China's foreign ministry's office in Hong Kong slammed the latest remarks of the US Consul General Gregory May, who criticized judicial cases in the Chinese city and openly supported anti-China and anti-Hong Kong figures including infamous rioter Jimmy Lai. Experts said the responsibility for improving US-China relations, including those with Hong Kong, lies with the US side, which should refrain from meddling in Hong Kong affairs.

A spokesperson for the Commissioner's Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) expressed strong opposition and condemnation toward the remarks made by May, according to a statement published on the website of the office late Thursday night.

Certain anti-China organizations and politicians in the West remain resentful of Hong Kong's shift from chaos to governance and now to prosperity. Under the guise of academic discussions, they actually intervene and discredit Hong Kong's political democracy, judicial fairness, and human rights conditions, which is neither objective nor fair, the spokesperson said.

With Hong Kong entering a new phase of economic revitalization and development, any external interference is destined to fail, the spokesperson noted, advising the US to recognize the reality, position itself appropriately, refrain from stirring trouble, and return to the right path of fostering healthy and stable development of China-US relations through concrete actions.

While China and the US are attempting to stabilize bilateral relations, May said during a webinar hosted by a Washington think tank Center for Strategic & International Studies on Thursday night that the US aims to stabilize relations with China, including those with Hong Kong.

He also suggested that if Hong Kong leaders cease their "expanding crackdown" and return to the provisions and spirit of the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law, the US government would respond positively and attempt to improve Hong Kong-US relations, local media outlet Ming Pao reported.

The US official also criticized the Hong Kong government's stated goal of combating "soft resistance," arguing that it is actually using extrajudicial means for "soft suppression," according to the media report.

Based on May's comments, the US is trying to find an "exit strategy" in the face of being unable to change the situation in Hong Kong. However, if the US demands that Hong Kong admit to "mishandling" matters, Hong Kong will naturally refuse since that would be untrue, Lau Siu-kai, a consultant from the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies who is also a senior policy advisor, told the Global Times on Friday.

Lau believed that the responsibility for improving US-China relations, including those with Hong Kong, lies with the US side, which should refrain from meddling in Hong Kong affairs.
The US official told a webinar that American companies in Hong Kong are still interested in investing there, but some are concerned about potential instability following the implementation of Article 23 of the Basic Law and the legislation on critical infrastructure security expected later this year, according to the local media report.

Businesses worry that some offenses under Article 23 are vaguely defined, leading to uncertainty for businesses and individuals, May noted, emphasizing that American companies expect the Hong Kong government to firmly and clearly reaffirm that the internet will remain free and open, and that Hong Kong will avoid strict information control, preventing foreign companies from having operational difficulties.

National Security together with a safe, fair, proper and harmony use of the internet and electronic media, continuously contributes the prosperity of the city. The internet is never an extraterritorial forum or should be isolated from widespread of violence and illegal propaganda or materials, Chu Kar-kin, a veteran commentator based in the HKSAR and member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, told the Global Times on Friday.

"The HKSAR government has devoting efforts to contribute to the business environment, reputation and image. May should not defame Hong Kong and never interfere in Hong Kong's internal affairs and judicial system by inserting external pressure based on subjectivity and bias," Chu said.

The fundamental national policies toward Hong Kong outlined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration have been fully implemented in the Basic Law, and the UK has no sovereignty, jurisdiction, or supervisory rights over Hong Kong after its return to the motherland, Willy Fu, a law professor who is also the director of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong & Macao Studies, told the Global Times on Friday.

Over recent years, the UK, the US, and anti-China nations have intervened in Hong Kong's internal affairs in various ways. They mistakenly regard the Joint Declaration as a legal basis for the Basic Law of the HKSAR and demand that China fulfill "obligations" stipulated in the Joint Declaration, Fu said.

"They also use the declaration to criticize China's enactment and implementation of the National Security Law for Hong Kong. These actions entirely confuse the original intent, nature, and status of the Joint Declaration. China's consistent stance is that the UK has no right to use the declaration as an excuse to interfere in Hong Kong after its return," the legal expert said.

