Xi Jinping Presides Over Symposium on Promoting Western Development in New Era, Emphasizing Formation of New Pattern of Great Protection, Great Opening-Up, and High-Quality Development to Write New Chapter in Western Development
Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, President of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, presided over a symposium on promoting the large-scale development of the western region in the new era and delivered an important speech in Chongqing on the afternoon of April 23. He emphasized that the western region plays a crucial role in the overall reform, development, and stability of the country. He stressed the need to consistently implement the policies and measures of the CPC Central Committee to promote the development of the western region, further form a new pattern of great protection, great opening-up, and high-quality development, enhance the overall strength and sustainable development capabilities of the region, and strive to write a new chapter in the development of the western region in the construction of Chinese modernization. Li Qiang, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Premier of the State Council, Cai Qi, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, and Ding Xuexiang, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, attended the symposium. At the symposium, Zheng Shanjie, Director of the National Development and Reform Commission, Yuan Jiajun, Secretary of the Chongqing Municipal Committee, Wang Xiaohui, Secretary of the Sichuan Provincial Committee, Zhao Yide, Secretary of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee, and Ma Xingrui, Secretary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Party Committee, successively delivered speeches, reporting on the work and offering opinions and suggestions for promoting the development of the western region. Leading officials from other provinces, autonomous regions, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps attending the symposium submitted written speeches. After listening to their speeches, Xi Jinping delivered an important speech. He pointed out that in the five years since the CPC Central Committee deployed the new pattern for promoting the large-scale development of the western region in the new era, significant achievements have been made in ecological environmental protection and restoration in the western region, high-quality development capabilities have been significantly improved, the open economic pattern has been accelerated, infrastructure conditions have greatly improved, and people's living standards have steadily increased. The region successfully won the battle against poverty as scheduled and achieved a moderately prosperous society in all respects along with the rest of the country, embarking on a new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country. At the same time, it must be recognized that the development of the western region still faces many difficulties and challenges that need to be earnestly studied and resolved. Xi Jinping emphasized the need to adhere to the development of characteristic advantageous industries as the main direction, develop emerging industries according to local conditions, and accelerate the industrial transformation and upgrading of the western region. He stressed strengthening the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation, actively cultivating, introducing, and utilizing high-level scientific and technological innovation talents, and striving to overcome a number of key core technologies. He also highlighted deepening scientific and technological innovation cooperation between the eastern, central, and western regions, and building national independent innovation demonstration zones and technology transfer and transformation demonstration zones. He called for accelerating the technological transformation of traditional industries, promoting equipment renewal and renovation in key industries, promoting the upgrading, quality improvement, and efficiency enhancement of traditional advantageous industries, and improving the comprehensive utilization efficiency of resources and the deep processing of products. He advocated promoting the integrated development of central enterprises and the western region. He also emphasized building tourism and other service industries into regional pillar industries. He called for developing new productive forces according to local conditions, exploring the development of modern manufacturing and strategic emerging industries, planning and building future industries, and forming new drivers for regional development. Xi Jinping pointed out the need to adhere to high-level protection to support high-quality development and build a national ecological security barrier. He called for optimizing the pattern of territorial space development and protection, strengthening ecological environmental zoning control, accelerating the promotion of major projects for the protection and restoration of important ecosystems, and winning the three major landmark battles of the "Three North" shelterbelt program. He emphasized strengthening the protection of ecological resources, enhancing the capacity for forest and grassland fire prevention and control, and deepening pollution prevention and control in key areas and fields. He urged vigorously promoting energy-saving and carbon-reducing transformations of traditional industries and orderly promoting the clean and efficient utilization of coal. He also called for improving the mechanism for realizing the value of ecological products and the horizontal ecological protection compensation mechanism. Xi Jinping emphasized the need to adhere to promoting great development through great opening-up and improve the level of internal and external opening-up in the western region. He stressed vigorously promoting the construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, promoting the development and opening-up of areas along the corridor, and deeply integrating into the joint construction of the "Belt and Road." He called for improving