XI HAILS STRENGTHENED TIES IN PANDEMIC FIGHT

China and the Philippines should make innovative efforts to gradually resume the exchange of necessary personnel on the basis of implementing disease control measures, President Xi Jinping said on Thursday.

Xi made the remark in a phone conversation with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Xi also spoke by phone with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

The Chinese and Philippine people have helped each other in disease prevention and control since the outbreak of COVID-19, Xi said, adding that the mutual support demonstrates the brotherly friendship between the two countries.

Xi said he was glad to see that Duterte had led the Philippine people in taking effective anti-virus measures and achieving positive outcomes.

The Philippine people will definitely defeat the disease soon and restore production and normal daily life, Xi said.

China will continue to offer firm support to the Philippine people, Xi said, adding that, upholding the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind, it has provided capital, experience and confidence for the global pandemic fight.

China would like to make joint efforts with the Philippines to promote the unity of the international community and support the World Health Organization in playing its leading role.

Duterte said under the strong leadership of Xi, China has not only controlled the disease domestically but also offered a generous hand to its partners including the Philippines.

He spoke highly of Xi's announcement that after China develops vaccines and puts them into medical use, it will offer them to the whole world as global public goods.

The Philippines is dedicated to deepening its friendship with China and will not allow anyone to take advantage of the country to conduct anti-China activities, he added.

While speaking with Lukashenko, Xi said the mutual assistance between China and Belarus in containing the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the profound friendship between them as well as the high-level development and special nature of their bilateral ties.

China firmly supports Belarus in epidemic control, and will continue to share anti-epidemic experience and treatment measures without any reservations, Xi said, adding the country stands ready to work with the international community in strengthening cooperation and jointly building the health community with a shared future for mankind.

Xi commended the high-level development of the comprehensive strategic partnership of mutual trust and win-win cooperation between the two countries and said both countries support each other in their respective core interests and major concerns and they are genuine all-weather partners.

Saying the pandemic will inevitably affect bilateral exchanges and pragmatic cooperation, Xi called on the two countries to translate the challenges into opportunities and intensify Belt and Road cooperation to deliver more results.

Lukashenko thanked China for its support and assistance to his country in epidemic prevention and control.

Belarus resolutely opposes politicizing the virus and labeling others and will stand firmly with China in the issues that matter to its core interests, he said.

LI PROPOSES BROADENING SINO-GERMAN OPENING-UP

Premier Li Keqiang called on Thursday for greater strides in two-way opening-up between China and Germany and better use of the fast lane opened for bilateral personnel exchanges to facilitate business cooperation and reopening and safeguard the security of industry and supply chains.

Speaking during a videoconference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the premier reiterated China's commitment to further expanding opening-up and providing a good business environment for investors from different countries.

The conference came on the heels of a phone conversation between President Xi Jinping and Merkel last week, the third phone call between the two this year. Li spoke with Merkel over the phone on Feb 9.

To restore economic growth after the COVID-19 pandemic, the two sides must jointly uphold multilateralism and promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, Li said.

Despite disruptions caused to bilateral exchanges by the pandemic, the two countries have continued and will press ahead with bilateral cooperation, he said.

The two sides, on the basis of mutual respect, equality and win-win outcomes, should continue to deepen political and strategic mutual trust, maintain dialogue and consultation with each other and deepen cooperation in areas such as economics, trade, investment, science and technology, he said.

Li briefed Merkel on China's work on epidemic containment, saying that Beijing is willing to step up sharing experiences with Berlin on fighting the pandemic and bolstering cooperation in the research and development of vaccines and pharmaceuticals.

He underscored that China supports the European integration process and will be glad to see a European Union that maintains its solidarity and prosperity.

The enhanced opening-up and cooperation between the two countries and between China and the EU is not a temporary fix. Instead, it is in line with their common interests and will usher in mutual benefits and win-win outcomes, he said.

Li expressed his hope that Germany, which will soon hold the rotating presidency of the EU, will play a positive role in promoting China-EU relations.

China stands ready to maintain high-level exchanges with the EU, move forward with pragmatic cooperation and ensure that talks on China-EU investment agreements are concluded at an early date, he added.

China's trade volume with the EU dropped by 4.4 percent to 1.6 trillion yuan ($226.4 billion) in the first five months of this year, with exports to the EU down by 1 percent and imports down by 9 percent, according to the General Administration of Customs.

