General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith lays a wreath at the Monument to the People's Heroes on Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, June 5, 2026. (Xinhua/Dai Tianfang)

General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith in Beijing on Friday, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

According to Xinhua, Xi said China is willing to work with Laos to achieve a new leap in bilateral ties and build an all-weather China-Laos community with a shared future in the new era. 

Laos fully agrees with China and supports the upgrading of bilateral ties, and stands ready to work with China to consolidate high-level political mutual trust, Thongloun said, per Xinhua. 

After the talks concluded, the two sides jointly witnessed the signing of cooperation documents covering areas such as inter-party exchanges, people's wellbeing, finance, customs, trade, youth exchanges and media.

2026 marks the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Laos and China and the China-Laos Friendship Year. Standing at a new historic juncture, experts note the two countries will not only expand pragmatic cooperation to nurture new growth drivers, but also ramp up regional coordination. Leveraging the exemplary role of their bilateral partnership in the neighborhood, China and Laos are poised to inject positive momentum into regional peace, stability and development.

Promising prospects

During the talks, the Chinese leader made four points to advance bilateral ties, which included keeping to the socialist path, building a strong foundation for mutually beneficial cooperation, strengthening the traditional friendship between the two peoples, and improving coordination on foreign policies, according to Xinhua. 

He called on the two sides to take the establishment of the "3+3" strategic dialogue on diplomacy, defense and public security as an opportunity to deepen law enforcement and security cooperation, and resolutely crack down on cross-border crimes.

Noting that China is ready to work with Laos to upgrade the China-Laos Economic Corridor cooperation, Xi said the two sides should accelerate railway connectivity among China, Laos and Thailand and achieve greater regional connectivity at an early date, according to Xinhua. 

China and Laos should boost cooperation in traditional areas such as agriculture and electricity, and tap into emerging fields like artificial intelligence and the digital economy, Xi said, adding that China will continue to provide assistance to Laos within its capacity.

Xi said that the two countries should take the Year of China-Laos Friendship in 2026 as an opportunity to expand cooperation in culture, education, health, and at subnational levels. 

China now stands as the leading banner for the socialist system and developing countries, and a mainstay in safeguarding world peace and promoting the building of a multipolar world, said Thongloun, adding that China's development has provided valuable experience for the vast number of developing countries, including Laos.

He stressed that the Lao side firmly adheres to the one-China principle and supports the series of major global initiatives put forward by General Secretary Xi.

Xu Liping, director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that guided by head-of-state diplomacy, political mutual trust between China and Laos has continued to deepen. 

Drawing on the institutional strengths inherent to socialist systems, the two sides can further align their medium- and long-term development strategies to pursue common development, Xu added. 

Ahead of his summit with Chinese leaders in Beijing, Thongloun kicked off his China itinerary with visits to Hangzhou in East China's Zhejiang Province. While touring the country's renowned tech hub, the Lao leader paid site visits to Deep Robotics as well as Alibaba. His cheerful laugh while testing out domestically developed Chinese quadruped robots has gone viral across Chinese social media platforms.

In Zhejiang, the Lao leader also learned about China's practices in green development at Yucun village in Anji county, the birthplace of the concept of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," which has guided the village to pursue an eco-friendly development path.

Upon his arrival in Beijing on Thursday, Thongloun visited the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, and returned to the room where he stayed for one month 26 years ago when he studied for an exchange program, as well as the China Academy of Space Technology.

Per Thongloun's visit itinerary and bilateral official statements, China-Laos cooperation is expanding beyond traditional sectors into emerging fields, said Xu. "Boasting strong complementarities in emerging growth drivers including green economy, digital economy as well as aerospace, the two nations enjoy enormous room for collaboration, promising deeper and more substantial pragmatic cooperation ahead."

According to China's Foreign Ministry, China-Laos economic and trade ties have continued to deepen in recent years, with China now serving as Laos' largest source of foreign investment and second-largest trading partner.

