The Russian economy must be returned to a trajectory of sustainable growth, says the Russian President.

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

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

Moscow, March 23 (Xinhua) – The Russian economy must be returned to a trajectory of sustainable growth, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday at a meeting on economic issues.

"We need to return to a trajectory of sustainable economic growth, while, of course, slowing inflation and maintaining stability in the labor market," the Russian president's words are quoted on the Kremlin website.

Vladimir Putin noted the low, negative dynamics of key macroeconomic indicators. "In January of this year, Russia's gross domestic product was 2.1 percent lower than a year ago. Industrial production declined by 0.8 percent. However, mineral extraction increased by 0.5 percent, even before the rise in global energy prices," he cited statistics.

The Russian leader also noted that unemployment remained low in January—2.2 percent, consumer spending increased, and inflation remained below 6 percent year-on-year. "This is definitely a positive," he emphasized.

Vladimir Putin emphasized that a key condition for economic growth is a balanced macroeconomic framework, as well as the constant monitoring and management of key parameters such as money supply growth, lending dynamics, and the state of the budget system, which is crucial to ensuring long-term sustainability. Furthermore, the Russian leader believes it is essential to improve the employment structure and attract personnel to high-tech industries, which generate significant added value.

According to the head of state, Russian oil and gas companies should use the additional revenue from rising global hydrocarbon prices to reduce their debt burden and pay off their debts to Russian banks. "That would be a mature decision," he noted.

V. Putin also called on the Russian government to make a balanced decision regarding the current revenues in the oil and gas sector, which should guarantee the long-term balance of the country's budget.

As the Russian President emphasized, for effective macroeconomic policy, it is essential to consider all significant factors and respond proactively to external risks, which are currently acutely evident in global markets and the system of international economic relations. "I am referring to the general tensions in the world and the associated fluctuations in energy markets, and the same is happening with many other commodities," Vladimir Putin explained.

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Trump postpones strikes on Iran's power plants and energy infrastructure for five days

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

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

WASHINGTON, March 23 (Xinhua) — US President Donald Trump said on Monday he had ordered the US military to postpone strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days following "productive" talks with Iran.

In a message published on the social network Truth Social, D. Trump indicated that over the past two days the parties had “very good and productive conversations” aimed at resolving the conflict in the Middle East.

Given the "deep, detailed, constructive" nature of the talks, the US president instructed the Pentagon to postpone any strikes on Iran's energy infrastructure for five days pending further discussions. –0–

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Middle East countries deeply concerned about consequences of war – special envoy

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

BEIJING, March 23 (Xinhua) — Middle Eastern countries are deeply concerned about the impact of the war and call for an immediate ceasefire, Chinese government special envoy for the Middle East Zhai Jun said at a briefing on Monday after his visit to the region.

Zhai Jun noted that he recently visited several countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Egypt, and held in-depth exchanges of views on the situation in the region with their foreign ministers and the secretaries-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League.

Zhai Jun said he also had a detailed conversation with the Iranian side.

Noting that his visit took place during a period of escalating war, Zhai Jun said that Middle Eastern countries stressed that non-military targets, especially vital infrastructure and energy infrastructure, should not be subject to unjustified attacks, and that the lives and safety of ordinary people must be protected.

"All parties oppose the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, believing it is vital to global energy security and supply chain stability. Its continued closure would lead to unbearable consequences for everyone," he said.

The countries of the region recognize that Iran is a neighbor they cannot abandon. They welcome Iran's statement that it will not attack neighboring countries and call for resolving differences through dialogue and negotiations, the special envoy said.

Regional countries appreciate China's fair position on the current situation and its continuous diplomatic mediation since the conflict began, he said, adding that they expect China to play a more active role in ensuring de-escalation.

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As long as the conflict continues, China will not stop its efforts at diplomatic mediation in the Middle East – special envoy

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

BEIJING, March 23 (Xinhua) — China will not stop its diplomatic mediation efforts as long as the conflict continues, Chinese government special envoy for the Middle East Zhai Jun said on Monday.

As he noted at a press conference, the Chinese people view peace as the highest value, and the basis of China's policy towards the Middle East is precisely promoting reconciliation and peace in the region.

