Amid ongoing tensions in the South China Sea, Chinese experts at a seminar on Tuesday highlighted illegal claims by nations like the Philippines, along with external interventions and provocations against China, as key sources of instability and turbulence in the region. Some noted the risk of a large-scale conflict in the South China Sea remains low, but they predicted that the Philippines may continue low-intensity maritime frictions with China during the US' government's transition period after the presidential election.

What are the root causes of the current instability in the South China Sea? Wu Shicun, president of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, attributed it to three main factors: first, the US has openly picked sides on the issue, standing against China; second, some claimant countries are trying to solidify their interests via illegal ways; and third, the 2016 South China Sea Arbitration ruling has almost completely denied China's reasonable claims of its rights in the South China Sea.

Hu Bo, director of South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI), said that China's claims to sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea have remained consistent since 1947. Since the late 1990s, China's policy has focused on "shelving differences" and maintaining the status quo. "If there has been any change, it is in China's enhanced capability and resolve to protect its rights, so it can launch stronger countermeasures against external provocations. If the parties concerned cannot shelve differences, peace in the South China Sea remains elusive," the expert said at the forum organized by Beijing-based think tank SCSPI.

Scholars believe that US' intervention and its intensifying military deterrence are significant contributors to regional turmoil. Since 2009, US policy has shifted from relative neutrality to direct involvement in South China Sea disputes, particularly under the "Pivot to Asia," rebalance to Asia, and "Indo-Pacific strategy," which have increased US military presence in the region. "It is an objective fact that the South China Sea was generally more stable from the end of the Cold War until 2009, when US attention was minimal," Hu argued.

ASEAN countries possess unique wisdom for managing territorial sovereignty and maritime rights disputes, prioritizing regional peace and stability through conflict prevention and management approaches. This approach aligns with China's traditional methods in handling international disputes, as noted by Lei Xiaolu, a professor of law with the China Institute of Boundary and Ocean Studies.

Experts also highlighted numerous fallacies in the 2016 arbitration ruling regarding treaty interpretation and evidence assessment. Zheng Zhihua, an associate Professor at the Japan Research Center of Shanghai Jiaotong University, pointed out that it distorted the nature of territorial sovereignty disputes and failed to resolve the issues between China and the Philippines, exacerbating tensions instead.

Scholars assessed the future situation in the South China Sea, particularly during the US government transition period. Hu believes the situation is less tense than portrayed by some countries and media, and a large-scale conflict is unlikely in the foreseeable future, indicating a room for consensus between China and the US on the South China Sea issue. The Philippines aims to exploit US-China strategic competition, but its attempts to draw the US to help Manila infringe on China's rights have not gained significant traction in the US, according to Hu.

Ding Duo, a deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at the China Institute for South China Sea Studies, predicts that during the US government transition period, the Philippines may continue with "low-intensity" maritime frictions with China, and its negative rhetoric against China is expected to continue.

The Philippine military opened two weeks of combat drills on Monday that will include "seizing an island in the disputed South China Sea." More than 3,000 Filipino army, navy and air force personnel take part in the maneuvers, which include live-fire drills using artillery and assault rifles and beach landing drills, the Voice of America reported.

Wu told the Global Times that the Philippines' maneuvers could be interpreted as a significant "face-saving gesture" in light of the withdrawal of its Coast Guard vessel 9701 from the Xianbin Jiao in the South China Sea. The scholar suggested that while such small-scale military exercises in the region do not pose a direct threat to China, it is essential to remain vigilant against potential security risks. 

"The South China Sea is not without military activity, but the Philippines should avoid politicizing its military activities, and should not use peace maintenance as a pretext to advance its own interests," Hu told the Global Times. 

Finnish President Alexander Stubb kicked off his four-day state visit to China on Monday. Juha Tuominen, chairman of Finncham China Beijing, told the Global Times in an exclusive interview on Monday that the visit will definitely boost cooperation, including collaboration in sustainability, between Finnish and Chinese companies.