the layout of various industrial parks, border economic cooperation zones, and cross-border economic cooperation zones in border areas, and promoting the high-quality development of pilot free trade zones. He also advocated steadily expanding institutional opening-up and creating a market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment. He urged more proactively serving and aligning with major regional strategies, actively integrating into the construction of a unified national market, innovating docking mechanisms for open platforms between the eastern, central, and western regions, and deepening practical cooperation with the eastern, central, and northeastern regions. Xi Jinping pointed out the need to adhere to coordinating development and security and improve the security assurance capabilities in key areas such as energy and resources. He called for accelerating the construction of a new energy system and strengthening a number of important national energy bases. He stressed strengthening pipeline interconnection and improving the "west-to-east power transmission" capacity. He also emphasized strengthening the planning and control of mineral resources and large-scale intensive development and utilization, and accelerating the formation of a number of national-level mineral resource extraction and processing bases. He urged improving the level of water resource security assurance. He advocated innovating cross-regional industrial collaboration and optimized layout mechanisms, and orderly undertaking industrial梯度transfer. He called for vigorously promoting the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle, actively cultivating urban agglomerations, developing and strengthening a number of provincial sub-central cities, and promoting infrastructure connectivity and public service sharing among cities. Xi Jinping emphasized the need to adhere to the organic combination of promoting new urbanization and comprehensive rural revitalization, and ensuring and improving people's livelihoods in development. He stressed deeply implementing the rural revitalization strategy, increasing support for key national rural revitalization assistance counties, establishing a normalized assistance mechanism for low-income populations and underdeveloped areas, and resolutely preventing large-scale relapse into poverty. He called for learning from and applying the "Thousands of Villages Demonstration and Ten Thousands of Villages Renovation" project experience and creating rural construction models with regional characteristics. He advocated developing county economies with distinct characteristics, cultivating a number of strong agricultural counties, large industrial counties, and famous tourism counties, promoting farmers' local employment and income increase, and promoting urbanization according to local conditions. He urged promoting the construction of high-standard farmland, taking responsibility for ensuring the stable production and supply of important agricultural products, and making due contributions to safeguarding national food security. He called for strengthening rural spiritual civilization construction, promoting a change in customs, and actively cultivating new styles of the times. He stressed improving the grassroots governance system led by party organizations, upholding and developing the "Fengqiao experience" in the new era, realizing the normalization of combating gang crimes, and maintaining grassroots stability and public safety. Xi Jinping pointed out the need to adhere to forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation and effectively maintaining ethnic unity and border stability. Ethnic regions should integrate the forging of a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation throughout the entire process and all aspects of development. He emphasized promoting economic and social development closely linked to people's livelihoods, improving the social security system, ensuring the bottom line of people's livelihoods, and striving to solve pressing problems for the people. He called for comprehensively and accurately implementing the party's ethnic policies, accelerating the construction of an embedded social structure and community environment, and promoting interaction, exchange, and integration among all ethnic groups. He urged comprehensively implementing the party's basic policy on religious work, adhering to the direction of the Sinicization of religions in China, and continuously addressing illegal religious activities. He stressed deeply promoting the action of enriching border residents and strengthening border areas in the new era, strengthening the construction of infrastructure and public service facilities in border areas, developing border tourism and other industries, and striving to achieve prosperity for border residents, beauty for border passes, stability for borders, and strong border defenses. Xi Jinping finally emphasized that the Central Leading Group for Regional Coordinated Development should strengthen overall coordination and supervision, and relevant central departments should study and propose targeted policy measures. Party committees and governments at all levels in the western region should take primary responsibility and promote the implementation of the CPC Central Committee's decisions and deployments. He called for improving the East-West cooperation mechanism and deepening paired assistance and targeted poverty alleviation. He urged consolidating and expanding the achievements of thematic education, focusing on Party discipline education, and continuously addressing formalism to reduce the burden on grassroots. He stressed improving decision-making mechanisms, ensuring full argumentation and risk assessment before major policies, especially those involving people's livelihoods, are introduced, and promptly investigating and decisively handling problems that arise during implementation. He called for building a high-quality professional cadre team that is loyal, clean, and responsible, establishing and improving assessment and incentive systems, caring