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China firmly supports multilateralism and free trade, says Vice Premier of the State Council

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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

January 20, Davos, Switzerland. Vice Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China He Lifeng, member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, speaks at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. /Photo: Xinhua/

Davos, Switzerland, January 20 (Xinhua) — Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Tuesday called on the international community to firmly support multilateralism and free trade while remaining committed to win-win cooperation.

He Lifeng, also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, made the call at the 2026 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.

Recalling Chinese President Xi Jinping's speech at the EEF in January 2017, He Lifeng noted that since then, China has faithfully fulfilled its promises and firmly supported multilateralism and free trade. In recent years, Xi Jinping has successively launched four global initiatives, proposing Chinese solutions to the collective challenges facing the world.

Speaking at the forum, He Lifeng made four important recommendations. First, he called on the international community to resolutely support free trade and promote inclusive economic globalization that benefits everyone.

Secondly, according to the Vice Premier of the State Council, it is necessary to firmly uphold multilateralism and make the international trade and economic order more fair and reasonable.

Third, He Lifeng added, the world should adhere to mutually beneficial cooperation, strive to maximize the benefits of cooperation, and jointly solve development problems.

The Vice Premier of the State Council emphasized the importance of mutual respect and consultation on an equal basis, calling on all countries to effectively use dialogue to properly resolve differences and solve problems.

During the forum, He Lifeng briefed participants on the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, emphasizing that China's development will bring important opportunities to the world. He also held an in-depth exchange of views with representatives of international business and industry circles.

During the EEF, He Lifeng attended a joint meeting with Swiss President Guy Parmelin and Swiss Vice President Ignazio Cassis. After conveying warm greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Vice Premier expressed China's readiness to strengthen high-level exchanges and deepen bilateral and multilateral cooperation with Switzerland.

The Swiss side, in turn, expressed hope for accelerating negotiations on updating the free trade agreement with China and declared its readiness to jointly support multilateralism and free trade.

Furthermore, at the invitation of the relevant parties, He Lifeng held separate talks with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who leads the US side of the China-US Economic and Trade Consultations Mechanism, and with UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, who leads the UK side of the China-UK Financial and Economic Dialogue. The two sides exchanged views on relevant issues of trade and economic cooperation between China and the US, as well as between China and the UK.

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.

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Chinese fast-growing companies make up a third of the global gazelle company rankings.

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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

BEIJING, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) — Companies headquartered in China account for more than a third of the list, according to a global ranking of fast-growing startups for 2025 released Tuesday, highlighting the country's strong potential in promising tech fields such as biotechnology and semiconductors.

According to the "Global Gazelle Index: Future Unicorns 2025," published by Hurun Report, of the 819 global gazelles (unlisted companies most likely to reach a valuation of $1 billion within three years), 278 are Chinese. This represents an 8 percent year-on-year increase and places China second only to the United States, which, by contrast, recorded an 8 percent decline.

According to Rupert Hoogewerf (also known by his Chinese name, Hu Jun), chairman and chief researcher of the Hurun Report, the number of gazelle companies in China has nearly quadrupled since 2019, from 70 to the current level. In the past year alone, 55 new Chinese companies have joined the list, with biotechnology and semiconductors standing out as the industries with the largest concentration of future unicorns.

"Innovations in medical devices, biotechnology, and digital health are transforming disease treatment, diagnostics, and patient care. China and the United States are leading this healthcare revolution," added Rupert Hoogewerf.

TransThera Sciences, a biotechnology company headquartered in Nanjing (the capital of Jiangsu Province, eastern China), is recognized as one of China's most successful examples of transforming a gazelle company into a publicly traded firm. The company has pioneered the creation of a platform for "overcoming resistance" using intelligent small-molecule drug engineering solutions.

Meanwhile, another report released Monday ranking Chinese AI companies found that AI chip companies were the strongest performers in 2025, taking seven of the top 10 spots.

