Xi Jinping Delivers Key Speech at Central Conference on Work Related to Beijing's Periphery
The Central Conference on Work Related to China's Periphery was held in Beijing from April 8 to 9. Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Chinese President, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the conference and delivered an important speech. Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, and Li Xi, members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and Han Zheng, Vice President of China, attended the conference. In his important speech, Xi Jinping systematically summarized the achievements and experiences of China's periphery-related work since the New Era, scientifically analyzed the situation, clarified the goals, tasks, and approaches for the work in the coming period, and emphasized the need to focus on building a community with a shared future for the neighborhood to strive for a new situation in this work. Li Qiang stressed during the conference that it is necessary to conscientiously implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech and earnestly implement various tasks related to China's periphery. The conference pointed out that with its vast territory and long border, China's periphery is an important foundation for development and prosperity, a key area for safeguarding national security, a priority for diplomatic maneuvering, and a crucial element in promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. It is necessary to view the periphery from a global perspective and enhance the sense of responsibility and mission in doing a good job in this area. The conference noted that since the 18th CPC National Congress, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China has put forward the concept of "amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness" in its neighborhood diplomacy, advocated promoting the building of a community with a shared future for the neighborhood, and, guided by head-of-state diplomacy, deepened all-round cooperation, strengthened exchanges in various fields, and jointly maintained peace and stability with neighboring countries, forming a pragmatic and efficient framework for periphery-related work and achieving historic achievements and changes. The experiences gained through practice should be upheld and applied well. The conference stated that China's relations with its neighbors are currently in their best period since modern times, and also entering an important stage where the regional landscape and global changes are deeply intertwined. It is necessary to adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, closely focus on the central tasks of the Party and the state, coordinate the overall domestic and international situations, and the two major issues of development and security, hold high the banner of a community with a shared future for mankind, take the common vision of building a peaceful, tranquil, prosperous, beautiful, and friendly "five homes" as the guiding principle, embrace the concepts and policies of good neighborliness, security, prosperity, amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, inclusiveness, and a shared future, adhere to Asian values of peace, cooperation, openness, and inclusiveness as basic guidelines, use high-quality Belt and Road cooperation as the main platform, and rely on an Asian security model of shared security, seeking common ground while reserving differences, and dialogue and consultation as strategic support, to work together with neighboring countries to create a better future. The conference emphasized that to build a community with a shared future for the neighborhood, it is necessary to consolidate strategic mutual trust with neighboring countries, support regional countries in steadfastly pursuing their own development paths, and properly manage contradictions and differences; deepen development integration, build a high-level interconnected network, and strengthen cooperation in industrial and supply chains; jointly maintain regional stability, carry out security and law enforcement cooperation, and respond to various risks and challenges; expand exchanges, and facilitate personnel exchanges. The conference pointed out that to do a good job in periphery-related work, it is necessary to strengthen the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee and enhance coordination among all parties. Deepen reforms of systems and mechanisms, and improve the system of foreign-related laws and regulations. Strengthen capacity and team building, and promote theoretical and practical innovation in periphery-related work. Wang Yi delivered a concluding speech. Leading comrades from relevant Party and state departments and responsible comrades from relevant sectors attended the conference.
