As China's top leader is visiting France, Serbia and Hungary this week, the China-Europe freight train services, a direct reflection of economic and trade ties, have reported significant business growth. Industry insiders said on Tuesday that the train services mirror the need to strengthen and deepen bilateral cooperation, not competition, between China and Europe.

Since the beginning of this year, the intercontinental freight train services have seen robust development, driven by demand. Major transportation hubs from Manzhouli in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province, all reported positive growth so far this year.

Meanwhile, high value-added goods such as the "new three" products - new-energy vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and photovoltaic products - have been an important part of the trade.

Compared with the same period last year, cargo volume has increased by about 10 percent this year, primarily driven by new and value-added products, Tommy Tan, president of Shanghai EPU Supply Chain Management Co, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Efforts are focused on increasing the transportation capacity and improving service offerings, with the hope of providing more stable options for customers, Tan said.

Tan's company has been operating China-Europe freight trains to multiple European cities, including Lyon in France and Budapest in Hungary. There has also been discussion about establishing services to Serbia, he said, expressing his optimism about the future demand for China-Europe freight trains in these regional countries.

From January 1 to May 5, the port of Manzhouli in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, along with Suifenhe and Tongjiang in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province - the three major transportation hubs for China-Europe freight train services - have reported the delivery of 210,000 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and the dispatch of 2,000 trains, according to China Railway Harbin Bureau Group Co. This achievement occurred nine days earlier than last year, marking a historic record.

The train traffic at these three ports accounted for about one-third of the nation's total.

There have been more trains dispatched between cities in China and Europe since the launch of the freight train services. For example, when Wuhan launched its first China-Europe freight train service to Lyon in April 2016, which marked the nation's first international freight train service directly to France, there was only one train per week. Now there are one or two per day.

The rapid development of China-Europe freight trains reflects the increasing complementarity and expansion of trade, and economic cooperation between China and Europe, which is truly a demonstration of win-win results that serve the interests of all countries involved, Kang Shuchun, director of the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

The positive figures also show that China's "new three" products have strong demand in Europe and are expected to become the main exports from China in the foreseeable future, Kang said.

Meanwhile, European agricultural and sideline products, high-tech products and artificial intelligence products are continuously entering the Chinese market, meeting the growing demand of the Chinese people for high-quality goods. The China-Europe freight trains play a "guarantee" role in facilitating these exchanges, said Kang.

In the middle of ongoing global challenges like the Red Sea crisis, cross-border freight train services are receiving widespread praise for their dependability, effectiveness and affordability.

Industry insiders said that since the Red Sea crisis began, there has been a noticeable uptick in the volume of imports and exports facilitated by the China-Europe freight trains. This surge is attributed to a growing number of international traders opting for rail transport due to disruptions in sea shipping.

In terms of efficiency, railways offer a clear advantage over maritime transport. Following a decade of substantial development, China-Europe freight trains now complete their journeys in approximately 12 days, a significant contrast to the typical sea transit time of 35 to 45 days.

As for cost, rail freight is comparable to sea transport, especially considering the diminishing price gap when rerouting via the longer Cape of Good Hope route.

The cross-border cargo train services have become an increasingly important stabilizer and catalyst of the global supply chain. What is behind the positive growth of the train services is the growing need for cooperation, not competition, between the East and the West, Wang Yiwei, a professor at the School of International Relations at Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Tuesday, extending his expectations for stronger trade as both sides uphold mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

President Xi Jinping left Budapest on Friday, wrapping up his fruitful three-nation Europe visit, which both Chinese and European analysts believe injects momentum into China-Europe relations as well as future multipolarity and global stability.

At a farewell event held by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his wife on Friday, Xi said China is now advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through Chinese modernization, and China's high-quality development and opening-up will provide more opportunities for Hungary.

On Thursday, China and Hungary decided to elevate bilateral relations to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for the new era. To enrich the new relationship, the two sides are committed to enhancing synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Hungary's "Eastern Opening" policy, said a joint statement released after Xi's meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

According to the statement, the two sides will further deepen cooperation on finance, encourage financial institutions of both sides to provide financing support and financial services for trade and investment cooperation, further tap the cooperation potential in green finance and other fields, and continue to jointly issue green Panda bonds. They will also strengthen exchanges and cooperation on land and spatial planning, expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation, and strengthen coordination and communication on tourism policies.

