1.Xi attends second China-Central Asia Summit and delivers keynote speech
On the afternoon of June 17, 2025 local time, the second China-Central Asia Summit was held at the Palace of Independence in Astana. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev chaired the meeting.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and?Uzbek?President Shavkat Mirziyoyev?were present.
The heads of state, in a friendly atmosphere, jointly reviewed the outcomes of China-Central Asia cooperation across various fields since the Xi'an Summit, and looked forward to future development.
They unanimously agreed to carry forward the China-Central Asia Spirit, uphold everlasting good-neighborliness and friendship, and work together to make continuous?and new achievements in building a China-Central Asia community with a shared future.
2.Xi says ceasefire an urgent priority in Middle East during phone talks with Putin
Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed that a ceasefire must be an urgent priority in the Middle East to avoid the spillover effect of the conflict between Israel and Iran, reiterating China's commitment to playing a constructive role in restoring peace in the region.
Xi made the remarks on Thursday during a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin as they exchanged views on the Middle East situation.
Underlining that the use of force is not the right way to resolve international disputes, Xi said the parties involved in the conflict, especially Israel, should halt military operations as soon as possible to prevent a spiral of escalation.
The two leaders held the phone talks days after Israel launched a surprise military strike on Iran on June 13, triggering a wave of attacks and counterattacks.
3.China's May retail sales rise 6.4% year-on-year, beating expectations despite external uncertainty
China's retail sales in May rose by 6.4 percent year-on-year to 4.13 trillion yuan ($575.08 billion), according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday, which reportedly marked the fastest pace since December 2023 and exceeded major forecasts.
The growth of retail sales - a gauge of consumption - accelerated 1.3 percentage points compared with the previous month, per the official data. Previously, Bloomberg estimated the growth of retail sales at 4.9 percent, the same as the Wall Street Journal, while Reuters expected the figure to grow 5 percent.
4.China steps up efforts to ensure safety of Chinese citizens in Iran, Israel
The Chinese Foreign Ministry and relevant embassies and consulates are working with other government agencies to do everything possible to keep Chinese nationals in Iran and Israel safe and swiftly organize their evacuation, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Spokesperson Guo Jiakun made the remarks at a regular press briefing when asked whether China has plans to evacuate its citizens from Iran and Israel amid escalating military tensions following Israel's strikes on Iran.
5.Beijing subway supports JCB, American Express contactless payments starting from Sunday
Beijing's urban rail transit system recently began accepting newly added support for contactless fare payments using overseas-issued JCB cards and both domestically and internationally issued American Express cards, authorities said Sunday.
The new payment options cover all 29 subway lines, including two airport lines, as well as the suburban railway S2 Line, according to the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport.
Passengers can now conveniently tap their bank cards on the fare gate sensors for instant access, eliminating the need to purchase tickets or download apps in advance.
With this development, Beijing Subway is now the first urban rail transit system in the world that accepts payment of UnionPay, Mastercard, Visa, JCB, and American Express.
6.China's 618 shopping festival posts strong sales growth
Consumer enthusiasm for online shopping in China has been evident during this year's "618" shopping carnival, an extended sales event that wrapped up on Wednesday, which experts said has played a pivotal role in unleashing domestic demand potential, promoting the recovery of consumption and shoring up the economy.
Data from e-commerce giant JD, which initiated the midyear promotional campaign, showed that sales of smartphones priced between 4,000 yuan ($556.7) and 6,000 yuan rose 50 percent year-on-year during the promotional gala, which kicked off at 8 pm on May 31, while the turnover of artificial intelligence-powered laptops surged 151 percent from a year earlier.
Moreover, an increasing number of overseas consumers participated in the "618" promotional gala. Orders from JD Global Sales, JD's cross-border e-commerce business division, soared 236 percent year-on-year.
7.Chinese aviation products displayed at Paris Air Show
China's Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC) has unveiled its latest military and civilian aerospace products and technologies, highlighting innovation, system-based solutions and international cooperation, at the 55th Paris Air Show, which opened on Monday at the Le Bourget Airport outside the French capital city.
AVIC is presenting a total of 30 aircraft models spanning eight categories at the week-long show.
China's new-generation J-35A, a medium-sized multi-role stealth fighter capable of air superiority and strike missions against ground and maritime targets, is making its inaugural international appearance.
8.World's longest-span cable-stayed bridge undergoes load test before opening
The final pre-opening safety checks have begun on the Changtai Yangtze River Bridge, the world's longest-span cable-stayed bridge, as engineers launched a high-stakes week-long load testing campaign on the hybrid rail-road structure early Tuesday in East China's Jiangsu province.
A series of scientifically rigorous load tests will thoroughly evaluate the actual performance of this world-class multifunctional bridge, which will provide crucial data for its subsequent safe operation, according to the Jiangsu provincial transport engineering construction bureau, the bridge's developer.
9.Torrential rains cause flooding in Guangdong townships
Torrential rains, fueled by Typhoon Wutip and seasonal monsoon conditions, has led to floods in 19 townships in Huaiji county of Zhaoqing, Guangdong province, affecting tens of thousands of people, according to the local government.
As of Wednesday morning, 68,000 people in the county have been urgently evacuated for safety, with 183,000 people being affected by the floods, according to preliminary statistics from the local government.
10.Giant panda Mei Zhu celebrates its 1st birthday in Guangzhou
A lively birthday party was held for the beloved giant panda cub named "Mei Zhu," who turned one-year-old on Wednesday, at a zoo in Guangzhou City of south China's Guangdong Province.
Mei Zhu is one of the top stars at the Chimelong Safari Park. She was born at the zoo on June 18, 2024 to mother Meng Meng, the eldest of the world's only giant panda triplets who will soon turn 11-years-old.
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