a globally recognized strategic partnership rooted in brotherhood, democracy, culture, and economic cooperation. This was stated by the Minister at his keynote address at the India-Japan Economy and Investment Forum today.

    The Minister highlighted that the Seven Lucky Gods of Japan have origins in Indian tradition, underscoring the deep cultural ties between the two nations. He noted that the relationship between India and Japan reflected Sushi and spices, a fusion of distinct yet complementary elements, contributing to an extraordinary partnership. Japan has been a key ally in India’s economic growth, with Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from Japan exceeding $43 billion between 2000 and 2024, making it India’s fifth-largest source of foreign investment, added the Minister.

    The Minister highlighted that the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed in 2011 has significantly strengthened bilateral trade, with over 1,400 Japanese companies operating in India and 11 industrial townships across eight states hosting Japanese enterprises. He pointed out that major infrastructure projects such as the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail and metro systems in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai reflect Japan’s active participation in India’s development. He expressed optimism about the commencement of the Shinkansen bullet train service between Mumbai and Ahmedabad in the near future.

    The Minister stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the ‘Make in India’ initiative launched in 2014 has provided a significant boost to India’s manufacturing sector. He stated that India and Japan are collaborating to build globally competitive brands, citing the example of Maruti exporting vehicles to various countries, including Japan. He reiterated the objective of increasing the share of manufacturing in India’s GDP to 25%, with Japan playing a crucial role in achieving this target.The Minister cited the Prime Minister, emphasizing that trade, technology, tourism, and investment will remain key pillars of India’s international economic strategy, with the partnership with Japan playing a crucial role in strengthening economic ties.

    He also noted India’s commitment to fostering a business-friendly environment, emphasizing that ease of doing business improvements are being implemented at both central and state levels. Infrastructure development, public-private partnerships in innovation, and a strengthened R&D ecosystem, supported by recent budget announcements, reflect the government’s strategic focus on economic growth. He underscored that India has the world’s largest number of STEM graduates, with women accounting for 43% of them, contributing to the country’s skilled workforce.

    The Minister pointed out five key drivers of India’s economic growth—decisive leadership, demographic dividend, democracy, diversity, and demand generated by 1.4 billion people—stating that these factors collectively shape India’s growing economy. He reiterated that large-scale investments will coexist in India with MSMEs to provide global solutions.

    Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi “ Today’s India inspires confidence in the world”, Shri Goyal added that  with a young and skilled workforce India today is a destination to invest and a destination to source goods and services.

    On quality standards, the Minister stated that Japan serves as a benchmark for excellence and that India seeks to adopt similar high standards in manufacturing. He noted that Indian manufacturers are being encouraged to embrace ‘Kaizen’ (continuous improvement) and Lean Six Sigma principles to enhance quality and efficiency. He further stated that efforts are being made to balance trade between India and Japan, with a focus on increasing Indian exports to ensure reciprocal benefits.The Minister invited participation in India’s growth story, particularly in green energy, renewable energy, high-tech manufacturing of semiconductors, electronic goods, and artificial intelligence. He emphasized that digital technologies will drive progress towards prosperity, reinforcing India’s commitment to innovation and sustainable development.

    ***

    Abhishek Dayal/ Abhijith Narayanan

    (Release ID: 2105293) Visitor Counter : 120

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: HKSAR Government sets up Hong Kong Cross-boundary Public Services self-service kiosk and “iAM Smart” self-registration kiosk in Dongguan (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    HKSAR Government sets up Hong Kong Cross-boundary Public Services self-service kiosk and “iAM Smart” self-registration kiosk in Dongguan (with photos)
    HKSAR Government sets up Hong Kong Cross-boundary Public Services self-service kiosk and “iAM Smart” self-registration kiosk in Dongguan (with photos)
    ******************************************************************************************

         ​To advance the development of a digital government, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) is collaborating with Guangdong Province to promote the Cross-boundary Public Services initiative. The Digital Policy Office (DPO) announced today (February 21) the setting up of a Hong Kong Cross-boundary Public Services self-service kiosk in Dongguan to enable residents and enterprises in Mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) to access public services of Hong Kong without the need to travel to Hong Kong in person.      Starting today, the public can use the Hong Kong Cross-boundary Public Services self-service kiosk located on 2/F, Dongguan Citizen Service Center to access various public services of Hong Kong. The opening hours of the kiosk in the Center are 9am to noon and 1pm to 5pm, Monday to Friday (except public holidays on the Mainland). For details, please visit the Hong Kong Cross-boundary Public Services thematic website at www.crossboundaryservices.gov.hk/en/home/index.html.      Following the Hong Kong Cross-boundary Public Services self-service kiosks that commenced operation earlier in Guangzhou, Qianhai and Futian in Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Foshan as well as Huizhou, the Cross-boundary Public Services self-service kiosk in Dongguan also provides over 70 public services from 12 government bureaux and departments as well as related organisations, encompassing eight areas commonly used by enterprises and the public including taxation, company registration, property and vehicle enquiry and registration, application for personal identification documents and entry of talent, welfare and education, healthcare, immigration clearance, urgent assistance as well as culture and tourism. Members of the public can use the self-service kiosks to perform data entry, document scanning and result printing to enjoy one-stop access when applying for various public services.       An “iAM Smart” self-registration kiosk is also set up at the Dongguan location to enable Hong Kong residents working and living on the Mainland to register for “iAM Smart+” and directly use the “iAM Smart” mobile app for one-stop public services, covering more than 400 Hong Kong public services, such as renewal of a vehicle licence, enrolment for the Contactless e-Channel, and application for student grant. For details and registration requirements, please visit the “iAM Smart” thematic website at www.iamsmart.gov.hk/en/reg.html.      A spokesman for the DPO expressed sincere gratitude to the Guangdong Provincial Administration of Government Service and Data for its strong support, and to the Center for its full co-operation. The DPO will continue to discuss with the Guangdong Provincial Administration of Government Service and Data to set up self-service and self-registration kiosks in more Mainland cities of the GBA to cope with the demands of residents and enterprises in the GBA for public services of Hong Kong.           To implement the State Council’s Guiding Opinions to all provincial governments on Cross-provincial Public Services and their comprehensive deployment, the HKSAR Government and the Guangdong Provincial Administration of Government Service and Data jointly commenced work of the GBA Cross-boundary Public Services in 2021, and jointly introduced a dedicated service area/thematic website for Cross-boundary Public Services in November 2023. The initiative enables enterprises and the public in both regions to enjoy simple and convenient cross-boundary services, with a view to facilitating the provision of public services and investment in the GBA, and enhancing the satisfaction and sense of contentment of enterprises and the public in accessing services across the boundary.

     
    Ends/Friday, February 21, 2025Issued at HKT 15:30

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by SCST at Sports Law Conference (English only)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is the speech by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, at the Sports Law Conference today (February 21):
          
    President Roden Tong (President of the Law Society of Hong Kong), Mrs Regina Ip (Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council and Member of Legislative Council), Vivian, gold medal winner of Paris 2024 Olympic Games (Ms Vivian Kong), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
          
         Good morning. It is my great honour to address you at today’s Sports Law Conference. First of all, I would like to thank the Law Society of Hong Kong for organising the first mega conference on sports law in Hong Kong. 
          
         Today, we gather here to discuss and explore the enormous opportunities that the sports industry may present to both the legal profession and the business community in Hong Kong. I am glad that we have such a big and distinguished group of speakers from the business sector, legal practitioners, and sports professionals, both local and from abroad, to share with us their valuable insights on various aspects of sports.
          
         Hong Kong has always been a city that is passionate about sports. Sports not only promote physical health and well-being but also foster social cohesion. The Government is committed to developing sports in the community, nurturing sports talent, hosting mega sports events, promoting professionalism and developing sports as an industry. Our commitment is evident in the increasing resources that we have devoted to this policy area. In 2024-25, we are spending about $7.9 billion, which is double of the annual spending of $3.9 billion 10 years ago.
          
         Our efforts in sports development have borne fruit as we take pride in our athletes’ achievements on the global stage. Last summer, Hong Kong athletes achieved remarkable results by capturing two gold and two bronze medals in fencing and swimming at the Paris Olympic Games, attaining the best results in the history of Hong Kong, China thus far. Vivian Kong is here with us today and deserves a big round of applause from us. Our para-athletes also won three gold, four silver, and one bronze medal at the Paralympic Games, setting our best results since 2012.
          
         Earlier this month, I attended with the Chief Executive of Hong Kong the Asian Winter Games at Harbin. I am still overwhelmed by the achievements of our Hong Kong, China team, which made a lot of breakthroughs. Participating in curling and alpine skiing at the Games for the first time, our men’s curling team historically made the fourth, and an alpine skier achieved a record 10th place out of a total of 58 participants. The men’s ice hockey team also reached the quarterfinals stage for the first time. Although our athletes could not make it to the podium just as yet, I am sure all of us in this room are proud of their success and in particular the sportsmanship, professionalism and sports ethics demonstrated.
          
         As we celebrate our athletes’ achievements, it is important to recognise that their success represents more than just their talents. It reflects also the values that sports can bring to our community. These values go beyond medals, records and scores and can bring a positive impact to the society of Hong Kong. Now, let’s take a look at how sports can unlock important values for the Hong Kong community.
          
