Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Monday attended a symposium on private enterprises.

Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered an important speech after listening to representatives of private entrepreneurs.

Li Qiang and Ding Xuexiang also attended the symposium, which was presided over by Wang Huning.

In response to media inquiries on report that American officials are suggesting non-European countries such as Brazil or China send their servicemen to peacekeeping force in Ukraine after the conflict ends and whether China is considering sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said, "We do not comment on hypothetical questions." China's position on the Ukraine crisis has always been fair, and has reiterated this position on multiple occasions, he added.

One of the important tasks of agricultural work in 2025 will be the continued increase of grain and oil crop yields in large areas, Pan Wenbo, chief agronomist and an official with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MOA), said on Monday at a press conference. 

"Over the past two years, China's grain production has been able to achieve stable and increased yields, largely thanks to per unit yield improvements," Pan said.

Pan noted that efforts to increase the per unit yield will be put into realizing yield improvement in larger areas. There is a greater emphasis on the integration of good fields, good seeds, good machinery, and good methods, all of which work together to increase per unit yield.

In 2024, the MOA initiated and implemented a project to increase the per unit yield of grain and oil crops, which achieved preliminary success. The annual per unit yield of grain increased by 5.1 kilograms compared with the previous year, with the improvement in per unit yield contributing to more than 80 percent of the increase in production, said Pan.

During the Central Rural Work Conference held in Beijing from December 17 to 18, 2024, it was noted that efforts should be concentrated on increasing per unit yields of grain and oil crops on a large scale, and other aspects, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

The year 2025 is the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) and the last year of a five-year transition period to consolidate and expand the achievements of poverty alleviation and effectively link rural revitalization. The MOA will put efforts into optimizing the efficiency of assistance, strengthening the quality of industrial employment and deepening support in key regions' development, Zhang Xingwang, vice minister of agriculture and rural affairs, also said at the Monday press conference.

The focuses of agricultural work in 2025 mentioned in the Monday conference are in line with that of the annual Central Rural Work Conference, Wang Gangyi, a professor at Northeast Agricultural University, told the Global Times on Monday.

"In terms of guaranteeing production output, the conference mapped out specific measures to stabilize areas sown with grain, increase the per unit yield of grain and oil crops, strengthen the protection and quality of cultivated land, and promote agricultural science and technology," said Wang.

"Stabilizing yield per unit mainly relies on developing new quality productive forces, namely applying digital technology to agriculture. However, the main focus, I believe, will be on promoting large-scale high-density planting," Li Guoxiang, a research fellow at the Rural Development Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday.

The level of agricultural modernization in China continued to improve in 2024. The comprehensive mechanization rate of crop cultivation, harvesting, and planting is expected to have exceeded 75 percent, said Zhang.

As a result, grain production overcame the impact of natural disasters such as high temperatures and droughts, extreme floods, and super typhoons, achieving another bumper harvest in 2024, according to Zhang.

Zhang noted that for the first time, the grain output exceeded 1.4 trillion jin (700 billion tons), reaching 1.413 trillion jin in 2024, an increase of 22.18 billion jin over 2023. 

The achievements in expanding the cultivation of soybeans and oil crops have been effectively consolidated, with soybean production reaching 20.65 million tons, further increasing the self-sufficiency rate of edible vegetable oils. The stable supply of cotton, sugar, and rubber has been maintained, and the production of pork, beef, mutton, and poultry meat has reached 96.63 million tons, an increase of 0.2 percent year-on-year, said Zhang.

The supply of meat, eggs, milk, fruits, vegetables, tea, and aquatic products is sufficient, with an increase in the supply of green and high-quality agricultural products, making the dining tables of the people richer and their diets more nutritious and healthy, Zhang introduced.

The importance of ensuring food security is always a priority in China's agricultural work, Wang noted.

A batch of independently developed large civil unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) rolled off the production line on Monday in China.

Three of these large UAVs were delivered to customers for use in various fields such as agricultural and forestry protection and aerial logistics transportation.

The UAV model, named HY100, developed by Ursa Aeronautical, is a fixed-wing large UAV with a maximum takeoff weight of 5.25 tonnes and a maximum payload capacity of 1.9 tonnes. It boasts a maximum range of 1,800 kilometers, an endurance of up to 10.6 hours, and is capable of maintaining stable long-endurance flight at altitudes of 4 meters.

Compared to other types of drones, large UAVs have a greater payload capacity, a wider operational range, and more flexible flight altitudes, enabling them to complement other low-altitude aircraft, such as small drones.

"For instance, when deployed for pesticide spraying, the HY100, with a wingspan exceeding 18 meters, can cover up to 240,000 mu (approximately 16,000 hectares) in a single day," said Yu Yang, general manager of Ursa Aeronautical.

A large UAV is an unmanned aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight exceeding 150 kilograms. It has a wide range of applications, including agricultural and forestry protection, logistics transportation, aerial delivery, emergency rescue, and airborne communication relay.

