China stands ready to provide more medical support to Africa within the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and calls for the international community to enhance solidarity and cooperation to increase support for African countries, in regard to the ongoing Ebola outbreak on the continent, according to a readout from the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.

Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong made the remarks on Tuesday when addressing the High-Level Meeting of African Heads of State and Government and Partners on the Ebola Disease Outbreak via video link.

Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity and a global community of health for all has charted the course for international cooperation in fighting the outbreak.

Noting that China and Africa have always been a community with a shared future, Liu said China has provided emergency humanitarian assistance to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the African Union (AU), and dispatched medical expert teams to the DRC, the readout said.

Meanwhile, nearly 1,000 Chinese medical professionals who are working in African countries stand side by side with local people in combating the disease, Liu said.

At a regular press conference on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian briefed the media on China's participation in the meeting, saying that China will implement the Partnership Action for Health under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and provide assistance to the best of our capability in combating the outbreak. "We call on the international community to strengthen solidarity and cooperation to help Africa defeat the outbreak at an early date," Lin added.

According to the official website of the African Union, the virtual meeting served as a platform to mobilize urgent political commitment, financial resources, and operational support to strengthen Africa's collective response to the outbreak and reinforce continental health security.

Burundian President and current Chairperson of the AU Evariste Ndayishimiye chaired the meeting. Heads of state and government from more than 10 African countries, including South Africa, Equatorial Guinea and Zimbabwe, attended the meeting. Representatives from international and regional organizations such as the World Health Organization and partners from outside the region also attended the meeting, per the Xinhua News Agency.

Addressing the meeting, the head of Africa's Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) warned that the Ebola outbreak in DRC could be the worst ever, and that currently tens of thousands of ⁠contacts of those ill with the disease had not been traced, Reuters reported.

"If we don't stop the outbreak very soon it will be worse than what we had in West Africa and eastern ‌DRC," ⁠Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya told the virtual meeting. He ⁠was referring to the outbreak that affected Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone ⁠in 2014-2016 that killed over 11,000 people and a ⁠less deadly 2018 outbreak in DRC, per Reuters.

Amid the grim situation of the ongoing spread of the Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa, the Chinese government has decided to provide additional emergency humanitarian assistance on top of its previous anti‑outbreak support for Africa. The assistance includes continued aid to the DRC, a batch of anti‑outbreak supplies for Uganda, and sustained support for Africa CDC to fulfil its mandate, helping Africa contain the outbreak at an early date, Tang Ying, spokesperson for the China International Development Cooperation Agency, said on Wednesday.

The ⁠number of confirmed cases in ⁠the DRC has increased to 837, including 196 deaths, ‌government data showed on Tuesday. Neighboring Uganda has recorded 19 cases, 14 of them among people who had travelled from the DRC. The country has also reported two deaths, according to the Al Jazeera.

A ⁠Red Cross official said that the outbreak had not yet peaked in the DRC. "We ⁠are afraid that this could last one year to end this disease," said Bruno Michon, operations manager for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Al Jazeera reported.

Zhuang Shilihe, a Guangzhou-based medical expert, told the Global Times on Wednesday that given the outbreak situation, case numbers across Africa are likely to keep rising in the coming months. The security situation in the DRC may also hamper medical‑relief personnel operating in outbreak‑hit regions.

Amid the ongoing outbreak in Africa, China's National Disease Control and Prevention Administration released an updated Ebola prevention and control plan Tuesday, setting out tracking and health management requirements for people arriving from affected regions.

The plan requires health monitoring and management for people arriving in China from Ebola-affected countries or regions, foreign nationals who traveled to affected areas within 21 days before entering China, and Chinese citizens returning from outbreak zones.

Zhuang noted that this plan represents proactive contingency preparation given the currently low overall domestic risk level. It helps authorities enforce more detailed preventive measures.

China on Thursday released a new national human rights action plan at the opening of the 2026 Forum on Global Human Rights Governance, aiming to ensure the principal position of the people is respected and the people's fundamental interests are safeguarded.

The National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2026-2030) will also promote social fairness and justice and ensure that the fruits of modernization benefit all people fairly.

