Drainage of 210-million-cubic-meter standing water in the flooded Tuanzhou dike region due to spillover from the rain effected Dongting Lake in Central China’s Hunan Province fully started on Tuesday morning, after the breached dike was successfully repaired late on Monday night, thanks to on-site rescuers racing against time to plug the 226-meter breach within 77 hours, well ahead of schedule. 

Drainage equipment was promptly dispatched and deployed to the flooded Tuanzhou township, Huarong county in Hunan Province. As of Tuesday morning, a variety of submersible equipment, electric pumps, along with other necessary drainage tools had been delivered to the Tuanzhou embankment to carry out drainage operations. 

At around 7 am on Tuesday, a team specializing in handling waterlogging from the Hunan provincial firefighting and rescue force arrived at the Tuanzhou embankment to start drainage work.

China’s National Fire and Rescue Administration also dispatched firefighting and rescue forces from Central China’s Hubei Province, Southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality and Guizhou Province to the scene on Tuesday morning to provide cross-provincial support. 

Drainage work deployment began on late Monday night to lower the level of the standing water within the flooded Tuanzhou dike region, in order to reduce the flood control pressure on a 14.35-kilometer-long embankment. 

Multiple cases of dike piping were identified along the embankment on Monday morning, with more than 300 armed police officers, firefighters, and other rescue personnel urgently dispatched to address the situation, effectively and promptly controlling the piping hazard. 

As of Monday evening, a total of 24 hazardous incidents such as piping and water seepage reported along the embankment had all been resolved, Zhu Dongtie, director of Hunan Provincial Department of Water Resources said during a press briefing on Monday evening, noting that as the time extends, the pressure on the embankment will increase considerably.

On late Monday night at 10:31 pm, rescue personnel successfully sealed the breached dike at China’s second-largest freshwater lake, from which a total of 210 million cubic meters of water, equivalent to the volume of water of 15 West Lakes, remained within the Tuanzhou dike region, flooding 47.64 square kilometers out of the region, forcing six villages and one community with a total of 7,680 residents to vacate their homes. 

In order to alleviate the flood defense pressure on “the second line of defense” and quickly restore normal activity within the flooded Tuanzhou dike region, there remains an urgent need to lower the water level inside the embankment and discharge remaining floodwater. 

Experts suggested that the daily drop in water level should not exceed 30 centimeters in a bid to drain the standing water as quickly as possible meanwhile ensuring the safety of the dike, Central China Television (CCTV) reported on Monday. 

Calculated according to the area of 50 square kilometers of Tuanzhou dike region, the daily volume of drainage is estimated to be around 15 million cubic meters of water. Since the terrain of Tuanzhou dike region is characterized by being higher on both sides and lower in the middle, the standing water in the higher terrain will be drained faster while water pooling in lower terrain will be drained more slowly, with approximately a total of 17 days needed to drain all the water in the region, according to CCTV. 

China’s Ministry of Water Resources has required to thoroughly implement all follow-up response measures including continuously analyzing and assessing potential risks such as the prolonged high-water levels as well as the piping, seepage and slope failures at the Dongting dike and other dikes. 
Local officials also reminded the public to remain vigilant for new flood warnings during the drainage process, noting that emergency response tasks remain complex and challenging. 

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's second 10,000 ton-class hospital ship recently embarked on a voyage to islands and reefs in the South China Sea to conduct medical rounds and rescue exercises, with experts saying on Thursday that the vessel will enhance the PLA Navy's logistics capabilities and provide extra public security goods to the international community.

The hospital ship Silkroad Ark set out from a naval port in Zhanjiang, South China's Guangdong Province on Wednesday to conduct medial rounds in the South China Sea, including islands and reefs of Xisha Qundao (also known as Xisha Islands) and Nansha Qundao (also known as Nansha Islands) such as Yongxing Dao (also known as Yongxing Island) and Yongshu Jiao (also known as Yongshu Reef), as well as islands and reefs along the southern coast of the mainland, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Thursday.

During the voyage, troops stationed on islands and reefs will board the hospital ship to receive diagnoses and treatment, and the ship's medical staff will also disembark from the ship to make rounds of visits to the troops' combat positions, CCTV reported.

The vessel will also conduct exercises for rescuing the wounded at sea, the report said.

The mission demonstrates that the Silkroad Ark is now in active service with the PLA Navy, observers said.

The Silkroad Ark is the second 10,000 ton-class far-seas capable hospital ship domestically developed by China, after the Peace Ark. The Silkroad Ark shares the same design as the Peace Ark but has a larger displacement and a longer endurance, according to CCTV.