Bilateral trade reached $9.82 billion in 2025, up 19.3 percent year-on-year. China's exports to Laos totaled $4.32 billion, an increase of 17.6 percent, while imports from Laos rose 20.7 percent to $5.5 billion, according to the ministry.

Positive demonstration effect

During the Friday meeting with Thongloun, Xi said that China has always regarded Laos as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, Xinhua reported. 

China hopes to see Laos play a bigger role in international and regional affairs, and the two sides should work closely in multilateral settings to safeguard the common interests of the Global South, the Chinese leader added.

Along with Cambodia, Laos was one of the first countries among ASEAN members to sign an agreement to build a community with a shared future with China. Transcending bilateral ties, China-Laos pragmatic cooperation plays a leading and exemplary role in China-ASEAN relations, analysts said. 

China's first 500-kV cross-border alternating-current power link went into operation in April this year, marking a new step in energy cooperation between China and Laos. 

The project, the largest and highest-voltage power connection between the two countries, triples cross-border transmission capacity from 50 megawatts to 150 megawatts. It is expected to transmit 3 billion kWh of clean electricity annually, 30 times the capacity of previous lines, according to Xinhua. 

As an important member of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, Laos boasts abundant hydropower resources and functions as a regional energy "battery" for the ASEAN Power Grid initiative, Xu said.

Deep bilateral energy cooperation and cross-border grid upgrades between China and Laos facilitate regional integration, complementary growth and offer a robust benchmark for China-ASEAN cooperation on infrastructure, green transition and capacity synergy, Xu noted.

The year 2026 also celebrates five years since the China-Laos Railway went into service. According to a statement sent to the Global Times by China Railway Kunming Group on May 28, the China-Laos Railway has reached a new milestone, with cumulative passenger train runs surpassing 100,000 since its launch on December 3, 2021. The flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative has handled 73 million passenger trips. 

"Beyond transforming Laos from a landlocked country into a land-linked hub, the railway has boosted regional trade and economic integration and become a flagship project for regional cooperation," Ma Bo, an associate professor with the School of International Studies, Nanjing University, told the Global Times on Friday.

Boasting fruitful cooperation spanning infrastructure, clean energy and modern agriculture as well as the promising emerging track of artificial intelligence, China and Laos have yielded substantial achievements across diverse fields, said Ma. "Expected to keep delivering exemplary effects, Laos will serve as a key practical model for China's efforts to advance the building of a community with a shared future with neighboring countries."

In a signed article by Thongloun released by Lao News Agency on Friday, the Lao leader said that "Today, the Laos-China relationship stands at its highest point in history, serving as a model of equality, mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation."

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper in Beijing on Tuesday.

The two countries' leaders agreed in January to develop a long-term and consistent comprehensive strategic partnership between China and the UK, opening a new chapter of bilateral relations, Han said.

Noting that improving bilateral ties serves the interests of the people of both countries, Han said both sides should jointly shoulder the responsibilities of major countries, strengthen strategic communication, consolidate the positive momentum of bilateral relations, explore new opportunities, and boost people-to-people exchanges.

He called on both sides to work together to practice true multilateralism, jointly advance global governance reform, and bring greater stability and certainty to the world.

Cooper said the UK and China share broad common interests and cooperation potential in areas such as trade and investment, artificial intelligence, green development and addressing climate change.

The UK is ready to work with China to implement the important consensus reached between the leaders of the two countries, engage in constructive dialogue and cooperation, and jointly address challenges, Cooper said.

An international research team led by Chinese scientists at the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC) recently unveiled the first batch of findings of the largest-ever cosmological simulation ever performed, codenamed "HyperMillennium." Its achievements have been hailed by international peers as a "computational marvel."

It also marks an important milestone: China has truly begun to move to the forefront of digital simulation worldwide, project member Wang Qiao,  a research fellow at the NAOC, told the Global Times in an exclusive interview. The achievements of the project mark a major leap for China's cosmological numerical simulations — from long-term reliance on foreign computing resources to conducting frontier research based on domestically developed independent systems, Global Times has learned.

