G20 finance ministers and central bank governors agree to strengthen multilateralism

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

JOHANNESBURG, July 18 (Xinhua) — A two-day meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors concluded in Durban, South Africa on Friday, with participants agreeing to strengthen multilateral cooperation to address existing and emerging risks to the global economy, according to a joint communique issued after the meeting.

According to the communique, G20 officials discussed global challenges such as conflicts, geopolitical and trade tensions, disruptions to global supply chains, high debt levels, and frequent extreme weather events and natural disasters.

The document notes that the officials reaffirmed their commitment to global economic cooperation despite difficult negotiations. “It was not easy in the current environment,” said South African Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, commenting on the negotiations that allowed the ministers to reach an agreement and sign the communiqué.

“There was a renewed commitment to strengthen multilateral cooperation to address existing and emerging risks to the global economy and to recognise the importance of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in advancing trade issues and agreed rules in the WTO,” the South African Treasury Department said in a statement.

The statement said the G20 ministers and central bankers agreed that the WTO requires comprehensive reform to improve all its functions through innovative approaches to meet and respond to modern realities. They noted that developing countries face high levels of debt and debt servicing costs that need to be addressed.

“The G20 members expressed their commitment to addressing the debt vulnerability of low- and middle-income countries and reaffirmed their intention to strengthen the implementation of the G20 Common Principles. They also stressed the need to enhance the role and voice of developing countries in decision-making in multilateral development banks and other international financial and economic institutions,” the South African Treasury said in a statement. –0–

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German Chancellor Calls Situation in Gaza 'Unacceptable'

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

BERLIN, July 18 (Xinhua) — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday called the current situation in the Gaza Strip "unacceptable," calling for an immediate ceasefire and comprehensive humanitarian aid to the local population.

Speaking at a press conference in Berlin, F. Merz said that Germany, together with its partners, is working in close coordination to resolve the conflict in Gaza.

The Chancellor stressed that Germany clearly states its position on certain developments in Israel, including the policy of building settlements in the West Bank, which “does not find approval in the German government.”

According to a statement from the German federal government, Merz expressed hope for a speedy ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday.

F. Merz said that urgently needed humanitarian aid must be delivered to the residents of the Gaza Strip in a safe and humane manner.

According to the statement, the German Chancellor also stressed that there should be no steps towards annexation of the West Bank. –0–

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Georgia's ruling party condemns Western pressure and stresses country's independent foreign policy

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

TBILISI, July 18 (Xinhua) — Georgian Dream Party Chairman and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday made an official statement on behalf of the party's political council, expressing concern over the hostile campaign against Georgia.

He stressed that unfair treatment of the Georgian government was noted after the start of the war in Ukraine. The reason for this, according to the authors of the statement, was the decision of the Georgian government not to interfere in the war and not to open a second front against Russia.

The statement said that because of this, the United States terminated the strategic partnership agreement signed with Georgia and imposed sanctions against the founder and honorary chairman of the Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, on charges of ties to Russia.

As stated in the document, in recent weeks the European Parliament has adopted a number of resolutions condemning Georgia's domestic policies, and measures to suspend the visa-free regime and trade agreements with the European Union are also being discussed.

I. Kobakhidze called these actions a “hostile campaign” aimed at supporting the opposition and changing power in the country.

The Georgian Dream party reiterated its commitment to peace, stability and the protection of the country's sovereignty. –0–

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At least 3 people killed in explosion at training ground in US state of California

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

LOS ANGELES, July 18 (Xinhua) — At least three law enforcement officers were killed in an explosion at a police training ground in the southern U.S. state of California on Friday morning, local media reported.

According to local television channel KABC /ABC Network/, the explosion occurred at about 07:30 a.m. local time /14:30 GMT/ at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Biscailloos training center, which houses the department's special forces and bomb squad.

According to preliminary data from sources cited in the report, at the time of the explosion, the victims were working with explosives of an unspecified type.

In a statement posted on social media platform X, California Governor Gavin Newsom's office said he was "informed of an explosion that occurred at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office Special Operations Office in East Los Angeles."

The California Governor's Office of Emergency Management is in contact with the Sheriff's Department and monitoring the situation, offering the state's full support, the statement added. -0-

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Chinese Investments Boost Hungary's Economic Growth – Hungarian Foreign Minister

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

BUDAPEST, July 18 (Xinhua) — Chinese investment has significantly improved Hungary's economic performance and supported the country's ongoing structural reforms, Hungarian Foreign and Trade Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Friday.

P. Szijjártó made the statement during a working breakfast in Budapest with the heads of Chinese companies operating in the country. “Hungary is proud to be the main European destination for Chinese capital, and we want to maintain this position,” he noted.

Highlighting Hungary's success in attracting Chinese investment, P. Szijjártó said that "in 2020, 2023 and 2024, Chinese companies became the largest investors in our country." "These investments bring advanced technologies and create a significant number of stable jobs," he added.

