The volume of mutual trade within the EAEU reached almost $100 billion in 2025.

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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

St. Petersburg, December 21 (Xinhua) — Total mutual trade within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will reach nearly $100 billion by 2025. This was announced by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov on Sunday in St. Petersburg at an expanded meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council.

"These aren't just numbers; they're an indicator of trust, mutual support, and genuine interest between our countries. At the same time, there's significant potential in mutual trade that hasn't yet been fully realized," noted S. Japarov. He added that in recent years, the union's countries have succeeded in ensuring its economic stability, strengthening domestic markets, and developing cooperative ties.

As Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin reported earlier, the total volume of mutual trade within the EAEU grew by 6.8 percent in 2024, approaching the 9 trillion ruble mark. –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.

How China's Initiatives Are Paving a New Path to a Better World

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

Beijing, December 21 (Xinhua) — As historians of the future analyze global transformations unseen in a century and trace the logic of the evolution of international relations, they will likely pay special attention to September 1, 2025, the turning point when Chinese President Xi Jinping launched the Global Governance Initiative.

Beijing has already launched a number of major global initiatives: the Global Development Initiative in 2021, the Global Security Initiative in 2022, and the Global Civilization Initiative in 2023. Together with the Global Governance Initiative, they form a comprehensive framework for jointly building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Amidst a growing wave of uncertainty and turbulence, today's world remains divided. While some advocate dialogue and cooperation, others stubbornly cling to unilateralism and bloc politics, exacerbating long-standing crises and creating new risks.

Discourses of a “clash of civilizations” obscure intercivilizational exchanges, and global governance is eroded by states withdrawing from international treaties, breaking ties, and expanding barriers, undermining justice and equality, particularly for countries in the Global South.

This grim reality underscores the relevance and timeliness of the four global initiatives, pointing to the need to build international consensus and strengthen solidarity.

A CALL FOR JOINT DEVELOPMENT

As Xi Jinping has repeatedly noted, development is the universal key to solving all problems. The Global Development Initiative focuses on humanity's shared development needs, is closely aligned with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and aims to directly address real global development challenges. This initiative brings Chinese wisdom and solutions to the joint advancement of global development toward a new stage of balanced, coordinated, and inclusive growth.

Today, ten years later, the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has stalled. Of its 169 specific targets, only about 35 percent are on track, nearly half are being implemented too slowly, and 18 percent are showing regression.

These alarming facts expose fundamental flaws in global development. Some developed countries prioritize geopolitical interests over cooperation, exploiting development resources through sanctions, severing ties, and cutting aid. In doing so, they betray the universal consensus that development is an inalienable human right.

Launched at such a crucial moment, the Global Development Initiative has received widespread approval from the global community for its rejection of the outdated paradigm in which large powers dominate and small states are forced to depend on them. The initiative promotes collective action from an equitable and systems-based perspective, ensuring that every participant benefits from development.

As a country actively promoting this initiative, China has consistently followed the “six principles” and relied on platforms such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the Fund for Global Development and South-South Cooperation, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the New Development Bank to expand the scope of BRICS international development cooperation.

China-Africa Agricultural Technology Demonstration Centers are implementing the "teach a man how to fish, not give him a fish" model on the African continent, which increases local crop yields by an average of 30-60%. To date, the centers have helped over a million farmers in Africa, becoming a practical embodiment of the concept of priority development.

The China-Laos Railway has transformed landlocked Laos into a land route hub, reducing logistics costs by more than 30 percent and creating over 100,000 jobs.

Beyond providing a powerful impetus to the 2030 Agenda, the Global Development Initiative fundamentally reshapes and redefines global development concepts. Its theoretical breakthrough lies in liberating ourselves from dependence on traditional Western development models, prioritizing the common interests of humanity, and laying a solid foundation for building a community of shared destiny.

