A Chinese envoy on Friday called for international efforts to promote talks to ease Israel-Iran tensions.
As the Israel-Iran military conflict enters its eighth day, it is distressing to see the conflict has resulted in a large number of civilian casualties and damage to facilities on both sides, said Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.
If the conflict escalates further, not only will both sides suffer greater losses, but regional countries will also be severely affected, he warned.
Israel's actions violate international law and the norms of international relations, jeopardize the sovereignty and security of Iran, and undermine regional peace and stability. China unequivocally condemns this, he told an emergency meeting of the Security Council.
At this critical juncture, the international community should further forge consensus and make every effort to promote talks to ease tensions, he said.
Fu said there must be an immediate ceasefire and an end to the fighting. The use of force is not the right way to resolve international disputes. It will only exacerbate hatred and conflict. The sooner a ceasefire is in place, the less damage will be done. The situation in the region cannot be allowed to slide into an unknown abyss, he said.
"The parties to the conflict, Israel in particular, should cease fire as soon as possible to prevent the situation from escalating and to avoid any spillover of the fighting."
He stressed that the safety of civilians must be ensured.
The red line for civilian protection in armed conflict must not be crossed at any time, and the indiscriminate use of force is unacceptable. The parties to the conflict must strictly abide by international law, resolutely avoid harming innocent civilians, refrain from attacking civilian facilities, and facilitate the evacuation of third-country nationals, he said.
The current conflict has interrupted the negotiation process on the Iranian nuclear issue. The attacks on multiple Iranian nuclear facilities set a dangerous precedent and could have catastrophic consequences, said Fu. "We must not waver in the general direction of a political settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue, and we must persist in returning the Iranian nuclear issue to the track of a political solution through dialogue and negotiation." China welcomes the talks in Geneva between the Iranian foreign minister and his counterparts from Britain, France, Germany, as well as the EU foreign and security policy chief, said Fu.
The Israel-Iran conflict has led to a sudden escalation of tensions in the Middle East, and has had a serious impact on global security. Recently, the foreign ministers of 21 Arab and Islamic countries issued a joint statement, calling for a ceasefire, resuming talks on the Iranian nuclear issue, and maintaining lasting peace in the region. China fully supports the statement, he said.
The international community, especially major countries with special influence on the parties to the conflict, should make efforts to cool down the situation, rather than doing the opposite, said Fu.
The Security Council, as the primary body responsible for maintaining international peace and security, should play a greater role in this regard. China supports the council in taking necessary actions in a timely fashion, he said.
China stands ready to continue to strengthen communication and coordination with all relevant parties, build synergies, uphold justice, and play a constructive role in restoring peace in the Middle East, said the Chinese ambassador.
When asked about Iran's parliament reportedly endorsing closing the Strait of Hormuz and about China's comments and whether China has held talks with Iran regarding the issue, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Monday that the Persian Gulf and its surrounding waters are vital channels for international goods and energy trade.
Safeguarding security and stability in the region serves the common interests of the international community, the spokesperson said. China calls on the international community to intensify efforts to de-escalate tensions and prevent regional instability from having a greater impact on global economic development, Guo said.
When asked whether China has raised or plans to raise the issue with Iran, and how China intends to play a role in mediation after Reuters reported that US Secretary of State Macro Rubio on Sunday called on China to encourage Iran to not shut down the Strait of Hormuz, Guo said on Monday that he has answered the question about the Strait of Hormuz earlier and that China has maintained communication with Iran on the current situation.
A few days ago, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, and China is willing to strengthen communication with Iran and other relevant parties to continue to play a constructive role in promoting de-escalation of the situation, the spokesperson said.
Seven Chinese departments, including the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), Ministry of Public Security, have jointly issued a new regulation governing terminal devices that connect directly to satellite services, aiming to further promote and regulate the healthy development of direct satellite connection services for terminal devices, safeguard national security and the public interest.
Direct satellite connectivity for terminal devices has become an emerging trend in the global mobile communication field, with products and services rapidly gaining popularity and attracting widespread attention, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said on Wednesday.
The regulation provides guidelines for terminal devices connecting directly to satellite, covering equipment, service and management, supervision, and legal responsibilities, the Administration noted.
The regulation will come into effect on June 1, 2025.
Terminal equipment [covered in this regulation] refers to civil handheld terminals, portable terminals, fixed terminals, and terminals mounted on vehicles such as aircraft, ships, and vehicles that can connect to satellite communication systems for voice, text, or data transmission, according to the CAC.
Direct satellite service for terminal equipment refers to using such devices to connect directly to communication satellites via wireless signals, without intermediary devices, for voice, text, or data transmission, the related official from the CAC said.