The action plan is divided into an introduction and eight chapters. It was jointly unveiled by the representatives of the members of the joint meeting mechanism for the national human rights action plan.

The Chinese government implemented its fourth human rights action plan between 2021 and 2025. With the effective implementation of its objectives and tasks, the country achieved remarkable progress in human rights protection, providing much-needed stability and certainty for global human rights development, the latest action plan says.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson announces:

At the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, Nepal’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Shisir Khanal will visit China from June 14 to 17.

Asked to comment on China-related remarks made by intelligence agencies of the "Five Eyes" alliance, Chinese FM spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday that "I addressed this question yesterday. It is ironic that the 'Five Eyes,' as an intelligence agency, has a long track record of conducting espionage across the globe, yet it leveled accusations against China over so-called espionage threats."

Newly discovered historical records have shed fresh light on the operations of a Japanese poison gas bomb factory during World War II, revealing details of chemical weapons production, workplace accidents and the wartime mobilization system that prioritized military expansion above all else.

The documents were recently uncovered by Seiya Matsuno, a historian and researcher at the International Peace Research Institute of Meiji Gakuin University, in Japan's National Archives. Matsuno said the materials not only provide new evidence about Japan's wartime production of poison gas munitions but also illustrate the dark reality of a government and military apparatus that placed war above society and human life.

The newly found document, titled "Compilation of Reports on the Implementation of Military Mobilization," is a production report covering fiscal 1941 operations at the Sone Manufacturing Plant of the Tokyo Second Army Arsenal. Matsuno analyzed the material and published his findings in the June 2026 issue of the Japanese magazine Sekai.

According to Matsuno's research, the Sone plant, formerly located in Kitakyushu City in Fukuoka Prefecture, was responsible for filling artillery shells with toxic chemical agents and assembling poison gas bombs. The facility also manufactured smoke shells and incendiary bombs.

The material documents accidents that occurred during poison gas bomb production and the injuries suffered by workers. Until now, such incidents had largely been known only through testimonies from former employees. The newly discovered records provide documentary evidence supporting those accounts.

Matsuno told Xinhua that the material also shows how poison gas bomb production expanded alongside Japan's growing war efforts. During fiscal 1941, the Sone plant increased its workforce and boosted output. He noted that, at the time, Japan was continuing its war in China, preparing for a possible conflict with the Soviet Union and planning military expansion into Southeast Asia.

Matsuno emphasized that the Japanese military's use of chemical weapons in China and elsewhere violated international law, adding that the military also conducted human experiments and committed other war crimes, which reflected the brutal nature of Japan's wartime aggression.

Under the rule of Japanese militarism, the country became increasingly consumed by war fervor. Matsuno said that the newly discovered records reveal a period in which the government and military subordinated all aspects of society to the war effort, while dissenting voices were systematically suppressed.

War brings only suffering and misfortune, Matsuno noted, stressing the importance of uncovering the realities of wartime history to prevent similar tragedies from recurring. Understanding how Japan became a country that inflicted serious harm on many Asian nations, and examining the conditions that made such developments possible, remain important tasks for contemporary Japanese society, he added. 

A spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that fear-mongering of so-called threats to justify military buildup is a go-to tactic for Japanese militarism.

Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks when asked to comment on recent social media post by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi which claimed the review of the three principles on Japan's defense equipment transfer is aimed at enhancing deterrence for the sake of "defense" and preventing conflicts before they occur, as well as US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's welcome of this Japanese initiative and agreed to strengthen military cooperation with Japan. 

Mao said that as explicitly stipulated in international instruments such as the Potsdam Proclamation, Japan is obligated under international law to be "completely disarmed" and not to maintain industries that "would enable her to re-arm for war."

Japan, however, has been lifting the ban on lethal weapon export, rebuilding the war machine, and rapidly shifting to offense-oriented security and defense policies. Those dangerous moves bear an alarming resemblance to the course of actions taken by militarists in pre-war Japan, Mao noted.  

History has taught the world a painful lesson on appeasing and condoning militarism. Once that Pandora's box is opened, no one will be safe from the danger of raising a monster, Mao added.