Some lawmakers in Hong Kong also voiced strong opposition to the US Consul General's remarks. Lawmaker Nixie Lam Lam said in a statement issued on Friday that some American politicians continue to ignore the deep societal divisions in their own country, suppress dissenting students, and restrict freedom of speech, yet focus on commenting on other nations' internal affairs to divert global attention away from these issues.

"Anti-China rioter Jimmy Lai and other infamous anti-China figures have long played the role of traitorous clowns, deliberately slandering Hong Kong and fabricating false stories to solicit international sympathy with ulterior motives," Lam said, noting that Hong Kong's political democracy has continuously improved, freedoms and human rights are fully protected, economic development is steadily recovering, and society is orderly.

The lawmaker also pointed out that May and the US government have long disparaged Hong Kong affairs, including the National Security Law for Hong Kong and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.

"I believe such remarks show that US criticism of Hong Kong is completely unfounded, ignoring the fact that every country has national security laws," Lam said.

May further claimed that the upcoming Cybersecurity Law would directly impact the free flow of information in Hong Kong, but his comments on a law that hasn't even been enacted are entirely fabricated and alarmist, which indicates that the US' comments about Hong Kong are purely political and are not based on facts, the lawmaker added.

The Palestinian-Israeli conflict is set to continue, as Israel warned Palestinians to evacuate from Rafah and the Israeli military prepared for an attack on the southern city on Palestine's border with Egypt. Experts said on Monday this will surely cause large numbers of civilian casualties, and the latest development in the situation proves that the US-dominated mediation has failed once again.  

Although analysts doubted that Israel can realize the goal of "eradicating Hamas," they said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cabinet would like to see the war extended, until they see Donald Trump winning the US presidential election at the end of this year. They added that this is the only chance for the Netanyahu administration to stay in power, and unfortunately, more civilians in Gaza will die, and the US will just refuse all demands to stop military aid to Israel. 

As long as the conflict continues, the pro-Palestine protests in universities in the US and many other major Western countries will continue, and this will surely damage the image of the Joe Biden administration, as all of this proves that Biden is refusing to try his best to stop Netanyahu, experts said. They noted that the pro-Palestine protesters are mostly Democratic voters, and after a series of conflicts with US police, many of them might realize that political elites in the Democratic Party are just using them and failing to deliver what they are asking for. If they don't vote for Biden, Trump will have a chance to win, and this is exactly what Netanyahu is waiting for, they said.  

Israel's military has issued a call for residents in eastern Rafah to "evacuate immediately," one day after the country's defense minister told troops inside Gaza to expect "intense action in Rafah in the near future," CNN reported on Monday.

A CNN stringer in east Rafah said that people were terrified and in a state of panic after the evacuation order from the Israeli military. Video footage showed people in the city packing cars and donkey-drawn carts with belongings.

Earlier, a Hamas delegation was in Cairo on Saturday as Egyptian state media reported "noticeable progress" in cease-fire talks for Gaza, but Israel did not send a delegation, the AP reported.

The bloodshed continued on Sunday as three Israeli soldiers were killed in a rocket attack claimed by Hamas' armed wing near Rafah, where Palestinian health officials said at least 19 people were killed by Israeli fire on the same day, Reuters reported.

Netanyahu on Sunday doubled down on his rejection of Hamas' demand for an end to Israel's war against it in exchange for freeing the hostages it holds, saying that such a move would "keep Hamas in power in Gaza and pose a threat to Israel," the Times of Israel reported on Sunday.

Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Monday that the main difficulty facing cease-fire talks is that Israel wants to eradicate Hamas after it releases the detained Israelis, while Hamas wants a sustainable cease-fire to ensure the group stays alive. 

Another key reason behind the failure of the US mediation is that Washington is adopting a problematic stance: On the one hand, it wants to respond to both internal and external pressures by pushing Israel and Hamas toward a deal, on the other hand, the US will unconditionally provide military aid to Israel, and both of them want Hamas to be eradicated, Liu said. 