The official further explained that the purpose of the regulation is to promote and standardize the healthy development of terminal devices connecting directly to satellite services.
It highlights "the dual emphasis of both development and security, combining innovation with governance in accordance with law," the official added.
The regulation also specifies support measures for the research and development of direct satellite connection technology for terminal devices, infrastructure construction, integrated innovation, application ecosystem, standard formulation, and talent cultivation.
The regulation supports research on terminal devices direct satellite connection technology, promote the integrated development of satellite communication and ground mobile communication, explore new applications and business models for technological integration, and build a comprehensive industrial ecosystem.
The regulation encourages the use of direct satellite connection services via terminal devices to expand China's network coverage and promote applications in disaster prevention and relief, workplace safety, field operations, and search and rescue.
The regulation also support the lawful development and utilization of relevant data and encourage equal, mutually beneficial international cooperation.
Additionally, the regulation emphasizes that providing direct satellite connection services for terminal devices within China must obtain proper permits and approvals, and comply with obligations related to network security, data protection, and illegal content management.
Service providers must obtain licenses and approvals under applicable laws and administrative regulations, and only connect to satellite communication systems that operate legally within China, according to the official.
Regarding international communications, the service must be conducted through international communication entry and exit points approved by the State Council's telecommunications authority, the official added.
As dusk falls over Timor-Leste's capital Dili, Yang Huchen's car winds through the country's rugged terrain, his eyes tracing the golden constellations of light that now dot the hillsides. Each glowing window tells a story - a child studying after sunset, a vendor keeping a stall open late, and a family gathered beneath a steady bulb.
For Yang, a Chinese engineer who has spent 13 years constructing national power grid across this island nation, the view stirs something deeper than scenery. "It's not just electricity," he told the Global Times. "It's about ordinary people's lives."
When Yang first arrived in 2011 as part of the pioneering team at the China Nuclear Industry 22nd Construction Co, Ltd (CNI22), darkness defined evening life here. Families had to rely on candles if they needed to work at night. But today, over 90 percent of Timorese households hum with reliable power - a milestone forged by Yang and his colleagues at the CNI22, who turned a national grid project into a lifeline for a nation.
"Before, the night felt endless. It used to be difficult for me to study due to lack of electricity at night and we had to work through tasks during daytime," recalled 26-year-old Anna Isabel De Jesus, who lives in a small village near Dili.
According to Anna, her two sons were born after the national grid system was completed, therefore, they can either study or enjoy leisure time with the family at night, a privilege that their mother was unable to enjoy when she was little.
The national power grid of Timor-Leste, constructed and operated by the CNI22, is the largest power infrastructure project in the country to date. The project includes one national dispatch center, nine substations, 1,407 transmission towers, 603 kilometers of high-voltage transmission lines, and 120 kilometers of medium-voltage distribution lines. Since the commissioning of the first substation in November 2011, the national power grid of Timor-Leste has transmitted a total of 5.82 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, introduced Dai Linfeng, who is in charge of the CNI22 Timor-Leste branch.
The project has fundamentally changed the history of electricity shortages in Timor-Leste, improved the living standards of its people, and provided strong momentum for the country's economic and social development. Furthermore, it has had a profound and positive impact on enhancing the friendship between the two countries, Dai said. A tough, rewarding journey
Yang, a seasoned engineer at the CNI22, arrives in August 2011 and has experienced firsthand the challenges and transformative progress in Timor-Leste's power sector over the past decade.
Recalling his early working experience, Yang said, "Every outing became an adventure, particularly during the rainy season." When heavy rains turned routine inspections into grueling treks, Yang and his colleagues would find themselves navigating through wild terrain where flash floods and even snakes were a constant threat.
"Sometimes, we had to decide whether to wait for the water to subside or risk trekking through dangerous, isolated paths," Yang said.
Due to the remote location of various substations and transmission towers, field teams were often required to traverse long distances on foot. In areas where vehicles could not reach, the inspectors faced the dual challenges of lengthy hikes and the imminent dangers of heavy rainfall and sudden floods.
"We needed to travel with self-heating meals and dry provisions to sustain us when embarking on a journey to remote areas during rainy seasons," he recalled to the Global Times. No matter how hard the journey would get, the CNI22 team in Timor-Leste would always demonstrate their resolve to ensure the operation of the electrical networks.
In addition to bringing Chinese expertise and high standards, the company highly prioritized training local experts. Since the start of the electricity program, the CNI22 provided lectures to train local personnel to operate and maintain the power infrastructure.
The company collaborated with the government to select and train promising candidates and the selected personnel would receive intensive training programs teaching both theoretical principles and hands-on technical skills. The training was comprehensive, encompassing detailed classroom sessions, live demonstrations, and on-site mentorship.