The Hungarian Foreign Minister stressed the importance of global connectivity and cooperation based on mutual respect, noting that Hungary rejects the division of the world into competing blocs.

He warned that undermining or limiting Chinese-European economic ties would create serious problems for the European economy.

For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Hungary Gong Tao highly praised the fruitful results achieved in Chinese-Hungarian trade and economic cooperation, saying that thanks to the joint efforts of both sides, bilateral trade and economic cooperation will reach new heights, “will make an even greater contribution to economic development and improving living standards in both countries, and will continue to deepen the friendly relations between our countries.” –0–

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Interest rates on new car loans in Russia have fallen to a two-year low — media

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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, July 18 /Xinhua/ — The average weighted annual interest rate on loans for new cars in Russia in June 2025 was less than 13.6 percent, which was the minimum since 2023, Kommersant reports.

Since the beginning of this year, car loan rates for new cars have fallen by 7%. For used cars, the average weighted rate is 28.2%, which is 0.5% lower than at the beginning of 2025.

The car loan market in Russia has grown by 46 percent in terms of the volume of funds issued since the beginning of the year. The main driver of this growth was government support and subsidies for manufacturers. Car sales under preferential programs amounted to 16 percent of the total number of car loans. –0–

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The State Financial Supervision Administration has promised to step up support for China's economic growth.

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

BEIJING, July 18 (Xinhua) — China's National Financial Supervision Administration on Friday vowed to strengthen support for economic growth and help the country achieve its annual economic and social development targets.

As noted in a statement published on the department's website, the government will strengthen financial support for high-quality urban development and the implementation of initiatives to stimulate consumption.

The statement noted that measures will also be taken to strengthen support for effective investment and financing, improve financial services to stabilize business and foreign trade, and strengthen support for the development of new-quality productive forces.

The State Administration also called for coordinated work to prevent risks, strengthen regulation and promote high-quality development, as well as effectively prevent and address risks in key sectors. –0–

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China strongly opposes Canada's tightening restrictions on steel imports: China's Ministry of Commerce

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

BEIJING, July 18 (Xinhua) — China expresses strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to the Canadian government's recent decision to tighten restrictions on steel imports, a spokesman for China's Ministry of Commerce said Friday.

The official representative made a corresponding statement in response to a media inquiry on this issue.

Finance Canada recently announced that, effective August 1, in response to U.S. steel tariffs and given the global steel glut, it will expand steel import quotas, tighten existing quota restrictions, and impose additional duties on above-quota imports. In addition, Canada will impose an additional 25 percent duty on imports of steel products smelted and cast in China from all countries except the United States.

Commenting on the measures, a spokesman for China's Ministry of Commerce said they violate World Trade Organization rules, destabilize the international trade order and harm China's interests, representing a typical manifestation of unilateralism and protectionism.

The official noted that the real reason for the difficulties in Canada's steel industry is the unilateral tariff measures of the United States. However, Canadian authorities ignore the main contradiction and try to shift the damage to the industry to other trading partners, including China, he added.

According to the official representative, the Canadian side's actions are logically unfounded, legally illegal and practically useless. They will seriously damage normal trade and economic cooperation between China and Canada, he warned.

The Chinese side calls on Canada, in the spirit of safeguarding the multilateral trading system and maintaining the overall context of China-Canada economic and trade relations, to promptly correct its wrong actions and lift the restrictive measures. China will take all necessary measures to resolutely protect the legitimate rights and interests of its enterprises, the spokesperson added. –0–

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Chinese authorities call for rational competition between food delivery companies

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

BEIJING, July 18 (Xinhua) — China's State Administration for Market Regulation on Friday called on three major food delivery platforms to strengthen regulations on their promotional activities and participate in competition in a rational manner.

The corresponding call was made during an explanatory conversation held by the department with the companies Ele.me, Meituan and JD.com.

The state administration called on the three companies to strictly comply with the country's laws on e-commerce, anti-unfair competition and food safety, and promote the orderly, healthy and sustainable development of the catering service industry. –0–

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China introduces new measures to encourage reinvestment by foreign-funded companies

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

BEIJING, July 18 (Xinhua) — China has introduced new measures to encourage reinvestment by foreign-funded enterprises, according to a circular jointly issued by seven government bodies including the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

According to the circular, the measures cover a wide range of areas, including improving the quality of project support services, simplifying the procedure for setting up new enterprises with reinvestment, and introducing innovative financial products and services.

These efforts are aimed at helping foreign-funded companies expand their presence and achieve long-term development in the Chinese market, the SCRR said.

The circular clarifies the scope of the incentive measures and sets out requirements for launching pilot programs for reporting investment information of foreign-invested companies, strengthening information sharing among departments and improving assessment methods to encourage foreign investment. –0–

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