Briefly

CHINA

Venezuelan president starts seven-day visit

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has kicked off a seven-day visit to China starting from Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has announced. Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Friday that Beijing is willing to take the trip as an opportunity to chart a new course for the development of bilateral relations, and to elevate the comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level. She said the bilateral relations have withstood the test of changes in the international situation and remain rock solid, adding that the visit is expected to contribute to world peace and stability and upholding international fairness and justice.

Upcoming trip set to boost Zambia ties

The upcoming visit by Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema will inject fresh momentum into the comprehensive and in-depth development of China-Zambia relations and usher in further progress to bilateral friendly cooperation, China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Friday. Hichilema will visit China from Sunday and the seven-day visit will also take him to Jiangxi and Fujian provinces and Shenzhen in Guangdong province. President Xi Jinping will hold talks with the Zambian leader in Beijing, Mao said. The two countries will celebrate the 60th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations next year.

UNITED STATES

VP Harris dismisses Biden age concerns

Vice-President Kamala Harris dismissed questions about President Joe Biden's age on Friday, telling a television interviewer that she is prepared to be commander in chief, but that it will not be necessary. Biden, who will turn 81 in November and would be 82 at the start of a prospective second four-year term in January 2025, faces skeptical voters who will decide whether to elect the Democrat for another four years in November 2024. His leading opponent, Republican Donald Trump, is 77.

JAPAN

J-pop agency admits late founder's abuse

The president of Japan's biggest and most successful boy band agency admitted on Thursday that its late founder sexually abused young aspiring stars, decades after allegations first emerged. Johnny Kitagawa died at 87 in 2019, having engineered the birth of J-pop mega groups, including SMAP, TOKIO and Arashi, that amassed adoring fans across Asia. Allegations that he abused young men who wanted to be stars surfaced in Japanese media in 1999.

China Daily - Agencies