         First of all, perseverance is the key in the sports world. Our athletes encounter challenges, including injuries, defeats, and intense competitions throughout their career. Only through years of perseverance could they finally reach the international sporting arena. Vivian will agree with me that many of our athletes had to cope with recurring injuries while they gave it their all in the Paris Olympic Games. Having gone through these hardships, our athletes deserve fully our cheers and appreciation. Their perseverance has become an inspiration to many, and the athletes are setting an important role model, encouraging our youths not to give up in the face of obstacles. This is the spirit that empowers us and makes our society more resilient.
          
         Secondly, we promote friendship through sports. Sports serve as a powerful medium for building friendship that transcends cultural, ethnical and geographical barriers. It is through sports that people from around the world come together to promote mutual respect, inclusivity and friendship.
              
         It is also through sports that we take pride in our country and foster a stronger sense of national identity and belonging. As our national athletes continue to excel on the international stage, more and more people in Hong Kong are rooting for them and sharing in their joy of achievements as they bring triumph to the entire nation. We were particularly excited about the Mainland Olympians’ visit to Hong Kong after the Paris Olympic Games, where we had the invaluable opportunity to appreciate their sporting skills up close. As the public celebrated our country’s achievements together, our national identity and sense of belonging to our country are fortified.
          
         Another important value that we recognise is the commercial opportunities that the sports industry presents. Investments in sports infrastructure, sponsorships, and merchandising contribute to the job creation and business development of Hong Kong. As we promote sports events and activities, we can attract local and international brands, fostering partnerships that add impetus to our economy.
          
         To encourage the commercialisation of sports events, the Government provides matching funds under the “M” Mark System to provide incentives for event organisers to seek sponsorship from commercial organisations. By making the best use of market resources, we believe that the quality of events can be further enhanced, which will help attract more commercial players to the sports ecosystem. This is also conducive to the sustainable development of the sports industry in the long run.
          
         Sports broadcasting is another important aspect in commercialising the sports industry. Given the rise of digital media, the broadcasting right of sports events has become even more valuable. The broadcasting of sports events does not only generate revenue and sponsorships but also increases the visibility of our athletes and the sports themselves. The Government’s purchase of the broadcasting right of the Paris Olympic Games and Paralympic Games last year enabled members of the public to enjoy the games on television free of charge and to cheer for the athletes. This undoubtedly has helped generate greater interest in sports in the community.
          
         Meanwhile, sports have played an increasingly important role in driving tourism in Hong Kong. Major sports events, such as the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens hosted every year, attract hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world, showcasing our city’s culture, hospitality, and vibrant spirit. By positioning Hong Kong as a centre for major international sports events, we strive to bring in high-level, high-profile sports competitions and support the invitation of star athletes to Hong Kong, which in turn promotes tourism by attracting families, event personnel and officials, as well as spectators from outside Hong Kong to participate in major sports events.
          
         I am sure that, like me, you are all looking forward to the formal opening of Kai Tak Sports Park, KTSP, on the 1st of March, that is, just a week away. And in fact, I just did two phone interviews about Kai Tak Sports Park this morning, on top of the one I gave yesterday. That is why I came a little bit late; I am very sorry about that. As Hong Kong’s largest sports infrastructure ever, KTSP will fully unleash the strengths and potential of Hong Kong in hosting high-profile mega sports events and entertainment programmes. Hong Kong sports teams will also have ample opportunities to compete at home turf. Additionally, KTSP will help develop peripheral products, including merchandise sales, venue management, refereeing, training, event co-ordination, etc. We will surely capitalise on the world-class facilities in KTSP in driving the sports development of Hong Kong.
          
         We recognise the importance of fostering sports exchanges and collaborations with the Mainland. This year, in November, Hong Kong will cohost the 15th National Games, and the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games jointly with Guangdong Province and the Macao SAR (Special Administrative Region). Apart from attracting audiences from the Mainland and overseas to Hong Kong, the National Games series of events will allow Hong Kong citizens to participate in and support our team as home spectators. The preparation work of the Games is now in full swing. We will continue to leverage the opportunities to organise more sports exchanges with our Mainland counterparts.
          
         Sports are certainly an exciting area in Hong Kong full of different potential. As the sports industry continues to grow, there is a need to develop a robust legal system that supports fair play and resolves conflicts effectively, thereby promoting professionalism and accountability within the sector. The Chief Executive announced in 2024 Policy Address that the Government would support the industry to launch a pilot scheme on sports dispute resolution in Hong Kong. The availability of a sports dispute resolution mechanism would help preserve the integrity of sports and maintain a sustainable sporting environment. It is also essential to the advancement of sports development in Hong Kong, where a delay in handling of conflict may have a drastic impact on an athlete’s career. My bureau fully supports this initiative, and we look forward to your support and contribution to the pilot scheme.
          
         Ladies and gentlemen, sports have the potential to unlock a wide range of different values that enrich our community and contribute to the growth of Hong Kong. The potential for sports development is truly immense. My team will continue to work with the sports, legal and business sectors to ensure that the sports industry thrives. I am confident that through sports, we can build a stronger, healthier, and more united Hong Kong.
          
         Before I close, I would once again like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Roden and the Law Society of Hong Kong for organising this conference, and all speakers for sharing your insights, which are essential for creating a brighter future for the sports industry.
          
         I wish the conference a big success and your experience here truly rewarding. Thank you.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Thailand: 2024 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Thailand

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    Summary

    Thailand’s cyclical recovery is underway, though it has yet to become broad-based. Growth is projected to accelerate moderately, reaching 2.7 percent in 2024 and 2.9 percent in 2025, supported by the rebound of tourism-related activities and fiscal stimulus. The slow recovery, weaker than in ASEAN peers, is rooted in Thailand’s longstanding structural weaknesses and emerging headwinds that also contribute to a muted inflation trajectory. Significant uncertainty in the external environment and downside risks cloud the outlook.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: IMF Executive Board Concludes 2024 Article IV Consultation with Thailand

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    February 20, 2025

    Washington, DC: On February 11, The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation[1] with Thailand and endorsed the staff appraisal without a meeting on a lapse-of-time basis.

    Thailand’s economy is gradually recovering, but at a slower pace than peers. Economic activity expanded modestly by 1.9 percent in 2023 and 2.3 percent in the first three quarters of 2024, driven by private consumption growth and a rebound in tourism. Inflation remained subdued, averaging 0.4 percent (y/y) annually in 2024, well below the Bank of Thailand’s target range of 1 to 3 percent. External factors such as the decline in global energy and food prices, lower import prices have played a role, but domestic factors such as energy subsidies, price controls, and the unwinding of pandemic-related fiscal support have also contributed to the lower inflation. The current account balance strengthened to 1.4 percent of GDP in 2023, from -3.5 percent of GDP in 2022, and continues to register a moderate surplus as of November 2024, supported by the continued recovery in tourism and higher exports.

    A gradual cyclical recovery is expected to continue. Real GDP is projected to grow by 2.7 percent in 2024 and to increase to 2.9 percent in 2025. This is underpinned by the expansionary fiscal stance envisaged under the 2025 budget, which includes additional cash transfers of 1.0 percent of GDP and a rebound in public investment. Tourism-related sectors are expected to continue to support growth, as well as private consumption that will be further boosted by the authorities’ cash transfers. As growth continues to firm up, inflation is expected to pick up but remain in the bottom half of the target range in 2025. The current account balance is expected to improve further in 2024 and 2025, driven by the ongoing recovery in tourist arrivals.

    Risks to Thailand’s economic outlook are tilted to the downside. On the external front, an escalation of global trade tensions or deepening geoeconomic fragmentation could disrupt Thailand’s export recovery and dampen FDI inflows, while increased commodity price volatility could affect growth and lead to inflation spikes, and potentially tighter-for-longer global financial conditions. The intensification of regional conflicts could disrupt trade and travel flows while more frequent extreme climate events would adversely impact growth prospects. On the domestic front, the private sector debt overhang could impair financial institutions’ balance sheets and further decrease credit supply, negatively affecting growth. Renewed political uncertainty could hinder policy implementation and undermine confidence.

    Executive Board Assessment[2]

    In concluding the 2024 Article IV consultation with Thailand, Executive Directors endorsed the staff’s appraisal, as follows:

    Thailand’s economic recovery is ongoing, but it has been relatively slow and uneven. Economic activity expanded modestly in 2024, driven by private consumption and a rebound in tourism-related activities, while delayed budget implementation slowed the pace of public investment. The slow recovery, compared to ASEAN peers, is also rooted in Thailand’s longstanding structural weaknesses, while emerging external and domestic headwinds have also contributed to subdued inflation. The outlook remains highly uncertain with significant downside risks.

    As economic slack narrows, the focus should shift to rebuilding fiscal space. A less expansionary fiscal stance than envisaged under the FY25 budget would still provide impulse to support the recovery while helping to preserve policy space. Alternatively, reallocating part of the planned cash transfers toward productivity-enhancing investments or social protection would enable stronger inclusive growth and help reduce the public debt-to-GDP ratio. Starting in FY26, a revenue-based medium-term fiscal consolidation is needed to bring down public debt and rebuild buffers.

    Thailand’s fiscal framework can be further strengthened. This would require strengthening fiscal rules to better support the debt anchor by introducing a risk-based rules approach. Costs associated with quasi-fiscal operations such as energy price caps should be adequately accounted for, and fiscal risks closely monitored. Improving data provision for government finance statistics and SOEs is important.