Stubb arrived in Beijing on Monday afternoon, which also marked the day of the 74th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, China Central Television reported. 

China and Finland have been steadily advancing their relations as the pair decided to establish a new type of future-oriented partnership in 2017, which was unique in China's foreign relations. 

Stubb will discuss bilateral relations as well as the war between Russia and Ukraine and other security issues, his office said in a statement, Reuters reported.

In recent years, in particular, China has made notable strides in green transformation and the digital economy, areas in which Finland hopes to draw lessons from China's experience, Wang Yiwei, a professor at the School of International Relations at Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Monday. 

As a country that has long prioritized green initiatives and climate change response, its policy focus aligns with China's proposal to develop new productive forces, thus creating significant opportunities for collaboration, Wang said.

The Finnish business community sees this state visit as an important signal on trade relations between the two countries, and "it will definitely boost cooperation between Finnish and Chinese companies as well," Tuominen said.

China remains an important market for Finnish companies, Tuominen said, noting that the collaboration in sustainability between Finnish and Chinese companies is an important area for both sides. 

Also, Finnish companies from other industries such as healthcare, digitalization and consumer products see the Chinese market as one of the important markets for international expansion, the chamber head said.

Stubb's visit is the first since Finland joined NATO in April last year, becoming the group's 31st member. While elaborating on whether the move will have an impact on China-Finland ties, Wang said China hopes Finland remains vigilant against the dangerous trend of an eastward expansion by the group, which undermines the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific. Helsinki is expected to play a unique role in this regard by engaging in more constructive dialogue with China and serving as a bridge to curb such a dangerous trend, he noted. 

China’s top cyberspace regulator announced Thursday the launch of a two-month nationwide campaign to address illegal and harmful content on local online discussion platforms, particularly those hyping extreme incidents and disasters and spreading rumors and misinformation about public policies and social issues. 

The special campaign will regulate content and services across diverse areas including social networking, short videos, livestreaming, e-commerce, search engines, group buying reviews on local online platforms and within mobile applications, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said in a statement released on its official WeChat account on Thursday. 

The cyberspace watchdog will tackle negative content and online behaviors that spread hostility online such as using local hot topics related to housing, education, healthcare and food safety to hurl malicious insults, slander, and stigmatize regions, professions, and groups, promoting negative emotions including pessimism and fear to incite group antagonism. 

According to CAC, the authority will target the sensationalizing of occasional extreme incidents, heatedly discussed events, disasters and accidents, events forcibly linked to history or labeled with specific regions, remarks promoting biased or discriminatory views to stir regional tensions. 

Meanwhile, the special campaign will also crack down on online rumors and misinformation related to public policies and social welfare, fabricated disasters, accidents, and incidents designed to spark public panic. 

According to the CAC, when local emergency events occur, some people distort or fabricate the causes, details and developments of the incidents to produce sensational conspiracy theories. Some even impersonate parties involved in the incidents, relatives, or other related personnel to publish false information, seeking attention from the netizens. They create tragic personas, fabricate distressing stories, and stage videos of tragic experiences to exploit public sympathy. 

Besides, the explicit and vulgar content such as posts, images, short videos and livestreaming with clear sexual innuendoes or provocative language will also be regulated by the cyberspace watchdog. Content such as explicit novels, animation and provocative pictures with real models to promote adult products will be cleared up.

Moreover, the cyberspace watchdog will crack down on illegal and criminal activities such as prostitution and swindling that induce online users via mobile applications through online groups, QR codes and social networking accounts in the name of matchmaking, dating, offline companionship, travel partners, massage service and rental information.  

In addition, the special campaign will also regulate paid review services. Such activities include hiring people to create ratings and reviews and coordinating bulk positive reviews to manipulate rankings to fake popularity among products, catering services and hotels.

The CAC emphasized that cyberspace regulators in localities should fully recognize the importance of this campaign in ensuring a healthier online ecosystem and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of internet users. 