"In a world clouded by the threat of protectionism and economic decoupling disguised as de-risking, economic and trade cooperation needs a surrounding atmosphere of trust and mutual respect. The now elevated strategic partnership between China and Hungary can generate not only such a solid atmosphere, but also the solid ground for long-term secure investment environment," Zoltan Kiszelly, director for political analysis of the Budapest-based political think tank Szazadveg Foundation, told the Global Times. 

Hungary was the last leg of Xi's Europe visit, which also included France and Serbia. This is the first time in five years that Xi has visited Europe, and each stop during the trip had its own highlights and memorable moments. 

In Serbia, Xi was greeted by thousands of Serbians in Belgrade. President Xi and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic signed a joint statement on the building of a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era, making Serbia the first European country to build such a community with China. In the joint statement, the two countries decided to deepen and elevate the China-Serbia comprehensive strategic partnership. 

On his first day in France, President Xi said during a trilateral meeting in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that China-EU cooperation is "complementary and mutually beneficial" in essence. China-EU relations enjoy a strong endogenous driving force and bright prospects for development, and this relationship does not target any third party, nor should it be dependent on or dictated by any third party, Xi added.

Xi and Macron also held talks at the Elysee Palace. President Xi said that the two sides should stay committed to the spirit that guided the establishment of their diplomatic ties, namely, independence, mutual understanding, long-term vision and mutual benefit, and enrich it with new features of the new era. Xi and Macron also reached agreements to strengthen cooperation among small and medium-sized enterprises.

The next day, amid falling snow in the picturesque mountains in the Hautes-Pyrenees Department in southwestern France, Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan were warmly received by Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron at a mountain restaurant for a closed meeting. Experts believe that this personal touch marks a new climax in high-level exchanges that can boost mutual trust and understanding.

Building trust

Despite the EU's definition of China as "a partner for cooperation, an economic competitor and a systemic rival" and voices calling for de-risking, a milder version of the US' "decoupling" rhetoric, President Xi's Europe trip was preceded by a series of visits from European leaders to China this year - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the prime ministers of Belgium and the Netherlands. Serbian President Vucic and Hungarian Prime Minister Orban both participated in the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation when they held bilateral talks with President Xi.

Zivadin Jovanovic, president of the Belgrade Forum for a World of Equals, who served as the minister of foreign affairs of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia between 1998 and 2000, told the Global Times that President Xi's Europe visit represents continuity of the highest-level dialogue and expression of a mutual interest to reinforce the strategic Europe-China partnership and cooperation.

"The visits to France, Serbia and Hungary, as well as the tripartite meeting between Xi, Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have led to the conclusion of many new agreements for future cooperation and to the removing of unnecessary barriers," Jovanovic said.

Some Chinese experts noted that as intensifying major-power competition and geopolitical rivalry deal a heavy blow to the existing global order, the importance of China-Europe relations is rising, as is the complexity of this relationship. There have been voices from Western media saying that China's boosting of its relations with Europe aims to undermine the transatlantic relationship between Europe and the US and even to undermine the European Union. 

Xin Hua, director and chair professor of the Center for European Union Studies, Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times that this mind-set underestimates Europe's interests.

"China and Europe need each other. In a certain sense, Europe needs China to counterbalance the US, given the contradictions and divergences between Europe and the US. Europe will not shut its door to developing relations with China," said Xin.

"There is no fundamental conflict of interests between China and Europe. For Europe, the real risk would be to do without China," Sébastien Périmony, an expert from the Schiller Institute in France, told the Global Times.

He Zhigao, a research fellow with the Institute of European Studies from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, believes that if China and Europe work together, camp confrontation, bloc politics and a new Cold War will not emerge, and this is related to the future of an equal and orderly multipolarity.

"From the perspective of global economic development, if China and Europe work together to develop, protectionism, decoupling and de-risking will not happen. This is related to the future of inclusive globalization," said He.

Périmony added that it is obvious to any rational person that the only solution to today's problems lies in a multipolar world based on the concept of mutual development, with new agreements in place for a security architecture and win-win growth strategies for all of the world's nations.

When asked about the local court’s latest ruling on banning controversial song “Glory to Hong Kong,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday that taking necessary measures to prevent anyone from using and disseminating songs with the intention of inciting separatism and insulting the national anthem is a legitimate and necessary action.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government previously requested the court to issue an injunction prohibiting the dissemination of the song "Glory to Hong Kong" for illegal purposes, but this was rejected by the original court. 

