The opening ceremony of the China-UN-Africa small arms and light weapons control capacity building training course was held in Beijing on Tuesday, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian at a press briefing on Tuesday.
The training program is jointly organized by China and the United Nations, primarily targeting countries in the African Great Lakes region. Its aim is to help African countries enhance their small arms and light weapons control capabilities, reduce the risk of illegal arms proliferation, and support the African Union's "Silencing the Guns in Africa" initiative, Lin said.
China has always attached great importance to and actively promoted peace and development in Africa. Cooperation with African countries on small arms and light weapons control is an important component of the "Ten Major Partnership Actions" for China and Africa to jointly advance modernization. It is also one of the key areas of the Global Security Initiative.
China possesses a comprehensive set of policies and measures for small arms and light weapons control and has been one of the countries with the lowest incidence of gun-related and explosive violent crimes in the world for many consecutive years, Lin said.
The spokesperson said China is willing to continuously strengthen exchanges and cooperation with African countries in this regard, and support them in achieving peace, stability, development, and prosperity.
A major maritime drug trafficking case jointly investigated by law enforcement authorities from China, Thailand and the US has been selected as one of China's top 10 exemplary drug enforcement cases of 2025, the Global Times learned at a press conference held by China's National Narcotics Control Commission (NNCC) on Wednesday.
The NNCC briefed the media on the investigation of major drug-related cases nationwide since the beginning of 2025. Among the cases highlighted was the "Jisheng" vessel case, a large-scale maritime drug smuggling operation uncovered through trilateral law enforcement cooperation.
According to the briefing, on February 24, 2025, Chinese anti-drug and coast guard authorities, working in coordination with the Royal Thai Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration of the US Department of Justice, successfully intercepted the drug-smuggling vessel "Jisheng" in waters near Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea. Seven suspects were arrested and 4,973.4 kilograms of methamphetamine were seized on board, setting a new record for the largest quantity of drugs confiscated in a single maritime case in the Asia-Pacific region in recent years.
Authorities said anti-drug agencies in South China's Guangdong Province, together with counterparts in Fujian and Shandong provinces and the China Coast Guard, spent more than seven months investigating the case and uncovering the full criminal network behind the operation.
According to information released by China's Ministry of Public Security, the Royal Thai Police and the US drug enforcement authority conducted extensive investigations and proactively shared intelligence regarding the maritime trafficking operation with Chinese authorities. Acting on the information, Chinese law enforcement agencies responded swiftly, intercepted the vessel and seized the narcotics, making the case a model of international anti-drug cooperation.
Although the Jisheng case involved coordinated efforts among Chinese, Thai and US law enforcement agencies, it also serves as a notable example of deepening practical cooperation between China and the US in the field of narcotics control.
Over the past two years, China and the US have maintained communication and cooperation on anti-drug law enforcement and have achieved a number of concrete results. On May 11, China's Ministry of Public Security announced that Chinese and US anti-drug authorities had jointly cracked a cross-border drug trafficking case involving smuggling operations spanning both countries.
In another example of bilateral cooperation, on April 3, 2025, following intelligence provided by Chinese anti-drug authorities, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported and transferred to China a Chinese national surnamed Han who was suspected of drug smuggling and trafficking, through established immigration law enforcement cooperation channels.
Held in Shenyang, Liaoning Province in Northeast China on Tuesday, the 2026 ASEAN-China Media Cooperation Forum gathered some 150 delegates from governmental bodies, media institutions, think tanks, enterprises and international organizations. Participants exchanged views in a cordial atmosphere and held thorough discussions on ways to further expand bilateral media engagement and collaboration.
Under the theme "Media Convergence for Shared Growth: Opening a New Chapter in the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," the forum was held at a significant moment: The year 2026 marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN Dialogue Relations, as well as the fifth anniversary of the China-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
First launched in 2018, the event is co-organized by the China International Communications Group and the China-ASEAN Center. Now in its ninth year, it has grown into a vital institutional platform for media interaction and collaboration between China and ASEAN.
President of CICG Chang Bo delivered the opening address on Tuesday. He noted that media plays a unique role in deepening mutual understanding and fostering emotional connections between peoples. He voiced the hope that closer media cooperation will foster a sound public opinion environment for ASEAN-China collaboration, strengthen people-to-people bonds and solidify the friendship between the two sides.
