President Xi Jinping on Friday said the central authorities fully support Hong Kong in aligning with national strategies and fostering new momentum and advantages for economic development, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Xi made the remarks when meeting with Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) John Lee, who is on a duty visit to Beijing. During the meeting, Xi heard a report from Lee on Hong Kong's current situation and the HKSAR government's work.

Noting that Hong Kong faces new development opportunities, Xi said the central authorities would fully, firmly and accurately implement the "one country, two systems" policy, and fully support the chief executive and the HKSAR government in uniting and leading all sectors of society in actively pursuing reform and progress, and in pursuing prosperity through innovation and creativity.
Strong backing

According to the HKSAR government, Lee's briefing includes the latest economic, social and political situation in Hong Kong.

Commending Lee's work over the past year, Xi said Lee had led the HKSAR government in shouldering responsibilities and delivering concrete results.

In the past year, the HKSAR government has completed historic legislation under Article 23 of the HKSAR Basic Law, pooled resources in boosting economic development, addressed livelihood problems such as housing and healthcare, strengthened external exchanges and cooperation, and continuously enhanced Hong Kong's international prestige, thus further consolidating Hong Kong's positive momentum of stability and development, Xi said.

The central authorities fully acknowledge the work done by Lee and the HKSAR government, he said.

Fan Peng, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Political Sciences, said that in 2024, one of the most outstanding achievements is the legislation of Article 23 of the Basic Law of the HKSAR, a historic mission.

"In terms of system design, the legislation makes Hong Kong's accountability to the central government something that is no longer an abstract political principle, but internalized in the operation of 'one country, two systems' and the actual governance of Hong Kong," Fan said.

According to the expert, in the past two years, the HKSAR government effectively handled a series of thorny issues involving the sovereign interests of national security. At the same time, Hong Kong has also carried out wide-ranging patriotic education, with the social atmosphere clearly changing.

Lee's report in Beijing came after the annual Central Economic Work Conference in the capital, which stressed the need to implement more proactive and impactful macro policies, expand high-standard opening up and keep foreign trade and foreign investment stable.

Lau Siu-kai, a consultant to the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies think tank, believed that the central government appreciates that in the past year or two, HKSAR was seeking opportunities in the Middle East and Southeast Asian countries to mitigate the impact from Western repression and attempts to weaken the foundation of Hong Kong's economic development. But at the same time, it also requires Hong Kong to continue to step up efforts to open up space for international activities.

At such a critical point in time, Xi spoke highly of the HKSAR under Lee, which actually shows that the central government has consistently attached importance to the significant status and positive role of Hong Kong, and has unswervingly supported the region, and has always been a strong backing for Hong Kong's development, Fan said.

Further integration expected

Lee's itinerary, which runs from December 11 to 14, also includes meetings with members of various central government ministries, Hong Kong-based media said.

Before Lee's briefing to President Xi, Lee met with Beijing-based business people from Hong Kong as well as representatives from top universities in China's capital, calling for better interaction and integration between the mainland and Hong Kong.

During a lunch meeting on Thursday with 15 Hong Kong business representatives in Beijing, Lee praised the Hong Kong business community's efforts to promote the complementarity and mutual benefit of resources between Beijing and Hong Kong, and expected further strengthening of cooperation and exchanges, according to Lee's Facebook post.

Lee also encouraged young Hong Kong people in Beijing to embrace the unlimited opportunities for personal growth and asked Hong Kong business communities to help more Beijing companies list in Hong Kong and invest overseas using Hong Kong as a stepping stone, according to South China Morning Post.

After the lunch meeting, the chief executive held discussions with leaders from top-tier universities including Peking University, Tsinghua University, Renmin University, Beijing Normal University, Beihang University and Beijing Institute of Technology.

In a Facebook post after the meeting, Lee expressed gratitude for the institutions' continued support for Hong Kong, and hoped to foster cooperation between mainland and Hong Kong universities. He called for a joint effort to build a "talent highland," complementing each other's advantages.

According to Lau, reform and innovation are the two principles that Hong Kong should follow in its future governance and development, which makes its cooperation and integration with the mainland particularly important.

As an international financial hub, Hong Kong has advantages in terms of outbound business investment and internationalization, while the mainland has advantages in its number of talents, unified large market and policy efficiency, Fan noted, emphasizing the complementary advantages of the two places.

"Under the framework of 'one country, two systems', Hong Kong can integrate the advantages of governance capacity from both sides, which is more important in the long run than simply talking about short-term growth," Fan added.

