Trump 2.0 And The Next Asia PivotTEHRAN - Shortly after I arrived in Iran, I visited Semnan province and the ancient post station there. I deeply felt that as early as more than 2,000 years ago, China and Iran were closely connected through the ancient Silk Road. At present, as an important country along the “Belt and Road”, Iran actively participates in the joint building of the “Belt and Road”. Many Iranian friends have strong interests in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and often discuss relevant topics with me. Therefore, I would like to introduce this important initiative. In the fall of 2013, President Xi Jinping proposed the joint building of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, namely the BRI. This is a major initiative for international cooperation proposed by President Xi Jinping with an insightful grasp of the trend of the world and the future of mankind. President Xi Jinping pointed out that the BRI, drawing inspiration from the ancient Silk Road and focusing on enhancing connectivity, aims to enhance policy, infrastructure, trade, financial and people-to-people connectivity, inject new impetus into the global economy, create new opportunities for global development, and build a new platform for international economic cooperation. Over the past decade, Belt and Road cooperation has gone through a very extraordinary journey, not only making important achievements but also forming valuable experience. We have deeply realized that humankind is a community with a shared future, win-win cooperation is the sure way to success in launching major initiatives that benefit all, and the Silk Road spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit is the most important source of strength for Belt and Road cooperation. President Xi Jinping pointed out that Belt and Road cooperation is based on the belief that flame runs high when everyone adds wood to the fire and that mutual support can get us far. Such cooperation seeks to deliver a good life not only to people of just one country, but to people in other countries as well. It promotes connectivity, mutual benefit, common development, cooperation and win-win outcomes. The BRI is proposed by China for the benefit of the whole world. Over the past decade, Belt and Road cooperation has extended from the Eurasian continent to Africa and Latin America. More than 150 countries and over 30 international organizations have signed Belt and Road cooperation documents. We have held 3 sessions of the BRF before, and have established over 20 specialized multilateral cooperation platforms under the BRI. Belt and Road cooperation has progressed from “sketching the outline” to “filling in the details”, and blueprints have been turned into real projects. A large number of signature projects and “small yet smart” people-centered programs have been launched. Belt and Road cooperation has expanded from physical connectivity to institutional connectivity. Important guiding principles for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation have been laid down, which include the principle of “planning together, building together, and benefiting together”, the philosophy of open, green and clean cooperation, and the goal of pursuing high-standard, people-centered and sustainable cooperation. Over the past decade, we have endeavored to build a global network of connectivity consisting of economic corridors, international transportation routes and information highway as well as railways, roads, airports, ports, pipelines and power grids. Covering the land, the ocean, the sky and the Internet, this network has boosted the flow of goods, capital, technologies and human resources among countries involved and injected fresh vitality into the millennia-old Silk Road in the new era. In 2023, China’s trade with partner countries reached RMB 19.5 trillion, accounting for 46.6 percent of China's total import and export volume, a record high since the BRI was put forward. Belt and Road cooperation transcends differences between civilizations, cultures, social systems, and stages of development. It has opened up a new path for exchanges among countries, and established a new framework for international cooperation. Indeed, the BRI represents humanity’s joint pursuit of development for all. Iran has been an important transportation hub and trade distribution center on the Silk Road since ancient times, it is an important country for the joint building of the “Belt and Road”. Since the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on jointly promoting the building of the “Belt and Road” in 2016, cooperation in various fields between the two sides has been continuously strengthened under the framework. China and Iran have leveraged economic complementarities, China has been Iran’s largest trading partner for many years, and has become the most important export destination for Iranian goods, and Iranian specialty agricultural products and handicrafts have entered the Chinese market one after another. The local delegations between two countries have great enthusiasm for cooperation, and cultural exchanges are becoming increasingly close. This year, the two countries have jointly held a number of cultural exchange activities such as the Iranian Cultural Relics Exhibition, the Chinese Art and Culture Exhibition, and the Chinese Film Week, which effectively enhanced the mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples. This July, the first China-Europe train "Qom (Iran)-Yiwu West" was dispatched, which is a vivid example of the new progress for high-quality BRI cooperation between China and Iran. This October, in the meeting with President Masoud Pezeshkian, President Xi Jinping pointed out that Iran is a country with important regional and international influence and a good friend and partner of China. The strategic significance of China-Iran relations has become more prominent as transformations of the world unseen in a century are unfolding at a faster pace. No matter how the international and regional situation evolves, China will unswervingly develop friendly cooperation with Iran. China remain committed to opening up and cooperation for a shared future. We stands ready to work with all parties including Iran and support each other in enhancing the “hard connectivity” of infrastructure, upgrading the “soft connectivity” of rules and standards, and deepening the people-to-people connectivity through more exchanges and mutual learning, elevate Belt and Road cooperation toward higher quality for the modernization of all countries, and build an open, inclusive and interconnected world for common development.