Foreign intelligence agencies have been conducting remote sensing detection on China through high-precision satellites, with the intention of observing and stealing secrets from space in recent years, China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) revealed on Wednesday.

"Space security represents a frontier in the expansion of national security from traditional domains to emerging fields in the new era. It is a crucial aspect of safeguarding national strategic interests and demonstrating national security capabilities," the MSS said in an article published on its official WeChat account on Wednesday. 

It stressed that space security holds significant and far-reaching strategic and overall importance for defending the country's sovereignty, safety and development interests. 

The MSS stated that intelligence agencies of certain countries have conducted infiltration activities toward China's aerospace sector, using bribery, networking and coercion to target Chinese researchers. Their objective is to steal the cutting-edge advancements in aerospace technology.

The national security agencies, together with relevant departments, have investigated and dealt with several illegal cases in which the cutting-edge advancements in the aerospace field were stolen through bribery, coercion and manipulation, effectively dealing a blow to foreign intelligence agencies, according to the MSS.

As space technology becomes increasingly mastered by more countries and private entities, the security landscape in the realm of space has undergone significant changes. 

In the past, high-precision satellites with intelligence and reconnaissance value were controlled by only a few government agencies, which limited the scope of intelligence they could gather. 

Nowadays, however, many commercial entities possess high-resolution optical satellites, as well as satellites capable of capturing data across other spectrums, which can obtain intelligence images comparable to military-grade imagery from the Cold War era, Wang Yanan, chief editor of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

These entities may not be directly governed by any military, but they can be utilized by government agencies through commercial contracts. This means that the direction of such intelligence information can become quite complex, Wang said. 

Moreover, the platforms for these satellites to capture images in orbit have a very broad range, allowing for continuous global coverage 24/7. This means that nations are now facing a substantial shift in the security situation, the expert noted. 

Therefore, national security organs need to adapt their handling of related affairs in response to these changes.

From a technical standpoint, a comprehensive prevention of such open-source intelligence is quite challenging. "Like deploying an eye suspended at hundreds of kilometers high, potentially disguised as a commercial satellite, it would be difficult to employ strong countermeasures or to cover all areas extensively," Wang said. 

One feasible approach is to move certain activities involving national secrets indoors, while more targeted preventive measures will need to be studied to improve its efficiency.

Observers added that in light of these new circumstances and challenges, the awareness of national security prevention needs to be adjusted accordingly. 

There should be a re-evaluation and classification of security information, focusing security resources on the most critical and valuable intelligence rather than broadly scattering resources across a wide area, which may yield diminishing returns in the new context, Wang said. 

Space is increasingly becoming a key area for economic growth, military conflicts and national security. Major powers around the world have all placed growing significance on the development of space.

As a result, the competition for space resources is growing increasingly intense, as space exploration confronts a scarcity of orbital and spectrum resources. High-speed debris, including abandoned satellites and rocket remnants, is proliferating in space, heightening the risk of a collision with a spacecraft, said the MSS.

The arms race in space is also intensifying, with some Western countries establishing space combat forces and honing their space operational capabilities, often positioning China as their primary competitor in this domain. 

They promote theories of space dominance and engage in an arms race, exerting considerable effort to suppress and contain China, thereby threatening the peaceful environment in space, according to the MSS.

Yu Huaying, who was accused of child trafficking, was sentenced once again to death on Friday by Intermediate People's Court of Guiyang in Southwest China's Guizhou Province in the first-instance verdict of a retrial.

Yu was also deprived of her political rights for life, and had her personal property confiscated, per the verdict. According to reports from The Paper, victims and their relatives, including Yang Niuhua and Chen Jianghai, attended the hearing to listen to the verdict.

The court verdict stated that evidence regarding Yu's abduction and trafficking of 17 children are clear. Yu engaged in premeditated child trafficking, seeking opportunities to find children in Guizhou, Yunnan provinces and Chongqing Municipality. After committing the crimes, she quickly transferred the children to Handan in North China's Hebei, where they were sold through intermediaries. The means of committing the crimes were highly consistent, and through repeated trafficking over a long period of time, a complete criminal chain of child trafficking was formed.

