In response to a media inquiry regarding French President Emmanuel Macron's announcement that France will officially recognize the Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Friday that the Palestinian question has been the core issue in the Middle East, and the "two-state solution" remains the only viable path to its resolution.
Guo stated that China supports the upcoming high-level UN meeting aimed at implementing the two-state solution. China will continue to work with the international community to promote a cease-fire in Gaza, alleviate the humanitarian crisis, implement the two-state solution, and ultimately achieve a comprehensive, just, and lasting resolution to the Palestinian question.
In a X post on late Thursday (local time), Macron announced that France will officially recognize the State of Palestine in September, stressing the "historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East," which would make France the first G7 nation to do so.
Macron said that he will formalize the decision at the UN General Assembly in September. "The urgent thing today is that the war in Gaza stops and the civilian population is saved.″
He also called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and large-scale humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza. "We must also ensure the demilitarization of Hamas, secure and rebuild Gaza. Finally, we must build the State of Palestine, guarantee its viability, and ensure that by accepting its demilitarization and fully recognizing Israel, it contributes to the security of all in the region."
The Buddhist Association of China said on Monday that it firmly supported and endorsed the decision to handle Shi Yongxin, the abbot of the Shaolin Temple and approved the revocation of Shi's ordination certificate.
On Sunday, the Shaolin Temple released an official statement, saying that Shi, the abbot of Shaolin Temple, is suspected of criminal offenses, including embezzlement and misappropriation of project funds and temple assets. He has also maintained improper relationships with multiple women over a long period and fathered illegitimate children, seriously violating Buddhist precepts. He is currently under joint investigation by multiple authorities.
The Buddhist Association of China said in the statement that Shi's actions are egregious in nature, severely tarnishing the reputation of the Buddhist community and damaging the image of monastic practitioners. The Buddhist Association of China firmly supports and endorses the decision to handle Shi in accordance with the law.
The association also noted that it recently had received a report from the Henan Buddhist Association on the revocation of Shi's ordination certificate.
In accordance with relevant regulations, the association has approved the revocation of Shi (secular name: Liu Yingcheng) ordination certificate, said the statement.
China has announced news of the upcoming 25th China-EU Summit. When asked to introduce China's expectations on this summit and how to assess current China-Europe relations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Monday that as two major forces advancing multipolarity, two major markets supporting globalization, and two major civilizations promoting diversity, the China-EU leaders' meeting at this time holds significant importance and has drawn broad attention from the international community.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU, as well as the 80th anniversary of the founding of the UN. At a time when the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century and facing a volatile and complex international landscape, with unilateralism and acts of bullying severely undermining the international order and rules, humanity stands at a critical crossroads, the spokesperson said.
As two major forces advancing multipolarity, two major markets supporting globalization, and two major civilizations promoting diversity, China and Europe holding leaders' meeting at this time holds significant importance and has drawn broad attention from the international community, Guo noted.
Guo noted that over the past half-century, China-EU relations have weathered many storms and have grown into a mature and stable relationship—now one of the most influential bilateral relationships in the world. China-EU cooperation has yielded fruitful results, strongly supporting mutual development and delivering tangible benefits to nearly 2 billion people on both sides, Guo said.
It has made important contributions to global peace and development and set a model for mutually beneficial cooperation in the era of economic globalization. Bilateral trade has grown from $2.4 billion to $785.8 billion, and two-way investment stock has increased from almost zero to nearly $260 billion. People-to-people exchanges have also become increasingly close, Guo noted.
While China and the EU have achieved fruitful cooperation in areas such as climate change, the relationship also faces certain challenges, Guo said.
Some in the EU have continued to reinforce the so-called "triple positioning" of their China policy, exaggerate specific trade and economic issues in a one-sided manner, and make groundless accusations against China over the Ukraine issue, causing unnecessary disruptions to China-EU relations. China firmly believes that, having developed over the past 50 years, China-EU relations have accumulated enough experience and positive momentum to withstand changes and overcome difficulties, Guo noted.
