Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday said that China is ready to work with all parties to build a just world of common development, and outlined China's eight actions for global development.

Xi made the remarks at Session I of the 19th G20 Summit on Fight Against Hunger and Poverty.

In his speech entitled "Building a Just World of Common Development," Xi pointed out that transformation of a scale not seen in a century is accelerating across the world today, and humanity faces unprecedented opportunities and challenges.

As leaders of major countries, G20 leaders should not let their vision be blocked by fleeting clouds. Rather, they must see the world as one community with a shared future, and shoulder their responsibility for history, take historical initiative and move history forward, Xi said.

Xi noted that at the Hangzhou Summit, China placed development at the center of the G20's macroeconomic policy coordination for the first time, and the Rio Summit this year has chosen the theme "Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet," and decides to establish a Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty.

From Hangzhou to Rio, G20 leaders have been working for one and the same goal, that is, to build a just world of common development, he added.

To build such a world, Xi said, it is important to channel more resources to such fields as trade, investment and development cooperation, and strengthen development institutions, and there should be more bridges of cooperation, and less "small yard, high fences," so that more and more developing countries will be better off and achieve modernization.

He said that it is important to support developing countries in adopting sustainable production and lifestyle, properly responding to challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution, enhancing ecological conservation, and achieving harmony between man and nature.

It is important to foster an open, inclusive and nondiscriminatory environment for international economic cooperation, promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, energize sustainable development with new technologies, new industries and new business forms, and support developing countries in better integrating in digital, smart and green development to bridge the North-South gap, he said.

It is also important to stay committed to multilateralism, and uphold the UN-centered international system, the international order underpinned by international law and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, Xi added.

Xi underscored that China's development is an important part of the common development of the world.

China has lifted 800 million people out of poverty, and met the poverty reduction target of the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ahead of schedule, he said, adding that these achievements are the fruit of the strenuous, unified efforts of the Chinese government and people.

Noting that China always places the people front and center, and solemnly declares that "not a single poor region or person should be left behind," Xi said China tackles poverty by making targeted policies, facilitating growth, fostering industries with distinctive features in various localities, and promoting common prosperity.

China's story is proof that developing countries can eliminate poverty, that a weaker bird can start early and fly high, when there is the endurance, perseverance, and striving spirit that enables water drops to penetrate rocks over time and turns blueprints into reality, he said.

If China can make it, other developing countries can make it too, and this is what China's battle against poverty says to the world, he added.

Xi stressed that China will always be a member of the Global South, a reliable long-term partner of fellow developing countries, and a doer and go-getter working for the cause of global development. China will go hand in hand with fellow developing countries toward modernization, he said.

Xi presented eight actions by China to support global development.

First, pursuing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. China is moving ahead with the development of the multidimensional Belt and Road connectivity network, one that is led by the building of a green Silk Road and will empower a digital Silk Road.

Second, implementing the Global Development Initiative. China will make sure the Global South research center that is being built is fit for purpose, continue to support developing countries, and deepen practical cooperation in areas such as poverty reduction, food security and the digital economy.

Third, supporting development in Africa. At the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing, China unveiled ten partnership actions on joining hands with Africa to advance modernization over the next three years and committed financial support in this connection.

Fourth, supporting international cooperation on poverty reduction and food security. China has decided to join the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. China supports the G20 in continuing to convene the Development Ministerial Meeting, and will stay a committed host of the International Conference on Food Loss and Waste.

Fifth, China, alongside Brazil, South Africa and the African Union, is proposing an Initiative on International Cooperation in Open Science to help the Global South gain better access to global advances in science, technology and innovation.

Sixth, supporting the G20 in carrying out practical cooperation for the benefit of the Global South. China supports the work of the Entrepreneurship Research Center on G20 Economies based in Beijing, and supports cooperation on digital education and the digitization of museums and ancient archives.

Seventh, implementing the G20 Anti-Corruption Action Plan. China is strengthening cooperation with fellow developing countries in fugitive repatriation and asset recovery, denial of safe haven, and anti-corruption capacity building.

