阿拉爱上海

A US House of Representatives committee on Wednesday local time voted to advance Biosecure Act that would prohibit US federal agencies from contracting with China's BGI, Wuxi AppTec and other biotech companies under the excuse of "national security." This is the latest move of the Biden administration's heightened suppression of China's normal economic, trade and technological activities.

Chinese observers said the biotech legislation targeting Chinese companies, along with US' new tariffs imposed on Chinese electric vehicles and advanced batteries, is part of the Biden administration's political show aimed at winning voters in an election year. US President Joe Biden and his administration will likely intensify crackdown on Chinese companies before the election, even at the risk of harming more US consumers and economic health.

However, they said the US' hysterical crackdown on China will neither make China surrender nor impede China's development, rather it will harm US companies in international competition and hinder technological progress.

Intensifying crackdown

The US House Committee on Oversight and Accountability on Wednesday approved the Biosecure Act, which must get through the US House and Senate before Biden could sign it into a law, Reuters reported.

The targeted Chinese companies expressed strong opposition to the US' proposed legislation which is based on false and misleading allegations.

"As public records show, the Biosecure Act is advocated by a US company, to eliminate competition and strengthen its monopoly in the DNA sequencing market. BGI Group is disappointed to see the US legislative process being abused by the company which the US government itself has accused of holding an unlawful monopoly," BGI Group told the Global Times on Thursday.

BGI places the highest priority on privacy and strictly follows international and local data protection regulations. Statements alleging BGI is controlled by the Chinese government or military are false, the company stressed.

WuXi AppTec said the company "has not posed, does not pose, and will not pose a security risk to the US or any other country," according to a filing with the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd on Thursday. The company reiterated that it does not have a human genomics business or collect human genomic data in the US, China or elsewhere.

Since the beginning of 2024, the Biden administration has expanded its crackdown on Chinese companies to sectors including biotechnology, new energy and shipbuilding, which are part of a political show to win voters for the presidential election, Gao Lingyun, an expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Take the newly announced tariffs on $18 billion worth of Chinese imports for example. The volume is not that big compared with tariffs imposed on hundreds of billions of Chinese goods amid China-US trade war, but by doing so, the Biden administration wants to show that they could come up with a stronger hard-line policy against China, according to Gao.

On Wednesday, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said that her department plans to announce proposed rules on Chinese connected vehicles this autumn, citing so-called "national security" risks to Americans' data, Reuters said in another report.

China firmly opposes and lodges solemn representations over the further increase of additional tariffs on some Chinese goods by the US, and will take resolute measures to safeguard its own rights and interests, He Yadong, spokesperson of China's Ministry of Commerce, reiterated at a regular press conference on Thursday.

US' protectionism doomed

Unilateral and protectionist actions aimed at China by the US expose the loss of confidence and composure on the part of the US and are doomed to fail, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

The US' unscrupulous suppression of China does not help address domestic problems in the US, but only results in a greater disruption of the normal operation of the international industrial and supply chains, Wang said, adding that the US' move will not deter China's development and rejuvenation.

Economic bullying and technological blockades have actually accelerated China's innovation. China's chip-making capability is catching up, artificial intelligence is gaining traction, and sectors like aerospace and electric vehicles are developing very fast, Li Yong, a senior research fellow at the China Association of International Trade, told the Global Times on Thursday.

The US' unilateral moves will only backfire, as they will likely raise market prices, burden consumers, and hinder global cooperation and innovation in the industry, Li said.

"A series of hegemonic and bullying practices against China underlies the US' double-dealing face," he said. While the US touts its open economy and free trade, its unilateral and protectionist actions are against its words. Biden promises that the US does not seek to decouple from China and hinder China's development, but its practices tell another story, Li said.

Despite US' growing erraticism and paranoia to fragment the world by ideological differences, it is becoming increasingly hard to decouple from China, Li said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Tuesday slammed US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s double standard narrative on “overcapacity”, calling it an act of protectionism, which tramples on the principles of market economy and international rules, and is blatant bullying.