"It was vital that we build a self-sufficient team here. Our goal was to not only transfer technical know-how, but also instill a disciplined work ethic that would transform the operational culture," Dai told the Global Times.
Bridge of hearts
Hilario, a local employee who has the Chinese name Lan Tian, which literally means Blue Sky, told the Global Times that it is great to get the opportunity to work and be a part of the CNI22 in Timor-Leste.
Hilario was one of the first Timorese workers at the company and working there, he said, offered a stable income and a sense of pride from being involved in a project of significance that improves people's lives.
"Before we only had electricity from 7 am to 11 pm and the lack of electricity also led to a lack of water. Now with reliable electricity, our country will definitely develop better," he said. Hilario's wife delivered their fourth child this year, and as for their families, they share Hilario's deep fondness for China.
For many locals, especially college graduates, landing a job at the CNI22 means a good career path ahead. Several Timorese employees interviewed by the Global Times pointed out that the competition to secure a job is quite intense, and this is in direct proportion to the satisfactory results they received from the job.
In the CNI22 Timor-Leste branch, more than half of its employees are Timorese nationals.
"In our long journey, the transformation was as much about technology as it was about trust and cultural exchange," Dai emphasized, highlighting the mutual respect and teamwork that have become the cornerstones of the operation.
This mutual trust and care have extended from the workplace to their daily lives. For the family members and even neighbors of the local employees, the CNI22 is their first experience with a Chinese company and China.
Anna is the neighbor of a Timorese employee at the CNI22. She told the Global Times that the company brought them the prospect of a new life, a life that she has not dreamed of before, but her two sons can now enjoy.
As the Chinese proverb goes, "Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime," Dai and his team members worked to lay the groundwork for a future in which the local workforce can independently manage their electrical infrastructure by consistently applying stringent technical standards and prioritizing safety.
"It's not just about keeping the lights on - it's about lighting the way for future progress," Dai told the Global Times.
The Global Times learned that Timor-Leste Branch of CNI22 has an evaluation system assessing Timorese employees' technical competency, management aptitude, and cross-cultural communication skills, linking performance to career progression. Those with good evaluation results will get promoted.
After years of development, the CNI22 has not only helped address once chronic electricity shortages, but their projects have also been diversified to include agriculture, road construction, and sanitation equipment. 'Ink and water'
China was the first country to establish diplomatic relations with Timor-Leste in 2002. In September 2023, both sides announced the elevation of their bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. In recent years, both countries have demonstrated deepened political mutual trust and achieved fruitful results in practical cooperation in a range of fields under the framework of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
In Dai's eyes, their work in Timor-Leste is similar to "blending ink and water," and now "there is part of me in you and part of you in me." For Timor-Leste, where the CNI22 helped build critical infrastructure after the nation gained independence in 2002, the partnership carries deeper symbolism.
Meanwhile, in the UAE, the company's housing projects cater to the growing demand for eco-conscious urban living, a niche that aligns with the country's sustainable development goals.
From constructing high-end housing complexes to undertaking energy infrastructure projects in the sunbaked landscapes of the UAE, the CNI22's operations also epitomize Chinese companies' evolving approach to overseas infrastructure development; one that prioritizes localized adaptation over a one-size-fits-all model. As of March 2024, the company employed over 3,200 foreign staff across the Middle East, which constituting about 95 percent of its UAE workforce, according to the CNI22.
The energy sectors demand precision, and the CNI22's fusion of Chinese technical standards with localized expertise has become a blueprint. At every construction site, Chinese and foreign employees together uphold high standards. Every safety training session and cross-cultural workshop is a two-way exchange.
The philosophy of precision and integration also resonates with employees like Ahmad Ali Ahmad Aldrobi, an engineer from Jordan who even developed a love for Chinese culture. He learned some basic Chinese and can write Chinese characters neatly and stylishly.
As dusk settles over Dubai's skyline, the CNI22's office hums with a mix of Chinese, Arabic, and English. Here, the "ink and water" metaphor takes tangible form: A Jordanian engineer masters Chinese project management software, while Chinese engineers study English and Arabic to better liaise with their colleagues.
For Aldrobi, the bond transcends his profession, and is more about knowing about more family members. In his eyes, the future they are building is not just buildings and power station, but connections that outlive steel and concrete.
"I love China and Chinese culture. And I will let my children know about this love and take them to see China," he told the Global Times.
Multiple Chinese cities, including Chengdu, Southwest China’s Sichuan Province and Changchun, Northeast China’s Jilin Province, have recently introduced policies to enhance fertility and childcare support, such as issuing draft plans for birth subsidies.
