Russia and Abkhazia have approved plans for joint development until 2030

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) – Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) –

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During the official visit to Abkhazia, the Russian delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak discussed key areas of bilateral cooperation with representatives of the republic's Ministry of Economy. Particular attention was paid to the implementation of joint projects within the framework of existing intergovernmental agreements.

"Over the past 4 years, the Program for the Socioeconomic Development of the Republic of Abkhazia has been successfully implemented. The volume of trade between our countries has grown by 60%. According to the results of several months of 2025, the growth in trade turnover was about 30%. Russia provides support for the socioeconomic development of the Republic. We see enormous potential for the development of agriculture and tourism in the Republic. Abkhazia is a reliable and friendly partner for us. We have common ideas and initiatives, the same view of the situation in the world, which should become multipolar," said Alexander Novak.

One of the significant results of the meeting was the extension of the basic agreement on socio-economic cooperation until 2030. This will create the basis for a new five-year program for 2026–2030, which should come into force by the end of 2025.

"The difficulties that the republic faces are not easy, but with the support of the Russian Federation, we can overcome them. It is very important for us to implement all the programs that we have outlined. Based on the results of 2022-2025, we see positive results: trade turnover has grown significantly, GDP has increased by 187%. These are serious indicators. I am confident that the implementation of the current program will give a special impetus to the development of the economy of our Republic," said Badra Gunba, President of the Republic of Abkhazia.

During the visit, the 20th meeting of the Russian-Abkhaz Intergovernmental Commission was held, where the parties agreed on further steps for the development of the republic. In particular, the following will be continued: the implementation of the State Program for the Socio-Economic Development of Abkhazia for 2022-2025, the extension of the basic agreement on socio-economic cooperation until 2030.

In the coming years, it is planned to develop and implement sectoral development work maps in the areas of energy, tourism, transport, healthcare and education, social protection of the population, investment climate, real estate cadastre, customs and tax administration, and public utilities. "The main objective of these maps is to further develop the economy of Abkhazia in conjunction with the formation of a common social and economic space between our countries, and to create a favorable investment climate," commented Sergey Nazarov, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia. "As well as eliminating infrastructure restrictions for economic development, attracting investment and tourists to the republic, expanding social protection measures for the population, improving the quality and accessibility of services provided to citizens of the republic in the social sphere, and the standard of living of the population of the republic as a whole."

The delegation also visited the site of the future Children's Republican Hospital, the Sukhum International Airport named after V.G. Ardzinba, to assess the progress of joint projects. The extension of the agreement until 2030 cements the long-term partnership between the two countries.

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The Belarusian Parliament has declared its focus on building a strategic partnership with Iran

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

MINSK, July 21 /Xinhua/ — Belarus aims to build a strategic partnership with Iran, Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives (lower house of parliament) of Belarus Vadim Ipatov said on Monday during a meeting in Minsk with the Iranian parliamentary delegation led by the head of the working group of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran on cooperation with the National Assembly of Belarus Aliasghar Bagherzadeh. The relevant information was published by BELTA.

V. Ipatov noted that Belarus views Iran as an important partner in the region, an authoritative participant in international relations, and strives to establish a strategic partnership. “We have a common understanding of the processes taking place in the world and a desire to form a fair multipolar world order,” the deputy chairman of the lower house of the Belarusian parliament emphasized.

He recalled that the two countries signed a Roadmap for comprehensive cooperation for 2023-2026 and proposed concentrating bilateral efforts on its implementation.

In turn, A. Bagherzade stated that Iran is interested in developing relations with Belarus in all areas. “Since a free trade agreement was signed between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union, and Iran is an observer in this union, very good additional opportunities for interaction with the union member countries, in particular with Belarus, are emerging,” he noted. –0–

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China urges EU to stop harming legitimate interests of Chinese companies

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

BEIJING, July 21 (Xinhua) — China on Monday called on the European Union to stop harming the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises without any factual basis, and warned that it will take all necessary measures to protect such rights and interests.

The corresponding statement was made by the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Guo Jiakun, at a daily briefing when he was asked to comment on the new sanctions of the European Union against Russia, affecting a number of Chinese companies and banks.

"I would like to emphasize that China has consistently opposed unilateral restrictive measures that are not based on international law and are not sanctioned by the UN Security Council," Guo Jiakun said.