    Staff welcomes the BOT’s decision to cut the policy rate in October and recommends a further reduction in the policy rate to support inflation and also translate into improvements in borrowers’ debt-servicing capacity with limited risk of additional leverage amid tight lending. Given remaining high uncertainty in the outlook, the authorities should stand ready to adjust their monetary policy stance in a data and outlook-dependent manner. Central bank independence with clear communication of policy moves is key to maintaining the credibility and effectiveness of monetary policy in anchoring inflation expectations.

    Effective coordination across policy tools, underpinned by adequate buffers, is essential for managing adverse scenarios. While the flexible exchange rate should continue to act as a shock absorber, the complementary use of FXI might alleviate policy trade-offs by smoothing destabilizing premia when large non-fundamental shocks render the FX market dysfunctional. Further liberalization of the FX ecosystem and phasing out of remaining capital flow management measures would help deepen the FX market and limit the need for FXI over time.

    A comprehensive package of prudential and legal measures needs to be deployed to facilitate an orderly private deleveraging. Staff welcomes the measures already implemented to address both the existing household debt stock and the buildup of new leverage. However, simultaneous and forceful implementation of personal debt workouts via more effective bankruptcy proceedings is essential to lower the existing household debt stock.

    The external position in 2024 was moderately stronger than warranted by fundamentals and desirable policy settings. Policies aimed at promoting investment, enhancing social safety nets, liberalizing the services sector, and minimizing tax incentives and subsidies that distort competition would facilitate external rebalancing.

    Resolute structural reforms are needed to boost productivity and competitiveness. Reform priorities include facilitating competition and openness, upgrading physical and ICT infrastructure, upskilling/reskilling the labor force, increasing export sophistication by leveraging digitalization, and strengthening governance. Providing an adequate social protection floor to vulnerable households could help enhance their resilience to shocks and address structural drivers of household debt accumulation.

    Table 1. Thailand: Selected Economic Indicators, 2019–30

    Per capita GDP (2023): US$7,338

    Exchange Rate (2023): 34.8 Baht/USD

    Unemployment rate (2023): 1 percent

    Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty line (2021): 6.3 percent

    Net FDI (2023): US$ -7.16 billion

    Population (2023): 70.18 million

    		                    

    Actual

    Projections

    2019

    2020

    2021

    2022

    2023

    2024

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

    2030

    Real GDP growth (y/y percent change) 1/

    2.1

    -6.1

    1.6

    2.5

    1.9

    2.7

    2.9

    2.6

    2.7

    2.7

    2.7

    2.7

    Consumption

    3.4

    -0.3

    1.3

    4.8

    4.6

    4.3

    4.0

    2.9

    2.1

    2.3

    2.6

    2.6

    Gross fixed investment

    2.0

    -4.8

    3.1

    2.3

    1.2

    0.1

    4.1

    2.1

    1.8

    2.3

    2.4

    2.5

    Inflation (y/y percent change)

    		                        

    Headline CPI (end of period)

    0.9

    -0.3

    2.2

    5.9

    -0.8

    1.2

    1.3

    1.5

    1.5

    1.7

    1.7

    1.8

    Headline CPI (period average)

    0.7

    -0.8

    1.2

    6.1

    1.2

    0.4

    1.0

    1.3

    1.5

    1.6

    1.7

    1.8

    Core CPI (end of period)

    0.5

    0.2

    0.3

    3.2

    0.6

    0.8

    1.3

    1.0

    1.2

    1.4

    1.4

    1.6

    Core CPI (period average)

    0.5

    0.3

    0.2

    2.5

    1.3

    0.6

    1.1

    1.2

    1.1

    1.3

    1.4

    1.5

    Saving and investment (percent of GDP)

    		                        

    Gross domestic investment

    23.8

    23.8

    28.6

    27.8

    22.5

    20.8

    21.9

    22.2

    22.0

    21.8

    21.8

    21.6

    Private

    16.9

    16.8

    16.9

    17.3

    17.3

    16.7

    16.6

    16.4

    16.3

    16.1

    16.1

    16.0

    Public

    5.7

    6.4

    6.5

    6.1

    5.6

    5.6

    5.9

    5.8

    5.7

    5.7

    5.7

    5.7

    Change in stocks

    1.2

    0.5

    5.1

    4.5

    -0.4

    -1.5

    -0.6

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    Gross national saving

    30.8

    27.9

    26.5

    24.4

    24.0

    22.6

    24.0

    24.5

    24.4

    24.4

    24.5

    24.4

    Private, including statistical discrepancy

    25.8

    26.2

    26.8

    22.6

    21.0

    19.8

    21.8

    21.9

    21.7

    21.7

    21.8

    21.6

    Public

    5.0

    1.8

    -0.3

    1.7

    3.0

    2.8

    2.2

    2.5

    2.7

    2.7

    2.7

    2.8

    Foreign saving

    -7.0

    -4.2

    2.1

    3.5

    -1.4

    -1.8

    -2.2

    -2.3

    -2.4

    -2.6

    -2.7

    -2.8

    Fiscal accounts (percent of GDP) 2/

    		                        

    General government balance 3/

    0.4

    -4.5

    -6.7

    -4.5

    -2.0

    -2.2

    -3.6

    -3.2

    -2.9

    -2.8

    -2.8

    -2.8

      SOEs balance

    0.4

    0.6

    -0.3

    -0.6

    -0.7

    -0.1

    -0.2

    -0.1

    -0.1

    -0.1

    -0.1

    0.0

    Public sector balance 4/

    0.8

    -3.9

    -7.1

    -5.1

    -2.7

    -2.3

    -3.8

    -3.3

    -3.0

    -2.9

    -2.9

    -2.8

    Public sector debt (end of period) 4/

    41.1

    49.4

    58.3

    60.5

    62.4

    63.3

    64.7

    65.4

    66.0

    66.1

    66.4

    66.4

    Monetary accounts (end of period, y/y percent change)

    		            

    Broad money growth

    3.6

    10.2

    4.8

    3.9

    1.9

    2.3

    3.7

    3.5

    3.2

    3.8

    3.2

    3.7

    Narrow money growth

    5.7

    14.2

    14.0

    3.1

    4.2

    5.9

    3.2

    4.7

    4.2

    5.1

    4.3

    4.9

    Credit to the private sector (by other depository corporations)

    2.4

    4.5

    4.5

    2.5

    1.5

    0.1

    1.0

    1.6

    1.8

    2.1

    2.3

    2.5

    Balance of payments (billions of U.S. dollars)

    		                        

    Current account balance

    38.3

    20.9

    -10.7

    -17.2

    7.4

    9.5

    11.9

    13.2

    14.6

    16.5

    18.2

    19.4

    (In percent of GDP)

    7.0

    4.2

    -2.1

    -3.5

    1.4

    1.8

    2.2

    2.3

    2.4

    2.6

    2.7

    2.8

    Exports of goods, f.o.b.

    242.7

    227.0

    270.6

    285.2

    280.7

    293.6

    301.8

    312.5

    327.2

    343.1

    359.0

    375.5

    Growth rate (dollar terms)

    -3.3

    -6.5

    19.2

    5.4

    -1.5

    4.6

    2.8

    3.6

    4.7

    4.9

    4.6

    4.6

            Growth rate (volume terms)

    -3.7

    -5.8

    15.4

    1.2

    -2.7

    2.1

    1.9

    2.7

    3.5

    3.6

    3.2

    3.2

    Imports of goods, f.o.b.

    216.0

    186.6

    238.6

    271.6

    261.4

    274.9

    284.6

    295.1

    309.1

    324.1

    339.1

    354.9

    Growth rate (dollar terms)

    -5.6

    -13.6

    27.9

    13.8

    -3.8

    5.2

    3.5

    3.7

    4.7

    4.9

    4.6

    4.7

            Growth rate (volume terms)

    -5.8

    -10.4

    18.0

    1.0

    -4.1

    3.7

    3.5

    3.3

    3.4

    3.3

    3.3

    3.3

    Capital and financial account balance 5/

    -24.7

    -2.6

    3.6

    6.9

    -4.9

    -9.5

    -11.9

    -13.2

    -14.6

    -16.5

    -18.2

    -19.4

    Overall balance

    13.6

    18.4

    -7.1

    -10.2

    2.6

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    Gross official reserves (including net forward position, end of period) (billions of U.S. dollars)

    259.0

    286.5

    279.2

    245.8

    254.6

    262.5

    262.5

    262.5

    262.5

    262.5

    262.5

    262.5

    (Months of following year’s imports)

    16.7

    14.4

    12.3

    11.3

    11.1

    11.1

    10.7

    10.2

    9.7

    9.3

    8.9

    8.5

    (Percent of short-term debt) 6/

    338.0

    315.3

    291.2

    236.3

    242.7

    239.6

    231.7

    222.5

    213.7

    206.2

    199.6

    252.3

    (Percent of ARA metric)

    252.5

    278.3

    263.3

    222.3

    233.2

    231.8

    226.4

    219.2

    212.3

    205.4

    199.3

    200.0

    Exchange rate (baht/U.S. dollar)

    31.0

    31.3

    32.0

    35.1

    34.8

    35.3

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    NEER appreciation (annual average)

    7.2

    -0.3

    -4.5

    -1.8

    3.9

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    REER appreciation (annual average)

    5.8

    -2.6

    -5.7

    -1.1

    1.2

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    External debt

    		                        