Eighth, China is pursuing high-standard opening up, and unilaterally opening its doors wider to the least developed countries (LDCs). China has announced the decision to give all LDCs having diplomatic relations with China zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines.

In conclusion, Xi stated that a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. China is ready to take steps together with all parties to build a just world of common development, leave poverty in the past, and turn vision into reality.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva chaired the meeting.

Before the start of the summit, Xi, together with other participating leaders, attended the launch of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty initiated by Brazil.

While India and China still make up over half of all international students in the US, India has overtaken China as the top source for international students in the US for the first time in about 15 years, according to new data released on Monday.

A total of 331,602 Indians studied in the US during the 2023-24 school year, compared with 277,398 Chinese, according to the latest annual survey by the Institute of International Education (IIE), a report sponsored by the US State Department. Indian students saw a 23 percent increase from the previous academic year, while Chinese students saw a 4 percent decrease.

Chinese students had been the largest foreign group since the 2009-10 school year, but their numbers have steadily declined from 2019-20 onward, South China Morning Post reported.

Experts attribute the decline in the number of Chinese students in the US to factors including a hostile political atmosphere, harassment by US security personnel against Chinese students and increasing opportunities in China.

The unfriendly narratives and specific measures the US government has adopted in recent years, such as the so-called China Initiative, targeting Chinese students and scholars in the US, have led to a decrease in the number of Chinese students studying there to a certain extent, Lü Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday. The so-called "China Initiative" was launched by the US Justice Department in 2018 to probe trade secret theft and economic espionage activities considered threats to US national security.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in January that the US has long been wantonly suppressing and ill-treating Chinese students traveling to the US with lawful and valid identifications and visas. Some of the students were interrogated, confined, forced into confession, induced and even deported without just cause. Every month for the past few months, the US deported dozens of Chinese arriving in the US, including students.

The shift in rankings, in line with student visa data from the Department of Homeland Security, comes amid heightened anxiety from Chinese nationals in the US after the presidential election, according to SCMP report. Donald Trump's first term saw numerous restrictions on travel and immigration, including a presidential proclamation to limit the entry of graduate students and researchers from China, according to the report.

Chinese observer noted that the increasing number of opportunities in China have provided Chinese students with a growing number of choices, which also contributes to the decline of Chinese students in the US.

Even though the China Initiative has been halted in 2022, the hostile atmosphere continues. In June, Kurt Campbell, US Deputy Secretary of State and the second-ranked US diplomat, said that the US needed to recruit more international students for those fields, but from India - an increasingly important US security partner - not China, Reuters reported.

The US recognizes India as the largest country in terms of population, and in Washington's strategic scheme, they regard India as a significant player that could balance against China in the future, which is why the US has expressed its interest in attracting India, including students from India, Lü said.

Chinese students contribute irreplaceably to basic scientific research in the US, said Lü, and the US should recognize that universities are for basic scientific research and should be for all humanity with no national boundaries. 

China and Brazil decided on Wednesday to elevate their ties to the community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet.

The decision was made during a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Xi is paying a state visit to the country after he attended the 19th G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

China and Brazil are two major developing countries in their respective hemispheres, he said, noting that in the past 50 years, they enjoyed a relationship that transcends mountains and seas, and found a right way for major developing countries to get along with each other, one that is based on mutual respect, mutual benefit and amity.

Brazil, Xi said, is the first country to establish a strategic partnership with China, and the first Latin American country to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership with China.

In recent years, under the joint strategic guidance of two heads of state, the two countries are increasingly becoming reliable friends with a shared future and positive forces for peace, he said.

The China-Brazil relationship is at its best in history, which has not only improved the well-being of the people of the two countries, but also defended the common interests of developing countries, enhanced the strength and voice of the Global South, and made outstanding contributions to world peace and stability, Xi added.

Xi noted that China and Brazil have also decided to establish synergies between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Brazil's development strategies.