In wartime, it will conduct maritime rescue and evacuation missions, while in peacetime, it will engage in medical rounds for residents and troops on islands and reefs, deliver international humanitarian aid services, join major disaster relief and emergency medical rescue operations, as well as participate in foreign military medical exchange and cooperation missions, CCTV reported.

Amid tensions in the South China Sea, the Silkroad Ark's voyage will provide strong logistics support and boost the morale of Chinese frontline personnel, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Thursday.

The move will also demonstrate China's actual jurisdiction and control over the islands and reefs in the South China Sea, the expert said.

Chinese military expert Zhang Junshe told the Global Times on Thursday that the Silkroad Ark and the Peace Ark will enable the PLA Navy to deploy two hospital ships in two different regions, contributing to overall combat readiness.

Both vessels are far seas-capable, meaning that they can sail to other parts of the world and provide humanitarian aid, fulfilling China's international obligations as a responsible major country, Zhang said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Umaro Sissoco Embalo, president of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, in Beijing on Wednesday.

A memorandum of understanding to establish friendly exchange relations was signed last week between Malaita Province of the Solomon Islands and East China's Jiangsu Province in Auki, the provincial capital of Malaita. This new chapter follows years of skepticism, indicating a pivot toward cooperation and mutual growth, analysts noted.

The ceremony on April 4 was attended by nearly 40 people, including Chinese representatives, the ambassador, and provincial legislators and officials from Malaita, the Global Times learned from the Chinese Embassy in the Solomon Islands.

Cai Weiming, the Chinese Ambassador to the Solomon Islands, stated that China would actively promote friendly provincial cooperation with the Solomon Islands central government and Malaita's government. This includes projects like construction of the Auki Road, broadband networks, and sustainable rural development, aiming to foster economic and social advancement locally and benefit the people of Malaita and beyond.

Jiangsu Province is renowned for its economic prosperity, ranking second in GDP in China at more than 12 trillion yuan ($1.74 trillion) in 2023.

On the same day, a ceremony for the handover of livelihood supplies from Jiangsu to Malaita took place in Auki. Ambassador Cai, on behalf of Jiangsu, delivered essential items like water tanks, solar lamps, and fishing nets to Malaita's governor, Martin Fini.

Cai said that the donation from Jiangsu to Malaita injects new vigor into their collaboration, expressing hope that it will play a positive role in the province's development. He emphasized that the cooperation between Solomon Islands and China is not about exploitation or creating debt traps, but about sharing development opportunities.

Governor Fini thanked China for its generous support, noting that the supplies would alleviate local hardships and improve living conditions. Malaita is keen to deepen cooperation with Jiangsu, fostering continuous socio-economic growth and contributing to the bilateral relations between the two nations.

During a visit to the Kilusakwalo community in Malaita Province, Ambassador Cai and China's Special Envoy for Pacific Island Affairs Qian Bo were greeted with traditional dances and songs, demonstrating the warm local welcome.

Previously, Malaita had a unique political stance within the Solomon Islands, showing skepticism toward closer bilateral ties with China. However, four years of constructive engagement with China has sparked real hope for development in the Solomon Islands.

The two countries established diplomatic ties on September 21, 2019. Half a month later, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare paid his first visit to China, during which the Solomon Islands officially joined the Belt and Road Initiative.

Currently, key initiatives include a Chinese-funded comprehensive medical center, which broke ground in December 2023 and is advancing rapidly, promising enhanced healthcare services for the locals.

In November last year, the Solomon Islands successfully hosted the Pacific Games in a stadium built with Chinese aid. Additionally, the Chinese Navy hospital ship Peace Ark provided medical services in Honiara, and the police cooperation between the Solomon Islands and China has improved local social stability.

These tangible benefits have gradually warmed the Malaitians to China, with a recent poll showing 61 percent of respondents favor maintaining the relationship after this year's elections.

Local experts said that Malaita's shift indicates a deep-rooted recognition of China.

"The China-Solomon Islands relationship, forged under very trying conditions, is now maturing," Dr Luke Mani, director of the Solomon Islands Foreign Policy Advisory Secretariat, told the Global Times. "Evidence abounds that Solomon Islanders [have now] firmly and openly embraced China."

Various infrastructure projects funded by traditional multilateral development partners such as the Munda Airport and terminal upgrades, Henderson Airport runway extensions, and East-West Honiara highway have benefited from the expertise and quality of Chinese engineering firms such as China Civil Engineering Construction Company and China Railway, Mani said.

The former premier of Malaita Province, Daniel Suidani, attracted attention for his opposition to the Solomon Islands' relations with China. His stance led to conflicts with the central government, culminating in his removal from office in February 2023, following a no-confidence motion passed by the provincial assembly.