The project uses PhotoNs, software independently developed by the NAOC team, and runs on domestic supercomputers. Over more than a decade, the team has continuously worked on algorithms, programming and optimization, eventually achieving long-duration computing capability using tens of thousands of accelerator cards at a domestic supercomputing center.

"In the past, the common approach was to import ready-made code from abroad, cooperate with domestic computing centers, pay for computing time and then finish the task. But this time is completely different — from the design of the scientific project and software development to deep integration with domestic hardware, everything was built independently from scratch. It can be said that this is a fully domestic, end-to-end solution, and one that has achieved a leading position in this field. It carries clear landmark significance," Wang said.

China's leading supercomputer manufacturer Dawning Information Industry Co. Ltd., or Sugon, has provided key computing and storage support for the project. During the project's long-cycle, high-intensity operation, it offered stable and reliable support for the continuous calculation of gravitational evolution involving ultra-large-scale dark matter particles. In the face of the PB-level massive data generated by the simulation, Sugon's storage system also enabled efficient data reading, writing and processing, as well as long-term secure preservation.

Wang also explained to the Global Times that conducting frontier research for the entire HyperMillennium project on domestically developed independent systems offers another key advantage. "Only by leading the project ourselves can we control its future direction," Wang said.

"Next, we plan to incorporate more physical processes into the simulations, such as adding more gas or magnetic fields. This will make the model more complex and require additional computing power. Now that we have established the current framework, we can build on it to further enrich the content and more self-consistently carry out the full-process simulation from dark matter to luminous galaxies. This is very important," Wang said.

According to a press release provided by the NAOC, the simulation covers a cube with a side length of 12 billion light-years and uses 4.2 trillion virtual dark matter particles. By applying a technique called N-body numerical simulation, the team accurately recreated how large-scale structures in the universe evolved over 10 billion years. In simple terms, they built a virtual universe inside a supercomputer, starting from just after the Big Bang and following the force of gravity step by step, read the release.

This provides theoretical support for research into dark matter and dark energy, and also offers strong support for new-generation galaxy survey programs, such as China Space Station Telescope and the European Space Agency's Euclid mission, according to the NAOC.

We are entering an era where surveys of enormous cosmological volumes have the potential to revolutionize our understanding of dark energy, cosmological inflation, and the properties of neutrinos, said Mike Boylan-Kolchin of the University of Texas at Austin, the US. The professor hailed the simulation a "computational marvel." 

"For this to happen, we need advanced theoretical tools, and the HyperMillennium Simulation is a computational marvel that will help unlock fundamental physics from observations of the cosmos. It has an unprecedented range of volume and mass resolution, enabling detailed predictions about how huge numbers of relatively common galaxies are distributed across the cosmic web and the properties of inherently rare and interesting objects that are inaccessible with smaller volumes. The HyperMillennium Simulation will be a touchstone for the galaxy formation and cosmology communities for years to come," the professor said. 

"The HyperMillennium simulation redefines what is nowadays possible in numerical cosmology. I am extremely impressed that the team could realize this incredibly large and highly accurate simulation. Its enormous statistical power allows us to carry out new precision test of the LambdaCDM cosmological model, something that is very important for the field," said Volker Springel, the director of the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics in Germany.

By comparing a high-precision virtual universe with real-world observations, the HyperMillennium project provides important support for research into fundamental cosmological questions such as dark matter and dark energy, while deepening understanding of the laws governing galaxy evolution. At the same time, its simulation data will offer important scientific support for major sky survey projects, including the China Space Station Telescope, and the European Space Agency's Euclid space telescope, Wang explained.

"Although cosmological simulations may sound highly sophisticated and far from everyday life, they are in fact closely connected to the public," Wang explained. While the results of numerical simulations are essentially abstract data, they can be transformed through visualization into smooth, cinematic and visually striking images. These images can vividly show the history of cosmic evolution, large-scale structures and the formation of important celestial bodies, presenting a complete history of the universe, he said. 