The remarks came after Yellen recently raised the “overcapacity” narrative in an interview with US media, saying the US would provide targeted investment and subsidies to support its strategic industries. She added that the US doesn’t want China to provide huge subsidies to enterprises, which would squeeze US firms out of the market.

“We’re very explicitly subsidizing investments in these important strategic areas. And what we don’t want to see is massive Chinese subsidies to firms with huge overcapacity that will just drive our firms out of business,” Yellen said.

Wang pointed out that the US sees its own subsidies as important investments in key industries, but criticizes other countries for providing subsidies. The US also berates other countries for exporting competitive products, labeling it as "overcapacity", while promoting its own exports as “free trade.”

The US is using the "overcapacity" narrative to suppress advanced industries in other countries. It is nothing but blatant bullying and hegemony, Wang noted.

Wang reiterated that the rapid development of China's new energy industry is built on homegrown tech innovation, the complete supply chain and sufficient market competition rather than relying on government subsidies. 

On the contrary the US has been a major player in doling out government subsidies through the CHIPS and Science Act and Inflation Reduction Act, Wang added.

Wang noted that the rapid development of China's new energy industry is in line with the global economic need for the green transformation, benefiting China, the US and the world. He urged the US to abandon hypocrisy and playing double standards, and to avoid slipping back into trade protectionism.

Now, the Biden administration is reportedly planning to levy 100 percent tariffs on Chinese EVs.

Wang said that China has always opposed the unilateral hike of tariffs that violate WTO rules and will take all necessary measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests. 

China's May Day holidays witnessed 8 million inbound and outbound trips, up 35.1% y-o-y

This year the 27th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) will be held from June 5 to 8. Together with specialized federal services, the city is preparing for the event in accordance with the Action Plan approved by Governor Alexander Beglov.

“SPIEF is one of the brightest brands of our city, known all over the world. Despite all external constraints, its popularity is only growing every year. A total of 17,000 people from 130 countries took part in SPIEF 2023. I am convinced that this year’s geography of participants will be equally extensive, and St. Petersburg will demonstrate its traditionally high level of hospitality,” said Alexander Beglov. 

In the Northern Capital, the territories adjacent to the main event venues and traffic routes for SPIEF participants are being upgraded. More than 250,000 annual flower plants, 5,000 shrubs, about 70 trees will be planted in the Moscow and Pushkin districts, and more than 1,500 hanging flower arrangements will be installed.

City infrastructure improvements are underway, and routes for participants travelling to key event venues are being worked out. The current scheduled repair of motorways along the route of SPIEF participants will be completed by the end of May. Together with Rospotrebnadzor, the issues of ensuring the sanitary and epidemiological safety of Forum participants and guests are being addressed. 

The program of cultural and sporting events is currently being approved by the SPIEF Organizing Committee. Traditionally, events are planned not only for Forum participants, but also for residents and guests of the city. A concert featuring popular Russian pop artists will be held on Palace Square as part of the St. Petersburg Seasons project. For a second time during SPIEF, the international multi-day cycling race “Ladoga Gold” will be held.

The exhibition and business zone of St. Petersburg at SPIEF, as in previous years, will occupy 1,700 square meters. The business program of the city is being actively formed and will be approved by May 20. 

This week the Roscongress Foundation presented the architecture of the SPIEF 2024 business program. The main theme of the Forum is “The Formation of New Centres of Growth as the Cornerstone of a Multipolar World.” The theme is articulated through four thematic blocks of the federal program, which this year includes two events from St. Petersburg.

According to Alexander Beglov, the panel discussion entitled “Let’s All Go to the Park?! Strategies and Practices for Success in Creative Sustainable Cities” will be held within the track “A Healthy Society, Traditional Values and Social Development: The Priority of the State.”

“We will discuss the issues of managing urban spaces, attracting investment, creating conditions for sustainable economic growth and improving life in cities,” he added.

Another St. Petersburg event is the business session ‘‘International Promotion. Development of New Tourist Offers and Products.’’ It will be held as part of the thematic block ‘‘Goals and Objectives of Russia’s New Economic Cycle.’’ 

At the previous SPIEF 2023, St. Petersburg concluded 62 agreements totaling 661 billion ruble. “We are counting on new major contracts this year as well,” the governor emphasized.