The spokesperson emphasized that with the 25th China-EU Summit approaching, China-EU relations stand at a crucial juncture, and are poised to move forward by building on past achievements. China looks forward the EU meeting China half way, viewing China-EU relations in a comprehensive, dialectical, and developing manner, and drawing meaningful lessons from the past 50 years of engagement, responding to the trends of the times and the shared expectations of both peoples and the broader international community, building consensus, rising above differences, and jointly planning the next 50 years of cooperation, thereby opening a new chapter in the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and the EU, the spokesperson said.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu in north China's Tianjin on Tuesday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that under the guidance of the heads of state of the two countries, China-Kazakhstan relations are at their best in history.
China has always placed Kazakhstan in an important position in its neighborhood diplomacy and is willing to work with Kazakhstan to firmly support each other, consolidate political mutual trust and create more new highlights of cooperation, Wang said.
Noting that Kazakhstan is a founding member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Wang said that China looks forward to making joint efforts with Kazakhstan and other member states to ensure the complete success of the Tianjin summit.
Nurtleu said that Kazakhstan fully supports all the cooperation initiatives proposed by China and is willing to make positive contributions to the holding of the Tianjin summit.
Kazakhstan is willing to work with China to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, prepare for high-level exchanges, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation on economy and trade, investment, energy, railways, and industrial park construction, enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and promote the continuous development of bilateral relations, he said.
Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang on Wednesday praised China's tech companies and vast market potential, expressing optimism about the country's advances in AI, robotics and smart manufacturing, as well as China's growing role in global innovation, during a press briefing held in Beijing as part of his attendance to the 3rd China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE).
Chinese expert noted that as China has always maintained an open and inclusive attitude toward normal economic and trade exchanges, it is natural that Jensen Huang received a warm welcome during his visit to China.
In response to a question from the Global Times on whether there is still room for cooperation between China and the US in the tech sector, Huang said, "There's always room in any house for at least two people." He emphasized that technological progress is not a zero-sum game, pointing to continued global growth. "I have every optimism and every belief that the US will continue to be very vibrant. China will be incredibly dynamic and continue to grow. And so I've got a very optimistic view of the future," Huang said.
Earlier at the opening ceremony of the CISCE on Wednesday morning, Huang took off his signature leather jacket, appeared in traditional Chinese attire, and delivered part of his speech in Chinese. He said it was his first time delivering a speech in Chinese and praised China's open-source efforts in the AI sector. China's open-source AI, he noted, serves as a catalyst for global progress, giving every country and industry a chance to join the AI revolution, Huang said.
During the media briefing, Huang spoke with particular enthusiasm about China's electric vehicle (EV) sector, calling them "incredible," and said he would love to buy a Xiaomi car.
In response to a media question on whether there is any new product or company that surprises him in China, Huang said "I would say that the EVs in China are probably in the last five years, the most surprising to the world in terms of the advancement."
The reality is, Xiaomi's cars are outstanding, as are BYD's and Li Auto's. The cabins are so spacious they feel like living rooms on wheels, while NIO and Zeekr take luxury to an entirely new level, Huang said, adding "every one of them impresses me."
Beyond EVs, Huang expressed confidence in China's robotics future, citing the country's strengths in AI, mechatronics and its vast manufacturing base. "I wouldn't be surprised if Xiaomi or BYD builds an amazing robot in the near future," he said, adding that these capabilities position China to become a major player in next-generation robotics development.
"China is a very special place because you have three things," Huang told the reporters. "One, you have excellent AI technology already, as I mentioned before. Second, you are extremely good at mechanical and electrical things - it's called mechatronics. China is very good at that. And then the third thing is you have a very large manufacturing base to hire those robots. I'm very optimistic for robotics development here in China."
When asked about Chinese AI companies, especially Huawei, Huang praised China's tech giant Huawei as "a formidable company," noting that it is "already on the dance floor" despite being a relative newcomer to AI acceleration. "Anyone who discounts Huawei, and anyone who discounts China's manufacturing capability, is deeply naive," he said.
During this trip, Huang's announced Tuesday that the US government has approved Nvidia's export license and Nvidia will start selling H20 chips to the Chinese market.