    (In percent of GDP)

    31.7

    38.0

    38.9

    40.6

    38.2

    38.4

    38.5

    38.6

    38.7

    38.7

    38.8

    38.8

    (In billions of U.S. dollars)

    172.7

    190.1

    196.9

    201.4

    196.5

    202.4

    213.1

    223.8

    233.8

    245.9

    257.0

    270.0

    Public sector 7/

    38.0

    37.2

    41.5

    41.2

    35.8

    38.4

    40.8

    43.3

    45.6

    48.1

    50.8

    53.7

    Private sector

    134.0

    152.9

    155.4

    160.3

    160.7

    164.5

    172.9

    181.1

    188.8

    198.3

    206.8

    217.0

    Medium- and long-term

    74.6

    79.4

    82.3

    82.3

    80.3

    80.7

    86.5

    91.1

    95.3

    101.5

    107.1

    114.0

    Short-term (including portfolio flows)

    59.4

    73.5

    73.1

    78.0

    80.4

    83.8

    86.4

    90.0

    93.5

    96.8

    99.7

    103.0

    Debt service ratio 8/

    7.8

    7.5

    6.3

    7.3

    7.9

    7.8

    7.8

    7.3

    8.3

    9.3

    10.3

    10.3

    Memorandum items:

    		                        

    Nominal GDP (billions of baht)

    16889.2

    15661.3

    16188.6

    17378.0

    17922.0

    18603.0

    19371.2

    20282.2

    21143.0

    22211.7

    23164.5

    24307.8

    (In billions of U.S. dollars)

    544.0

    500.5

    506.3

    495.6

    515.0

    527.1

    553.9

    580.2

    604.8

    635.4

    662.7

    695.4

    Output Gap (in percent of potential output)

    0.2

    -4.2

    -4.1

    -2.0

    -1.5

    -0.7

    0.0

    0.1

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    Sources: Thai authorities; CEIC Data Co. Ltd.; and IMF staff estimates and projections.

    1/ This series reflects the new GDP data based on the chain volume measure methodology, introduced by the Thai authorities in May 2015.

    2/ On a fiscal year basis. The fiscal year ends on September 30.

    3/ Includes budgetary central government, extrabudgetary funds, and local governments.

    4/ Includes general government and SOEs.

    5/ Includes errors and omissions.

    6/ With remaining maturity of one year or less.

    7/ Excludes debt of state enterprises.

    8/ Percent of exports of goods and services.
                                                             

    [1] Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.

    [2] The Executive Board takes decisions under its lapse-of-time procedure when the Board agrees that a proposal can be considered without convening formal discussions.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Pavis Devahasadin

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese premier stresses boosting consumption, expanding domestic demand

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

    BEIJING, Feb. 20 — Chinese Premier Li Qiang has emphasized boosting consumption and improving people’s livelihoods through stronger and more targeted measures, in a bid to strengthen the fundamental role of consumption in driving economic development.

    Li made the remarks at a study session held by the State Council on Thursday.

    The premier noted that consumption must be prioritized for expanding domestic demand and driving economic growth, urging more effective measures to promote consumption and improve the consumption environment.

    More efforts should be made to facilitate service consumption, improve the supply of education, medical care, culture, sports, tourism, elderly care and household services, and accelerate the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to unlock consumption potential of AI terminal products, he said.

    He urged to develop high-quality products and services in more segments to stimulate new consumer demand.

    He also emphasized the need to relax market access in relevant industries, and boost high-quality product supply to meet emerging consumer demands.

    Liu Yuanchun, president of the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, gave a lecture at the session. Vice premiers Ding Xuexiang and He Lifeng, and State Councilor Shen Yiqin participated in discussions.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Executive Board Concludes 2024 Article IV Consultation with Thailand

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    February 20, 2025

    Washington, DC: On February 11, The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation[1] with Thailand and endorsed the staff appraisal without a meeting on a lapse-of-time basis.

    Thailand’s economy is gradually recovering, but at a slower pace than peers. Economic activity expanded modestly by 1.9 percent in 2023 and 2.3 percent in the first three quarters of 2024, driven by private consumption growth and a rebound in tourism. Inflation remained subdued, averaging 0.4 percent (y/y) annually in 2024, well below the Bank of Thailand’s target range of 1 to 3 percent. External factors such as the decline in global energy and food prices, lower import prices have played a role, but domestic factors such as energy subsidies, price controls, and the unwinding of pandemic-related fiscal support have also contributed to the lower inflation. The current account balance strengthened to 1.4 percent of GDP in 2023, from -3.5 percent of GDP in 2022, and continues to register a moderate surplus as of November 2024, supported by the continued recovery in tourism and higher exports.

    A gradual cyclical recovery is expected to continue. Real GDP is projected to grow by 2.7 percent in 2024 and to increase to 2.9 percent in 2025. This is underpinned by the expansionary fiscal stance envisaged under the 2025 budget, which includes additional cash transfers of 1.0 percent of GDP and a rebound in public investment. Tourism-related sectors are expected to continue to support growth, as well as private consumption that will be further boosted by the authorities’ cash transfers. As growth continues to firm up, inflation is expected to pick up but remain in the bottom half of the target range in 2025. The current account balance is expected to improve further in 2024 and 2025, driven by the ongoing recovery in tourist arrivals.

    Risks to Thailand’s economic outlook are tilted to the downside. On the external front, an escalation of global trade tensions or deepening geoeconomic fragmentation could disrupt Thailand’s export recovery and dampen FDI inflows, while increased commodity price volatility could affect growth and lead to inflation spikes, and potentially tighter-for-longer global financial conditions. The intensification of regional conflicts could disrupt trade and travel flows while more frequent extreme climate events would adversely impact growth prospects. On the domestic front, the private sector debt overhang could impair financial institutions’ balance sheets and further decrease credit supply, negatively affecting growth. Renewed political uncertainty could hinder policy implementation and undermine confidence.

    Executive Board Assessment[2]

    In concluding the 2024 Article IV consultation with Thailand, Executive Directors endorsed the staff’s appraisal, as follows:

    Thailand’s economic recovery is ongoing, but it has been relatively slow and uneven. Economic activity expanded modestly in 2024, driven by private consumption and a rebound in tourism-related activities, while delayed budget implementation slowed the pace of public investment. The slow recovery, compared to ASEAN peers, is also rooted in Thailand’s longstanding structural weaknesses, while emerging external and domestic headwinds have also contributed to subdued inflation. The outlook remains highly uncertain with significant downside risks.

    As economic slack narrows, the focus should shift to rebuilding fiscal space. A less expansionary fiscal stance than envisaged under the FY25 budget would still provide impulse to support the recovery while helping to preserve policy space. Alternatively, reallocating part of the planned cash transfers toward productivity-enhancing investments or social protection would enable stronger inclusive growth and help reduce the public debt-to-GDP ratio. Starting in FY26, a revenue-based medium-term fiscal consolidation is needed to bring down public debt and rebuild buffers.

    Thailand’s fiscal framework can be further strengthened. This would require strengthening fiscal rules to better support the debt anchor by introducing a risk-based rules approach. Costs associated with quasi-fiscal operations such as energy price caps should be adequately accounted for, and fiscal risks closely monitored. Improving data provision for government finance statistics and SOEs is important.

    Staff welcomes the BOT’s decision to cut the policy rate in October and recommends a further reduction in the policy rate to support inflation and also translate into improvements in borrowers’ debt-servicing capacity with limited risk of additional leverage amid tight lending. Given remaining high uncertainty in the outlook, the authorities should stand ready to adjust their monetary policy stance in a data and outlook-dependent manner. Central bank independence with clear communication of policy moves is key to maintaining the credibility and effectiveness of monetary policy in anchoring inflation expectations.

    Effective coordination across policy tools, underpinned by adequate buffers, is essential for managing adverse scenarios. While the flexible exchange rate should continue to act as a shock absorber, the complementary use of FXI might alleviate policy trade-offs by smoothing destabilizing premia when large non-fundamental shocks render the FX market dysfunctional. Further liberalization of the FX ecosystem and phasing out of remaining capital flow management measures would help deepen the FX market and limit the need for FXI over time.

    A comprehensive package of prudential and legal measures needs to be deployed to facilitate an orderly private deleveraging. Staff welcomes the measures already implemented to address both the existing household debt stock and the buildup of new leverage. However, simultaneous and forceful implementation of personal debt workouts via more effective bankruptcy proceedings is essential to lower the existing household debt stock.

    The external position in 2024 was moderately stronger than warranted by fundamentals and desirable policy settings. Policies aimed at promoting investment, enhancing social safety nets, liberalizing the services sector, and minimizing tax incentives and subsidies that distort competition would facilitate external rebalancing.

    Resolute structural reforms are needed to boost productivity and competitiveness. Reform priorities include facilitating competition and openness, upgrading physical and ICT infrastructure, upskilling/reskilling the labor force, increasing export sophistication by leveraging digitalization, and strengthening governance. Providing an adequate social protection floor to vulnerable households could help enhance their resilience to shocks and address structural drivers of household debt accumulation.