The Roscongress Foundation is a socially oriented non-financial development institution and a major organizer of nationwide and international conventions; exhibitions; and business, public, youth, sporting, and cultural events. It was established in pursuance of a decision by the President of the Russian Federation.

China and the EU are each other's comprehensive strategic partners, with a wide range of common interests, with more cooperation than competition and more agreement than disagreement, Erno Peto, president of the Hungarian-Chinese Chamber of Economy, told the Global Times in an exclusive interview, amid the visit of China's top leader to Hungary this week.

The significance of thevisit is very promising for Hungarian businesspeople, Peto said, describing this as the result of the close cooperation the two countries have fostered.He expressed confidence that "very good political relations that have existed at a high level for a long time will generate faster development in economic relations than ever before."

Talking about the high complementarity between China and Hungary, Peto said that China was and still is Hungary's ninth most important trading partner and the first most important trading partner outside Europe.

In addition to infrastructure projects and major battery industry investments, more cooperation in the fields of finance, alternative energy, communications technology and logistics can be developed substantially, according to the Hungarian industry representative.

Hungary can be a special platform for Chinese enterprises to directly enter the European market with their own branded products, Peto added.

In recent years, relations between China and Hungary have been highlighted, with frequent high-level exchanges, deepened mutual trust and fruitful outcomes in the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, observers said.

Investment from China has played an increasingly positive role, facilitating the economic development of Hungary, relevant data showed.

China's direct investment in Hungary in 2023 amounted to 7.6 billion euros ($8.15 billion), accounting for 58 percent of Hungary's total foreign direct investment inflow. This created more than 10,000 jobs, making China once again the largest source of foreign investment in Hungary since 2020, the Xinhua News Agency reported, citing data released by the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency.

Petoalso noted the important role that China, the world's second-largest economy, plays in leading the fight against the adverse effects of climate change, noting the potential of the joint development of the new-energy sector.

As the two countries are marking their 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, the business community expected that more important opportunities are set to be unleashed for the growth of bilateral relations.

In the face of the growing complexities in the world, with the US-led West calling for "decoupling" from China for protectionism, the Hungarian chamber head said that "the globalization process is now irreversible," noting that "now is the time for all three economic superpowers -- China, the US and the EU -- to manage the global economic situation carefully."

"In my view, the EU's economies need the Chinese market as much as China needs the EU market, so the solution is not the so-called decoupling, but cooperation that takes into consideration each other's long-term interests," Peto said.

The US' reported plan to levy tariffs on imports from China's emerging industries is adding mistakes to mistakes, and its commerce department's decision to add 37 Chinese entities in the high-tech sector to a trade restriction list is abusing export control tools to suppress Chinese companies, which will prompt necessary countermeasures from China, a Chinese Foreign Ministry (FM) spokesperson warned on Friday, urging the US to stop politicizing trade matters and cracking down on Chinese companies on so-called national security grounds.

The latest moves showed that the US is stepping further down the path of clamping down on Chinese companies and "decoupling" with China, observers said, warning that there will be serious consequences.

The Biden administration is set to announce new China tariffs as soon as next Tuesday targeting strategic sectors including electric vehicles, batteries and solar equipment, Bloomberg reported on Thursday.

Also on Thursday, the US moved to tighten its technology crackdown on Chinese firms after the US commerce department added 37 Chinese entities to a trade restriction list, including some companies accused of involvement in the balloon incident in 2023, and also citing other reasons such as national security and links to Russia. 

Observers said the moves revealed that the illogical and groundless smear campaign by the Western media and politicians hyping so-called Chinese "overcapacity" in green products is no more than a stepping stone for trade protectionist measures that had long been planned by the Biden administration, which lays bare the US' ulterior motive of cracking down on and stymieing China's development.

In response to reported US levying of more tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and other green exports, FM spokesperson Lin Jian told a routine press briefing on Friday that the actions are "doubling the US' fault," noting that the Section 301 tariffs imposed by the former US administration on China have severely disrupted normal trade and economic exchanges between China and the US. 

