China's top diplomat Wang Yi held phone talks with his Iranian and Saudi counterparts Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud separately on Monday regarding the tensions between Israel and Iran, and the wider situation in the Middle East. Chinese experts emphasized that Beijing's recent actions demonstrate its commitment to playing a constructive role in de-escalating tensions in the Middle East and maintaining stability in the Gulf region.

They note that China's impartiality in mediating conflicts in the region has earned support and trust from regional countries. Experts also point out that causality on the recent Iran-Israel conflict is clear.

Noting that the current regional situation is very sensitive, Amir-Abdollahian said Iran is willing to exercise restraint and has no intention of further escalating the situation.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, told Amir-Abdollahian that China strongly condemns and firmly opposes the attack on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Damascus, regarding it as a serious violation of international law and unacceptable.

China has noted Iran's statement that its action taken was limited and was an act of self-defense in response to the attack against the Iranian consulate in Syria, Wang said.

Wang told Faisal that China appreciates Saudi Arabia's emphasis on resolving issues through diplomatic means, and that China is willing to work together with Saudi Arabia to avoid further escalation of confrontation in the Middle East.

Noting that Saudi Arabia highly expects China to play an active and important role in this regard, Faisal said the Saudi side is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China to promote an immediate and unconditional cease-fire in Gaza, start the implementation of the two-state solution, and help achieve stability in the Middle East at an early date.

Wang's phone calls with his counterparts of Iran and Saudi Arabia reflect that there are high expectations for China to mediate regional conflicts, Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Tuesday. China has been actively involved in resolving hotspot issues in the Middle East in recent years, and this mediation has become an integral part of China's Middle East diplomacy, which is also shaping China's approach in resolving hotspot issues, Liu said.

Moreover, China is willing to play a constructive role in de-escalating the tensions between Iran and Israel, as well as maintaining the hard-won peace and stability in Gulf region brought about by the resumption of diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia, Liu said.

Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel on Saturday night, a move to retaliate for an Israeli strike on its Damascus consulate on April 1. Israeli military chief Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said on Monday that Israel is considering its next steps but that the Iranian strike "will be met with a response," according to the Associated Press.

Apart from exchanging views with Arab countries, China is also talking with Israel about the current conflict. Zhai Jun, special envoy of the Chinese government on Middle East issues, met with Israeli Ambassador to China Irit Ben-Abba Vitale on Monday.

Zhai elaborated on China's principled position on the conflict in Gaza and said that China is deeply concerned about the current escalation of regional tensions, and conflicts and bloodshed serve the interests of no one. All parties concerned should exercise maximum calm and restraint.

"We were hoping for stronger condemnation and clear acknowledgment of Israel's right to defend itself," said Yuval Waks, deputy chief of the Israeli mission in China told a press briefing on Monday when asked what response the embassy had hoped for, according to the South China Morning Post.

"Unfortunately, we did not see that, which is why we were unhappy with the statement [from the Chinese foreign ministry]," Waks said.

The current escalating tension between Israel and Iran is due to Israel's bombing of the Iranian embassy. The merits of this issue itself are relatively clear. China's stance on this issue is not about taking sides, Zhu Yongbiao, executive director of the Research Center for the Belt and Road at Lanzhou University, told the Global Times.

Echoing Zhu, Liu said that Israel is gradually being isolated in international society due to its behavior in the Palestine-Israel crisis.

"If Israel's policy remains unchanged and continues to challenge Iran's bottom line, the conflict will continue to spread and affect regional security and stability. This does not mean that China's mediation alone is able to solve the problem," Liu said. He noted that China plays more of a role in persuading both sides to maintain rational restraint and return to the track of dialogue, rather than exerting pressure and condemning one party.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Sunday, commencing his three-day visit to China that will last until Tuesday. It marks Scholz's second visit to China as chancellor, and he is also accompanied by Germany's top corporate brass, a trip which observers and business representatives point out bears certain resemblances to the "Merkel era" - a positive signal that underscores that the European country is active to build on and expand pragmatic cooperation with China despite external noises.

During Scholz's visit to China, President Xi Jinping will meet with him, and Premier Li Qiang will have talks with him, exchanging their views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest.

Scholz is the first Western major country leader to visit China this year, so the ongoing visit itself demonstrates that Washington-instigated "de-risking" calls, which some EU hawks also push for, are set to be "sidelined" as cooperation prevails and European countries strive to maintain policy independency, observers said.

The visit comes amid recent complex changes in China-EU relations after Brussels cranked up trade tensions with Beijing over new energy industries. It is expected that Scholz's trip could help address those rifts and play down the risks of a "green trade war," offering a balance to anti-China voices within the EU bloc that would navigate China-EU relations to a healthier and more stable track.