"The Greater Bay Area is a crucial growth pole in the Chinese path to modernization. The mainland and Hong Kong have made great explorations not only in terms of trade and finance, and social connectivity, but also in terms of policy and institutional connectivity," Fan said, "The purpose is to drive innovation in science and technology, business and finance, and create new growth points with the Greater Bay Area as a whole."

The central government has set high expectations for Hong Kong in that regard, Fan said, noting that at a time when the dividends of globalization and the vitality of global innovation are declining, governance capacity is particularly important.

HKSAR Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, said at a business forum on Wednesday that the number of foreign and Chinese mainland firms as well as start-ups in Hong Kong has reached new highs in 2024, and the HKSAR will further help mainland businesses "go global" and attract foreign investment.

Ahead of Lee's departure on December 9, he met with Ren Hongbin, head of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) in Hong Kong. The two sides exchanged views on strengthening economic and trade exchanges between the mainland and Hong Kong, and facilitating the high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Over the past year, China has played a proactive and practical role in supporting the development of Global South, Ma Xiaojun, a research fellow at the Institute of Global Governance and Development at Renmin University of China, said at the Global Times Annual Conference 2025, themed "Moving forward in Partnership: Resonance of Values between China and the World," on Saturday.

Ma's statement was made during the session on "The Resurgence of the Awakening of the Global South: Mutual Learning and Resonance" of the conference, where he highlighted that 2024 as a significant year for Global South cooperation, noting its growing strategic impact on multilateral and bilateral platforms. 

Ma pointed out that China's "Global South diplomacy" is taking shape in several key ways: First, China increasingly identifies as part of the Global South, with the term gaining prominence in its diplomatic discourse. Second, China's head-of-state diplomacy is steering and guiding the Global South diplomatic framework, promoting unity among Global South countries. Third, over the past year, China has become an active supporter and practitioner of development for the Global South, with a large number of high-quality projects being implemented globally, bringing confidence and hope to Global South countries.

The Global South brings together a large number of regional and medium-sized powers, Ma noted. In a world undergoing changes unseen in a century, China should focus its diplomacy on these nations. 

Furthermore, within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative or in a broader context, it is essential to strengthen the implementation of China's major policies aimed at the people and development of the Global South "to achieve tangible results," Ma said.

China successfully launched a group of low-orbit internet satellites into preset orbits via the Long March-5B/Yuanzheng-2 upper stage from Wenchang Space Launch Site in South China's Hainan Province on Monday at 6 pm. 

The flight marks the 552th flight of the Long March rocket family.

Following the latest round of encounters between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, the US, Japan and the Philippines held a joint exercise within Manila's exclusive economic zone on Friday, a move playing a destructive role for managing differences and undermining regional peace and stability.

According to a statement released by the US Indo-Pacific Command (PACOM), participating units included a US Navy P-8A Poseidon from Patrol Squadron 47; the Philippine Navy BRP Andres Bonifacio and a C-90; and the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force Murasame-class destroyer JS Samidare (DD 106).

It said that "the combined armed and defense forces of Japan, the Philippines, and the US, demonstrating a collective commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific, conducted a Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone."

On Wednesday, China implemented control measures against Philippine ships that attempted to intrude into the territorial waters of China's Huangyan Dao. On Monday, the China Coast Guard (CCG) stated that it had taken necessary management and control measures against Philippine vessels that recently illegally gathered in the waters of China's Houteng Jiao.

Teresita Daza, spokesperson for the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), said on Thursday that the DFA has formally lodged a protest with China over the latest incident around Huangyan Dao. The latest diplomatic complaint brings the number of protests Manila has filed against Beijing this year to 60, with the total coming to 193 since Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office in 2022, she said, per the Philippines News Agency. 

Chinese military expert Song Zhongping said PACOM's use of the term "Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity," rather than "patrol" or "drill," suggests that this event is seen more as a routine operation, suggesting enhanced military deployments and a greater regular military presence in the Philippines.

In order to increase its strength to provoke China, the Philippines is trying to attract various kinds of support from its allies outside the region, whether it is verbal, formal or substantive, and is even willing to yield its strategic independence and sovereign interests, Song said.

The Philippines is trying to stoke the South China Sea issue by constantly creating trouble so as to accumulate new discourse materials for the cognitive war of building the "China threat" rhetoric, Ding Duo, a deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at China's National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times.

The intervention of external forces may encourage the Philippines in the short term, but from the perspective of crisis management of maritime disputes, it has a destructive and negative catalytic effect on the maritime situation, Ding said. 

China's thinking and position in dealing with the South China Sea issue maintains continuity and stability, and flame-fanning from the US and Japan will not affect China's strategic focus, but will cause the Philippines to pay a price, Song said.