The WTO has already ruled those tariffs against WTO rules. Instead of ending those wrong practices, the US continues to politicize trade issues, abuse the so-called review process of Section 301 tariffs and plan tariff hikes. 

The spokesperson urged the US to follow WTO rules, lift all additional tariffs on China and not to impose new ones.

Regarding the US entity list, Lin said that China strongly opposes US abuse of entity list and other export controls to go after Chinese companies. 

"China and Russia have the right to normal economic and trade cooperation, and such cooperation should not come under external interference or constraint," Lin noted.

Lin urged the US to stop overstretching the concept of national security, stop politicizing trade and tech issues or using them as weapons, and stop abusing various types of sanctions lists to suppress Chinese companies. 

China will continue to do what is necessary to defend the lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies, Lin said.

China will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard its own interests if the US still proceeds with its wrongdoings, China's Ministry of Commerce said on Friday in response to a military aid package the Biden administration signed in April, which contains multiple negative items targeting China.

Politicizing trade matters

Following US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to China in April, there has been a marked uptick in the US' actions aimed at provoking China in trade and economic matters.  

The US this week revoked licenses that allowed companies including US chipmakers Intel and Qualcomm to deliver chips used for laptops and handsets to Chinese tech giant Huawei. China's Ministry of Commerce on Thursday lambasted US export restrictions on the purely civilian use of chips as a "typical act of economic coercion," while US companies said that the move would negatively impact their earnings.

US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo on Wednesday warned that the US may take "extreme action" and seek to ban Chinese connected vehicles on national security grounds.

The US has also launched a probe into the Chinese maritime, logistics and shipbuilding industries.

Analysts warned that the US government has walked away from its pledge to avoid holding back China's economic growth and formulated new measures to crack down on Chinese companies and engage in "decoupling", which is hurting the positive atmosphere of engagement and dialogue that had developed in recent months.

Li Yong, a senior research fellow from the China Association of International Trade, told the Global Times on Friday the US' continued crackdown on China's high-tech sectors and emerging industries is not surprising and represents more of the US saying one thing but doing another.

"The US' continuing to contain and suppress China's development, to build and expand the so-called 'small yard, high fence,' and push toward decoupling is undermining the positive atmosphere of engagement and dialogue that had been built up in recent months with multiple high-level meetings taking place between the two sides," Li said.

Lü Xiang, research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday that the reports on a potential rollout of additional tariffs on Chinese green products showed that the Biden administration now believes there is an urgent need to resort to protectionist trade measures to shore up the US traditional industries and salvage some voters' support.

The Biden administration has apparently backpedaled on its pursuit of a green economy by giving in to pressure from workers' unions at traditional US automakers that predominantly make internal combustion engine vehicles, the expert said.

Biden and his aides are also trying to woo voters by playing tough on China, Lü said. "The punishment of entities accused of being involved in the balloon incident seems to tell its voters that the Biden administration does not easily forget things, while the crackdown on Chinese technology companies serves the purpose of looking tough on China."

However, Lü said any trade protectionist moves taken by the Biden administration are unlikely to halt the downward trend of the US economy, noting that the US government's investment and industrial policies have been so far proved ineffective in boosting overall investment in the US.

Global concerns

International and global business communities have raised grave concerns over the prospects of heightened tensions between the world's two biggest economies and their implications for global economic recovery.

IMF First Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath said on Tuesday that escalating tensions between the US and China have caused global ripples, and countries are reevaluating their trading and investment partners based on economic and national security concerns, leaving the world divided into three blocs.

Many in the corporate sector have also cast doubt over the West's hyping of Chinese "overcapacity" in green exports.

"With green technologies, China is making a great contribution to the world because we need to go very fast to solar and go very fast to electric mobility. China is helping to achieve that both in China and the world," Frank Hammes, global CEO of Swiss air quality technology company IQAir, told the Global Times in an interview on Friday.

China is well positioned in important sectors that facilitate a global transition to a greener, more sustainable power generation and transport, he said.

China, which had kept a restrained posture in response to US provocations, could strike back when it deems necessary in this escalation of trade tensions amid the US' headstrong trade protectionist moves, analysts warned.

Despite certain US politicians pushing for decoupling against Chinese exports, bilateral trade has shown signs of steady growth, with total China-US trade expanding 1.1 percent year-on-year to 1.47 trillion yuan ($203.42 billion) in yuan-denominated terms in the first four months, reversing a 0.7 percent contraction in the first three months, customs data showed on Thursday.

Israeli tanks entered the southern Gaza city of Rafah on Tuesday, even as the country sent a delegation to Cairo to resume talks for a potential truce. Chinese observers view Israel's military operation in Rafah as a pivotal moment in the conflict. The operation could either serve as a strategic and final move by Israel to gain leverage in truce negotiations, or it could escalate the current situation and lead to a wider humanitarian crisis, they said. 

At least 27 people, including six women and nine children, were killed in Rafah since Monday evening, CNN confirmed through hospital sources in the southern Gaza city.

Israel's military has seized control of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing, an Israeli military official said Tuesday. International pressure is growing against Israel following the seizure after it refused to rule out a full-scale invasion in Rafah.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel's military operation in Rafah serves the twin goals of returning the hostages held in Gaza and eliminating Hamas. Benny Gantz, a member of Israel's war cabinet, said the Israeli military's operations in Rafah will "continue and expand as necessary," media reported. 

The incursion got underway as both Hamas and Israel reportedly sent a delegation to negotiate in Cairo, Egypt, NPR quoted anonymous officials as saying. Copies of the three-stage deal that Hamas agreed to were leaked Monday night. The deal includes temporary pauses in fighting, Hamas freeing Israeli hostages over stages in exchange for Israel's release of Palestinian captives and detainees, more aid entering Gaza and Israeli troops withdrawing from parts of the territory, NPR reported.

However, Israel's War Cabinet said Monday the deal Hamas agreed to fell short of its "core demands," without elaborating.

"The negotiations are more of a diplomatic battle, and for Israel, invading Rafah has always been its goal," Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times. He believes it is possible that Israel's attack on Rafah is to seek an advantage at the negotiations.

Chinese experts noted that Israel's military operation in Rafah has pushed the conflict to a tipping point. From a military conflict perspective, the Rafah conflict may be the final battle, but on the other hand, Israel's attack on Rafah could escalate further, leading to a large-scale humanitarian disaster, Liu said. 

The United Nations and aid agencies have slammed the Israeli army for cutting off an essential aid route by seizing the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and southern Gaza, warning that already scarce supplies will be further depleted in the enclave that is on the brink of famine, media reported on Tuesday.

US President Joe Biden's administration paused a shipment of weapons to Israel last week in opposition to Israel's incursion in Rafah, the Guardian quoted a senior administration official as saying. 

Washington's decision to temporarily halt weapons shipments to Israel is seen as a symbolic gesture aimed at alleviating both domestic and international pressure over its support for Israel. Chinese experts believe that the US has the capability to impose more significant pressure to compel Israel to cease its assault in Gaza, but instead chose a relatively minor action. "It is akin to giving a reward of $100 and then taking back a small portion due to misbehavior. Ultimately, the reward still stands," said Zhu Yongbiao, executive director of the Research Center for the Belt and Road at Lanzhou University, in an interview with the Global Times.

He said the US move has raised suspicion whether it is still overwhelmingly biased toward Israel, and is possibly colluding with Israel to stage a show. 

On Tuesday, China and France released a joint statement on the situation in the Middle East, in which the two heads of state expressed their opposition to an Israeli offensive on Rafah, which would lead to an even bigger humanitarian disaster, as well as the forced displacement of Palestinian civilians.

Zhu hailed the statement as marking another major effort by China in mediating the Middle East conflict, as it is an agreement reached by two permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, and paves way for China and France, as well as China and Europe, to seek collaboration in mediating the crisis in the Middle East. 

Apart from sending envoys to the Middle East to promote negotiations and trying to reach a cease-fire deal at the UN level, China also invited Fatah and Hamas to hold talks in Beijing last month. In the future, China will continue facilitating reconciliation between forces within Palestine to form a unified government and voice when participating in talks with Israel, Liu said. 