Ma Xiaolin, dean of the Institute for Studies on the Mediterranean Rim at Zhejiang International Studies University, told the Global Times on Monday, "Netanyahu understands that if he accepts the cease-fire, he and his cabinet will have to face consequences, as the goal that they promised of eradicating Hamas has not been realized, and this will be considered a failure in Israel, but the ground attack against Rafah will inevitably result in more civilian deaths." 

No matter how many civilians are killed by Netanyahu and his army, the US will unconditionally defend Israel, despite Washington occasionally complaining about the ruthless behavior of Israeli military forces, experts said.   

Although Israel will be heavily criticized if it launches a massive attack against Rafah, as long as the Biden administration refuses to stop military aid, Israel will be immune to criticism and condemnation, and will be able to do whatever it wants in Gaza, while the US, especially the Biden administration, will face the pressure and pay the price for Israel, experts noted. 

The first forum of China-Serbia Culture Communication was held in Belgrade on Monday local time, where some 50 scholars, government and industry representatives discussed the history of bilateral cultural exchanges, the dialogue between civilizations as well as new opportunities under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Culture exchange is an integral part of China-Serbia relations and has played a positive role in facilitating mutual understanding and the friendship between the two peoples, Tang Dasheng, cultural counselor from the Chinese Embassy in Serbia, said when he addressed the forum and expected the event could help scholars, think tanks and universities in the two countries further push forward bilateral cultural exchanges, according to a press release that the forum organizer sent to the Global Times on Tuesday.

Bojan Lalic, director of the Institute for Belt and Road in Belgrade, shared his insights on Serbia's experience in participating in the BRI, and noted the two countries could strengthen cooperation on digital economy and green development under the framework.

Li Jiashan, an expert on culture development at Beijing International Studies University, pinpointed areas of culture trade which have great potential, including publishing, stage performance and software services.

The forum was co-hosted by the Institute for Belt and Road and China's Capital Normal University.

Jelena Gavric, a director, interpreter and blogger, delivered a video message to the forum. Gavric received her bachelor and master's degrees at Chinese universities and has always upload Vlogs on Chinese platform Bilibili to share her experience in both countries and trans-cultural observation.

Gavric developed an interest in China from Chinese TV dramas in her teenage years, self-studied Chinese language and finally became a culture ambassador. As a member of a younger generation, she is proud of contributing to bilateral cultural exchanges with her educational background, skills and interest, Gavric told the Global Times.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Serbia, the first in eight years, during his three-nation European trip from May 5 to May 10. Xi will hold talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to exchange views on bilateral relations and international and regional hotspot issues of mutual interest and discuss an upgrade of the China-Serbia relationship while charting a future course for bilateral relations, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Katarina Zakic,head of Regional Centre for Belt and Road at the Institute of International Politics and Economics, told the Global Times that the visit is a significant of the strong political relations between China and Serbia.

Hailing the "steel (or ironclad) friendship" that China and Serbia share, Zakic said that in addition to strong political ties, the two countries continue to build mutually beneficial economic, cultural, educational, scientific, and people-to-people relationships. Bilateral cooperation is extensive and covers a wide range of fields, the expert said.

China lodged solemn representations to Japan on Sunday after five Japanese lawmakers reportedly trespassed into waters near the Diaoyu Dao for a maritime "inspection." Experts noted that Japan's action is a deliberate provocation against China, aimed at heightening tensions in East Asia and jeopardizing regional peace and stability.

According to media reports, the Japanese lawmakers trespassed into the waters near the Diaoyu Dao, also known as Diaoyu Islands, for the marine "inspection" on Friday, and they claimed they should land on the islands for investigations. 

In response to Japan's provocative actions, a spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Japan said on Sunday that China has lodged solemn representations with Japan, and the China Coast Guard (CCG) has taken measures against it in accordance with the law.

The Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands are an inherent part of China's territory, and China's determination and will to safeguard territorial sovereignty and maritime rights are unwavering, the embassy said.

"China strongly urges Japan to stop all political provocations, on-site disturbances and media hype, and return to the correct track of managing differences and disputes through dialogue and consultation to avoid further escalation of the situation," the spokesperson said.

The latest move by Japan is a blatant provocation against China, and is aimed at escalating tensions in the East Asia region, Lü Chao, a research fellow at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday.

"The Japanese cabinet, in particular, allegedly went so far as to claim [they could] land on the island, clearly demonstrating their intension to provoke China in terms of territory issue," Lü said. He noted that Japan deliberately wants to worsen the situation in the region, especially as the lawful patrols of the CCG around the Diaoyu Dao have become routine, with the latest one conducted on April 12.

Lü said that generally, Japanese lawmakers tend to take actions near the Diaoyu Dao during times when Japan is adopting a firm stance toward China and aligning with the US' strategy to form a confrontation with China in the Asia-Pacific region.

"The latest provocation from Japan is a common way for them to divert from domestic conflicts, given the current significant problems in both politics and the economy in Japan," Lü said.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has stated that Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands are China's inherent territory. China will take firm measures against illegal moves that violate China's sovereignty, and China stands ready to continue properly handling maritime issues with parties concerned through dialogue and consultation and jointly upholding peace and stability in the South China Sea. 

"In the meantime, no one should violate China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and China remains steadfast in safeguarding our lawful rights," the ministry said.

In light of Japan's persistent provocative actions, China must firmly take countermeasures and should not tolerate Japan's attempts to stir up tensions over the Diaoyu Dao, Lü said. "China must consistently assert to Japan and the international community that the Diaoyu Dao belongs to China, and this reality is non-negotiable. China will also take all necessary measures to put an end to Japan's aggressive behavior toward China," he said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, before landing in Beijing on Thursday, met with local officials in Shanghai, where he acknowledged the obligation to manage the China-US relationship responsibly.

The obligation lies with both China and the US, therefore it should be on equal footing communication rather than order and obedience, Chinese observers said, as China hopes that Blinken's visit can help the US better understand China. 

Chen Jining, secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, met with Blinken on Thursday in Shanghai. Chen said that under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries, the current China-US relations have shown a stabilizing trend, which is an important foundation for the two sides to promote the next stage of cooperation and communication.

Chen said Shanghai will implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries in a solid manner, and continue to make active contributions from a local perspective to promote the development of China-US relations.

Blinken underscored "the value and necessity of direct engagement, of sustained engagement, of speaking to each other, laying out our differences which are real, seeking to work through them, as also looking for ways to build cooperation where we can," per a press release from US Department of State.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry had introduced five major goals that China is focusing on: establishing the right perception, strengthening dialogue, effectively managing differences, promoting mutually beneficial cooperation and jointly shouldering responsibilities as major countries.

In particular, the US must not provoke China's red lines on matters such as the Taiwan question, democracy and human rights, development path and system, and development rights, an official from the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. 

Valuing peace, prioritizing stability, and basing actions on trust are the principles that China adheres to in managing China-US relations, the official said. 
It is hoped that through direct engagement, the US can have a better understanding of China and correct its wrong perception of the country, as that is the foundation for further steps to carry out meaningful communication, manage differences and promote possible cooperation, said Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University. 

In Shanghai, Blinken reportedly raised "concerns over China's trade policies and non-market economic practices." He described Chinese policies as "unfair" and demanded "a level playing field for US workers and firms operating in China."

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said China has always conducted economic and trade cooperation in accordance with market principles, firmly supported the multilateral trading system, and fully complied with the rules of the World Trade Organization. We hope that the US will work with China to create favorable conditions for the healthy and stable development of Sino-US economic and trade relations, he said.