To ensure that the benefits of development can be shared equally by as many people as possible around the world, countries must go beyond their own narrow interests, follow the historical trend, advocate for common development, uphold fairness and justice, and devote themselves entirely to mutually beneficial cooperation.

A NEW PATH TO LASTING PEACE AND SECURITY

Today, the world is experiencing the most profound upheavals and transformations since the end of the Cold War. Amid a growing deficit of peace and security, global security governance faces serious challenges. The international community urgently needs security concepts and approaches that reflect the spirit of the times.

The Global Security Initiative was launched as a response to the current situation. It responds to the changing international landscape, builds on the concept of unity, and addresses security challenges through a win-win approach. This initiative aims to address the root causes of international conflicts and improve global security governance.

As Xi Jinping noted, the Cold War mentality only destroys the framework of global peace, hegemonism and politics only threaten global peace, and bloc confrontation only exacerbates security challenges in the 21st century. This important observation allows us to fully understand the root causes of the complex global security situation.

The Global Security Initiative is based on the “six commitments”: a commitment to the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security; respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries; adherence to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter; taking seriously the legitimate security concerns of all countries; peacefully resolving differences and disputes among countries through dialogue and consultation; and ensuring security in both traditional and non-traditional spheres.

In the traditional security sphere, China actively promotes political settlements in hotspot areas and is the largest contributor of peacekeeping personnel among all permanent members of the UN Security Council.

In non-traditional security areas, China participates in multilateral cooperation on counterterrorism, drug trafficking, and public health security, often leading such efforts. China also implements numerous humanitarian aid programs aimed at addressing emerging global threats through cooperation.

In the context of regional security cooperation, China uses platforms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia to continuously contribute to regional stability.

Committed to building a more balanced, effective, and sustainable security architecture, China, along with other countries, is pursuing a new security path based on dialogue rather than confrontation, partnership rather than alliances, and win-win cooperation rather than zero-sum games.

RECOGNITION OF THE DIVERSITY OF CIVILIZATIONS

"The world we live in is diverse and colorful. Diversity makes human civilization what it is and serves as a constant source of vitality and driving force for global development," Xi Jinping declared. This important statement provides guidance in answering questions about how different civilizations should coexist and where human civilization is heading.

The global civilization initiative can be summarized in four general principles: respect for the diversity of civilizations, upholding universal human values, commitment to both preserving heritage and promoting innovation, and strengthening international exchanges and cooperation in the humanitarian sphere.

Confronting misconceptions and prejudices, this initiative promotes equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and understanding among civilizations. It opposes cultural arrogance and seeks to create platforms for equal dialogue, enabling different civilizations to deepen mutual understanding and develop through mutual exchanges and learning.

China deeply respects the diversity of civilizations and advocates deeper and more meaningful exchanges between civilizations.

China has been expanding dialogue on governance and development issues through mechanisms such as the High-Level Dialogue between the CPC and World Political Parties, the High-Level Dialogue on Global Development, the China-EU Human Rights Dialogue, and the China-Latin America Human Rights Roundtable.

China has signed cooperation agreements with over 100 countries in areas such as culture, cultural heritage, and tourism. China is also developing cooperation in joint archaeological research, World Heritage protection, and the mutual translation of classical works, not only preserving its cultural roots but also contributing to the preservation of the common heritage of humanity.

In a world increasingly interconnected, coexistence, exchange, and mutual learning among civilizations are vital to advancing global modernization and enriching the rich palette of world civilization. The Global Civilization Initiative offers countries a framework for pursuing modernization based on their own traditions while remaining open to the shared wisdom of humanity.

A BOLD EXPERIMENT IN IMPROVING GLOBAL GOVERNANCE

Some countries remain wedded to the outdated belief that “might makes right.”

New challenges such as deep-sea exploration, commercial exploitation of polar shipping routes, determination of space resource rights and transboundary data flows are emerging rapidly, yet relevant international rules remain largely absent or fragmented.

