Xi Jinping Attends Central Military Commission Political Work Conference in Yan'an, Delivers Important Speech Emphasizing Implementation of New Era Military Political Development Strategy to Provide Strong Political Guarantee for Building a Strong Military
The Central Military Commission Political Work Conference was held in Yan'an, Shaanxi from July 17 to 19. Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the People's Republic of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the conference and delivered an important speech. Xi Jinping emphasized the need to adhere to the Party's absolute leadership over the military, implement the strategy of strengthening the military politically in the new era, firmly grasp the requirements of political military building in the new era, focus on winning the tough battle to achieve the centenary goal of army building, carry forward the spirit of thorough self-revolution, continuously deepen political rectification, forge strong Party organizations that are politically firm and highly capable, and build a high-quality cadre contingent that is loyal, clean, and responsible, capable of shouldering the important task of strengthening the military, so as to provide a strong political guarantee for the cause of strengthening the military. Under the Pagoda Mountain, by the Yanhe River, the revolutionary holy land of Yan'an was lush and full of vitality. At around 3 p.m. on the 17th, Xi Jinping led the CMC leadership and the principal comrades in charge of various departments and units to visit the former site of Wangjiaping Revolutionary Base. Wangjiaping was the headquarters of the Central Military Commission from August 1937 to March 1947, and an important decision-making and command center of the Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission during the Yan'an period. In the Central Military Commission conference room, Xi Jinping listened carefully to the explanation, viewed historical charts reflecting the planning and command of major battles during the Yan'an period, and appreciated the wisdom and art of leadership of the Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission. Xi Jinping visited the former residences of older generation revolutionaries such as Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Zhu De, reviewing their revolutionary experiences in Yan'an and commemorating their great achievements. Passing through "Taolin Square," Xi Jinping learned about the creative development of the dual-support movement in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region and recalled the combat life full of revolutionary optimism. In the Central Military Commission Auditorium, Xi Jinping carefully examined historical photos and engaged in in-depth exchanges with everyone, reviewing the glorious course of the Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission in leading the national War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the War of Liberation. Xi Jinping pointed out that ten years ago, we went to Gutian to hold the All-Army Political Work Conference, and today we came to Yan'an to hold the Central Military Commission Political Work Conference, once again tracing our roots. In the new era and on the new journey, the future of a strong nation and a strong military is bright, and the tasks are arduous. All senior officers of the armed forces must bear in mind their original aspirations and missions, take the lead in carrying forward the Yan'an spirit, take the lead in strengthening revolutionary tempering, shoulder the historical responsibilities entrusted by the Party and the people, unite and lead the broad masses of officers and soldiers to win the tough battle to achieve the centenary goal of army building, and continuously advance the cause of strengthening the military. Afterwards, Xi Jinping came to the China Yan'an Cadre College, where he cordially met with all the representatives of the Central Military Commission Political Work Conference amidst warm applause and took a group photo with them. Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the conference. He pointed out that since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee has decisively decided to convene the Gutian All-Army Political Work Conference, promoted political rectification with the spirit of rectification, and unswervingly exercised full and strict governance over the Party and the military. The determination and intensity have been unprecedented, and historic achievements have been made in political military building in the new era. Without revolutionary tempering in politics, there could be no great changes in the people's army in the new era. Xi Jinping emphasized that since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, we have deeply advanced theoretical exploration and practical creation of political military building, forming the strategy of political military building in the new era, clarifying that political military building is the foundation of the people's army, clarifying that political work is always the lifeline of our army, clarifying that political rectification should focus on rectifying the source politically, clarifying that mastering ideological leadership is the basis for mastering all leadership, clarifying that the Party's strength comes from organization and the army's cohesion and combat effectiveness come from organization, clarifying that the gun must always be in the hands of people loyal and reliable to the Party, clarifying that strictness can rectify discipline, strictness can establish military prestige, and strictness can produce combat effectiveness, clarifying that there is absolutely no place for corrupt elements to hide in the military, clarifying that excellent work style can forge heroic troops, and clarifying that military-civilian unity is our army's winning magic weapon. The strategy of political military building in the new era must be fully and accurately understood, unswervingly implemented, and continuously enriched and developed in practice. Xi Jinping pointed out that currently, the international situation, national conditions, Party conditions, and military conditions are undergoing complex and profound changes, and our army faces intricate political tests. It is necessary to firmly grasp the requirements of political military building in the new era, continuously advance political military building, ensure that the people's army always maintains its nature and purpose, always dares to fight and win, always unites and strives, always produces talents, always remains pure and glorious, and always adheres to strict laws and disciplines, and continuously enhance our army's political advantages under new historical conditions. Xi Jinping profoundly analyzed the deep-seated contradictions and problems that need to be resolved in current political military building. He emphasized that these problems manifest in politics, ideology, organization, work style, and discipline, and their root lies in ideals and beliefs, Party spirit cultivation, and official ethics and character. All levels, especially senior cadres, must reflect on themselves, have the courage to shed their inhibitions and expose their shortcomings, and with an attitude of deeply digging into the root causes and touching the soul, deeply reflect, seriously rectify, solve the fundamental problems of thought, and promote the deep and practical development of political military building. Xi Jinping pointed out that advancing political military building on the new journey requires focusing on six key areas of work. First, enhance the self-awareness and thoroughness of ideological transformation. Continuously strengthen the armed forces with the Party's innovative theories, adhere to reading the original works, studying the original texts, and comprehending the original principles, adhere to the integration of learning, thinking, and application, and the unity of knowledge, belief, and action, adhere to the principle that senior cadres receive education first, promote the implementation of our army's ideological and political education system, and establish the guidance of testing learning outcomes with practical results. Second, improve the leadership, organizational, and executive capabilities of Party organizations. Enhance political judgment, political understanding, and political execution, improve the ability to prepare for and fight wars, and incorporate the Party's leadership into all areas and the entire process of preparing for and fighting wars. Strictly implement democratic centralism, optimize the rules for Party committee deliberation and decision-making, and strengthen consultation and evaluation of major decisions. Strengthen the primary responsibility of Party committee secretaries for managing the Party and governing the military. Third, strengthen the building of the cadre contingent. Implement the Party's organizational line in the new era, fully and accurately understand and grasp the standards for good military cadres, and fully implement these standards in all aspects of cadre work. Improve cadre assessment work, and enhance the penetration and accuracy of understanding and identifying people. Implement the concept of full-chain construction, treat the cultivation of commanding talents as a strategic task, and improve the overall effectiveness of cadre contingent building. Fourth, eradicate the soil and conditions for the breeding of corruption. Adhere to the strict tone unswervingly, address both symptoms and root causes, systematically govern, coordinate and implement the main responsibilities of Party committees, the supervisory responsibilities of discipline inspection commissions, and the responsibilities of industry departments for clean governance, and expand the depth and breadth of the anti-corruption struggle. Improve power allocation and operation restraint mechanisms, enrich the toolbox for punishing new and hidden corruption, and strengthen comprehensive supervision over the performance of duties and exercise of power by senior cadres. Fifth, boost the spirit of entrepreneurship. Build a scientific performance appraisal system, dynamically update the list of formalism and bureaucracy problems, and deeply correct "five excesses" to reduce the burden on the grassroots. Unblock the "last mile" of policy implementation such as military treatment and guarantees, and truly help the grassroots solve difficulties, enhancing the sense of gain and belonging of officers and soldiers. Sixth, restore and carry forward the fine traditions of political work. Adhere to seeking truth from facts, adhere to leading by example over teaching by words, and all levels, especially senior cadres, should set an example and take the lead, inspiring and driving the troops with their excellent work style and image. Xi Jinping emphasized that advancing political military building is the common responsibility of the entire army. The Central Military Commission must strengthen unified leadership, the Central Military Commission Political Work Department, Discipline Inspection Commission, and Political and Legal Affairs Commission must strengthen coordination and cooperation, and all units and departments must fulfill their duties and responsibilities, strive to create a new situation in political military building, forge this heroic army led by our Party more strongly, and greet the centenary of army building with outstanding achievements. This Central Military Commission Political Work Conference was personally decided by Xi Jinping. The conference studied and deployed major issues related to advancing political military building in the new era and on the new journey, focusing on studying and implementing the spirit of Xi Jinping's important speech. Zhang Youxia and He Weidong, members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Chairmen of the Central Military Commission, and Liu Zhenli, Miao Hua, and Zhang Shengmin, members of the Central Military Commission, attended the conference. Principal comrades in charge of various departments and commissions of the Central Military Commission, various direct agencies of the Central Military Commission, the Central Military Commission Joint Operations Command Center, various theater commands, various services and arms, various direct units of the Central Military Commission, and the People's Armed Police Force participated in the conference.
Li Qiang Arrives in Kuala Lumpur for Official Visit to Malaysia
At the invitation of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Premier of the State Council Li Qiang arrived in Kuala Lumpur by chartered plane on the evening of the 18th local time, beginning his official visit to Malaysia. State Councilor and Secretary-General of the State Council Wu Zhenglong and other accompanying personnel arrived on the same plane. Malaysian Minister of Transport Anthony Loke Siew Fook and Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing were among those who welcomed him at the airport. Li Qiang stated that last year, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Anwar reached important consensus on building a China-Malaysia community with a shared future, opening a new chapter in China-Malaysia relations. China is willing to work with Malaysia to take the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Malaysia as a new starting point, strengthen the alignment of development strategies, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, continuously advance the building of a China-Malaysia community with a shared future, and contribute greater strength to regional and world peace and development. Li Qiang arrived in Kuala Lumpur after concluding his official visit to Australia. Upon his departure from Perth, Australian Minister for Trade Don Farrell and other senior government officials, as well as Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian, saw him off at the airport.
Li Qiang Attends Welcoming Ceremony Hosted by Malaysian Prime Minister
On the morning of the 19th local time, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim held a welcoming ceremony for Premier of the State Council Li Qiang's official visit to Malaysia at the square in front of the Prime Minister's Office. When Li Qiang arrived at the square, Anwar greeted him as he stepped out of the car. The military band played the national anthems of China and Malaysia. Afterwards, Li Qiang reviewed the Malaysian guard of honor. The military band once again played the national anthems of China and Malaysia.
Li Qiang Holds Talks with Malaysian Prime Minister
After the welcoming ceremony, Premier Li Qiang held talks with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Premier Li Qiang stated that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Malaysia and the "China-Malaysia Friendship Year." Over the past half-century, regardless of how the international landscape has changed, China and Malaysia have always interacted with sincerity, cooperated for win-win outcomes, and learned from each other, with bilateral relations steadily progressing and leading among regional countries, playing a benchmark and exemplary role. Last year, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Anwar reached important consensus on building a China-Malaysia community with a shared future, drawing a blueprint for the development of bilateral relations in the new era. China is willing to take the opportunity of celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Malaysia to accelerate the building of a China-Malaysia community with a shared future, maintain close high-level exchanges, continuously deepen cooperation in various fields, and constantly enrich the connotations of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. The two sides should more closely align development strategies, more fully leverage complementary advantages, solidly advance the construction of major projects, expand the scale of trade and investment, expand cooperation in areas such as new energy, strengthen poverty reduction cooperation, and deepen cultural and people-to-people exchanges, so as to better achieve win-win cooperation. China is willing to work with Malaysia to jointly promote the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, jointly uphold ASEAN's centrality in regional cooperation, and jointly make more positive contributions to peace, stability, prosperity, and development in the region and even the world. Prime Minister Anwar stated that Malaysia firmly adheres to the One-China policy, firmly supports China's national reunification, does not support any words or deeds advocating "Taiwan independence," and is willing to take the opportunity of celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties to further deepen cooperation with China in various fields. Malaysia supports major initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping, such as the Global Development Initiative, welcomes China's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, and is willing to jointly build a China-Malaysia community with a shared future with China. The two prime ministers unanimously agreed to unswervingly strengthen and deepen bilateral cooperation, elevate the building of a China-Malaysia community with a shared future to a higher level, and promote the building of a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future. China and relevant ASEAN countries should independently and properly handle the South China Sea issue and adhere to the general direction of bilateral problem-solving. After the talks, the two prime ministers jointly witnessed the exchange of multiple bilateral cooperation documents in fields such as economy, trade, and science and technology. During the visit, the two governments will issue a joint statement.
Li Qiang Visits Tianqi Lithium Kwinana Lithium Hydroxide Plant and Fortescue Metals Group Future Industries Hub
On the 18th local time, Premier of the State Council Li Qiang visited Tianqi Lithium Kwinana Lithium Hydroxide Plant and Fortescue Metals Group Future Industry Centre in Perth. Accompanied by Australian Minister for Resources Madeleine King and Western Australian Premier Roger Cook, Li Qiang visited the mine site and workshop of Tianqi Lithium Kwinana Lithium Hydroxide Plant. Li Qiang stated that China's new energy vehicles and lithium battery industries have accumulated technology, and Australia is rich in critical mineral resources such as lithium. The two sides can leverage complementary advantages to build a competitive new energy industry chain and supply chain, serving the low-carbon development of both countries and assisting the global green transformation. At the Fortescue Metals Group Future Industry Centre, Li Qiang listened to the introduction by the group's head and encouraged the company to play a more active role in China-Australia green development cooperation. Li Qiang stated that China will continue to promote high-level opening up and welcomes more Australian enterprises to invest and take root in China. On the same day, Li Qiang also met with Western Australian Premier Roger Cook. Wu Zhenglong participated in the above activities.
Southern China Continues to Experience Heavy Rainfall, Authorities Nationwide Fully Responding
Continuous heavy rainfall, floods, and geological disasters have occurred in many areas in the south. The Central Meteorological Observatory today (June 19) continued to issue a yellow alert for heavy rain, and various regions and departments are actively responding. Affected by continuous heavy rainfall, water levels at multiple hydrological stations in some southern regions have exceeded warning levels. As of 14:00 today, 60 stations on 35 rivers in Guangxi were still above warning levels. Local authorities have organized personnel to pre-position emergency relief supplies in key areas and strengthen patrols and defenses of flood control projects. Affected by the No. 2 flood peak of the Ganjiang River in Jiangxi and continuous heavy rainfall, the highest water level in the Luxi Jishui County section reached 67.29 meters, exceeding the warning level by 2.29 meters, and some low-lying farmlands and residential houses were flooded. Local authorities promptly formed rescue teams to carry out drainage and emergency relief efforts and evacuate residents. On National Highway 205 in Guangfu Town, Jiaoling County, Guangdong, the collapsed road surface has been completely closed, and local highway departments are rushing to repair temporary bypass roads. As of 16:00 today, more than 90% of the 414,000 households affected by power outages due to floods in Guangdong have had their power restored. Heavy rainfall caused nearly 4,000 people to be affected in Sanhe Town, Zunyi, Guizhou. As the rain subsided, local Party members, cadres, and volunteers were organized to promptly clear roads and investigate potential hazards. In Shichuan Village, Sanjian Town, Loudi, Hunan, a large area of collapse occurred on a rural cliffside road, and local authorities organized construction workers for emergency repairs. Longyan, Fujian organized personnel to carry out emergency rescue and post-disaster recovery work. Currently, traffic, water supply, power supply, and communications have been progressively restored in some areas. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters today upgraded Guangxi's flood control emergency response from Level IV to Level III, and maintained Level IV emergency responses for Fujian, Zhejiang, Guizhou, Guangdong, Hunan, and Jiangxi provinces. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management today urgently pre-allocated 346 million yuan in central natural disaster relief funds to support local efforts in flood and drought relief and geological disaster relief.
CCTV Quick Review: Effectively Safeguarding People's Lives, Property, and Social Stability
Our station broadcast CCTV Quick Review "Effectively Safeguard People's Lives, Property, and Social Stability."
The 30th Beijing International Book Fair Kicks Off in Beijing
The 30th Beijing International Book Fair opened today (June 19) at the China National Convention Center in Beijing. This year's book fair, themed "Deepening Civilizational Exchanges, Cooperating for a Win-Win Future," showcases the excellent achievements of Chinese civilization and civilizations worldwide through books. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the Guest of Honor, with 1,600 exhibitors from 71 countries and regions participating, displaying 220,000 types of books. More than 20 countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States, have set up over 20 national exhibition stands in the overseas exhibition area of the book fair, and 29 international leading publishing institutions are participating, showcasing a concentrated display of exquisite foreign language books representing the excellent achievements of various countries' civilizations. The online publishing exhibition area highlighted a number of new publishing formats, such as online literature and online games.
[High-Quality Development Series Press Conference] China's High-Quality Water Conservancy Development Makes Solid Strides
The State Council Information Office held a press conference on the "Promoting High-Quality Development" series of themed news conferences on the 18th, where relevant officials from the Ministry of Water Resources introduced the situation of high-quality development of water conservancy in China. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, China's flood and drought disaster prevention and control capabilities have achieved an overall leap forward, and water resource conservation and intensive utilization capabilities have continuously improved. In the past decade, with China's GDP nearly doubling, total water consumption has seen zero growth, remaining generally stable within 610 billion cubic meters. In the past decade, China's water resource security capabilities have significantly strengthened. Currently, China is accelerating the construction of the national water network, has started the construction of the Han River diversion project of the South-to-North Water Diversion Middle Route Project, deepened the preliminary work for the Western Route Project and the follow-up projects of the Eastern Route, and all provincial water network construction plans have been approved and implemented. 72% of municipal and 40% of county-level water network construction plans have been completed. Since the beginning of this year, China has focused on post-disaster recovery and reconstruction, vigorously promoting the construction of water conservancy infrastructure. From January to May, water conservancy construction investment and implemented projects both exceeded the same period last year, with 26 provinces having implemented investments exceeding 10 billion yuan. Among them, 8 provinces (municipalities directly under the Central Government), including Hebei, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Sichuan, Hubei, Beijing, Anhui, and Henan, exceeded 40 billion yuan, effectively ensuring the funding needs for large-scale water conservancy construction. Funds for water conservancy projects from the additional national bonds have reached 147.6 billion yuan. Water conservancy project construction has absorbed 1.295 million jobs, a year-on-year increase of 7.2%, effectively playing an important role in stabilizing growth and employment.
2024 Lujiazui Forum Held Today
The two-day 2024 Lujiazui Forum commenced today (June 19) in Shanghai. Heads of departments including the People's Bank of China, the National Financial Regulatory Administration, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange stated that multiple measures will be introduced to support high-quality development. In the capital market, patient capital will be strengthened, conditions will be actively created to attract more long-term funds, and guidance will be provided for better early-stage, small-scale, and hard technology investments. Eight measures to deepen the reform of the STAR Market will be released to better serve scientific and technological innovation. In terms of macro-control, a supportive monetary policy stance will be maintained, counter-cyclical and cross-cyclical adjustments will be strengthened, and support will be provided to consolidate and enhance the upward trend of the economy. In the banking and insurance sectors, efforts will be accelerated to improve a comprehensive insurance product system covering the entire life cycle of technology enterprises, providing precise and efficient services for new quality productive forces. During the forum, the IMF Shanghai Regional Center was officially launched, aiming to strengthen communication and cooperation between the International Monetary Fund and economies in the Asia-Pacific region.
CPC Central Committee Propaganda Department Posthumously Confers "Model of the Times" Title on Comrade Xu Limin
The Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee today (June 19) posthumously awarded Comrade Xu Limin the title of "Role Model of the Times." Comrade Xu Limin dedicated more than 30 years to grassroots work, always adhering to the ideals and beliefs of a Communist, and dedicating his life to fulfilling his unwavering vows of loyalty to the Party. He served the people with heart and soul, demonstrating the value pursuit of putting the people first. He insisted on upholding integrity and innovation, honed his excellent skills, and devoted himself wholeheartedly to the research and promotion of Shangshan culture, acting as a propaganda cadre with a new cultural mission through his practical actions. This evening, the "Role Model of the Times" program broadcast on CCTV-1 will tell his advanced deeds.
Domestic News Briefs
A round of fiscal reward and subsidy policies for specialized, sophisticated, distinctive, and innovative (SSDI) small and medium-sized enterprises will be implemented. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology today (June 19) issued a notice stating that from 2024 to 2026, through comprehensive fiscal rewards and subsidies, support will be further provided for the high-quality development of SSDI small and medium-sized enterprises in three batches. This year, the first batch will support over 1,000 "little giant" enterprises, with a calculated subsidy amount of 6 million yuan per enterprise, and the scope of support will be further expanded in subsequent years based on implementation. The Ministry of Justice introduces 18 measures to strengthen supervision over administrative law enforcement involving enterprises. The Ministry of Justice today (June 19) released 18 specific measures in 5 aspects to safeguard the high-quality development of enterprises through administrative reconsideration, including facilitating channels for administrative reconsideration applications involving enterprises; increasing supervision over administrative law enforcement involving enterprises, correcting prominent problems such as disproportionately severe penalties for minor offenses, replacing management with penalties, and increasing revenue through penalties; and strengthening follow-up and evaluation of administrative reconsideration cases involving enterprises. The National Narcotics Control Commission releases the 2023 China Drug Situation Report and achievements in drug control work throughout the year. The National Narcotics Control Commission today (June 19) released the 2023 China Drug Situation Report and the overall situation of drug control work throughout the year. In 2023, a total of 42,000 drug-related criminal cases were solved, 65,000 suspects were arrested, and 25.9 tons of drugs were seized. Narcotics control departments adopted measures such as monitoring and early warning, and treatment and assistance, to systematically address the problem of addictive substances such as narcotic and psychotropic drugs. Huangmaohai Cross-sea Channel fully connected today. Today (June 19), the Huangmaohai Cross-sea Channel, a key project in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, was fully connected and is expected to open to traffic by the end of the year. The Huangmaohai Cross-sea Channel has a total length of approximately 31 kilometers, connecting Zhuhai and Jiangmen in Guangdong, with a design speed of 100 kilometers per hour and a two-way six-lane design. After opening to traffic, the driving time from Zhuhai to Jiangmen will be shortened by approximately 30 minutes. China Media Group 2024 Copyright Ecosystem Cooperation Conference held in Beijing. Today (June 19), the China Media Group 2024 Copyright Ecosystem Cooperation Conference was held in Beijing. At the event, China Media Group signed the "2024 Paris Olympic Games Copyright Cooperation Agreement" with multiple media and institutions, and released the "China Media Group 2024-2025 'Hundred People, Thousand Creations' Cooperation Plan," further strengthening copyright development and protection.
Israeli Military Claims Coordinated Air, Land, and Sea Operations; Palestinian Armed Groups Claim Strikes on Israeli Targets with Various Weapons
The Israeli military stated on the 18th that it continued to carry out military operations in Rafah and other areas in the southern Gaza Strip, and conducted airstrikes on dozens of Palestinian armed group targets. The Israeli navy also assisted ground forces. The Israeli military claimed that its operations killed dozens of Palestinian militants and destroyed a large amount of armed group infrastructure. Palestinian armed groups stated on the 18th that they used rockets, mortars, and other weapons to attack Israeli tanks, frontline command posts, and other targets in the Rafah area, and used short-range missiles to strike Israeli positions in the central Gaza Strip. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk stated on the 18th that Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip have caused immense suffering and widespread destruction, and acts of denying and obstructing humanitarian aid are still occurring, a situation that must end. Israeli military approves plans for military action in Lebanon. The Israeli military said on the 18th that to address the tense situation on the Israel-Lebanon border, the Israeli Defense Forces have approved plans for military action in Lebanon. The Israeli military did not release specific details. According to Lebanon's National News Agency, the Israeli military launched attacks on several towns in Lebanon that day, causing multiple injuries. The Lebanese Hezbollah armed group stated on the 18th that it launched strikes against several Israeli military targets located on the Israel-Lebanon border, causing Israeli casualties. In addition, the armed group also released videos of its drones conducting aerial reconnaissance in northern Israeli areas, including the city of Haifa.
International News Briefs
UN Conference on Sustainable Lunar Activities Held in Vienna. The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs held the first UN Conference on Sustainable Lunar Activities on the 18th, discussing issues related to peaceful, sustainable, and cooperative exploration of the moon. The Chinese representative stated at the conference that China adheres to carrying out international cooperation in major engineering projects such as lunar exploration on the basis of equality, mutual benefit, peaceful use, and inclusive development. Russian President Putin pays state visit to DPRK. Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Pyongyang today (June 19) for a state visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK, welcomed Putin at Pyongyang International Airport. According to Russian media reports, Putin and Kim Jong Un signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty in Pyongyang today. Cargo ship attacked by Yemen's Houthi rebels sinks in Red Sea. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported on the 18th that the cargo ship "Tutor," which was attacked by Yemen's Houthi rebels on the 12th, has sunk in the Red Sea. The cargo ship was flying the Liberian flag and operated by a Greek company. Previously, the British cargo ship "Rubymar" was hit by Houthi missiles and sank on March 1 in the waters near Yemen. The Houthi rebels previously stated that they would continue to strike Israel-linked targets in the Red Sea until the Israeli military stops its military operations in the Gaza Strip.