Li Qiang Chairs Symposium With Experts, Entrepreneurs on Economic Situation
Li Qiang, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Premier of the State Council, chaired a symposium with experts and entrepreneurs on the economic situation on the afternoon of April 9, listening to their opinions and suggestions on the current economic situation and future economic work. At the symposium, Zhang Bin, Li Xunlei, Shen Jianguang, Wan Min, Zheng Jin, Peng Zhihui, Wang Zhuan, and others spoke successively. They believed that since the beginning of this year, China's economy has been generally stable, moving towards new and better development. Although changes in the external environment have brought many difficulties, China's economy has many advantages, strong resilience, and great potential, and its development prospects are promising in the long run. They also offered suggestions on responding to external shocks and promoting sustained economic improvement. After listening to the experts and entrepreneurs, Li Qiang said that under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China has calmly responded to risks and challenges, and the economy continued its recovery and upward trend in the first quarter. At the same time, it is necessary to be soberly aware that external shocks have put some pressure on the stable operation of China's economy. We have fully anticipated this and are prepared to deal with various uncertainties. As long as we unswervingly manage our own affairs well, we will certainly be able to ensure the steady and long-term development of the Chinese economy. Li Qiang emphasized that it is necessary to implement more proactive and effective macro policies, preemptively pushing existing policies to take effect as soon as possible, and timely introducing new incremental policies as needed. It is necessary to expand and strengthen the domestic circulation, make expanding domestic demand a long-term strategy, intensify efforts to stabilize employment and promote income growth, and lead and create demand with high-quality supply. It is necessary to fully stimulate the vitality of various business entities and strive to provide a better development environment and policy services for enterprises. Li Qiang hoped that entrepreneurs would cultivate a strong sense of patriotism, actively respond to changes and promote development, and contribute more to the overall development of the country. He hoped that experts and scholars would offer more forward-looking and constructive opinions on new situations and problems in economic operation. Wu Zheng-long attended the symposium.
Li Qiang Signs State Council Order Promulgating Revised Marriage Registration Regulations
Premier Li Qiang recently signed a State Council order, promulgating the revised Regulations on Marriage Registration (hereinafter referred to as the "Regulations"). The Regulations, comprising 6 chapters and 28 articles, primarily include three aspects: first, increasing the content of marriage and family services; second, implementing "national unified processing" for marriage registration; and third, optimizing marriage registration services, requiring marriage registration authorities to legally verify the parties' relevant documents and materials, inquire about relevant information, and conduct online verification of the parties' identity and marital status information.
China's Q1 Sales Revenue Shows Steady Growth Across Multiple Sectors
The latest tax data released by the State Taxation Administration shows a good start for the economy in the first quarter, with steady growth in sales revenue across various sectors nationwide. Value-added tax invoice data indicates that in the first quarter, manufacturing sales revenue increased by 4.8% year-on-year, accounting for 29.1% of national sales, an increase of 0.8 percentage points from the same period last year, providing important support for sustained economic growth. Among them, equipment manufacturing sales revenue grew by 9.7% year-on-year, maintaining rapid growth. At the same time, innovation momentum continues to accumulate. In the first quarter, sales revenue of China's high-tech industries increased by 13.4% year-on-year, continuing the rapid growth trend. As China achieves breakthroughs and applications in artificial intelligence, it has driven sales revenue in scientific research and technical services, and information technology services to both maintain double-digit growth. Driven by consumption during the Spring Festival holiday, service consumption grew by 5.3% year-on-year in the first quarter. Among them, sales revenue for scenic spot management and travel agency services increased by 40.5% and 15.5% respectively year-on-year; sales revenue for film screenings and literary and artistic creation and performances increased by 39.6% and 15.2% respectively year-on-year, reflecting a continuous increase in cultural consumption demand. The effects of the "Two New" policies continue to be released. In the first quarter, national enterprise procurement of machinery and equipment increased by 11% year-on-year, reflecting the continuous expansion of enterprise demand for equipment upgrades and intelligent transformation. At the same time, consumer vitality continues to increase, with retail sales of daily household appliances such as televisions and refrigerators growing by around 30%, and retail sales of newly expanded communication equipment such as mobile phones growing by 27.3%.