Manila's anxiety

One day before the joint drill, the Philippines and Japan on Thursday signed a 1.6-billion-yen ($10.65 million) security assistance deal to boost Manila's maritime security and surveillance abilities, Reuters reported. 

Japan will provide the Philippine Navy with equipment such as rigid-hulled inflatable boats and coastal radar systems under its Overseas Security Assistance (OSA) programme, while The Philippine Air Force will receive equipment to support its air surveillance radar system from Tokyo, Reuters said. 

The DFA said the assistance from Japan will improve the country's "capabilities to deter threats to peace, stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region," per the Phil Star. 

Behind the recent provocations against China and the strengthening of cooperation with Japan is the Marcos administration's aim of distracting attention from domestic contradictions and seeking political self-interest. But more importantly, it also reflects Manila's concern and anxiety over future Philippine-US relations, according to Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies. 

The expert said that under the concept of "America First" of the incoming US administration, Manila may have to exert more effort and even leverage in order to maintain the US-Philippines relationship, he noted. 

"So in the last phase of the Biden administration, Manila wants to create some fait accompli in terms of policy framework that would be difficult to change after Donald Trump takes office," said Chen, "Manila may be trying to remind or even kidnap Washington by stirring up trouble in the South China Sea, hoping that the incoming US administration will give it more substantive support."

Chen said that in contrast to the uncertainty from the US, Japan, which is becoming increasingly involved in the South China Sea issue, represents a certainty that Manila can rely upon, as weapons and equipment provided by Tokyo can, to some extent, play a substitute role for the US.

Japan had provided coastal surveillance radars to the Philippine Navy in fiscal 2023 as well, according to Jiji press. In May 2024, Japan agreed to provide the Philippines with a 64.3 billion yen low-interest loan for the acquisition of five additional Japanese patrol vessels, according to Kyodo News, which also noted that Japan has already provided 12 patrol ships, called "multi-role response vessels" to the Philippine Coast Guard since 2016. 

In July this year, the Philippines and Japan signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement, which permits the deployment of their forces on each other's soil for joint combat training and drills.

Japan is likely to move from a supporting role in military aid and cooperation with the Philippines to a leading role, helping to elevate Manila's defense and coast guard capabilities, and giving it more infiltration of interests in the Philippines, just as the US did in the past, Chen said. 

It cannot be ruled out that Japan may even establish a maritime Self-Defense Force base in the Philippines in the future, Chen added. 

Ding said that Japan's active interference in the South China Sea is aimed at giving itself more leverage and easing its pressure in the Diaoyu Islands disputes, while gradually realizing the goal of becoming a "normal country" capable of possessing military power and becoming militarized through military equipment aid to the Philippines. 

Japan's move is a cause for alarm, as it had a very shameful history in Southeast Asia during the Second World War, said Ding.

China's average temperature in November hit a record high since 1961, standing nearly 2 C above the historical norm, said the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) on Thursday. 

The CMA held a press conference to present the weather and climate characteristics of November, the climate trend forecast for December and release a bulletin for the China's greenhouse gas emissions in 2023, as reported by China Central Television (CCTV).

Jia Xiaolong, a deputy head of the National Climate Center, said during the press conference that the average temperature in November reached its highest level since 1961, approximately 2 C above the historical norm. Despite two strong cold air events, their frequency was lower than usual, resulting in significant temperature fluctuations. 

In terms of precipitation, the country experienced above-average rainfall, with daily precipitation records for November broken in many areas. Heavy snowstorms occurred in parts of Northeast China and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, with localized snowfall breaking historical records, Jia said.

Meanwhile, typhoon activities were unusually active, with four typhoons forming in November, 1.9 times more than average, compared with the same period in previous years, according to the conference. Meteorological droughts emerged and developed periodically in regions including western parts of southern China, while other areas experienced moderate to severe drought conditions.

Frequent cold air movements are expected in December, with significant temperature fluctuations across most of the country, said Jia. Temperatures in regions including most of Northeast China and Southeast China are predicted to be lower than usual, while other areas will see temperatures near or above the historical norm. Precipitation will be concentrated in the Northeast and Southwest regions, with below-average rainfall expected in East and Central China.

Three major meteorological risks are highlighted for December, according to the report. Frequent cold air events may lead to low temperatures, strong winds and rain-snow freezing disasters, potentially impacting agriculture, transportation and energy sectors, requiring proactive prevention. 

Also, areas with below-average rainfall should enhance forest fire prevention as drought conditions may worsen in some regions. Lastly, during cold air intermissions, air pollution may occur in parts of northern China. Therefore, it is suggested that monitoring is enhanced.