According to Wang, leveraging this capability, the Qianyan project has already partnered with the Beijing Planetarium, the Shanghai Astronomy Museum, several other science and technology museums, as well as institutions such as the China Academy of Art, to convert data into films, images and artistic creations for science popularization. 

This approach can present the appearance of the universe to the public in a direct and credible way — supported by real data while also carrying artistic appeal. Therefore, it has positive significance in terms of both science communication and cultural outreach, he added. 

China is where the certainty lies in an uncertain world and China's stability is the anchor of stability for the world; the better China develops and the stronger it becomes, the more stable the world will be, Jin Canrong, professor of school of international studies at Renmin University of China, said at the Global Times Annual Conference 2025, themed "Moving forward in Partnership: Resonance of Values between China and the World," which was held in Beijing on Saturday. 

Jin said in the last month of 2024, many events have occurred around the world, including the six-hour martial law farce in South Korea on December 3; on the evening of December 4, the French government collapsed; and on December 8, the Bashar al-Assad's government in Syria fell. "In the face of such chaos, the changes unseen in a century have entered a deep-water zone," said Jin.

China is where the certainty lies in an uncertain world, serving as the stabilizing force for the globe. The better China develops and the stronger it becomes, the more stable the world will be; China's stability is a contribution to the world, said the expert.  

"The key right now is for China to focus on its own affairs, with economic development being the most crucial aspect. We can see that the annual Central Economic Work Conference has set the tone for next year's economy and introduced a series of new measures to provide momentum for the sustained recovery and improvement of the economy," according to Jin. 

In the Macao-Hengqin Youth Entrepreneurship Valley, a space where many young entrepreneurs from Macao chase their dreams, the aroma of coffee mingles with the smell of rain-kissed grass.

From Lei Zhen's office at Nanometals Technology, the view stretches from Hengqin's landmarks to Macao's glittering skyline. Lei founded Nanometals in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, in 2014, focusing on innovative applications of new materials, with nano silver wire as the core product.

Hengqin, located just across the river from Macao, is home to the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone, which was established in 2021 by the Chinese central government to foster closer integration between the two regions. The zone has become a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, hosting nearly 6,500 Macao-invested enterprises and providing a platform for new industries.

In 2018, Lei's project won global acclaim, taking first place in a prestigious startup contest. Three years later, Nanometals relocated to Hengqin, seizing opportunities in the cooperation zone.

"Moving our headquarters to Hengqin made connecting with Macao much easier and significantly improved our operational efficiency," Lei said. With support from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area's manufacturing ecosystem, his company scaled up the production of flexible touch-screen materials -- breaking foreign monopolies in this field.

Macao will soon mark the 25th anniversary of its return to the motherland. Since its return, the central government's strong support, coupled with active integration into the Chinese mainland, has transformed Macao into a modern, international metropolis, achieving remarkable progress in both economic development and people's livelihoods.

In tandem with this transformation, Macao has deepened its exchanges and cooperation with the mainland, becoming an integral part of China's broader development agenda and contributing to the cause of Chinese modernization.

Just over two months ago, the Macao Bridge, a new eight-lane bridge connecting the Macao Peninsula to Taipa, officially opened to traffic. This is the fourth cross-sea bridge to connect the two districts and it has greatly improved the flow of people and goods, enhancing the region's economic vitality.

Before its return to China, Macao's infrastructure was relatively underdeveloped. However, iconic city landmarks such as light rail systems and cross-sea bridges have since become symbols of its modernization. In 1999, Macao's GDP stood at MOP 51.9 billion (about 6.23 billion U.S. dollars). By 2023, it had skyrocketed to nearly MOP 379.5 billion. Meanwhile, by the end of last year, the total savings of Macao residents had surpassed MOP 700 billion -- an eightfold increase compared to 1999. Over the past 25 years, Macao has become one of Asia's wealthiest cities.

While its economy has grown steadily, Macao has also gradually diversified its industries, moving beyond its reliance on the casino sector. With the central government's support, Macao has embraced a more diversified, balanced and sustainable economic structure.