Buoyed by news that the H20 chip will resume sales in China, NVIDIA's stock hit a record high, reaching $172.40 intraday and closing at $170.70 on Tuesday, up 4.04 percent. Jensen Huang's net worth rose to $148.6 billion, becoming the world's sixth richest person, according to Forbes' real-time billionaires list.
Embrace, not exclude
On the first day of the supply chain expo, Nvidia's booth quickly became a crowd magnet, drawing streams of visitors who stopped to watch, snap photos and interact with its AI and robotics displays.
This is Huang's third visit to China this year. As with his previous two visits, his itinerary and remarks received widespread attention.
The semiconductor industry is highly globalized, with Nvidia as a leader, making its participation in the CISCE a natural fit with its industry presence, Zhou Mi, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Wednesday, adding that its success in China would signal a positive step for both China and the US.
US president Donald Trump in April imposed export restrictions that stopped Nvidia from selling its H20 chip made for the China market, which cost the US chipmaker $2.5 billion in sales during the first quarter. Nvidia expects a sales hit of $8 billion in the second quarter, according to a Reuters report.
"I went to see President Trump to let him know that I was coming to China … He knew I was going to come here to address the conference (CISCE), and he told me to have a great trip," Huang said on Tuesday, as cited by China Media Group.
Zhou pointed out that Nvidia recently faced significant sales pressure in China, because if the H20 chip fails to enter the market on time, its market share will suffer greatly. "With rapid chip iterations, missed opportunities risk being overtaken by competitors. Moreover, as Chinese chips catch up quickly, regaining lost market share becomes very difficult," he said.
Before Huang's trip to China, a Reuters report said that he met with Trump at the White House. Observers suggested that the discussion aims to seek a "balance" amid the China-US trade tensions.
Gao Lingyun, a research fellow at the Institute of World Economics and Politics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday that from a business perspective, adhering to a position of "business is business and politics should be set aside" is the most rational choice for Nvidia.
"China has always maintained an open and inclusive attitude toward normal economic and trade exchanges. It is natural that Jensen Huang received a warm welcome during his visit to China," Gao said.
However, Zhou said there is a fundamental difference between China and the US in their approach to foreign enterprises.
"China has been actively listening to foreign investors and is committed to providing a level playing field for foreign enterprises, including Nvidia," Zhou said. In contrast, the US has increasingly tightened foreign investment reviews, using so-called national security as an excuse to restrict investments and raising tariffs to complicate multinational operations and supply chains," Zhou said.
Given the US' continued crackdown on China's technology advance, Gao suggested that technological innovation is a global effort with each country's own strengths, and nations should focus on the shared benefits for humanity.
"China prioritizes cooperation and mutual development over the pursuit of technological dominance, which has fostered a business environment that continues to attract foreign investment in China," Gao said.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese kicked off his official visit to China on July 12 and it is set to conclude on July 18, 2025. The visit is viewed as an opportunity to strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, and advance the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. As the Chinese and Australian economies are highly complementary, Albanese said in Beijing that Australia looks forward to deepening mutually beneficial cooperation in areas such as trade, agriculture, tourism, and culture, and enhancing people-to-people exchanges in education, civil society, and youth sectors, the Xinhua News Agency reported. What's the significance of Albanese's visit to China? What's the general sentiment of Australians toward China? How should Australia promote a fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises in Australia? Global Times reporter Xie Wenting (GT) conducted an exclusive interview with Australian historian author John Queripel (Queripel) on these topics and more.
GT: Australian Prime Minister Albanese kicked off his official visit to China on July 12, which is set to conclude on July 18. This will be Albanese's second visit to China since he took office, just two months after his re-election in May this year. How do you view the significance of Albanese's visit to China? To what extent do you believe this high-level visit can rebuild core mutual trust?
Queripel: These meetings are likely to encourage trust between the two nations, which is essential not only politically, but also commercially between nations so strongly linked through their large trade volumes with each other.
Prime Minister Albanese, while being questioned at a media conference just prior to his departure, pointed out very strongly Australia's dependence economically upon China, informing his questioners that China was by far Australia's largest export market, taking over a third of Australian exports, more, he indicated, than the next four countries - Japan, South Korea, the US, and India - combined.