He hailed the decision to elevate ties and to align the two nations' development strategies as another historic moment in the development of bilateral ties, which demonstrates the global, strategic and long-term nature of China-Brazil relations, meets the expectations of both peoples, gives impetus and support to the modernization of the two countries, and demonstrates their resolve to jointly defend international fairness and justice and promote common development of the world.

China, Xi said, is ready to work with Brazil to continually enrich China-Brazil relations in the new era, be "golden partners" who help each other succeed, and keep working toward the goal of building a community with a shared future for mankind and creating a more just world and a more sustainable planet.

Together, China and Brazil will make even greater contribution to the peace and progress of humanity, he added.

For the future development of bilateral ties, Xi called on the two sides to firmly support each other on issues concerning core interests such as sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, be strategic partners of mutual trust and set a good example of solidarity, cooperation, mutual benefit and common development for countries in the Global South.

Xi also urged the two countries to strengthen people-to-people exchanges in culture, education and youth to consolidate popular support for the China-Brazil community with a shared future.

He said the two countries should deepen synergies of development strategies, urging them to seize the historic opportunity of synergizing the BRI with Brazil's development strategies, deepen cooperation in such key areas as economy and trade, infrastructure, finance, science and technology, and environmental protection, and strengthen cooperation in such fields as space, agricultural science and technology, and clean energy.

China prioritizes poverty alleviation in national governance, supports Brazil's Fome Zero (Zero Hunger) program, and stands ready to strengthen cooperation with Brazil on poverty reduction so that the two peoples can live a better life.

Xi urged China and Brazil to demonstrate their distinctive strength in safeguarding world peace and justice. The two countries should practice genuine multilateralism, make fair remarks and take fair actions, so as to make global governance more just and equitable, he said.

Noting that China highly values Brazil's international status and influence and supports Brazil in playing a greater role on the international stage, Xi said China stands ready to strengthen communication and coordination with Brazil at the United Nations, BRICS and other multilateral mechanisms, support Brazil's presidency of BRICS next year, promote high-quality development of greater BRICS cooperation, and make BRICS voice louder on upholding multilateralism and improving global governance.

Xi also called on the two countries to make distinctive contribution to building a community with a shared future for mankind.

As major developing countries, China and Brazil should take the lead in conducting consultations, promoting global solidarity, jointly addressing global challenges concerning the future of mankind, and strengthening cooperation in such fields as green transformation, sustainable development, climate change, artificial intelligence governance, he said.

China is willing to support Brazil in hosting the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, he said.

He recalled that 10 years ago he joined leaders of Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) leaders in announcing the establishment of the China-CELAC Forum, which ushered China-LAC relations into a new era featuring equality, mutual benefit, innovation, openness and benefits for the people.

Xi said China stands ready to work with Brazil to ensure the success of the China-CELAC Forum, better synergize the BRI with the development strengths and needs of the LAC region, and strive for more achievements in building a China-LAC community with a shared future.

For his part, Lula said Brazil and China are good friends that respect and depend on each other, adding that China is Brazil's most important strategic partner, and the Chinese people are the most trustworthy friends of the Brazilian people.

In the past 50 years, Brazil-China cooperation in various fields has achieved fruitful results, Lula noted, saying that Brazil looks forward to taking Xi's visit as a new starting point for more tangible results in bilateral relations. Brazil also expects to work with China to build a China-Brazil community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet, Lula added.

Brazil is vigorously promoting development strategies such as New Growth Acceleration Program, new industrial policy and the Routes for South American Integration initiative, which are highly compatible with the China-proposed BRI, Lula said.

Enhanced synergy of development strategies between Brazil and China will greatly contribute to Brazil's reindustrialization, promote the integration of South America, and set an example of solidarity, cooperation and mutual benefit among developing countries, he said.

The working groups of the two sides should step up discussions and promote cooperation in key areas such as infrastructure, finance, industrial chains, science and technology, and ecological conservation, Lula said, adding that more Chinese enterprises are welcomed to invest and conduct cooperation in Brazil.