Chengdu will enhance fertility and childcare support by measures including improving and implementing proactive fertility support policies, and establishing a comprehensive system of related policy measures, according to an implementation plan for the special action to boost consumption in the city by 2025 posted on the website of the Chengdu Municipal Development and Reform Commission on Wednesday.
The city aims to have all secondary and tertiary public hospitals to provide pediatric services. It will improve the inclusive childcare service system, expand the supply of inclusive childcare and increase the proportion of inclusive childcare slots in registered childcare institutions to over 60 percent, according to the plan.
The city of Changchun on Tuesday released an implementation draft plan for special actions to boost consumption for public opinions. According to the plan, the city will implement national childcare subsidies and provincial incentives for second and third children.
The city plans to support inclusive childcare services by providing differential subsidies to public childcare institutions. In urban areas of Changchun, the subsidy is 2,400 yuan ($333) per year per child, while in other regions it is 1,800 yuan per year per child. For certain self-financed institutions, the subsidy is 3,600 yuan per child annually in urban areas and 2,400 yuan in other regions, according to the draft plan.
On Tuesday, local authorities in Shenmu, Northwest China’s Shaanxi Province released a trial implementation plan for birth and child-rearing subsidies. Families having a second child will receive a one-time subsidy of 5,000 yuan, while families having a third child will receive a one-time childbirth subsidy of 10,000 yuan, according to the plan released by Shenmu local authorities.
For families having a second child, an annual childcare subsidy of 3,000 yuan will be provided until the child turns 2, while families with a third child will receive 10,000 yuan annually until the child turns 3.
Jiang Quanbao, a professor at the Institute for Population and Development Studies at Xi’an Jiaotong University, told the Global Times that childbirth subsidy systems in various regions have adopted a comprehensive, “whole-chain” approach, covering areas such as housing, marriage, financial support and childcare. He also noted that future policies may further strengthen these efforts.
“The implementation of childbirth subsidy policies is accelerating and sending positive signals. These city-level initiatives reflect a broader shift from policy vision to concrete action across regions,” Jiang said.
In recent years, China has been making efforts to build a more childbirth-friendly society, including providing cash rewards and improving childcare services.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday urged all-out efforts to treat the people injured in a restaurant fire in the city of Liaoyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province.
Breaking out at 12:25 pm Tuesday, the fire had killed 22 people and injured three others as of 2 pm.
British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said on Friday that it would be "very foolish" for the United Kingdom (UK) to disengage from China, emphasizing the importance of continued economic cooperation.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Reeves expressed support for strengthening ties with China rather than building new barriers.
"China is the second biggest economy in the world, and it would be, I think, very foolish to not engage. That's the approach of this government," Reeves said ahead of a scheduled trip to Washington next week.
Reeves pointed to her visit to China earlier this year, where she participated in the 11th China-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue alongside leading British financial services firms, including HSBC, the London Stock Exchange Group, Standard Chartered, and Prudential.
She said the visit aimed to boost the ability of British financial services firms to operate in China by securing more licenses and quotas for British businesses. That visit resulted in a deal she estimated to be worth around 600 million pounds (795.93 million U.S. dollars) to the British economy.
Reeves also voiced support for Chinese fast fashion company Shein listing on the London Stock Exchange, and said she would be happy to ride in Chinese-made electric vehicles despite so-called "spying fears."
According to The Telegraph, her comments signal the British government's ongoing commitment to deepening trade and financial ties with China - an agenda championed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Lee Jae-myung, chief of South Korea's main liberal opposition Democratic Party, resigned as party leader on Wednesday amid wide expectations for his presidential run.
Lee said at the party's supreme council meeting that he was grateful to party members, officials and lawmakers for achievements during his three-year party chairmanship.
The most-favored presidential hopeful noted that he would start something new soon, indicating his declaration to run for president in the near future.
He stressed that the difficulties people were currently experiencing would be overcome quickly by the help of "great DNA," with which people overcame the past hardships, pledging that he would be with people in the process.
A snap presidential election was set for June 3 following the constitutional court's removal of former President Yoon Suk-yeol from office on April 4 over his short-lived martial law imposition last December.
Lee, who lost the 2022 presidential election to Yoon by the narrowest margin, had been broadly viewed as the most powerful contender for the snap election.
According to a survey by local pollster Flower, 49.6 percent said they will vote for the Democratic Party's candidate in the next presidential election, while 29.5 percent were in favor of the ruling People Power Party's candidate.
Lee was the most favored as the Democratic Party's presidential candidate with a support rate of 85.5 percent.
The result was based on a poll of 3,004 voters conducted from March 17 to 20. It had plus and minus 1.8 percentage points in margin of error with a 95-percent confidence level.