According to the Global Gazelles Index, 146 gazelle companies graduated last year, becoming unicorns through IPOs or acquisitions. Of these, 82 were from the US and 26 from China.

Notably, five Chinese companies, including biotech firm Shanghai Cell Therapy and robot makers Mech Mind and AgiBot, have already surpassed $1 billion in valuations and are poised to join Hurun's 2026 unicorn list, despite still being classified as gazelles.

San Francisco tops the list of cities with the highest number of gazelle companies, followed by Shanghai, Beijing, New York, and Shenzhen in the top five. According to the ranking, the US and China together account for 71 percent of the world's gazelle companies.

The average valuation of the companies on the list is $700 million, with most growing at a compound annual growth rate of around 20 percent. -0-

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Excursion marathon for Students' Day

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Source: Moscow Government – Moscow Government –

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The Gorky Park Museum invites you to celebrate Russian Students' Day, or Tatiana's Day. In honor of the holiday, the museum will offer tours that will tell the history of the site. Full-time students, as well as Muscovites and visitors named Tatiana, can visit free of charge upon presentation of their student ID or passport.

The "I Love You, My Old Park!" tour will begin at 12:00 and 1:00 PM. Guests will visit the observation deck of the main entrance arch. At 2:00 PM, they can take the "Electric Bus Ride" mobile tour, also including a visit to the observation deck of the main entrance arch. At 3:00 PM, guests can join the "Electric Bus Ride in Neskuchny Garden" mobile tour.

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The Russian President's special representative called the meeting with the American side in Davos constructive.

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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, January 20 (Xinhua) — Russian Presidential Special Representative Kirill Dmitriev on Tuesday called his meeting with US Presidential Special Envoy Steven Witkoff in Davos, Switzerland, constructive, the Russian newspaper Izvestia reported.

Earlier on Tuesday, negotiations took place between K. Dmitriev, S. Witkoff, and the US president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

"The meeting is proceeding constructively, and more and more people are realizing the correctness of Russia's position," K. Dmitriev told reporters.

As RIA Novosti reported on Tuesday, S. Witkoff, in response to journalists' questions, described the negotiations, which lasted more than two hours, as "very constructive." –0–

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The UN Secretary-General condemned Israel's demolition of the UNRWA compound in East Jerusalem.

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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

UN, January 20 (Xinhua) — UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday condemned Israel's demolition of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) compound in East Jerusalem. Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Farhan Haq announced this in a statement.

“The Secretary-General condemns in the strongest terms the actions of the Israeli authorities to demolish the UNRWA building complex in the Sheikh Jarrah area of East Jerusalem,” said F. Haq.

As indicated in the statement, A. Guterres “has repeatedly and unequivocally stated, including in his letter to the Prime Minister of Israel dated 8 January 2026, that the Sheikh Jarrah complex remains the property of the United Nations, enjoying inviolability and immunity from any interference.”

The statement emphasizes that the UN Secretary-General urges the Israeli government to immediately stop the demolition of the complex, restore it and other UNRWA buildings, and return them to the UN.

It is also noted that A. Guterres considers the ongoing actions aimed at escalating the conflict with UNRWA and contrary to Israel's clear obligations under international law, including the UN Charter and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the UN, to be absolutely unacceptable. –0–

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The number of international tourists worldwide will increase by four percent in 2025.

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Source: United Nations – United Nations –

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January 20, 2026 Economic development

According to this year's first World Tourism Barometer, the world is expected to welcome 1.52 billion international tourist arrivals in 2025, an increase of nearly 60 million or four percent over 2024.

These figures reflect a return to pre-pandemic growth trends, closer to the average annual growth of five percent recorded between 2009 and 2019. The results were driven by strong demand, the resilient dynamics of major markets, and the ongoing recovery of travel in Asia and the Pacific. The expansion of air connectivity and visa services also supported international travel in 2025.