Brazil expects to improve its level of connectivity and logistics with China, and promote the common development and prosperity for Brazil, Latin America and China, Lula said.

Brazil, Lula said, opposes the "new Cold War," and advocates the building of a multi-polar world and a global partnership based on equality and mutual respect, adding that he appreciates China's strong support for Brazil's G20 presidency.

He said Brazil will continue to deepen communication and cooperation with China within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations, BRICS and G20, and enhance the voice and influence of the Global South in global governance.

The Brazilian side is also ready to maintain close multilateral coordination with China and make positive contributions to the peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis and other hotspot issues.

Following their meeting, the two presidents jointly met the press.

Xi noted that it is his second visit to this land full of love and hope after five years, saying that on the eve of his departure, he received many letters from Brazilian friends from all walks of life, which brimmed with Brazilian people's appreciation of the friendship between China and Brazil and their expectations for deepening the friendship between the two countries. Xi added that he was deeply moved.

The Chinese leader said his talks with Lula were cordial, friendly and fruitful.

Xi also said that the world today is not peaceful, and there are still many regions plagued by wars and turbulence.

Mankind belongs to an indivisible security community, and only by pursuing a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security can a path to universal security be found, Xi said, noting that China and Brazil have jointly issued a "six-point consensus" on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis and launched a "Friends of Peace" group with relevant countries of the Global South on the Ukraine crisis.

He called for gathering more voices committed to peace to pave the way for a political solution to the Ukraine crisis. Xi also expressed concerns about the continued spread of the conflict in Gaza, and called for a ceasefire and an end to the war at an early date, the implementation of the two-state solution and unremitting efforts for a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question.

Both China and Brazil share the tradition and sense of responsibility of upholding justice and morality, Xi said. China is ready to work with Brazil to enrich the China-Brazil community with a shared future, firmly defend genuine multilateralism, and jointly sound a strong message in the new era of development rather than poverty, cooperation rather than confrontation and justice rather than hegemony, so as to jointly build a better world, he added.

Lula said although the two countries are far apart, they share similar values, extensive common interests and deep and solid friendship, and their cooperation bears strategic significance and global influence.

China is Brazil's most important trade and investment partner, and Chinese enterprises in Brazil have strongly promoted Brazil's economic and social development, he noted.

Brazil and China have highly consistent positions on major issues such as international development and security, he said, adding that the two countries will further strengthen communication and coordination within the United Nations, G20, BRICS and other multilateral mechanisms, jointly advocate the reform of the global governance system, build a more just, democratic, equitable and sustainable international system, and promote peaceful and diplomatic solutions to hotspot issues.

“I made it finally,” a man said as he came ashore on Shanghai’s Chongming Island on November 16, symbolizing the conclusion of his rafting trip traveling more than 3,500 kilometers along the Yangtze River. 

The man, named Sun Wenzhu, started his rafting trip on June 6 by paddling an unpowered rubber dinghy by himself from the Jinsha River, the upper section of the Yangtze River.

Rafting through the Yangtze River has been a longtime wish for Sun. “I grew up in the Yangtze River basin since I was a child, and I have read stories related to Yangtze River rafting team before, which is why I have always dreamed of rafting along the Yangtze River,” Sun told reporters, adding that he would also like to challenge himself by making changes to his life. 

Along the journey, Sun encountered various challenges, for example, Sun’s rubber dinghy was overturned by a big wave which left him struggling in the water for more than an hour, and he also suffered from hypothermia. 

Sun also saw the Yangtze River dolphins twice during his adventure, one of which was the dolphins frolicking in the water.

Sun noted that whenever he encountered prohibited zones and dams, he would go on shore, adding that rafting through the Yangtze River is dangerous and one must travel within his capabilities.

Xi, Peruvian president declare opening of Chancay Port

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called for efforts to steer economic globalization in the right direction, jointly promoting a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization to the benefit of various countries and communities.

In a written speech addressing the APEC CEO Summit 2024, Xi said the entire Asia-Pacific is deeply woven into the fabric of economic globalization, and is now an interdependent community with common interests and a shared future.