Moreover, some countries circumvent multilateral mechanisms or exert pressure on them by withdrawing from them and imposing sanctions, further fragmenting global governance.

"Countries of the world are like passengers on a single ship, sharing a common destiny. For the ship to weather the storm and sail toward a bright future, all passengers must work together. The idea of throwing anyone overboard is simply unacceptable," Xi Jinping once remarked.

With this powerful metaphor, he emphasized the importance of the concept of a community with a shared destiny for humanity, outlining a course for improving the system of global governance and promoting the common development of humanity.

The Global Governance Initiative seeks to address the governance deficit. It calls for sovereign equality, directly addresses the shortcomings of a system in which "a few countries run everything," and asserts that the fate of the world must be determined collectively by all nations.

The initiative calls for respect for the rule of international law and emphasizes that international rules should be developed jointly by the entire international community, rather than monopolized by a few states.

The initiative advocates for the need to adopt rules that evolve over time, taking into account the different stages of development of countries and their legitimate interests.

The initiative calls for the practical implementation of multilateralism through adherence to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, strengthening the central role of multilateral mechanisms, countering bloc politics and confrontation between camps, and building a more coordinated and effective system of global governance.

The initiative promotes a human-centered approach, emphasizing that the ultimate goal of global governance is to improve the well-being of all peoples. It seeks to address challenges in areas most closely related to people's lives, such as employment, education, and healthcare, so that the benefits of governance are shared more broadly and equitably among all peoples.

The initiative focuses on taking action, prioritises achieving concrete results, encourages countries to implement agreements reached and address governance challenges through practical cooperation.

These five core principles are mutually reinforcing, providing a clear framework for reforming the global governance system.

As the guardian of international order and provider of global public goods, China promotes global governance reform through practical actions and achieves concrete results.

China is actively involved in global environmental governance. China is also deeply involved in developing digital governance rules.

In response to the persistent power imbalance, China is pushing forward much-needed reforms in major multilateral institutions of global economic and financial governance.

In line with the needs of multilateral coordination, China firmly supports the central role of the United Nations.

Guided by the vision of a community with a shared future for humanity, China will work with all countries to use the four global initiatives as a unifying framework to address global challenges, strengthen global governance, and build a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness, inclusiveness, and environmental sustainability. –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.

The first Chinese song karaoke competition was held in Azerbaijan.

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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

Baku, December 21 /Xinhua/ — The finals of Azerbaijan's first Chinese song karaoke competition took place in Baku on Saturday. Twenty performers from China, Azerbaijan, and Russia, selected from more than 40 applicants, became finalists.

The competition, designed to promote cultural exchanges and build bridges of friendship, was jointly organized by the Association of Chinese Emigrants and Ethnic Chinese in Azerbaijan and the Confucius Institute at the Azerbaijan University of Languages (AUL).

Chinese Ambassador to Azerbaijan Lu Mei emphasized that music is a universal language of peace and a thread that connects people's hearts. She encouraged the contestants to "find friends through song" and become "singing ambassadors" of friendship. The diplomat expressed hope that young talents would be able to use music to experience the depth of Chinese culture and contribute to the deepening of friendship between China and Azerbaijan.

The winners were awarded one first prize, three second prizes, and six third prizes. One of the second prize winners was 27-year-old Rakhman Garayev, who performed the song "State." R. Garayev works as a choir member at the M. F. Akhundov Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater. He has been studying Chinese at the Confucius Institute at Baku State University for five years.

"This competition helps connect language learners with Chinese culture and traditions. After I finish studying Chinese, I want to go to Beijing. I think Beijing is a very technologically advanced city, and I'm very interested in exploring it," R. Garayev told Xinhua.

AUL Vice-Rector Shafag Shakhmamedova noted the university's successful Confucius Institute, which actively supports teaching and organizes events not only within the university but also beyond. She noted that the current competition, which promotes Chinese culture, is a shining example of this work.

