Xi Jinping Congratulates Siljanovska-Davkova on Assuming North Macedonian Presidency
Recently, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova on her inauguration as President of the Republic of North Macedonia. Xi Jinping pointed out that China and North Macedonia share a profound traditional friendship. In recent years, practical cooperation between the two countries has made solid progress, with results benefiting the people. I attach great importance to the development of relations between China and North Macedonia and am willing to work with Madam President to deepen political mutual trust, expand exchanges and cooperation, and push the friendly cooperative relationship between China and North Macedonia to a new level.
Xi Jinping Sends Congratulatory Message to Chadian President-Elect Mahamat
On May 20, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno on his election as President of the Republic of Chad. Xi Jinping pointed out that in recent years, China-Chad relations have maintained a good momentum of development, political mutual trust has deepened continuously, cooperation in various fields has steadily advanced, and international coordination has become closer. I attach great importance to the development of China-Chad relations and am willing to work with President Mahamat to strengthen mutual support, promote friendly cooperation, and better benefit the people of both countries.
New Vision Guides New Journey: Brand Building Boosts High-Quality Development
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that we must promote the transformation of "Made in China" to "Created in China," "China Speed" to "China Quality," and "Chinese Products" to "Chinese Brands." In recent years, China's brand building has achieved remarkable results, with steadily increasing brand influence and significantly enhanced driving and leading roles in upgrading the supply and demand structure. Today's China is seeing a rapid leap in brand core competitiveness. At 10,000 meters in the sky, the domestically produced large aircraft C919 soars; on busy production lines, "specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative" products are rolling off the line; in flowing packages, Chinese trademarks are renowned overseas. Nowadays, Chinese brands are found in more than 200 countries and regions worldwide, and 48 Chinese brands have entered the "World's Top 500 Brands," demonstrating the increasing influence of Chinese brands. A brand is a comprehensive reflection of the competitiveness of an enterprise and even a country, and an important resource for winning the market. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has always cared about and attached importance to the development of Chinese brands. From shield tunneling machine assembly workshops to automotive R&D centers, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized during his inspections the need to strengthen independent research and development of key core technologies and components, achieve technological self-reliance and self-improvement, and build stronger national brands. In Zhengzhou, Henan, a shield tunneling machine with an excavation diameter of over 13 meters is about to roll off the line. This is currently China's largest-diameter shield tunneling machine exported to Italy, integrating multiple innovative designs such as continuous tunneling, intelligent maintenance, and automatic steering. From initially relying on imports to a leapfrog change where China now accounts for 70% of the global market, shield tunneling machines are just one microcosm of Chinese brands growing stronger. Guided by scientific and technological innovation, promoting the accelerated formation of new productive forces allows more Chinese brands to stand out. The state has issued the "Outline of the Strategic Plan for Expanding Domestic Demand," proposing to vigorously strengthen standard quality brand building. A series of solid measures, such as carrying out the "increase varieties, improve quality, and create brands" action in manufacturing and implementing the protection and development project for中华老字号 (Chinese time-honored brands), have pushed Chinese brands to a new level. From domestic to international, more "Made in China" products are shining on the world stage. Chinese roads, Chinese bridges, Chinese ports, and Chinese high-speed railways, thanks to continuous breakthroughs in key core technologies, have made many "major national instruments" and "Chinese business cards" widely acclaimed both at home and abroad. Data shows that in 2023, exports of Chinese independent brand products increased by 9.3%. Among them, the average export price of automobiles has risen from 12,900 US dollars in 2018 to about 19,000 US dollars currently, indicating a significant role of brands in increasing product added value. From cities to rural areas, a number of local brands have carved out large markets. Daring to explore and innovate, Chinese enterprises are making their "golden brands" shine brighter and brighter. As of now, the number of valid trademark registrations nationwide has exceeded 46 million, with 1,455 Chinese time-honored brands cultivated, 4,560 distinctive high-quality agricultural products, and the total annual output value of over 2,500 geographical indication products across the country exceeding 800 billion yuan. From "following" to "leading," many new brands are entering the fast lane. A large number of "trendy products" of domestic brands, such as smart electronics, beauty and skincare, "new Chinese style" clothing, and zodiac new year goods, are continuously meeting diversified, personalized, and high-quality market demands. E-commerce platform big data shows that compared to the same period in 2020, the number of brands producing national trendy products has increased by over 3 times this year, and the variety of goods has increased by over 5 times, with more and more new Chinese brands leading new consumer choices.