According to him, more than 21,000 people have already been killed or wounded as a result of the war. The fighting is engulfing the entire Middle East region and is dealing a serious blow to global trade and the economy.

"Once Pandora's box is opened, it will lead to catastrophic consequences. If the fighting continues, there will be no winners, and ultimately, only the peoples of the region will suffer," he added.

Zhai Jun said that as a responsible major country and a sincere friend of countries in the Middle East region, China will maintain close communication and coordination with all parties involved, help reduce tensions, pave the way for a ceasefire, build bridges for the resumption of dialogue, and make unremitting efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East. -0-

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Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Zhao Leji met with the delegation of the Mongolian People's Party

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

BEIJING, March 23 (Xinhua) — Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), met in Beijing on Monday with a delegation led by Nyam-Osoryn Uchral, Chairman of the Mongolian People's Party and Chairman of the State Great Khural (parliament).

Zhao Leji, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, said that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the China-Mongolia comprehensive strategic partnership is steadily advancing towards building a community of shared future based on peaceful coexistence, mutual assistance, cooperation and win-win results.

China is willing to work with Mongolia to implement the important agreements reached by the two heads of state, strengthen strategic mutual trust, continue to take into account each other's core interests and major concerns, strengthen legislative exchanges, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, promote friendship between the two peoples, and strengthen multilateral coordination, he added.

During the meeting, Zhao Leji also introduced the Mongolian guests to the practice of people's democracy in the entire process in China.

Nyam-Osoryn Uchral, in turn, stated that developing long-term, stable, and friendly relations with China based on mutually beneficial cooperation is a consistent course of Mongolia's foreign policy. The State Great Khural of Mongolia intends to expand exchanges and contacts with the NPC and is ready to facilitate the continued development of practical cooperation between the two countries.

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Xi Jinping called for efforts to build Xiong'an New Area into a bastion of innovation and a model of high-quality development (detailed version-1)

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

XIONG'AN, HEBEI PROVINCE, March 23 (Xinhua) — Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Monday called for efforts to build Xiong'an New Area in north China's Hebei Province into a bastion of innovation in the new era and a benchmark for promoting high-quality development.

Xi Jinping, also China's president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, inspected the Xiong'an New Area on Monday, where he presided over a symposium to vigorously promote high-quality construction and development in the area. -0-

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China aims to use capital markets to spur technological innovation

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

BEIJING, March 23 (Xinhua) — China plans to use its capital markets to support a new generation of high-tech startups by launching long-term financing, national mergers and acquisitions funds, and ChiNext, a Chinese exchange market for emerging and developing companies similar to the U.S. Nasdaq.

The measures are included in the 15th Five-Year Programme, published this month, and aim to use financial instruments to support the technology sector over the next five years.

THE LONG GAME

At the core of this initiative is a commitment to “patient capital” – long-term financing instruments designed to match the decade-long development cycles of emerging technologies such as quantum computing, nuclear fusion, and brain-machine interfaces.

The idea of supporting “patient capital” was first voiced by the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee in April 2024 and is now enshrined in the new five-year plan.

Last Saturday, the northern Chinese industrial hub of Tianjin unveiled plans to launch two proof-of-concept funds with a combined capacity of approximately 50 million yuan (approximately $7.26 million). Designed with a 15-year investment horizon, these instruments are intended to channel private capital to finance early-stage university innovations still in their infancy in laboratories.

Sovereign wealth funds are being asked to lead by example. Shanghai State-owned Capital Investment Co., Ltd. (SSCI) has established a fund of funds (FOF) focused on integrated circuits, biomedicine, and artificial intelligence, selecting underlying funds with 15- or 20-year terms to ensure long-term commitments.

“Our position is to invest early, in small amounts, for the long term, and in complex technologies,” said SSCI Chairman Yuan Guohua.

Major economically dynamic regions in China, such as Beijing and Shanghai, have already established dedicated funds to support sustainable, long-term capital deployment in sectors that address complex technology challenges.

Last December, China established a national venture capital fund as part of its efforts to mobilize more patient capital for innovation and future industries, with at least 70 percent of its funds earmarked for seed-stage or early-stage companies.

This month, Chinese authorities proposed a package of measures to better align the science and technology insurance system with technological innovation. For small and medium-sized science and technology enterprises, insurers are encouraged to offer simpler and more accessible products with easier access and convenient claims procedures.