"During the past 25 years, Macao has made remarkable strides under the 'one country, two systems' framework," said Ho Iat Seng, chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), noting that the proportion of key industries contributing to economic diversification has steadily increased -- making the economy more resilient and diversified.

Notably, Macao's tourism sector has played a considerable role in its economic transformation. With its rich blend of Chinese and Western cultures, a diverse culinary scene, and unique architectural styles, tourism has become a vital part of Macao's economic diversification. The SAR government has been working to showcase Macao's appeal, attracting tourists from around the world to experience the city's significant cultural heritage.

In 1999, Macao received only 7 million visitors. By Dec. 7, 2024, the annual visitor number had surged to 32.5 million. Macao is now one of the cities with the highest concentration of UNESCO World Heritage Sites globally and is working to establish itself as a world tourism and leisure center. According to a survey by China Tourism Academy, Macao was ranked as the most satisfactory outbound destination for mainland tourists in the first quarter of 2024.

The city has also witnessed a boom in its entertainment industry over the years, with many performance events being held including large-scale concerts.

"Whether in terms of cultural events or infrastructure, Macao is an ideal venue for shows," said Macao tenor Liu Naiqi. "Now, many mainland and overseas tourists come to Macao specifically to attend concerts."

In 2023, cultural and artistic events attracted nearly 20 million participants, with large-scale concerts drawing around 1 million attendees and generating approximately MOP 1.1 billion in box office sales. Non-gaming sectors now contribute to more than 60 percent of Macao's GDP, a steady increase from previous years.

"Macao's efforts to accelerate the diversification of its economy not only strengthen its economic power and competitiveness but also enable it to play a more significant role in supporting the national strategy and the country's high-level opening up to the outside world," said Ip Kuai Peng, vice rector of City University of Macao.

Macao's participation in Greater Bay Area development and its active contribution to the Belt and Road Initiative have provided new opportunities for the city's growth. To further integrate into national development, Macao has established a Working Committee for Integrating into National Development, which promotes deeper economic, cultural and social cooperation with the mainland.

Macao is also collaborating with Hong Kong and the mainland to develop "one trip, multiple destinations" premium tourism routes, promoting business cooperation with Portuguese-speaking countries, and fostering cultural exchanges with nations around the world.

For many Macao residents, integrating their personal development with national growth has become a common goal. Huang Yin, founder of Macao-based Trendyi Health Technology, recalled how aligning her business objectives with China's national development plan had prompted her to expand the business to Hengqin.

"We've built a bridge to connect Macao with excellent pharmaceutical resources from the mainland. Using Macao's platform for trade between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, we're promoting traditional Chinese medicine and culture to Portuguese-speaking countries," Huang said, noting that her business has rapidly grown by seizing such opportunities.

Macao has become an ideal place for entrepreneurs -- via its open business environment and the unprecedented opportunities provided by the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone.

Cheong Chok Man, director of the Policy Research and Regional Development Bureau under the Macao SAR government, highlighted that the third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee had outlined plans to deepen cooperation within the Greater Bay Area and strengthen rules and mechanisms for greater synergy. "We believe that Macao's cooperation with other cities in the Greater Bay Area will become even closer, and its integration with the region will deepen," Cheong said.

Luo Weijian, a law professor at University of Macao, emphasized that the development of the Greater Bay Area provides a platform for all cities to leverage their strengths. "For Macao, it's crucial to further capitalize on the advantages of 'one country, two systems' to better serve national modernization and regional cooperation," he said.

According to Sputnik News on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Chinese manufacturers on their remarkable achievements in the automotive industry at the 15th VTB “Russia Calling!” investment forum. Some Russian people and Chinese businesspeople told the Global Times that Chinese products have achieved both strong sales and a good reputation in Russia.

The Sputnik News wrote a report on Thursday titled "President Putin talks about the popularity of Chinese cars in Russia: Chinese products have become higher quality".

A study by Yandex Market, the e-commerce platform of Russia's largest search engine, shows that about 70 percent of Russian customers are willing to purchase products from China, according to a Russian financial media outlet on November 29, 2024.

