Xi calls for more bridges of cooperation, less 'small yard, high fences'

The "Haiwei GD11000," China's first and the world's only all-depth optical cable winch system, jointly developed by Dalian Maritime University and other technology companies, recently completed its first deep-sea survey in the South China Sea, demonstrating its full capabilities for maximum-depth ocean research, Science and Technology Daily reported on Tuesday.

During the voyage aboard the Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey Bureau's Haiyang Dizhi 2 (Ocean Geology 2) ship, the towing operation achieved a cable deployment length of over 11,000 meters and an operational depth exceeding 4,000 meters. This fully validated the stability and operational capability of China's domestically developed deep-sea winches system, according to the report.

The "Haiwei GD11000" can conduct scientific research operations at the maximum depths of all oceans worldwide. It is China's first and the world's only all-depth optical cable winch system, according to a statement published by Dalian Maritime University.

The optical cable winch system is designed for deploying, recovering, and towing large systems such as deep-sea towing systems and cable-controlled underwater robots. It serves as a fundamental piece of equipment for research vessels and is indispensable for deep-sea resource exploration and development.

As marine scientific research ventures into even deeper waters, harsher environments, and more precise scientific investigations, higher demands are being placed on winch systems. Traditional optical cable winch systems, limited by the heavy weight of metal-armored cables, cannot support full-depth operations. 

This prompted the domestic and independent development of an all-depth optical cable winch system, said the university.

The "Haiwei GD11000" will be deployed for routine deep-sea and polar survey operations aboard research vessels in the future, and will provide technological support for China's marine scientific research endeavors and deep-sea resource exploration and utilization, it said.

The Five Eyes alliance hosted an intelligence group meeting in Japan on Wednesday, the first time that such a meeting has been held in a non-member country, a reflection of Tokyo's "critical position for gathering information on nearby China," Nikkei Asia reported. 

Chinese experts warned of Japan's eagerness to join the alliance, but suggested that as the Five Eyes countries are all of Anglo-Saxon origin, Japan will seem "an outsider." The group is only using Japan's zeal to serve their own hegemonic purposes, analysts said.

The decision to hold the meeting in Japan reflects its "growing importance as an intelligence-collecting base in the Indo-Pacific region," Nikkei Asia reported. 

The meeting with members from the grouping - comprising the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand - took place as part of a broader conference held in Tokyo among senior enlisted personnel from across Japan's Self-Defense Forces, the Japan Times reported on Wednesday. 

While this marks the first such meeting outside a Five Eyes country, it is not the first time Japan has been involved in such gatherings. In October, Japan's Self-Defense Forces participated in a meeting in Canada for the first time by invitation, according to Nikkei Asia.

Japan has long sought to enhance its status by pursuing membership in the Five Eyes grouping. And to gain this position, Japan is striving to align itself more closely with the Five Eyes in various fields, including military, security, politics and culture, Zhou Yongsheng, a deputy director of the Japanese Studies Center at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

While the possibility of Japan becoming the "sixth eye" is increasing, potential membership will depend on negotiations among member states, as the Five Eyes is not merely an intelligence sharing group, it is rooted in shared ethnic heritage and cultural ties, as all members are of Anglo-Saxon origin, Zhou said. 

In contrast, Japan does not share the same ethnic and cultural background with these countries, which will make it "an outsider" in this context, Zhou said.

By offering incentives to "award" Japan - in this case, choosing Tokyo to host the meeting - the Five Eyes alliance is creating a perception that Japan is "highly valued." In reality, the partnership serves the Five Eyes' hegemonic purposes by forming camp confrontation, Lü Chao, a research fellow on Northeast Asia studies at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.

The meeting took place against the backdrop of a changing international landscape. At the just-concluded APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Lima, Peru and the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, China demonstrated an ever-more influential role in promoting peace and development across the globe through cooperation, as local officials hailed China's pivotal role in advancing inclusive, sustainable development across the Asia Pacific and globally.

"At such a time of change, establishing closer ties with or even joining Five Eyes is not in line with Japan's interests," Lü said, noting that the recently reelected Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has been actively engaging with China. 

Since the US implemented its so-called Indo-Pacific strategy, the Five Eyes alliance has strengthened intelligence and military interactions in the region, which have brought about great uncertainty. In this context, the latest move will cause further unrest among regional countries, Lü said.

China is ready to continue working with Morocco to firmly support each other on issues concerning their respective core interests, and push for greater development of China-Morocco strategic partnership, Chinese President Xi Jinping said when meeting with Moroccan Crown Prince Moulay Hassan on Thursday during a technical stop in Casablanca after wrapping up his state visit to Brazil. 

Assigned by Moroccan King Mohammed VI, Hassan and Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch greeted Xi at the airport, where a welcome ceremony was held. Xi asked Hassan to convey his cordial greetings and best wishes to King Mohammed VI.