On the other hand, the world is in a new period of turbulence and transformation, said Xi, warning that the grave challenge of economic globalization is like sailing up a river -- we either forge ahead or drift downstream.

"Where will the Asia-Pacific economy be going? It is a decision we must make," Xi said.

Economic globalization is an objective requirement of growing social productive forces, and a natural outcome of advancement in science and technology, he said, adding that despite headwinds and undertows, economic globalization has always been the general trend.

The attempt to block economic cooperation under all sorts of pretexts and break up the interdependence of the world is nothing but backpedaling, Xi said.

Tougher times call for greater confidence, said the Chinese president. "We should see to it that economic globalization generates more positive outcomes and is taken to a new phase that is more dynamic, inclusive and sustainable."

"First, we should take innovation as the driving force for stronger growth of the world economy," Xi said.

He said advances in science and technology should benefit the entire humanity. "We should help developing countries with their capacity building in science and technology and promote global flow of knowledge and technologies."

"Second, we should keep pace with the times and reform the system of global economic governance," he said.

He added that the principles of "plan together, build together and benefit together" should be followed, the representation and voice of the Global South should be enhanced continuously, and all countries should be ensured of equal rights, equal opportunities and equal rules in conducting international economic cooperation.

Xi called for building an open world economic system, and efforts to keep the global industrial and supply chains stable and smooth.

"Third, we should always take the people-centered approach and seek to settle imbalances in development," he said.

Global prosperity and stability cannot be achieved when the rich get richer and the poor poorer, Xi said, noting true development means common development of all countries.

"We should pursue economic globalization that is people-centered and delivers more balanced development and more equal opportunities, so that different countries, classes and communities can all benefit from development," he said.

Asia-Pacific economies have maintained robust growth and created the remarkable Asia-Pacific miracle, Xi stressed.

"The success of the Asia-Pacific is due to our firm commitment to peace and stability in the region, to our continuous practices of true multilateralism and open regionalism, and to our deep faith in the trend toward economic globalization as well as mutual benefit and mutual success," he said.

Xi said the Asia-Pacific should remain the locomotive of economic globalization in the future.

"While further burnishing the Asia-Pacific hallmark of openness and inclusiveness, we should make new brand-building efforts to foster a green and digital Asia-Pacific, build an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future, and usher in another 30 golden years of development for our region," he said.

During the Third Plenary Session of its 20th Central Committee in July, the Communist Party of China adopted a comprehensive plan for further deepening reform across the board to advance Chinese modernization, said Xi.

China will deepen reform comprehensively and continue to provide robust momentum for the world economy, Xi noted, adding the country has full confidence in meeting the growth targets for this year and remaining the biggest engine of world economic growth.

Noting that China will advance high-quality development and continue to lead the efforts to improve the performance of the world economy, he said China will continue to nurture new quality productive forces in line with actual conditions, and is committed to high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

China will stay firmly on the path of green development and continue to be an important force for global green transition and an important part of the global effort to address climate change, Xi said.

He said China will build new, open and higher-standard economic systems, continue to share China's development opportunities with the world, introduce more policies for voluntary and unilateral opening up, expand its globally oriented network of high-standard free trade areas, and open its door even wider to the world.

Xi noted that China's development is inseparable from the Asia-Pacific, and it will in turn further benefit the region.

"As long as we act in the spirit of openness and connectivity, the vast Pacific will become a thoroughfare for more prosperity and growth," he said, calling for joint efforts to enhance solidarity and cooperation, stand up together to the global challenges, and form a mighty force for the common prosperity of the world and a brighter future for humanity.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter for the official commissioning of the country's first domestically designed and built deep-ocean drilling vessel Meng Xiang. 

The Meng Xiang, which means dream in English, with a maximum drilling depth of 11 kilometers, was officially commissioned in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province on Sunday. It marks a significant stride toward reaching where humanity has never ventured before, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said that the successful sea trial and official commissioning of the Meng Xiang marked an important step of China's deep-ocean access, exploration and development.