According to the study participants, high-quality products from China include electronics and appliances, clothing and footwear, as well as household items. Some emphasized the quality of Chinese automobiles.

A recent survey by RIA Novosti also shows that Russians' impressions of Chinese products are increasingly positive.

“I still remember when I first came to Moscow to expand the Russian market, local people didn’t like Chinese products. I used to stand on the street in the cold, introducing our products to people one by one,” a Chinese clothing vendor surnamed Chen told Global Times.

“At that time, they thought Chinese products were of poor quality and lacked novelty,” Chen added.

This view was echoed by Kolosovskii Ian, a Russian student currently studying at Shandong University. He said that in the past, his family wouldn’t consider buying Chinese products, but now, "I think if you ask a Russian person about this, they might even forget that the furniture in their home is made in China, or that the clothes they’re wearing are also from China. Chinese products have become a part of daily life for Russians."

A similar sentiment is shared by Hou Jinlong, Executive Vice President of China’s Hebei Chamber of Commerce in Russia. He told Global Times: "A few years ago, we actively invited some domestic companies to participate in trade fairs in Russia, but we almost hit a wall everywhere. People were not confident in their products and thought it was difficult to break the stereotypes Russians had about Chinese goods, so they were unwilling to come."

Now, things are completely different. He said, "The Russian market has responded very well to Chinese products, and more people are willing to do business here. The most obvious sign of this change is that in recent years, the number of our members has been continuously increasing, with members covering various fields such as automobiles, auto parts, hardware, clothing, and household goods."

“From the initial lack of attention at trade fairs to now, some products no longer need promotion and are already sold out online,” he said with a smile.

In recent years, economic and trade relations between the BRICS countries have become increasingly close. Among them, e-commerce trade between China and Russia has developed rapidly and become an important area of economic cooperation between the two countries, according to CCTV. 

Russian industry experts said that by 2027, e-commerce trade between China and Russia could increase sixfold, reaching $12 billion, making it one of the fastest-growing sectors in the BRICS countries. Through e-commerce platforms, the distinctive products of both countries are easily accessible, and businesses in both countries are embracing new opportunities.

“In Russia, there are also e-commerce platforms for trade, similar to Taobao, and they are now very popular. Most of the products on these platforms are from China,” Kolosovskii said.

A few months ago, Chinese cars also started to be sold in the Russian market through e-commerce platforms, and their sales have been steadily increasing, CCTV reported.

Shakhnoza Azimova, a PhD student at the Institute of Scientific Information on Social Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Global Times that she recently bought a Chinese car.

"My choice of a Chinese brand is related to the fact that it is the newest brand compared with European brands in the Russian market," she said. "The appearance of the car is also attractive, which is one of the preferences of women. Compared to other brands, Chinese cars are both innovative and price-competitive."

Creativity has become a new "tag" for Chinese products.

Veronika Manakova, a second-year student at MGIMO University (Moscow State Institute of International Relations), told Global Times, "What I find most crucial is the fact that Chinese sellers are more creative and tend to come up with extraordinary solutions even for basic products, such as bright outfits, cute accessories, and stationery goods."

“It wouldn’t be erroneous to mention that my impression of Chinese products has improved incredibly and now I regard buying these goods as the most sagacious option in many cases,” she said.

Shakhnoza mentioned that when purchasing her car, the sales staff provided her with very detailed information about it, from manufacturing to delivery. Chinese companies have been continuously improving in terms of service, she added.

Veronika also said, "Purchasing Chinese goods was once challenging, but companies have now improved product variety, quality, and delivery systems. As a result, Chinese products have become popular in Russia, with some sectors even leading the market due to their affordable prices and good quality."

Kolosovskii, who uses a Vivo phone, summarized Chinese products as being affordable, of good quality, and having modern design. He said that his whole family in Russia uses Chinese brand phones and computers. Recently, his father has also decided to buy a Chinese brand electric vehicle.