Albanese has drawn plenty of flak, especially from Australian right-wing media and commentariat, for visiting China before the US during his second term. In the past, Australian prime ministers usually have traipsed off to Washington as first call after election, usually in a manner indicating Australian obsequience to an imperial master. Following his recent May election win, Albanese, however, made a point of visiting nations in the region, Australia's near neighbor, Indonesia, then Singapore and Fiji, before his current visit to China.
GT: Both sides hope to attract investments. How do you think Australia is able to send clearer, more stable, and non-discriminatory positive signals to Chinese investors?
Queripel: Australia has unfortunately developed a reputation for being overzealous in permitting security concerns to intrude upon commercial agreements. That concern is usually directed at Chinese companies. Initially the security concerns regarding China began with Huawei's involvement in the Australian telecommunications [industry]. It even extended first to the Chinese app TikTok, and then later DeepSeek, both banned from government electronic devices, while Chinese-made security cameras have been barred from government buildings.
The Australian Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) decisions have so heavily focused on China, that many industry figures are worried that wariness by the FIRB is seriously affecting the capital inflow needed to develop Australia, especially in the area of transition to clean energy. Some Chinese firms have been blocked from projects which would have helped Australia meet its clean energy targets. New wind and solar projects with Chinese money have also been blocked by the FIRB from making the necessary land purchases needed to establish them.
GT: Both sides emphasize the need to diversify economic and trade relations. In your opinion, what are the most promising specific cooperation projects or directions in emerging fields?
Queripel: Clearly clean energy is a field that needs cooperation. Australia was at the forefront in initial research around solar energy. Now, of course, China is the global powerhouse, not only in solar energy, but in all forms of clean energy.
Australian mining entrepreneur Andrew Forrest and his company Fortescue have been strongly committed to developing "Green Hydrogen," the development of which would revolutionize numerous fields, particularly the manufacture of steel. Some Australian states are at the forefront in developing clean energy power grids. South Australia has, on occasions, been 100 percent powered by renewables, with plans for that to be permanent by 2027. The development of photovoltaics, in which Australia has played a prominent role, will make this possible. Australian-developed green hydrogen and photovoltaics have great potential in the massive Chinese market.
China is likely to be the world's first electro-state, and given the rapid growth of renewable energy in China, it is likely that electro-state may well become a clean energy electro-state. Becoming such an electro-state, China would represent a paradigm shift as great as that of the industrial revolution of the 18th to 19th centuries. Just as that revolution fueled England to be a global power, so too is the advent of the electro-state likely to do the same for China.
With critical minerals or rare earths, both China and Australia hold large deposits. These minerals will grow in importance, due to their increased need in electronics, computing, communications, batteries, electric vehicles (EVs), wind turbines, medical equipment, and military applications. They are the minerals of the future. They need to be cooperatively used to facilitate ongoing human technological development.
GT: Based on your observation, what is the general sentiment toward China in Australian society today?
Queripel: Sentiment toward China in Australia is improving but there is still a long way to go. It is always easier to inculcate fear than build trust, so once those interested in stoking fear, politicians, the media and the Australian security apparatus, the latter totally dominated by and serving US interests, it was simple to turn public opinion.
With the election of a Labor Government in 2022 relations began to incrementally change. A recent poll by the Australian-based Lowy Institute shows that while the gradual warming is encouraging, the poll also shows there is still a long way to go to bring relations back to where they were in the halcyon days a decade ago.
GT: How do you view the hype over the so-called "China threat" by some organizations and people in Australia?
Queripel: Australian security agencies, heavily intertwined with their US counterparts through such things as the Five Eyes Alliance, perpetuate the idea of this threat, with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) being at the forefront. The media, always looking for a shock/horror story, is happy to run with what it is fed, while the Western "military industrial complex" has much to gain financially by hyping a "China threat." All this security talk ignores China having never shown any preparedness to threaten its neighbors, nor be involved in military adventurism. Hopefully Australians will eventually understand their security lies more with a stable, multilateral China, rather than an increasingly capricious and unpredictable US. Current US policies, especially around trade protectionism, are likely to strengthen that current trend, with the above referenced Lowy Poll showing a huge 20 percent loss of faith in the US by Australians.