The government filed an appeal earlier, arguing that the injunction aimed to prevent others from using the song to incite separatism. It emphasized that legal activities such as "news reporting" and "academic research" won’t be affected. 

The Court of Appeal handed down its judgment, stating that, according to evidence from the Chief Executive, the criminal activities involved in the injunction posed a national security risk. 

The Court of Appeal believed that these criminal activities needed to be immediately stopped and accepted the administrative authority's assessment. Prosecutions alone were insufficient to address serious criminal issues, and there was an urgent need for an injunction to assist in maintaining national security. 

Therefore, the Department of Justice's appeal was upheld, and the injunction was issued, according to local media reports. 

The Department of Justice said the song could be confused with the national anthem of the HKSAR.

The Department of Justice previously requested the court to issue an injunction prohibiting the dissemination of "Glory to Hong Kong" in any form, with the intention of inciting separatism or the intention of advocating for the separation of Hong Kong from China

It argued that this could be confused with the national anthem of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, or could imply that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is an independent country with its own national anthem, intending to insult the national anthem. 

The Court of Appeal pointed out that the criminal issues involved in the injunction were serious, and the court needed to intervene immediately. 

Furthermore, individuals engaging in these criminal activities online are difficult to identify. The court believes that taking legal action against them individually might not be feasible, and a more effective approach would be for the operators of online platforms to cease these activities.

The court emphasized that the injunction has taken into account the freedom of speech and rights involved, and allows certain legitimate activities related to the song to remain unrestricted, such as academic or journalistic activities. 

According to the lawyer representing the Department of Justice, “Glory to Hong Kong” has been mistakenly treated as the national anthem 887 times, saying that violence is not the only means to overthrow a government in today's society; spreading rumors and false information can be a more effective weapon. 

The controversial song has the potential to rally people to overthrow the government and has even been misused multiple times at sporting events.  

The HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee welcomed the court ruling on Wednesday, saying that since the occurrence of the 2019 black violence and Hong Kong version of the color revolution, the song has frequently been used to incite activities harmful to national security and to promote “Hong Kong independence.” It was also falsely presented as HKSAR's national anthem, thereby insulting the national anthem and seriously damaging the nation and the HKSAR.

The injunction effectively protects national security and the dignity of the national anthem. It targets illegal acts with criminal intent and makes it clear that these behaviors are unlawful. It also safeguards the freedoms and rights that law-abiding Hong Kong residents enjoy under various laws, including the Basic Law, Hong Kong National Security Law, and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance. These include freedoms of speech, academic research, and the press.

The judgment is described by Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok as targeted and emblematic, emphasizing that it specifically addresses four types of behavior that already constitute criminal offenses. 

The injunction doesn't impose additional restrictions. It targets those who possess particular intentions when engaging in activities like playing the song, Lam said. He explained that the banned behavior includes disseminating the song with the intent to incite others to separate the nation, or to mislead people into thinking that Hong Kong is a sovereign state with its own national anthem.

Lam noted that the court agreed on the necessity of issuing the injunction and acknowledged the importance of free speech. The injunction does not impose unreasonable restrictions and will not affect legitimate news or academic activities, the official said. 

Lam also said the injunction is not aimed at any internet service provider or social media, hoping that the injunction will persuade network providers not to facilitate illegal activities. He said the court referenced evidence that network providers, especially Google, clearly indicated they would respect the court's decision. According to Google's policies, the company will also comply with the law, remove content that violates legal requirements, and not permit misleading, deceptive, or hate-inducing speech to spread on their platform.

Lam said the court stated there was no evidence that any network provider mentioned any difficulty in removing the related content.

Some local legal experts welcomed the court’s decision. Louis Chen, a member of the Election Committee and general secretary of the Hong Kong Legal Exchange Foundation, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the ban reflects the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law in Hong Kong. 

“The spirit of the rule of law lies in upholding fairness, justice and social order. The nature and harmfulness of ‘Glory to Hong Kong’ are well known, and the Department of Justice's timely appeal and the ruling of the Court of Appeal are in line with the spirit of the rule of law in Hong Kong and the spirit of national security law,” Chen said. 

Willy Fu, a law professor who is also the director of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong & Macao Studies, also welcomed and supported the Court of Appeal's decision, which he said clarified the scope and effectiveness of the injunction. 

It provides a solid legal basis for preventing and stopping behaviors and activities harmful to the country, not only preventing malicious individuals from using the internet to spread seditious, separatist, and harmful remarks that undermine national security but also setting things right and maintaining order, Fu noted. 

