China has done a great job in applying technology in daily life in ways that benefit all walks of life, and that's something Malaysia hopes to learn, Chang Lih Kang, Malaysia's minister of Science, Technology and Innovation told the Global Times, noting that the two countries have broadened technological cooperation in AI, nuclear energy and digital economy.
Recently, China and Malaysia have signed several MoUs and documents on technological cooperation during the high-level exchange between the two countries, Chang, who is attending the Global Civilizations Dialogue Ministerial Meeting in Beijing, told the Global Times on Friday. He gave examples, such as the two governments jointly allocating funds for six research and development projects, including artificial intelligence, advanced materials, clean energy, and more.
"In addition, we have joint laboratories, including those under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)," said Chang, noting that many of the projects outlined in the documents and MoUs have already been implemented or are still in progress.
The inaugural meeting of the China-Malaysia joint laboratory on oils and fats processing and safety, under the BRI, was held in June. This first-of-its-kind laboratory between China and Malaysia within the BRI framework is expected to bolster the palm oil trade and enhance broader industrial cooperation between the two countries, media reported.
According to the joint statement between China and Malaysia on building a high-level strategic China-Malaysia community with a shared future signed in April, both sides will fully utilize the intergovernmental Joint Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation, implement the China-Malaysia Joint Research Project and Science and Technology People-to-People Exchange Programme, jointly promote the establishment of joint research and development platforms such as joint laboratories, enhance cooperation on science parks and technology transfer, and continue to deepen the bilateral science and innovation cooperation in emerging technologies.
Chang said the scientific cooperation between the two countries also includes exchanges among scientists, academic institutions, and students, covering a wide range of areas, such as AI, nuclear energy, clean energy, and the digital economy.
The minister praised China for its success in applying technology to everyday life in ways that benefit different segments of the population. He believes this is a way of using technology to add warmth to civilization. If science does not help ordinary people, no matter how advanced the technology is, it is useless. "This is what we hope to learn from China," said Chang.
Transnational collaboration is crucial in the scientific community. No single country can independently address the global challenges we face, such as climate change and food security. "In addition to bilateral cooperation with China, we also advocate for multilateral partnerships. Only by engaging more regions and countries in collaborative efforts can we truly tackle the pressing issues confronting the world," said Chang.
In recent years, China-Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) relations have entered a new phase of equality, mutual benefit, innovation, openness, and people-centered development.
Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech and announced the launch of five programs to advance shared development and revitalization with LAC countries at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum in Beijing on May 13.
To enhance mutual understanding, the Global Times Institute (GTI), in collaboration with the Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO) and the Centre for Chinese and Latin American Studies, conducted a "China-LAC mutual perception survey" in both regions. The first part is "Chinese perspectives on the LAC" and the second part is "LAC perspectives on China." The combined results were presented in late June at the Global Times' "Overseas China Week and Global South Dialogue" in the LAC region, in a report titled "Hand in Hand: China-LAC Mutual Perception Survey." This public opinion poll is China's first large-scale survey on mutual perceptions in China and the LAC region. The report revealed positive mutual impressions, with most respondents anticipating even friendlier relations. Mutual attractions with strong public foundation
The "Chinese perspectives on the LAC" survey, conducted from April 11 to 22 across 16 Chinese cities, collected 2,099 valid responses. The "LAC perspectives on China" survey, conducted from May to June, in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, and Panama, used online questionnaires and face-to-face interviews in Portuguese and Spanish, gathering 3,373 valid responses from adults aged 18-70. Both surveys clarified that "LAC" refers to Latin America and the Caribbean, encompassing the Western Hemisphere excluding the US and Canada.
The "Chinese perspectives on the LAC" survey found that "football" was the top keyword associated with the LAC, followed by "passion," "samba," "rainforest," "cuisine," "culture," and "coffee." In the "LAC perspectives on China" survey, "technology" was the most prominent impression, followed by "economy," "culture," "food," and "products," along with mentions of "China-US game," "growth," "development," "trade," and "AI" among others.