"Now, Chinese goods are the leaders of the market in Russia. I hope and am confident that Chinese products will soon prove their reliability in various categories and become indispensable," Shakhnoza said with certainty.

In response to a question regarding to Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez arrived in Beijing on Wednesday and plans to meet with several Chinese officials, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian responded on Thursday that China welcomes Rodríguez's visit and looks forward to advancing the important consensus reached by head of state of both countries through this visit. 

China and Venezuela are all-weather strategic partners. In September, 2023, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro made a state visit to China, during which Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Maduro held fruitful talks, providing direction for the development of China-Venezuela relations, Lin said on Thursday at a regular press briefing.

It is hoped Rodríguez's visit will carry on the traditional friendship between China and Venezuela, deepen practical cooperation across various fields, and inject new momentum into the China-Venezuela all-weather strategic partnership, better benefiting the peoples of both countries, Lin noted.

"We will release information about the visit at the appropriate time," Lin said.

The US military has recently announced its support for Philippine operations in the South China Sea through task force Ayungin, named after the Philippine term for China's Ren'ai Jiao (also known as Ren'ai Reef). This initiative, according to Manila, will involve collaboration in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance efforts. What additional, lesser-known details exist about this task force? Why was its launch timed during such a sensitive period? To what extent can it bolster the Philippines' provocations in the South China Sea? The Global Times conducted interviews with a Chinese expert who has engaged with high-level sources in the Philippines, as well as a former deputy national security advisor of the Philippines, to uncover deeper insights on the task force.

The announcement represents the latest example of the US "fanning the flames" in the South China Sea. It also underscores the current Philippine government's dedication to strengthening its strategic partnership with the US, according to Ding Duo, a deputy director at the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at the China Institute for South China Sea Studies, who recently concluded a visit to the Philippines, where he engaged with local sources familiar with the matter.

"The US task force will only hinder the peaceful resolution of disputes that require direct dialogue, consultations, and negotiations between the Philippines and China," stated Rommel C. Banlaoi, Chairman of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence, and Terrorism Research, in an interview with the Global Times on Monday.

As the former director of the Center for Intelligence and National Security Studies in the Philippines, Banlaoi previously told the Global Times that he is dismayed by the current government's decision to increase American military presence, which he believes undermines the balance in the Philippines' relationship with China and promotes a markedly pro-Americanism in foreign policy.

He pointed out that the Marcos administration is complicating efforts to improve Philippines-China relations and that these unilateral actions are counterproductive to peacefully resolving disputes with China.

What is the US task force?

According to Ding, local sources revealed the concept of the US task force began to take shape in July 2024.

The idea for forming the US task force emerged after the direct serious clash between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea on June 17 when a Philippine supply boat ignored warnings from the Chinese side and charged into waters off China's Ren'ai Jiao.

The US brought out the idea of founding a task force to the Philippines following the incident, which was then accepted by the Philippine side.

Ding deems that the formation of the US task force likely stemmed from concerns over the July 21 agreement between China and the Philippines regarding maritime disputes following the clash. The temporary agreement established arrangements for humanitarian supplies of essential goods for the Philippine warship stranded at the Ren'ai Jiao. Both parties agree to jointly manage maritime disputes and promote the easing of tensions in the South China Sea.

The US task force was established around the same time as the temporary agreement, suggesting that the US is concerned the agreement may hinder its strategic goals in the South China Sea, according to the expert.

The task force comprises approximately 15 US military personnel stationed on Palawan Island in the Philippines, who regularly engage in training exercises with the Western Command (WesCom) under the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). These exercises primarily focus on providing personnel rotation and logistical support to the Philippine military vessel that is illegally stranded at China's Renai Jiao, Ding revealed to the Global Times.

Following US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's high-profile introduction of the US task force, both military and political officials from the US and the Philippines released statements. US embassy spokesperson Kanishka Gangopadhyay stated, "Task Force Ayungin enhances US-Philippine alliance coordination and interoperability, enabling US forces to support the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the South China Sea," according to Reuters.