Internet administrators must remove such illegal remarks in accordance with the requirements of the injunction, and local residents will not mistakenly cross the "red line" of the law, the expert said. 

They can continue to enjoy the human rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Basic Law and the Hong Kong national security law. This reflects that law enforcement agencies are acting in accordance with the law, subject to judicial oversight, and in line with international standards, demonstrating the justice of the rule of law, Fu added. 

When asked about the local court’s latest ruling, Lin, the spokesperson of the Chinese FM, said, “it is not a diplomatic issue.”

Taking necessary measures to prevent anyone from using and disseminating songs with the intention of inciting separatism and insulting the national anthem is a legitimate and necessary action for the Special Administrative Region to fulfill its constitutional responsibility of safeguarding national security and the dignity of the national anthem, Lin emphasized. 

China launches Chang'e-6 to retrieve samples from moon's far side

Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay state visits to France, Serbia and Hungary from May 5 to 10, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Monday.

China's Ministry of State Security has released two departmental regulations, namely the "Administrative Law Enforcement Procedures of the National Security Agencies" and the "Criminal Case Handling Procedures of the National Security Agencies."

The ministry said in Friday's announcement that the promulgation of the two departmental regulations is a strong measure taken by the national securities authorities to implement the CPC Central Committee's overall strategy of governing the country according to law. It is an important basis for regulating the law enforcement and judicial activities of the national security agencies, and is of great significance for lawfully combating illegal activities that risk national security, safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of individuals and organizations, and enhancing the level of legal governance in national security work. 

The two regulations were promulgated in the departmental orders signed by the Minister of State Security Chen Yixin on Friday, and will be implemented from July 1, 2024. 

According to the ministry, the "Administrative Law Enforcement Procedures of the National Security Agencies" consists of seven chapters and 140 articles, including general principles, prevention guidance, investigation and evidence collection, expropriation and compensation, administrative penalties, periods and service, and supplementary provisions. 

The "Criminal Case Handling Procedures of the National Security Agencies" consists of 11 chapters and 360 articles, including general principles, jurisdiction, avoidance, participation of lawyers in criminal proceedings, evidence, coercive measures, filing and withdrawal of cases, investigation, execution of penalties, special procedures, and supplementary provisions. 

The ministry stated that moving forward, national security agencies at all levels will conscientiously implement the two departmental regulations, always adhere to strict, standardized, fair, and civilized law enforcement, voluntarily accept social supervision, and ensure that every case can withstand scrutiny from the law, the Chinese people and history.

China's Ministry of State Security earlier released 10 typical espionage cases in a special documentary film aired ahead of the ninth National Security Education Day that falls on April 15, including the cases of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig. In the documentary, various methods of infiltration, theft and incitement by foreign spy and intelligence agencies are exposed, and awareness of anti-espionage is expected to be established among the people.

The European Parliament on Tuesday approved rules to ban goods produced by the so-called forced labor, which does not refer to but is believed to target China, thus casting a shadow on China-EU trade.

Chinese analysts said on Wednesday that such a move, despite representing some China hawks within the bloc, cannot dominate the major trend of "stabilizing China-EU relations" and will face strong opposition in member states which maintain a pragmatic China policy. 

The US enacted a similar law in 2021 to ban products from Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region unless the a US company doing business with China can prove no forced labor is involved. The EU first mulled the ban in 2022. 

Authorities of EU member states or the European Commission will be able to investigate suspicious goods, supply chains, and manufacturers. Preliminary investigations should be wrapped up within 30 working days, Reuters reported Tuesday. 

Products "deemed to have been made using forced labor" will be banned in the EU market and shipments will be intercepted at EU borders.

The law still needs approval from EU countries to enter into force - a final step that is usually a formality which approves laws with no changes, according to Reuters. EU countries need to apply it within three years. 

Zhao Junjie, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of European Studies, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the European Parliament has been playing a disruptive "clown" role in China-EU relations in recent years, but its acts cannot represent the real major trend of the bilateral ties. 

As the 27-member bloc is not a monolithic whole, such rules will face great opposition in countries having close cooperation with China, Zhao said.

Citing European leaders, including Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who paid visits to China one after another since the start of 2024, Zhao said that countries will act in line with their own interests rather than listen solely to the European Parliament's anti-China bugles.  

Such a ban may greatly increase the production costs of European companies and ultimately, it will be enterprises and consumers in the EU who will have to foot the bill, analysts said.