The China Greenhouse Gas Bulletin 2023 was also released during the conference, which marks the 13th consecutive year that the CMA has published China's greenhouse gas monitoring data, according to The Paper.

Observations from the Waliguan Baseline Observatory showed that the annual average concentration of carbon dioxide in 2023  is consistent with the global average growth rate. Concentrations of methane and nitrous oxide also showed increasing trends, although their growth rates were slightly lower than the global average.

According to The Paper, under the framework of the World Meteorological Organization, the CMA is responsible for high-precision greenhouse gas monitoring in China, employing internationally aligned methods, standards and procedures. A comprehensive high-precision greenhouse gas observation network has been established nationwide. 

Moreover, China's Zhongshan National Atmospheric Background Station in Antarctica will conduct continuous and long-term operational observations of the concentration changes in Antarctic atmospheric components, and present its findings of the average state of the atmospheric composition and related characteristics in the region, according to the China Meteorological Administration, as reported by the Xinhua News Agency.

The CMA, as a scientific and foundational support department in addressing climate change, plays an increasingly important role in greenhouse gas monitoring, according to the conference. In the future, the CMA will accelerate the construction of a greenhouse gas observation network covering major cities and regions, strengthen dynamic analyses, and provide robust data support for China's carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals.

Siding with allies indiscriminately with no regard for what is right and what is wrong will find no international support. Ignoring basic facts and infringing on other's sovereign rights and interests in the name of law will end in failure, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said while delivering a keynote speech via video at the 5th Symposium on Global Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance on Tuesday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China is prepared to work with relevant countries to properly handle maritime differences through negotiations and consultations, maintain peace and stability at sea, and promote lasting ocean security.

Experts and scholars participating in the Symposium also emphasized the importance of resolving maritime disputes through peaceful negotiations based on mutual respect within a multilateral framework.

China believes firmly that enhancing dialogue and cooperation, maintaining maritime peace and stability, and advancing global ocean governance represent the general consensus and the prevailing sentiment of the international community, said Wang, adding that China is ready to work hand in hand with the international community to turn the ocean into a place of peace and tranquility, a source of prosperity and development, and a platform of inter-civilization exchange and integration shared by all countries of the world.

During a session titled Settlement of Maritime Disputes: Dialogue or Confrontation, participating experts agreed that disputes should be resolved through dialogue and cooperation.  

In recent time, due to continuous provocations by the Philippines under the instigation of the US, disputes in the South China Sea have become increasingly internationalized and complex. Rommel C. Banlaoi, Chairman of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research, told Global Times that Philippines government is implementing what he calls an excessive pro-Americanism in its foreign policy, adding that ASEAN is not comfortable with that. 

Banlaoi noted that the ASEAN way is balancing relationships between the two major powers, China, and the US, however, the Philippines is favoring the US against China, which is against the principle of ASEAN for friendship, peace and neutrality in the region. 

Sorajak Kasemsuvan, a council member of the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council from Thailand, said that "we have to make sure that all relevant parties continue to engage in dialogue." Ongoing dialogue is essential for enabling cooperation among nations on maritime resources, biodiversity, and environmental issues. Relevant countries should make it clear to external parties that they are managing their own affairs and do not need foreign interference, Kasemsuvan told the Global Times, commenting on the South China Sea issue.

"History shows us that the best way to progress human beings on this planet is through dialogue, not through confrontation. We know that is the central lesson of history," Peter Thomson, the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Ocean, told the Global Times. He also expressed his hope that the South China Sea issue will be resolved by peaceful discussions between the parties involved.

The Symposium, which kicked off on Tuesday in Sanya, South China's Hainan Province, attracted nearly 300 participants, including experts, scholars, former political leaders, senior diplomats from foreign embassies in China and representatives from international organizations and maritime agencies.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on Thursday expressed condolences over former Japanese ambassador to China Koreshige Anami's passing and extended sympathy to his family.

Anami, the Japanese ambassador to China from 2001 to 2006, died at 83 on November 13 at his residence in Tokyo from pneumonia, the family said, Japanese media The Mainichi reported. 

Mao said that Anami had long engaged in diplomacy with China. After retirement, he continued to contribute to China-Japan relations, serving as a member of the Japan side of the 21st Century Committee for China-Japan Friendship, among other roles. His efforts made a positive contribution to the improvement and development of China-Japan relations.

Chinese Ambassador to Japan, along with several former Chinese Ambassadors to Japan who had worked with Anami have sent condolence messages to his family, said Mao. 

In response to an inquiry on reports that a Beijing court sentenced Chinese journalist Dong Yuyu on Friday to seven years in prison for espionage, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at Friday's press conference that China upholds the rule of law and Chinese judicial authorities handle cases in strict accordance with law. 