The evidence in the case confirmed that Yu played a pivotal role and was the principal perpetrator and should be punished according to all the crimes she participated in, per the court.

The court also said Yu was captured in 2004 by public security authorities for abducting children in Yunnan. At that time, she was using a fake identity and did not confess to her crimes. She was sentenced under the false ID to eight years. In June 2022, after being arrested by the public security authorities of Guiyang again, Yu still did not voluntarily confess to the criminal facts and showed no signs of remorse.

The defendant Yu Huaying trafficked 17 children, resulting in the separation of 12 families and the severing of familial bonds. The parents of the 17 children have endured years of hardship in their search for their children. After failing to find them, some parents succumbed to depression to death, while others experienced broken marriages and shattered families, according to the court verdict.

The consequences of Yu's crimes are particularly severe and should be punished harshly according to the law. Although the defendant pleaded guilty in court and showed some signs of remorse, this is not sufficient to warrant a lighter sentence. There is insufficient evidence to confirm whether Yu abused the children during the trafficking, but this does not affect the sentence of Yu, according to the verdict.

Yu's case has captured nationwide attention since she was arrested again in 2022.

In September 2023, the Guiyang Intermediate People's Court had initially sentenced Yu Huaying to death for the crime of child trafficking, noting that the circumstances were particularly severe and had a particularly negative impact. On November 28, 2023, the case was heard in the second instance at the Guizhou Provincial High People's Court.

On January 8, 2024, the High People's Court of Guizhou Province made a second-instance ruling in the case of Yu Huaying, sending it back for retrial. The court found that the original judgment had overlooked other criminal facts related to Yu's child trafficking, and some facts were unclear.

On October 11, 2024, the retrial of Yu's child trafficking case was held, during which the prosecution increased the number of children allegedly trafficked by Yu from 11 to 17. The prosecuratorate recommended a death sentence for Yu, according to media reports.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Tuesday afternoon inspected Dongshan County in Zhangzhou City, east China's Fujian Province.

He visited Aojiao Village of Chencheng Township, the Gu Wenchang memorial hall and the Guandi cultural industrial park.

During the visits, Xi learnt about local efforts to advance rural revitalization across the board, carry forward the revolutionary traditions and strengthen the protection of cultural heritage.

China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Thursday that there remain major differences between China and the EU side in the negotiations over the dispute in electric vehicles (EVs) as the EU failed to positively respond to core concerns of Chinese and EU industries. Still, China has invited EU side for a new round of face-to-face consultations, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, as recent talks have so far failed to yield a mutually acceptable deal, there has been growing criticism against the European Commission (EC), the EU's executive branch that spearheaded the whole dispute. On Wednesday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reportedly criticized the EC's decision and called for an agreement with China, while also pointing to skepticism from other EU members toward the EC's tariffs.

While EU leaders have publicly stated a commitment to negotiations, the EU side has not demonstrated sufficient sincerity during the actual talks, sources have told the Global Times. Amid the growing criticism, including those from within the EU, the EU side should show sincerity and earnestly work with China to reach a mutually acceptable deal, experts said.

Major differences

Responding to a question about the progress of China-EU EV negotiations at a press conference on Thursday, He Yadong, a spokesperson for MOFCOM, said that China has so far shown the greatest sincerity and flexibility and the two sides have made important progress in some areas.

"However, because the EU side has never positively responded to issues related to the core concerns of Chinese and EU industries, there are still major differences in the consultations," He said.

Highlighting China's sincerity in resolving the dispute through friendly talks, the MOFCOM spokesperson said that China has formally invited the EU technical team to China to continue the next phase of face-to-face consultations as soon as possible. "We have made all preparations for this and are waiting for a reply from the EU side," He said.

In addition, when asked about whether China is considering increasing tariffs on imported cars with large-displacement engines, He said that "China is studying measures such as increasing tariffs on imported vehicles with large-displacement fuel vehicles and will make a prudent decision after comprehensively considering all factors."

