Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged supply and marketing cooperatives to act as bridges for the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the government to maintain close ties with farmers, and strive to write a new chapter in the high-quality development of the supply and marketing cooperative cause.

Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in an instruction on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives.

Chinese mainland authorities said on Friday that Shenzhen residents will be able to apply for multiple-entry permits to Hong Kong starting from December 1.

A spokesperson for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government stated that the HKSAR welcomes and is grateful for this arrangement, adding that it is expected to inject new momentum into the city's tourism, dining, retail and other sectors.

Starting from December 1, 2024, residents and residence permit holders in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province, can apply for the multiple-entry permit for travel to the HKSAR, allowing unlimited entries within one year, and with each stay not exceeding seven days, according to a statement from the National Immigration Administration on Friday.

HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said in his annual policy address in October that the HKSAR government proposed to the central government further enhancements in mainland residents' tourism visit endorsements to Hong Kong, including resuming the multiple-entry Individual Visit Endorsements for Shenzhen residents and expanding the coverage of pilot cities for implementing policies on the "one trip per week" Individual Visit Endorsements. The central government said relevant departments were studying the expedited implementation of the proposal proactively.

From January 1, 2025, residents of Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province can apply for a one-trip-per-week permit for travel to the Macao SAR. This will allow them to go to Macao once every week for a whole year. Each visit can last up to seven days, but they can only go once each week.

Residents and residence permit holders in the Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, Zhuhai city, can apply for multiple-entry permits for travel to Macao. This allows for unlimited trips to Macao in one year, with each stay not exceeding seven days.

China firmly opposes US arms sales to China's Taiwan region, Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Sunday, calling on the US side to take concrete actions to fulfill its political promise of not supporting "Taiwan independence," to cease arming Taiwan and stop sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces. 

Selling arms to China's Taiwan region is a serious violation to the three China-US joint communiqués, especially the August 17 Communiqué of 1982, Chen said.

The US' latest arms sales plans of $385 million include spare parts and support for F-16 aircraft and active electronically scanned array radars and related equipment, as well as improved mobile subscriber equipment follow-on support and related equipment, according to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

Chen warned the Lai Ching-te authorities that buying weapons will not bring security, and "protection fees" cannot save "Taiwan independence." Relying on the US to pursue "independence" is destined to fail, and attempting to achieve "independence" through military means will only lead Taiwan to danger and ultimately to its own demise.

The Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests, Chen said. "No one and no force should underestimate the firm will and strong capability of the Chinese people to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity."