Ukrainian media the New Voice of Ukraine, citing a report by French air defense industry site Avions Legendaires, stated on Sunday that Ukraine's Air Force is set to receive its first three Dassault Aviation Mirage 2000-5F fighter jets from France in January.

The first three jets could arrive by January 20, 2025, with some sources even speculating they are already in Ukraine and are being used for training flights. Around 10 aircraft of this type are expected to be delivered, according to the New Voice of Ukraine.

Dassault Aviation Mirage 2000-5F fighter jets could enhance Ukraine's ground attack capabilities but will have limited effectiveness in air combat, Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times. He said the aircraft is equipped with modern avionics and radar systems, and is capable of carrying SCALP-EG stealth cruise missiles and Hammer precision-guided bombs.

However, Western supplies of fighter jets and missiles are still falling short of Ukraine's needs, Zhang noted, adding that diverse weapon systems from multiple countries strain Ukraine's logistics, as different jets require specific parts and maintenance expertise.

Sun Xiuwen, an associate professor at the Institute for Central Asian Studies at Lanzhou University, shares the same view. Sun said that while Western aid has strengthened Ukraine's combat capabilities, issues with quantity, logistics and training limit its overall effectiveness, making it difficult to decisively change the course of the conflict.

Western states are tiring in their support for Ukraine and increasingly hoping for some form of conflict resolution, Finland's foreign minister warned previously, according to a Financial Times report in October 2024.

Sun noted that public support for long-term aid in Europe is waning, potentially weighing on future assistance, and a new US government would also bring significant uncertainty.

US President-elect Donald Trump previously said it was "stupid" for Biden to let Ukraine use American long-range weapons to strike deeper into Russian territory, according to AP news on December 16, 2024.

Trump also said that Ukraine should "probably" prepare to receive less aid from the US, according to an interview with NBC on December 8, 2024.

Ukraine has launched a fresh offensive in Russia's Kursk region, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. Officials in Ukraine have also suggested an operation is under way, BBC reported on Sunday.

Russian units have repelled two Ukrainian counterattacks over 24 hours in the borderline Kursk Region, the TASS reported, citing the Russian Defense Ministry.

A total of 95 people have been confirmed dead and 130 others injured as of 3 pm Tuesday, after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake jolted Dingri County in the city of Xigaze in Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region at 9:05 am Tuesday (Beijing Time), Xinhua reported.

The epicenter was monitored at 28.5 degrees north latitude and 87.45 degrees east longitude. The quake struck at a depth of 10 km, according to a report issued by the China Earthquake Networks Center.

The local government of Xigaze held a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, which began with a moment of silence for the victims. 

The Global Times learned from the Xizang Military Command's Xigaze Military Sub-command that rescue teams have been mobilized to head toward the epicenter. Videos from the scene show significant damage to the roads leading to the epicenter, and buildings along the route showing varying levels of damage. The sub-command is rapidly deploying personnel to the affected area to participate in rescue efforts.

As of 11:25 am Tuesday, a regiment of 160 personnel from the sub-command has reached Jijiao Bridge in Dinggye county, while a company of 40 personnel has been dispatched to areas near Dingri Airport.

The Global Times also learned from the Xizang Military Command that at 1:00 pm, the General Hospital affiliated to the Command dispatched 50 medical personnel to the earthquake-stricken area in Xigaze. 

By 1:15 pm, the second batch of rescue forces from the Xigaze Military Sub-command, totaling over 680 personnel, had been deployed to three directions — Dingri, Lazi, and Sa'gya—to assist in the rescue efforts in nearby towns and villages, working tirelessly to protect people's lives and property. 

Video footage from the scene showed a regiment from the Xigaze Military Sub-command rescuing a child from the rubble and providing emergency medical assistance.

The Global Times learned from the Chinese People's Armed Police (PAP) Force Xizang Contingent that following the earthquake, they responded swiftly and urgently. As of 12:30 pm on Tuesday, 389 officers and soldiers had been dispatched, carrying with them various rescue equipment. They rushed to the severely affected areas to participate in rescue operations. Videos from the scene show that they have successfully rescued multiple individuals from the collapsed buildings. Currently, the rescue efforts are still ongoing.

The air force of the PLA Western Theater Command quickly activated its emergency disaster relief plan and dispatched a drone to assess the situation at the epicenter. At the same time, multiple transport aircraft, medical planes, helicopters, and ground forces from the Western Theater Command Air Force have been assembled and are on standby, according to Xinhua.