Scholz is accompanied by three federal ministers of environment, agriculture and transport, and a high-profile corporate delegation composed of executives from German companies including Siemens, Mercedes and BMW, state broadcaster China Central Television reported.

During the three-day visit starting from Sunday, Scholz will head to Shanghai and Beijing after Chongqing, news portal France 24 reported. It is one of his longest bilateral visits since taking office in 2021.

"The schedule is richer than the previous visit in November 2022, which shows that the Scholz government looks to maintain and enrich pragmatic cooperation with China. There are discussions on certain similarities between Scholz's trip and the previous China visits paid by former German chancellor Angela Merkel, especially in terms of the level of engagement with Chinese localities," Cui Hongjian, a professor with the Academy of Regional and Global Governance with Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Cui said that this is a very positive signal since China-Germany relations reached a new height in the Merkel era, and it could indicate that Scholz is looking to stabilize and elevate bilateral relations to the previous course, despite a profound shift in the overall environment.

A 'productive' visit

Economists and German company representatives anticipate the trip will be "productive," as both sides have shown clear interest in deepening economic ties with each other.

Commenting on the visit, Maximilian Butek, executive director at the German Chamber of Commerce in China, told the Global Times that the most important outcome will be to establish a solid basis for cooperation and exchange. "We hope that by personal exchanges across a range of different topics, a mutual understanding of key issues can be achieved."

The Chinese city of Chongqing, which serves as a pivotal hub for China-Europe freight trains, is Scholz's first stop in China. Observers said that visit thus paves the way for future bilateral cooperation in the basic infrastructure sector.

"Chongqing is also home to a number of major German investments, so the visit could also be in response to calls from German business society which is looking to strengthen economic links with China," Sun Yanhong, a senior research fellow at the Institute of European Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday.

As Germany faces challenges with its green energy push, it is expected that German automakers will take advantage of the visit to deepen collaboration with their Chinese peers, which have become leading global players in new energy vehicles, Sun predicted, expecting green and digital cooperation to be one of the visit's outcomes.

In terms of global governance, the two countries could also discuss working together on common goals such as grain security, sustainable development and ecological agriculture, analysts said.

The German business community also reads the visit as Scholz striking a "balanced approach" between different voices in his three-party government and fostering deepened relations with China through open exchange and discussion. The visit, they said, aligns with their strong objection to certain European politicians' "de-risking" push and underscores the overall cooperation mainstream between China and the EU bloc.

"Healthy competition is necessary, but a decoupling/de-risking push does not make sense because you need to work together. For example, on the environment side, no single country can solve the problem, and you need to keep cooperating with each other to work closely on these topics," Rainer Kern, vice general manager and Chief Financial Officer of Kärcher China, told the Global Times.

Last year, Germany's direct investment in China reached a record level of 11.9 billion euros ($12.7 billion), up 4.3 percent year-on-year, according to a report by the IW institute. China is also the largest trading partner of Germany for eight consecutive years.

In July, the German government released a toughly worded China strategy that shifted the focus to de-risking, diversification, and a reduction of dependencies on China. Despite internal pressure, the current German government remains pragmatic and is putting its own economic interests at the top of its priorities.

Helga Zepp-LaRouche, founder of Germany-based political and economic think tank the Schiller Institute, told the Global Times over the weekend that for an export economy like Germany, it would be "suicidal" to follow these calls for "de-risking."

"Germany is presently experiencing a dramatic economic downfall. Meanwhile, the US has been luring German enterprises to invest in the US instead of Germany with incentives provided by the Inflation Reduction Act. In this adverse environment, the expansion of economic cooperation with China represents an anchor of stability for Germany," she said.

Stabilizing relations with China is also consequential for Germany to cope with rising external demand, such as Russia-Ukraine tensions and the upcoming US Presidential election, analysts said.

Playing down trade tensions

One of the most important items on the agenda is how the two countries discuss and deal with the "overcapacity" hype by US and EU politicians on Chinese new energy products.

On Tuesday, an EU official announced the bloc will investigate Chinese wind turbine suppliers over "subsidy" allegations, which follow the EU's investigation over imported Chinese EVs, together with the launch of a special European customs registration process for Chinese-made EVs in March for the purpose of levying retroactive tariffs.

The mounting trade rifts have fueled concerns that they could morph into a "green trade war" that wracks havoc on the global supply chain and delay the global climate change agenda.

"The stakes are high. How China and Germany keep close communication on these disputes and find a common way to play down those disputes will have an immediate impact on China-Europe relations, which have become more complicated and unpredictable due to shifting geopolitical dynamics," Cui said.

