China’s top political advisory body to hold annual session from March 4
China’s top political advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, will hold its annual session from March 4 to 10 in Beijing, according to a spokesperson. The second session of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC will begin at 3 p.m. on Monday and conclude on the morning of March 10, lasting for a total of six days, said Liu Jieyi, spokesperson for the session, during a press conference on Sunday. Liu stated that all preparations for the session had been completed, and various activities had been arranged. The opening and closing meetings will be observed by foreign diplomatic envoys to China.
Source: Xinhua
China Slams US Diplomat’s Remarks, Urges Washington To Stop Interfering In Hong Kong
The Chinese central government and the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) voiced the strong opposition and condemnation toward the latest remarks made by the US Consul General Gregory May. In his first interview since taking up the post in 2022, May cautioned that connectivity issues and data security concerns had prompted some American companies to use “burner phone and laptops” when visiting Hong Kong, Bloomberg reported on Friday. The US diplomat also suggested that “release Jimmy Lai and these other people facing jail for political expression” would do more to improve the city’s image than “all the financial summits and tourism promotion campaigns put together.” The interview came as the US government, along with some Western politicians, have stepped up efforts to undermine the HKSAR government’s efforts to address loopholes in safeguarding the national security in Hong Kong.
Source: Global Times
China Will Promote Peace Talks To Settle Ukraine Crisis, Says Official
China is willing to continue its efforts to promote peace talks and mediate between Russia, Ukraine and other relevant parties to promote the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, Li Hui, special representative of the Chinese government on Eurasian affairs, said on Saturday. Li made the remarks while meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin in Moscow. It has been two years since the crisis escalated, and any conflict must ultimately be resolved through negotiation, Li said, calling for efforts for dialogue. Galuzin agreed that the Ukraine crisis must be resolved through negotiation and appreciated China’s constructive role in this regard, expressing his hope to continue to enhance communication with China.
Source: CGTN
Xi Congratulates Shehbaz Sharif On Election As Pakistani PM
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday congratulated Shehbaz Sharif on his election as prime minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Xi noted he believes that under the leadership of Sharif and the new Pakistani government, and with the united efforts of all walks of life in Pakistan, the country will definitely achieve new and greater accomplishments in the cause of national development and progress. Xi stressed that China and Pakistan should continue their traditional friendship, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in all fields, jointly build an upgraded version of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, continue to deepen the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, and build a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, so as to bring more benefits for the people of the two countries.
Source: China Military
China Prosecutes Over 50,000 People For Telecom, Online Fraud In 2023
Procuratorial organs in China prosecuted more than 50,000 people for committing telecom and online fraud in 2023, the country’s top procuratorate said Sunday. In addition, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate also confirmed that over 140,000 people who assisted in information network criminal activities were prosecuted last year. Procuratorial organs cooperated with the Ministry of Public Security and oversaw the handling of 13 major cross-border telecom and online fraud cases in 2023. Special campaigns targeting such activities in northern Myanmar affecting Chinese citizens were also launched. The SPP noted that minors, senior citizens, and full-time mothers were the three types of people most likely to fall victim to such crimes.
Source: China Daily
Xi Urges Young Officials To Stay Close To Party’s Mission
President Xi Jinping said young officials are successors to the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics and called on them to stay true to the Party’s founding mission, work hard and take on their historical task on the new journey. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in an important instruction conveyed at the opening ceremony of a training program for young and middle-aged officials at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance) on Friday. They must actively practice loyalty and honesty toward the Party, and must make their political stance clear, said Xi. He called on them to strictly abide by the Party’s political discipline and rules, always be honest, do solid work, and maintain a high degree of unity with the CPC Central Committee at all times.
Source: china.org.cn