State Council Information Office Releases White Paper on China's Position on Sino-US Economic and Trade Issues
The State Council Information Office today (April 9) released a white paper titled "China's Position on Several Issues Concerning China-US Economic and Trade Relations." The white paper profoundly elucidates the mutually beneficial nature of China-US economic and trade relations, systematically elaborates China's firm stance on practicing free trade principles and strictly abiding by World Trade Organization rules, and calls on the US to resolve differences through equal dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation, promoting the healthy and stable development of China-US economic and trade relations. The white paper points out that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US, bilateral trade and investment cooperation have yielded fruitful results, achieving complementary advantages and win-win outcomes. China and the US share broad common interests and vast space for cooperation. Maintaining the stable development of China-US economic and trade relations conforms to the fundamental interests of the two countries and their peoples, and is also conducive to global economic development. The white paper states that since joining the World Trade Organization in 2001, China has actively practiced free trade principles, fully fulfilled its commitments upon accession, abided by and implemented WTO rules, significantly opened up its market, and made positive contributions to maintaining the effectiveness and authority of the multilateral trading system. At the same time, China has also earnestly fulfilled bilateral economic and trade agreements, including the China-US Phase One economic and trade agreement. The white paper points out that in recent years, unilateralism and protectionism in the US have escalated, seriously disrupting normal China-US economic and trade cooperation. The relevant US practices have artificially severed established global supply chains and industrial chains, broken market-oriented free trade rules, seriously disrupted the economic development of various countries, and harmed the well-being of people in all countries, including the United States. The white paper concludes that China and the US both benefit from cooperation and suffer from confrontation. The success of China and the US is an opportunity for each other, not a threat. It is hoped that the US will meet China halfway, follow the direction indicated by the phone call between the two heads of state, and based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, resolve each other's concerns through equal dialogue and consultation, and jointly promote the healthy, stable, and sustainable development of China-US economic and trade relations.
China Files Additional WTO Complaint Against US Over 50% Tariff Hike on Chinese Products
On April 8, Eastern US Time, the US further raised the previously announced so-called "reciprocal tariffs" on Chinese products imported into the US by 50% to 84% from the initial 34%. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce announced today (April 9) that China has initiated a dispute settlement mechanism at the WTO against the latest US tariff measures. The US's so-called "reciprocal tariff" measures severely violate WTO rules, and this additional 50% tariff is an error piled upon an error, highlighting the unilateral and bullying nature of the US measures. China will firmly defend its legitimate rights and interests in accordance with WTO rules and resolutely safeguard the multilateral trading system and international economic and trade order. At the same time, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council today issued an announcement, stating that starting from 12:01 on April 10, the additional tariff rates stipulated in the "Announcement of the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council on Imposing Additional Tariffs on Goods Imported from the United States" (Tax Commission Announcement No. 4, 2025) will be adjusted. The additional tariff rate for all imported goods originating from the United States will be increased from 34% to 84%. On the same day, the Ministry of Commerce issued an announcement listing 12 US entities on the export control list, prohibiting the export of dual-use items to them. The Unreliable Entity List Working Mechanism issued an announcement listing 6 US entities on the Unreliable Entity List and taking two measures: prohibiting them from engaging in import and export activities related to China and prohibiting them from making new investments within China.
Across the Fields of Hope: Regions Seize Agricultural Season for Spring Plowing and Management
Currently, it is a critical time for spring plowing and management, and various regions are seizing the agricultural season and cherishing the spring light to lay the foundation for a bumper grain harvest throughout the year. Wheat in various regions is entering the jointing stage. This year, Henan's wheat planting area is 85 million mu. In Shangqiu, growers are using plant protection drones for spraying pesticides and fertilizers. Currently, Shangqiu city has over 1,530 plant protection drones, and during the peak period of "one spray and three prevention" operations for wheat, the proportion of drone spraying area can reach 53%. In Shuyang, Jiangsu, agricultural technicians are guiding farmers to prevent and control wheat scab and stripe rust, and at the same time, guiding farmers to use drones and plant protection machines to accelerate and improve efficiency in spring management. Shandong winter wheat is entering the peak period of spring irrigation. A total of 155 large and medium-sized irrigation areas across the province have started spring irrigation, irrigating over 33 million mu of wheat fields. To ensure water for spring irrigation, various regions continue to invest in new irrigation technologies and equipment to help wheat growers reduce costs and improve efficiency. Early rice production is accelerating in the south. Hunan's early rice planting area is expected to exceed 18 million mu this year. In an intelligent seedling raising factory in Changsha County, intelligent sensors installed on seedling raising racks can monitor key information such as temperature and humidity in real time, and staff can perform operations such as supplementary lighting and spraying through their mobile phones. Guangxi's early rice transplanting has currently exceeded 7 million mu, and in the paddy fields of Tiandong County, transplanting machines are shuttling back and forth. This type of transplanting machine, designed for the characteristics of local agricultural production, is easy to operate and highly adaptable, effectively improving production efficiency. This year, Guangxi has invested over 850,000 agricultural machinery units for spring plowing, strongly ensuring the local demand for spring plowing agricultural machinery. Jiangxi's early rice sowing has passed over 20%. In Xinjian District, Nanchang City, more than 10 high-speed transplanting machines are busy in the fields, and one high-speed transplanting machine can transplant over 40 mu per day. Currently, Jiangxi has invested a total of over 20,000 sets of high-performance sowing and transplanting machines.