Li Qiang Issues Important Instructions on Local Financial Work, Emphasizing Financial Service to Real Economy and High-Quality Financial Development
The national meeting of directors of local Party committees' financial offices was held in Beijing on May 21. Li Qiang, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Premier of the State Council, and Director of the Central Financial Commission, recently issued an important instruction on doing a good job in local financial work. The instruction pointed out that since 2023, financial commissions and financial offices at all levels have adhered to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, conscientiously implemented the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, aimed at the goal of building a financially strong nation, comprehensively strengthened the Party's leadership and Party building in the financial system, orderly promoted the reform of the financial management system, vigorously prevented and resolved financial risks, strengthened financial supervision, and promoted high-quality financial development, achieving positive progress in all aspects of work. Finance is related to the overall situation of economic and social development. It is necessary to thoroughly study and implement the spirit of the Central Financial Work Conference, adhere to the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee over financial work, and unswervingly follow the path of financial development with Chinese characteristics. It is necessary to adhere to the fundamental purpose of financial services to the real economy, do a good job in the "five major articles" of finance, coordinate financial openness and security, and accelerate the construction of a modern financial system with Chinese characteristics. It is necessary to complete the reform tasks of the local financial management system as scheduled, accelerate the formation of synergy between central and local governments, strengthen daily supervision of local financial institutions, firmly hold the bottom line of preventing systemic financial risks, and assist in building a strong nation and achieving national rejuvenation through high-quality financial development. He Lifeng, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Financial Commission, attended the meeting and delivered a speech.
Promoting High-Quality Development Series Press Conference: Xinjiang Strives to Write New Chapter of Chinese Modernization
The State Council Information Office held a series of press conferences on "Promoting High-Quality Development" today (May 21), where relevant officials from the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region introduced the situation. In 2023, Xinjiang's six major indicators—GDP, investment, consumption, import and export, fiscal revenue, and residents' income—all ranked among the top 5 nationwide in terms of growth rate. As an important base for China's energy resource security and high-quality agricultural and animal husbandry product supply, Xinjiang's oil and gas output equivalent has ranked first nationwide for three consecutive years, and its increased grain output exceeded 6 billion jin. At the same time, Xinjiang continues to expand high-level domestic and international openness, actively builds a modernized industrial system, and creates a strategic fulcrum for the new development paradigm. In the next step, Xinjiang will accelerate the increase of oil and gas reserves and production, promote the construction of clean energy bases such as wind and photovoltaic power; focus on the construction of agricultural industrial clusters such as grain and oil, cotton, and textiles and garments; deepen the integration of culture and tourism, cultivate distinctive tourism formats; and accelerate the construction of a comprehensive logistics hub connecting Europe and Asia, vigorously develop import and export processing trade, service trade, and cross-border e-commerce, promote the quality and efficiency improvement of foreign trade, and build a golden passage to Eurasia and a bridgehead for westward opening-up.
Cultural China Tour: Savoring Tea's Aroma, Sharing Good Life
Today (May 21) marks the fifth International Tea Day, and various regions are holding diverse exhibitions and activities to promote tea culture and deepen exchanges and mutual learning. At the National Library of China's Ancient Books Museum, the exhibition "Tea and the World - Tea in Ancient Books" comprehensively traces and presents the origin and development of Chinese tea, as well as China's profound influence on the world as the birthplace and center of tea culture, through over 60 precious ancient books, including Lu Yu's tea treatise "The Classic of Tea" and the Qing Dynasty "Siku Quanshu" version of "Xuanhe Beiyuan Tribute Tea Record." This morning, the 2024 "Tea and the World, Sharing Intangible Cultural Heritage" main event in Zhejiang Province was held in Anji County, Huzhou City. In eight uniquely styled "intangible cultural heritage tea spaces," people can not only experience innovative tea drinks such as gaiwan tea brewing and traditional Chinese medicine milk tea, but also experience intangible cultural heritage techniques such as traditional Chinese medicine processing and Longquan celadon firing on-site. Efforts are being made to vigorously promote the development of the tea industry and the protection and inheritance of tea culture. In Wuyishan, Fujian, the Yanzike Ecological Tea Garden covers 1,000 mu and is a core production area for Wuyi rock tea. Walking in the ecological tea garden is like strolling in a park, and the tea picking and tea making study tours here attract many tourists. In Puer, Yunnan, with the successful inclusion of the Jingmai Mountain Ancient Tea Forest Cultural Landscape in the "World Heritage List," more and more young people are returning to Jingmai Mountain to engage in tea tree cultivation and industry work, becoming guardians and inheritors of tea culture. The 6th China International Tea Expo attracted more than 800 exhibitors from 12 countries and regions including South Korea, Malaysia, and Vietnam, to participate and share the achievements of global tea industry development. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism is widely carrying out 2024 "International Tea Day" themed activities in 55 countries and regions, using tea as a medium to vividly showcase the charm of Chinese tea culture and spread excellent traditional Chinese culture.
Multiple Economic Policies Show Positive Effects
The National Development and Reform Commission released the latest data showing that from January to April, a total of 50 fixed-asset investment projects were approved and sanctioned nationwide, with a total investment of 320.7 billion yuan, mainly concentrated in high-tech and water conservancy industries. In the first four months, the national total electricity consumption increased by 9.0% year-on-year, with 11 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) experiencing electricity consumption growth exceeding 10%. Since the beginning of this year, central investment has increased support for equipment renewal and recycling projects, establishing a 500 billion yuan re-lending facility for technological innovation and transformation. 27 provinces and municipalities have introduced support policies such as manufacturing loan interest subsidies, trade-in subsidies, and consumption coupons, with production enterprises and e-commerce platforms investing over 25 billion yuan in funds and subsidies. The demand for equipment renewal and consumer goods trade-in is continuously being released. In the next step, the state will implement ultra-long-term special government bonds to support the implementation of major national strategies and the construction of security capabilities in key areas, cultivate and create new growth points such as new consumption scenarios and new business formats, and accelerate the transformation and upgrading of the manufacturing industry.
China's 5G Users, Traffic Account for Over Half in Jan-Apr
Data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology shows that from January to April this year, the total volume of telecommunications services increased by 12.5% year-on-year, showing steady growth. Among them, revenue from emerging services such as big data, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things maintained double-digit growth, driving a 2.7 percentage point increase in telecommunications service revenue. As of the end of April, China's 5G network construction has achieved remarkable results, with a total of 3.748 million 5G base stations built and opened, accounting for 31.7% of the total number of mobile base stations. Currently, the number of 5G base stations per 10,000 people has reached 26.6, exceeding the "14th Five-Year Plan" development goals for the information and communications industry. At present, Chinese telecom operators have developed 889 million 5G mobile phone users, accounting for 50.6% of the country's mobile phone users. From January to April, the proportion of 5G user access traffic reached 55.4%.
On the Fields of Hope - Summer Harvest Season: New Changes in Summer Grain Production Perceived from Market
Currently, with less than a week until the large-scale wheat harvest across the country, reporters have visited agricultural machinery and agricultural product processing markets in major producing areas and found new changes in this year's summer grain production. As the large-scale wheat mechanized harvest approaches, the agricultural machinery market is ushering in a sales peak for combine harvesters. In Weifang, Shandong, at the country's largest wheat combine harvester manufacturing enterprise, more than 300 agricultural machinery operators from various regions are selecting agricultural machinery. This year, China is implementing a new round of agricultural machinery purchase and application subsidy policies, which have increased the subsidy ratio for high-performance agricultural machinery and implemented preferential subsidies for superior machines. Therefore, these agricultural machinery operators have unanimously chosen new, large-feeding, high-performance combine harvesters, taking away nearly 200 units on site. This new type of combine harvester is more efficient, capable of harvesting one mu of wheat in less than 3 minutes. At this enterprise, such high-performance combine harvesters account for 95% of sales this year. While the agricultural machinery market is booming, the agricultural product processing market is also becoming increasingly active. Henan's wheat acreage accounts for about one-quarter of the national total wheat acreage, and Luohe is one of Henan's important wheat processing clusters. This year, the number of food industrial enterprises above designated size here has increased by 40 compared to last year. At this flour processing enterprise in Luohe, Henan, workers are cleaning grain silos and preparing special transport vehicles. The head of the enterprise told reporters that he felt the biggest change this year was the increased planned acquisition volume of high-quality wheat; in previous years, it was 18,000 tons, and this year it is expected to exceed 40,000 tons. To accurately meet production needs, the local government has established seven wheat full-产业链 (industrial chain) consortiums, linking the personalized flour order needs of food production enterprises with wheat cultivation by cooperatives. This year, driven by the full industrial chain, the area of local high-quality special-purpose wheat reached 1.2689 million mu, ranking first in Henan Province. Across Henan Province, the area of high-quality wheat this year reached 17 million mu.
2024 National Cultural Center Service and Publicity Week Kicks Off
The 2024 National Cultural Center Service Promotion Week officially launched today (May 21), with the main venue located in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. Cultural centers and stations at all levels across the country will widely联动 (coordinate), focusing on the theme of "Cultural Centers: The People's Lifelong Aesthetic Education School," to carry out over 7,200 series of service activities. These activities cover numerous art categories such as painting, music, calligraphy, and drama, and will be presented through various forms including performances, exhibitions, and lectures. The aim is to enhance public awareness and participation in cultural center services, promote universal art education, and comprehensively showcase the achievements of the public cultural service system in the new era.
Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Sees Over 10 Million Cross-Border Passenger Trips This Year
According to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Border Inspection Station, as of 9:40 AM today (May 21), the number of inbound and outbound passengers through the Zhuhai Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has exceeded 10 million, a year-on-year increase of over 127.7%. This milestone was reached four months earlier than in 2023, setting a new record for the fastest time to reach 10 million passengers since the port opened. It is understood that with the continuous surge of "two-way travel" between Hong Kong, Macao and the mainland, coupled with favorable customs clearance policies such as "Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles," "Northbound Travel for Macao Vehicles," and "Fly via Zhuhai to Hong Kong," inbound and outbound passenger flow through the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge continues to grow rapidly. At the same time, the fast travel methods and efficient customs clearance environment have led to "weekend rushes" and "holiday rushes" at the port. This year, the port's passenger and vehicle traffic has broken records four times, with the highest single-day passenger flow exceeding 144,000 and the highest single-day vehicle flow exceeding 19,500, both setting new historical highs for the port.