    Table 1. Thailand: Selected Economic Indicators, 2019–30

    Per capita GDP (2023): US$7,338

    Exchange Rate (2023): 34.8 Baht/USD

    Unemployment rate (2023): 1 percent

    Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty line (2021): 6.3 percent

    Net FDI (2023): US$ -7.16 billion

    Population (2023): 70.18 million

    		                    

    Actual

    Projections

    2019

    2020

    2021

    2022

    2023

    2024

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

    2030

    Real GDP growth (y/y percent change) 1/

    2.1

    -6.1

    1.6

    2.5

    1.9

    2.7

    2.9

    2.6

    2.7

    2.7

    2.7

    2.7

    Consumption

    3.4

    -0.3

    1.3

    4.8

    4.6

    4.3

    4.0

    2.9

    2.1

    2.3

    2.6

    2.6

    Gross fixed investment

    2.0

    -4.8

    3.1

    2.3

    1.2

    0.1

    4.1

    2.1

    1.8

    2.3

    2.4

    2.5

    Inflation (y/y percent change)

    		                        

    Headline CPI (end of period)

    0.9

    -0.3

    2.2

    5.9

    -0.8

    1.2

    1.3

    1.5

    1.5

    1.7

    1.7

    1.8

    Headline CPI (period average)

    0.7

    -0.8

    1.2

    6.1

    1.2

    0.4

    1.0

    1.3

    1.5

    1.6

    1.7

    1.8

    Core CPI (end of period)

    0.5

    0.2

    0.3

    3.2

    0.6

    0.8

    1.3

    1.0

    1.2

    1.4

    1.4

    1.6

    Core CPI (period average)

    0.5

    0.3

    0.2

    2.5

    1.3

    0.6

    1.1

    1.2

    1.1

    1.3

    1.4

    1.5

    Saving and investment (percent of GDP)

    		                        

    Gross domestic investment

    23.8

    23.8

    28.6

    27.8

    22.5

    20.8

    21.9

    22.2

    22.0

    21.8

    21.8

    21.6

    Private

    16.9

    16.8

    16.9

    17.3

    17.3

    16.7

    16.6

    16.4

    16.3

    16.1

    16.1

    16.0

    Public

    5.7

    6.4

    6.5

    6.1

    5.6

    5.6

    5.9

    5.8

    5.7

    5.7

    5.7

    5.7

    Change in stocks

    1.2

    0.5

    5.1

    4.5

    -0.4

    -1.5

    -0.6

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    Gross national saving

    30.8

    27.9

    26.5

    24.4

    24.0

    22.6

    24.0

    24.5

    24.4

    24.4

    24.5

    24.4

    Private, including statistical discrepancy

    25.8

    26.2

    26.8

    22.6

    21.0

    19.8

    21.8

    21.9

    21.7

    21.7

    21.8

    21.6

    Public

    5.0

    1.8

    -0.3

    1.7

    3.0

    2.8

    2.2

    2.5

    2.7

    2.7

    2.7

    2.8

    Foreign saving

    -7.0

    -4.2

    2.1

    3.5

    -1.4

    -1.8

    -2.2

    -2.3

    -2.4

    -2.6

    -2.7

    -2.8

    Fiscal accounts (percent of GDP) 2/

    		                        

    General government balance 3/

    0.4

    -4.5

    -6.7

    -4.5

    -2.0

    -2.2

    -3.6

    -3.2

    -2.9

    -2.8

    -2.8

    -2.8

      SOEs balance

    0.4

    0.6

    -0.3

    -0.6

    -0.7

    -0.1

    -0.2

    -0.1

    -0.1

    -0.1

    -0.1

    0.0

    Public sector balance 4/

    0.8

    -3.9

    -7.1

    -5.1

    -2.7

    -2.3

    -3.8

    -3.3

    -3.0

    -2.9

    -2.9

    -2.8

    Public sector debt (end of period) 4/

    41.1

    49.4

    58.3

    60.5

    62.4

    63.3

    64.7

    65.4

    66.0

    66.1

    66.4

    66.4

    Monetary accounts (end of period, y/y percent change)

    		            

    Broad money growth

    3.6

    10.2

    4.8

    3.9

    1.9

    2.3

    3.7

    3.5

    3.2

    3.8

    3.2

    3.7

    Narrow money growth

    5.7

    14.2

    14.0

    3.1

    4.2

    5.9

    3.2

    4.7

    4.2

    5.1

    4.3

    4.9

    Credit to the private sector (by other depository corporations)

    2.4

    4.5

    4.5

    2.5

    1.5

    0.1

    1.0

    1.6

    1.8

    2.1

    2.3

    2.5

    Balance of payments (billions of U.S. dollars)

    		                        

    Current account balance

    38.3

    20.9

    -10.7

    -17.2

    7.4

    9.5

    11.9

    13.2

    14.6

    16.5

    18.2

    19.4

    (In percent of GDP)

    7.0

    4.2

    -2.1

    -3.5

    1.4

    1.8

    2.2

    2.3

    2.4

    2.6

    2.7

    2.8

    Exports of goods, f.o.b.

    242.7

    227.0

    270.6

    285.2

    280.7

    293.6

    301.8

    312.5

    327.2

    343.1

    359.0

    375.5

    Growth rate (dollar terms)

    -3.3

    -6.5

    19.2

    5.4

    -1.5

    4.6

    2.8

    3.6

    4.7

    4.9

    4.6

    4.6

            Growth rate (volume terms)

    -3.7

    -5.8

    15.4

    1.2

    -2.7

    2.1

    1.9

    2.7

    3.5

    3.6

    3.2

    3.2

    Imports of goods, f.o.b.

    216.0

    186.6

    238.6

    271.6

    261.4

    274.9

    284.6

    295.1

    309.1

    324.1

    339.1

    354.9

    Growth rate (dollar terms)

    -5.6

    -13.6

    27.9

    13.8

    -3.8

    5.2

    3.5

    3.7

    4.7

    4.9

    4.6

    4.7

            Growth rate (volume terms)

    -5.8

    -10.4

    18.0

    1.0

    -4.1

    3.7

    3.5

    3.3

    3.4

    3.3

    3.3

    3.3

    Capital and financial account balance 5/

    -24.7

    -2.6

    3.6

    6.9

    -4.9

    -9.5

    -11.9

    -13.2

    -14.6

    -16.5

    -18.2

    -19.4

    Overall balance

    13.6

    18.4

    -7.1

    -10.2

    2.6

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    Gross official reserves (including net forward position, end of period) (billions of U.S. dollars)

    259.0

    286.5

    279.2

    245.8

    254.6

    262.5

    262.5

    262.5

    262.5

    262.5

    262.5

    262.5

    (Months of following year’s imports)

    16.7

    14.4

    12.3

    11.3

    11.1

    11.1

    10.7

    10.2

    9.7

    9.3

    8.9

    8.5

    (Percent of short-term debt) 6/

    338.0

    315.3

    291.2

    236.3

    242.7

    239.6

    231.7

    222.5

    213.7

    206.2

    199.6

    252.3

    (Percent of ARA metric)

    252.5

    278.3

    263.3

    222.3

    233.2

    231.8

    226.4

    219.2

    212.3

    205.4

    199.3

    200.0

    Exchange rate (baht/U.S. dollar)

    31.0

    31.3

    32.0

    35.1

    34.8

    35.3

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    NEER appreciation (annual average)

    7.2

    -0.3

    -4.5

    -1.8

    3.9

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    REER appreciation (annual average)

    5.8

    -2.6

    -5.7

    -1.1

    1.2

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    External debt

    		                        

    (In percent of GDP)

    31.7

    38.0

    38.9

    40.6

    38.2

    38.4

    38.5

    38.6

    38.7

    38.7

    38.8

    38.8

    (In billions of U.S. dollars)

    172.7

    190.1

    196.9

    201.4

    196.5

    202.4

    213.1

    223.8

    233.8

    245.9

    257.0

    270.0

    Public sector 7/

    38.0

    37.2

    41.5

    41.2

    35.8

    38.4

    40.8

    43.3

    45.6

    48.1

    50.8

    53.7

    Private sector

    134.0

    152.9

    155.4

    160.3

    160.7

    164.5

    172.9

    181.1

    188.8

    198.3

    206.8

    217.0

    Medium- and long-term

    74.6

    79.4

    82.3

    82.3

    80.3

    80.7

    86.5

    91.1

    95.3

    101.5

    107.1

    114.0

    Short-term (including portfolio flows)

    59.4

    73.5

    73.1

    78.0

    80.4

    83.8

    86.4

    90.0

    93.5

    96.8

    99.7

    103.0

    Debt service ratio 8/

    7.8

    7.5

    6.3

    7.3

    7.9

    7.8

    7.8

    7.3

    8.3

    9.3

    10.3

    10.3

    Memorandum items:

    		                        

    Nominal GDP (billions of baht)

    16889.2

    15661.3

    16188.6

    17378.0

    17922.0

    18603.0

    19371.2

    20282.2

    21143.0

    22211.7

    23164.5

    24307.8

    (In billions of U.S. dollars)

    544.0

    500.5

    506.3

    495.6

    515.0

    527.1

    553.9

    580.2

    604.8

    635.4

    662.7

    695.4

    Output Gap (in percent of potential output)

    0.2

    -4.2

    -4.1

    -2.0

    -1.5

    -0.7

    0.0

    0.1

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    0.0

    Sources: Thai authorities; CEIC Data Co. Ltd.; and IMF staff estimates and projections.

    1/ This series reflects the new GDP data based on the chain volume measure methodology, introduced by the Thai authorities in May 2015.

    2/ On a fiscal year basis. The fiscal year ends on September 30.