At around 2 pm on Tuesday, the air force of the PLA Western Theater Command dispatched a Y-20 aircraft sending the forward command post of the Western Theater Command to the disaster-stricken area in Dingri. The aircraft has taken off from a military airfield in Chengdu, and will arrive at airport in Dingri this afternoon, according to the PLA media China Bugle. 

China's National Disaster Reduction Commission and the Ministry of Emergency Management have activated the national level-II emergency response for disaster relief. China's national commission for disaster prevention, reduction and relief, along with the Ministry of Emergency Management, provided over 130,000 relief supplies to the disaster-stricken area in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, including heaters, electric blankets, and emergency food, to ensure the basic living needs of the affected population are met. Earlier on Tuesday, the two departments had allocated 22,000 pieces of national disaster relief supplies to the area, according to CCTV News.

China and the Republic of the Congo have committed to establishing a model for an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in Brazzaville on Tuesday during a visit to Brazzaville, according to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks after meeting with the President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso.

Stressing that China and the Republic of the Congo have reached a broad consensus on strengthening their comprehensive strategic partnership and deepening China-Africa cooperation, Wang said that both sides agreed to continue solidifying their strong and unwavering friendship and to stand firmly together on issues concerning each other's core interests such as sovereignty, security and development.

Wang noted that both sides also agreed to lead the way in fostering China-Africa friendship. Following the important consensus reached by the state leaders, the two countries will expedite the development of a high-level China-Congo community with a shared future, setting an example for the all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era, according to Wang.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). Co-chairing the forum, both sides will prioritize the “10 partnership action plans” and collaborate to implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, as well as jointly plan the "timetable" and "roadmap" for the forum's development over the next three years, said Wang.

Both sides agree to continue upholding international fairness and justice. China appreciates the unique role played by the Republic of the Congo in international affairs. China is ready to closely cooperate with the Republic of the Congo to support Africa in achieving peace and stability. They support Africa in addressing "climate injustice," advocate for a balanced and equitable multipolar world, and promote inclusive economic globalization, working together to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

China's Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) said that the number of aged care meal assistance centers nationwide reached 75,000 in 2024. In 2025, the country intends to introduce a professional qualification framework for aged care workers to enhance the skills of those working in the sector.

At a national conference on civil affairs held in Beijing from Monday to Tuesday, Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan said that in 2024, notable advancements were achieved in aged care services and welfare. The central government allocated 300 million yuan ($41.1 million) in allocated funds to support the development of senior meal assistance programs in various regions.

Developing aged care meal assistance services is a key element of China's strategy to actively address population aging. It is also a major public welfare project aimed at supporting home- and community-based aged care and improving the wellbeing of elderly adults. 

In October 2023, the MCA and 11 other departments jointly issued an action plan to promote the development of meal services for seniors. Since the issuance of this action plan, the MCA has provided guidance to local civil affairs departments to refine policies based on local conditions, explore effective models for meal assistance, and consistently enhance service coverage and quality.

Lu said that as of the end of October 2024, there were 75,000 aged care meal assistance centers nationwide. Provinces such as Hebei, Zhejiang, and Shandong each had over 6,000 centers, greatly improving access to meal assistance services for seniors.

Lu also said that nationwide civil affairs departments had initiated measures to enhance fundamental home- and community-based aged care services. These efforts included the construction of 358,000 family aged care beds and the provision of 668,000 in-home care services.

By the end of October 2024, the number of aged care institutions and facilities had grown to 404,000, with nursing care beds accounting for 62.2 percent of the total, surpassing the targets outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). 

Looking ahead to 2025, Lu said that the MCA will promote legislative advancements in aged care services, refine the spatial distribution of aged care facilities, and strengthen the three-tier aged care service network at the county (district), township (subdistrict), and village (community) levels. 

Efforts will also prioritize the sustainable and robust growth of aged care meal assistance services by formulating supportive policies, fostering large-scale, chain-operated, and branded aged care service providers, and expanding the supply of affordable aged care services, said Lu.

Additionally, the MCA plans to bolster the professional workforce in aged care, implement the aged care professional qualification system, and reinforce discipline, behavior standards, and ethical practices among aged care workers.

Efforts will also expedite the creation of mechanisms to execute the national strategy for addressing population aging, and deepen the reform and development of aged care in the new era. These initiatives aim to ensure the well-being, societal contribution, and rights of senior citizens are fully safeguarded, Lu said.