Philippines National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano, however, stressed that the US task force Ayungin "will not directly participate in missions in the West Philippine Sea [South China Sea]," as reported by Filipino GMA.

Ding revealed that specific tasks provided by the US task force include improving the coordination capabilities of both manned and unmanned military equipment and providing personnel training to the Philippines. The instructors for the so-called "small vessel defensive tactics course," conducted by the US military for the Philippines in October of this year, were selected from this task force, Ding said.

The Philippine media Inquirer reported that Philippine coast guardsmen (PCG) trained with US special forces over nearly three weeks in Palawan on how to respond to "noncompliant vessels" as part of the course.

Banlaoi said that the US established the US task force to support Philippine forces not only in rotation and reprovisioning missions, but also in protecting Philippine presence in Ayungin Shoal (Ren'ai Jiao). "The US provides operational training, intelligence information sharing and threat assessment of situation around the shoal, almost the same kind of support that the US has provided the Philippines during the siege of Marawi in 2017 and the Global War on Terrorism from 2001-2010 through the Joint Special Operations Task Force - Philippines."

Ding further noted that the unmanned equipment currently provided by the US task force to the Philippines includes at least four unmanned surface vessels MANTAS T-12 and at least one T-38 Devil Ray, both of which are from Australian company Maritime Tactical Systems (MARTAC) USA Division.

According to a piece on an online news platform Straight Arrow News, Devil Rays can be used as a mother ship of sorts to help relay signals to the T-12s. They can also be used as a weapons platform.

How much can it support Manila?

The maritime situational awareness capabilities of the Philippines remain relatively underdeveloped, a longstanding concern held by the Philippine military. An article from the US think tank Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative in December 2023 pointed out that "the Philippines faces substantial maritime governance capacity gaps, with shortfalls in maritime domain awareness standing out as a primary concern."

The US has provided substantial support to the Philippines in areas such as information sharing, situational awareness, and engagement tactics to bolster its capabilities.

Since 2021, the Philippines has been utilizing the SeaVision program, a maritime situational awareness tool, led by the US Department of Transportation, at no cost. Currently, this system is being employed by the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine Navy, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and the National Coast Watch Center, as observed by Beijing-based think tank South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI).

In May, the US and the Philippines issued a joint statement on space dialogue, announcing an enhancement of cooperation in leveraging space for both maritime and space situational awareness. Moreover, within the framework of the US-Japan-India-Australia "Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness Partnership," the US is coordinating resource support from Japan, India, and Australia for the Philippines, according to SCSPI.

Many Filipino scholars contend that the security cooperation between the Philippines and the US is designed to strengthen the asymmetric advantage over China, enabling the execution of surveillance missions focused on China's maritime activities, Ding noted.

The Ayunjin task force has been interpreted by Philippine media as a direct indication of US military assistance to the Philippines.

Banlaoi believes that the US task will benefit the Philippine military for operational support, intelligence gathering and tactical capacity building, but it politically hinders peaceful dispute resolution between the Philippines and China.

By establishing the task force, the US has sought to gain direct insights into the operational patterns of China Coast Guard vessels, thereby enhancing its situational awareness and battlefield readiness. This move can be interpreted as a concealed intention of the US, Ding noted.

"It remains unclear whether the US task force will expand in personnel and scope. The US may also use this opportunity to encourage the Philippines to provoke incidents at sea, such as conducting 'freedom of navigation operations' against China or providing 'escort' services for Philippine supply ships in contested areas. US military personnel might observe aboard these vessels under the guise of journalists or offer guidance for Philippine maritime operations," he told the Global Times.

If the Philippines continues to provoke incidents through its strengthened alliance and external support, engaging in "gray zone" tactics and challenging China's South China Sea policies with misleading narratives, it risks undermining constructive resolutions and managing differences, Ding stressed.

The remains of 43 Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) soldiers who lost their lives during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953) were returned to China on Thursday from the Republic of Korea (ROK).

The remains will be laid to rest in a martyrs' cemetery in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province.

Since 2014, the remains of 981 CPV martyrs have been handed over to China, their home country.