for and loving grassroots cadres, especially those in difficult areas, and encouraging cadres to forge ahead, boldly explore, and take responsibility. Li Qiang stated in his speech that it is necessary to earnestly study and grasp the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, taking a broad view and positioning and promoting the development of the western region within the overall construction of Chinese modernization; and also starting from the details, applying differentiated and localized policies based on the unique endowments and development potential of each region. He emphasized the need to leverage distinctive advantages, cultivate more growth poles and belts that drive regional development, solidify the national ecological security barrier, enhance the development capabilities of special types of areas, and coordinate the resolution of local debt risks with stable development. He called for expanding internal and external opening-up, actively aligning with other regional strategies within the country, actively integrating into international circulation, and strengthening the impetus and vitality of western development. Ding Xuexiang stated in his speech that it is necessary to earnestly study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, and completely, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, promoting high-quality development and high-level protection in a coordinated manner, and continuously elevating the large-scale development of the western region to new stages. He emphasized fulfilling the important mission of safeguarding national ecological security, strengthening ecological protection and restoration, and enhancing the diversity, stability, and sustainability of ecosystems. He called for continuously and deeply fighting the battle against pollution, adhering to precise, scientific, and law-based pollution control, and continuously improving the quality of the ecological environment. He also urged accelerating the green and low-carbon transformation of development methods, developing new productive forces according to local conditions, and actively and prudently promoting carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. Li Ganjie, He Lifeng, Wu Zhenglong, Mu Hong, and Jiang Xinzhi attended the symposium. Responsible comrades from relevant central and state organs, relevant local governments, and relevant enterprises participated in the symposium.
9th Session of 14th NPC Standing Committee Held in Beijing, Deliberating on Draft Degree Law, Draft Tariff Law; Zhao Leji Presides
The Ninth Session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress held its first plenary meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the morning of April 23. Chairman Zhao Leji presided over the meeting. The meeting heard a report by Yuan Shuhong, Vice Chairman of the NPC Constitution and Law Committee, on the deliberation results of the draft Degree Law. The second deliberation draft adds content such as "ensuring the quality of degrees" to the legislative purpose and further improves regulations concerning the degree work system, granting conditions, granting procedures, and foreign degrees. The meeting heard a report by He Ping, Vice Chairman of the Constitution and Law Committee, on the deliberation results of the draft Customs Law. The second deliberation draft adapts to the development requirements of cross-border e-commerce, explicitly stipulates withholding agents in relevant fields; adds content related to the basic system rules of origin; and elevates certain practices that facilitate taxpayers to legal provisions. Entrusted by the Chairperson's Council, Shen Chunyao, Director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee, explained the motion to deliberate the revised draft of the National Defense Education Law. Entrusted by the State Council, Liao Min, Vice Minister of Finance, explained the motion to deliberate the amendment draft of the Accounting Law. Kang Yi, Director of the National Bureau of Statistics, explained the motion to deliberate the amendment draft of the Statistics Law. Li Chunlin, Vice Director of the National Development and Reform Commission, explained the motion to deliberate the draft Energy Law. Zhang Kejian, Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology and Director of the China Atomic Energy Authority, explained the motion to deliberate the draft Atomic Energy Law. Pan Gongsheng, Governor of the People's Bank of China, explained the motion to deliberate the revised draft of the Anti-Money Laundering Law. He Rong, Minister of Justice, explained the motion to deliberate the amendment drafts of three laws, including the Agricultural Technology Popularization Law. He Rong also explained the draft decision on authorizing the State Council to temporarily adjust the application of relevant provisions of the Food Safety Law in the Hainan Free Trade Port. Entrusted by the State Council, Deng Li, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, explained the motion to deliberate and approve the "Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Mauritius," the motion to deliberate and approve the "Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between the People's Republic of China and Nepal," the motion to deliberate and approve the "Extradition Treaty between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Senegal," and the motion to deliberate and approve the "Extradition Treaty between the People's Republic of China and the Hellenic Republic." Zhao Yingmin, Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment, reported on the environmental situation in 2023 and the completion of environmental protection targets. Liao Min reported on the study, handling, rectification, and accountability of opinions on the special report on the management of state-owned financial enterprise assets. The meeting heard a report by Yang Xiaochao, Director of the NPC Standing Committee's Deputy Qualification Review Committee, on the qualifications of individual deputies. The meeting also deliberated on relevant appointments and dismissals.