Domestic News Briefs
China's Service Outsourcing Sees Steady Growth from January to April. Data released by the Ministry of Commerce today (May 21) shows that from January to April 2024, Chinese enterprises undertook service outsourcing contracts worth 781.43 billion yuan, with an executed value of 520.51 billion yuan, representing year-on-year increases of 14.4% and 12.9% respectively. Among these, the executed value of offshore service outsourcing undertaken from Belt and Road Initiative partner countries totaled 79.95 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 24%. From January to April, 301,000 new employees joined the service outsourcing sector. "Linglong One" Main Control Room Activated. This morning (May 21), the main control room of "Linglong One," the world's first onshore commercial modular small nuclear reactor, was activated. Through the main control room, the operation of equipment and systems within the nuclear power plant area can be monitored. "Linglong One" is expected to be completed in Changjiang, Hainan, in 2026. After commissioning, it can generate 1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, meeting the power needs of over 500,000 households. Wuhan-Yichang Section of Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu High-Speed Railway Tunnels All Pierced Through. Today (May 21), the Shimen No. 1 Tunnel of the Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu High-Speed Railway, located in Dangyang, Hubei, was successfully pierced through. With this, all 25 tunnels on the Wuhan-Yichang section of the Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu High-Speed Railway have been completed. The Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu High-Speed Railway is one of the national "eight vertical and eight horizontal" high-speed rail backbone corridors, with a total length of approximately 2,100 kilometers and a design speed of 350 kilometers per hour throughout. Upon completion, it will connect the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration, the middle reaches of the Yangtze River urban agglomeration, and the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle. National Procurement of Artificial Joints Continues with Successful Bids. The National Healthcare Security Administration organized the follow-up procurement of artificial joints after the expiration of the previous centralized procurement agreement, with bidding opening today (May 21) in Tianjin. More than 6,000 hospitals participated in this follow-up procurement, reporting a demand of 580,000 sets, a slight increase compared to the first round of centralized procurement. Compared to the results of the first round, the中标 (winning bid) prices in this follow-up procurement remained stable with a slight decrease, averaging about 6% lower. New Batch of National Red Tourism Five-Star Tour Guides Announced. Today (May 21), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced a new batch of national red tourism five-star tour guides. As of now, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has selected a total of 407 outstanding tour guides in four batches as national red tourism five-star tour guides. This initiative aims to strengthen the talent pool for red tourism guiding and provide strong support for the high-quality development of red tourism. Southern Heavy Rainfall Area Shifts Eastward, Hainan, Guangdong, Fujian Experience Strong Rains. From yesterday (May 20) to today, the heavy rainfall area in southern China continued to shift eastward, with some areas in Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, and Hainan experiencing heavy to torrential rainfall. The National Meteorological Center continued to issue a blue warning for heavy rain. It is expected that over the next three days, the overall rainfall in the south will be smaller in scope and weaker in intensity, mainly light to moderate rain, but some localized areas in Hainan, Guangdong, and Fujian may still experience torrential rain, accompanied by strong convective weather such as thunderstorms and gales.
Multiple International Organizations, Governments, and Political Parties Reiterate Adherence to One-China Principle, Firmly Oppose "Taiwan Independence"
Numerous international organizations, governments of various countries, and political parties and groups have recently continued to voice their positions through interviews, statements, and other forms, reaffirming their adherence to the One-China principle, stating that the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and firmly opposing any form of "Taiwan independence" and external interference in China's internal affairs. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari stated that Pakistan firmly upholds the One-China principle. UN agencies and international organizations in Geneva have reiterated their adherence to UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 and firmly supported the One-China principle. The South Centre, an international organization, emphasized that there is only one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. The South Centre opposes any form of "Taiwan independence" and fully supports China's peaceful reunification. Bulgarian President Rumen Radev stated on May 20 that Bulgaria highly values its relations with China and will continue to adhere to the One-China principle. Kiribati President and Minister for Foreign Affairs Taneti Maamau recently stated that the Government of Kiribati has consistently and firmly supported the One-China principle and UNGA Resolution 2758. Kiribati explicitly reiterates that Taiwan is an inseparable part of the People's Republic of China, supports China's correct position on safeguarding national unity and territorial integrity, and will adhere to the international consensus on Taiwan's status as achieved by UNGA Resolution 2758. Sri Lankan Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena stated that adhering to the One-China principle is a matter of international justice and that Sri Lanka will firmly support China's efforts to achieve complete national reunification and national rejuvenation. Botswana National Assembly Speaker Phandu Skelemani reiterated that the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and any forces supporting "Taiwan independence" are doomed to fail. African National Congress (ANC) National Executive Committee Member Mdumiseni Ntuli stated that the ANC government firmly supports the One-China policy, supports the Chinese people's struggle to safeguard national sovereignty, and supports China's early national reunification. Ethiopian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nebiyu Tedla stated that Ethiopia will continue to firmly adhere to the One-China principle. Massimiliano Ay, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Switzerland, and Peter Herbert, former Swiss Military Attaché to China, historian, and international security policy expert, stated that Taiwan has been an inseparable part of China's territory since ancient times, and both the mainland and Taiwan belong to one China, and China's sovereignty and territorial integrity are indivisible. Tia Juru, Vice President of the Rio de Janeiro State Legislative Assembly in Brazil, and Enrique Danobrega, President of the Brazil-China Friendship Association, stated that Brazil supports the One-China principle, recognizes Taiwan as an inalienable part of China's territory, and supports China's early peaceful reunification. Bocanegra, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Colombian House of Representatives, stated that Colombia adheres to the One-China principle, and the Colombian House of Representatives fully supports China's efforts to maintain world peace and promote international justice.