China is stepping up aged care initiatives as the country addresses the complexities of an aging population. Official statistics show that 297 million Chinese people were aged 60 or above by the end of 2023, accounting for 21.1 percent of the total population, according to Xinhua News Agency. 

The conference also said that the MCA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, provided one-time living allowances to certain disadvantaged groups, according to CCTV News.

As of the end of October 2024, aid was delivered 709,000 times to homeless, vagrant, and other temporarily distressed individuals. A three-year initiative to improve the quality of care services for left-behind and disadvantaged children in rural areas, as well as a care and protection program for migrant children, has been launched. 

As of the end of November 2024, the two subsidy programs for persons with disabilities benefited 11.93 million disadvantaged individuals with disabilities and 16.19 million people with severe disabilities.

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) completed five engine tests on Thursday in Beijing and Laiyuan, North China's Hebei Province, providing a solid foundation for the smooth implementation of this year's major aerospace projects, Science and Technology Daily reported on Friday.

The test run is a vital step in the rocket engine development process, consisting of dozens of different types of missions, and will be carried out throughout various stages before and after the development of the engine, according to the report.

An upper-stage hydrogen-oxygen engine ignited at 11:21 am Thursday at the 101 Institute of the Sixth Academy of CASC, operating for about 100 seconds followed by a regular power-off. This signifies that this new type of engine smoothly completed the ground calibration test run before delivery, said the report.

Xia Wei, a professional from CASC, told CCTV News that the test assessed the overall coordination and obtained performance parameters of the engine, after analysis of the data, the test was deemed a great success.

Three other tests were also conducted, involving the rocket's main propulsion engine, upper-stage engine, and attitude-orbit control engine. In addition to the above-mentioned trial, a liquid-oxygen methane engine test run was also performed on a vertical dual-station test stand of the high-thrust hydrogen-oxygen rocket engine located in Laiyuan.

All of the above-mentioned tests met with remarkable success, making it possible to achieve five test runs in a single day, said the report.

Xia said in 2025, they will conduct research and testing of multiple engines for deep space exploration, heavy rockets, and other types of engines, contributing to the smooth implementation of China's major space projects, according to CCTV news.

Responding to US claims that Hong Kong's bounties on some activists overseas constitute "transnational repression," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated on Friday that the so-called "pro-democracy activists" fled overseas to engage in activities to undermine China and disrupt Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR). Their actions interfere with Hong Kong's development and stability, endanger national security, harm China's core interests, and challenge the foundation of "one country, two systems." 

Mao emphasized that the Hong Kong police's law enforcement under the National Security Law is a legitimate move to uphold the rule of law and address public concerns, a necessary measure to defend China's national sovereignty and security, as well as a legitimate action to ensure the long-term stability and prosperity of Hong Kong. The extraterritorial application of the Law on Safeguarding National Security is in strict compliance with international law and the common practices of countries and regions across the world.

Mao added that the US misuses the concept of "national security" to impose illegal extraterritorial jurisdiction, and baselessly criticizes Hong Kong police's law enforcement, undermining the rule of law and revealing its own hypocrisy and double standards. 

China expresses strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition, Mao said, reiterating that Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal matters. 

She urged the US to respect China's sovereignty and Hong Kong's rule of law and to cease supporting anti-China and anti-Hong Kong personnel.

In 2024, China's industrial landscape has witnessed a series of exciting "firsts" and groundbreaking achievements which reflect the robust momentum of China's manufacturing sector and underscore the country's commitment to high-end, intelligent, and sustainable manufacturing practices.

In a latest development, China debuted a prototype of the fastest high-speed train in the world, Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday.

A prototype of the CR450 bullet train that will run at 400 kilometers per hour debuted in Beijing on Sunday, said the country's railway operator. The CR450 is capable of running at 450 kilometers per hour in tests, highlighting China's cutting-edge advancements in rail technology.

In other sectors, China's homegrown wide-body C929 aircraft gets first intended user in November, marking a new breakthrough in the large aircraft industry. 

China's first domestically built large cruise ship has also started commercial operations in January, setting sail for a new era in cruise tourism. 

As of Sunday, it has completed 84 voyages, facilitating a total of 600,000 inbound and outbound passenger trips, according to Xinhua.

A series of data also show significant achievements in China's high-quality economic development.

In 2024 China has surpassed 4.14 million 5G base stations, averaging 29 stations per 10,000 people. The manufacturing sector has over 6.03 million registered enterprises, with 8.55 percent linked to strategic emerging industries, a 6.35 percent increase since the end of 2023. China's annual production of new-energy vehicles (NEVs) surpassed the 10 million milestone for the first time in 2024. Additionally, the humanoid robot market is projected to reach 3 billion yuan ($411 million), showcasing the potential of emerging sectors in China's economy, China Media Group (CMG) reported.

The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's manufacturing showed encouraging signs this year, climbing from 49.2 percent in January to 50.1 percent in October and further to 50.3 percent in November, suggesting a recovery in industrial activity.

Foster innovation

Throughout the year, the Chinese government implemented various initiatives to foster innovation and development in key industries. 

In January, China unveiled policies aimed at promoting future industries such as humanoid robots, brain-computer interfaces, and 6G technology to stimulate new economic growth. 

By February, the government had issued guidelines to accelerate the green transformation of the manufacturing sector. In March, China launched large-scale equipment upgrades and consumer goods trade-ins to lift the quality of traditional industries. In June, China rolled out a new set of support policies for 1,000 "little giant" firms, as part of efforts to improve the modern industrial system in the country. In September, the country introduced construction plans for pilot-scale testing platforms in manufacturing and new materials, accelerating the transition of new technologies from the laboratory to the factory, according to CMG.

These measures are facilitating high-quality development across various manufacturing sectors. 

In the domestic cruise manufacturing industry cruise-building industry China's first domestically built large cruise ship, the Adora Magic City, started its commercial maiden voyage in January. This marks a significant milestone for China's cruise manufacturing industry, as it now possesses true autonomous control capabilities and a complete industrial cycle system, signaling a new phase in the development of the cruise industry in China, said Yang Guobing, chairman of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Cruise Technology Development Co, Ltd, operator of the ship.

Yang believes that in 2024, China's cruise manufacturing industry entered a new phase of independent development. This phase aims to integrate the entire industrial chain, achieve independent design, construction, supporting facilities, and operations of cruise ships, and foster international cooperation while pursuing self-sufficiency. This approach is set to usher in a new era of high-quality development for China's cruise industry.

In the robotics sector, the National and Local Co-Build Humanoid Robotics Innovation Centre based in Shanghai is making strides as well. The center is currently constructing a training facility that can accommodate 100 humanoid robots for simultaneous intelligent training, to make them more capable of assisting humans in various scenarios, with plans to expand this capacity to 1,000 by 2027, the Global Times learned from the center. 

In the field of brain-computer interfaces (BCI), exciting advancements are being made that could greatly benefit patients with paralysis and neurological diseases. A notable milestone occurred in November when a domestic BCI product allowed a participant with a spinal cord injury to drink water using a specially designed pneumatic glove. 

The BCI product, called NEO, was developed through a collaboration between Neuracle Technology Co, Ltd and Dr Hong Bo's team from Tsinghua University. In August it became the first BCI product to enter the special review process for innovative medical devices in China. 

Currently, Neuracle is working on expanding its product offerings to encompass a broader range of brain functions. In the future, the company aims not only to assist patients with basic actions such as eating and drinking but also to enable them to perform more complex tasks, including writing and playing the piano, Neuracle told the Global Times.

Chen Jing, vice president of the Institute of Technology and Strategy, a tech research institute based in Beijing, told the Global Times that the achievements of 2024 reflect the outcomes of the development of new quality productive forces. These advancements not only drive China's economic development but also lay a solid foundation for sustainable growth in the future.

A look into 2025

China's value-added industrial output of enterprises above the designated size is forecast to grow by about 5.7 percent year-on-year in 2024, official data showed Friday.

In 2024, China's industrial economy has achieved steady improvement despite challenges, and the manufacturing value added's share of gross domestic product remained stable, according to a national work conference on industry and information technology.

According to the meeting, China will promote stable growth in the industrial economy, with moves including intensifying the implementation of policies supporting large-scale equipment upgrades and the consumer goods trade-ins in 2025.

Efforts will be made to foster and develop emerging industries in 2025, with a focus on promoting implementation scenarios of new technology and new products. Key areas of emphasis include the development of internet-connected vehicles, the expansion of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System's applications, low-altitude information infrastructure, biomanufacturing, the quantum industry, and embodied AI, among others, according to the meeting. 

By 2025, intelligent manufacturing in China is poised to deeply integrate with advanced technologies like the Internet of Things, big data, and AI, propel traditional industries toward higher levels of sophistication and intelligence, Chen said.