Commenting on these data, Sheikha Al Nuwais, Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization, noted that travel demand remained strong throughout 2025, despite high inflation in the tourism sector and uncertainty due to geopolitical tensions. "We expect this positive trend to continue into 2026, as the global economy is expected to remain stable and destinations still lagging behind pre-pandemic levels fully recover," she added.

Data by region

Europe, the world's largest destination region, is expected to receive 793 million international tourists in 2025, up four percent from 2024 and six percent from 2019.

Western Europe (up five percent) and the Mediterranean region (up three percent) demonstrated stable performance. Central and Eastern Europe (up six percent) are showing signs of growth, although arrivals are still nine percent below 2019 levels.

The Americas (218 million tourists) saw growth of 1 percent last year, with mixed results across subregions. After strong results in the first half of 2025, the region recorded a slight decline in the third and fourth quarters, partly due to weak performance in the United States.

South America (up seven percent) and Central America (up five percent) led this group of countries. Several Caribbean destinations were hit by Hurricane Melissa in the final quarter of the year.

In Africa (81 million tourists), arrivals increased by eight percent in 2025, with particularly strong results in North Africa (plus 11 percent).

The Middle East is expected to grow by three percent in 2025, 39 percent above pre-pandemic levels—the strongest result since 2019. The region is on track to reach 100 million international visitors in 2025.

Arrivals to Asia and the Pacific (331 million) grew by six percent last year, but this figure is still nine percent below 2019 levels. The region's performance continued to recover. Northeast Asia led the way with growth of 13 percent compared to 2024, while South Asia recovered to pre-pandemic levels.

Data by country

Several countries that provided data for the twelve months to 2025 demonstrated double-digit growth in international arrivals. Leading the way were Brazil (37 percent), Egypt (20 percent), Morocco (14 percent), and the Seychelles (13 percent).

By November, Bhutan (30 percent), Iceland (29 percent), Guyana (24 percent), South Africa (19 percent) and Japan (17 percent) also showed strong growth.

Tourism revenues are breaking records

Tourism revenues reached a record $2.2 trillion in 2025. Sustained growth was seen in Morocco (19 percent), the Republic of Korea (18 percent), Egypt (17 percent), Mongolia (15 percent), Japan (14 percent), Latvia (11 percent), and Mauritius (10 percent).

Tourism revenues also grew in the UK, France, Spain and Turkey.

Forecast for 2026

International tourism is expected to grow by 3–4 percent in 2026 compared to 2025, assuming Asia and the Pacific continue to show signs of recovery, global economic conditions remain favorable, and geopolitical conflicts do not escalate. Uncertainty caused by current geopolitical tensions and conflicts increases risks for tourism in 2026.

Major international events such as the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy and the 2026 FIFA World Cup (Canada, USA and Mexico) will also contribute to international travel.

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.

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Mozambique: Floods increase risks of disease, malnutrition and crocodile attacks

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Source: United Nations – United Nations –

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January 20, 2026 Humanitarian aid

Catastrophic floods have caused widespread destruction in Mozambique. Residents are left without access to food for themselves and their families, and face increased risks of disease outbreaks and even the threat of crocodiles in urban areas, UN humanitarian agencies warned on Tuesday.

Paola Emerson, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) office in Mozambique, told reporters in Geneva that floods caused by heavy rains in the first weeks of the new year have affected more than half a million people. The number of victims continues to rise.

Destroyed roads and hospitals

Among the worst-hit regions are Gaza Province, as well as the provinces of Maputo and Sofala.

Speaking from the city of Xai-Xai, the capital of Gaza province, Emerson emphasized that 90 percent of the country's population lives in mud houses – "earth structures that literally melt after a few days of rain."

According to her, medical facilities, roads, and other critical infrastructure have been severely damaged. Around 5,000 kilometers of roads in nine provinces have been damaged, including the main highway connecting the capital, Maputo, with the rest of the country. This is causing significant disruptions to supply chains.

Risks of crocodile infestations

At the same time, dams continue to release water despite the weakening rains.

"The dam alone releases up to 10,000 cubic meters of water. That's about 25 times the volume of water that could fit in the press briefing room you're in right now," Emerson told reporters.