The joint efforts of Bangladesh and China in enhancing bilateral trade, investment, and commercial activities will add positive value to the both countries, Touhid Hossain, Adviser for Foreign Affairs of the Interim Government of Bangladesh, said at a seminar in Shanghai on Thursday, as part of his ongoing visit to China.

Hossain expressed his gratitude for China’s positive role in the world economy and politics, as well as for its multifaceted support to Bangladesh. China and Bangladesh’s engagement has evolved into a dynamic partnership, and China’s commitment to Bangladesh’s development has been instrumental in exploring Bangladesh’s journey toward prosperity, he said in delivering a speech at the seminar.

The two friendly nations of Bangladesh and China “have fostered a relationship of comprehensive strategy partnership built on trust, mutual respect and a shared vision of a better future,” Hossain stated.

Under the theme of “our shared vision for peace, stability and prosperity,” the seminar was held at Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS) on Thursday, as part of the commemorative series marking the 50th anniversary of China-Bangladesh diplomatic relations in 2025.

China and Bangladesh are close neighbors and important members of regional cooperation. Echoing to Hossain’s remarks, Yang Jiemian, Chairman of SIIS Academic Advisory Council, said that the two countries should and could become a vital force in promoting economic cooperation in South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Asia.

“Regarding international environments, the world has entered into a period of turbulence and transformations, both China and Bangladesh, as important members of the Global South, are joining our efforts to build a better global environment of world peace and stability,” Yang said at the seminar.

Some Chinese and Bangladeshi government officials and scholars shared opinions in the fields of further collaborations between the two countries at the seminar.

China and Bangladesh share numerous development opportunities across various sectors, said Liu Zongyi, director of the SIIS Center for South Asia Studies, who also attended the seminar. “In fields such as agriculture, urbanization, environmental protection, and sustainable development, China’s wealth of experience offers valuable lessons for Bangladesh,” Liu told the Global Times.

At the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, Hossain is scheduled to visit China from January 20 to 24, a spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on January 17.

The visit has delivered clear and encouraging signals, such as that the further development of China-Bangladesh relations will remain unaffected by domestic political changes in Bangladesh, as well as Bangladesh’s commitment to deepening economic cooperation with China, said Liu.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday inspected the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Northern Theater Command ahead of the Spring Festival.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), extended festive greetings to service personnel of the PLA and the People's Armed Police Force, civilian personnel posted in the military, and members of militia and reserve forces, on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC.

The Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, falls on Jan. 29 this year.

China and Indonesia are seeking concrete and pragmatic actions to boost military and coast guard cooperation after recent exchanges between high-level officials, a move seen by an expert as reflecting the two sides' firm consensus on managing maritime differences and promoting regional peace and security.

In a visit to Indonesia from Friday to Saturday, Liu Zhenli, Chief of the Joint Staff Department of China's Central Military Commission, respectively met with Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief General Agus Subiyanto in Jakarta, said a statement released by China's Ministry of National Defense on Sunday.

Liu told the Indonesian side during the visit that the Chinese military is willing to work with the Indonesian side under the strategic guidance of the leaders of both countries to create more highlights and achievements in military cooperation for regional peace and stability, according to the statement.

Indonesian officials also expressed their wish to further strengthen practical cooperation in personnel exchanges and joint military exercises on the basis of the positive development momentum of China-Indonesia military relations, said the statement.

According to Indonesia's national news agency Antara News, the Indonesian Defense Ministry sees the joint military exercise as instrumental in bolstering Indonesia-China diplomatic ties and refining the two nations' defense capacity. Head of the Information Bureau of the Defense Ministry Frega Ferdinand Wenas said that such an activity might offer Indonesia and China the opportunity to exchange insights on battle strategies and defense technology and mutually send soldiers for educational purposes, the report said.

China and Indonesia have had open and clear communication channels, especially close cooperation between military departments, including the bilateral meetings between defense and military officials and interactions under multilateral frameworks such as the China-ASEAN Defense Ministers' Informal Meeting, Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Besides talks between high-level officials, the two countries have had joint drills and exchanges of visits, Chen added. Last December, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's Type 075 amphibious assault ship made its first foreign stop with a technical stop in Indonesia, which experts said fostered international exchange and cooperation.

Besides the Chinese military official's visit to Indonesia, an Indonesian Coast Guard (Bakamla) delegation, led by Vice Admiral TNI Dr. Irvansyah, visited Beijing from Tuesday to Saturday. A high-level meeting was held for the first time between the China Coast Guard (CCG) and Indonesian Coast Guard.

A source close to the matter told the Global Times on Sunday that the meeting was the first formal one of its kind, and is aimed at further deepening China-Indonesia maritime pragmatic cooperation, safeguarding maritime security and handling maritime disputes.

According to the source, the two sides transformed their intentions to cooperate into concrete actions by discussing the main areas and forms of maritime cooperation during the meeting, following an informal one in Vietnam at the end of 2024, where they initially discussed the importance and necessity of future cooperation.