    3/ Includes budgetary central government, extrabudgetary funds, and local governments.

    4/ Includes general government and SOEs.

    5/ Includes errors and omissions.

    6/ With remaining maturity of one year or less.

    7/ Excludes debt of state enterprises.

    8/ Percent of exports of goods and services.
                                                             

    [1] Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.

    [2] The Executive Board takes decisions under its lapse-of-time procedure when the Board agrees that a proposal can be considered without convening formal discussions.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Pavis Devahasadin

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/02/20/pr25040-thailand-imf-executive-board-concludes-2024-article-iv-consultation-with-thailand

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Lamont Heads Delegation of Connecticut Officials and Business Leaders on Economic Mission in India

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that from Sunday, February 23, to Saturday, March 1, 2025, he will head a delegation of state officials and business leaders from Connecticut on an economic development mission in India, where they will meet with executives of companies and key government officials to discuss strategies that will build stronger economic ties between Connecticut and India.

    The delegation includes Connecticut Economic and Community Development Commissioner Daniel O’Keefe; former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi; UConn President Radenka Maric; Yale University Vice Provost for Research Michael Crair; Connecticut Innovations CEO Matthew McCooe; and executives from Advance Connecticut, a business-driven nonprofit organization that works to engage, retain, and recruit businesses to Connecticut. Infosys CEO Salil Parekh, who is a board member of Advance Connecticut and resides in India, will host the group during the visit. The delegation will be traveling to Chennai, Bangalore, and Mumbai.

    “There are several notable Indian companies that have expressed interest in expanding their operations to North America, and we plan on meeting with them to let them know why Connecticut is an excellent place for them to select as their base of operations,” Governor Lamont said. “We will also meet with executives from several Indian companies that are already operating in our state, such as Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services. Connecticut and India have many unique connections, and we want to strengthen that bond and increase it to its full economic potential.”

    In addition to one-on-one meetings with corporate decision makers representing Indian companies, the delegation will be participating in events such as Venture Clash, a roundtable discussion on quantum computing, and an MOU signing, which will be announced during the visit.

    The socio-economic ties between Connecticut and India are strong. Indians make up the second-largest foreign-born population in the state, and Connecticut has the seventh highest population of Indian residents proportionally in the United States, with numerous Indian cultural groups operating in every corner of the state. As a result of this, Connecticut receives the ninth most tourism dollars spent by Indian travelers per capita in the United States.

    India-born residents in Connecticut make up 14% (38,000) of the state’s foreign-born population. Of the19,990 international students studying in Connecticut, 7,200 are from India, making it the top country of origin of international students in the state. Approximately 36.5% of international students in Connecticut are from India, compared to 29.4% nationally.

    “Connecticut has been successful at attracting Indian technology companies, especially fintech and insurtech companies that have clients in Hartford and Stamford,” Commissioner O’Keefe said. “We also have the advantage of an excellent location from which these companies can easily access their clients in the large metro areas of Montreal, Toronto, New York, and Boston from a Connecticut-based headquarters location.”

    “We have a number of Indian companies operating in Connecticut,” John Bourdeaux, president and CEO of Advance Connecticut, said. “Equally, there are several Connecticut-headquartered companies with operations in India, including Amphenol and Stanley Black & Decker, among others. Creating stronger connections with Indian business leaders will be a win-win for the state and for the companies. Indian companies integrate successfully into the Connecticut business ecosystem and the Connecticut economy benefits greatly from their growing businesses.”

    Governor Lamont may adjust his schedule and return to Connecticut earlier than currently planned if it is determined to be necessary.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Virginia & North Carolina Senators Urge Swift Distribution of Public Lands Funding Following Hurricane Helene

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and Thom Tillis and Ted Budd (both R-NC) today wrote to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, urging them to expeditiously allocate funding appropriated by Congress for public lands in Virginia and North Carolina that were ravaged by Hurricane Helene.  

    Hurricane Helene devasted communities across North Carolina, Virginia, and large swaths of the Southeast in September 2024. Historic flooding and high winds resulted in over a hundred deaths, damaged and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses, and decimated critical regional infrastructure. Additionally, the storm caused unprecedented damage to public lands in western North Carolina and Southwest Virginia that are essential drivers of economic activity for many communities. The American Relief Act of 2025 contained robust funding to address natural disaster-related damage to public lands across the U.S., including $6.4 billion for the U.S. Forest Service and $2.3 billion for the National Park Service.

    Wrote the senators, “Public lands managed by USDA and DOI are crucial economic engines for communities throughout western North Carolina and Southwest Virginia. For example, the National Park Service’s (NPS) most visited unit, the Blue Ridge Parkway, which spans 469 miles across the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina and Virginia, supports the economies of dozens of communities in our states. In 2023, 16.7 million visitors spent nearly $1.4 billion in communities surrounding the Parkway, which supported over 19,000 jobs. Helene decimated the Blue Ridge Parkway resulting in indefinite closures along large portions of the roadway and damage to many trails, historical sites, and recreational areas. The recovery effort for the Parkway will be one of the most significant and expensive infrastructure projects in the park’s history, and its success will be essential for the dozens of gateway communities that rely on the Parkway.”

    Added the lawmakers, “In addition to National Park Service managed property, many of our communities in Southwest Virginia and western North Carolina contain U.S. Forest Service lands that were decimated by Hurricane Helene. This includes the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in Virginia, the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee and North Carolina, and the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests in western North Carolina. These lands attract millions of visitors each year who contribute millions more in visitor spending that sustains countless small businesses and gateway communities.”

    The senators also singled out the damage sustained by the Virginia Creeper Trail, writing, “Perhaps no Forest Service asset in the country suffered more damage from Hurricane Helene than the Virginia Creeper Trail, a 34-mile recreational trail that is co-managed by the Forest Service and the towns of Damascus and Abingdon in Southwest Virginia. The storm obliterated 18 miles of the Creeper Trail from Damascus to Whitetop, Virginia, destroying 18 trestles and washing away extended segments of the trail itself. The Creeper Trail is the most significant driver of economic activity in Damascus and one of the significant tourism destinations in the entire region. The trail attracts more then 200,000 visitors annually, supporting local bike shops, restaurants, and lodging. In all, the Creeper Trail contributes nearly $13 million annually in tourism spending to the region’s economy. A prolonged closure of the trail could have devasting consequences for Damascus and the entire region. It is critical that USDA and the Forest Service move quickly to allocate appropriated funding to rebuild the Creeper Trail to ensure Damascus and other localities that depend on the trail can fully recovery from Helene.”

    Concluded the senators, “As our states continue to rebuild from Hurricane Helene, it is critical that this supplemental funding is deployed to our public lands swiftly to ensure a timely rebuild of these assets that our communities depend on.”

    A full copy of the letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, attends ‘Unity Utsav – One Voice, One Nation’ festival organized by Assam Rifles in New Delhi as the chief guest

    Source: Government of India

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, attends ‘Unity Utsav – One Voice, One Nation’ festival organized by Assam Rifles in New Delhi as the chief guest

    Modi government has opened numerous avenues for North East in every field, from tourism to technology, sports to space, agriculture to entrepreneurship and banking to business

    Reduction of 70% in violent incidents and 85% in civilian causalities in the North East under the Modi government indicates that along with the establishment of peace in the region, cultural development is also taking place

    All the 8 states of North East will be connected to Delhi through rail and air connectivity by 2027

    Whole of India takes pride in the heritage of North East, India without North East and North East without India is incomplete

    Through 5-day Unity Utsav, the unity of the North East has been showcased in Delhi

    Assam Rifles is the oldest paramilitary force of India, it is identified as a ‘Friend of the North East’, played a crucial role in rescuing the North East from numerous crises

    In 2036 Olympics, India will be in top 10 in medal tally, North Eastern states will play a vital role in it

    Posted On: 20 FEB 2025 7:30PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, attended the ‘Unity Utsav – One Voice, One Nation’ event organized by Assam Rifles in New Delhi today as the chief guest. Many dignitaries including the Director General of Assam Rifles were present on the occasion.

    In his address, Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that the word unity is very important for the North-East. For many years after independence, a vast area of ​​North-East was physically and emotionally distant from Delhi. He said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has eliminated the physical and emotional distance between North-East and Delhi through connectivity. Today North-East belongs to the whole of India and the whole of India belongs to the North-East. Shri Shah said that the Modi government has increased hundreds of budgetary provisions for the North-East and has given 3-4 times more budget to the North-East. He said that by 2027, all the eight states of North-East will be connected to Delhi through rail and air connectivity.

    Home Minister said that Prime Minister Modi has popularized North-East across the country as Ashtalakshmi and all 8 states of the region are capable of enriching the country in every aspect. He said that there are immense opportunities for the youth of North-East in the fields of economic, cultural, security, sports and research and development. He added that the Modi government has opened numerous avenues for North-East in every field, from tourism to technology, sports to space, agriculture to entrepreneurship and banking to business.

    Shri Amit Shah said that more than 220 ethnic groups and more than 160 tribes reside in our North-East, more than 200 dialects and languages ​​are spoken, more than 50 unique festivals are celebrated and more than 30 traditional dances and more than 100 cuisines exist in the region. He said that all this is a treasure of a rich heritage for the whole of India, which is proud of its heritage. Shri Shah said that India without the North-East and the North-East without India is incomplete.

