China will align Belt and Road cooperation with Bolivia's 2025 development plan, and expand cooperation in multiple areas, Chinese President Xi Jinping said when meeting Bolivian President Luis Arce on the sidelines of the G20 summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Tuesday.

China is ready to join hands with Brazil in a spirit of perseverance and dedication to build a China-Brazil community with a shared future and usher in the next "Golden 50 Years" of China-Brazil relations, said Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday.

Addressing a grand welcome banquet hosted by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brasilia, Xi thanked him and the Brazilian people for their warm and friendly reception and congratulated Brazil on achieving remarkable development under President Lula's leadership.

Noting that the vast oceans separating the two countries have never hindered their mutual understanding and friendship, Xi said that the two nations have distinctive characteristics while blending harmoniously with openness, innovation, diversity and unity as their shared traits and common aspirations.

Xi added that he and President Lula had announced to elevate the bilateral relationship to the China-Brazil community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet and witnessed the signing of cooperation documents aligning the Belt and Road Initiative with Brazil's development strategies.

Looking back, the two sides have every reason to be proud of the achievements in their relations, and looking ahead, they are confident and full of anticipation for the bright future of their bilateral ties, he said.

For his part, Lula said that President Xi and he lead the two largest developing countries in the Eastern and Western hemispheres respectively, noting that both are keenly aware of the people's struggles and are committed to improving livelihoods and eradicating poverty.

Lula expressed deep admiration for China's development achievements under President Xi's leadership, particularly the accomplishment of lifting 100 million people out of poverty.

He pointed out that President Xi has set an example for the world by working for people's well-being, upholding social fairness and justice, and advocating for peace over war, cooperation over confrontation, and creation over destruction.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties half a century ago, Brazil-China relations have become a model of solidarity, cooperation, mutual benefit and win-win results among Global South countries, Lula said.

The alignment of development strategies between Brazil and China will contribute to the common prosperity of both countries and demonstrate to the world that they can achieve development, revitalization, and justice through their own paths, he said.

Both Brazil and China uphold multilateralism and advocate for the peaceful settlement of disputes, said Lula, adding that their cooperation will have a significant and far-reaching impact on the world.

Brazil looks forward to working closely with China to build a Brazil-China community with a shared future, he said.

China on Friday called on all parties related to the Ukraine crisis to remain calm, exercise restraint, work for deescalation through dialogue and consultation, and accumulate conditions for an early ceasefire and political settlement of the crisis after reports that Russia fired a hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile at Ukraine in response to the US and UK's allowing Kiev to strike Russian territory with advanced Western weapons. 

As the Russia-Ukraine conflict risked further escalation and growing complexity, with potential retaliatory attacks from both sides, and the US pledged to continue to provide new arms packages to Ukraine, Chinese experts criticized Washington for its irresponsible move, warning that such actions could prolong the conflict, deepen regional instability, and increase suffering for local populations and the global community.

In response to a question regarding the latest development of the Ukraine crisis, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said at a regular press conference on Friday that China's position on the Ukraine issue is consistent and clear. China advocates settling the crisis through political means and avoiding escalation of the situation. 

Russia launched an experimental hypersonic ballistic missile at Ukraine overnight in response to Kiev being given permission to strike Russia with US and British long-range missiles, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday, vowing to respond to further "escalation," Russian media reported. 

"Among the operations carried out was the testing of one of Russia's latest medium-range missile systems. In this case, a ballistic missile equipped with a non-nuclear hypersonic warhead was used," said Putin, noting that the system was named "Oreshnik" and the tests were deemed successful, with the target being hit as intended, according to the report. 

Putin also said that Russia would warn Ukrainian "civilians and citizens of friendly nations present in those areas to evacuate" if Russian armed forces were again to deploy Oreshnik missiles in the future, according to the report. 

Ukraine initially claimed that Russia had fired an intercontinental ballistic missile, a weapon designed for long-distance nuclear strikes and never before used in war, according to Reuters. However, Putin clarified that it was an intermediate-range missile. 

Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert, noted that the intermediate-range missile, capable of reaching distances of 6,000 kilometers - placing much of the West within its range - was used to strike a target more than 700 kilometers away. This action was primarily intended to send a clear message to the US and the UK that Russia is capable of responding to any retaliatory move.