3rd National Reading Conference Kicks Off in Kunming
The 3rd National Reading Conference opened in Kunming, Yunnan on April 23. The conference emphasized that to deeply study and practice Xi Jinping Thought on Culture and shoulder the new cultural mission, it is essential to better leverage the fundamental role of reading, thoroughly promote the building of a society of avid readers, continuously expand the depth and breadth of reading, and improve the quality of national reading. It is also crucial to focus on advancing the great cause of building a strong nation and national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization, strengthen reading guidance, encourage people to deeply study General Secretary Xi Jinping's works, and read more classics from ancient and modern times, both Chinese and foreign, to better unite and gather spiritual strength for progress. This conference, themed "Building a Society of Avid Readers, Sharing Modern Civilization," will host activities such as reading promotion, thematic releases, a National Reading Lecture Hall, and the Spring City Book Corridor, aiming to continuously deepen national reading activities and further foster a good social atmosphere of loving to read, reading good books, and being good at reading.
Promoting High-Quality Development Series Press Conference: Liaoning Strives to Write New Chapter of All-Round Revitalization with Greater Responsibility and Action
The State Council Information Office held a press conference today (April 23) as part of the "Promoting High-Quality Development" series, with relevant officials from Liaoning Province introducing the situation. In 2023, Liaoning's GDP grew by 5.3%, exceeding the national growth rate for the first time in ten years, and its economic aggregate surpassed 3 trillion yuan. Liaoning has 156 key central-local cooperation projects with a total investment of 1.3 trillion yuan. The added value of high-tech manufacturing in the province increased by 8.8% year-on-year, and investment in high-tech industries increased by 32.8% year-on-year. Both the total value and growth rate of technology contracts in the province hit new highs since the 13th Five-Year Plan period. This year, Liaoning will aim to build a market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment, continue to deepen reforms in key areas, and fully create an "upgraded version" of the business environment. Next, Liaoning will leverage its advantages in science, education, and resources to accelerate the creation of a regionally influential national scientific and technological innovation center, develop new productive forces according to local conditions, and build four trillion-yuan industrial clusters: advanced equipment manufacturing, petrochemical and fine chemical industry, metallurgical new materials, and high-quality characteristic consumer goods. It will continue to do a good job in the "three major articles" of structural adjustment: transforming and upgrading "old brands," deeply developing "raw materials," and cultivating and strengthening "new brands."
Shenzhou-18 Launch Imminent, Systems Ready
Today (April 23), the Shenzhou-18 manned spacecraft launch mission conducted a full-system rehearsal. Under the unified command of the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center, the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Xi'an Satellite Control Center, and various tracking and control stations involved in the mission carried out joint debugging and control, comprehensively simulating various technical states and work processes during launch preparation, launch, and flight. Currently, the facilities and equipment in the launch area are in good condition, and subsequent work will proceed according to procedures for rocket propellant fueling and launch. Phasing work will also be conducted before the space station launch to prepare for the rendezvous and docking of the Shenzhou-18 spacecraft with the space station.
Phase 2 of 135th Canton Fair Opens Today
The second phase of the 135th Canton Fair opened today (April 23) and will run from April 23 to April 27. This second phase of the Canton Fair features three professional sections: building materials and furniture, home furnishings, and gifts and decorations, comprising a total of 15 exhibition areas. The offline exhibition has a total area of 515,000 square meters, with over 24,600 booths and more than 9,800 participating enterprises. Among them, over 1,400 are national high-tech enterprises, manufacturing single champions, or specialized and sophisticated "little giant" enterprises, an increase of over 300 compared to the previous session. The second phase of the Canton Fair's import exhibition has 220 enterprises from 30 countries and regions participating. Among these, 144 enterprises from 18 Belt and Road Initiative countries are participating, accounting for approximately 65%.