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that the theme of the North-East Unity Festival is ‘one voice, one nation’. He said that our country is a wonderful blend of many languages, cultures, cuisines and costumes and this unity in diversity is the specialty and biggest strength of our country. Through the 5-day Unity Utsav, the unity of the North-East has been showcased in Delhi. Shri Shah said that Assam Rifles is the oldest paramilitary force of India and this force is identified as a ‘Friend of the North-East’. He said that the Assam Rifles has played a crucial role in rescuing the North-East from numerous crises. He said that through this event, today Assam Rifles has succeeded in showcasing the unity and cultural strength of the North-East to the entire country and the world.

    Shri Amit Shah said that 212 teams and 1500 students took part in the sports competitions in this event and more than 150 students also participated in the cultural programs. He said that today most of the prizes have been bagged by Manipur, which shows the importance of sports in Manipur. Shri Shah said that keeping in mind the popularity of sports in the North-East, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi decided to establish the country’s first sports university in Manipur. He said that Sports for All, Sports for Excellence have become the formula for the development of sports in India. Home Minister expressed confidence that in 2036, India will host the Olympic Games, and the country will be in the top 10, with the North-Eastern states playing a key role in this achievement.

    Union Home Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, in the last 10 years, especially in the last 5 years, there has been a significant change in the law-and-order situation in the North-East. He said violent incidents and deaths of security personnel have been reduced by 70 per cent and causalities of civilians by 85 per cent in the North-East. Shri Shah said that this reduction in the figures of violence shows that there is now a gradual peace in the North-East and a new era of development and cultural development is beginning.

    Shri Amit Shah said that since 2014, more than 10,500 militants have laid down their arms in the North-East and 12 peace accords have been signed in the region between 2019 and 2024. He said that many disputes had been going on here for decades, but the Modi government took two steps forward and made the youth believe that a lot of opportunities are available for them. Union Home Minister appealed to the youth indulging in violence to join the mainstream by laying down arms.

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that today, there is no part of India that does not consider the North-East as its own, and where there is no love for the people of this region. He stated that the people of every state in the country have a special place for the people of the North-East in their hearts, and every state in the North-East should also step forward and contribute to the development of the entire country. Shri Shah said that the North-East now desires peace and development and wants to function as an integral part of India.

    ****

    RK/VV/PR/PS

    (Release ID: 2105090) Visitor Counter : 56

    Read this release in: Hindi

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: S. 195, American Music Tourism Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    S. 195, American Music Tourism Act of 2025, would require the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism to promote music tourism in the United States and periodically report to the Congress. In 2024, the Assistant Secretary received $3.5 million to carry out the requirements of the Visit America Act, a 2022 law to promote travel and tourism in the United States.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Budd, Tillis, Warner, Kaine Urge Swift Distribution of Funding for Public Lands for Helene Recovery

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)

    Washington, D.C. — Today, Senators Ted Budd (R-NC), Mark Warner (D-VA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, urging these departments to quickly allocate funding appropriated by Congress for public lands that were ravaged by Hurricane Helene. 

    Read the text of the letter:

    We write today regarding our states’ recovery from Hurricane Helene and the supplemental funding made available to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of the Interior (DOI) by the American Relief Act of 2025 (H.R.10545). We urge you to expeditiously allocate this funding to our public lands in North Carolina and Virginia that were ravaged by this deadly storm.

    Hurricane Helene devastated communities across North Carolina, Virginia, and large swaths of the Southeast. Historic flooding and high winds resulted in over a hundred deaths, damaged and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses, and decimated critical regional infrastructure in our states. Additionally, the storm caused unprecedented damage to public lands in western North Carolina and Southwest Virginia that are essential drivers of economic activity for many communities.

    Public lands managed by USDA and DOI are crucial economic engines for communities throughout western North Carolina and Southwest Virginia. For example, the National Park Service’s (NPS) most visited unit, the Blue Ridge Parkway, which spans 469 miles across the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina and Virginia, supports the economies of dozens of communities in our states. In 2023, 16.7 million visitors spent nearly $1.4 billion in communities surrounding the Parkway, which supported over 19,000 jobs. Helene decimated the Blue Ridge Parkway resulting in indefinite closures along large portions of the roadway and damage to many trails, historical sites, and recreational areas. The recovery effort for the Parkway will be one of the most significant and expensive infrastructure projects in the park’s history, and its success will be essential for the dozens of gateway communities that rely on the Parkway.

    In addition to National Park Service managed property, many of our communities in Southwest Virginia and western North Carolina contain U.S. Forest Service lands that were decimated by Hurricane Helene. This includes the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in Virginia, the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee and North Carolina, and the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests in western North Carolina. These lands attract millions of visitors each year who contribute millions more in visitor spending that sustains countless small businesses and gateway communities.

    Perhaps no Forest Service asset in the country suffered more damage from Hurricane Helene than the Virginia Creeper Trail, a 34-mile recreational trail that is co-managed by the Forest Service and the towns of Damascus and Abingdon in Southwest Virginia. The storm obliterated 18 miles of the Creeper Trail from Damascus to Whitetop, Virginia, destroying 18 trestles and washing away extended segments of the trail itself. The Creeper Trail is the most significant driver of economic activity in Damascus and one of the most significant tourism destinations in the entire region. The trail attracts more than 200,000 visitors annually, supporting local bike shops, restaurants, and lodging. In all, the Creeper Trail contributes nearly $13 million annually in tourism spending to the region’s economy. A prolonged closure of the trail could have devastating consequences for Damascus and the entire region. It is critical that USDA and the Forest Service move quickly to allocate appropriated funding to rebuild the Creeper Trail to ensure Damascus and other localities that depend on the trail can fully recover from Helene.

    We were pleased the American Relief Act of 2025 (H.R.10545) included robust funding to address natural disaster-related damage to public lands across the U.S., including $6.4 billion for the U.S. Forest Service and $2.3 billion for the National Park Service. This funding is intended to support the rebuilding of iconic public attractions in our states, including the Blue Ridge Parkway, Appalachian Trail, and Virginia Creeper Trail. It will also support a broad range of other reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts on our public lands to ensure they can continue to safely provide recreational opportunities to our constituents and millions of additional visitors who help sustain these Appalachian communities. As our states continue to rebuild from Hurricane Helene, it is critical that this supplemental funding is deployed to our public lands swiftly to ensure a timely rebuild of these assets that our communities depend on.

    Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to working with you to support the recovery efforts in our states. Please do not hesitate to reach out if we can provide additional information or assistance.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The Golden State will soon be home to the world’s most renowned athletic events

    Source: US State of California 2

    Feb 19, 2025

    What you need to know: Over the next three years, California will host the NBA All-Star Weekend, X Games, FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl LX & LXI, and the LA28 Olympics & Paralympics in select regions across the state.

    SACRAMENTO – As the Bay Area wraps up NBA All-Star 2025, which was projected to generate approximately $350M in economic impact, California will continue to shine on the global stage with a lineup of major athletic events. These events will collectively generate billions in economic activity and foster community engagement as visitors from around the world experience the region’s culture, attractions, and hospitality.

    “From Northern to Southern California, the state is preparing to shine on the world’s biggest stages, welcoming fans from around the globe to experience the energy and diversity of our great state. These events will drive billions into our economy, support local businesses, and create jobs while uniting communities in celebration.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    🏀 2025 Bay Area and 2026 Los Angeles NBA All-Star Games 

    • NBA All-Star is an annual mid-season showcase featuring the league’s top stars competing in events including the All-Star Game and All-Star Saturday Night which consists of the Skills Challenge, 3-Point and Slam Dunk, as well as the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game and numerous community activations across the host city. NBA All-Star generates significant economic and cultural impact for the host market.
    • NBA All-Star 2025 in the San Francisco Bay Area was projected to generate approximately $350M in economic impact, supporting 3,000 jobs, and attracting 135,000 visitors. California will host back-to-back with NBA All-Star 2026 in Los Angeles.

    🛹 2025, 2026, and 2027 X Games in Sacramento

    • The X Games are a televised sports festival that features competitive skateboarding, skiing, snowboarding, and BMX. 
    • Over the next three summers, Sacramento’s Cal Expo will host the games with an estimated 35,000 attendees anticipated daily.

    🏈 2026 Super Bowl LX and 2027 Super Bowl LXI

    • The National Football League’s championship game will host Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California and Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
    • Super Bowl LX is projected to generate a total economic impact of approximately $500 million, with an estimated 90,000 visitors from outside the Bay Area to be expected.

    ⚽ 2026 FIFA World Cup 

    • The 2026 FIFA World Cup is an international soccer tournament that will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico and will mark the first time the tournament will feature 48 teams.
    • The total estimated economic impact for the Bay Area is approximately $555 million with an estimated 260,000 out-of-town visitors. Los Angeles is projected to see an economic impact of approximately $594 million with approximately 180,000 out-of-town visitors.

    🏅 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Games

    • The 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, set to take place in Los Angeles, will showcase global sporting talent on the biggest stage in sports.

    According to the LA28 Games, the sporting event will contribute towards equitable access to youth sports as LA28 invested $160 million in sports for youth across LA. 

    Continuing robust support for LA

    With California front and center for these world-class sporting events, the state is working diligently to prioritize a fast and safe recovery for people and businesses impacted by the LA fires. From the state’s private and philanthropic partnerships, to coordination with federal and local government, California continues to maximize the impact of ongoing rebuilding efforts. 