Merkel noted that the two countries have maintained close high-level exchanges and conducted good cooperation in jointly fighting the pandemic.

Germany welcomes China's efforts to expand its opening-up, and it will continue to promote bilateral cooperation in various areas, she said.

She expressed her appreciation for China's decision to share its vaccines as international public goods and voiced her support for greater cooperation between the vaccine research and development institutions of both countries.

The two sides, both advocates of multilateralism, should engage in closer coordination and dialogue within the framework of the World Trade Organization, she added.

HUBEI RECORDS 99% WORK RESUMPTION

Hubei province reported work resumption rate of 98.7 percent in 44,326 enterprises, and 98.4 percent of the employees, or 6.98 million, have returned to work, according to Changjiang Times, citing the provincial office on the COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control.

The work resumption rate in industrial enterprises above designated size reached 98.4 percent with 96.8 percent of employees returning to work, while the figures in the above-quota wholesale, retail, hotel and restaurant enterprises reached 99.7 percent for work resumption and 98.2 percent employees returned to work, in service enterprises above designated size the figure was 96.4 percent and 98.4 percent, in the construction enterprises it was 98.2 percent and 100.6 percent, and in the real estate development enterprise at 100 percent and 98.8 percent.

In the province, 418,483 enterprises started to sell products and issued VAT invoices during March 11 to June 9 equivalent to 76.15 percent of last year's total number, with the VAT invoices value reaching 1.59 trillion yuan, 88.54 percent of last year's total number.

Health and social work, agriculture/ forestry/animal husbandry/fishery, leasing and service, scientific research and technical services, information transmission/software and information technology services are the top industries with the highest work resumption index, with the figures at 125.81, 113.82, 107.78, 105.49 and 104.38, respectively.

The index at Xiantao, Shiyan and Suizhou are the top at 129.55, 108.52 and 106.08, respectively.

After work resumption, the power index at industrial enterprises above designated size is 98. The index in five industries is top, including electric power/heating power/fuel gas/water production and supply (121), liquor, beverage and refined tea manufacturing industry (117), pharmaceutical industry (117), computers, telecom and other electronic equipment manufacturing (115), and metal products, machinery and equipment repair industry (114).

CHINA'S AUTO SECTOR POSTS DOUBLE-DIGIT GROWTH

China's auto market stepped up recovery in May, with both production and sales showing double-digit growths, as per industry data Thursday.

Total automotive output stood at 2.19 million units last month, up 18.2 percent on a yearly basis, and sales hit 2.19 million units, up 14.5 percent compared with a year earlier, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

The yearly growths in output and sales were 15.9 percentage points and 10.1 percentage points higher than those registered in April, respectively.

From January to May, automobile output and sales totaled 7.79 million and 7.96 million units, respectively, a year-on-year decrease of 24.1 percent and 22.6 percent.

In terms of passenger cars, contraction ended both in production and sales last month, with 11.2 percent and 7 percent growth registered, respectively, or 1.66 million and 1.67 million units.

In the first five months, the production and sales of passenger vehicles were 5.96 million and 6.11 million units, respectively, and the year-on-year fall slowed to 29.1 percent and 27.4 percent.

For commercial vehicles, the production and sales reached 527,000 and 520,000 units in May, respectively, up 47.7 percent and 48 percent year-on-year. The first five months saw production and sales at 1.83 million and 1.85 million units, respectively, down 1.4 percent and 1 percent over the past year.

The country's new energy vehicle market witnessed the production and sales at 84,000 and 82,000 unites last month, down 25.8 percent and 23.5 percent year-on-year, respectively. From January to May, production and sales figures were 295,000 and 289,000 units, down 39.7 percent and 38.7 percent yearly.

HKSAR CHIEF EXECUTIVE SIGNS NATIONAL ANTHEM ORDINANCE

Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam Thursday signed the National Anthem Ordinance passed by the Legislative Council (LegCo) in accordance with Article 48(3) of the Basic Law of the HKSAR.

The National Anthem Ordinance will come into immediate effect after it is published in the Gazette on Friday.

"I am pleased that the National Anthem Ordinance will be gazetted and come into effect tomorrow, signifying the fulfilment of the constitutional responsibility of the HKSAR and reflecting the spirit of 'one country, two systems'," Lam said.

Lam said that like the national flag and the national emblem, the national anthem is the symbol and sign of the nation. As an inalienable part of the People's Republic of China, the HKSAR is duty-bound to preserve the dignity of the national anthem through legislation.

"I hope that members of the public will respect the national anthem of their own volition, hence the promotion of the national anthem is of paramount importance. To let our next generation understand the history and spirit of the national anthem and to observe the etiquette for the playing and singing of the national anthem, the Education Bureau will update its learning and teaching resources and issue directions to schools through circulars to support schools in teaching students," Lam said.

The National Anthem Ordinance provides for the playing and singing, protection and promotion of the national anthem to preserve the dignity of the country, enhance the sense of national identity among citizens and promote patriotism.

The offences stipulated in the Ordinance only concern the misuse of the national anthem, or public and intentional acts with an intent to insult the national anthem, according to the HKSAR government's press release.

China's National Anthem Law came into force in the mainland in 2017 and then the Standing Committee of the 12th National People's Congress adopted the decision to add the law to Annex III to the HKSAR Basic Law.

In accordance with Article 18 of the Basic Law, the national laws listed in Annex III to the Basic Law shall be applied locally by way of promulgation or legislation by the HKSAR.

The LegCo finished the first reading and second reading of the National Anthem Bill in January 2019 and May 2020 respectively, and the bill was passed on June 4 this year.

MAINLAND URGES END TO SECESSIONIST ACTIVITY IN TAIWAN

"Taiwan independence" activists must stop their secessionist acts and those who dare to challenge the law will be severely punished, Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Friday.

It was reported that some "Taiwan independence" political parties and groups on the island have been advocating constitutional amendment, by deleting the expression of "national unity". They also promoted changing the word "China" to "Taiwan" in the names of an air company and the passport of the island.

In response, Zhu said the authorities of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party of the island have stepped up efforts to collude with outside forces to undermine peace and stability across the Straits and constantly stirred up confrontation, resulting in a more complex and severe relationship with the mainland.

A small group of "Taiwan independence" secessionists took the opportunity to make a series of activities for "independence", in an attempt to push cross-Straits relations to a dangerous edge and Taiwan compatriots to the abyss of disaster, she said.

Their secessionist acts run counter to the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation and the vital interests of the Taiwan compatriots and are bound to fail, she added.

EX-OFFICIAL SAYS VIRUS HASN'T HALTED ORGAN DONATIONS

The COVID-19 pandemic has not seriously affected organ donations in China, with a slight fall in the number of donors expected this year, a former vice-minister of health said on Thursday.

"Organ donations have not been interrupted in most areas in China this year despite the epidemic," said Huang Jiefu, also director of the China National Organ Donation and Transplantation Committee. "The number of organ donors this year may decrease a little compared with last year."

However, in some other countries, organ donations have been suspended due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and large declines in donations are expected this year, he said.

Organ donations in China have kept rising in general since 2010 — the year when China started to pilot organ donations — largely due to increasing public awareness.

Last year, more than 5,800 people donated organs upon their deaths in China, compared with 34 in 2010. More than 27,000 people had donated organs between 2010 and last year, according to China Organ Transplantation Development Foundation.

China now ranks first in Asia in both the number of organ donors and transplant surgeries completed each year, and it may become No 1 in the world in both figures in two to three years, Huang said.

Huang made the remarks in an interview on Thursday ahead of a ceremony in Beijing promoting organ donation.

During the ceremony, the China Organ Transplantation Development Foundation unveiled its official logo and published a group of stamps with an organ donation theme in conjunction with China Post.

Despite the increased availability of organ donors, the supply of organs is still falling far short of demand in China, Huang said.

About 20,000 transplants have been completed in China each year over the past two years, which means only one-third of all registered patients in need could get one, he said.

In addition to increased efforts to encourage donations, the number of hospitals certified to perform transplants needs to increase to about 300, from the current 173, to meet the needs of patients, Huang said.

GAPS IN TIBET BUS SERVICE TO BE CLOSED THIS YEAR

The Tibet autonomous region plans to connect the region's final 11 townships and 40 villages with public bus service by the end of 2020, Tibet Daily reported.

According to the region's rural passenger vehicle procurement conference last week, the region's 451 townships currently meet the requirements for public bus service, and 440 of those already have it. At the village level, 1,899 of a total 1,939 are connected.

By the end of last year, access to public buses in townships and villages had reached more than 97 percent. The region spent more than 221 million yuan ($31 million) on road maintenance, and 14,478 kilometers of roadways were renovated last year.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

How you choose to feel today should not be dependent on others. - Anthon St. Maarten