Li Jihua, the Chinese director of AUL's Confucius Institute, told Xinhua that over 500 people are currently studying Chinese through the institute's various programs. She emphasized that Chinese songs help them better understand Chinese culture.

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Bag keychains have become the new “emotional currency” for Chinese youth.

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

Guangzhou, December 21 (Xinhua) — For many Chinese teenagers, the morning decision of "which stuffed animal to take home today" has long been more important than their choice of clothing. This seemingly simple gesture reflects profound changes in consumer behavior, where tiny accessories have become a unique language of self-expression and a new driver of the "emotional economy."

At the MINISO LAND store on a pedestrian street in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, southern China, this trend is evident: an entire wall is dedicated to a collection of pendants – from classic characters from well-known franchises like Hello Kitty and Harry Potter to popular characters like Chiikawa and those from the recently released Zootopia 2.

Shoppers, mostly young, fill every aisle. Some clutch dozens of items in their hands as they wait in line at the checkout. Prices range from tens to hundreds of yuan (US$1 is about 7 yuan), but everyone's enthusiasm is unanimous.

“These aren’t just decorations, but mobile mood regulators and visual carriers of youth identity,” explains Liu Xiaobin, vice president and marketing director of the aforementioned company.

The numbers confirm the trend. According to Liu Xiaobin, hanging accessories and decorations now account for over 35 percent of MINISO LAND's total soft toy range, and since the beginning of the year, total sales in this category have exceeded 12 million units.

This passion is equally noticeable online. On the popular social media app Xiaohongshu /Rednote/, the hashtag "Everything Can Be Put on a Bag" has garnered over 130 million views. Users eagerly share their character creation strategies and "socialize" through their shared love of certain characters.

Xu Xinyue, an assistant professor at the Institute of Cultural Industries at Shenzhen University, interprets this trend as a shift in consumer psychology.

She believes that Generation Z places greater emphasis on self-expression. Bag charms are ideal for their needs for emotional regulation, demonstrating individuality, and connecting with their social circles.

In Yiwu, a small city in east China's Zhejiang province known as the world's largest wholesale market for small commodities, manufacturers are racing against time to meet market demand.

“We started receiving frequent requests for bag hangers from domestic and overseas customers early this year, so we quickly entered this market,” said Lu Yi, general manager of an accessories and decoration company in Yiwu.

To stay on top of trends, Lu Yi's company releases around 100 new products monthly, averaging three to four new designs per day. "We've also acquired licenses for popular characters like B.Duck and Sanrio, which are very popular with wholesalers," he said.

Meanwhile, in Dongguan, China's manufacturing hub, companies are adding technological value to small items.

According to Zhang Hua, head of the domestic sales department of Dongguan Electronic Technology Company, the market has expanded from original designs and intellectual property cooperation to products from the Anime, Comics, Games (ACG) and intelligent satellites.

Zhang Hua's company recently launched a unique brand featuring a smart plush keychain equipped with a large AI model. "In just three days after its launch, 20,000 units were sold," he reported.

This trend is also having an impact on other industries. Cultural tourism websites across China are releasing unique bag keychains that serve as "mobile calling cards" of regional culture. Popular films and TV series are releasing character-themed keychains to extend their popularity beyond the screen.

“With the rise of consumption and the deepening of the emotional economy, these small and beautiful objects will continue to be an important part of young people’s lives,” said Xu Xinyue. -0-

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The United States proposed holding a meeting of national security advisers from Ukraine, the United States, and Russia, according to V. Zelensky.

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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

Kyiv, December 21 (Xinhua) — The United States has proposed a meeting of national security advisers from Ukraine, the United States, and Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced this, Interfax-Ukraine reported Saturday evening.

According to him, the American proposal was conveyed to him by the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, who is participating in the latest round of peace plan negotiations with the United States in Miami.

V. Zelensky expressed doubt that the meeting of advisers would yield any new results, but added that, thanks to a similar meeting in Turkey, captured military personnel and civilians were returned, so negotiations were worth pursuing.

On Thursday, it was announced that a Ukrainian delegation had departed for Miami to continue working with the United States and Europe on a draft agreement to end the Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict. –0–

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At least nine people have been killed in a shooting in South Africa.

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

JOHANNESBURG, December 21 (Xinhua) — At least nine people were killed and 10 others were wounded in a shooting in the village of Bekkersdal near Johannesburg, South Africa's largest city and economic hub, police said on Sunday.

According to a police statement, the incident occurred shortly before 1:00 a.m. Sunday local time.

"Approximately 12 unknown suspects in a white van and a silver sedan reportedly opened fire indiscriminately on bar patrons and continued to fire indiscriminately as they left the scene," the statement said.

According to Gauteng Acting Police Commissioner Fred Kekana, an investigation into the incident has been launched.

The motive for the shooting is unknown, police said. –0–

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Possession of nuclear weapons "will never benefit Japan," says former Japanese Prime Minister

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

TOKYO, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) — Former Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Saturday that possessing nuclear weapons "will never benefit Japan."

The statement came in response to controversial comments by a senior Japanese official about Japan having nuclear weapons.

"If Japan acquires nuclear weapons, we will have to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the International Atomic Energy Agency," Shigeru Ishiba said live on television, noting that in that case, "Japan's nuclear policy aimed at meeting its energy needs will become unviable."

"This will never benefit Japan," Shigeru Ishiba said.

On Thursday, the Kyodo News Agency reported that a senior official involved in security policy development in Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's administration told the media about the need to possess nuclear weapons, sparking sharp criticism within the country.

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Armed intervention in Venezuela would be a "humanitarian catastrophe," Brazilian President L.I. Lula da Silva said.

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

Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, December 21, Xinhua — Military intervention in Venezuela would be a "humanitarian catastrophe" for the region and set a dangerous precedent for the entire world. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stated this Saturday, speaking at the 67th Summit of Heads of State of the Mercosur (Mercosur) and Associated Countries.

"Latin America is shocked by the military presence of an extra-regional power," said L.I. Lula da Silva, emphasizing that "building a prosperous and peaceful South America is the only doctrine that suits us."

"The boundaries of international law are being tested. Military intervention in Venezuela would be a humanitarian disaster for the entire hemisphere and a dangerous precedent for the world," he noted.

The Brazilian president also said that in a recent phone call with US President Donald Trump, he told him that negotiations were a more effective and less costly path than military confrontation.

The Trump administration has imposed a blockade on oil tankers traveling to and from Venezuela and declared the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro a “foreign terrorist organization.”

Several Latin American countries and regional organizations condemned the US actions and called for dialogue. They also called on the UN and the international community to take action.

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Venezuela condemns US seizure of oil tanker

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

CARACAS, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) — The Venezuelan government on Saturday condemned the "hijacking and theft" of another private vessel carrying Venezuelan oil and the forced kidnapping of its crew by U.S. forces in international waters.

Venezuelan authorities described the incident as an act of piracy that seriously violated international law and undermined the fundamental principles of freedom of navigation and maritime commerce.

According to the official statement, these actions violated international legal instruments protecting maritime safety, as well as the fundamental norms enshrined in the UN Charter and other multilateral conventions.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Saturday that American forces seized the vessel off the coast of Venezuela earlier in the day.

This is the second time in recent weeks that the US has seized a tanker off the coast of Venezuela, amid a massive buildup of American military presence in the region.

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Breaking: At least 10 people killed in shooting in South Africa

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

JOHANNESBURG, December 21 (Xinhua) — At least 10 people were killed and 10 others were wounded in a shooting in a village near Johannesburg, South Africa's largest city and economic hub, police said on Sunday.

“Some of the victims were shot randomly on the streets by unknown gunmen,” local media reported, citing a police statement. –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.