According to Reuters, Scholz is scheduled to visit German auto supplier Bosch's hydrogen fuel cell plants in Chongqing on Sunday. Observers expect the inspection to help him develop a deeper and throughout understanding on China's competitive advantage in the new energy sector.

Cui added that as a healthy and stabilizing China-Germany relationship, which offers a clear manifestation of shared and intertwined economic interests between China and Europe, also sets the stage for the fundamentals of the relations between Beijing and Brussels, especially on the economic front.

Analysts stressed that a healthy China-EU relationship entails both fair competition and collaboration, rather than targeting Chinese companies with unjustified measures.

China's solid business relationship with Germany, given the latter's economic weight, can be a corrective to the often protectionist policies of the EU Commission and its geopolitical views of the rise of China, according to Zepp-LaRouche.

Mao Ning, a spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said on Friday that China and Germany have benefited from each other's development which has contributed to the welfare of both peoples. The two countries have steered China-EU relations on a steady and sustained course and injected more stability to the world.

A contentious legal battle has unfolded in the city of Qingyuan, South China's Guangdong Province, revolving around the inheritance rights of frozen embryos following the demise of the doner. The court ruled against inheritance right of the baby born from the frozen embryo.

After a man surnamed Wen lost his life in a traffic accident in January 2021, Ling, his extramarital lover, underwent embryo transfer at a private clinic three months later and gave birth to a baby boy on December 16, 2021. 

Ling claimed that the embryo was cultivated and frozen before Wen passed away, though crucial legal documents supporting this assertion, including an agreement on embryo transplant or statement consenting a transplant if Wen is dead, were absent.

Ling, on behalf of the baby, filed a legal case in August 2023, demanding Wen's wife and son to compensate Wen's share of the estate in terms of death insurance premiums, real estate, and company equity in accordance with the Civil Code.

The local people's court ruled against Ling's claim for inheritance, citing the absence of conclusive evidence affirming Wen's consent for embryo transfer and the lack of legal agreements between Wen, Ling, and the medical institutions involved. The baby could not prove himself to be a lawful heir of Wen's inheritance.  Ling's actions also contravened established legal and moral norms.

According to China's Civil Code, a fetus enjoys the same right to inheritance, but there lacks explicit legal provisions regarding the inheritance rights of frozen embryos, Zhao Nühuan, a lawyer based in Guangzhou, told reporters. With the uncertainties surrounding the status of frozen embryos and related medical restraints, granting frozen embryos the right to inherit could trigger ethical problems. 

The Baiyun District People's Court in Guangzhou handled a similar case in the past where disputes over frozen embryo inheritance surfaced following the demise of a man. The man's wife wanted to preserve the inheritance rights for two embryos which were opposed by her parents in law. The case was settled through mediation. 

The judge of the case told interested parties that embryos and fetuses have different legal status. 

The legal status of embryos, particularly in the realm of inheritance law, has sparked heated debate in China, as the legal framework for reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization and embryo freezing remains underdeveloped. 

In China, the first domestic case involving an inheritance dispute over the disposal rights of frozen embryos, adjudicated by the Yixing People's Court in Jiangsu Province in May 2014. Shen and Liu were a couple seeking assistance from the Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital reproductive center due to infertility issues. The couple chose to freeze their four embryos, but unfortunately died in a traffic accident before the transfer. Their parents wished to inherit the frozen embryos. Considering the possibility of donation, sale and purchase of embryos, the court ruled that since the couple in this case had both died and the original transplant cannot be carried out, their embryos could not be inherited, and ultimately ruled that the parents could not be granted the right to dispose of the frozen embryos.

The court's verdict triggered debate within the legal fraternity. While some scholars, like Zhang Yanling, a law school associate professor at Nanjing University, endorsed the ruling, arguing that embryos' potential for life warrants special protection, others, such as Meng Qiang, an associate professor at Beijing Institute of Technology, contended that embryos should be recognized as assets with inheritance rights, particularly when both parents are deceased.

According to Hu Chun, a judge from Suyu District People's Court in Suqian, Jiangsu Province,  the lack of legislative clarity on the status of frozen embryos has left room for interpretation, with differing views on whether embryos should be considered as objects or possess rights akin to those of natural persons. 

Despite the ethical complexities inherent in reproductive technologies, scholars advocate for a balanced approach to safeguard both the legal rights of individuals and the ethical considerations surrounding human life.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, honorary president of the Workers Party of Brazil and Brazilian president, on Tuesday sent congratulatory letters separately to the 7th theory seminar of the CPC and the Workers' Party of Brazil.