Xi pointed out that China and Morocco have witnessed sound development in their relations, with fruitful practical cooperation and increasingly vibrant exchanges in various fields. In 2016, Xi said, King Mohammed VI paid a state visit to China, during which they held productive talks, bringing China-Morocco relations to a new level. 

China is ready to work with Morocco to implement the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the 10th ministerial conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, and work for more outcomes in practical cooperation across various fields within the framework of Belt and Road cooperation, Xi said. 

China supports Morocco's efforts in safeguarding national security and stability, Xi added, calling on the two countries to expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges, so as to enhance public support for their friendship. 

Hassan conveyed the sincere greetings and warm welcome from King Mohammed VI to Xi, saying that bilateral ties have maintained a sound development momentum. He thanked China for its valuable support to Morocco during the COVID-19 pandemic, which the Moroccan people will never forget.

The Moroccan royal family and government are firmly committed to further developing bilateral relations, and are willing to maintain high-level exchanges with China and strengthen cooperation in various fields, he said. 

The Chinese language and culture are very popular among the Moroccan people, Hassan said, expressing his hope for promoting bilateral people-to-people exchanges. Noting that the two countries hold similar positions on many issues, he said the Moroccan side stands ready to work with China to firmly support each other in safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and stability.

The visit highlighted the deep friendship between China and Morocco and also Morocco's strong emphasis on its relationship with China. It is expected to further strengthen bilateral ties, deepen cooperation, and enhance people-to-people exchanges between the two nations, Song Wei, a professor from the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Friday. 

Song noted that President Xi's speeches at the G20 and APEC meetings highlighted China's willingness and confidence in sharing its development experience and working to build consensus among the Global South countries on advancing economic growth. 

As a key regional player in North Africa and an important partner in the China-Africa Cooperation Forum, Morocco seeks to foster win-win cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative while drawing from China's expertise in development and poverty alleviation, said the expert. 

The Chinese national football team secured a key win in the World Cup Asian qualifying round on Thursday, beating Bahrain 1-0 away from home and moving up to fourth place in the group.

Beijing Guoan forward Zhang Yuning scored the only goal for China in the 90th minute. 

Both China and Bahrain were seeking to get their qualifying campaigns back on track, but chances were scarce at the Bahrain National Stadium. 

Thursday's match was the first time under coach Branko Ivankovic that no naturalized players appeared in the starting lineup for China.

The 70-year-old Croatian has stated that the goal for the team is a top four finish in the group, which would take them through to the fourth round of the Asian qualifiers. 

The Chinese team, which is now ranked 92nd in the world, played Thursday's match without several key players, including injury-plagued domestic top striker Wu Lei. Midfielder Xie Wenneng, who scored against Australia in the 3-1 defeat in October, was also missing.

The Chinese team will next host Japan in Xiamen, East China's Fujian Province, on Tuesday.

Chinese forward Behram Abduweli will have to skip the Japan match due to accumulation of yellow cards, after receiving a caution in the 20th minute against Bahrain.

A man accidentally found a masonry piece imprinted with four fingerprints in a vegetable patch near the site of Weiyang Palace in Chang'an city of the Han Dynasty (206BC-AD25), Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, and it has now been transferred to professionals for examination.

A man surnamed Zhang looked around and discovered multiple pieces of masonry and terracotta debris with rope patterns from the Han Dynasty at first, then stumbled upon a masonry piece bearing four fingerprints. "It used to be the Weiyang Palace in Chang'an city of the Han Dynasty, so I suspect this masonry dates back to the Han Dynasty," Zhang said.

After finding the fingerprinted masonry, Zhang went to local authorities to report his discovery. Relevant authorities have confirmed that the masonry is not concrete, but an ancient artifact. 

As for the specific time of the masonry, the official said that experts will determine its specific age, according to media reports.

The relationship between China and Brazil has established a model for major developing countries to develop win-win cooperation and pursue a shared future, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a signed article published on Sunday in Brazilian media outlet Folha de S. Paulo.

Over the past 50 years, China-Brazil relations have withstood the test of a changing international landscape and become increasingly mature and vibrant, Xi said, adding this dynamic relationship has not only boosted their respective development but also contributed significantly to world peace and stability.

The article titled "A Friendship Spanning Vast Oceans A Voyage Toward a Brighter Shared Future" was released as Xi is traveling to Brazil for the 19th G20 Leaders' Summit in Rio de Janeiro and a state visit to Brazil.

A series of new members of China's CH drone family, including the large-size armed reconnaissance drone CH-9 and the latest upgraded version of the stealth early-warning drone CH-7, have debuted at Airshow China 2024 in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province.

New products also include the low-cost drone CH-3D, the cargo drone CH-YH1000, as well as a series of air-to-surface missiles.