GT: Climate change is viewed by both sides as an important potential area for cooperation. Do you believe that strengthening cooperation in green transformation, renewable energy, and low-carbon technologies can serve as an effective lever to shape a more positive relationship?
Queripel: In the struggle to maintain a clean, green, and livable climate, Australia and China are "natural allies." Many Australians falsely think of China as being the major cause of increasing atmospheric CO2. Unknown is the fact that China is very rapidly moving away from carbon-based power to clean energy. Two-thirds of the global increase in renewable energy in the past year came from China. This is a good news story which gets little attention in Australia. There is a massive change being undertaken in China, completely ignored by the Australia media. The large-scale de-desertification projects, the incredible growth in EVs, and the technological advances in renewable energy taking place in China are all too often ignored or unknown in Australia.
On this trip Albanese has met both Australian and Chinese industry leaders to discuss "green steel." Australia has made significant advances in decarbonizing steel manufacture, and given China's appetite for construction, developments in this field will be significant in the fight against climate change.
GT: China is seeking to join the CPTPP, of which Australia is an important member. How do you think Australia's position on this issue will affect the long-term prospects of bilateral economic and trade relations?
Queripel: At a time when open and fair trade is under attack, frameworks like the RCEP and CPTPP have increased relevance and utility. The RCEP, of which China is a member, has helped consolidate and grow trade in the Asian region. This has enabled Asia to become the economic growth engine now powering the world. With China at its heart, the RCEP has demonstrated its success. The CPTPP as a wider grouping spanning the Pacific Ocean, was originally to include the US. Under the first Trump presidency they, however, refused to ratify that, which at that stage was going to be the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership). With the US sidelining itself the name was changed to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership, a change picking up the idea that the process was not completed, and that other nations may apply to join the organization.
With Australia holding the chair in 2025, an ideal opportunity presents itself - to admit China as a member. It clearly makes sense for Australia to press for China's admittance, given the benefit Australia derives from Chinese trade.
GT: Besides visa facilitation, what do you think are the biggest opportunities currently facing the deepening of bilateral tourism cooperation? How can people-to-people exchanges better promote bilateral cooperation and understanding?
Queripel: There is an enormous opportunity for China to attract tourists. The natural scenery, rich culture, and fascinating history, along with ease of travel on amazing infrastructure make travel easy. Travel is also extremely well priced for flights, internal transport, and accommodation, while for Australians, China is also closer than most other destinations. For either individual travel, or as part of a tour, organized by one of the growing numbers of tour agencies, China is a very appealing and affordable destination.
China has just again extended its visa free entry to more nations. Currently, the greatest bottleneck to travel by Australians to China is the sort of fear generated by the propaganda of which I have spoken. But greater people-to-people interactions will help break that as obviously increasing interactions between people is the best means to overcoming fear and suspicion.
In response to reports that Taiwan region's military will conduct the Han Kuang-41 live-troop exercise starting from July 9, an exercise focusing on subjects such as the so-called "response to gray-zone harassment," "joint anti-landing operations," and "resilient defense on the island," with many US weapons making their debut during the exercise, Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, said on Tuesday that the Han Kuang exercise is nothing but a bluff and a self-deceiving trick played by the region's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities to hijack Taiwan compatriots on board its "Taiwan Independence" war chariot.
Jiang noted that "the DPP authorities are harming Taiwan out of its selfish interests. We solemnly warn the DPP authorities that 'seeking independence by force' is a dead end."
"Whatever subjects they drill and whatever weapons they use, the PLA's resolute countermeasures against 'Taiwan Independence' would not be deterred, nor would the overwhelming and irresistible trend of China's national reunification be stopped," Jiang said.
When asked to comment on Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te's fourth speech in the so-called "10 Lectures on Unity," which hyped up the so-called "mainland military threat," advocated for an increased "defense" budget, and called on the Taiwan region military to fight for Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu, Jiang responded that Taiwan Island is a province of China, therefore where does the so-called "defense" budget come from?