These innovations will not only enhance production efficiency but also foster new business models and growth opportunities for enterprises, Chen said, adding that this will support China's goal to achieving high-quality economic development and help elevate its position in the global value chain.

Geng Bo, a senior technology industry insider, told the Global Times that China, which ranks first globally in the production and sales of consumer electronics, offers an abundance of application scenarios and a growing demand that drives continuous sci-tech innovation and product improvements. 

Whether in smartphones, home appliances, automotive electronics, industrial control, or the new-energy sector, market demand is driving domestic companies to innovate and develop products tailored to various needs, thereby driving the rapid growth of the country's sci-tech advancements and innovative applications, Geng said.

In response to a question about Australia's announcement it will provide substantial funding to support the police in the Solomon Islands, and that Australia has expressed concerns about China's police cooperation with the Solomon Islands, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday that China has consistently advocated that countries should adhere to the "three upholds" when developing relations with Pacific island nations, which is respecting the autonomy of island nations, prioritizing development, and promoting openness and inclusiveness.

No country should treat island nations as its backyard; instead, countries should complement each other's strengths, coordinate efforts, and engage in trilateral or multilateral cooperation. It is hoped that relevant parties will genuinely respect the independence and territorial integrity of island nations and refrain from interfering in their internal affairs, Lin told a routine press conference.

According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia announced on Friday that it will plough 190 million Australian dollars ($118 million) into the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force and set up a new police training center in the capital Honiara.

Rock samples collected from the moon's far side by China's Chang'e-6 lunar probe indicate an unexpected resurgence in the moon's magnetic field strength 2.8 billion years ago, which challenges the previous findings from the US Apollo mission, which suggested that the moon's magnetic field declined about 3.1 billion years ago and has remained in a low-energy state since then.

The analysis of these samples, published on Thursday in the journal Nature, marks the first-ever paleomagnetic data obtained from the moon's far side, and offers critical insights into the intermediate evolutionary stages of the lunar dynamo, the geophysical mechanism that generated the moon's magnetic field in the past, according to Guangming Daily. 

On June 25, 2024, the Chang'e-6 lunar probe returned to Earth with 1,935.3 grams of lunar samples collected from the previously unexplored far side of the moon.

Cai Shuhui from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics (IGG) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, also first author of the paper, said that the Earth has a "magnetic field generator"—the movement of the conductive fluid in the Earth's liquid outer core acts like a "generator," which generates a magnetic field enveloping the Earth like a protective shield. 

This magnetic field shields the planet from cosmic rays and protects essential elements for habitability, such as the atmosphere and water, creating an environment suitable for the proliferation of life.

The Moon once had a similar "magnetic field generator," which ceased functioning long ago. Studies of the ancient magnetic field strength based on samples returned by the US Apollo mission indicate that the Moon had a relatively active "generator" producing a magnetic field between 4.2 billion and 3.5 billion years ago. This magnetic field decreased by an order of magnitude around 3.1 billion years ago, and again declined between 1.5 billion and 1 billion years ago, ultimately ceasing to function completely at some point after 1 billion years ago.

The Chang'e 6 mission has achieved the first-ever sample collection from the far side of the Moon, with the primary eruption age of the basalt being 2.8 billion years. This provides an unprecedented opportunity to understand the temporal and spatial evolution of the Moon's "magnetic field generator."

Researchers from the IGG studied the sample and discovered the ancient magnetic field strength of the sample found to be higher than previously thought. Cai said this suggests that after a sharp decline in the lunar magnetic field 3.1 billion years ago, there may have been a rebound or reactivation around 2.8 billion years ago. 

IGG's analysis indicates that this could be due to a change in the main energy source of the "generator" or a reinforcement of the initial driving mechanism.

IGG's study is not only the first information about the ancient magnetic field on the Moon obtained by humans, but also provides key information to understanding the evolution of the Moon's magnetic field, according to Guangming Daily.

In response to the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs' comments stating that South Korea will continue to develop bilateral relations with China and maintain necessary communication despite recent domestic developments following President Yoon Suk-yeol's comments on cases involving Chinese nationals, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China has noted the remarks and had expressed its position on South Korea's comments made yesterday regarding China-related matters.

Mao said that fostering healthy and stable China-South Korea relations aligns with the common interests of both nations, expressing hope that South Korea will actively contribute to this goal.