Khammone Chanthachith, a deputy head of the Propaganda and Training Committee of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, shared similar views. He noted that media acts as an essential bridge for building trust and enhancing understanding, and expressed confidence that deeper media cooperation will usher in a new chapter for ASEAN-China relations.
Undersecretary of State at Cambodia's Ministry of Information Prak Thaveak Amida said digital transformation and technological progress have brought new opportunities alongside challenges such as misleading content and disinformation. He stressed the need to bolster cooperation frameworks and called on media from China and ASEAN to uphold professional credibility, leverage new media platforms, and jointly present inspiring stories of ASEAN-China friendship.
On Tuesday, two round-table dialogues were also held during the forum, themed "Social Responsibility and the Media's Mission in Our Times" and "Innovative Practices and Diversified Development in the Digital Age," respectively.
Participants agreed that media organizations from both sides should step up exchanges and cooperation to reinforce mutual trust and friendship, and contribute to building a closer ASEAN-China community with a shared future. In the digital media landscape, they also pledged to advance sound public opinion governance, improve the global media ecosystem and amplify the voice of the Global South.
Besides, two new initiatives were unveiled at the forum: the ASEAN-China Social Media Content Creators Programme and the 2026 ASEAN-China Youth Cultural Heritage Tour Series.
According to organizers, the programmes aim to encourage young people across China and ASEAN to create innovative digital stories, so that the long-standing friendship between the two sides can reach wider audiences.
Nararya S. Soeprapto, a deputy secretary-general of ASEAN, hailed ASEAN-China relations as one of the most dynamic partnerships worldwide. He pointed out that China has been ASEAN's largest trading partner for 17 consecutive years, while ASEAN has ranked as China's top trading partner over the past six years.
Nararya also underscored media's value in nurturing mutual trust, deeper understanding and friendship.
In an interview with the Global Times, he said he has decades of experience working on ASEAN affairs. Over the past 30 years, he has witnessed remarkable progress in all-round exchanges between China and ASEAN. Media has been instrumental in strengthening bilateral relations by covering people-to-people exchanges as well as trade and investment cooperation.
"People to people connectivity is one of the most important elements in building a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and ASEAN," he remarked, adding that people want to learn about one another through news and stories, and media serves as a crucial channel to spread these stories and further cement our bilateral ties.
He urged media outlets on both sides to keep fostering rapport and collaboration to enhance mutual understanding across all sectors, adding that the annual media forum is an important undertaking that should be continued.
Buji Babiera, a Filipino content creator with 3.8 million followers on TikTok, told the Global Times on the sidelines of the forum that he is impressed by China's rapid development and advanced technologies, and hoped his vlogs about China would help more people form an objective and rational perception of the country, instead of being misled by politicians' nationalist rhetoric.
Showing Instagram posts that capture his friends' travels in Southwest China's Yunnan Province, he asked the reporter: "Have you visited these spots? I truly hope to go there someday."
A Chinese woman in her 60s was injured and robbed of a shoulder bag containing approximately 8 million yen (about $50,000) in cash near Tokyo's busy Ikebukuro Station on Wednesday night, with police searching for two suspects who fled the scene, according to Japan's Kyodo News.
Kyodo News reported on Thursday that the incident occurred on a street in Tokyo's Toshima Ward. The victim told police that two individuals believed to be men robbed her shoulder bag. According to the Ikebukuro Police Station, the woman sustained minor head injuries during the robbery and said the bag contained about 8 million yen in cash.
When reached by the Global Times on Thursday for further details about the incident, a staff member at the Ikebukuro Police Station initially said the deputy chief responsible for the case was occupied and asked the reporter to leave contact information for a later response. After the reporter provided a phone number, the staff later called back to apologize and said they were unable to comment on the incident.
According to Kyodo News, police are investigating the case as a robbery resulting in injury and are searching for the two suspects who fled the scene.
The incident was reported at around 8:30 pm on Wednesday local time after a witness called emergency services and reported a bag-snatching, Kyodo News said.
Two suspects sprayed the woman with an unidentified substance, struck her in the head and then forcibly took her bag before fleeing, according to the report.
The robbery took place in a commercial district near JR Ikebukuro Station, one of Tokyo's busiest entertainment and shopping hubs.
When asked by a foreign reporter to comment on the US Department of the Treasury's announcement of sanctions against nine individuals and entities from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) for allegedly providing support to the Iranian military in procuring weapons, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday that "we will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies and nationals."
Lin added that "as we have repeatedly made clear, China firmly opposes illegal unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law or are not authorized by the UN Security Council."