It is another major achievement in improving the country's maritime and sci-tech strength, the letter noted. 

Xi said that the workers engaged in the design and construction of the drilling vessel have overcome a number of world-class technical difficulties. He expects them to make good use of the major sci-tech device, strengthen innovation in marine science and technology and expand international maritime cooperation. 

The commissioning ceremony was held on Sunday in Guangzhou. He Lifeng, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier, attended the event and read out Xi's congratulatory letter. 

As China's largest scientific research vessel, the Meng Xiang measures 179.8 meters in length and 32.8 meters in width, with a displacement of 42,600 tons. It boasts a range of 15,000 nautical miles (27,780 kilometers), and has a capacity for 180 people. 

The Meng Xiang is currently the world's only deep-ocean drilling vessel that is capable of conducting ultra-deepwater drilling at depths of 11,000 meters. The vessel is scheduled to begin its inaugural ultra-deep drilling mission by the end of 2024, according to CCTV.

Designed to meet safety standards for super typhoons, Meng Xiang can operate normally in rough sea conditions and is capable of global missions in unrestricted waters, according to a statement posted on Sunday by China Geological Survey (CGS) under the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The vessel also meets the requirements for bridge passage and wharf docking in major sea areas around the world, said the CGS.

The successful commissioning of the deep-ocean drilling vessel will certainly bring great opportunities for resource exploration, Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, told the Global Times on Sunday. 

"The higher the technology level is, the lower the exploration costs are. The development of technology enables us to explore what we were unable to," Lin said.

Traditionally, human activities and scientific exploration have been limited to the Earth's crust, which averages 15 kilometers in thickness. Beneath the crust lies the mantle, a crucial layer linking the surface to the core. The commissioning of the Meng Xiang marks a significant stride for humanity to reach or even break through the boundary between the crust and mantle, known as the Mohorovicic discontinuity, or Moho, according to Xinhua. 

The Meng Xiang is equipped with an internationally leading drilling and sampling system - four drilling modes and three coring methods, enabling various operational needs deep-ocean coring and deep-sea resource exploration. It is expected to help global scientists achieve the scientific dream of "penetrating the crust and entering the deep Earth," said the CGS.

With this ship, Chinese scientists will certainly make greater contributions to international deep ocean drilling, Tuo Shouting, director of the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP)-China Office, told the Global Times in an exclusive interview in January.

"China has been a participant in the IODP for a long time. With the completion of the construction of the Meng Xiang, China will be able to independently organize expeditions, just like the US, Japan and Europe," Tuo said.

The deep-Earth core samples that the vessel retrieves will provide global scientists with direct evidence to study plate tectonics, oceanic crust evolution, ancient marine climates and the evolution of life, Xu Zhenqiang, director of th eGuangzhou Marine Geological Survey under the CGS, was quoted as saying by Xinhua. 

"The Meng Xiang will aid humanity in better understanding, protecting and utilizing the oceans," said Xu. 

The vessel is the first in the world to integrate functions such as deep-ocean scientific drilling, oil and gas exploration, and natural gas hydrate investigation and trial extraction. After two rounds of sea trials, its key performance indicators exceeded design expectations, according to Xinhua, which cited Zhang Haibin, chief designer of the Meng Xiang. 

Kremlin on Monday denied reports that President Vladimir Putin and US President-elect Donald Trump spoke over the phone last week about the Ukraine crisis, and said Putin had no concrete plans yet to speak to Trump, media reported. 

The attention over Putin's interaction with Trump reflects the weight it carries on global geopolitics as the Russia-Ukraine conflict has dragged on for more than two years, with ripple effects spreading to the rest of the world. 

Coming amid recent escalations at the Russia-Ukraine frontline, Europe has voiced fresh concerns about possible policy shifts on the conflict and in turn the potential impact it would bring to the continent's security. 