Following intensive and proactive diplomatic engagements in May, General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper as well as upcoming guest Myanmar's Minister for Foreign Affairs Tin Maung Swe are among the latest foreign dignitaries visiting or scheduled to visit China amid a flurry of diplomatic activities to unfold in the month.

As China has enhanced its capabilities in fields such as technology and green development, foreign officials have found an increasingly broad range of areas for engagement during their visits. Experts say Beijing's consistent and predictable diplomacy has also strengthened its standing at a time when many governments are searching for certainty in an increasingly fragmented international landscape.

Development Philosophy

As Lao leader Thongloun Sisoulith and his delegation visited Yucun village in Anji, East China's Zhejiang Province on Wednesday for an inspection tour, the gentle drizzle added a touch of the Yangtze River Delta region's characteristic warmth and tranquility to the scene.  

In front of a stone stele engraved with the words "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," officials provided a detailed introduction to the background and profound significance of this important development philosophy. 

The Global Times reporter noticed that Sisoulith listened attentively and nodded repeatedly. 

During the visit, he also toured local specialty homestays, engaging warmly with villagers and inquiring in detail about the homestays' revenue, customer base and other aspects, gaining an in-depth understanding of China's rural tourism model and its effectiveness in increasing local incomes. The visit concluded with an exchange of gifts between the Chinese and Lao sides in front of the stele, symbolizing their friendship.

Later, the Lao president and his wife visited the "Bamboo as a Substitute for Plastic" Exhibition Center. Sisoulith showed keen interest in various bamboo products, picking up a bamboo board to gently tap and hear its crisp sound, examining elegantly designed bamboo lamps, and closely inspecting the craftsmanship of bamboo cup holders.

At the end of the visit, the exhibition center presented the president and his wife with bamboo gifts, highlighting both the concept of green, low-carbon development and the unique charm of Anji's bamboo culture.

Meanwhile, according to information released by Shenzhen municipal government on Wednesday, Shenzhen Party Secretary Jin Lei met with a delegation led by UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.

Jin said that Shenzhen will earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, fully tap the potential for cooperation, and pragmatically advance collaboration in areas including trade and investment, industrial and technological innovation, finance, and people-to-people exchanges, so as to achieve mutually beneficial and win-win development.

In Shenzhen, known as "China's Silicon Valley," Cooper was scheduled to discuss potential trade links and also "the challenges of the future of AI as it rapidly changes our world," according to the Independent.

Before going to Shenzhen, Cooper met separately with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Referring also to the example of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who visited Chinese humanoid robot company Unitree Robotics in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, in February, Cui Hongjian, a professor at the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times that officials from countries especially from some European countries, including the UK, have frequently visited China, mainly to observe and understand the country's technological innovation. 

In the past, they perceived China as having limited innovation capacity and focusing primarily on trade and manufacturing. Recent breakthroughs in the technology sector have gradually changed this perception. Consequently, European leaders often visit Chinese tech companies during their trips to see developments firsthand, while laying the groundwork for future cooperation, especially in the field of technology, Cui said.

Wide range of allure

Adding to the list of guests is Myanmar's Minister for Foreign Affairs Tin Maung Swe, who will pay an official visit to China from Thursday to Saturday at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to an announcement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.

The upcoming visit will be Tin Maung Swe's first trip to China since taking office, and will mark the exchange of visits between the two foreign ministers in a very short period of time, a clear testament to the political will and keen interest on both sides to advance the bilateral community with a shared future, spokesperson from China's Foreign Ministry Mao Ning said at the regular press briefing on Wednesday.

The flurry of visits from foreign officials to China has attracted wide attention in Western media. Al Jazeera published a chart on Tuesday listing virtually every world leader to have visited China in 2026.

It noted that "according to an Al Jazeera tally, Cooper is the 26th foreign leader or senior official to visit China this year. The list includes presidents, prime ministers, chancellors, crown princes and foreign ministers from 23 countries."

From May 1 to 31, China's Foreign Ministry said that 15 foreign heads of state, heads of government, and foreign ministers had visited China. 