Merger Fund

To better provide capital to new entrepreneurs, China plans to set up a mergers and acquisitions fund this year /M

"This move addresses a key issue the industry has faced for years," said Zhang Yichen, Chairman and CEO of CITIC Capital. He noted that in mature markets, only 20-30 percent of primary market exits occur through IPOs, with the vast majority occurring through mergers and acquisitions.

As Yang Chengzhang, chief economist at the Shenwan Hongyuan Securities Research Institute, noted, in complex industrial ecosystems such as smartphones, smart vehicles, and humanoid robots, many innovative companies never grow into independent giants. "Instead, they become crucial components of a broader supply chain, merging with anchor companies through mergers and acquisitions."

M Foundation

Wu Yibing, head of Temasek's China operations, noted that the Chinese market is currently characterized by a "two-wheel drive" dynamic consisting of the flywheel of innovation and the wheel of mergers and acquisitions.

GOVERNMENT REFORM

The reforms also extend to the listing markets themselves. Earlier this month, at a press conference, China Securities Regulatory Commission Chairman Wu Qing announced that an additional set of "more targeted and inclusive" standards for regulating stock listings on the ChiNext exchange would be introduced soon.

Active support for listing shares on the ChiNext platform will be provided to high-quality, innovative and entrepreneurial companies operating in the areas of new types of consumption and in the modern services sector.

The reform measures also include pre-IPO screening for enterprises that have achieved breakthrough developments in key technologies, allowing eligible companies to increase capital and shareholdings for existing shareholders, and optimize pricing mechanisms for issuing new shares.

The ChiNext reform plan reflects a shift from a “P/E ratio-oriented thinking” to a “value discovery-oriented thinking,” which is expected to accelerate the flow of medium- and long-term capital into new-quality productive forces, according to Tian Lihui, director of the Institute of Financial Development at Nankai University.

The high-quality development of a “science and technology platform” in the bond market was also included in China’s five-year roadmap.

“A healthy stock and bond market can automatically channel capital into the most dynamic and promising sectors through market pricing mechanisms,” said Li Zhan, chief economist at China Merchants Fund Management’s research department.

In addition, China's five-year plan aims to make it more convenient for foreign capital to make equity and venture investments in the country. -0-

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The vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee called for closer exchanges between the peoples of China and Russia.

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

Beijing, March 23 (Xinhua) — Li Hongzhong, Chairman of the Chinese branch of the China-Russia Committee of Friendship, Peace and Development, met with his Russian counterpart Boris Titov in Beijing on Monday.

Li Hongzhong, also vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), said that under the strategic leadership of the two heads of state, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era continues to develop at a high level.

He called on the committee to regard the important agreements reached by the leaders of the two countries as the main guide, actively play the role of the main channel for public exchanges between China and Russia, and serve the common interests of China-Russia relations.

Li Hongzhong also briefed his interlocutor on the progress of the 4th session of the 14th NPC.

B. Titov, in turn, noted that the Russian side fully supports the committee's desire to play an active role in promoting Russian-Chinese cooperation and strengthening friendship and mutual trust between the two countries. -0-

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China has introduced temporary price controls on gasoline and diesel fuel.

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

BEIJING, March 23 (Xinhua) — Amid a sharp rise in international oil prices, China has introduced temporary price controls on gasoline and diesel fuel, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced Monday.

These measures, as noted in the agency's statement, are aimed at mitigating the consequences of the abnormal rise in oil prices on the international market, reducing the burden on consumers, and ensuring the smooth functioning of the economy and public welfare.

Gasoline and diesel prices will rise by 1,160 yuan (about $168) and 1,115 yuan per ton, respectively, on Monday, the state commission said. -0-

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Former French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin has died at the age of 88.

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

Paris, March 23 (Xinhua) — Former French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin died on Monday at the age of 88, RTL radio reported.

L. Jospin served as Prime Minister from 1997 to 2002. He ran unsuccessfully for president in the 1995 and 2002 elections. He played an important role in the French Socialist Party and served as its First Secretary from 1981 to 1988 and 1995 to 1997.

In January of this year, L. Jospin underwent major surgery, after which he returned home to recover, local media reported. –0–

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