Iran Announces Funeral Arrangements for President Raisi, Accident Investigation Underway
According to arrangements announced by Iranian Vice President Mansouri, beginning this morning (May 21) local time, memorial ceremonies for Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will be held successively in Tabriz, the capital of East Azerbaijan Province; Qom, Qom Province; Tehran, the capital; and Birjand, South Khorasan Province. Subsequently, Raisi's body will be transferred to his birthplace, Mashhad, where the funeral will be held on May 23. According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on May 20, Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri has assigned a high-level delegation to investigate the helicopter crash that killed Raisi and his companions. Iran to Hold Presidential Election on June 28. Iranian government, parliamentary, and judicial leaders met on May 20 and decided that the 14th Iranian presidential election will be held on June 28. According to the election timetable, candidate registration will take place from May 30 to June 3, and campaigning from June 12 to June 27. On May 20, before holding a meeting, the UN Security Council stood in silent tribute for one minute to Iranian President Raisi, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and other victims of the Iranian helicopter accident. UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a statement on the same day expressing condolences over the death of Iranian President Raisi and others.
Israeli Bombing of Gaza Strip Kills 28
According to the Palestinian news agency on May 20, Israeli forces intensely bombed several areas in the northern Gaza Strip, including Jabalia and Beit Lahia, and the southern city of Rafah, resulting in at least 28 deaths. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated on May 20 that the Israeli military was advancing ground military operations in Jabalia, eastern Rafah, and other areas, striking the infrastructure of Palestinian armed groups. On May 20, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), and the al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), stated that they engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli forces in Jabalia and other areas, and used mortars and other weapons to target Israeli personnel and vehicles. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated on May 20 that Israel intends to expand its ground military operations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. According to Israeli media reports, with the Israeli military operation in the Rafah area, approximately 950,000 people have evacuated from Rafah, and currently between 300,000 and 400,000 residents remain in Rafah. The UN Security Council held an open meeting on the Palestinian-Israeli issue on May 20. The Chinese representative stated that Israel must immediately cease its military offensive against Rafah, and China supports further action by the Security Council to ensure the implementation of the requirements of Security Council Resolution 2728.
International News Briefs
Russia and Ukraine Continue Operations in Kharkiv and Other Directions. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated on May 20 that Russian forces had taken control of a settlement in Luhansk and launched multiple offensives in the Kharkiv, Avdiivka, and other directions, destroying multiple Ukrainian tanks, armored vehicles, and other equipment. According to Ukrainian media reports on May 20, Kharkiv regional officials stated that Russian forces continued their offensive in Vovchansk, and about 60% of the city remains under the control of the Ukrainian armed forces. In addition, Ukraine's national power company announced on May 20 that planned power outages for industrial and household consumers across Ukraine would begin at 0:00 on May 21. Wildfire Area in Arizona, USA Continues to Expand. The wildfire in Tonto National Forest, Arizona, USA, continues to spread. According to US media reports, as of the evening of May 20 local time, the burned area had exceeded 57 square kilometers. The wildfire has caused the closure of some local roads. Currently, about 23% of the fire is contained. Due to strong winds, all aerial firefighting operations were forced to stop on the afternoon of May 20 local time. Reports indicate that strong winds and dry weather are expected to continue in the coming days.