When asked about their impressions of China over the past year, a Brazilian respondent from Amazonas born in the 1990s cited "economic development and advanced technology," while another mentioned "electric vehicles." An Argentine Gen Z respondent highlighted "DeepSeek," and a young Argentine civil servant noted "festivals and customs." A Mexican born in the 1980s praised "robotics advancements," while another recalled Black Myth: Wukong. A Chilean cited Chinese TV dramas, a Panamanian admired Chinese "diligence and discipline," and a Cuban young man from Havana appreciated learning about Chinese culture through Tai Chi.
In the "Chinese perspectives on the LAC" survey, 55 percent of respondents described people in the LAC region as "passionate," followed by "optimistic" and "creative," with some also noting "diligence," "perseverance," "living in the moment," and "family-oriented" traits. LAC respondents viewed Chinese people as "smart and creative" and "hardworking," also noting "seriousness," "punctuality," "family values," "passion," "diligence," and "modesty."
Despite the geographical distance, 97 percent of Chinese and 96 percent of LAC respondents expressed strong interest in each other's affairs. Chinese respondents were most drawn to LAC's "history and ancient civilizations" (53 percent) and "literature and arts" (44 percent). LAC respondents showed the most interest in online shopping and smartphones, followed by AI, the Great Wall, electric vehicles, Chinese cuisine, products, traditional Chinese medicine, high-speed rail, and social media.
Wang Youming, a research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times that Chinese culture, both traditional and modern, enjoys a relatively good cognitive foundation in LAC countries, driven by recognition of China's economic achievements. To boost people-to-people exchanges, expanding Confucius Institutes and Luban Workshops in LAC countries, alongside cultural and tourism cooperation, particularly through film and TV, could prove effective.
Gabriel Merino, coordinator of the CLACSO working group "China and the map of world power," told the Global Times that language and cultural exchanges are key to deepening ties, with academic, technological, and co-production initiatives holding significant potential.
The vast majority of respondents in both China and LAC countries recognize each other's economic development potential. Regarding LAC's development prospects, 40 percent of Chinese respondents believe it has "a good outlook with stable economic growth," and more than half affirm it is "developing steadily, facing challenges but with potential." For China's development prospects, 50 percent of Latin American respondents think it has "a very good development prospect with rapid economic growth," and 34 percent believe it has "a good development prospect with stable economic growth."
Néstor Restivo, founder and journalistic director of DangDai Magazine, told the Global Times that China's continued growth will benefit the LAC region, a key market for its exports. In 2024, China-LAC trade reached a record $518.4 billion, with an increased number of Chinese enterprises operating across the region.
Guo Cunhai, director of the Department of Social and Cultural Studies at the Latin American Studies Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that the widespread availability of Chinese goods and job creation by Chinese firms have deepened LAC's understanding of China, driving mutual recognition. More amicable bilateral ties expected
Sharing a history of resisting imperialism and colonialism, China and LAC countries advocate multilateralism and global justice, fostering a narrative of shared destiny. The survey found that 97 percent of Chinese and 80 percent of LAC respondents recognize commonalities, particularly in supporting peace, a new global order, and green development. Many Chinese respondents also highlighted shared "ancient and splendid civilizations."
As Global South members, China and LAC countries exemplify modernization and sustainable development. Between eight and nine out of ten respondents in both regions view harmonious, friendly relations as very vital to their country's future.
Since the 1960s, as China established diplomatic ties with some LAC countries, China-LAC exchanges and cooperation have grown increasingly close. Survey data shows that over 90 percent of respondents in both regions view each other as "normal relations countries" or "friendly countries." Over 70 percent of LAC respondents consider China a "friendly country" to the region.
At a China-LAC relations and mutual perception seminar on June 23, former Argentine Defense and Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana emphasized that ties between China and LAC countries, grounded in multilateralism, international law, non-interference, and peaceful conflict resolution, are highly significant.
Patricio Giusto, executive director of the Sino-Argentine Observatory, noted that LAC's positive view of China, driven by deepening trade, financial, scientific, and cultural ties over the past 20 years, is unsurprising. China is seen as a reliable economic partner that respects the region's sovereignty, fostering mutual benefits.
The primary obstacle to friendlier relations, cited by over 40 percent of respondents in both regions, is "US pressure and provocation," with Panama (over 60 percent) and Mexico (over 50 percent) especially noting this.
Over half of respondents in both regions see the US as a "troublemaker" in China-LAC relations, with Panama (73 percent) and both Argentina and Mexico (over 60 percent) expressing agreement.