Frontline Survey: Chinese Robots Gain Popularity Overseas
Since the beginning of this year, domestic robots have accelerated their "going global" trend. From catering delivery, industrial manufacturing to medical assistance and smart homes, Chinese robots can be seen everywhere. Where does the vitality of the robot industry's development come from? Not long ago, the reporter visited Shenzhen, a city where robot enterprises gather, for investigation. This cat-shaped meal delivery robot produced in Shenzhen has entered more than 60 countries and regions around the world, gaining many overseas "fans." In the first quarter of this year, export orders increased by 300% year-on-year. This exoskeleton robot, weighing just over 3 jin (approx. 1.5 kg), can help people reduce a load of nearly 30 jin (approx. 15 kg), and it became very popular upon its launch. The reporter saw in Shenzhen that the speed of robot iteration and evolution is continuously accelerating. Not long ago, this enterprise released a service robot with a robotic arm and dexterous hands globally, which can perform complex actions such as pressing elevators and serving dishes. The person in charge of the enterprise told the reporter that the ability of service robots to rapidly iterate, evolve, and achieve mass production is inseparable from research and development innovation and a complete supply chain. Currently, in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, from precision gears to customized straps, almost all hardware suppliers can be found within an hour's drive. Taking the addition of hands to a robot as an example, it seems simple but involves breakthroughs in nearly a hundred patented technologies. The "acceleration" behind this is closely related to Shenzhen's "leaderboard-style" collaborative innovation model. At the Shenzhen Bureau of Science and Technology Innovation, the reporter saw hundreds of scientific and technological achievements related to the robot industry, many of which were "golden ideas" obtained through the "enterprise poses the problem, society provides the solution" model. The surging innovation vitality is driving Chinese robots to the global market. These days, the Canton Fair exhibition office in Guangzhou is exceptionally busy. At the upcoming 137th Canton Fair, a dedicated service robot zone will debut for the first time, and manufacturers are actively signing up. From small to large, riding the waves to go global. As of now, there are over 450,000 intelligent robot industry enterprises nationwide, an increase of over 200% compared to the end of 2020. International research reports indicate that over half of the global humanoid robot companies are from China, which has become an important driver of the global robot industry.