The CH-9 is the latest entry to the CH armed reconnaissance drone series. The length of its body is about 12 meters, with a wingspan of around 25 meters. The maximum range of this large armed reconnaissance drone with weapons loaded can reach more than 11,500 kilometers and its maximum takeoff weight is 5,000 kilograms. The maximum flight time is 40 hours and the ceiling limit is 11,000 meters, the Global Times learned from the developer, Aerospace CH UAV Co Ltd.

When undertaking reconnaissance and strike missions, the CH-9 has high combat capability to detect and destroy targets as it can carry a huge amount of weapons. It can also circle around in the air for a very long time over the targets, the developer said.   

The CH-7 is another super star airshow among the numerous UAVs that were displayed in Zhuhai this year. It is an advanced stealth drone for early-warning mission and electronic warfare. According to the developer, its maximum takeoff weight is eight tons, the cruising speed is Mach 0.5 and the service ceiling limit is 16,000 meters. 

The stealth aircraft's scale model made its debut at the airshow in 2018, but at that time, it was being designed to be a stealth armed reconnaissance UAV that can play a strategic role in combat, so it was bigger and able to conduct strike missions to eliminate a strategic target. However, six years on, the CH-7 project has experienced a change from strategic drone to advanced tactical drone that is able to conduct various missions due to the development of modern warfare and the changing demand of clients, Cao Ran of Aerospace CH UAV told the Global Times at the airshow.

The missions that the CH-7 can conduct include monitoring combat zones, electronic support and jamming, and the radar that it carries can carry out long-range air and sea surveillance, and detect large surface vessels, according to the developer.    

In other words, the CH-7 is the "eyes" for other combat units who are responsible for attack, such as bombers or fighter jets, going deep inside the enemy's area taking advantage of its advanced stealth and searching capabilities to locate hostile warships including aircraft carriers. Then, bombers or other units can launch missiles with precision, destroying the enemy's vessels from a long distance, Cao said. 

Cao said the stealth capability of the CH-7 is outstanding, and is on the same level as the US-made RQ-180. Even if the CH-7 gets spotted by the enemy's radar and gets shot down during the mission, it has already transmitted valuable information about the enemy back to the command system. Moreover, the price is affordable, as now the CH-7 is not an expensive strategic drone anymore. A few losses for unmanned aerial vehicles for a victory of the battle is a good deal for sure, Cao noted.    

Cao told the Global Times on Monday that since the CH-7 is now becoming a stealth early warning drone, it is also becoming smaller and lighter. "The CH-7 could also be used for different types of maritime missions according to the demand of our navy" he said.

"The CH-7 has great potential, and we can make adjustments to meet the different demands of our clients," Cao said.  

Chinese President Xi Jinping left Beijing on Wednesday to attend the 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Lima and pay a state visit to Peru at the invitation of President of the Republic of Peru Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra.

Xi's entourage includes Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, and Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and foreign minister.

China on Sunday released baselines of territorial sea adjacent to Huangyan Dao, according to Xinhua News Agency. 

The Chinese government delimited and announced the baselines of the territorial sea adjacent to Huangyan Dao, which is a natural step to lawfully strengthen marine management and is consistent with international law and common practices, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Sunday. 

The spokesperson said that Huangyan Dao has always been China's territory. In accordance with international law, such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone, the Chinese government delimited and announced the baselines of the territorial sea adjacent to Huangyan Dao.

The so-called "Philippine Maritime Zones Act" aims to further solidify the illegal arbitral award on the South China Sea in the form of domestic legislation and illegally include China's Huangyan Dao and most of the islands and reefs of China's Nansha Qundao, and their relevant waters into the Philippines' maritime zones, the spokesperson added.

"This move severely violates China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea," the spokesperson said, adding that China firmly opposes it and will continue to do everything necessary in accordance with law to firmly defend its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

The China Coast Guard (CCG) said on Sunday in a statement that it will continuously strengthen patrols and law enforcement in territorial waters off China's Huangyan Dao and relevant waters.

Huangyan Dao is inherent territory of China. For a long time, China has continuously, peacefully, and effectively exercised sovereignty and jurisdiction over Huangyan Dao. In recent time, the Philippines has frequently dispatched military and law enforcement vessels and aircraft, and public service ships to provoke trouble in the waters and airspace near Huangyan Dao, seriously infringing on China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, according to the CCG statement. 

The Philippines has also incited fishing boats to illegally operate in the lagoon of Huangyan Dao. According to the information commanded, some Philippine fishing boats are suspected of engaging in illegal activities such as using poisons for fishing and capturing endangered aquatic wildlife, which harm the fragile ecosystem of the relevant maritime areas.

The CCG will continue to strengthen patrols and law enforcement in the territorial waters of Huangyan Dao and related maritime areas in accordance with the China's Coast Guard Law, fisheries law, Marine Environmental Protection Law, and other laws and regulations, as well as in reference to international laws such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The CCG will firmly maintain good order in the relevant maritime areas, resolutely protect the ecological environment and biological resources of the relevant maritime areas, and firmly safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, read the CCG statement.