Silk Road Cross-Border E-Commerce Corridor under TIR System Officially Opened in China-SCO Demonstration Zone

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, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) — The TIR (International Road Transport) Silk Road cross-border e-commerce corridor was officially opened at the China-SCO Regional Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Zone (hereinafter referred to as the "China-SCO Demonstration Zone") in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, Chinese daily Dazhong Ribao reported on Thursday.

According to data, in 2024, the volume of the online retail market in SCO member states exceeded USD 3.2 trillion, which accounted for more than half of the global figure.

In the future, this corridor will focus on cross-border e-commerce, provide effective logistics support to the comprehensive service base of the Silk Road e-commerce, and promote connectivity and trade and economic cooperation among the SCO countries.

TIR is an international system that simplifies the transportation of goods between countries. Within its framework, the goods are sealed at the starting point of the route and checked only upon arrival at the destination, and at intermediate border crossings, checkpoint officers only check the TIR carnet data and the customs stamp for the vehicle. This reduces the travel time and reduces possible risks associated with administrative customs control procedures and damage to the goods. China joined the TIR Convention in July 2016.

At present, there are 4 TIR road freight routes operating as a starting point in the China-SCO Demonstration Zone, including China-Russia, China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan, China-Kazakhstan and China-Belarus. They transport 40 types of goods, including food, as well as mechanical and electrical equipment.

According to the results of the first 7 months of 2025, the number of TIR shipments of trucks from the China-SCO Demonstration Zone amounted to 239 units, an increase of 134.3 percent year-on-year.

According to the data, in January-July 2025, the cargo volume in value terms carried by these vehicles amounted to 156 million yuan, up 190.5 percent from the same period last year. -0-

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Representatives of China and Uzbekistan exchanged experience in the field of protection of cultural heritage sites

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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, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) — An event to exchange experiences in the management and protection of cultural heritage sites between China and Uzbekistan was recently held in Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), according to a statement posted on the website of the prefecture's government.

Representatives from Samarkand City of Uzbekistan, the Beiting Ancient City Preservation Service in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Gulangyu Island in Fujian Province (East China) held an in-depth exchange of views on the protection and inheritance of cultural heritage and signed an agreement on developing friendly cooperation.

The event, whose main objective was to promote the protection of cultural heritage, aimed to enhance exchanges and cooperation between the three parties in many areas such as the protection, monitoring and utilization of cultural heritage, and jointly improve the level of protection and revitalization and utilization of world heritage sites.

As an important point on the land Silk Road, the ancient city of Beiting was once the military and political center of the Western Territories under the Tang Dynasty. It witnessed the magnificent process of spreading Chinese civilization to the West, and also left a deep mark of multi-ethnic exchanges.

Gulangyu Island, famous for the unique appearance of its “historic international quarter”, reflects the trajectory of the meeting and integration of Eastern and Western civilizations on the sea, and witnesses the harmonious coexistence of various civilizations.

A shining jewel on the ancient Silk Road in Central Asia, the city of Samarkand has been an important hub of Chinese and Western cultures since ancient times.

Although these three sites are located in different regions, they all left a strong civilizational mark on the Silk Road.

According to a representative of the Fujian Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the above-mentioned event marks the "warm embrace" of the land and maritime Silk Road in the new era and has played a great role in promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations under the Belt and Road Initiative.

"In the next stage, the three places will carry out in-depth cooperation in areas such as joint research, mutual visits of personnel, technology sharing, and integrated development of culture and tourism," the official said, adding that the three sides will also jointly explore the possibility of establishing an innovative mechanism to promote cultural and tourism cooperation.

In 2019, Gulangyu Island established a sister-city relationship with the Beiting Ancient City Preservation Authority, according to the Fujian Daily. The two sides agreed to conduct joint research on digital protection to explore the role of science and technology in protecting cultural heritage.

In May 2025, a delegation from the Fujian Provincial Government visited Uzbekistan to promote the establishment of friendly and cooperative relations between Gulangyu Island and Samarkand City. -0-

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A photo exhibition titled “Unforgettable Memory” has appeared in the Chinese segment of the Internet

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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, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) — A photo exhibition titled "Unforgettable Memory" dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War appeared on the Chinese Internet on Friday.

The photo exhibition is available at: https://sdxw.iqilu.com/service/v2/ffxs/index.html

The project was initiated by the Shandong Center for International Communications, the Molniya news application, and the Russian-language magazine Kitay.

The online photo exhibition, which consists of three parts, namely: War Memory, Friendship Sealed in Blood and Unforgettable Memory, features more than 80 photographs with commentary in Chinese, Russian and English.

As stated in the preface, the project is intended to demonstrate the heroic history of the joint struggle of China and Russia /USSR/ in the World Anti-Fascist War, where “our peoples, shedding blood, supported each other.”

On August 15, 1945, Japan accepted the Potsdam Declaration, which announced its unconditional surrender. -0-

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Fruit and vegetable shipments through Ereenhot Port exceed 200 million yuan this year

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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, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) — The volume of fresh fruit and vegetable shipments from China through the Ereenhot checkpoint on the border with Mongolia has exceeded 2 billion yuan since the beginning of this year through Aug. 13, according to the official website of the Ereenhot city administration in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

During the reporting period, a total of 111 thousand tons of fruits and vegetables were exported from China via Ereenhot, including peppers, broccoli, cucumbers, apples, pears, watermelons, bananas, etc. Recently, about 20 refrigerated vans loaded with such goods pass through the checkpoint every day.

Ereenhot is the largest land checkpoint on China's border with Mongolia. As Sino-Mongolian interactions become more frequent, the "green corridor" at this border crossing plays a more important role in bilateral agricultural trade. -0-

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Kyrgyzstan's GDP growth in January-July 2025 amounted to 11.5 percent

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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

BISHKEK, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) — Kyrgyzstan's gross domestic product (GDP) in January-July 2025 amounted to 865.2 billion soms (9.9 billion US dollars), up 11.5 percent from the same period in 2024, the National Statistical Committee of the republic reported on Friday.

As noted, the share of the service sector in the total GDP volume was 51.1%, commodity production sectors – 32.8%, and taxes on products – 16.1%.

At the same time, the volume of industrial production for the above-mentioned period increased by 11.3 percent. Growth in the sphere of mineral extraction amounted to 14.6 percent, and the volume of manufacturing increased by 11 percent.

Positive trends were also observed in construction, where the increase in volumes amounted to 37.8 percent, wholesale and retail trade – 13.2 percent, in agriculture – 2.3 percent, in the hospitality sector – 27.8 percent, in the freight transportation sector by all types of transport – 11.6 percent, in the communication services sector – 6.3 percent.

In January-July of this year, compared to December of the previous year, the increase in consumer prices and tariffs in the republic as a whole amounted to 4.7%.

The volume of foreign and mutual trade of Kyrgyzstan in goods in January-June 2025 amounted to 6 billion 998.7 million US dollars and decreased by 12.4 percent compared to the same period last year. At the same time, export deliveries decreased by 26.3 percent, amounting to 1 billion 48.8 million US dollars. Import receipts decreased by 9.4 percent and amounted to 5 billion 950.1 million US dollars. –0–

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Exclusive: Linking the Belt and Road Initiative and the EAEU Provides Opportunity for Development of Countries in the Region – Kyrgyz Economist

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

BISHKEK, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) — The alignment of China's Belt and Road Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) promotes connectivity across Eurasia and synchronization of processes in a number of areas between countries, thereby providing a greater opportunity for the development of countries in the region, Kyrgyz economist Iskender Sharsheev said in an interview with Xinhua.

According to him, the above-mentioned conjugation is not just “preferential trade”, but above all the synchronization of processes in a number of areas, including customs, standards, logistics, e-commerce, etc. In practice, this has accelerated land corridors from China to Europe across Eurasia, given impetus to container and refrigerated logistics, and made border crossings more predictable.

According to the Kyrgyz expert, the benefits of this connection are obvious for the EAEU countries. “Kazakhstan is strengthening its role as a transit hub, Kyrgyzstan is getting a chance to monetize through terminals, free economic zones and “last mile” services, Russia and Belarus are increasing the diversification of sales markets in East and Southeast Asia, and Armenia is getting niche supplies and technological cooperation,” he said.

According to I. Sharsheev, in order to further develop the conjugation of the Belt and Road Initiative and the EAEU, it is necessary to continue to intensify interaction in such areas as infrastructure, regulation and finance. “If these three blocks are advanced in parallel, the corridors will not only become shorter, but also cheaper and safer for business,” he added.

From August 14 to 15, a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, an EAEU body, is being held in the Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan. I. Sharsheev noted that in the 10 years since its foundation, the Union has gone from a zone of “zero” tariffs to a functioning institution with a supranational regulator, the Eurasian Economic Commission, uniform customs rules and virtually free access for citizens to the labor markets of the participating countries.

“At the micro level, this has reduced transaction costs for businesses and households, and at the macro level, mutual trade has grown and a new ‘field of stability’ has emerged that protects businesses from external shocks,” he stressed.

The economist also noted that it is especially important that the EAEU is actively building external relations, concluding free trade agreements with a number of countries, developing cooperation with various associations, promoting “digitalization” — “single window,” electronic invoices, and developing common rules for future energy markets. “They are the ones that provide an economic effect in logistics, certification, and competition,” noted I. Sharsheev. –0–

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With the support of Rosneft, a modern water treatment complex is being built in Yugra

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Source: Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

With the support of the RN-Nyaganneftegaz Company (part of Rosneft), work has begun on the construction of a modern water treatment complex in the city of Nyagan. The project is being implemented within the framework of a cooperation agreement between Rosneft and the government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra.

The construction of the water treatment complex will increase the capacity of Nyagan's water treatment facilities threefold, to 30 thousand m³ of water per day. In Yugra, the main sources of urban water supply are underground waters. At the same time, due to the peculiarities of geology, marshy and peaty soils, there is an increased concentration of manganese and iron in underground waters. Therefore, the project provides for equipping the new complex with a system that allows removing manganese ions from natural water. This will provide more than 60 thousand residents of Nyagan with high-quality drinking water that meets modern sanitary standards.

During the construction, a filtration shop, a pumping station and clean water reservoirs will be built. In addition, an intermediate pumping station will be built on the site of the city's only Hugotsky water intake.

Rosneft adheres to the principles of high social responsibility and pays special attention to creating a favorable environment in the regions of its presence by actively participating in the socio-economic development of the territories.

Reference:

The construction of a modern water treatment plant is a significant social project for Nyagan. The construction of the facility is being carried out within the framework of the state program "Construction", the regional project "Modernization of municipal infrastructure".

RN-Nyaganneftegaz is the main oil producing enterprise in Nyagan. It carries out industrial exploitation of the Krasnoleninsky set of fields in three license areas of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra.

Department of Information and AdvertisingPJSC NK RosneftAugust 15, 2025

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The head of the Russian Defense Ministry held consultations with the heads of the defense departments of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger

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

Moscow, August 15 /Xinhua/ — Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov on Thursday held a meeting with the heads of the defense ministries of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, which are member countries of the Confederation of Sahel States. This was reported by the Russian Defense Ministry on its official website.

A. Belousov noted that his department is ready to provide comprehensive assistance to ensure stability in the region. “We support your position on the need to strengthen security, protect territories and sovereignty,” he said.

According to the minister, the four-party dialogue will become an important format for discussing issues of strengthening cooperation in the defense sector.

Following the talks, the parties signed a joint statement, as well as memoranda of understanding between the defense ministries of Russia and the Confederation of Sahel States. –0–

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ASEAN Interim Observer Group visits Cambodia-Thailand border areas

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

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) — The ASEAN Interim Observer Group visited the border areas of Cambodia and Thailand on Thursday.

The temporary team, led by the Malaysian military attaché in Cambodia, includes military attachés from Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam. They visited villages in Banteay Meanchey province, where Thai troops have installed barbed wire and laid out tires, as well as some border checkpoints, said Deputy Secretary of State and Spokesperson for the Cambodian Ministry of National Defense Lieutenant General Mali Socheat.

“Cambodia once again calls on Thailand to adhere to the spirit of the ceasefire to achieve a peaceful resolution of the issue in accordance with the principles of international law, ensuring a fair, impartial and just outcome that will bring peace and prosperity to both countries and peoples,” M. Socheat said at a press briefing.

On July 24, armed clashes between soldiers from the two countries occurred in the border areas of Cambodia and Thailand. On the afternoon of July 28, the parties agreed to an immediate ceasefire, which came into effect at midnight of the same day. –0–

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Over 2.3 million Syrians return home amid challenges – UN

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

DAMASCUS, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) — More than 2.3 million Syrians have returned to their homes since December 8, 2024, and are facing acute housing and livelihood shortages, with many homes destroyed or damaged, Celine Schmitt, spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Syria, told Xinhua on Thursday.

According to her, among those who returned were more than 750 thousand refugees from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq, as well as more than 1.6 million internally displaced Syrians.

S. Schmitt noted that the main reasons for return are increased security and the desire to reunite with families, adding that “one of the main problems mentioned by returnees is access to housing.”

“They also need income, work, a livelihood,” she said.

S. Schmitt said that restoring civil documents is also an urgent task, since the lack of identity documents prevents children from being enrolled in school.

The UNHCR representative also called for sanctions to be eased to allow investment and funding, and for stronger links between “emergency” humanitarian assistance and the “long-term plan.” –0–

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