    For more information and resources, please visit https://www.ca.gov/LAfires/ 

    California’s booming tourism economy

    California has the largest market share of tourism in the nation. Travel spending in the state reached an all-time high of $150.4 billion in 2023, surpassing the record $144.9 billion spent in 2019 – spending that is 3.8% higher than 2019 and 5.6% higher than 2022.

    The new travel-spending record generated $12.7 billion in state and local tax revenue by visitors in 2023, marking a 3% increase over 2019. Tourism created 64,900 new jobs in 2023, bringing total industry employment to 1,155,000.

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Museum secures funding for repairs to iconic Winter Gardens

    Source: City of Sunderland

    Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens has secured £488,000 grant funding towards vital repairs to its iconic Winter Gardens.

    The MEND4 funding from the Arts Council England Cultural Investment Fund – Museum Estates and Investment Fund will be used to address issues with corrosion, glazing failure and mechanical systems within the Winter Gardens, protecting its tropical plant collections.

    Sunderland City Council is planning to match fund this latest Arts Council funding with £171,000 from its own funds, bringing the total investment in repairs to the Winter Gardens to £660,000.

    The much-loved Winter Gardens houses more than 2,000 species of plants below its glazed dome, with a curving staircase leading up to its treetop walkway. It also features a pond with Koi Carp and an impressive water sculpture.

    Welcoming the funding, Councillor Beth Jones, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Tourism at Sunderland City Council, said: “We’re delighted to have secured £488,000 funding from the Arts Council England to carry out repairs to this very special part of our much-loved museum. 

    “The funding will help safeguard the future of this immensely popular green/tropical oasis in the heart of our city centre, which plays a major role in helping make Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens one of the most popular tourist attractions in the North East.

    “It’s all about ensuring the vitality of one of our most loved venues for future generations to enjoy at the same time as retaining and enhancing its significance as a landmark building within the city. So it’s brilliant to see it supported using funding by Arts Council England.”

    Today’s funding announcement comes as work nears completion on repairs to the roof and masonry of the original Grade II listed 1879 Museum & Winter Gardens. This was carried out with the support of a £349,000 MEND2 grant from an earlier round of Arts Council funding in 2023, with the remaining £151,000 coming from the City Council. 

    This latest funding forms part of a package of funding that Sunderland City Council is pulling together for the museum, including plans to submit a bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund in May 2025 for a multi-million pound redevelopment of Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens.  The project will transform and rejuvenate the museum, better connecting it with Mowbray Park and introducing new ground floor galleries to take advantage of the space vacated by the library once it moves to the new Culture House currently under development in Keel Square.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE meets President of Xinhua News Agency (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    CE meets President of Xinhua News Agency (with photo)
    CE meets President of Xinhua News Agency (with photo)
    *****************************************************

         The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met with the President of the Xinhua News Agency, Mr Fu Hua, at Government House today (February 20) to exchange views on enhancing co-operation between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government and the Xinhua News Agency. Also attending the meeting were the Director of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms Carol Yip, and the Director of Information Services, Mrs Apollonia Liu.           Mr Lee welcomed Mr Fu and his delegation to Hong Kong. Mr Lee said that the Xinhua News Agency, the country’s national news agency, is an influential world-class media organisation with a global network for news and information collection. He expressed gratitude to the Xinhua News Agency for its comprehensive coverage of Hong Kong news over the years, including major policies and measures of the Hong Kong SAR Government, and for disseminating the latest and most accurate information about Hong Kong to the world promptly and professionally, enabling overseas companies, investors, talent, and tourists to understand the actual developments in Hong Kong and to accurately recognise the city’s real and positive image.           Noting that a series of major events will be held in Hong Kong this year, Mr Lee said that the Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantages under the “one country, two systems” principle, reinforce the city’s connectivity with both the Mainland and the world, and actively explore new economic growth points. The Hong Kong SAR Government will also continue to work with the Xinhua News Agency to tell the good stories of China and Hong Kong and enhance co-operation in publicity.      

     
    Ends/Thursday, February 20, 2025Issued at HKT 17:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Dr. Jitendra Singh Inaugurates PMSSY Building at SCTIMST, Highlights India’s Healthcare Transformation

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Dr. Jitendra Singh Inaugurates PMSSY Building at SCTIMST, Highlights India’s Healthcare Transformation

    Modi Govt’s new initiatives aim at making quality healthcare affordable, accessible;

    Union Minister Calls for SCTIMST to Emerge as Global Hub for Neurosurgery and Cardiovascular Research

    PMSSY Strengthens Healthcare Infrastructure, Fosters Indigenous Innovation, Says Dr. Jitendra Singh

    Posted On: 20 FEB 2025 6:02PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated today  the ‘Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana’ (PMSSY) driven upgraded Super specialty Neurosurgery and Cardiovascular Surgery  state-of-the-art  Building Block  at Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology (SCTIMST) here and emphasized that the Modi Govt’s new initiatives are aimed at making quality healthcare affordable, accessible across sections of society.

    The Minister described the institute as a model of synergy between science, technology and medical advancements, aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of integrated holistic approach.

    Speaking at the event, Dr. Jitendra Singh praised SCTIMST for emerging as a center of excellence in both healthcare as well as research and development of new devices, instruments and medical procedures at cost-effective rates. He highlighted that the institute, functioning under the Department of Science and Technology, embodies the “whole-of-government” approach, fostering collaboration between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Science and Technology. He acknowledged the role of scientists, researchers, and healthcare professionals in positioning India as a leader in medical research and innovation.

    Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh  speaking after inaugurating the new upgraded neurosurgery and cardiovascular surgery block  at Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) at Thiruvananthapuram.

    Dr. Jitendra Singh noted that the PMSSY initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen India’s healthcare infrastructure. “The scheme is designed to provide quality medical care while promoting indigenous innovation in health-related R&D,” he said. The new PMSSY Building will significantly enhance the capacity of SCTIMST, offering advanced healthcare facilities, specialized medical research laboratories, and improved infrastructure for patient care. It will also serve as a hub for high-end medical training, facilitating knowledge-sharing among medical professionals.

    He linked the project to the larger healthcare ecosystem that includes the Ayushman Bharat initiative, the world’s largest health insurance program, and the newly announced universal health cover for citizens above 70 years. Stressing the need for integrating modern medical advancements with traditional healthcare approaches, Dr. Jitendra Singh underscored the importance of digital health initiatives, artificial intelligence in diagnostics, and genome-based therapies.

    Highlighting India’s achievements in biotechnology, Dr. Jitendra Singh pointed to the success of the indigenous COVID-19 vaccine, the development of the HPV vaccine for cervical cancer, and breakthroughs in gene therapy. “India has transitioned from being an importer to a leader in preventive healthcare, gaining global recognition in bio-manufacturing and medical research,” he stated. He further emphasized the need for continued investments in healthcare R&D, ensuring that India remains at the forefront of medical advancements.

    Dr. Jitendra Singh also underscored the need for strategic specialization, suggesting that SCTIMST focus on becoming a global leader in neurosurgery and cardiovascular research to enhance its international recognition. “A distinct identity in a specialized field attracts global attention and medical tourism, much like leading institutes in the U.S.,” he added. He encouraged scientists and medical professionals to undertake collaborative research projects with global institutions to expand knowledge and expertise.

    The Minister stressed that while India has made remarkable progress in bridging the rural-urban divide in disease patterns, healthcare accessibility remains a challenge. He reiterated the government’s commitment to expanding medical services through new AIIMS institutions and upgraded medical colleges, ensuring affordable and high-quality treatment. He also called for leveraging telemedicine and mobile health units to extend healthcare services to remote regions, making quality healthcare accessible to all.

    The event saw participation from key stakeholders in the medical and scientific community, including senior officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology, medical practitioners, and researchers. The inauguration of the PMSSY Building at SCTIMST marks another milestone in India’s journey towards a self-reliant and globally competitive healthcare infrastructure. Dr. Jitendra Singh reaffirmed the government’s continued support for initiatives that strengthen India’s health ecosystem, positioning the country as a leader in medical innovation and patient care.

    ***

    NKR/PSM

    (Release ID: 2105056) Visitor Counter : 25

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE, Xinhua head meet

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Chief Executive John Lee met Xinhua News Agency President Fu Hua at Government House today to discuss enhancing co-operation between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the news agency.

    Also attending the meeting were Director of the Chief Executive’s Office Carol Yip and Director of Information Services Apollonia Liu.

    Welcoming Mr Fu and his delegation to Hong Kong, Mr Lee said that the Xinhua News Agency, the country’s national news agency, is an influential world-class media organisation with a global network for news and information collection.

    The Chief Executive expressed gratitude to the news agency for its comprehensive coverage of Hong Kong news over the years, including major policies and measures of the Hong Kong SAR Government, and for disseminating the latest and most accurate information about Hong Kong to the world promptly and professionally.

    This enabled overseas companies, investors, talent and tourists to understand the actual developments in Hong Kong and accurately recognise the city’s real and positive image, he added.

    Noting that a series of major events will be held in Hong Kong this year, Mr Lee said the Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to leverage the city’s unique advantages under the “one country, two systems” principle, reinforce its connectivity with both the Mainland and the world, and actively explore new points for economic growth.

    He also said the Hong Kong SAR Government will work with the news agency to tell the good stories of both China and Hong Kong and enhance co-operation in publicity.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –