Category: China

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

SEOUL, January 18 (Xinhua) — A drone believed to have been launched into North Korean airspace may have been linked to two former officials in the presidential administration under former South Korean President Yun Seok-yol, the Renhap News Agency reported on Sunday.

The two men, both in their 30s, previously worked in the presidential office in the Yongsan area and are currently under investigation by a joint military and police team.

According to investigators, one of the suspects allegedly built the drone, while the other claimed to have flown it to measure radiation and heavy metal contamination near a uranium enrichment facility on the Rison River in North Korea. In 2024, both men jointly founded a drone manufacturing startup.

Earlier this month, North Korea accused South Korea of violating its airspace in connection with the drone flight on January 4, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

Police are investigating the motives and circumstances of the alleged flight, including the possibility of collusion between the suspects in operating the drone. –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

LONDON, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Saturday said US President Donald Trump's threat to impose tariffs on allies was "completely wrong."

“Our position on Greenland is absolutely clear: it is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and its future depends on the people of Greenland and the Danes,” Starmer said in a statement.

"Imposing tariffs on allies for NATO countries' commitment to collective security is completely wrong. We will, of course, discuss this issue directly with the US administration," he noted.

On Saturday, D. Trump announced that the United States would impose 10 percent tariffs on all goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Finland starting February 1 in connection with the Greenland issue.

According to him, tariffs will be increased to 25 percent from June 1 and will remain in force until an agreement is reached on the purchase of Greenland by the United States. –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

Washington, January 18 (Xinhua) — US President Donald Trump plans to require countries to contribute at least $1 billion to secure a permanent seat on his proposed "Peace Council," Bloomberg reported on Saturday.

According to the draft charter reviewed by the agency, Donald Trump will become the council's first chairman and will determine which heads of state will be invited to join. Decisions will be made by majority vote, with each member country having one vote. However, all resolutions are subject to approval by the chairman.

“Each member state may hold a seat on the council for no more than three years from the date of entry into force of this charter, with the possibility of extending the term of office at the discretion of the chairman,” the draft states, specifying that the three-year term does not apply to member states that contribute more than $1 billion in cash to the Peace Council during the first year from the date of entry into force of the charter.

The draft charter describes the council as "an international organization seeking to promote stability, restore sound and legitimate governance, and ensure lasting peace in areas affected by or threatened by conflict." The organization will become official once three member states agree to its charter.

Several countries are strongly opposed to this initiative and are working together to counter it, Bloomberg adds, citing sources familiar with the situation.

Critics fear that D. Trump is trying to create an alternative or competitor to the United Nations, which he has long criticized, the agency adds. –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

HAIKOU, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) — A month after the launch of independent customs operations across the Hainan Free Trade Port (HFTP) in southern China, duty-free shopping there has seen a sharp rise, official data showed Sunday.

According to Haikou Customs, from December 18, 2025 to January 17, 2026, the sales volume of duty-free goods controlled by customs reached 4.86 billion yuan (about 693.5 million US dollars), an increase of 46.8 percent year-on-year, and the number of buyers increased by 30.2 percent year-on-year to 745,000, indicating the continued strong vitality of the consumption sector.

To better meet the diverse needs of tourists, Hainan's duty-free shopping policy underwent further adjustments effective November 1, 2025. The number of product categories covered by the policy increased from 45 to 47, and the beneficiary group was expanded to include tourists traveling abroad, attracting more international travelers to shop at local duty-free shops.

Furthermore, the new duty-free shopping policy significantly lowered the purchasing threshold for local residents. Specifically, according to the policy's provisions, local residents with at least one record of leaving the island in a given year can purchase goods from 15 categories an unlimited number of times per year, further encouraging local shopping.

As a reminder, on December 18 last year, China launched an independent customs operation regime throughout the Hainan Free Trade Zone, which ensures freer imports of foreign goods, expanded coverage of zero tariffs, and more favorable conditions for business. -0-

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

Brussels, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa warned Saturday that U.S. threats to impose tariffs on several European countries over Greenland could undermine transatlantic relations and create the risk of a "dangerous downward spiral."

"Tariffs will undermine the transatlantic relationship and create the risk of a dangerous downward spiral," their joint statement said.

Territorial integrity and sovereignty are fundamental principles of international law and are of key importance both for Europe and for the international community, stressed W. von der Leyen and A. Costa, adding that Europe will remain “united, coordinated and committed to defending its sovereignty.”

Their statement followed US President Donald Trump's announcement that Washington intends to impose a 10 percent tariff on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland starting February 1 in connection with the Greenland issue. The tariff will be increased to 25 percent starting in June if an agreement on the United States purchasing the territory is not reached.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

JAKARTA, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) — Debris believed to be the fuselage and tail section of a plane with 10 people on board, which lost contact on Saturday while en route from Yogyakarta to Makassar, was found in South Sulawesi on Sunday, Indonesian media reported.

Indonesia's national search and rescue agency said ground teams were conducting further identification, while strong winds were hampering evacuation efforts in the area.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

XI'AN, January 18 (Xinhua) — Chinese archaeologists have confirmed that the Epan Palace, built during the reign of Emperor Qinshihuang in the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BCE), was built on the site of what was once a massive reservoir. The discovery sheds light on the engineering prowess that existed there more than 2,200 years ago.

The ruins of Epan Palace are located in what is now the New District of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, Northwest China. According to historical records, construction of the palace complex began in 212 BC under Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor to unify China, but was halted after the fall of the short-lived dynasty.

Continuous archaeological research conducted since 1994 has shown that the ruins of the Epan Palace consisted of a massive rectangular stylobate of compacted earth, and that only the unfinished foundation of the ceremonial hall was found.

In 2025, a joint archaeological team from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CAS) and the Xi'an Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology conducted excavations on an area of approximately 1,000 square meters located slightly east of the central part of the stylobate.

According to Liu Rui, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the excavations accurately determined the southern edge of the stylobate, which was located approximately 407 meters from the northern edge of the stylobate, which made it possible to clarify the overall width of the palace complex.

"Combined with earlier findings that the site extends approximately 1,270 meters from east to west, the total area of the ruins exceeds 500,000 square meters, making it the largest known stylobate for a palace complex in ancient China," Liu Rui said.

Recent discoveries also revealed that prior to construction, there was a large pond or lake on this site. The palace stylobate was built directly on the muddy lakebed after the reservoir was drained, demonstrating the significant complexity of organizational management and construction techniques used in large-scale projects during the Qin Dynasty.

Researcher Jiao Nanfeng of the Shaanxi Provincial Academy of Archaeology said the location of the Epan Palace reflected both Emperor Qinshihuang's grand vision for the country's territorial structure and practical considerations.

"At that time, the Qing capital of Xianyang was located on the north bank of the Wei River. Due to the changing political situation and administrative needs, the emperor decided to move the capital to the south bank," added Jiao Nanfeng. -0-

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

HAIKOU, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) — A month after the launch of independent customs operations throughout the Hainan Free Trade Port (HFTP) in southern China, the port has seen initial achievements in improving trade and logistics efficiency.

On December 18, 2025, China launched an independent customs operation regime throughout the Hainan Free Trade Zone, providing freer entry of foreign goods, expanded coverage of zero tariffs, and a more favorable business environment.

One of the notable special customs measures is the provision of “freer first-line access,” which means freer trade between Hainan and areas outside China’s customs border, and “regulated second-line access,” which means maintaining standard customs control over the flow of goods from Hainan Island to the Chinese mainland.

According to data from Haikou Customs, from December 18, 2025 to January 17, 2026, its staff processed 750 million yuan (about 107 million US dollars) worth of zero-duty goods through “first-line” customs clearance, and about 85.9 million yuan worth of duty-exempt value-added goods destined for mainland China through “second-line” clearance. -0-

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

Kunming, January 18 (Xinhua) — As of Sunday, a fire that broke out in a forested area in a village in southwest China's Yunnan Province had been raging for nearly two days. Local authorities say 326 people have been mobilized for rescue efforts.

A forest fire broke out on Friday at 4:51 PM in Jiasheng Village, administratively located in the Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture. Local authorities dispatched 326 rescuers to battle the blaze, including personnel from local emergency services, forestry, pasture, and firefighting departments.

There have been no reports of casualties or injuries at this time.

As of 10:00 PM Saturday, the fire had grown to approximately 600 mu (approximately 40 hectares), with its edge extending more than 600 meters. Local authorities stated that the fire is located in a remote area with no nearby residential areas or critical infrastructure, adding that firefighting was particularly challenging due to the fire's proximity to a cliff and the steep terrain.

As of 8:00 a.m. Sunday, firefighting efforts were still ongoing. -0-

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

MANILA, January 18 (Xinhua) — The body of the last person missing in the January 8 landfill landslide in Cebu City, central Philippines, was recovered early Sunday morning, bringing the death toll from the tragedy to 36, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) announced.

In a statement posted on social media, the BFP said that as of 5:41 a.m. local time on Sunday, all missing persons had been found, marking the end of search and rescue operations nearly two weeks after the incident.

Among the dead were workers trapped inside the site when part of the landfill collapsed on January 8, destroying everything in its path.

Cebu City authorities reported that 18 people were rescued from the incident, all of whom were injured. Of the injured, 14 have already been discharged from hospitals.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.