Lai has distorted history and twisted facts, wrapping his separatist "Taiwan independence" agenda in carefully fabricated lies, Jiang said. He further noted that Lai deliberately plays up the so-called "mainland threat," stokes security anxiety, manipulates public opinion in Taiwan region, and attempts to militarize the island, with the aim of locking Taiwan's future into a strategic game manipulated by external forces.
Jiang stressed that Lai's call to "fight for Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu" is in reality a fight for the selfish interests of the DPP, the so-called fight for "Taiwan independence" separatism, and a deception that drags the Taiwan compatriots down a doomed path of "resisting reunification by force," "selling out Taiwan" and "destroying Taiwan."
Both sides of the Straits belong to one China. Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu are all sacred Chinese territory, and people on both sides are all Chinese. The louder Lai and his ilk clamor, the faster their downfall will come. Any attempt to use forces to support "Taiwan independence" will only lead to shared destruction.
"The PLA has the confidence and the capability to crush all separatist attempts for "Taiwan independence" and to resolutely safeguard China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Jiang said.
In response to a media inquiry about the Taiwan region's launch of its "annual military exercise" - which will, for the first time, use the newly delivered US high-tech rocket system, - and remarks by the leader of Taiwan's defense authority stating that the exercise is intended to demonstrate to the mainland that the island's military has the capability and confidence to defend "a free and democratic life," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press conference on Wednesday that first of all, Taiwan's so-called "exercise" is not a diplomatic matter.
"But what I can tell you is that our position on opposing military ties between the US and Taiwan region is consistent and very firm," Mao said, noting that the DPP authorities' attempt to "pursue 'independence' by force and relying on external support' won't succeed.
The Shenzhen Municipal People's Procuratorate has recently, upon legal review, formally prosecuted Bai Suocheng (foreign name: Bay Saw Chain), Bai Yingcang (foreign name: Bay Yin Chin) and 19 other key individuals - a total of 21 suspects - involved in the notorious Bai crime syndicate, CCTV News reported on Friday.
This group had long entrenched itself in Kokang, northern Myanmar, and carried out rampant criminal activities including telecom and online fraud, primarily targeting Chinese citizens, while relying on armed protection, according to the media report.
In accordance with China's Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure Law, the suspects have been charged with fraud, operating gambling establishments, extortion, intentional homicide, intentional injury, kidnapping, and drug trafficking and manufacturing, among other serious offenses.
The investigation revealed that the Bai syndicate, led by Bai Suocheng and Bai Yingcang, committed multiple serious crimes, including fraud, intentional homicide, intentional injury, kidnapping, extortion, operating gambling operations, organizing illegal border crossings, organizing and forcing prostitution, and drug trafficking and manufacturing.
These crimes resulted in the deaths of six Chinese citizens, more than 31,000 fraud cases, over 10.6 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) in defrauded funds, over 18 billion yuan in gambling proceeds, and approximately 11 tons of drugs produced or trafficked.
Bai Suocheng, the head of the Bai family, was born in 1949 in Kokang, northern Myanmar. He once served as the chairman of the Kokang region in Shan State, CCTV News said. During his tenure, he appointed a large number of family members and loyal followers to key local government positions, consolidating control over critical departments.
Li Linna, deputy head of the investigation team for the Bai crime syndicate case at the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau, was quoted as saying in the media report that Bai Suocheng ruled with absolute authority. Whether within the Bai family or across the entire Kokang region, Bai Suocheng's word was law. Even after stepping down, his influence remained unmatched.
By the time he stepped down in 2016, Bai Suocheng had already mapped out a clear strategy to expand his family's power. He appointed his eldest son, Bai Yingneng, and second son, Bai Yingcang, to key posts in Kokang, giving them control over local armed forces including the police battalion and militia units.
"Despite being out of office for years," Li added, "Bai Suocheng still held absolute control. Sometimes, a single word from him could determine whether a person lived or died."