The upcoming European Parliament elections are also fueling anti-China moves and rhetoric as politicians seek to expand their influence, Zhao said, predicting that more hawkish signs could emerge before the elections in June.

Zhao said that China stands ready to listen to EU countries' concerns in regard to bilateral trade and other matters, and to negotiate to push forward cooperation, but will not allow biased political slogans and groundless slander. 

The EU have imposed, or are mulling to impose restrictive policies on Chinese products ranging from electric vehicles (EVs) to wind turbines to medical devices. The US-fabricated "overcapacity" fallacy has been a focal point in recent weeks. 

The EU has frequently resorted to economic toolboxes and trade remedy measures, sending protectionist signals, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at Wednesday's routine press briefing.

Wang urged the EU to fulfill its commitment to open markets and fair competition, abide by the WTO rules and stop using various excuses to unreasonably suppress Chinese companies. 

Though China and Europe have competition and frictions, they can and should be managed properly so that cooperation can carry on and develop further, Zhao said.

Both sides should have the strategic wisdom not to mix political and economic issues, and allow the resilience of the bilateral relationship to overcome areas of conflict, Zhao said.

With sounds of explosions reverberating around central Iran on Friday morning, concerns of an all-out war in the Middle East are growing all over the world, as media reported that it was Israel that launched the strike, just a few days after Iran's first direct attack in retaliation to Israel's bombing of its diplomatic mission in Syria on April 1. 

Israel was still silent on the incident as of press time, while Tehran seemingly downplayed it. Despite announcing sanctions on Iran, the Biden administration has distanced itself from the attack.

Analysts said although all parties seem to be avoiding escalation tacitly while maintaining their seeming toughness, the spillover effect of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to ferment. Furthermore, US favoritism toward Israel makes it increasingly difficult for Washington to achieve its goal of controlling the Middle East through pursuing a strategic balance in the region.

ABC News earlier quoted an anonymous senior US official as saying that Israel had launched a missile attack against Iran. Quoting an Israeli official, the Washington Post said that it was Israel's military that carried out strikes inside Iran "in response to the Iranian retaliatory assault on April 13."

After the incident, Iran suspended flights in several areas including at Tehran and Isfahan airports, and activated its air defense, according to Iranian media. However, flight restrictions were lifted hours later, according to media reports. 

Explosions were also found in a radar battalion in southern Syria and in the Al-Imam area of Babel, Iraq. 

Lin Jian, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said at Friday's press briefing that China has noted the relevant reports and stressed that it opposes any action that further escalates tensions.

More and more countries called for restraint and de-escalation on Friday. G7 foreign ministers urged "all parties" to "work to prevent further escalation" in the region during a meeting in Italy, according to Al Jazeera. 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called on Iran, Israel and their allies to refrain from escalation in the Middle East.

Countries including France, Germany, UK, Russia, Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Turkey, Jordan and Sweden have also expressed their concerns and called for de-escalation.  

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday that "it is high time to stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation" in the Middle East.

Tacit agreement

In contrast to what US and Israeli officials claimed was a "drone and missile attack," the Iranian side is seemingly downplaying the incident. 

Iran's Fars news agency said on Friday that "three explosions" were heard near the Shekari army airbase near Isfahan. The Iranian state-owned news network Press TV reported that there was "no sign of explosion or damage" at a nuclear site near the city of Isfahan.

Iran's space agency spokesperson Hossein Dalirian said on X that several drones "have been successfully shot down by the country's air defense, there are no reports of a missile attack for now."

Iranian state-run media IRNA news agency said on Friday that "reports indicate there was no major damage or large explosions caused by the impact of any air threat," which was also confirmed to state media by senior commander of Iran's Army Siavosh Mihandoust.

Moreover, a senior Iranian official, told Reuters on condition of anonymity, "We have not received any external attack, and the discussion leans more toward infiltration than attack." According to the official, the Iran side has "no plan" for immediate retaliation, and the external source of the incident has to be confirmed. 

In a one-word post, Israeli security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who is regarded as far-right, wrote "Feeble!" on X, after Iranian military expert Ali Ahmadi described the attack as "far more limited than many expected" during a Friday interview with Al Jazeera. 

According to Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, the latest attack reportedly launched by Israel was more symbolic than substantive.

Compared to Iran's retaliation against Israel's deadly bombing of the Iranian consulate in Damascus earlier this month, the latest strike has less intensity and scale, Liu said. 