Hours before he landed in China on Wednesday, the US Senate passed an aid package including $8 billion in aid to the island of Taiwan and the bill to force ByteDance to sell TikTok.  Before his trip, US media also cited anonymous sources claiming that the US is drafting sanctions that could cut some Chinese banks off the global financial system, purportedly to increase "diplomatic leverage" for Blinken's visit. 

Li noted, "If Blinken is here to issue an ultimatum to China, we will not give in to him and will not compromise on our core issues." 

The most prominent feature of the current China-US relationship is that Washington continuously raises demands with Beijing but lacks sincerity in responding to many of China's reasonable requests, experts said.

Responsibly managing differences should be mutual, not the US ordering and China listening, Li said.

Wu Xinbo, director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times that the US cannot suppress China, while at the same time expecting China to dance to its tune. 

As a result, analysts have rather low expectations for this visit. 

The actions of the US have made China feel that it is not a credible partner, seeking only to secure what it wants and presenting unreasonable demands while neglecting the needs of others, Wu said.

The Shenzhou-18 crewed spaceship is scheduled to be launched at 8:59 p.m. Thursday (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, announced the China Manned Space Agency on Wednesday.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and also expressed China's support for Palestine over the upcoming UN Security Council (UNSC) vote on its full UN membership, which is likely to be blocked by Israeli ally the US.

Although the Palestinian Authority is unlikely to be granted full UN membership, which would mean a recognition of statehood, analysts said the UN vote would bring the issue of Palestinian statehood back to the UN stage, which is of positive significance for pushing the international community to forge more consensus on the issue.

Regardless of the result, the vote will also put further moral and political pressure on the US and Israel, increasing the isolation of the two countries on the global stage when the majority of the world's countries have already recognized a Palestinian state, analysts noted.

After a meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi in Jakarta on Thursday, Wang told media that China is deeply saddened by the humanitarian disaster caused by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and an unconditional and lasting cease-fire should be immediately realized and civilians should be effectively protected.

Wang said humanitarian relief mechanism should be established as soon as possible to ensure rapid, safe, barrier-free and sustainable access of humanitarian supplies to Gaza. Wang, China's top diplomat, also called on relevant parties to maintain calm and restraint, avoid escalation of the situation and prevent spillover of the conflict.

China supports the UNSC in discussing and accepting Palestine's full UN membership as soon as possible, and proposes that a larger, more authoritative and more effective international peace conference be convened to formulate a timetable and road map for the implementation of the "two-state solution," Wang said. 

Citing diplomats, Reuters said on Wednesday that the 15-member UNSC is scheduled to vote at 3 PM on Friday local time on a draft resolution to demand that the UN admit Palestine as a member. It's the first vote of its kind in the UNSC since 2011, when Palestine halted its application after the US pledged to wield its veto. 

UNSC member Algeria circulated a draft text on Tuesday, according to the Reuters report, which noted that Palestine is still pushing for the vote to be held as early as Thursday local time. 

The UNSC resolution requires at least nine votes in favor, and no vetoes by the five UNSC's five permanent members - China, Russia, France, UK, and the US - before the application moves to the 193-member UN General Assembly (UNGA), where Palestine needs to get a two-thirds majority.      

According to a report from news site Axios on Thursday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has rejected a request from the Biden administration to block plans for the UNSC vote. Citing a US official, the report said that the Biden administration "is trying to prevent the Palestinians from getting the nine votes," so the US will not need to veto the application by itself afterward.

Although it's very likely that Palestine will be unable to obtain full UN membership due to the US' block, the upcoming vote will bring the Palestinian statehood issue, the "two-state solution," back to the center of the UN arena once again as an issue of common concern for the international community, Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

Voting within the framework of the UN is of positive significance to pushing the international community to further forge a consensus recognizing the independent statehood of Palestine, especially the rights of Palestinians under international law, Liu noted.  

Further isolation 

With the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, France, Russia, Spain, Belgium, Ireland, UK, Australia and other countries have recently expressed support for the "two-state solution," with many of them even considering recognizing the Palestinian state, according to media reports. 