Since the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) launched its special campaign to crack down on crimes in northern Myanmar involving Chinese nationals, China and Myanmar have, through law enforcement cooperation and a series of joint operations, apprehended over 57,000 Chinese telecom fraud suspects. The notorious "four families" crime syndicates in Kokang have suffered devastating blows. Under the unified command of the MPS, local public security authorities have advanced the investigations of cases involving these syndicates. Recently, the case against the Bai crime syndicate was officially prosecuted, CCTV News said.
According to the report, since 2015, the Bai crime syndicate in Kokang, led by Bai Suocheng, has exploited the family's influence in Kokang's political, military, and economic sectors to develop and operate 41 large-scale gambling and fraud zones.
These zones served dual purposes: on one hand, they attracted numerous fraud and gambling gangs that carried out telecom scams and online gambling targeting Chinese citizens - ranging from fake investment schemes and rebate scams to impersonating law enforcement and customer service personnel; on the other hand, the syndicate recruited or lured Chinese nationals to illegally cross the border and join these illicit operations.
The Bai syndicate also led the establishment of the Kokang entertainment management committee, which issued "promotion licenses" to these gambling-fraud zones, collecting exorbitant illegal profits in the form of rent, per-head fees, and security payments. Notably, the group maintained armed control over these zones, supporting violence by "investors" against low-level fraud workers who disobeyed, failed to meet quotas, or attempted escape - subjecting them to abuse, beatings, and even murder.
Evidence held by the police indicates that the Bai family directly commands an armed force of approximately 2,000 personnel. Among them, Bai Yingcang served as militia battalion commander, directly controlling over 1,500 militiamen. These forces - fully under the Bai family's immediate command and deployment - have become the "entry pass" and "green light" for investors seeking to establish safe havens in northern Myanmar and profit from telecom fraud, according to CCTV News.
"The militia is divided into two groups. One consists of locally recruited personnel whose food, lodging, and weaponry are funded by me - through rent collected from the fraud zones. The other group protects the scam sites; investors pay rent to the property office, which then distributes those fees to them. In other words, the investors are financing these forces," suspect Bai Yingcang was quoted as saying in the media report.
In November 2023, the MPS tasked Shenzhen police with investigating the Bai syndicate. On December 10, after collecting substantial evidence, police publicly issued wanted notices for Bai Suocheng, Bai Yingcang, and Bai Yinglan. On January 30, 2024, under the China-Myanmar law enforcement and security cooperation mechanism, Myanmar authorities handed over Bai Suocheng and Bai Yingcang to China. So far, 36 key suspects from the Bai syndicate have been brought to justice.
To fully uncover the Bai syndicate's criminal activities against Chinese citizens, Chinese law enforcement, under the bilateral cooperation framework, dispatched task forces to northern Myanmar five times - despite active conflict - to work closely with Myanmar counterparts.
They uncovered remains of victims, drug-making equipment, and other critical evidence. Meanwhile, over 1,000 officers from Shenzhen were mobilized to over 200 cities across China to interview thousands of fraud victims and gather evidence. Public security forces in Zhoushan, Zhejiang, provided critical support by apprehending and interrogating key suspects and completing the evidence chain.
Li Juanjuan, deputy head of the legal affairs team for the Bai crime syndicate case of Shenzhen Public Security Bureau, was quoted as saying in the CCTV News report that the Bai family leveraged its military and political influence in northern Myanmar's Kokang region to recruit and harbor so-called investors under armed protection. On one side, they provided armed security and venues for telecom fraud; on the other, these investors supplied manpower and technical support. Both parties formed a symbiotic relationship of mutual dependence.
Through violence or coercion, they inflicted severe abuse on low-level telecom fraud personnel, resulting in psychological manipulation and economic exploitation, thereby forming a closed-loop criminal ecosystem, Li said.
The telecom fraud compounds controlled by the Bai family imposed not only extremely brutal punishments on workers but also operated under a highly systematic framework. From physical abuse and economic exploitation to psychological torment, the compounds had established a comprehensive "disciplinary system," according to CCTV News.
For low-level fraud operatives, physical punishment and verbal abuse were common, with individuals frequently resold or traded among criminal groups. For technical specialists, those who refused to cooperate in developing new fraud technologies were locked in iron cages or dark isolation rooms, cut off from food and water until they submitted.