Lourdes Regueiro, a CLACSO coordinator, told the Global Times that as China's economic influence in the LAC region grows, the US has employed threats and pressure, including cutting aid in security or climate disaster management, to hinder Chinese projects and investments. Despite geographical and cultural differences, six in ten or more respondents in both regions expect friendlier ties, while about 30 percent hope to maintain the status quo. China viewed as a source of opportunity
As the LAC's second-largest trade partner, China complements the region's economy and aligns with its development strategies. Most respondents view China-LAC cooperation as mutually beneficial.
More than 20 LAC countries have joined the Belt and Road Initiative, with China implementing over 200 infrastructure projects and creating millions of jobs in the region. The survey found that 93 percent of LAC respondents see China's rapid development as an opportunity, viewing China as a key trade partner, export market, technology collaborator, and investment source.
Nearly 80 percent LAC respondents noted tangible benefits from Chinese aid, such as interest-free loans, training, and investments in infrastructure, agriculture, digital networks, transportation, and public health.
For future cooperation, 60 percent of LAC respondents prioritized trade and investment, with over 40 percent expecting high-tech sectors such as AI, infrastructure, and green development. In Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, more than 60 percent of respondents emphasized trade and investment, while no less than 60 percent of respondents in Panama favored educational and cultural exchanges. Chinese respondents prioritized green development, followed by trade, investment, and infrastructure.
Wang noted two key drivers of China-LAC cooperation: LAC's recognition of China's modernization achievements and the absence of political strings in their mutually beneficial partnerships with China, unlike their cooperation with the US.
Taiana highlighted that amid global instability, trust and cooperation with China are critical for LAC countries, particularly in trade, investment, infrastructure, technology, academia, media, and culture.
Roberto Medronho, president of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, emphasized that his university fosters Global South networks, particularly with China, through research agreements and plans for a China-Brazil Innovation Center with Beihang University, alongside cooperation with Tsinghua, Fudan, and Tongji universities. Recognition in rising global governance influence
The BRICS mechanism is seen as a cornerstone for Global South cooperation and growth. Most LAC respondents across the six surveyed countries see BRICS as a voice for the Global South, with nearly 80 percent in Brazil and over 70 percent in Chile, Mexico, and Panama in agreement.
Celso Amorim, special adviser to the president of Brazil, noted that Brazil and China have closely collaborated since the inception of BRICS, with the platform now championing Global South interests, local currency trade, and AI governance. He expressed hope for LAC's strategic autonomy and a multipolar world that prioritizes cooperation and peace.
The survey found that 80 percent of LAC respondents recognize China's rising global influence, with nearly 90 percent in Brazil and Panama and 80 percent or more in Argentina and Chile agreeing. Most Chinese respondents believe LAC's global governance role will grow.
Wang noted that most LAC countries acknowledge the trend toward a multipolar world and the rise of the Global South, and aspire to collaborate with China to reform the Western-dominated global governance system. When asked whether the region remains the US' "backyard," 40 percent of LAC and 35 percent of Chinese respondents disagreed, while only 13 percent and 19 percent, respectively, fully agreeing.
Regarding recent US' so-called "reciprocal tariffs," one-third of LAC respondents believe they could expand China-LAC trade, 20 percent see the "reciprocal tariffs" as disruptive to global trade, and one-third are uncertain. Nearly half of Chinese respondents view the so-called "reciprocal tariffs" as harmful to global trade and China-LAC trade, while nearly one-quarter seeing potential for trade expansion.
When ranking the importance of seven non-regional countries to LAC development, China topped the list, followed by the US, Russia, and Germany. China ranked first in five of the six LAC countries surveyed, except in Argentina.
Merino noted that US policymakers view LAC's diversification of ties, particularly with China, as a security threat. Despite rising US protectionism, the survey shows that the China-LAC relations are growing closer, laying a foundation for deeper cooperation, and a more just and democratic global order.
The Exhibition Hall of Evidence of Crimes Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army, in Harbin, Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, unveiled the complete video testimony of former Unit 731 member Masakuni Kurumizawa for the first time on Monday, the 88th anniversary of the July 7 Incident, an event that marked the start of Japan's full-scale invasion of China and China's whole-nation resistance against the Japanese invaders, China Central Television reported on Monday.
According to the Roster of the Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department of the Kwantung Army, Kurumizawa was born on May 25 in 1913, appointed as assistant technician on May 31 in 1944, and died in Japan in 1993. In the video, he openly confessed to crimes including human dissections, conducting experiments on human, and waging biological warfare during his service with Unit 731, the notorious Japanese germ-warfare detachment, during World War II (WWII).
Kurumizawa admitted in the video that in order to cultivate more virulent bacteria, the Unit 731 members of the Japanese invaders in China passed the bacteria through the blood of living human bodies to achieve the desired effect. The living human subjects were referred to as "marutas."
The term "maruta" was a codename referring to human subjects used in experiments. It was euphemistically employed to describe experimental materials. These were not only animals, but also human beings. As you may know, "Maruta" referred to people, captives in particular, who were subjected to inhumane medical experiments, Kurumizawa said in the video.
"I dissected 300 human bodies, about one-third of which were preserved as specimens, while the rest were burned. When we performed the dissection, the bodies were still warm, and blood spurted out," Kurumizawa said in the video.
In recent years, there has been a trend in Japanese society toward downplaying historical events and promoting historical revisionism. In this context, this full video testimony serves as new evidence and holds significant practical importance in proving that Japan waged a war of aggression against China and the brutal, savage, and inhumane acts committed by Japanese invaders against the Chinese people during the war, Da Zhigang, director of the Institute of Northeast Asian Studies at the Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday. He said that because it was recorded while the person was alive and contains many specific details, the testimony is especially persuasive.
According to Jin Shicheng, a deputy secretary general of the Harbin Research Institute on History of Bacterial, Gas War of Japanese Invasion in China, "maruta" refers to what the Japanese invaders called "materials," which literally means "log." In addition to animals, the subjects also included human prisoners. Comparing humans and animals to "marutas" demonstrated a complete trampling on human dignity and a total disregard for human rights. It was an utter denial of human dignity and interests - an atrocity against humanity, Jin said.
Kurumizawa said in the video that Chinese, Koreans, as well as Mongolians, and some Russians were used as experimental subjects. Normally, they kept more than 40 living people in stock at all times - maintaining a standing number of 40 - because when some people died due to the experiments on them, they could be replenished at any time.
According to Jin, citing the testimony of Kiyoshi Kawashima, head of Division 4 of Unit 731 at the Khabarovsk War Crimes Trials, between 1939 and 1945, 400 to 600 people were sent to Unit 731's headquarters prison each year to become "marutas" to be experimented on. At least 600 people died each year due to these experiments, with the total number exceeding 3,000. Based on statistics from archives and oral testimonies, it can be confirmed that 1,549 victims were subjected to brutal human experiments at the "Square Building" of Unit 731.
Kurumizawa noted that due to Unit 731's strict secrecy regulations, even his own family was unaware of his activities. This secrecy was a major reason that the unit's crimes remained hidden after World War II.
The Roster of the Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department of the Kwantung Army lists a total of 3,497 personnel, the majority of whom are no longer alive. Jin said this document, along with Kurumizawa's video, offers crucial evidence that complements written records, artifacts, and historical sites, further revealing the full scale of Unit 731's atrocities.
Jin noted that after the war, only a few former Unit 731 members have come forward voluntarily. The majority were hiding and remained silent. Exposing the crimes of Unit 731 is a task for the global peace forces.
The newly released video was recorded in August 1991 and runs for 83 minutes. It shows Kurimiwa exposing the crimes of Unit 731 to the public during a war exhibition held in Iida city in Japan in August 1991.
In an effort to promote China-Japan friendship, it is important to unite the anti-war, peace-loving, and grassroots friendly individuals within the Japanese society. By making this material public for the first time in China through these people, it shows that there are peace-loving and anti-war forces within Japanese society, which holds not only historical significance but also practical value, Da said.
According to Da, oral history, also known as a "living fossil," should serve as a powerful tool to counter the push by Japanese right-wing groups to revise the WWII narrative within Japanese society.
The notorious anti-China media Radio Free Asia (RFA) announced on its website and social media accounts that its Cantonese service would cease operations from Tuesday due to a shortage of funds and a reduction in staff caused by the suspension of funding by the US government.
The announcement said that with the cessation of funding from the US government, the RFA team will be further reduced, and the Cantonese service will cease updating news content starting Tuesday, which marks the 28th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland.
RFA was established in 1996, funded and operated by the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), and includes channels of English, Putonghua, Cantonese, and other languages. For a long time, the Cantonese service of RFA repeatedly fabricated false news to smear China on issues related to regions of Hong Kong and Xinjiang, according to media report.
On March 15, hundreds of staffers at Voice of America (VOA), RFA and Radio Free Europe received a weekend email that they will be barred from their offices and should surrender press passes and equipment, Xinhua News Agency reported.
According to Xinhua, the cuts followed an executive order by US President Donald Trump, which listed USAGM, as part of "unnecessary" federal bureaucracy.
USAGM, VOA's parent agency, employs about 3,500 people and had an 886 million-US dollar budget for 2024. The agency has severed all contracts for the privately incorporated international broadcasters it funds, including Radio Free Europe and RFA, per Xinhua.
In response to questions about the US government's decision to shut down VOA and RFA, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in March that "We are not going to comment on US adjustment of its domestic policies," but added that "on those US media you mentioned, their blemished track record on China coverage is hardly a secret."
Chinese officials, foreign diplomats and scholars called for joint efforts to uphold fairness and justice and to promote international security cooperation, at the 13th World Peace Forum on Thursday.
Launched in 2012, the World Peace Forum's core value is to provide forward-looking international security assessments and potential security cooperation recommendations.
The theme of this year's forum is "Advancing Global Peace and Prosperity: Shared Responsibility, Benefit, and Achievement." The discussions focus on strengthening international cooperation to maintain peace, foster development, and achieve common prosperity and lasting peace for all countries. This year's forum saw a record level of international participation, with 49 high-level foreign guests from 25 countries.
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, in his address at the opening ceremony, put forward four proposals. First, learning from history and jointly safeguarding the post-war international order, as well as international fairness and justice. Second, adhering to solidarity and cooperation in order to improve global governance. Third, promoting openness and cooperation to drive global prosperity and development. Fourth, standing together in solidarity and jointly advancing toward modernization, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
Han also urged that development be placed at the center of the international agenda, with a committed focus on addressing the concerns of developing countries and solving the problem of inequality and imbalance in global development, Xinhua reported.
During a luncheon meeting, Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said when responding to a question related to commemorative events marking 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, that 80-year is a major cycle in human development process. Today, however, traditional security threats have re-emerged, and conflicts and wars continue to occur. This occasion would allow the world's peoples to sit together and reflect on how to build an effective, long-term global security architecture to truly ensure peace.
In a plenary themed "Pan-Securitization and Global Security Predicament", Cui Tiankai, China's former ambassador to the US, pointed out that it is precisely under the mindset of generalized security that certain countries find themselves trapped in a "security dilemma." In other words, the predicament is not imposed on them by others; it is something they have created themselves, "they jumped into it."
Former European Council president Herman Van Rompuy noted in his speech at the first plenary that maintaining or rebuilding trust also depends on both bilateral and multilateral dialogue. "Even if there are differences of opinion - even profound ones - dialogue remains important. If political circumstances allow for closer ties to be reestablished, the process of dialogue will be easier, especially if it has never ceased to exist," he said.
Another frequently mentioned theme at the forum was "cooperation." When it comes to cooperation with China, experts showed a positive attitude.
In the first plenary, former Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama said that for Japan to achieve economic transformation, it needs to cooperate more with companies from other countries. Japan should not shy away from working with China's advanced high-tech companies, simply out of fear of US sanctions.
"We, Europe, see China as a global partner, and we hope to cooperate even more with China on global issues - especially on climate change and efforts to promote peace in different regions," Stephan Grabherr, the Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy in China told the Global Times.
The "Global Times Overseas China Week and Global South Dialogue: Seminar on Relations between China and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) countries, and the Mutual Perception of Public Opinion" were held in Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina, on Monday local time. Political, business, academic, think tank, and media representatives from China and Argentina gathered to engage in in-depth exchanges on deepening mutual understanding, strengthening the public support foundation, and promoting mutual learning among civilizations between China and LAC countries.