Zhu said that although the situation in Gaza is grim, it is likely that the Palestine-Israel conflict will turn to politics and diplomacy for solution after the Rafah attack, which will enable China to play a bigger role in mediating. Moreover, China can also contribute in areas such as the reconstruction of Gaza in the future.

More than 100 Chinese and French experts gathered in Paris on Thursday to explore ways to build a multilateral future by deepening global governance reforms.

At the second China-France forum on global governance, former French Prime Minister Laurent Fabius said France and China "share certain close -- even identical -- visions on global governance."
He said that multilateralism appears as "the most effective way to address most issues in our multipolar world," in such areas as security, economy, environment, and many others.

Fabius called on the two countries to work together to tackle global challenges, adding that by practicing true multilateralism, France and China will benefit the entire world.

The forum, held in the year that marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Chinese-French diplomatic relations, is aimed at upholding the "China-France spirit," pooling more consensus and wisdom, and building a more solid and dynamic bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, Du Zhanyuan, president of China International Communications Group (CICG), said in his opening speech.
He said the forum called for true multilateralism and pushing forward global governance in a fairer and more equitable direction.

Experts from both sides held in-depth discussions on four modules including building and maintaining peace, science and technological innovation and development, low-carbon and sustainable development, and exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.

They expressed their common belief that true multilateralism is essential in improving global governance and pushing forward the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

The forum was sponsored by the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies and China-Europe-America Global Initiative, under the guidance of the State Council Information Office of China and the CICG.

China has established the world's largest, most comprehensive, and scientifically arranged monitoring network system in the recent years, and will continue to strengthen environmental monitoring and enforcement in 2024, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China stated on Sunday.

"Currently, the country directly monitors 33,000 sites, effectively enhancing the quality of monitoring and continually strengthening technical capabilities, thereby providing significant support for ecological and environmental protection work," Pei Xiaofei, the director of the Department of Communication and Education and spokesperson for the ministry, stated at a monthly routine press conference on Sunday.

Ecological monitoring is a crucial foundation for environmental protection, serving as the primary basis for objectively assessing environmental quality, reflecting the effectiveness of pollution control, and implementing environmental management and decision-making.

The Ministry has issued "Opinions on Accelerating the Establishment of a Modern Ecological Environmental Monitoring System" and recently held a national ecological monitoring work conference to comprehensively deploy the construction of a modern monitoring system.

Pei mentioned that the Ministry would focus on five key tasks in the future: First, to perfect the monitoring system to match the construction of a beautiful China and objectively assess its effectiveness; second, to enhance data analysis and predictive capabilities to accurately guide pollution control; third, to boost integrated monitoring capabilities from mountain tops to oceans, covering all ecological and environmental elements comprehensively; additionally, to strengthen monitoring technology support, enhancing technology research and application; and finally, to enhance monitoring and regulatory capabilities, innovate regulatory methods, prevent the falsification of environmental monitoring data, and create a fair regulatory environment.

"The monitoring should consider all elements of the ecological environment, from the mountains to the sea, above and below ground, in cities and rural areas, and along river basins, and we aim to advance the construction of integrated monitoring capabilities comprehensively and across all regions," he said.

Additionally, this year, the ministry will organize the third monitoring competition to promote training, learning, and action through competition.

Liu Dejun, spokesperson for the China Coast Guard, noted at the press conference that in 2023, the China Coast Guard confronted the complex challenges of marine ecological environmental protection and fully engaged in the defense of the blue seas.

Over the year, more than 3,600 maritime construction projects were inspected, and approximately 16,800 vessel inspections were conducted. Special attention was given to difficult issues such as the illegal extraction of marine sand. A total of 98 cases involving marine sand were detected, resulting in the seizure of 95 vessels and 452,000 tons of sand, significantly curbing frequent illegal dredging activities in key maritime areas.

Innovative maritime monitoring models were continuously developed, utilizing a coordinated approach involving personnel, vessels, and aircrafts to establish a three-dimensional monitoring system that includes outdoor cruising, maritime patrolling, and aerial surveillance, he said.

Zhang Zhifeng, deputy director of the marine ecology department of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, stated at the press conference that since the begin of 14th Five-Year plan in 2021, various departments and localities have adhered to integrated land and marine management and river-sea coordination, committed to comprehensive governance and collaborative efforts, and achieved significant phased results in the comprehensive management of key marine areas.