"On both sides of the Taiwan Straits, we share the same roots. It's important we don't forget about that amid distractions," Taiwan youths said on Saturday as former chairperson of the Kuomintang (KMT) Party Ma Ying-jeou is paying a visit to the Chinese mainland for a second consecutive year, which according to analysts, suggests an elevation from tracing personal roots to the collective ancestors.

On Saturday, Ma led a delegation of young people from Taiwan to visit the world-renowned iconic Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, where he expressed keen interest not only in the evolution of weapons, but also the shape of different arms. 

Discovered in 1974, the army of Terracotta Warriors was built by Emperor Qinshihuang of the Qin Dynasty (221 BC-207 BC), who unified China for the first time. 

Upon China's Tomb-Sweeping Day, or Qingming Festival, the former KMT leader on Thursday participated in a public worship ceremony of China's legendary ancestor Huangdi, or the Yellow Emperor. While on Friday, he paid tribute at the home of his ancestors, the Ma Yuan Temple, to commemorate the patriotic spirit of his ancestor Ma Yuan, who gave his life for the country.

Taiwan compatriots studying and working in the Chinese mainland, especially the younger generations, are paying close attention to Ma's destination choices for his mainland trip.

Lee Wei-kuo, chairman of the Taipei-based Chinese Youth Trade Development Association, told the Global Times on Saturday that by participating in the Qingming Festival traditions and worshiping the ancestors, Ma conveyed a clear message that people from both sides of the Taiwan Straits are all descendants of the same bloodline, and share the same roots and culture. 

KMT has had a tradition of honoring the Yellow Emperor during the early days. However, today, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities in the island stopped this tradition due to their promotion of ''Taiwan independence,'' Wang Jianmin, a senior cross-Straits expert at Minnan Normal University in Fujian, told the Global Times on Saturday.

Political figures within the KMT like Ma, who has a strong sense of Chinese nationalism, have always emphasized the inheritance of Chinese culture and the confidence of the Chinese nation, thus placing great importance on ancestral worship, Wang said.

Ma's participation in the activities of Qingming Festival this time holds significant meaning for Taiwan regional society, and the youth community, boosting the mutual understanding of history and traditions between the two sides, Wang noted.

From Ma's family ancestral worship visit to the mainland last year to this year's worship of the common ancestors of the Chinese people, there has been a transition and elevation from the personal to the collective, analysts stressed. 

If last year's visit was an ice-breaking trip, this year's visit is a peaceful journey made against the backdrop of tense cross-Straits relations, Wang said.

Besides the birthplaces of Chinese culture, Ma and the delegation also visited Shenzhen in South China's Guangdong Province, with a focus on witnessing mainland's technological advancement. This includes a number of high-tech enterprises, including Chinese leading drone manufacturer DJI, technology conglomerate Tencent and new energy vehicle giant BYD.

Lee, who is also head of Sichuan Welove Technology Development Co, believes that the Shenzhen leg of the trip will allow more Taiwan youths to witness the tremendous changes in mainland's development and the achievements of reform and opening-up, thus encouraging more people-to-people exchanges.

Ma's trip conveys these Taiwan youths' direct and emotional understanding of the mainland and their knowledge of Chinese history to more people in the island, Wang noted.

From Sunday, the delegation is scheduled to visit the political, economic and cultural center - Beijing. 

According to Wang, it is expected that Ma and his delegation will express their hopes for the development of cross-Straits relations and the openness of cooperation and exchanges between the two sides, which can play a positive role in easing the tension under the current complex and severe situation. 

However, Ma's visit to the mainland cannot fundamentally change the current difficulties in cross-Straits relations, analysts stressed. "We need to have an objective understanding of the development of cross-Straits relations. This requires long-term efforts from all sectors," Wang said. 

The timing of Ma's visit to the mainland coincided with Chair of the American Institute in Taiwan Laura Rosenberger's Taiwan visit, but the two trips are expected to have the opposite effect. Also, while Ma kicked off his trip to the mainland, the DPP engaged in provocative actions, including fire drills in Kinmen. 

The US unilaterally establishing outer limits of continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the coast is a typical act of unilateralism and hegemonism,a spokesperson for Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday.

Wang Wenbin said that the delimitation rules of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the coast were set in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), not customary international law. The US is not a state party to UNCLOS and has no right to claim extended continental shelf based on UNCLOS or review its extended continental shelf outer limits through the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. 

The US' unilateral claim is illegal, null and void. It seriously violates international law, encroaches on the international seabed which is the common heritage of mankind, undermines the overall interests of the international community and will not be recognized by the international community, Wang noted. 