Suidani also maintained close ties with the island of Taiwan. In May 2021, he traveled to Taipei for medical treatment, a move that was condemned by the Solomon Islands' government as "unauthorized."

These political tensions sparked demonstrations and riots, particularly in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands. In 2021, residents of Malaita and other islands expressed opposition to the Solomon Islands government's decision to establish diplomatic relations with China, leading to violent incidents. Parts of Honiara, especially the Chinatown in the city center, were burned and looted, resulting in significant losses for Chinese nationals.

Days after the riots, Prime Minister Sogavare told the press that the crisis was "influenced and encouraged by other powers." He further indicated that these forces influencing Malaita, the main island of the nation, are those that "don't want ties with the People's Republic of China," according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

China's stable economic growth and opening-up will continue to make the country an engine for global growth and promising destination for foreign investment. China welcomes foreign enterprises to continue to invest in the country, deepen their presence and be successful, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Friday.

The remarks came following the European Commission recently upgrading its forecast for China's 2024 economic growth to 4.8 percent, up by 0.2 percentage points compared with its previous projection.

In the first quarter of the year, the Chinese economy got off to a strong start, with GDP growth hitting 5.3 percent year-on-year. In April, the country's purchasing managers' index (PMI) for the domestic manufacturing sector was reported at 50.4. Last month, the country's foreign trade soared 8 percent to 3.64 trillion yuan, hitting a new high compared with corresponding historical period, official data showed.

The upward recovery momentum has made the international community positive on the Chinese economy and increase investment in China. Recently, international financial institutions including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and UBS have upgraded their forecasts for China's economic growth this year.

The Asian Development Bank data estimated China will account for 46 percent of growth in developing Asia in 2024-25.

Foreign investors' confidence in China is on the rise. The country improved its ranking as an attractive destination to invest over the next three years, jumping to the third place from the seventh in 2023, and continuing to lead emerging markets, according to a report recently released by consulting firm Kearney.

China seeks development amid continued opening-up, and welcomes the world to share China's opportunities, Wang said at a regular press conference. China's stable economic growth and continuous opening-up will make the country a global economic growth engine and a promising investment for companies from all countries, said the spokesperson.

While external forces have complicated relations among China, Japan and South Korea, the new challenges facing regional economic development have also spurred them to seek new avenues for cooperation in the current global political and economic landscape. This has been a key factor in the increasing signs of warming trilateral cooperation.

The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Japan Business Federation and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade plan to co-host a trilateral business summit later this month in Seoul, the Yonhap News Agency reported on Monday.

The gathering has been held since 2009 with the goal of expanding Northeast Asian economic cooperation and exchanges. Most recently, the event was held in 2019 in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Although the resumption of the gathering has not been officially confirmed, the eagerness of South Korea to advance trilateral cooperation is palpable. However, the future of trilateral cooperation will ultimately depend on the determination of Japan and South Korea to expand their cooperation and their ability to resist pressure from the US.

There is no question that China, Japan and South Korea possess the necessary foundation for economic and trade cooperation. Enhancing economic cooperation among the three countries is not only essential for regional development, but will also be crucial in promoting peace and prosperity in East Asia and globally. However, it is geopolitical factors, rather than economic considerations, that have impeded their collaboration.

As a result of the recent "decoupling" push by the US, Japan and South Korea, as key Asian allies of the US, have aligned their stance with the US on various issues, including taking a tough approach toward China in areas such as supply chains, science and technology. However, this misjudgment has had a significant impact on their own economies and trade.

For instance, South Korea's exports decreased 7.4 percent year-on-year in 2023, and it also recorded a trade deficit of $18 billion with China in 2023, its first such bilateral shortfall with China in 31 years, according to media reports.

Facing growing economic pressure and risks from following the US "decoupling" push, Japan and South Korea appear to be reassessing the significance of their relationships with China and are more inclined to enhance communication with China.

However, to achieve effective trilateral communication and cooperation, Japan and South Korea need not only to demonstrate sincerity in improving relations, but more importantly, the three parties need to find innovative ways to collaborate amid the US push for "decoupling" and "breaking chains," as failure to do so will result in consequences for all parties involved.

Enhancing mutual trust and promoting cooperation can only be achieved through the establishment of more frequent dialogue and communication mechanisms. In order to resist US pressure, China, Japan and South Korea could lessen their reliance on a single external market by enhancing cooperation within a multilateral framework. One way to achieve this is by expediting negotiations for the China-Japan-South Korea free trade agreement to broaden collaboration in trade, investment, technology exchanges and environmental protection. Additionally, cooperation could be bolstered within the ASEAN plus China, Japan and South Korea mechanism to promote the growth of the entire region.