A hypersonic ballistic missile can achieve speeds exceeding Mach 5 during its terminal phase. It is equipped with a conventional hypersonic warhead, highlighting its capability to deliver hypersonic payloads, said Song, noting that stressing a non-nuclear hypersonic configuration on this missile is also a message to the US and the West. 

In response to Putin's remarks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on X that the use of the new missile amounted to "a clear and severe escalation" in the war and called for strong worldwide condemnation.  

A US official said Russia notified Washington shortly before its strike, while another official said the US had briefed Kiev and allies to prepare for the possible use of such a weapon, Reuters reported.  

NATO spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah said that "Deploying this capability will neither change the course of the conflict nor deter NATO allies from supporting Ukraine," according to the report.  

Further escalation

Putin's remarks on Thursday appear designed to reassure the Russian public while signaling to the West that Russia continues to exercise strategic restraint regarding nuclear conflict. While Russia has no intention of initiating a nuclear war, the threshold for such a conflict has been lowered, Zhang Hong, a research fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday. 

The situation, particularly in southern Russia, could become increasingly complex as Ukraine potentially deploys long-range weapons supplied by the West. Ukraine's expanding capabilities, including domestically produced cruise and ballistic missiles, could also provoke a heightened retaliation from Russia, said the expert. 

While Russia is likely to remain cautious about using nuclear weapons, it may escalate in terms of conventional retaliatory strikes. This could result in a harsh winter for Ukraine, with intensified attacks targeting military installations and critical infrastructure, leading to energy shortages and power disruptions, said Zhang.

The US said that it "will not be deterred" and would continue to provide new arms packages to Ukraine and work to speed up their delivery amid Russia's attack with the intermediate-range ballistic missile, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a briefing on Thursday. 

Zhang said that US President Joe Biden's decision to intensify support for Ukraine in the final months of his administration, ahead of Donald Trump's anticipated return to power in January, reflects a last-ditch and reckless approach. 

This move not only aggravates Russia but will also frustrate Trump and his team, potentially complicating Trump's reported plans to quickly end the war. It also highlights the deep, irreconcilable divide between Trump and the Democratic Party's establishment faction on the Ukraine issue, said Zhang. 

The US' irresponsible approval of advanced arms transfers to Ukraine could prolong the conflict, deepen regional instability, and increase suffering for local populations and the global community, said the expert. 

The evolving situation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict has raised worries of further escalation. Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesperson for UN secretary general António Guterres, was cited by The Guardian on Friday as saying that "All of this [is] going in the wrong direction," and he called on all parties to de-escalate the conflict and "to protect civilians, not hit civilian targets or critical civilian infrastructure."

With China's approval, the Philippines on Thursday sent a civilian vessel to deliver supplies to its illegally grounded warship on Ren'ai Jiao. China Coast Guard (CCG) conducted inquiries and monitored the Philippine vessel throughout the process, Liu Dejun, a spokesperson for the China Coast Guard, said in a statement released on Friday. 

Liu emphasized that China hopes the Philippines will honor its commitments and work with China to jointly manage and control the maritime situation. CCG will continue to carry out law enforcement activities in the Nansha Qundao, including Ren'ai Jiao, and surrounding waters in accordance with the law.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Friday that China is ready to work with Japan to strive to build a constructive and stable relationship that meets the requirements of the new era.

Xi made the remarks in his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on the sidelines of the 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.

He noted that Ishiba said after taking office that he will comprehensively advance the China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit so as to bring more benefits to the two peoples, which Xi appreciates.

Xi said he is ready to strengthen communication and coordination with the Japanese prime minister to jointly push China-Japan relations along the right track and make steady and long-term progress.

Xi also said that presently the international and regional situation witnesses turmoil and transformation, and that China-Japan relations are at a critical stage of improvement and development.

China and Japan are close neighbors and important countries in Asia and the world, Xi said, adding that bilateral relations bears significance beyond bilateral dimension.

The Chinese side, Xi said, is ready to work with Japan in accordance with the principles and directions set out in the four political documents between China and Japan, adhere to the important consensus that China and Japan are cooperative partners rather than threats to each other, make joint efforts to comprehensively advance the China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit, and strive to build a constructive and stable China-Japan relationship that meets the requirements of the new era.