Wang Jin, an associate professor at the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies at Northwest University in Xi'an, said that Israel's target was not a nuclear site, but the airbase related to Iran's previous missile and drone attack, which makes it more likely that Israel's intention was to warn Iran by flexing its muscles over its military strike capability. 

"Israel wants to show toughness without raising the stakes too high. There was no immediate offensive response from Iran either, and it even downplayed the incident," said Liu, "It's clear that both sides are curbing the conflict from escalating into all-out war through some tacit agreement."

While the situation is not yet out of control, experts also warned of the risks under the new pattern. 

There are no direct channels of communication between Iran and Israel, said Wang, noting that the way the two countries understand each other's strategic intentions comes more from the practice of "you punch me, I kick you."

In a highly hostile situation, such a pattern could easily lead to the conflict spiraling out control when there's no international push for de-escalation, Wang said. 

According to Liu, it was more of a covert war between Israel and Iran in the past that was not always seen in public. However, the latest round of clashes has become a direct military conflict between the two countries, highlighting a trend of escalation. 

In addition, this round of conflict between Israel and Iran has extended the scope of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict from the eastern Mediterranean region to the eastern Persian Gulf region, which will affect the geopolitical stability there, Liu added.  

If Iran decides to launch a counterattack later, there are basically two possibilities, according to Wang. One would be a direct long-range strike on Israeli soil, and the other would be what was most commonly used in the past, harassing Israel in border areas through Hezbollah, Houthis and Shia forces in Iraq and Syria. 

A long-range strike on the Israeli mainland is unlikely to be adopted by Tehran as a countermeasure, as neither side wants the situation to spiral out of control and head toward a larger war, Liu said. 

US' Mideast dilemma

Before the reported Israeli attack against Iran, the US and UK announced sanctions on Tehran in response to its missile and drone attack on Israel. According to Al Jazeera, the sanctions targeted 16 people and two entities related to drone productions and five companies that provide materials for steel production in Iran.

It also imposed travel restrictions on Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. 

However, analysts believed the sanctions are more of a symbolic gesture that will have very little substantial effect, and are only meaningful in pacifying Israel. 

According to CNN and NBC, citing sources familiar with the matter, the US received advance notification on Thursday of an intended Israeli strike, but Washington did not endorse or play any part in the operation. 

The Biden administration is facing mounting pressure from the international community to curb its support for Israel in the Gaza war, especially after Washington's representative once again and unsurprisingly vetoed the Palestinian request for full UN membership at Thursday's UN Security Council meeting. 

The US wants to demonstrate its support for Israel by sanctioning Iran, while at the same time distancing itself from Israel and not wanting to get involved in a potential regional war triggered by the Israeli-Iranian conflict, Liu said, "It is a sign of deepening rifts between the US and Israel on specific issues."

According to Liu, Washington had been contemplating a strategic retrenchment in the Middle East, and did not even exclude the possibility of resuming nuclear negotiations with Iran. But with the latest escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its spillover, none of this is possible anymore.

US favoritism toward Israel makes it increasingly difficult for Washington to achieve its goal of controlling the Middle East through pursuing a strategic balance in the region, Liu said.

The Biden administration is attempting to draw a red line for Israel to avoid bringing the whole region into war, but at this point, the US has virtually no way of effectively dictating the actions of all parties, Wang said. 

"Don't ever contact me on weekends, I'm off from office work." The comment Liu left on the moments of the Chinese social media platform WeChat, wrote what many employees think but seldom dare write - she was laid off because of the public comment as she was said to have brought "serious negative impact on the company." 

Subsequently a court ruled on Tuesday that the defendant company is required to pay Liu more than 49000 ($6,770) in compensation.

According to China's state broadcaster CCTV, Liu worked at an education training company in Southwest China's Chongqing, received a phone call from her boss on Friday, asking her to contact a business client immediately. Liu thought she had made the deal with the client, so it's unnecessary to take up the rest of the weekend to work on it, sharing the comment above on her WeChat moments. Liu received a phone call from company's management soon after, informing that she was fired.

Two days later, Liu's contract was terminated.

After a meeting with the company's management, Liu asked for compensation in accordance with her labor contract, but the company rejected the request, assuming that Liu was the at-fault party. After the local labor arbitration intervened to no avail, Liu sued the company to demand due compensation.

The employer exercising the right to terminate the employment is a very severe punishment, said Lin Baozhen, vice president of the Civil Third Division, Jiulongpo District People's Court.