In terms of mitigating risks, China, Japan and South Korea could focus on diversifying their supply chains by identifying alternative sources and improving the connectivity of their internal supply chains.

Additionally, they can address external pressures through policy coordination and information sharing, while also fostering cultural and talent exchanges to seek mutually beneficial solutions that uphold their respective national interests.

Moreover, the three can strengthen cooperation in some non-sensitive or non-strategic areas, such as environmental protection, climate change, renewable energy and public health.

Only by working together can the three countries achieve a mutually beneficial outcome. There is no alternative. Despite the challenges, it is crucial to resist the pressure by the US as a way to promote cooperation and avoid losses by the three parties. As East Asia remains the most vital engine of the global economy, the way in which these three countries collaborate will significantly influence global development.

EHang Holdings, an autonomous aerial vehicle technology company based in China, announced on Monday that its pilotless electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft EH216-S successfully completed its first passenger-carrying demonstration flight in Abu Dhabi, marking the first of its kind in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Middle East. 

The EH216 series pilotless eVTOL aircraft performed several autonomous flights at the Emirates Falcons Aviation Club in Al Ali, Abu Dhabi with the approval by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the UAE. 

"After obtaining approval for the demo flights carrying passengers and completing the inaugural flight, we will closely collaborate with the GCAA and the Civil Aviation Administration of China to accelerate the commercialization of our unmanned aircraft in the UAE. This will mark a significant milestone for Abu Dhabi and the global air mobility industry," Hu Huazhi, chief executive of EHang, was quoted as saying in a statement sent to the Global Times on Tuesday.

EHang's inaugural manned flight of the eVTOL in the UAE not only signifies the advancement of China's drone technology but also underscores growing international cooperation in the field of low-altitude economy.

China's low-altitude economy has been included in the new quality productive forces, according to the Government Work Report for 2024.

The EHang Intelligent EH216-S stands as the world's pioneering eVTOL aircraft to obtain all three certifications - Type Certificate (TC), Airworthiness Certificate (AC), and Production Certificate (PC). Capable of fully recharged within two hours, the EH216-S boasts a top speed of 130 kilometers per hour, with a flight endurance of 25 minutes and a designed range of 30 kilometers.

The pilotless eVTOL aircraft feature a compact fuselage, high redundancy design and intelligent cluster management, enabling safety and efficiency as well as scalable operations, in order to provide safe, autonomous, and eco-friendly air mobility.

Additionally, the EH216-F (for high-rise firefighting) and EH216-L (for aerial logistics) demonstrated their debut flights in the UAE too, showcasing a diverse range of UAM use scenarios of the pilotless eVTOL aircraft.

A technician inspects an automated production line at a local new-energy technology company in Gaoyou city, East China's Jiangsu Province, on May 12, 2024. In recent years, Jiangsu has become a major production base of solar photovoltaic panels that sell well at home and abroad. Photo: VCG

Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, on invitation visited the National Museum of Serbia with Tamara Vucic, wife of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, in Belgrade on Wednesday morning.

The two first ladies toured the museum's painting exhibition together. The museum boasts a long history and abundant collections, Peng remarked, noting that the classic paintings exhibited there feature delicate brushstrokes and rich emotions.

Peng emphasized that museums serve not only as windows for preserving and displaying cultural relics but also as halls for promoting civilization. She also expressed hope for enhanced cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and Serbia to build bridges for dialogue among civilizations.

The two first ladies also watched demonstrations of traditional Serbian women's hand weaving and warmly interacted with the artisans. Peng praised the exquisite and distinctive craftsmanship of Serbian hand weaving, considering it an important intangible cultural heritage that has been well preserved and promoted.

Highlighting the similarities between Chinese and Serbian embroidery cultures, she suggested mutual learning and encouragement for young people from both countries to actively engage in preserving traditional handicrafts from generation to generation. The two also enthusiastically participated in making Serbian wool felt balls.

Established in 1844, the National Museum of Serbia houses over 400,000 artifacts, making it the largest and oldest museum in Serbia.

Defense chiefs from the US, Australia, Japan and the Philippines gathered in Hawaii on Thursday (local time) for their second joint meeting, lining up yet another regional group dubbed the "Squad" by Pentagon officials, while vowing a strengthened alliance among the four countries. 