Regarding concerns in Europe, observers said the Russia-Ukraine conflict has provided a painful lesson for some politicians who supported NATO's "eastward expansion." The experts advised Europe to strengthen its own security capabilities and strategic autonomy based on its own interests, rather than blindly following the US.

The phone call

The Washington Post reported Sunday that Trump had spoken with Putin on Thursday, advising the Russian president not to escalate the conflict with Ukraine and reminded him of Washington's "sizable military presence in Europe," citing several people familiar with the matter.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday denied that the phone call took place, AFP reported, saying the report was "completely false information."

The phone call has drawn intense attention as the conflict has intensified over the past few days. 

Ukraine attacked Moscow on Sunday with at least 34 drones, the biggest drone strike on the Russian capital since the conflict broke out in 2022, Reuters reported. The attack injured five people and forced flights to be diverted from three of Moscow's major airports.

Russian air defenses destroyed another 50 drones over other regions of Western Russia on Sunday, according to the country's defense ministry, Reuters said. 

News of the call comes as Ukraine on Sunday launched a major drone attack on Moscow and five other Russian regions, injuring one person and forcing three airports to temporarily halt operations, officials in Moscow said.

Meanwhile, media reports said Ukraine is bracing to hold land it gained in Russia's Kursk region amid reports that Moscow is preparing a counteroffensive, the Washington Post reported. 

The series of moves taken by Ukraine recently can be seen as an attempt by Ukraine and some in the US to stir up chaos, thereby giving the US more justification for a deeper engagement in the conflict, Lü Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday. 

However, as Russia has not taken aggressive countermeasures, such a scheme is thwarted; meanwhile, the current government is well aware that with Ukraine requiring billions of dollars in economic and military support every month to continue to fend off Russia, a deeper involvement is something the US cannot bear, Lü said. The expert believes there is little chance the US will take significant action on the Ukraine issue before Trump officially takes office. 

With little more than two months left in the White House, US President Joe Biden is running out of time to expedite the delivery of funds and weaponry needed to ensure that Ukraine can stay in the fight, said an opinion piece by The Guardian. The article said the White House is transferring weapons and up to $6 billion in remaining aid as quickly as possible to Ukraine.

"While the Biden administration is seizing the last opportunity to support Kiev in order to prevent a shift in US' stance afterwards, it has exhausted its options," Cui Heng, a scholar from the Shanghai-based China National Institute for SCO International Exchange and Judicial Cooperation, told the Global Times. What the US can offer is "very limited," Cui said.

In his presidential campaign, Trump said he would bring an "immediate end" to the conflict, though he did not offer details about how he intended to do so. However, Trump has reportedly proposed a "peace plan" that would "see the current frontline frozen in place and Ukraine agreeing to shelve its ambition to join NATO for 20 years," the Telegraph reported on November 7, citing three Trump staffers.

Europe worried

Trump's re-election has raised fresh concerns from Europe of reduced US aid for Ukraine. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is scheduled to meet French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday to discuss ways to help Ukraine, Reuters reported, adding that Britain and France have said it is essential to keep supporting Ukraine against Russia to protect the European continent as a whole.

"The Russia-Ukraine conflict is a lesson for those in Europe who supported NATO's 'eastward expansion,' as touching on Russia's core interests has proved to be detrimental to European security," Lü said. He noted that countries like Germany, which have long built stable energy and economic partnerships with Russia, have been hurt by the conflict. 

"European leaders are now caught in a difficult position as to their stances on Moscow. If the US moves to repair ties with Russia, some in Europe may likely follow suit," the expert said.

Cui further analyzed that Europe's concern stems mainly from two perspectives. "On one hand they are worried about the uncertainty of the Trump administration. Europe fears losing the counterbalance to Russia, which could pose a bigger threat to the continent's security," Cui said, "while on the other hand the fear comes from the controversial policy Trump had taken during his last term, as he pressured Europe to take on more responsibility for its own defense."

But whatever policy Trump would take for the new term, Europe needs to strengthen its own strategic autonomy based on its own interests, rather than blindly following the US, Cui noted.