The G7 recently reaffirmed their support for Ukraine as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he wants to end the war through talks next year, as experts said on Sunday that the G7's latest statement is in line with the current administration of US President Joe Biden but how the US will act under Donald Trump's administration next year is a key question. 

The G7 leaders said in a statement on its official website on Saturday they reiterate their "unwavering" support for Kiev amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict "for as long as it takes." The Ukrainian president said in a radio interview aired on Saturday that his side will do everything possible to end the war with Russia in 2025 "through diplomatic means," Euronews reported.

The G7statement also reiterated a pledge to keep imposing severe costs on Russia through sanctions, export controls and other measures. "Russia remains the sole obstacle to just and lasting peace," said the statement released on the G7 official website, adopted in support of Kiev as the thousandth day of Russia's war with Ukraine.

Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Sunday that the latest stance from the G7 remains in line with the policy of the Biden administration, seeking a military victory against Russia or at least not allowing  Russia to win, which will remain unchanged before Trump takes office in January 2025.

However, to what extent Trump will agree with this or completely overthrow the policy of support for Ukraine, is a key question. "If the US stops its support and makes more Western countries do the same, Ukraine would not be able to afford the war," Li noted.

France24 reported that Zelensky said Saturday that Kyiv would like to end the war with Russia next year through "diplomatic means," as both countries prepare for Donald Trump's return to the White House.

Zelensky said he had a "constructive exchange" with Trump during their phone conversation. He did not say whether Trump had made any demands regarding possible talks with Russia, but said he had not heard anything from him that was contrary to Ukraine's position, according to the BBC.

The situation for 2025 in Ukraine is highly unpredictable, as Trump administration may clash with his European allies over issues such as defense spending and the conditions under which to reach a mutually acceptable and enforceable ceasefire with Russia, Li said, adding that there will also be changes in the battlefield situation before Trump's innauguration.  

The Kremlin said Russia is open to talks to settle the conflict in Ukraine based on the proposals that were announced at the Foreign Ministry in June, Russian President Vladimir Putin told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as they spoke by phone, Russian news agency Tass reported on Friday.

Putin held a meeting with the leadership of the Russian Foreign Ministry in June, where he listed the conditions for talks with Ukraine. They include the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, Ukraine's commitment to adopt a non-aligned status, "denazification and demilitarization of the country," and the lifting of all Western sanctions. The president insisted that all these conditions should be enshrined in fundamental international agreements, Tass reported. 

Leader of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Shigeru Ishiba was reinstated for a second term as Japan's prime minister on Monday after securing the most votes in both houses of the parliament, according to the Xinhua News Agency.  

Ishiba resigned with his cabinet on Monday ahead of the parliament vote. Monday's vote headed to a runoff between Ishiba and Noda, marking the first runoff in nearly 30 years, according to Xinhua.

In the initial round of voting in the 465-member House of Representatives, none of the candidates reached the majority threshold of 233 votes required to be elected prime minister, according to Kyodo News on Monday. In the runoff voting, 67-year-old Ishiba received 221 votes, outperforming Noda's 160 to become the country's 103rd prime minister despite falling short of the 233 majority threshold, Xinhua said.

In response to media inquiries regarding the news that Ishiba was reelected as Prime Minister of Japan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a routine press conference on Monday that it's Japan's internal affair, and China doesn't have a comment on that. Lin said that the sustained, healthy and stable development of China-Japan relations serves the fundamental interests of the two peoples. 

We hope that Japan will work with China in the same direction, act on the principles and consensus in the four political documents between China and Japan, comprehensively advance the strategic relationship of mutual benefit, and build a constructive and stable China-Japan relationship fit for the new era, Lin said.

Ishiba took office as Japan's 102nd prime minister in early October and promptly called a snap election, aiming to solidify his position. But instead of a strengthened mandate, he faced a significant setback as voters, frustrated by rising inflation and a slush fund scandal, handed the ruling bloc its worst performance since 2009, Xinhua said.  

Following Japan's general election on October 27, the ruling coalition of the LDP and its partner Komeito fell short of the majority threshold, according to Xinhua.