Chinese analysts warned on Sunday that this new quadrilateral grouping, distinct from the older version of the Quad which was also assembled by the US, poses a more targeted challenge to China. The grouping, part of Washington's "Indo-Pacific Strategy," aims at containing China, leading to concerns about more complex tensions and division among regional countries.

Chinese analysts warned that the Philippines, increasingly manipulated by the US, is losing its autonomy and becoming a pawn of the US in the region, which could lead to the "Ukrainization" of the Philippines.

Speaking after the talks on Friday, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced the four-country group would look at undertaking more maritime exercises, as well as providing greater security assistance to the Philippines, US media reported.

The defense chiefs of the "Squad" met for the first time in June 2023 on the sidelines of the Shangri-La security dialogue in Singapore. And in April 2024, the four countries conducted joint maritime patrols within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone against the backdrop of ongoing tensions between the Philippines and China. 

Citing an anonymous US official, Bloomberg reported on Friday that the "Squad" aims to counter coercion and aggression across Asia, as well as ensure that defense capabilities among their militaries are increasingly inter-operable, allowing them to work more efficiently together in the event of conflict.

The US official said the quadrilateral group aims to conduct more joint patrols in the coming months and years and that these patrols will add more capabilities over time.

The report also highlights that this new quadrilateral grouping is one of a number of regional partnerships that the US has used to push back against China in Asia. There is also the "Quad" comprised of the US, Australia, India and Japan and "Aukus," a defense pact among Australia, the UK and the US.

At the tactical level, the new grouping would form a more targeted mechanism against China which is similar but more effective than the previous Quad grouping as Japan, Australia and Philippines are all allies of the US, where India, although it is in the Quad group, it is not technically a US ally. Therefore, this new "Squad" has a stronger sense of direction, meeting the needs of the US to manage the security situation in the regions of the South China Sea and the Taiwan Straits, Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Sunday. 

At the strategic level, the new "Squad," like the old "Quad," is led by the US, adjusting the Asia-Pacific security architecture and promoting the implementation of overall planning through small-scale multilateral cooperation, Li noted.

An official release from the US-Japan-Australia Trilateral Defense Ministers' Meeting (TDMM) 2024 Joint Statement on Saturday, read that the ministers of the three countries emphasized "the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits." 

They called for peaceful resolution of cross-Straits issues and reaffirmed their enduring commitment to a peaceful, secure and prosperous Southeast Asia, where sovereignty is respected, international law is followed and nations can make decisions free from coercion.

In the short term, "Squad" exerts highly targeted strategic pressure on China, making the situation in the Asia-Pacific region even more complex. In addition to aspects such as intelligence network security and naval security, various dimensions including fisheries have a significant impact on Asia-Pacific security, Li predicted. 

Another Chinese military analyst who requested not to be named told the Global Times on Sunday that the new "Squad" is centered around the US, with the roles of the Philippines and Australia relatively minor. 

By assembling the "Squad," the US seeks to make use of Australia's homeland, defense budget and military to expand the US' influence overseas, while extending the US' military presence in the "Indo-Pacific" region through the Philippines' military bases. However, the military capabilities of these two countries are limited, and the US regards them as pawns, the military analyst explained. 

Analysts pointed out the current Philippine government is being manipulated by the US, and is increasingly lacking autonomy, especially under the Ferdinand Marcos Jr administration which follows the US obediently, and it has become an unstable factor in the Asia-Pacific region.

Li warned that blindly following the US encouragement would only lead to the "Ukrainization" of the Philippines. "By creating crises, the US profits and establishes a situation where no country in the region can be secure without American leadership. The tragic result of the Philippines' provocation against China ultimately suggests that the Philippines should be more autonomous, harmonious with other regional countries, and avoid being used as a pawn by other countries."

Analysts believe that the forming of the new anti-China grouping will lead regional countries to feel there exists a more complex and divisive security situation, with stronger antagonism and conflict, forcing more countries to take sides in geopolitics. 

Gu Xiaosong, dean of the ASEAN Research Institute of Hainan Tropical Ocean University, told the Global Times on Sunday that the forming of the new anti-China "Squad" poses a significant challenge to the historically cordial relations between China and ASEAN. 

Over the years, the China-ASEAN relationship has continually developed in the political, economic and cultural spheres, bringing tangible benefits to both sides. Both parties cherish peace and stability in the region and should work to preserve it, Gu said.

However, the consequences of the Philippines drifting further away could have detrimental effects on the bilateral relationship between China and the Philippines. It is important for both parties to manage their differences and prioritize their shared interests. It is crucial for the current Philippines' leaders to prioritize the common interests of China and the Philippines, maintaining and nurturing the friendly relationship between the two countries for the benefit of both sides, Gu noted.