Chengdu World Horticultural Exposition Preparations Complete
The organizing committee of the 2024 Chengdu Horticultural Expo announced today (April 23) that after more than three years of meticulous preparation, all preparations for the 2024 Chengdu Horticultural Expo are complete, and it will officially open on April 26. The theme of this year's expo is "Park City, Beautiful Homeland." In addition to the flower and horticulture exhibitions, there will be over 2,000 various events, averaging more than 10 per day, with an expected 5 million visitors. Furthermore, the Chengdu Horticultural Expo has simultaneously introduced several convenient measures, including opening multiple subway and bus special lines to promote green and low-carbon public transport. At the same time, innovative ticketing and payment methods will be offered, with service windows at Tianfu International Airport and the Expo Visitor Center providing convenient international payment services for international tourists.
Domestic News Briefs
Heavy Rainfall in Southern China to Recede, Intensifying Again in South China Tomorrow
The Central Meteorological Observatory forecasts that today (April 23) and tomorrow, the scope of heavy rainfall in South China, Jiangnan, and other areas will be smaller than before. However, some parts of Guangdong, Guangxi, and Fujian will still experience heavy to torrential rain, with localized deluges. Starting the night of April 24, rainfall in South China will intensify again, with most parts of Guangdong experiencing torrential rain, and accumulated rainfall in some areas potentially exceeding 250 millimeters. The second flood of the Beijiang River in the Pearl River Basin this year is currently receding across the board.
General Administration of Customs Introduces 17 Facilitation Measures for Advanced Certified Enterprises
The General Administration of Customs recently released a new batch of 17 facilitation measures for advanced certified enterprises, including reducing the frequency of inspection and quarantine supervision and lowering enterprise import and export costs. These measures aim to further help enterprises reduce costs, increase efficiency, and stimulate market vitality. Advanced certified enterprises are highly credit-rated enterprises certified by customs.
Ministry of Public Security Launches "Fox Hunt 2024" Special Operation
Recently, the Ministry of Public Security deployed national public security organs to launch the "Fox Hunt 2024" special operation to hunt down economic crime suspects who have fled abroad. Since 2014, the Ministry of Public Security has continuously organized the "Fox Hunt Operation" for ten consecutive years across national public security organs, apprehending over 9,000 economic crime suspects from more than 120 countries and regions and recovering nearly 49 billion RMB in illicit gains.
Nine Chinese Engineering Projects Selected Among Top 50 Iconic Tunnel Projects Globally
Today (April 23), the International Tunneling and Underground Space Association announced the top 50 iconic projects in the global tunneling and underground space industry. Nine Chinese engineering projects were selected, including the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link immersed tube tunnel, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge immersed tube tunnel, and the Dayao Mountain Tunnel of the Hengyang-Guangzhou Railway double track, making China the country with the most selected projects globally.
National Insulin Centralized Procurement Sees Stable or Declining Selected Prices
Reporters learned from the National Healthcare Security Administration that the national insulin centralized procurement today (April 23) yielded selected results. This round of procurement involved 53 products from 13 enterprises, with 49 products selected. The selected prices further decreased by 3.8 percentage points on top of the price reductions from the first round of centralized procurement. The selected results will be implemented nationwide in May, ensuring a smooth and orderly transition from the previous round of centralized procurement and continuous benefits for patients.
2024 National Culture and Tourism Consumption Promotion Activities Launched
The launching ceremony of the 2024 National Culture and Tourism Consumption Promotion Activities and the main event of the National "May Day" Culture and Tourism Consumption Week were held today (April 23) in Zhuhai. Various regions will focus on the theme of "Benefiting the People through Culture and Tourism, Sharing a Better Life" and launch characteristic cultural and tourism activities, new consumption scenarios, and consumer benefit measures around traditional festivals, statutory holidays, and peak tourist seasons such as summer, to stimulate cultural and tourism consumption enthusiasm.
Air China Launches and Resumes 4 International Routes
Starting April 28, Air China will successively launch new routes from Beijing to Riyadh and Beijing to Dhaka, and resume routes from Beijing to Madrid to São Paulo, and Beijing to Madrid to Havana. At that time, the route network of domestic airlines will once again cover six continents worldwide.