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China’s Latest Stealth Fighter Shown at Air Show Demonstrates Intent to Rival U.S. Forces, Continuing Military BuildupWith Black Friday sales in full swing, there are still plenty of terrific deals to take advantage of. It’s the perfect time to shop for expensive electronics, including TV’s. Until Cyber Monday, you’ll be able to snag a high-end TV at a nice discount. Several top brands are offering huge deals on their best models. We’re seeing fantastic discounts on Samsung, LG, Sony and Hisense TVs. Whether you want a big-screen TV or something smaller for casual viewing, there are many options to consider getting during this sale event. Last updated on Nov. 30, 2024, at 2 a.m. ET. In this article: Samsung 55-Inch Class QLED 4K The Frame Series Smart TV , LG 77-Inch Class OLED B4 Series Smart TV and Hisense U6 Series 65-Inches ULED 4K Smart TV . The cool thing about this smart TV is that it features an Art mode you can enable, which displays modern and classic art pieces whenever you’re not watching. The color volume is fantastic, the matte film reduces light glare and the frame is customizable with multiple color bezel options. If you’re looking for an affordable 4K smart TV, this 65-inch LED model won’t disappoint. Motion Xcelerator reduces blur and lag, and object tracking delivers impressive 3D surround sound. It supports HDR and Mega Contrast to minimize the difference between light and dark areas. This Roku TV offers a sharp 4K resolution and supports HDR10+ technology, which enhances color, contrast and brightness. The home screen is customizable with shortcuts to your favorite apps, and the voice remote lets you effortlessly search for paid and free content. Are you looking for a solid TV for casual viewing? This 40-inch Amazon Fire TV has plenty to offer. The Fire TV platform provides quick access to live TV, video games and music, and the remote has a dedicated Alexa button for launching apps, searching for content and controlling smart devices on your network. This TV boasts Quantum Dot technology for reproducing stunning visuals and bright colors. When mounted, its AirSlim design allows it to blend seamlessly with your wall. The advanced processor automatically transforms non-UHD content into 4K and improves sound. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better TV for your home entertainment hub than this 77-inch LG smart TV. OLED technology produces accurate colors and deep blacks, and the a8 AI processor automatically fine-tunes the picture quality based on what you’re watching. Plus, it features NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium and VRR for improved gaming. This high-end smart TV boasts advanced OLED HDR+ technology, which enhances image brightness and clarity. Dolby Atmos and Object Tracking Sound Lite produce excellent sound quality, and the 144-hertz refresh rate delivers ultrasmooth motion for gaming and live sports. Plus, the smart Tizen OS offers streaming and gaming access. If you want a cheap smart TV for a smaller room in your home, this 42-inch Insignia Fire TV is the one for you. It’s a full HD TV with a 1080p resolution and a built-in Fire TV interface for streaming content from apps such as Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+. The Alexa voice remote makes it easy to find your favorite movies. This Hisense 65-inch TV features advanced Mini-LED technology for reproducing dark blacks and vibrant colors. Dolby Vision delivers superior picture quality, and the dedicated game mode provides a variable refresh rate for smooth gaming. The voice remote is convenient for finding content, and the smart TV interface is intuitive. If you have the space in your home for this massive TV, you’ll love the cinematic experience it offers. QLED technology delivers dazzling visuals and rich colors, and HDR Pro+ boosts contrast, brightness and clarity no matter what you watch. It has an integrated Google TV interface and is compatible with Alexa. Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change. Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales. BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.Romanian politicians have voted in favour of a new pro-European coalition government led by incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. The move could usher in an end to a protracted political crisis in the European Union country following the annulment of a presidential election by a top court. Parliament approved the new administration in a 240-143 vote in Romania’s 466-seat legislature. The new coalition is made up of the leftist Social Democratic Party (PSD) the centre-right National Liberal Party (PNL), the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party and national minorities. “It will not be an easy mandate for the future government,” Mr Ciolacu, whose PSD party topped the polls in the parliamentary election, said in a statement. “We are aware that we are in the midst of a deep political crisis,” he said. “It is also a crisis of trust, and this coalition aims to regain the trust of citizens, the trust of the people.” Romania’s 16 ministerial positions will be shared among the parties, which will hold a slim majority in the legislature. It is widely seen as a tactical partnership to shut out far-right nationalists whose voices found fertile ground amid high living costs and a sluggish economy. President Klaus Iohannis nominated Marcel Ciolacu to form the new government in Bucharest (AP) After parliament’s approval, President Klaus Iohannis swore in the new government and warned the new Cabinet that it is entering a “difficult new period” in which “for many Romanians, there are major concerns”. Romania was plunged into turmoil after Mr Georgescu’s surprise success in the presidential race, after allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference emerged. Days before the December 8 run-off, the Constitutional Court made the unprecedented move to annul the presidential race. “We go through complicated times, but I think we all learned from mistakes of the past,” Mr Ciolacu said. “I hope that together with my colleagues in the coalition, we’ll find the best solutions to get past the challenges we have in front of us.” It is hoped the move will help end the recent political crisis after the presidential election was annulled (AP) Cristian Andrei, a political consultant based in Bucharest, said that the new government made up of the same political parties will likely embrace “soft populist” rhetoric such as economic patriotism, anti-austerity, and a peace solution in neighbouring Ukraine to counter the rise of far-right populism. “This will be a way to answer the concerns of many Romanians who voted for populists... but will not solve the fundamental problem of trust,” he said. “The only decisive factor now will be who and how convincing the pro-European candidates will be against this popular revolt.” George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, which came second in the parliamentary election, said that all politicians from his party on Monday would vote against the Ciolacu government. In 2021, the PSD and the PNL also formed an unlikely but increasingly strained coalition together with UDMR, which exited the Cabinet last year after a power-sharing dispute.
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