It once again reveals the hegemonism and utilitarianism that define the thinking and behavior of the US and its selective approach to international law, the spokesperson stressed. 

According to the US Department of State in its announcement in late 2023, the US ECS area is approximately one million square kilometers spread across seven regions. This maritime zone holds many resources including corals, crabs and vital habitats for marine life.

Even though the US State Department cites UNCLOS provisions in its announcement, Washington has never signed or ratified the Convention following its adoption by the UN in 1982.

Russia has also voiced objection to US unilateral claims. Citing Grigory Karasin, head of the foreign affairs committee of Russia's upper house of parliament, Sputnik said that "Unilateral expansion of borders in the Arctic is unacceptable and can only lead to increased tension. It is necessary, first of all, to prove the geological affiliation of these territories, just as Russia did."

Netizens in Hong Kong hailed the decision of US-funded Radio Free Asia (RFA) to shut down its Hong Kong office, calling it "another example of the color revolution failing in Hong Kong," which also shows that this anti-China agency has a guilty conscience and has fled in panic. 

RFA on Friday announced it had shut down its Hong Kong office, citing concerns about staff safety, following the implementation of the locally-drafted national security legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law, local media RTHK reported. 

In a statement, RFA said it no longer had full-time staff in Hong Kong and had ceased operations of its physical office, the media report said. 

In response to media inquiries, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government declined to comment on the operational decisions of individual organizations, RTHK said.

However, a HKSAR spokesperson said the government expressed strong disapproval of and condemned any scaremongering or smearing remarks made about the new national security legislation.

Both the HKSAR government and Secretary for Security Chris Tang have criticized US news outlets. including the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and the New York Times for attacking Article 23.

Many netizens in Hong Kong welcomed the RFA decision to exit Hong Kong. "It should have shut down long ago. Good riddance without farewell," a netizen said. 

Another netizen said RFA is "the US government's tool, and its job is to subvert China, and [it's afraid] being even half a step slow would result in being put into jail."

Willy Fu, a law professor who is also the director of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong & Macao Studies, told the Global Times on Sunday that RFA prioritizes its political stance over journalistic ethics, violating the professional code of journalists. 

"It has repeatedly smeared the legislation of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance and issued withdrawal [from Hong Kong] statements, acting with a guilty conscience, making alarmist statements, inciting public sentiment and creating panic. Its malicious intentions are blatantly obvious," Fu said, noting that it is fundamentally a disgrace to the journalism industry and must be strongly condemned.

Funded by the US government, RFA has always been thoroughly pro-US and anti-China, with extremely biased wording and reporting focus. It has long used the guise of "freedom of the press," aiming to oppose China and harm Hong Kong, Jacky Ko Chung-kit, a 45-year-old Hong Kong online opinion leader, told the Global Times on Sunday. 

"The fact that it has managed to survive until now is indeed a 'miracle,' and as the saying goes, 'An old woman hurries only when something is amiss.' If it is not a 'US proxy,' why the rush to leave after the enactment of the ordinance," Ko asked.  

In fact, this indirectly proves again the necessity and deterrent power of the law. Moreover, before withdrawing from Hong Kong, the media outlet still collaborated with the US to smear the law one more time, thoroughly proving itself to be just a political tool of the US, with no credibility to speak of, he said. 

In 1994, the US Congress passed the International Broadcasting Act with the so-called aim of promoting the flow of information and ideas and furthering the goals of US foreign policy. In 1996, RFA was established, targeting the Chinese mainland as its primary focus, according to open data and statistics. 

For the past 28 years, RFA has never ceased its fabrication, attack and smear campaign against China. With the US intensifying its strategy to contain China, it has become even more aggressive. 

For example, regarding the violent incident on August 31, 2019 amid the riots in Hong Kong, RFA slandered the Hong Kong police, claiming the "police Special Tactical Squad stormed into the MTR Prince Edward station, attacking anyone they saw" and described it as "a riot and terrorist attack led by the police," according to local media reports. 

On November 13, 2019, when a violent incident occurred at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, RFA beautified the rioters' acts of damaging the campus and creating violent weapons, instead calling it a "university defense battle."

From July to December 2022, the HKSAR government requested Google remove content inciting hatred among young children. RFA, however, quoted "commentaries" expressing concerns that the HKSAR government might use the incident as an excuse to "shut down the internet" and "restrict the freedom of speech and information of Hongkongers."

With the closure of its physical office in Hong Kong, observers said this "fake news creator" is finally ending its 28-year-long rumor-mongering era in Hong Kong, which is absolutely beneficial to the city.