Approximately 9,200 hectares of coastal wetlands have been rehabilitated, along with about 110 kilometers of shoreline.

"While making phased progress, we also fully recognize that key marine areas still face high pressure from the discharge of pollutants such as total nitrogen, and the restoration and repair of typical marine ecosystems will require a longer period. The foundation for improving the ecological environment quality in key marine areas is not yet solid, and the task of comprehensive governance remains challenging," Zhang stated.

Next, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, in conjunction with relevant departments and coastal localities, will deepen the integrated land and sea coordination, river-sea linkage, and regional collaboration in pollution prevention and control efforts, further strengthen the protection and restoration of the marine ecology, and implement precise governance of rivers and bays to collectively push forward the comprehensive governance battle in key marine areas to achieve expected results, according to Zhang.

A man who killed his wife during their divorce cooling-off period was given a death penalty in the first trial by a court in Guangzhou, South China’s Guangdong Province on Thursday. 

Two weeks after submitting their divorce application, the 36-year-old victim surnamed Zhou was stabbed to death by her 37-year-old husband Zhao Liuchao outside an industrial park in July 2023, despite being accompanied by six relatives and friends at the time. 

The Guangzhou Intermediate People’s Court announced the verdict of the first trial against the defendant in accordance with the law. Zhao was sentenced to death for the crime of intentional homicide and deprived of his political rights for life. 

According to the victim’s younger sister Zhou Mei (pseudonym), after the verdict was pronounced, the judge asked the defendant whether he had anything to say on the verdict and the defendant asked the judge whether he would be immediately executed. After he was given an affirmative answer, he said he did not intend to kill his wife on purpose and was taken away, the Xiaoxiang Morning News reported on Thursday. 

Zhao and Zhou were married in 2011 and they applied for divorce at the marriage registration office of the local civil affairs bureau in Pingyu county, Central China’s Henan Province on July 7, 2023. On the evening of July 30, 2023, the victim was accompanied by six relatives and friends and met the defendant outside of a local industrial park. 

When the defendant arrived at the meeting place, he rushed to the victim and took out a knife to stab her and the other people, leading to the death of the victim and other four people being wounded. 

According to the court, the defendant deliberately and illegally deprived others of their lives, resulting in one death, and four other people suffering minor injuries. His actions have constituted the crime of intentional homicide. 

Zhao displayed a high degree of subjective malignancy, employed cruel means in committing the crime, and caused severe consequences, thus, he should be severely punished, the court concluded.

According to reports, the victim was born in Leizhou, South China’s Guangdong Province in 1987. In 2008, the two people got married and had a son and a daughter. In Jul 7, 2023, the couple applied for divorce in Henan and Zhou returned to Guangzhou for work. 

According to Zhou’s younger sister, the defendant appeared to remain calm, agreed to get divorced and signed the divorce agreement during the first week of the cooling-off period before divorce. 

However, Zhao soon regretted his actions and asked Zhou to meet again. Since the defendant’s attitude was very volatile, Zhou was worried that the defendant would exhibit violent behaviors. So, Zhou went to the appointment in the company of her younger sister, elder brother and four other male friends. 

According to Guangzhou Municipal People’s Procuratorate, Zhou filed for divorce due to her husband’s long-term domestic violence with the civil affairs bureau in Henan. After Zhou returned to Guangzhou, Zhao repeatedly threatened Zhou over phone for a meeting and threatened to kill her family. 

According to Zhou’s younger sister, the results of Zhao’s psychiatric assessment showed that he had no mental issues. 

The divorce cooling-off period was introduced as part of the first-ever Civil Code in China on January 1, 2021. It requires couples to wait a month after reaching a settlement and then go together to collect their divorce certificates. 

The policy sparked heated discussion after release, with some questioning whether extending and complicating the process of divorce is a right path to take for a broken marriage. 

Experts noted that the cooling-off period only applies to the circumstances of the divorce agreement but not the litigation, in which the victims of domestic violence need to seek to their own protection in court.