To ease tensions on the Russia-Ukraine frontline, Cui suggests the West to reduce hostility toward Moscow and engage in frank dialogue with the Russian side. 

Paying a "protection fee" will not bring security and the deeper the DPP authorities lean on the US, the more it will destroy Taiwan, and the greater the disaster it will bring to the Taiwan people, Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhu Fenglian told a press conference on Wednesday. 

Zhu made the remarks in response to a question that some people from "green camp" in the Taiwan island claimed that the US' asking Taiwan to pay a "protection fee" should be viewed positively, as it means the US is willing to protect Taiwan. 

Since Lai Ching-te took office, he has stubbornly adhered to a "Taiwan independence" stance, recklessly aligning with external forces, attempting to seek independence through foreign support and pursue independence through force. This has severely harmed the interests of the Taiwan people and seriously threatened the peace and stability of the Taiwan Straits, Zhu said. 

The US always follows an "America First" policy, and I believe most Taiwan people have made a rational judgment, said Zhu, sternly warning the DPP authorities that paying a "protection fee" will not bring security. 

The deeper the DPP authorities lean on the US, the more it will destroy Taiwan, and the greater the disaster it will bring to the Taiwan people, said the spokesperson. 

The US has reportedly "ordered" the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) to halt sales of advanced chips, which are usually used in artificial intelligence (AI) applications, to Chinese mainland's customers. Analysts said on Sunday that despite relentless US pressure, the chipmaker from the island of Taiwan cannot afford to lose the mainland market.

The US Department of Commerce sent a letter to TSMC imposing export restrictions on certain sophisticated chips, of 7 nanometer or more advanced designs, destined for mainland that power AI accelerator and graphics processing units, Reuters reported on Sunday, citing anonymous sources.

The "order" will take effect on Monday, the report said.

In recent years, the US has relentlessly tightened restrictions on AI chip exports to China. However, businesses are driven by profit, and while TSMC may not be able to resist US pressure, it will undoubtedly seek ways to preserve some flexibility and room for negotiation, Ma Jihua, a veteran telecom industry observer, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Like many other chipmakers, it cannot afford to lose the mainland market, Ma said.

In a statement sent to the Global Times on Sunday, TSMC said it is a law-abiding company and is committed to complying with all applicable rules and regulations, including applicable export controls.

Citing an insider from TSMC, Taiwan island's local Economic Daily News reported on Friday that "the company is currently discussing how to respond to the new US regulations." The report also quoted an anonymous industry source as saying that it is unlikely TSMC will suspend shipments of the relevant products at this time.

TSMC hopes that the restrictions will only apply to mainland companies with products related to AI chips, without affecting other customers, such as those in the mobile chip sector, the local media reported.

In fact, the US decoupling policy toward China has introduced significant uncertainty across the industry globally. While Washington pressures its so-called allies to decouple from China, the reality is that there has been considerable resistance.

Peter Wennink, the former CEO of ASML, the world's leading lithography manufacturer based in the Netherlands, clearly stated in a media interview that the China accounts for 30 percent of its orders. Despite export restrictions, ASML will not abandon the market and will do everything possible to continue selling lithography machines to China, Sing Tao Daily reported in 2023.

Even with full implementation of AI chip export restrictions to China, the impact on the country's AI development would be limited, Ma said, noting that leading high-tech companies in China have also built sufficient computing power reserves, and the country's AI industry remains at the forefront of the world.

Chinese chip companies have made remarkable progress in recent years despite the ongoing US pressure, Ma said.

In the first seven months, China's semiconductor exports totaled 640.91 billion yuan ($89.27 billion), a 25.8 percent year-on-year increase. Among key export categories, this was the second-highest growth rate, trailing only that of ships, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs.

Meanwhile, China has steadily increased domestic production of semiconductors. In 2013, the ratio of domestic production to imports was 32.58 percent, but by the first half of 2024, this figure had risen to nearly 80 percent, highlighting a continuous rise in self-sufficiency and a significant boost in domestic production levels, domestic news site stcn.com reported in August.