China's top legislator Zhao Leji on Thursday reaffirmed China's commitment to continuously opening its market to the world. He said that Chinese modernization through high-quality development will inject strong impetus into the global economy during a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2024. 

At the BFA opening plenary session in Boao, South China's Hainan Province, regional and world leaders, including Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, commended China's critical role and great contribution to global peace and development in Asia and around the world through its high-quality development and various global initiatives.

The BFA kicked off on Tuesday, one day after the China Development Forum (CDF) concluded in Beijing. Both the BFA and the CDF drew several regional and global leaders, multinational executives and academics. This year's BFA and CDF carried extra significance, as Chinese officials, through dozens of meetings, clearly mapped out the path for high-quality development and opening-up, which has obviously boosted confidence among the participants, experts said. 

China opportunities

"China is advancing Chinese modernization on all fronts with high-quality development, which will inject strong impetus into the world economy, and provide more opportunities for the development of all countries, especially our neighbors in Asia," Zhao, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's  top legislature, said at the opening plenary of the BFA on Thursday. 

Noting a series of Chinese efforts to foster innovation-led, open and green development, Zhao said that China's door to the world will never close, but will only open wider, while inviting countries and businesses around the world to invest in China.   

"Investing in China is investing in the future. All countries are sincerely welcome to board the express train of China's development and join hands to work for a global modernization featuring peaceful development, mutually beneficial cooperation and prosperity for all," Zhao said, as he urged all parties to reinforce confidence and join hands to build a community with a shared future for mankind, and create a better future for Asia and the world at large amid serious and complicated global challenges.

This message of China's commitment to high-quality development and high-standard opening-up has been reiterated by Chinese officials at both the CDF, which drew more than 100 international guests, including dozens of global CEOs, and the BFA, which has brought about 2,000 participants, including heads of states, from more than 60 countries. The message has also resonated well with many participants. 

At the opening plenary of the BFA Annual Conference on Thursday morning, several regional and world leaders commended China's approach of openness, peace and development, while also rejecting protectionism and unilateralism.  

"Indeed, we meet today against a backdrop of unprecedented global uncertainty, fueled by geopolitical turbulence and economic upheaval," Tokayev said at the opening session, noting that while challenges lie ahead, Asia is well positioned to continue driving global growth and development in the years to come. 

"In this regard, the Boao Forum has emerged as an embodiment of the Asian innovative approach to achieving universal economic progress. It has also established itself as a prominent symbol of China's commitment toward global development," the Kazakh president said. 

Based in China, the BFA has become a premium platform for discussions on regional and global affairs since its inception over two decades ago. And the forum continues to gain popularity and prominence, as more countries are participating in the BFA Annual Conference and more countries and regions join in the platform. 

This year, Nauru, a Pacific Island country, participated in the BFA Annual Conference for the first time, Nauruan President David Adeang said in remarks at the opening plenary session in Boao. 

"I am honored to be here to share our perspectives as a Pacific, small island, developing state. We are grateful for this forum, for providing this critical platform to address the pressing challenges that confront the Asia-Pacific region and the world," said Adeang, who has been in China for a state visit after the two countries recently established diplomatic ties.

"Nauru has recently established bilateral relations with China to recognize and support wholeheartedly the one-China principle. This partnership puts Nauru on the right side of its history and benefits both our nations and fosters mutual respect developments and prosperity," Adeang said. He noted that China's vision for promoting economic globalization and creating new prospects for growth and development is vital for small countries such as Nauru.

Boosting confidence

Such sentiments toward China's contributions to regional and global development have been echoed by other participants throughout the BFA Annual Conference in Boao, showing that China's clear signal of continuous development and opening-up has boosted confidence among government officials, business executives and academia. 

"What really stood out at this year's CDF and the BFA is that China clearly laid out its path for high-quality development and cooperation with the rest of the world. This has drawn great enthusiasm among foreign guests in our discussions," Wang Yiwei, a professor at the School of International Relations at Renmin University of China, who attended both the CDF in Beijing and the BFA in Boao, told the Global Times on Thursday. "There have been some noises claiming that China talks a lot about opening-up, but hasn't done enough. However, this time China has shown concrete steps."

In recent months, China has taken a slew of measures to further open its market to the world. It has waived visa requirements for citizens of many countries in Asia and Europe, boosting people-to-people exchanges. This year's Government Work Report said that China will lift all restrictions on foreign investment in the manufacturing sector. It has released a nationwide negative list for the services sector, which further expanded access for foreign businesses. It has also issued a 24-point action plan to improve business environment and attract foreign investment. 