The lack of a ruling majority will require Ishiba's administration to rely significantly on collaboration with opposition parties. "This governing position is very fragile," Xiang Haoyu, a research fellow in the Department for Asia-Pacific Studies, China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Monday.

Ishiba faces urgent tasks domestically such as economic strains, and tough negotiations with opposition parties, according to the expert.

In this context, Ishiba's administration's proposals will be subject to constraints from various parties, "making it difficult to maintain a relatively stable and continuous policy." It will lead to a situation in which Japan's political landscape remains unstable for some time, as it lacks a stable political framework, resulting in "uncertainty in both domestic and foreign policies," Xiang said.

Japan's policy toward China is expected to maintain continuity, with no fundamental changes in its tone, primarily determined by the political landscape and foreign strategic policies of Japan. Japanese domestic conservative forces emphasize the need to contain and counterbalance China, however, despite that, as a neighboring country, Shigeru administration recognizes the importance of cooperation with China in economic and cultural fields, and still making efforts to maintain the overall stability of China-Japan relations, said Xiang.

The Chinese military on Wednesday conducted combat readiness patrols over the territorial waters and airspace of China's Huangyan Dao and surrounding areas.

The People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command said the latest move, involving naval and air forces, is a lawful patrol activity.

Imposing sanctions and engaging in trade wars does not align with China's interests, nor with the EU's interests, a Chinese observer said on Sunday, describing the complexity of China-EU relations like that of a "wrangling married couple." 

Speaking at an event in Shanghai, EU Ambassador to China Jorge Toledo said that "The EU does not want a trade war with Beijing but five years of talks have yielded no real progress," adding that there is increasing concern over Chinese market access for European medical devices, according to Reuters. 

Toledo made the remarks at the 30th anniversary celebration of the China Europe International Business School. Toledo said talks with European medical device makers had shown they were being discriminated against in Chinese public procurement. "We don't want a trade war. We just want transparency. We want a level playing field," Reuters cited Toledo as saying. 

Trade frictions between the bloc and China have intensified over the past year after the EU launched an investigation into Chinese-made imports of electric vehicles (EVs) that prompted Beijing to launch probes into Europe's pork and dairy industries and curb brandy imports, Reuters reported. 

Zhao Junjie, senior research fellow at the Institute of European Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday that the overall characteristic of China-EU relations in the post-pandemic era is the emergence of trade protectionism, while at the same time, there is positive momentum in economic and trade cooperation, technological collaboration, cultural exchanges and educational partnerships. These elements consistently act as stabilizers or catalysts for bilateral progress.

"The China-EU relationship is much like a married couple wrangling with each other. Both recognize they should work out their issues together, and no matter who wants to break up, both will suffer significant losses," Zhao said. 

The European Commission recently concluded its anti-subsidy investigation by imposing definitive countervailing duties on imports of battery electric vehicles (EVs) from China for a period of five years. 

As Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump won the 2024 US presidential election, the EU will need to address the short- or long-term challenges following Trump's reelection, Christian Kern, former Chancellor of Austria said at an event on Friday in Beijing. The foremost is to solve energy-related issues, an area where the EU is able to cooperate with China, Kern said. Kern believes that China can rapidly scale industries, such as new energy vehicle batteries and wind power, while Europe is at a relatively lagging position. 

Both Zhao and Yan told the Global Times that China and the EU should prevent the EU's strategic autonomy from moving toward confrontation with China, and called for more open communication between China and the EU.

Yan noted that the EU needs to recognize that the retaliatory measures China has taken are not solely focused on tariffs for EVs. There are concerns about potential tariff increases in other sectors such as wind turbines, solar energy, medical equipment and more, he said. 

Several European leaders have visited China recently. "These visits are essential. Open communication and dialogue can help avoid misjudgments," Yan noted. 

Zhao emphasized that "China opposes unreasonable demands and will fight when necessary. However, countermeasures should be differentiated and not applied uniformly." 

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Italian President Sergio Mattarella on Friday jointly met with representatives attending the China-Italy Cultural Cooperation Mechanism Conference and the Dialogue between Chinese and Italian University Presidents in Beijing.