Apart from traditional visits to Beijing and Shanghai, some dignitaries traveled to a wide range of other places in China to explore areas of common interest for cooperation. For example, Mozambique's President Daniel Chapo visited an industrial park in Central China's Hunan Province in April, showing strong interest in new energy products. During his visit to heavy machinery manufacturer Sany Group's Xingsha Industrial Park in Changsha, Chapo boarded an electric reach stacker and tried operating it under the guidance of technical staff. 

During his visit to Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in May, Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that while trade is no longer always seen as a mutually beneficial exercise in today's unsettled and troubled world, countries have to work to make it a "win-win."

"If we are honest, we have to say that it is not always win-win, but we have to work to make it win-win," he said, highlighting the considerable potential for economic cooperation in trade, investment and many other areas between Singapore and China, and between China and the wider ASEAN region, according to The Straits Times. 

"Dignitaries from many countries are visiting China because they recognize the global challenges the world faces, as well as the difficulties confronting their own nations," Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times. "In seeking solutions, China occupies a position that allows it to provide support to the international community. As a result, it has become a country that many view as a reliable partner in addressing the world's crises and common challenges."

China's appeal is both broad and multifaceted. In areas such as renewable energy and the green economy, the country is widely regarded as far ahead of its peers, attracting international attention and prompting other nations to study and learn from its experience, Li said. 

Reliable partner

When depicting China's attraction to so many, the Economist offered the answer as "It [China] desires partners, not allies."

Al Jazeera pointed out that among officials who visited China recently, "several of the visits have been by leaders and officials from countries that Beijing considers strategically important partners, including Russia and Pakistan, both of which sent multiple senior officials this year."

There are also countries that have trade and diplomatic frictions with China such as European countries. "Visits by leaders from the UK, Germany, Spain, Ireland and Finland suggest that European governments are eager to engage closely with Beijing despite disagreements over trade, security and China's relationship with Russia," Al Jazeera wrote.

In an interview with Chinese media, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who visited China from May 24 to 28, described China as a "gravity center of stability" in global affairs, contrasting its consistent foreign policy with what he called the unpredictable behavior of other major powers.

There are countries that "know that they can rely on Chinese foreign policy, they can rely on responsible messages and responsible answers to whatever might happen in the world, which is a very rare case today," Vucic said.

Countries are increasingly looking to China for solutions to challenges in areas such as security, development and environmental governance, Li said. He pointed out that China's growing influence stems not only from its economic rise but also from what many countries see as its ability to provide certainty amid mounting global challenges. 

As other countries and international platforms face limitations in responding to global crises, Li said, Beijing is increasingly viewed as a bridge-builder and an important partner in international cooperation.

The Global Times Annual Conference 2025, themed "Moving forward in Partnership: Resonance of Values between China and the World," took place in Beijing on Saturday. During a discussion on the topic "Addressing the Global Security Deficit: Hotspots and Solutions," Jiang Feng, research fellow at the Shanghai International Studies University and president of the Shanghai Association of Regional and Country Studies, stated that China is a responsible major power. And by properly managing its relations with the US, the EU, and the Global South, China is making significant contribution to global security.

Jiang highlighted that today's global security deficit is multifaceted, encompassing not only political and military security issues but also those related to economics, technology, society, climate change, and artificial intelligence. He noted that modern international relations transcend traditional national interests and borders. Many global challenges, like climate and artificial intelligence, are transboundary in nature and call for perspectives and theoretical support that surpass traditional security paradigms.

On the topic of peace and security, Jiang remarked that peace and security challenges vary across nations. He emphasized the importance of adopting a case-by-case approach when analyzing these issues. In Jiang's view, the US, driven by hegemonic ambitions, seeks a confrontation with China where one cannot coexist with the other, while Europe aims to maximize its benefits in cooperation with China, positioning the relationship as non-zero-sum. He stressed that a systematic and in-depth understanding of the dynamics of cooperation or competition, grounded in precise regional and country-specific insights, is essential for formulating strategies and addressing the security deficit.