Domestic News Briefs
The 137th Canton Fair will be held in Guangzhou in three phases from April 15 to May 5. The total exhibition area of this Canton Fair is 1.55 million square meters, with approximately 74,000 booths and around 31,000 exhibiting companies. Among them, the export exhibition has nearly 73,000 booths and the number of exhibiting companies has exceeded 30,000 for the first time, an increase of nearly 900 compared to the last session. China issues second batch of regional digital transformation and upgrading areas for highway and waterway transportation infrastructure. Today (April 9), the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Finance released the second batch of regional digital transformation and upgrading areas for highway and waterway transportation infrastructure that will receive financial support. Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, and 12 other locations were selected. The digital transformation and upgrading areas focus on the national comprehensive three-dimensional transportation network backbone, promoting the large-scale implementation of innovative application scenarios in the highway and waterway sectors, and promoting smart expansion, safety efficiency, and industrial integration of transportation infrastructure. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will formulate over 1,800 industry standards this year. The reporter learned from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology that this year, China will continue to optimize and improve new-generation information technology standards such as cloud computing, big data, and Beidou navigation, and accelerate the construction of a new information infrastructure standard system. It will formulate over 1,800 industry standards and support over 100 international standards led by Chinese enterprises and institutions. Multiple new regulations strengthen food safety full-chain supervision. The reporter learned from the State Council's Food Safety Office today (April 9) that in addition to traditional food production and operation entities, entities involved in delivery and distribution will all be included in the food safety full-chain supervision system. Illegal activities of selling counterfeit and shoddy food through delivery channels will be cracked down on in accordance with the law. "Procedures for Determining Major Ecological Damage Incidents" issued. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment, together with the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, jointly issued the "Procedures for Determining Major Ecological Damage Incidents" today (April 9), clarifying the work procedures, standard basis, and relevant arrangements for determining major ecological damage incidents, filling the gap in standards for major ecological damage incidents, and curbing the occurrence of ecological environment damage incidents. National railway implements new freight train operating diagram from today. The reporter learned from China Railway that starting from 18:00 today (April 9), the national railway will implement a new freight train operating diagram. After the adjustment, major freight corridors such as the Datong-Qinhuangdao Railway and the Lanzhou-Xinjiang Railway will increase the operation of 10,000-ton trains. A total of 421 inter-railway bureau direct bulk cargo trains and 403 freight express trains will be arranged, an increase of 16 and 13 trains respectively compared to the first quarter, effectively reducing overall social logistics costs. Three Gorges Reservoir replenishes over 4.6 billion cubic meters of water during dry season. The reporter learned from China Three Gorges Corporation Yangtze Power that since the start of dry season replenishment operations on December 1 last year, as of April 1 this year, the Three Gorges Reservoir has cumulatively replenished over 4.6 billion cubic meters of water to the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, equivalent to the annual water consumption of over 10 million people, strongly supporting spring plowing irrigation, residents' livelihoods, and navigation safety in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Zhejiang Province starts concentrated construction of major projects in the second quarter. Today (April 9), Zhejiang Province started concentrated construction of 54 major projects in the second quarter, with a total investment of 228.1 billion yuan, covering advanced manufacturing bases, technological innovation, clean energy supply, and other fields. Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport Terminal 3B officially put into operation. Today (April 9), Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport Terminal 3B was officially put into operation. With this, the airport can now accommodate an annual passenger throughput of 80 million people, a cargo and mail throughput of 1.2 million tons, and 580,000 aircraft movements. Chinese rescue teams complete earthquake rescue mission in Myanmar and return home. This afternoon (April 9), the Chinese rescue team, China International Search and Rescue Team, and Hong Kong SAR rescue team, who went to Myanmar for earthquake relief, successfully completed their mission and arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport. This rescue was the largest and fastest international rescue operation dispatched by China in recent years. In the past 12 days, the Chinese rescue teams successfully rescued 9 survivors, searched and investigated 287,000 square meters of housing and important infrastructure, and provided free clinics for over 2,000 affected people. Fourth and fifth batches of Chinese government aid materials arrive in Myanmar. Today (April 9), the fourth and fifth batches of earthquake relief materials aided by the Chinese government to Myanmar successively arrived in Naypyidaw and Yangon, Myanmar. These two batches of materials mainly include tents, mosquito nets, sleeping bags, and food. According to information released by Myanmar's State Administration Council, as of the evening of April 8 local time, the strong earthquake in Myanmar has caused 3,645 deaths, 5,017 injuries, and 148 missing persons. Chinese scientists achieve new breakthrough in dark energy research. Recently, a dark energy research project led by the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences achieved a new breakthrough. Through data analysis of approximately 14 million galaxies and quasars, it was found that the influence of dark energy on the expansion of the universe may not be constant, but rather gradually changes over time. This achievement opens up a brand new research direction for revealing the physical nature of dark energy. Shell Mound Museum, a branch of the National Museum of China, established. The Shell Mound Museum, the first branch of the National Museum of China, was established today (April 9) in Pingtan, Fujian. It mainly features archaeological artifacts unearthed from the Shell Mound site group in Pingtan, Fujian, comprehensively displaying the archaeological culture of island areas along China's southeast coast from 7,500 to 3,000 years ago, as well as the historical and cultural aspects of Austronesian peoples both domestically and internationally.