General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith in Beijing on Friday.
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with Belarusian First Deputy Prime Minister Nikolai Snopkov in Minsk on Saturday.
Han said China and Belarus are good friends and good partners. China is ready to work with Belarus to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, enhance strategic mutual trust and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation to bring more benefits to the two peoples.
Noting China and Belarus enjoy strong economic complementarity and broad prospects for cooperation, Han said China is willing to strengthen the alignment of development strategies with Belarus and continue to open up new space for win-win cooperation.
He called for joint efforts to build the China-Belarus Industrial Park into an international industrial hub, welcomed more high-quality Belarusian products to the Chinese market, and urged both sides to step up youth exchanges to foster closer ties between the two peoples.
Snopkov said Belarus admires China's remarkable development achievements, and firmly believes the Chinese modernization will greatly contribute to world peace, development and common prosperity.
Belarus will always be a trustworthy and reliable strategic partner of China, he said, adding that his country is willing to work with China to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and fully leverage existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms to enhance people-to-people exchanges and expand industrial cooperation.
Young people across the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) widely endorse the concepts and actions of the SCO, highly appreciate its positive role in global governance and hold high expectations for deepening cooperation across various fields among member states, according to a report released in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on May 27.
The report on interest trends among youth in SCO member states was jointly released by the Secretariat of the Belt and Road News Network (BRNN) and the Global Times at the 2026 China-Kyrgyzstan Media Cooperation Forum held in Bishkek. It is based on a 2025 survey of 10 official SCO member states, as well as data from Global Public Opinion. Focusing on youth perceptions and emerging trends, the report finds that young people are highly invested in employment, entrepreneurship, education, cultural ties, and global partnerships.
The findings show that young respondents strongly identify with the principles of the Shanghai Spirit, featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and the pursuit of common development. More than 80 percent of respondents believe that development cooperation within the SCO framework has brought tangible benefits to their own countries. Among them, 72 percent cited "promoting high-quality development in home countries," and 62 percent pointed to "bringing more international cooperation and development opportunities." Over 80 percent also affirmed the SCO's positive role in global governance.
China, as a founding member of the SCO, has consistently upheld and acted on the Shanghai Spirit by deepening practical cooperation in various fields with other member states and promoting shared development. The survey shows that among young respondents in SCO countries other than China, more than 90 percent of respondents believe that cooperation with China can positively impact their own country's development and modernization.
More than 90 percent of respodents said that China's development experience in multiple areas is worth learning from. These figures reflect a strong desire among young people across the SCO to deepen cooperation with China and benefit from shared development opportunities.
People-to-people exchanges are one of the most-watched areas of cooperation for young people in SCO member states. More than 90 percent of respondents said they look forward to future SCO cultural and exchange programs and activities. Among the most popular were "youth exchanges," "university/student exchanges," "foreign language learning," and "vocational training." The report concludes that young people are not only interested in macro-level cooperation between countries, but also place great importance on the real-world opportunities brought by education, skills and cross-cultural communication.
Moreover, the concerns of young people in SCO member states show clear contemporary characteristics. Hot topics such as AI, skills development and cultural consumption have become key indicators of trends in employment, education and cultural life. According to the survey, in 2025, media coverage of topics related to "youth," "employment" and "entrepreneurship" in SCO member states saw a 141 percent year-on-year increase in mentions of AI. AI is emerging as an important driver for young people to explore innovation and expand their career opportunities. In education, young people place a high priority on digital skills, practical skills and innovation capabilities, with a clear trend toward digital, remote and cross-cultural learning. At the same time, young respondents maintain a strong sense of their own cultural identity and are developing a cultural awareness that is both locally rooted and globally minded.
Youth represent the future of the SCO and are an important force driving regional cooperation and shared development. The report provides a concentrated picture of the common understandings, real concerns and development expectations of young people in SCO member states, offering a valuable public opinion reference for deepening youth cooperation. Despite a complex and changing international environment, young people in the SCO remain positive about multilateral cooperation and shared development - a sign of the deep youth base and broad prospects for SCO cooperation.
General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith arrives in Beijing, capital of China, June 4, 2026. Thongloun is in China for a five-day state visit. (Photo: Xinhua)
An article by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on deeply advancing the Party's self-reform will be published on Monday.
The article by Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will be published in this year's 24th issue of the Qiushi Journal, a flagship magazine of the CPC Central Committee.