For management personnel, if a team failed to meet performance targets, the team leader would be held collectively responsible, subjected to both physical and psychological torture.
"For example, in one compound, we uncovered a site where an organization was forcing women into prostitution. More than 20 women were coerced into sex work, with armed guards stationed outside, making it impossible for them to escape or resist," Li Juanjuan was quoted as saying in the media report.
The psychological and physical devastation inflicted on these women was evident throughout our case file review - revealing their sense of utter despair and the severe restrictions placed on their freedom, Li said.
While 36 key suspects from the Bai crime syndicate have been brought to justice and are awaiting trial, the Chinese police force will continue tracking down the rest of the fugitives.
"There's still a sense of dissatisfaction because some fugitives remain at large. We must continue our efforts relentlessly and persistently to track them down and recover illicit gains, demonstrating the firm resolve of the Chinese police in cracking down on telecom fraud," Feng Haidong, deputy head of the criminal investigation division of the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau, was quoted as saying in the report.
For the first time, the aircraft carrier Shandong formation of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy arrived in Hong Kong on Thursday for a five-day visit. Excited crowds gathered along the formation's route and on nearby hills overlooking the carrier's anchorage.
On Friday, the carrier opened for student visits, with invited teachers and students engaging in exchanges with the officers and sailors on board, local media reported.
Forty-five students from King's College visited the Shandong on Friday, HK01 reported. The school's assistant principal, Nick Lam Chi-wai, was quoted as saying in the media report that the event allowed students to personally experience the professionalism of the PLA and how they protect the country. He added that the school will later summarize and share this experience to further strengthen national security education.
Some residents who joined the welcoming ceremony and boarded the Shandong for a tour described to the Global Times the experience as an unforgettable lesson in national security and patriotic education, saying they felt the strength of the nation and its sincere care for Hong Kong.
On Friday, a national defense lecture was held at the Ngong Shuen Chau Barracks, introducing warship operations, carrier-based aircraft activities, and other military knowledge to secondary school teachers, students, and youth uniformed groups, local media RTHK reported.
Additionally, seven members of the ship's crew were invited to explain their various duties and roles aboard the ship to the students.
Marking the 28th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, a PLA Navy aircraft carrier formation consisting of the aircraft carrier Shandong, the guided missile destroyers Yan'an and Zhanjiang and the guided missile frigate Yuncheng arrived in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Thursday morning for a five-day visit with carrier-based fighter jets, helicopters and marines, the PLA Navy said in a statement on Thursday.
An official Weibo account of the PLA released a video on Friday showing the carrier's aircraft elevator transporting Hong Kong students who were visiting. The students took the elevator platform to the flight deck, and many of them exclaimed "Wow!" as they arrived. "Who wouldn't be envious of the "aircraft carrier-style elevator"? I won't say who!" a Weibo post said.
Chan Yung, a deputy to the National People's Congress from the HKSAR and Legislative Council member who boarded the carrier, told the Global Times that this visit felt markedly different from his past experiences visiting the aircraft carrier Liaoning and amphibious assault ship Hainan. In addition to being awed by the fleet's sheer magnificence, he said this time he felt even more exhilarated.
He said that the growing strength of the motherland's national defense and military power, combined with Hong Kong's transition into a new stage of governance and prosperity, would enhance residents' sense of security and well-being.
The Shandong's visit holds profound meaning, Wong Kam-leung, the chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers who also boarded the carrier on Thursday, told the Global Times.
"It showcases the formidable strength of China's navy in the new era and reflects the central government's deep care for Hong Kong and reinforces the recognition of national sovereignty," he said.
With the Shandong opening to public visits, interactions between naval officers and residents are expected to bridge the gap between the military and the civilians. It will also offer young people a vivid platform for national defense education, serving as a new platform for fostering patriotic values, Wong said.
The carrier will be open to the public visit from Saturday to Sunday. A total of 10,000 tickets are available via the official WeChat account of the PLA Garrison in Hong Kong, 2,000 for the Shandong and 8,000 for the Zhanjiang and Yuncheng, according to DotDotNews.