The country's Labor Contract Law imposes strict restrictions on the employer exercising the right to terminate unilaterally, as regulations must be legally formulated, and the democratic process of informing or publicity must be done properly. Workers' behavior must reach the standard of a serious law violation before they can be dismissed. 

The court held that although Liu's behavior was inappropriate, it could not be seen as having a serious impact on the company, and did not reach the level of passive idleness, negligence, disobedience to the management. The court held that the company's termination of the labor contract lacked factual and legal basis and constituted illegal termination. 

According to the relevant provisions of the Labor Contract Law, the court ruled that the defendant company to compensate Liu for more than 49,000 yuan. Because the company did not fulfill the obligation, Liu has since applied to the court for compulsory execution.

The judge claimed that a rapid developed economy raises a higher standard for companies to balance the right of employee management and the protection of employee's legal rights.

Editor's Note:

After seven months of conflict in Gaza, a cease-fire still seems distant. Meanwhile, the Palestine-Israel conflict is causing ripple effects across the region, and has led to major humanitarian crises. The international community, including China, is making efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crises.

What's the situation on the ground in Gaza? How does the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) view the humanitarian efforts that China has made on the global stage? Global Times reporters Xie Wenting, Zhao Juecheng, and Liu Caiyu (GT) spoke with ICRC's vice-president Gilles Carbonnier (Carbonnier) about these issues and more.
GT: What's the work the ICRC has conducted in the Gaza Strip? What are the major challenges facing the ICRC?

Carbonnier: We reminded the parties to the conflict of their obligations under the Geneva Conventions and stressed the importance of adhering to international humanitarian laws. Next to that, we provide assistance in Gaza and we do our utmost to provide food assistance, especially at present. We have set up kitchens in the refugee camps in Gaza to provide food to the most vulnerable people. We also provide water through water tracking and support the water board and water utility in repairing wells, water pumping stations, and restoring water and wastewater treatment to prevent epidemics. Finally, we support hospitals and medical centers with drugs and medicines among others in Gaza.

The first issue, which we have mentioned again and again, is that it is key to reduce civilian losses and civilian suffering by abiding by and respecting international humanitarian law. Under international humanitarian law, civilians and essential goods and services must be protected. Another priority for us is to bring enough support to help avert major health issues, so that people can access healthcare, injured individuals can be treated, and epidemics can be averted, ensuring sick people have access to medical assistance.

However, there is a challenge as most of the health system in Gaza is not functioning or has been impaired, making it difficult to bring drugs into Gaza and distribute them to the different health centers that are still operational due to security concerns and logistical hurdles.

Food security is also a major concern. Currently, it is a struggle to bring enough food into Gaza, and the production of vegetables, poultry, and other food items has been partially destroyed.

We welcome the repeated support of China for the respect of the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law. We also welcome China's support to help provide life-saving assistance, including medicines and other life-saving assistance in Gaza for those most in need. China has a very important role to play, all the way from being a member of the UN Security Council down to the provision of and support for medical assistance.

GT: How do you see the ongoing conflicts affecting the world? And personally do you think there is any solution to these conflicts?

Carbonnier: First, conflicts are becoming increasingly protracted, spanning generations. It is clear that there are no humanitarian solutions to these crises, only political ones. Therefore, we must identify the necessary political steps toward conflict resolution. However, peace and security are becoming more elusive as finding a solution becomes increasingly difficult.

Interestingly, the initial steps often involve humanitarian efforts, such as attempting to establish a humanitarian cease-fire. The ICRC serves as a neutral intermediary, able to communicate with all parties involved. It is crucial to maintain this space for neutral and impartial humanitarian actors like the ICRC, as they can facilitate dialogue with various parties in conflicts.

Sometimes the parties agree that they want to start a discussion between themselves and they ask us as a neutral intermediary to ensure the safe passage of, for instance, one party to the conflict, to be able to go to a place where they can meet and discuss. We provide this neutral intermediation. Sometimes this neutral intermediation that we do is the first step that provides an enabling environment for peace conversations.

The problem nowadays is that we see a lot of attacks against neutral humanitarian actors. Some people say, if you are not with us, you are against us. We say we are not against anyone, but we have to maintain a neutral role. And we will not publicly denounce this party to the conflict or that party to the conflict because if we publicly denounce different parties to the conflict every day, then we would be kicked out. And the international community would be left without a neutral intermediary on the ground. It is in the interest of major powers and the international community to preserve that space.