In contrast, US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told media on Wednesday that she did not believe the upcoming UN resolution would help lead to a "two-state solution." Earlier this month, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told media that the US opposes a Palestinian push for full membership at the UN, as it backs statehood but only after direct negotiations with Israel, according to VOA. 

Niu Xinchun, executive director of the China-Arab Research Institute of Ningxia University, told the Global Times on Thursday that six months after Israel launched the war in Gaza, an increasing number of countries, including some Western states, have changed their positions and expressed their opposition to Israel and its US ally.

Out of 193 UN member states, 139 have recognized Palestine's statehood, including European countries such as Sweden, Hungary, Iceland, Serbia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Poland and Romania, according to Al Jazeera. 

Citing a high-ranking Israeli official, the report said eight UNSC members are expected to vote for Palestine, including China, Russia, Algeria, Malta, Slovenia, Sierra Leone, Mozambique and Guyana. The US and Israel are lobbying France, Switzerland, Japan, South Korea and Ecuador to vote against or abstain from voting, while the UK is expected to abstain.  

If some of the US' European allies do vote for Palestine this time, it would be a huge blow to the US and Israel, said Niu, "Europe is more sympathetic to Palestine and the new round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict has divided the US and its Western allies to some extent."

The vote, even if it does not pass, will put moral and political pressure on the US and Israel, especially if another veto is used by Washington, which would make the US and Israel face greater isolation on the international stage, Niu said. 

"The pressure from the international community will affect US support for Israel to some extent," said Niu. "And it's clearly not a good deal for the US to stand against the majority of countries in the world because of supporting Israel."

After the cease-fire in the latest round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Israel may come under unprecedented pressure from the international community in pushing forward negotiations on the basis of a "two-state solution," although the eventual settlement of the conflict is still a very long and difficult process, Liu said. 

After a summit with US and Japanese leaders in Washington which is regarded as primarily targeted at China, Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr said his government has no plan to give US forces access to more military bases in the Philippines. Chinese analysts commented that faced with regional concerns and domestic opposition, Marcos is pretending his government is a "stabilizer" at least on the surface, rather than a "troublemaker," however, Manila's provocation is unlikely to stop at any time soon.  

According to the AP, Marcos made the remarks during a forum with Manila-based foreign correspondents on Monday. He said his government "has no plans to create any more bases or give access to any more bases." 

In February 2023, Marcos granted the US access to four new military bases," bringing to nine the number of military bases that US troops can rotate through, build facilities and store defense equipment and supplies under the "Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). One of the bases is only 400 kilometers from China's Taiwan region, according to media reports. 

Asked if he was concerned that allowing US military access to Philippine bases had provoked Chinese actions, Marcos said that giving the US military access to Philippine bases is "not aimed at provoking China" but is a reaction to "aggressive actions we had to deal with" in the South China Sea.

Marcos also mentioned the recent disputes in the South China Sea and smeared China, noting that it is crucial that the media continues to expose these actions that threaten the peace and stability of the region. It is worth mentioning that Manila has invited Western reporters board its vessels when Manila needs to spread its image as "a victim" in the face of China's "assertive actions."  

Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Tuesday that Marcos is attempting to sway other countries in the region that Manila is trying to calm down the situation.

He portrays himself as a nice guy that is trying to maintain regional stability in front of the media, Chen said. 

Marcos remarks came after the first-ever US-Japan-Philippines summit hosted by US President Joe Biden on Thursday in Washington, DC, in which the three nations announced they will deepen military cooperation to counter "China's threats." Biden asked Congress for a further $128 million for infrastructure projects at the current base sites. Manila is also promoting a mutual military visit agreement with Tokyo. 

After the summit, geopolitical competition and bloc confrontation in the Asia-Pacific is on the rise, and the risk of maritime friction is also increasing, said Ding Duo, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at the China Institute for South China Sea Studies. 

The Philippines, encouraged and supported by the US and Japan, will not stop its aggressive and provocative actions at sea in the short term, Ding said, noting that the Philippines may even make more infringements and provocative measures in public opinion, jurisprudence and on diplomatic occasions.