"National Reading Conference·2023 Annual China Good Books" to Air Tonight
"National Reading Conference·2023 Annual China Good Books" will air tonight (April 23) at 7:30 PM on CCTV Science and Education Channel of China Central Television. The program will unveil the top books in categories such as "Thematic Publishing," "Humanities and Social Sciences," and "Literature and Art," and will review and share the award-winning "China Good Books" through various forms.
Israeli Military Claims Destruction of Hamas Facilities; Palestinian Armed Groups Claim Strikes on Israeli Military Concentrations
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated on April 22 that Israeli forces struck Hamas targets in the central Gaza Strip, destroying their facilities. Hamas, on the same day, claimed to have engaged in combat with Israeli forces in the Beit Hanoun area in northern Gaza and in Gaza City, striking Israeli troop concentrations.
Israeli Media: IDF Preparing to Evacuate Palestinian Civilians from Rafah Before Ground Offensive
Israeli media reported today (April 23) that the Israel Defense Forces are preparing to evacuate Palestinian civilians from Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip before launching a ground offensive. The military operation in Rafah is expected to last at least six weeks, but the exact timing of the operation remains uncertain. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly emphasized that the Israeli military will launch a ground operation in Rafah. Currently, over 1.5 million Palestinian civilians are sheltering in Rafah. The international community is concerned that an Israeli ground offensive on Rafah would cause more civilian casualties.
UN Expert: Gaza Health System Completely Destroyed
Mohfozken, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, stated at a press conference on April 22 that the health system in the Gaza Strip has been completely destroyed, and the health rights of the local population have been severely undermined at all levels.
Russia Claims Strikes on Ukrainian Drone Storage Sites; Ukraine Claims Strikes on Russian Command Post
Russia's Ministry of Defense stated on April 22 that Russian forces struck Ukrainian air defense positions, drone storage sites, and other targets, shooting down 240 Ukrainian drones. Russian forces also made new gains in the Donetsk region, recently taking control of several settlements. Ukraine, on the same day, stated that Ukrainian forces struck several areas of Russian personnel and military equipment concentrations, air defense systems, and command posts. Ukraine also claimed that Russian forces attacked a TV tower in Kharkiv on April 22, interrupting local television signals. Russian media reported that the tower housed Ukrainian air defense communication systems. The Russian authorities have not yet responded.
Russia Says US Nuclear Weapons in Poland Would Be Legitimate Target
Polish media reported on April 22 that Polish President Duda stated in an interview that Poland is ready to deploy NATO allied nuclear weapons on its territory. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on April 22 that if US nuclear weapons appear in Poland, the relevant facilities would immediately become legitimate targets for Russia. International observers pointed out that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine was initiated by NATO, led by the United States, and the continuous incitement by the United States and NATO has led to the ongoing escalation of the conflict.
International News Briefs
African High-Level Counter-Terrorism Meeting Calls for Cooperation Against Terrorism
On April 22, a high-level counter-terrorism meeting for the African region convened in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, focusing on the escalating regional security situation. UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed stated that global deaths from terrorism surged by 22% in 2023, reaching 8,352 people, the highest level since 2017, with approximately half of the deaths from terrorist attacks occurring in Africa's Sahel region. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said on the same day that a regional counter-terrorism force should be established to address the current situation.
Japanese Yen Falls to Approximately 34-Year Low Against US Dollar
On April 22, the Japanese yen briefly fell to 154.85:1 against the US dollar in the New York foreign exchange market, its lowest level in approximately 34 years. Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki stated today (April 23) that he would not rule out any options for proper response. According to Japanese media reports, this implies the possibility of intervention by the Japanese government in the foreign exchange market to prevent further depreciation of the yen. Reports indicate that recent cooling predictions of an early interest rate cut in the US have led to a prevailing trend of selling yen and buying US dollars in the market.
Two Malaysian Military Helicopters Collide and Crash, Killing 10
The Malaysian military said today (April 23) that two Malaysian military helicopters collided and crashed during a flight performance training in Perak, Malaysia, killing all 10 people on board. The Malaysian Ministry of Defense stated that it would establish an investigation committee to determine the cause of the accident.