GT: Could you introduce some of the major cooperation between China and the ICRC?

Carbonnier: We have been present in China and have been cooperating with key stakeholders in China for many years. I believe we want to take this cooperation to a new level following the discussions and visit that President of the ICRC Mirjana Spoljaric had in September, 2023.

I believe that we can further our cooperation by engaging with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the Chinese government on international humanitarian law, as well as by working more practically with Chinese foreign aid, particularly in the medical sector.

We had conversations with the National Health Commission recently. We also had a meeting with the China medical teams which have been sent to African countries. We engaged with them to share our expertise and experiences in the humanitarian sector. We have also started conversations with the China International Development Cooperation Agency to explore opportunities for better cooperation in the future. We welcome Chinese humanitarian workers who are interested in working with us. We are currently working closely with the Red Cross Society of China.

What I see and am really glad about is that our own delegations, present in about 100 situations of conflict, engage with the Chinese embassies on the ground to have a dialogue on the humanitarian situation. This interaction is much more fluid now. We also have regular discussions with foreign affairs officials, where we can share our assessment of the situation in Africa and in approximately 60 countries along the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) where we are active.
GT: What's your take on the Global Security Initiative (GSI) and the Global Development Initiative (GDI)?

Carbonnier: I think with the GSI and the GDI provides clear guidance and perspectives that are of great interest to us. It also helps us to have a better understanding of foreign policy priorities for China.

Our understanding is indeed that China recognizes the interactions between security, development, and peace. I see common interests in that we work in protracted conflict situations. We aim to stop providing aid as soon as possible and instead provide sustainable humanitarian solutions. This includes providing people with seed capital and access to tools so they can generate income and regain dignity. We also aim to stop water trucking and repair wells and water pumping stations quickly so that major urban systems can function again, providing services to schools, hospitals, and other essential facilities.

I think we see an interaction between preserving development gains, even in conflict, and restoring them in order to provide people with opportunities as soon as possible. Once they have opportunities and income, the prospects for reconciliation and stability improve. The last point is that by promoting respect for international humanitarian law, we prevent the worst from happening. If we prevent the worst, people will reconcile more easily. If the worst has happened to your family, then hatred can pass from generation to generation.

The goal of the GSI and GDI is to preserve and promote sustainable development as a way to provide greater stability. In fragile situations, our efforts aim to restore livelihoods, preserve development gains, and prevent distractions and violations of international humanitarian law that could sow the seeds of further conflicts.

GT: I noticed that the ICRC is paying attention to the impact of AI in the military domain. What suggestions do you have to strengthen global governance cooperation on AI?

Carbonnier: For us, it's important to recognize that in situations of armed conflict, the potential of AI is like a magnifying glass. It can save lives and achieve great things, but the risks are also heightened, as it can lead to tragic humanitarian consequences. Therefore, we believe it is crucial to harness scientific and technological advances to provide a more impactful and effective response.

Currently, humanitarian needs are increasing while funding is decreasing, making it necessary to find ways to be more effective. Utilizing digital transformation through technology is a key part of achieving this impact.

However, the use of AI, especially in weapons and machine learning, raises significant concerns. We have called for the regulation of autonomous weapon systems to address these concerns swiftly, as technological advancements are outpacing the government's ability to regulate and govern these developments. We are worried that autonomous weapon systems powered by AI and machine learning could make life and death decisions without human control.

For us, it is critical to maintain human control over these decisions and human responsibility in accountability. We are also concerned about autonomous weapons, which have unpredictable consequences that even the designers and developers of the algorithm and products cannot anticipate. This is something that is unacceptable from an ethical standpoint, a legal standpoint, and a humanitarian standpoint. It is urgent. There are intergovernmental reflections on the global framework to govern AI at large, but also on the specificity of using AI in new warfare means and methods. This is a pressing issue that must be addressed by the international community.

GT: How do you view China's role in gathering representatives from regional countries and international organizations to promote prosperity and economic development in Asia?

Carbonnier: It is important to recognize the critical importance of China in the region. China has been booming for many years and has greatly contributed to reducing overall poverty rates and addressing development issues. The region has seen significant progress in economic development, science and technology, and diplomacy. It is crucial to have opportunities like the Boao Forum for Asia to engage in diplomatic discussions with political leaders on fundamental issues such as development, security, and stability that have global implications.

I have been coming regularly to China. I hope to come back to Boao certainly in 2025 and the years after that.