Both experts said that Marcos' remarks are also in response to pressure from domestic opposition and anti-war groups that are worried the Philippines will become further involved in a major power confrontation between the US and China.  

In a recent interview with the Global Times, former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte said there are too many military bases for the US troops in Philippines, which he always objected to. He warned that the "US will not die for us." 

Whether there will be more military bases in the Philippines depends on if the US puts new demands on the Philippines and whether the US meets some of the conditions Manila is asking for, as there were interests exchanges behind every single base, Chen said.

According to Ding, with the new bases still under construction, the demand for more military bases in the Philippines is not urgent. In addition, the procedure of adding a new base is complicated, not only in terms of the US and the Philippines themselves at home, but also due to technical issues between the two countries, which makes it less feasible in the short term.

For instance, building a new site needs a huge amount of funds and human resources, and it also need to be approved by Congress, Ding said. 

Ding stressed that in response to the provocation of the Philippines and the intervention of countries outside the region, China has enough strength to safeguard territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, which is also the fundamental guarantee for peace and stability in the South China Sea.

Including the case of the two Canadian Michaels, 10 typical spy cases were disclosed in a special documentary film published by China's Ministry of State Security on Sunday to mark the ninth National Security Education Day that falls on April 15, through which various despicable methods of infiltration, theft and incitement by foreign spy and intelligence agencies are exposed, and awareness of anti-espionage is expected to be firmly established among the people.

As this year marks the 10th anniversary of the proposal of the holistic view of national security, the national security has been strengthened. However, beyond traditional areas, emerging fields related to national economy and people's livelihoods, future development, energy, food and meteorology have also become key targets for foreign spy agencies.

In response to the new situations and forms both internationally and domestically, comprehensive measures are needed in terms of raising awareness of safeguarding national security, implementing better legislation and the establishment of specialized institutions to address events that pose a threat to national security, according to analysts. They stressed the importance of lifelong education on national security among the public.

As part of nationwide efforts to promote the national security education, China's Ministry of State Security released a special documentary film that is divided into two parts with the first part summarizing the 10 major anti-espionage cases uncovered by the state security organs in the past decade and the second part reviewing 10 typical citizen-whistleblowing cases during the same period.

The first part of the film was released on Sunday and the second part is set to be published on Monday, according to the ministry.

In the first part of the video that lasts about half an hour, the case of the two Canadians, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, engaging in spying activities in China, is revealed with some details. In December 2018, the state security organs detected two Canadians for overseas spying, illegally providing state secrets and reporting intelligence, which severely fought against the criminal acts of overseas spies endangering China's national security.

In recent years, with the continuous improvement of China's comprehensive national strength, some overseas spy and intelligence agencies have infiltrated China, trying to gather intelligence and steal China's state secrets, the Ministry of State Security noted.

In another case, in 2019, the state security organ uncovered the case of Lee Henley Huxiang's financing of criminal activities endangering national security. According to the video, Lee is willing to be a "traitor" - enjoying the national dividend, while sparing no effort to support anti-China activities, acting as the investor behind the anti-China activities, engaged in anti-China chaos and other activities, endangering national security.

Separately, according to the film, in 2017, the state security authorities deployed a special campaign against defectors, including Wang Pihong and Zhao Ruqin. Defection is one of the crimes of endangering national security, and this was the first case of endangering national security with the conviction of "defection" since 2012.

The Ministry of State Security also noted that core secret-related personnel in the Party, government and military organs, military enterprises, scientific research institutes as well as university teachers and students are the key targets for overseas spy and intelligence agencies to carry out intelligence collection and infiltration.

Through various means such as emotional solicitation, seduction and corruption, financial purchase, and offering help, overseas spies have tried every means to recruit and instigate Chinese officials, researchers and Chinese personnel working overseas, posing a serious threat to China's national security, the film said.

The state security organs have found that some personnel have a weak sense of national security and are used by people with ulterior motives, intentionally or inadvertently divulging state secrets and endangering national security.