The Mozambican government declared a state of emergency and established an emergency response center in Gaza Province. The town of Xai-Xai, located near the Limpopo River, was flooded, forcing authorities to evacuate residents. Emerson said warnings have been issued in the city center, "including warnings about the risk of crocodiles in flooded areas."

"River levels are rising, and they're reaching urban and densely populated areas," she said. "Crocodiles living in the Limpopo River can enter populated areas that are now underwater."

Threats to children's health

Also speaking from Xai-Xai, UNICEF Mozambique's communications director, Guy Taylor, warned of "deadly threats" to children.

He said the combination of waterborne diseases and malnutrition "often proves fatal." He recalled that even before the floods, one in four children in Mozambique suffered from chronic malnutrition.

Their situation is now exacerbated by food shortages and limited access to healthcare. Taylor added that Mozambique is now entering its annual cyclone season, creating the risk of a double crisis.

"We can prevent illness, death and irreversible loss for children, but we need to act quickly," he stressed.

A UNICEF representative noted that Mozambique is a “country of children and youth,” with the average age of the population being 17 years.

"When floods and cyclones occur – as they have done repeatedly and with increasing frequency in recent years – it is children and young people who suffer the most," he concluded.

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China aims to reduce water consumption by more than 10 percent of GDP by 10,000 yuan by 2030.

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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

BEIJING, January 20 (Xinhua) — China aims to reduce water consumption per 10,000 yuan (US$1,428) of GDP and per 10,000 yuan of industrial value added by more than 10 percent by 2030 compared to 2025 levels, the National Water Conservation Office of the Ministry of Water Resources announced on Tuesday.

As a senior official of the department noted, during the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), efforts will be focused on high-quality development of water management and ensuring national water security, while the authorities will consistently and thoroughly implement institutional and political systems for water conservation.

Key targets by the end of 2030 include raising the efficiency rate of irrigation water use in farmland to more than 0.6, expanding the scale of the water conservation industry to more than 1.2 trillion yuan, and increasing the use of non-traditional water sources to more than 30 billion cubic meters.

For regions with severe water shortages or water resource overload, the utilization rate of reclaimed water should exceed 30 percent, while the utilization rate of mine water in the Yellow River basin is expected to exceed 70 percent.

In 2026, water management agencies at all levels will improve the system for managing the total volume of water resources and their comprehensive conservation, promote high-quality construction of a water-saving society, and establish a modernized system of water-saving industry to ensure a confident start to water conservation work during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

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S. Witkoff assessed the talks with the Russian President's special representative in Davos as "very positive."

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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, January 20 (Xinhua) — US Special Presidential Envoy Steven Witkoff said on Tuesday that he assessed his talks with Kirill Dmitriev, the Russian President's Special Representative for Investment and Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries, in Davos, Switzerland, as "very positive," RIA Novosti reported.

“They were very positive,” said S. Whitkoff, answering a question from a news agency following the talks held earlier on Tuesday with K. Dmitriev, in which the American president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, also took part. –0–

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Canada's prime minister expressed support for Greenland and Denmark and spoke out against US tariffs at the Davos forum.

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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

Davos, Switzerland, January 20 (Xinhua) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday expressed strong support for Greenland and Denmark and opposed tariffs announced by the United States.

At the annual session of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, M. Carney stated: “We stand firmly with Greenland and Denmark and fully support their exclusive right to determine the future of Greenland.”

M. Carney noted that Canada strongly opposes the introduction of customs duties due to the dispute over Greenland and calls for “substantive negotiations to achieve our shared goals regarding security and prosperity in the Arctic.”

Describing US actions as the weaponization of economic integration, the Canadian prime minister emphasized that multilateral institutions, including the UN and the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which seek to address collective problems, are “under threat.”

Last week, US President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on eight European countries in an effort to achieve his ambitions to "own" Greenland, sparking a backlash from European countries.

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.