According to the CCG, the two sides had in-depth exchanges on conducting pragmatic cooperation in all-level regular meetings, mutual ship visits and capability building, reaching a broad and important consensus.

Chen said the establishment of communication channels between the Chinese and Indonesian coast guard departments can help them understand each other's positions and better handle situations in case of maritime disputes.

At the same time, Japan on Saturday agreed to provide high-speed patrol boats to Indonesia to deepen bilateral defense ties during a visit by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to Indonesia, seen by some media as confronting China's growing clout and muscle flexing.

Chen pointed out that Indonesia maintains a relatively rational, objective and rational approach to China.

The enhanced cooperation between China and Indonesia is exemplary for the South China Sea amid rising maritime tensions in the region, Chen said.

The China space station will conduct over 1,000 research projects in its operations over the next 10 to 15 years, while also promoting scientific outreach and international cooperation, according to Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization, Chinese Academy of Sciences. 

As China's national space laboratory, which encompasses the broadest range of space science disciplines, along with unique advantages of human participation and transportation, the Chinese space station plans to operate stably in orbit for over 10 years, the center said.

In the future, during the course of conducting over 1,000 research projects, it aims to achieve major breakthroughs in key frontier fields and position itself at the forefront of global scientific research. Also, it plans to achieve systematic understanding and significant results in applied fundamentals and new technologies, addressing major national needs.

In its summary of the scientific research and development achievements made by the space at a press conference on Monday, the center also said that the Chinese space station offers a distinct and effective platform for addressing critical scientific and application challenges by providing long-term microgravity, cosmic radiation, and unique environments, as well as advantages such as astronaut participation and transportation between Earth and space, serving as an important platform for conducting groundbreaking experiments in new space technologies, the center said.

After years of validation by over 100 academicians and more than 1,000 experts, China has developed a comprehensive research framework for its space station featuring 32 research themes spanning four key fields: space life sciences and human research, microgravity physical sciences, space astronomy and Earth sciences, and new technologies and applications in space. 

The Chinese space station is equipped with over 20 cabin scientific experiment cabinets and three extravehicular exposure experiment platforms that meet international advanced standards in life ecology, biotechnology, fluid physics, two-phase flow, combustion science, containerless electrostatic levitation, high-temperature materials, ultracold atomic physics, high-precision time-frequency, scientific glove boxes, variable gravity experiments, and online maintenance and adjustment. 

It is also developing a series of major research facilities, including a 2-meter aperture space station survey telescope (CSST) that is internationally competitive, according to the center.

The space station has completed over 180 scientific and application projects in orbit, sending nearly two tons of scientific materials, including experimental modules, units, and samples, for scientific and application tasks, and returning nearly 100 types of space science experiment samples, gathering more than 265TB of scientific data.

Meanwhile, scientific teams from various fields of the Chinese space station project are deeply exploring numerous areas, tackling major scientific challenges across disciplines, producing a series of original, cutting-edge, and innovative progress and results. 

This work has resulted in the publication of over 500 high-level research papers and the authorization of more than 150 patents. Some results have been transferred, transformed, and promoted for application, significantly advancing the rapid development of China's space science and applications, according to the center.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun on Wednesday slammed the US' claims of "forced labor" in Xinjiang as baseless and reiterated China's commitment to defending its enterprises' legitimate rights and interests in response to the US latest ban on imports from 37 Chinese companies over alleged "human rights abuses" involving the Uygur people.

US Department of Homeland Security announced on Tuesday the addition of 37 entities to its so-called the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List over alleged "forced labor" practices in China's Xinjiang region, marking the largest single expansion of the list to date, according to the department.

Guo said that the US fabricated and enacted malicious legislation targeting Xinjiang based on unfounded claims, and placed Chinese companies on a sanctions list, which constitutes interference in China's internal affairs, undermines its interests, and seeks to suppress its development. 

"China will take resolute measures to protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese enterprises," Guo said.

After the personal accounts of well-known Chinese male actor and singer Lu Han on multiple social media platforms showed that they could not be followed on Monday, Lu's studio issued an apology statement on his behalf. In the statement, Lu sincerely apologized for his inappropriate behavior during a livestream and pledged that he would impose stricter self-discipline in the future to demonstrate his remorse to everyone through concrete actions.

Lu committed to actively addressing the negative social impact caused by the incident and to take on the social responsibilities that an entertainer should shoulder, according to the statement.

During a livestream in the early hours of November 29, 2024, Lu was reportedly drinking, where he angrily fired back at his anti-fans, swore, and threw the finger to detractors, according to Jimu News on Monday.

The incident quickly went viral on social media, prompting widespread debate among netizens. Some expressed support for Lu's confrontation with anti-fans, while others criticized his behavior as inappropriate for a public celebrity, said the Jimu News.

In 2008, while studying in South Korea, Lu was discovered by SM Entertainment and became a trainee under the company. In 2012, he officially debuted as a member of the South Korean boy group EXO. In 2014, he terminated his contract with SM 
Entertainment to return to China and further his career, according to the report.