In an interview with the Global Times, Patricio Conejero Ortiz, Director of Latin America–China Observatory (OLAC) at University of Buenos Aires,told the Global Times that “when we discuss economic development, most of the models that we take in account are models developed in the Western world. There is something very useful in learning about Chinese modernization, which is to have more diversity in terms of the possible ways in the path to development.”
Patricio think that the Chinese modernization could bring to Latin America discussions about development and new ideas. “If you look at the countries in the Global South, of course there is a clear characteristic in China, which is leading a revolutionary process of transforming new technologies. The recent summit that we had in Beijing, China between CELAC and China was the latest step in a process that has been working for more than 10 years. So recently it’s a historical construction in the relationship between CELAC countries and China.”
China and Argentina are probably the farthest countries in the world, but what we need to think is how are we going to build the bridge to connect our people. “There are some characteristics of the Chinese people and the Argentine people that makes us very close in some parts of our language, in some aspects of our culture. What we need to do is to increase people-to-people exchanges,” Patricio said.
This will create a closer connection and we will be able to build the bridge that we need to have a closer relationship between China and Argentina, the scholar said.
The Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) concluded its 16th session on Friday in Beijing.
At the closing meeting, lawmakers voted to adopt a revised Law on Penalties for Administration of Public Security and a revised Law against Unfair Competition.
President Xi Jinping signed two presidential orders to promulgate the laws.
Zhao Leji, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the closing meeting.
The meeting adopted the decision of the NPC Standing Committee on ratifying the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation.
In addition, it approved the central government's final accounts for 2024.
The session voted to remove Miao Hua from his position as a member of the Central Military Commission, while lawmakers also passed a deputy qualification report and other personnel-related bills.
Addressing the closing meeting, Zhao stressed the need to earnestly carry out the education campaign on implementing the Party central leadership's "eight-point decision" on improving work conduct, in a bid to promote high-quality development of the work of people's congresses.
He also urged efforts to practice whole-process people's democracy, consciously accept public oversight, and maintain close ties with the people.
Lawmakers should foster strong awareness of the rule of law, remain loyal to the Constitution, strictly follow legal procedures, and faithfully perform their statutory duties, Zhao said.
Zhao chaired a meeting of the Council of Chairpersons before the closing meeting and presided over a lecture for lawmakers after the closing meeting.
Q: US President Donald Trump announced that the US carried out strikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran—Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan. What's China's comment on this?
A: China strongly condemns the US attacks on Iran and bombing of nuclear facilities under the safeguards of the IAEA. The actions of the US seriously violate the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law, and have exacerbated tensions in the Middle East. China calls on the parties to the conflict, Israel in particular, to reach a ceasefire as soon as possible, ensure the safety of civilians, and start dialogue and negotiation. China stands ready to work with the international community to pool efforts together and uphold justice, and work for restoring peace and stability in the Middle East.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang held talks with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is on an official visit to China, in Beijing on Monday.
Noting that China and Singapore are friendly neighbors and important partners, Li said that under the strategic guidance of their leaders, the traditional friendship between China and Singapore has been continuously deepened since the establishment of diplomatic relations 35 years ago, with bilateral relations enhanced and practical cooperation achieving fruitful results.
He said that China is willing to work with Singapore to uphold the traditions of mutual respect and trust, equality and mutual benefits, while maintaining close high-level exchange, enhancing strategic communication, and consolidating political mutual trust.
Li said that China stands ready to make full use of its bilateral cooperation mechanism with Singapore, implement their cooperation plan for the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, and expand and strengthen flagship cooperation projects. China is also ready to increase the scale of two-way trade and investment, actively expand cooperation in third-party markets, and foster new cooperative initiatives in areas such as the digital economy, the green economy, artificial intelligence, smart cities and ocean energy.
He called on the two countries to strengthen exchange in education, culture, tourism and media, and to adhere to open regionalism and true multilateralism, actively promote the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, and maintain the stability and smooth operations of global industrial and supply chains.
China is willing to work with ASEAN member states, including Singapore, to promote the timely signature and implementation of the upgraded Version 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area pact, implement the high-quality Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, and accelerate the process of regional economic integration, Li said.