Touching on the Ukrainian crisis, the diplomat noted that China has made tireless efforts to promote peace talks, has never supplied lethal weapons to conflicting parties, and exercises strict control over its export of dual-use goods.

Normal business contacts and cooperation between Chinese and Russian enterprises should not be subject to any interference or influence, Guo Jiakun stressed. –0–

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Iran announces new round of talks with EU3 in Istanbul on July 25

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

TEHRAN, July 21 (Xinhua) — Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on Monday that a new round of talks between Tehran and the E3 group, comprising France, Britain and Germany, is planned to be held in Istanbul, Turkey on July 25.

The official said the talks would focus on lifting sanctions on Iran and issues related to the Iranian nuclear programme, with Tehran set out its demands “in all seriousness”. The meeting would be at deputy foreign minister level and would be attended by the EU deputy high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.

E. Baghaei criticized the three European countries that signed the 2015 nuclear deal for their “inappropriate” stance and silence in the face of Israel’s recent military “aggression” against Iran. The Iranian diplomat said these countries should be held accountable for their stance.

He also mentioned the E3's threats to trigger the sanctions snapback mechanism, stressing that resorting to it is "senseless, illegal and immoral."

The sanctions snapback mechanism is part of the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). It allows other parties to reimpose all international sanctions if Iran fails to comply with the agreement.

Iran and the EU3 have held six rounds of talks since September last year, when delegations began dialogue on a range of issues including Tehran's nuclear program and sanctions relief on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly session in New York. The latest round took place in Istanbul in mid-May.

In July 2015, Iran signed the JCPOA with six countries – Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. Under the deal, Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. –0–

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Georgia records record international tourism revenues for first half of 2025

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

Tbilisi, July 21 (Xinhua) — Georgia's revenue from international tourism in the first half of 2025 reached $1.971 billion, the Georgian National Tourism Administration reported on Monday.

According to official data, revenues from the tourism sector grew by 3.8 percent compared to the same period in 2024 and by 35.4 percent compared to the first half of pre-pandemic 2019. Thus, the tourism sector set a new record for revenues in the first six months.

Head of the National Tourism Administration of Georgia Maia Omiadze noted that the achieved results are a consequence of a targeted strategy for the development of tourism and the aviation sector.

"We have achieved unprecedented revenues – almost two billion dollars in six months. This confirms that our strategy is working. Where tourist flow increases, so do revenues. We have focused our efforts on key markets where the greatest growth is currently observed," said M. Omiadze. -0-

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The main factor in the growth of exports from Georgia in the first half of 2025 was the re-export of passenger cars

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

Tbilisi, July 21 (Xinhua) — Georgia's exports amounted to $3.2 billion in the first half of 2025, up 13 percent year-on-year, the National Statistics Office of Georgia reported on Monday.

According to published data, the main factor behind the growth was the active re-export of passenger cars, the volume of which increased by 30 percent year-on-year and reached $1.2 billion.

In terms of total exports, Kyrgyzstan remains Georgia's largest sales market for the second year in a row. Exports to this country totaled $681 million, up 50 percent from the first half of last year. Kazakhstan ranked second with $414 million, and Azerbaijan third with $342 million.

As for the export of goods of Georgian origin, it increased by 6.4 percent year-on-year, amounting to $1.473 billion. The largest markets for Georgian goods in the first half of 2025 were Russia /310.6 million dollars/, China /162.3 million dollars/ and Turkey /150.4 million dollars/. The main export goods were ferroalloys, mineral and fresh waters, carbonated drinks containing sugar, wine, nitrogen fertilizers, packaged medicines, as well as unprocessed and semi-processed gold. –0–

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The Chinese Foreign Ministry spoke about the Chinese side's expectations from the 25th meeting of the leaders of China and the EU

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

BEIJING, July 21 (Xinhua) — China and the European Union will hold the 25th China-EU leaders' meeting in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a daily briefing on Monday, during which he also outlined China's expectations for the upcoming summit and current China-EU relations.

Guo Jiakun pointed out that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union, as well as the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations.

As the diplomat noted, the world is currently undergoing changes at an accelerated pace that have not been seen in a century, the international situation is chaotically transforming, manifestations of unilateralism and bullying are dealing serious blows to international rules and international order, as a result of which humanity once again finds itself at a decisive crossroads.