Despite China's concrete opening-up measures, Western media outlets, in their relentless campaign to smear the Chinese economy, have been painting a picture of deteriorating environment in China for foreign businesses. But over the past week or so at both the CDF and the BFA, senior Chinese officials' back-to-back meetings with multinational business executives put on a vivid display of China's openness, in contrast to some Western governments' rising protectionism and hostility toward foreign businesses.

Some foreign experts attending the BFA also said that China's business environment has improved and the country has become more attractive for global businesses. 

In addition to China's continuous opening-up, China's clear path to pursuing innovation-led and green development has also drawn great interest from foreign officials, business leaders and academics at both the CDF and the BFA. "As China made the path clear for innovation and green transition, they are very interested," Wang said. 

"China has shown the world how to build renewable energy assets at scale, it has shown us how to drive down the cost of renewable energy, and… it must show us how to use them," Andrew Forrest, chairman and founder of Australian iron ore giant Fortescue Metals Group (FMG), said at the BFA on Thursday, according to a transcript FMG sent to the Global Times.

Forrest enthusiastically called for cooperation among Asian countries to protect the environment and tackle climate change. "Once again, Asia, we can be the example, we can be the proof of what a peaceful, pollution free world must follow," he said, adding that fostering cooperation to improve the standard of living for everyone is what the BFA stands for. 

In response to the first case under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance in Hong Kong, in which an activist known as "Captain America 2.0" was denied an early release since the enactment of the local national security law in line with Article 23, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Chief Executive John Lee said on Tuesday that it's standard practice not to grant sentence reductions to individuals convicted of endangering national security. 

Ma Chun-man, an anti-government activist also known as "Captain America 2.0," has become the first national security prisoner denied an early release on Tuesday, according to local media reports. He was earlier sentenced to five years in prison for inciting secession, with his "good behavior" leading to a reduced sentence. Local media reported that Ma was due for early release on Tuesday from Tong Fuk Correctional Institution.

Since the enactment of the ordinance, the territory's Prison Rules have also been amended to include that if a prisoner serves a sentence in respect of the prisoner's conviction of an offense endangering national security, the prisoner must not be granted remission unless the Commissioner of Correctional Services is satisfied that an early release of the prisoner will not be contrary to the interests of national security.

These rules specify that prisoners convicted of an offense endangering national security must have the Commissioner of Correctional Services' endorsement that their release "would not be contrary to national security" to qualify for a reduction in sentence for good behavior, Lee told a press conference on Tuesday in response to the case. 

He also pointed out that it is standard practice not to grant sentence reductions to individuals convicted of endangering national security.

Hong Kong Correctional Services was quoted as saying in local media reports on Tuesday that the ordinance has made amendments to the Post-Release Supervision of Prisoners Ordinance and Post-Release Supervision of Prisoners Regulation. 

If a prisoner is serving a sentence for being convicted of crimes endangering national security, their case cannot be referred to the Post-Release Supervision Board for consideration unless the Commissioner of Correctional Services is convinced that their early release would not be detrimental to national security.

The regulations apply to all prisoners currently serving sentences for crimes that have been judged to endanger national security, regardless of whether their sentences were imposed before, on the day of, or after the amendments came into effect, the Correctional Services said. 

It also noted that the Commissioner of Correctional Services, acting under the authority granted by the law, will strictly adhere to all relevant legal provisions, taking into account the actual circumstances and all relevant factors of each case, including the statements of incarcerated individuals, to ensure that all cases are handled fairly.

Lee also urged everyone not to engage in any behaviors or activities that endanger national security, as such actions generally do not result in a reduced sentence. Therefore, one should not test the law, he said. 

Ma, who usually held the superhero's shield in the protests, is accused of advocating for "Hong Kong's independence" by shouting slogans and promoting such secessionist views during interviews with the media at 20 public events. 

Generally, cases involving national security are considered serious crimes that cause significant social harm. If it cannot be ensured that the individuals involved no longer pose a threat to national security, reducing their sentences could cause great harm to society, Louis Chen, a member of the Election Committee and general secretary of the Hong Kong Legal Exchange Foundation, told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

"It is an international norm that national security cases usually do not receive sentence reductions. Not reducing sentences is the norm, and reduction is the exception," he said.

In a separate case, Hong Kong's top court unanimously dismissed the appeal by a 26-year-old university student in 2023 after he sought to reduce his five-year sentence for pleading guilty to breaching the national security law in a landmark ruling. The court ruled that the minimum penalty of five years for those committing serious offenses as stipulated by the security law is mandatory, according to local media reports. 