MOFCOM has taken several steps in studying the potential tariff hike on large-engine cars, including meeting with automakers in August to solicit opinions and suggestions. If tariffs on large-engine cars are hiked, it will have a major impact on auto imports from the EU, a Chinese auto industry insider told the Global Times in May, when calling for such a tariff hike.

The EC's plan to impose hefty additional tariffs on Chinese EVs has sparked widespread concerns among Chinese and EU industries, as such a move would not only undermine the EV trade but also the broader China-EU cooperation. In particular, such concerns are growing in some EU member states such as Germany, which has a massive auto industry that has a huge presence in the Chinese market.

Such concerns were on vivid display on Wednesday, when Scholz, during a speech to parliament, criticized the EU's decision to impose tariffs on Chinese-made electric cars, saying 17 other states were skeptical as well as all the executives of carmakers with whom he had spoken, according to Reuters. "My request is that we come to an agreement between China and the European Union," he said.

Zhao Junjie, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of European Studies, said that the German Chancellor's remarks are very important and representative of deep concerns among some EU member states and industries over the EC's protectionist tariffs.

"Generally speaking, there is internal division within the EU, which led to the reluctance of the EC's decision-making," Zhao told the Global Times on Thursday, noting that while some countries like Germany take a practical approach and seek to stabilize China-EU cooperation, others support the protectionist move.

Sincerity needed

Such reluctance is also reflected in the EC's approach toward the negotiations. EC leaders, including President Ursula von der Leyen, have publicly said that they will continue negotiations with China, however, the EU side has not shown sufficient sincerity in the actual talks.

By making unreasonable demands, not responding positively to sensible offers from the Chinese side and attempting to split up Chinese electric vehicle (EV) producers in negotiations, the EU side has not demonstrated sufficient sincerity and resorted to tactics that may have undermined the talks, multiple sources close to the matter told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Among the examples of the EU side's lack of sufficient sincerity in the talks is its attempt to conduct separate negotiations with different Chinese EV makers on price commitment, even though the firms have already authorized the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electric Products (CCCME) as their representative in the negotiations, the CCCME said in a statement on Wednesday night.

"The EC's separate negotiations on price commitments with individual firms will shake the foundation and mutual trust for the negotiations and cause disruption to the negotiations between the two sides," the CCCME said in the statement, noting that such separate negotiations will divert resources and delay the negotiations processes.

The CCCME urged the EU to show its greatest sincerity and conduct further consultations with the goal of reaching consensus on price commitment, in order to reach a mutually acceptable solution as soon as possible. It also vowed to continue to do its best in the price commitment negotiations and effectively safeguard the interests of industry enterprises.

Jian Junbo, a deputy director of the Center for China-Europe Relations at Fudan University's Institute of International Studies, said that the EC's insincere tactics during the negotiations not only showed its lack of sufficient sincerity but also the politically-motivated protectionist nature of the tariffs against Chinese EVs.

"The EC's imposition of tariffs on Chinese EVs is a protectionist action with an obvious political characteristic, which could lead to multiple layers of negative consequences," Jian told the Global Times on Thursday, noting that this also explains the EC's lack of sufficient sincerity in the negotiations.

The EC is continuing negotiations, while at the same time seeking to undermine the negotiation process by conducting separate negotiations with EV makers, Jian said. "This shows it has no organization in the negotiations, and this problem must be addressed," he said.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, met with Luong Cuong, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and permanent member of the CPV Central Committee Secretariat, in Beijing on Friday.

Xi pointed out that adhering to the leadership of the communist party and the socialist system constitutes the most essential feature of China and Vietnam, and serves as the most solid political foundation for developing bilateral relations.

Noting that China takes Vietnam as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, Xi said China is ready to work with Vietnam to take the lead in deepening high-level mutually beneficial cooperation, safeguarding international fairness and justice, and promoting the cause of human progress, and jointly foster a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.