Those who violate laws will certainly be brought to account in accordance with law, Mao said.

Secessionist authorities of Taiwan region and external forces are acting more provocatively during the power transition time in the US, with the Chinese mainland voicing strong opposition and vowing strong and resolute countermeasures, as Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te made a "stopover" in Hawaii during his trip to the Pacific, and the US announced another round of arm sales to the island.

China firmly opposes official interactions between the US and Taiwan region, firmly opposes the leader of the Taiwan region making a "stopover" in the US in any name or under whatever pretext, a long-standing and clear position, Chen Binhua, a spokesperson of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office said on Sunday.

Chen made the remarks in response to a media question on Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te's "stopover" in Hawaii amid his trip to so-called "diplomatic allies" in the Pacific. Chen noted that the Chinese Foreign Ministry has lodged serious protests with the US.

"We urge the US to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, fully see the separatist nature and damage of Lai and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities, and handle the Taiwan question with prudence," Chen said.

On the US arm sales, China will take strong and resolute countermeasures to firmly defend national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, the spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

Firm opposition

The US Department of Defense on Friday announced that the Department of State has approved US$385 million worth of arms sales to Taiwan region. The arms sales include spare parts and support for F-16 aircraft and active electronically scanned array radars and related equipment, as well as improved mobile subscriber equipment follow-on support and related equipment, according to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

The decision to sell arms to Taiwan is simply inconsistent with US leaders' commitment of not supporting "Taiwan independence." China deplores and firmly opposes it and has lodged serious protests to the US, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry statement.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson called on the US to immediately stop arming Taiwan and stop abetting and supporting "Taiwan independence" separatist forces in seeking "Taiwan independence" by building up its military.

Chen of the Taiwan Affairs Office also said on Sunday that China firmly opposes US arms sales to China's Taiwan region, calling on the US side to take concrete actions to fulfill its political promise of not supporting "Taiwan independence," to cease arming Taiwan and stop sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces.

Chen warned the Lai Ching-te authorities that buying weapons will not bring security, and "protection fees" cannot save "Taiwan independence." Relying on the US to pursue "independence" is destined to fail, and attempting to achieve "independence" through military means will only lead Taiwan to danger and ultimately to its own demise.

The Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests, Chen said. "No one and no force should underestimate the firm will and strong capability of the Chinese people to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity."

Fu Qianshao, a Chinese mainland military expert, told the Global Times on Sunday that Chinese People's Liberation Army's (PLA) warplanes have overwhelming advantages over the F-16, as displayed at Airshow China 2024 in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province in mid-November.

The PLA Air Force displayed fighter jets including the medium-sized J-10C, the heavy J-16, the stealth J-20 and the stealth J-35A at the airshow, while the PLA Navy displayed the likes of the carrier-borne J-15T and the electronic warfare J-15D.

"Not to mention that the PLA's fifth-generation stealth fighter jets like the J-20 and the J-35A have a generational advantage over the fourth-generation F-16," Fu said.

Act more provocatively

Moreover, Wu Chih-chung, also known as Francois Wu, deputy head of the "Taiwan external affairs authority," voiced willingness to see the expansion of the US-led AUKUS group in the region, calling the group "in some way, another form of NATO," and welcomed warship transits in the Taiwan Straits, according to the Australian media Canberra Times on Sunday. However, there are seemingly few discussions regarding Wu's remarks among local Taiwan media outlets.

Yu Qiang, a professor of Taiwan studies at the Beijing Technology and Business University, told the Global Times on Sunday that the official of the DPP authorities is actually trying to build a connection between the Taiwan question and the AUKUS as the regional leader Lai will have a trip to the Pacific region, but the DPP authorities might have no idea that the AUKUS is very unwelcomed among Pacific Islands countries, as they have bad memories of colonialism and the nuclear tests that the US conducted in the region.

This will just make the Taiwan DPP authorities look more awkward in this region, Yu noted.

Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Sunday that "the recent acts and remarks of Taiwan DPP authorities show that the separatists on the island are acting more provocatively, as they are attempting to intensify tension and make the situation more dangerous and complicated before the US power transition concludes in January. "Maybe they are trying to show the incoming administration that Taiwan separatists are useful for the US in the great power competition with China," said the expert.

Li said "First of all, Taiwan is a part of China, it's not any other country's business, and the reunification process of China is unstoppable. The DPP authorities have noticed that the new US administration may be more reluctant to take risk for crises outside America, so they see the danger of seeking separatism without US protection, and they are trying to demonstrate their value to the US at this moment, in order to avoid being abandoned like useless garbage.