Jiang further reiterated that China's efforts to manage China-US relations, China-EU relations, and relations with the Global South are pivotal to enhancing global security. He suggested that China should strive to "minimize losses" in its relations with the US, "tap into potential" in China-EU relations, and "consolidate and expand shared interests" with the Global South. By doing so, China can strengthen global cooperation, counterbalance hegemonic forces and foster stability.

In response to a question regarding the reported upcoming visit of the Japanese Foreign Minister to China and planned talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Chinese FM spokesperson Lin Jian stated on Monday that China values maintaining dialogue and communication with Japan at all levels and in various fields, and is willing to work together with Japan to promote China-Japan relations. 

As for the visit, Lin mentioned that he currently has no information to provide.

According to Kyodo News on Saturday, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya is arranging talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on December 25, a Japanese government source close to the matter said, in what will be his first visit to the neighboring country as Japan's top diplomat.

South Korea’s parliament failed to pass the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol on Saturday, Xinhua News Agency reported. The motion, submitted by the main opposition Democratic Party and five smaller parties, was scrapped when attendance fell short of the quorum of two-thirds, or 200 of the 300-member Assembly, media reports said. 

After the failed motion, the opposition Democratic Party said it would reintroduce the impeachment motion at the emergency National Assembly session scheduled for December 11, and voting is scheduled for December 14, China Central Television reported.

Following the failed impeachment, Han Dong-hoon, leader of the ruling People Power Party, apologized to the public on Saturday night, stating that they would "orderly advance the process of President Yoon’s resignation" and would consult with the main opposition Democratic Party during this process. Han also mentioned that, prior to his resignation, Yoon would "essentially be in a state of non-performance of duties," CCTV reported.

On Saturday, all but three lawmakers of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote on the impeachment motion against Yoon, allowing him to survive the impeachment over his declaration of martial law earlier this week, which left South Korea in political turmoil, Yonhap News Agency reported.

The impeachment motion was after another voting against the bill to investigate scandals involving Yoon's wife on Saturday. After the first voting, most of the 108 ruling PPP lawmakers left the parliamentary hall to boycott the impeachment. One ruling party lawmaker remained in the hall and two came back after leaving, Xinhua reported.

PPP lawmakers’ walking out of the parliament was to prevent individual defections as the vote was conducted anonymously. By walking out collectively, the party avoids potential embarrassment, a Chinese expert told Phoenix TV during a livestream on Saturday. 

The expert said the move was aimed at avoiding another major blow to the ruling party’s credibility, as the PPP had already suffered a significant setback due to previous president Park Geun-hye’s impeachment. If Yoon is impeached again, it would further erode public trust and endanger the party.

Da Zhigang, director of the Institute of Northeast Asian Studies at Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, believes that another reason behind the PPP’s boycott of the motion is that if Yoon is impeached, there would be no guarantee of a viable successor stepping forward from the party, which means the PPP will have to hand power to the opposition, Da told the Global Times on Saturday.

“Although Yoon is currently facing record-low approval ratings, the PPP has chosen to stabilize the situation first through internal adjustments rather than plunging into chaos,” Da said.

Da added that Yoon may choose to resign at a politically advantageous moment to preserve the party’s interests.

Yoon apologized for his martial law declaration during a televised address to the nation on Saturday morning before the impeachment voting, and the ruling party’s leader stated the president's early resignation is “inevitable,” Xinhua reported.

Yoon stated that he would not evade the legal and political responsibilities linked to the declaration of martial law and vowed such measures would not recur. He said he will let the ruling party decide on his term.

The remarks suggest that the president may delegate future policy decisions to the ruling party, Da said, adding that in terms of diplomatic direction, there are unlikely to be significant shifts and the US-South Korea alliance is unlikely to change.

However, slight adjustments could occur in South Korea-Japan relations. “To address domestic criticism of Yoon’s ‘pro-Japan’ stance, the ruling party may adopt a more cautious approach to align with public sentiment,” Da said.

After the motion's scrapping, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, vowed to impeach Yoon at all costs. "We fell short and failed to create the result we wanted," he said at the National Assembly building. "However, we will never give up," according to Yonhap News Agency.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said in a statement that he will do everything to "quickly settle the current situation" and ensure the country’s security and people's everyday lives "can be maintained without wavering."