The official stressed that it is at this moment that China and the EU, as two major forces promoting multipolarity, two major markets supporting globalization, and two major civilizations advocating diversity, are holding the 25th leaders' meeting, which will be of great significance and will attract wide attention from the international community.

"Over the past half century, China-EU relations have gone through many tests and are now steadily moving towards maturity and stability, becoming one of the most influential bilateral relations in the world," Guo Jiakun said.

China-EU cooperation, he continued, has yielded fruitful results, provided strong support for the development of both sides, brought tangible benefits to the nearly 2 billion people of China and the EU countries, made an important contribution to world peace and development, and set a model for mutually beneficial cooperation in the era of economic globalization.

Guo Jiakun noted that over the past 50 years, annual trade turnover between China and the EU has grown from $2.4 billion to $785.8 billion, while mutual investment has increased from near zero to nearly $260 billion. The Chinese diplomat added that bilateral humanitarian exchanges have become increasingly close, and the two sides have established effective cooperation on climate change and other issues.

"At the same time, China-EU relations are also facing challenges," Guo Jiakun noted. According to him, some EU officials persistently characterize bilateral relations in terms of "partner-competitor-rival", inflate private trade and economic issues, and make groundless accusations against China over the Ukraine issue, which creates unnecessary obstacles for China-EU relations.

The Chinese side believes that over its 50-year history, relations between China and the EU have accumulated sufficient experience and positive energy to withstand any “winds and storms”, difficulties and challenges, the official representative emphasized.

With the 25th China-EU leaders' meeting coming up, China-EU relations are at an important stage where they inherit the traditions of the past and open a new path to the future, he said.

"The Chinese side expects the EU to meet China halfway, view its relations with China from a comprehensive, dialectical and long-term perspective, summarize the experience and lessons of the past 50 years of bilateral relations, follow the trend of the times, live up to the aspirations of the people of both sides and the international community, build consensus, overcome differences and jointly plan cooperation for the next 50 years, so as to jointly create an even better future for the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership," Guo Jiakun concluded. -0-

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China releases first national standard for school meal services

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

BEIJING, July 21 (Xinhua) — China has issued its first national standard for school meal services, which will take effect on Dec. 1 this year, the State Administration for Market Regulation announced Monday.

The School Food Service Business Management Guidelines regulate the activities of businesses providing food preparation and delivery services to primary and secondary schools and kindergartens.

There are currently more than 460,000 primary and secondary schools and kindergartens in China, attended by more than 237 million students.

According to the guidelines, businesses are required to appoint full-time employees responsible for ensuring and checking food safety.

Businesses are required to purchase key ingredients, including rice, flour and vegetable oil, from designated suppliers and maintain testing records for each batch of raw materials.

The food preparation process should be integrated into a kitchen monitoring system with online access, and key food processing operations should be openly demonstrated to schools, parents and students. –0–

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Death toll in Gaza exceeds 59,000: health ministry

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

GAZA, July 21 (Xinhua) — The number of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip since the conflict began on October 7, 2023 has exceeded 59,000, the health authority based in the Palestinian enclave said on Monday.

The ministry's press release stated that a total of 59,029 Palestinians have been killed and another 142,135 injured in Israel's ongoing military operations.

Since March 18, 8,196 deaths and 30,094 wounded have been recorded, reflecting an escalation in fighting in previous weeks, the report said.

According to the latest figures, 134 bodies have been delivered to hospitals in the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours. In addition, 1,155 people have been injured to varying degrees of severity as a result of ongoing airstrikes and shelling over the past 24 hours. The ministry warned that the figures could rise as many victims are still under rubble.

The UN and a number of regional organizations have repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of internationally monitored humanitarian corridors, but efforts to find a sustainable humanitarian solution have so far failed to produce results. –0–

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Indian Vice President Resigns Due to Health Issues

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

NEW DELHI, July 21 (Xinhua) — Indian Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday resigned, citing health reasons.

In his resignation letter to President Draupadi Murmu, J Dhankhar said: “In view of the need to give top priority to my health and to follow medical advice, I hereby tender my resignation as Vice-President of India with immediate effect.”

J. Dhankhar became the country's vice president in 2022. –0–

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