Wong said that Singapore looks forward to maintaining close high-level exchange and cooperation in various fields with China, deepening friendship and mutual trust, and promoting flagship cooperation projects such as the Suzhou Industrial Park. It is also willing to explore cooperation potential in emerging fields such as the digital economy, the green economy, artificial intelligence and biomedicine, and to expand third-party cooperation and enhance people-to-people and cultural exchange.
Wong noted that Singapore is full of confidence in the Chinese economy, and is willing to enhance communication and collaboration with China on regional and multilateral platforms to safeguard free trade and the multilateral trading system.
The Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau's Tianhe District Branch on Tuesday released a police report stating that a tech company in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province, was targeted by overseas hackers in a cyberattack, prompting the police to initiate an investigation. The police revealed that the attack has a clear political background and shows distinct signs of cyber warfare. The Global Times will continue to follow the progress of the investigation on the case.
According to the police report, the backend system of the self-service devices of the tech company was subjected to a cyberattack, resulting in the illegal upload of multiple attack programs that maliciously disrupted the normal operation of the system. Upon receiving the report, the public security authorities promptly launched an investigation, extracting relevant samples and legally securing electronic evidence. Through technical analysis of the attack methods and related malicious code samples, it has been preliminarily determined that the incident was a cyberattack initiated by an overseas hacker organization.
According to a relevant person in charge from the Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau's Tianhe District Branch, the attackers used technical means to bypass the company's network protection devices, illegally accessing the backend system of the self-service devices. They conducted lateral movement to infiltrate and control multiple network devices, illegally uploading several attack programs, which affected the company's official website and some business systems, leading to several hours of network service interruption and causing significant losses, with some user privacy information potentially leaked.
Following the incident, the company immediately activated its emergency response plan, attempting to restore the system at the earliest opportunity and reporting the case to the local public security authorities. The authorities took the matter seriously, extracting relevant attack program samples, comprehensively securing related evidence, and organizing a professional technical team to conduct technical tracing.
The relevant person in charge disclosed that this cyberattack represents a large-scale organized and premeditated operation by an overseas hacker organization, exhibiting clear signs of cyber warfare. It is not something that an ordinary individual hacker could accomplish. "Preliminary tracing has revealed that this hacker organization has been using open-source tools to conduct network asset scanning and probing against our important departments, sensitive industries, and tech companies, broadly searching for attack targets. They exploit weak points in the network defenses of targeted units and seek opportunities to invade and control target systems, stealing and damaging important data, and disrupting the normal operations of relevant institutions."
Additionally, the technical team's analysis indicates that the attacker's methods and related technical proficiency were relatively low-level, exposing a significant number of digital traces during the attack. Public security authorities are currently conducting technical analysis and investigative work based on these leads.
The Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau's Tianhe District Branch stated that this cyberattack not only violated the legitimate rights and interests of the enterprise, but also posed a serious threat to China's cyberspace order and public interest.
A cybersecurity expert told the Global Times that the attack had a clear political background, was highly targeted, and constituted an Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) operation. He further analyzed that judging from the official announcement, the overall level of the attack was not particularly sophisticated, falling within the second or third tier of APT groups' capabilities. Currently, when it comes to cyberattacks at this level, China-from regulatory authorities to major cybersecurity firms-has already developed effective response capabilities in threat detection, tracing, and countermeasures. "We can conduct in-depth analysis of the attack process and samples, and in some cases, can pinpoint the source of the threat," the expert said.
The police have reminded the public that any individual or organization encountering activities that endanger cybersecurity has the right to report them to the local cybersecurity department of the public security authorities in accordance with Article 14 of the Cybersecurity Law of the People's Republic of China. The authorities will resolutely crack down on such illegal activities in accordance with the law.
In recent years, following reports of cyberattacks launched by overseas hacker groups against China, public security authorities have promptly launched investigations and ultimately identified the foreign perpetrators. The most notable cases include the cyberattack against Northwestern Polytechnical University in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province and the cyberattack on the Wuhan Earthquake Monitoring Center.
In this regard, the expert stated that China's technical capabilities, industrial strength, and operational mechanisms in building APT attack response capabilities have been continuously evolving. The expert outlined a timeline tracking the progress of domestic cybersecurity firms in analysis and attribution capabilities from passively responding to attacks like Stuxnet around 2010, to proactively detecting certain attack activities after 2013, and to achieving breakthroughs in tracing attacks back to individual hacker after 2016.