The video also revealed cases of individual military fans illegally obtaining state secrets.

At present, there are some overseas institutions that have complex backgrounds. With the rapid development of information technology, in order to circumvent China's laws and regulations and the supervision of key sensitive industries, they disguise their overseas background through various methods. Then, they steal China's state secrets and intelligence in key fields with the help of domestic consulting companies and other industries, the film warned.

The video has sparked heated online discussion with many expressing admiration and respect for the anti-espionage work. Some netizens "liked" the various forms of popularizing the national security concept including videos, comic posts and other activities both online and offline, believing those publicity works can promote the public awareness of protecting national security.

Li Wei, an expert on national security at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times on Sunday that as China comprehensively promotes the rule of law, including in the field of counterespionage, relevant provisions of the Criminal Law and Counter-Espionage Law have been improved and enriched.

For example, the Counter-Espionage Law that was revised last year is more precise, clear-cut and transparent, which embodies progress in China's legal system.

However, relevant laws are not permanently perfected through one revision. If there are new trends and changes in espionage activities in the future, these laws will need further revisions and improvements, according to Li.

Li put forward a concept of lifelong education on national security among the public, stressing the significance of adopting more forms and methods to enhance the relevant awareness and make safeguarding national security a necessity for every citizen.

The National Healthcare Security Administration has dismissed recent hypes of a surge in Chinese residents abandoning basic medical insurance due to increasing fees. It stated that the current extent of the nation's medical insurance coverage remains largely consistent with that of the previous year.

Western media outlets have claimed over recent weeks that the number of participants in China's urban and rural residents' medical insurance has been continuously decreasing.

Many people cannot afford the personal payment standard which rose from 350 yuan ($48.36) in 2022 to 380 yuan in 2023, causing many to opt out of the insurance, resulting in a "dropout wave" in some rural areas, the media reports said. 

Responding to such hypes, the administration on Thursday said at a press conference that per the latest data by the end of March 2024, China's medical insurance system has shown a stable landscape, and the vast majority of residents still have confidence in the country's basic medical insurance.

The total number of people covered by China's basic medical insurance reached 1.33 billion at the end of 2023, accounting for over 95 percent of the country's population. 

The actual net increase in the number of insured individuals in 2023 stood at around 4 million, officials revealed at the conference. This figure considers the exclusion of nearly 40 million individuals with duplicate or invalid data within provincial-level regions, along with an additional 16 million individuals with duplicate insurance across provinces.

A total of 371 million people are covered by basic medical insurance for employees, while 963 million people are covered by basic medical insurance for residents, the administration said.

The number of employees covered by medical insurance increased by 9 million, accounting for 27.8 percent of all insured individuals, further optimizing the structure of insurance coverage. 

In addition, medical insurance departments have provided assistance to nearly 80 million low-income individuals nationwide in 2023, alleviating their financial burden. 

The rate of low-income individuals in rural areas covered by medical insurance has remained stable at over 99 percent, effectively safeguarding the interests of the vulnerable groups, the administration said. 

In a separate development, it has become a trend for Hong Kong residents to seek medical treatment in the Chinese mainland, particularly in the neighboring city of Shenzhen in South China's Guangdong Province. 

Many Hong Kong residents have shared tips for obtaining medical insurance in Shenzhen on social media platforms such as Xiaohongshu, also known as Little Red Book, while showing off the convenience and affordability of seeking medical care in the mainland. 

According to Hong Kong media reports, in recent years, the tight medical resources and long waiting times in public healthcare institutes in Hong Kong have resulted in strong complaints, leading many Hong Kong residents opt for medical services in the mainland. 

Apart from being affordable, easy to schedule, and with a comfortable environment, the short waiting times in Shenzhen have become a significant factor. Additionally, with an increasing number of insurance plans covering the Greater Bay Area medical network, seeking medical treatment in the mainland has become a better choice for Hong Kong residents facing healthcare challenges.