International Dignitaries: US Tariffs Harmful to All
The international community believes that the US tariff policy severely infringes upon the legitimate rights and interests of various countries, gravely violates World Trade Organization rules, and brings more instability and insecurity to the world economy. Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez stated on April 8 that in a multipolar and highly interconnected world, the trade war initiated by the US is causing huge damage globally. Sanchez also stated that the trade war would lead to a US economic recession and persistent inflation. French President Macron reiterated his opposition to the US tariffs on April 8. Brazilian President Lula stated on the same day that the US attempt to reshape global trade would not work and violated multilateralism principles. ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn said today (April 9) that the US tariff policy has caused turbulence in the global trading system and shaken the foundation of open trade and investment. Indonesian Finance Minister Mulyani said on April 8 that the US tariff policy defies basic economic principles, and the logic behind it is difficult to understand. Canada's retaliatory measures against US auto tariffs take effect. Canada's Department of Finance announced on April 8 that measures to impose a reciprocal 25% tariff on US automobiles would take effect at 0:01 Eastern US Time on April 9. Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland stated that Canada would continue to respond forcefully to all unreasonable tariffs imposed by the US on Canada. CNN commented that the US government's tariff policy is "digging its own grave." The US tariffs disregard economic fundamentals, are dangerous and destructive, and will lead to a significant reduction in American savings, job losses, lower incomes, and higher domestic inflation in the US. Former US Treasury Secretary states US tariff policy could lead to 2 million additional US job losses. Former US Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers said on April 8 that the Trump administration's ongoing tariff measures would lead to 2 million additional job losses in the US. Hesketh, a research fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, published an article pointing out that the latest US tariff policy will cause irreparable damage to the US economy, not only potentially leading to severe inflation but also an economic recession. On April 8, the three major US stock indexes fell, with the S&P 500 index nearing a technical bear market.
International News Briefs
Russia claims to have recaptured a settlement, while Ukraine claims to have attacked Russian facilities. Russia's Ministry of Defense stated on April 8 that Russian forces had recaptured another settlement in Russia's Kursk region. Russia accused Ukrainian forces of twice attacking Russian energy infrastructure in the past day and said that Russian forces had shot down over 150 Ukrainian drones in Russia's Krasnodar Territory, Rostov region, and other areas. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated on April 8 that Ukrainian forces had attacked a warehouse facility of the Russian military in the Kursk region, destroying military buildings and technical equipment. Israeli forces forcibly enter UN agency-affiliated schools. Palestinian media reported on April 8 that several buildings in Beit Lahia and Gaza City in the northern Gaza Strip were hit by Israeli airstrikes. The Gaza Strip's health authorities stated on April 8 that Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip caused at least 58 deaths in the past day. On April 8, six schools operated by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in East Jerusalem were forcibly entered by Israeli forces, and Israel demanded the schools close within 30 days. The head of the UN agency accused Israel of depriving Palestinian children of their right to education. US airstrikes in Yemen kill 8. Yemen's Houthi health authorities said today (April 9) that US airstrikes on the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah on the evening of April 8 killed at least 8 people and injured more than a dozen, causing extensive damage to buildings. Houthi media reported on the same day that US forces launched 22 airstrikes on multiple locations in the Yemeni capital Sana'a and Marib province. The Houthis claimed today that their air defense forces had shot down another US MQ-9 drone. The US has not yet responded to this. Building collapse in Dominican capital kills 98. According to news released by the Dominican Emergency Operations Center today, a roof collapse at an entertainment venue in Santo Domingo, the country's capital, on April 8, has killed 98 people and rescued 255 others. The cause of the accident is under investigation. Dominican President Abinader declared three days of national mourning starting from April 8.