Xi stressed that as changes unseen in a century are unfolding at an accelerated pace, China and Vietnam should adhere to the correct political direction, view China-Vietnam relations from a strategic height, and ensure the sustained, correctly oriented development of bilateral ties.

He urged China and Vietnam to strengthen their exchange of thoughts and ideas, make better use of institutionalized platforms such as theoretical discussions and cadre training, and enhance communication and the exchange of party and state governance experience. The two countries should also tap into cooperation potential further, and spare no effort to promote the synergy of development strategies and interconnectivity, he added.

On fostering friendship between peoples, Xi called on the two sides to take full advantage of the 75th anniversary of bilateral relations and the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges next year to bring greater recognition to the traditional friendship between the two countries and do more to improve their guidance of public opinion, so as to consolidate public support for the long-term development of bilateral relations.

Xi went on to say that China's efforts to further deepen reforms and promote a high-level opening-up will not only open up broader prospects for its own development, but also bring new impetus and opportunities to the development of Vietnam and other countries around the world.

China is ready to enhance cooperation with Vietnam to be good companions and partners on the path of reform and modernization, Xi said, expressing the belief that under the leadership of the CPV Central Committee headed by General Secretary To Lam, Vietnam will successfully complete the goals and tasks set by the 13th National Congress of the CPV.

Noting that Vietnam and China are socialist neighbors linked by the same mountains and rivers, Luong Cuong said that developing relations with China has always been the objective need, strategic choice and a top priority of Vietnam's overall diplomacy.

He said that Vietnam is willing to continue working with China to fully deliver on the important consensus reached in recent years by the two countries' top leaders, cement relations between the two parties and two countries, push for the further development of exchange and cooperation in various fields, better manage and resolve differences, and strive for new achievements in promoting the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and the construction of a Vietnam-China community with a shared future.

Liaoning aircraft carrier participates in drills to the east of Taiwan island

The volume of global merchandise trade is expected to increase by 2.7 percent in 2024, the World Trade Organization (WTO) said in an update of the Global Trade Outlook and Statistics released on Thursday.

This prediction is slightly higher than the WTO's earlier forecast of 2.6 percent made in April.

According to the report, global merchandise trade experienced an upward trend in the first half of 2024, showing a year-on-year increase of 2.3 percent. This growth is expected to be followed by further moderate expansion throughout the remainder of the year and into 2025.

Global real gross domestic product growth at market exchange rates is projected to remain steady at 2.7 percent in both 2024 and 2025, the report said.

The WTO noted that by mid-2024, inflation had decreased sufficiently to enable central banks to cut interest rates. This decline in inflation is expected to increase real household incomes and stimulate consumer spending, while lower interest rates should encourage firms to boost their investment spending.

The report also cautioned that diverging monetary policies among major economies could result in financial volatility and shifts in capital flows as central banks lower interest rates. This situation may make debt servicing more difficult, especially for poorer economies.

"We are expecting a gradual recovery in global trade for 2024, but we remain vigilant of potential setbacks, particularly the potential escalation of regional conflicts like those in the Middle East," WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said.

The impact could be most severe for the countries directly affected, but it may also indirectly influence global energy costs and shipping routes, she said, calling for continuous efforts to foster inclusive global trade.

"It is imperative that we continue to work collectively to ensure global economic stability and sustained growth, as these are fundamental to enhancing the welfare of people worldwide," she said.

The report forecasts a decline in exports in Europe by 1.4 percent and a decrease in imports by 2.3 percent in 2024. European exports have been negatively impacted by the region's automotive and chemicals sectors.

Meanwhile, exports in Asia for this year are expected to grow by 7.4 percent, outpacing other regions. Driven by manufacturing powerhouses such as China, Singapore and South Korea, the region's exports rebounded strongly in the first half of this year.

The short-term outlook for services trade is more optimistic than that for goods trade, with an 8-percent year-on-year growth in the U.S. dollar value of commercial services trade recorded in the first quarter of 2024. The report added that statistics indicate this relatively strong growth is likely to continue into the second quarter for services trade.