After the implementation of Article 23 legislation, criteria have become stricter, reducing the possibility of sentence reduction, Willy Fu, director of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies and vice-president of the Hong Kong Basic Law Education Association, told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

This approach aligns with the spirit of the rule of law, highlighting that sentencing has a deterrent and punitive effect, which effectively prevents and punishes actions and activities that compromise national security, firmly safeguarding national security and the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, Fu said. "It is constitutional, legal, sensible, and reasonable, and deserves the support of the general public," he noted.

The primary enforcement target under the Article 23 legislation is absconders endangering the national security who fled overseas, a Hong Kong official said. 

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Chief Executive John Lee signed the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance passed by the Legislative Council (LegCo) on Friday night, signifying that the HKSAR has fulfilled its constitutional responsibility as stipulated in the Article 23 of the Basic Law. 

The long overdue local security law includes nine parts, covering offences and punishments such as treason, state secrets and espionage, sabotage endangering national security, external interference endangering national security and organization engaging in activities endangering national security.  

Within the charges and penalties detailed within the ordinance, treason and insurrection carry the harshest punishments, with the maximum penalty being life in prison. 

The ordinance will bring safety to society. With safety comes stability, with stability comes prosperity, Lee said as he signed into the law. 

The CE also noted that a safe and stable environment is crucial to the success of businesses and enterprises, without which the private sector might suffer financial losses, and their investments and operations could be sabotaged or come under attack. Therefore, a safe and stable environment will make Hong Kong an attractive place for enterprises and investments.

The Hong Kong public warmly welcomed the ordinance, which is expected to play an important complimentary role with the National Security Law (NSL) for Hong Kong, putting an end to chaotic and social turmoil driven by both local political movement and external interference. 

"Security brings prosperity," the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) said in a social media post on Saturday morning. The national security department of the HKPF wrote that following the law coming into force, the department will fulfill its responsibilities such as collecting and analyzing intelligence related to national security, deploying, coordinating and advancing measures and actions to maintain national security and investigating criminal cases that endanger national security. 

Some local lawmakers and district councilors also shared their excitement as some said they have been waiting for this moment for a long time. 

"After the HKSAR had paid a heavy price for lacking the national security protection in the past, now we can focus on pushing forward the city's economic development under the full protection [of this law] now," a local district council member Hung Kam-in told the Global Times on Saturday. 

Junior Police Officers' Association chairman Lam Chi-wai, who had witnessed the bumpy road that the Article 23 legislation had gone through over the past decades, told the Global Times on Saturday that in 2003, when Article 23 was first submitted for review by the LegCo, that he was part of the Wan Chai Police District's special task force and personally witnessed the large-scale protest against it and the eventual withdrawal of the bill.

"Since then, Hong Kong has embarked on a tumultuous path, with anti-government protests escalating day by day," he said, noting that in 2019, some used the anti-extradition bill protests as a pretext for unleashing widespread violence and destruction across Hong Kong, leading Hong Kong through an indelible catastrophe.

In a society where residents have deeply reflected upon their pain, the long-awaited Article 23 legislation was finally completed after 26 years, Lam said, noting that it has become a security barrier for Hong Kong, protecting it from national security threats.

After the ordinance takes effect, Secretary for Security of Hong Kong, Chris Tang Ping-keung, stated that fugitives would be the primary enforcement target under the new legislation, and an assessment will be conducted as soon as possible to determine whether to implement the restrictions on fugitives contained within the law.

The ordinance specifies that the government can impose multiple restrictions on absconders, including canceling their HKSAR passports and suspension of qualification to practice, and providing available funds or dealing with funds related to absconders is also considered illegal. 

When asked whether the new ordinance restrictions on absconders would be immediately applied to former Legislative Council members like rioter Ted Hui Chi-fung and other fugitives who have fled overseas, Tang stated that this group would be a primary enforcement target. 

However, the timing of enforcement and the number of individuals targeted will be assessed as soon as possible, the official noted. 

The HKPF has previously issued arrest warrants for 14 Hong Kong fugitives who have fled overseas, including Hui, Nathan Law and Agnes Chow, which had played infamous roles in instigating anti-government protests and echoing the external force in interfering in Hong Kong affairs. 

In explaining the urgency of legislating the ordinance, Tang said on Saturday that some countries have been smearing Hong Kong and even intensifying their intelligence efforts, so that the national security risk remains high. 

Paul Lam Ting-kwok, Secretary for Justice, also said on Saturday that criticisms from countries such as Australia, the UK, and the US on the Article 23 legislation are all too similar, lacking novelty and substance, and some are even taken out of context.

The UK has an unclear definition of national secrets and Australia's laws on foreign interference are overly broad, Lam said, noting that if Hong Kong's legal provisions are considered vague, as some Western countries said, the provisions of these countries are "extremely vague."