Briefly

CHINA

Foreign ministers from SE Asia to pay visits

The foreign ministers of Laos, Vietnam and Timor-Leste will visit China from Tuesday to Friday. Southeast Asian countries are China's friendly neighbors, as well as important partners for Belt and Road cooperation, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Monday. China hopes to enhance ties with the three countries through their foreign ministers' visits, he said.

Beijing welcomes San Francisco mayor

China extended its welcome to San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who is reported to travel to China this month. Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Monday that he hopes the visit will achieve positive outcomes and further promote San Francisco's cooperation with China, as well as locality exchanges between China and the United States. China has always supported and encouraged exchanges in all sectors between the two countries to increase consensus, enhance trust and bring more tangible benefits to people on both sides, Wang said.

GERMANY

Cannabis gets green light amid objections

Germany on Monday became the biggest European Union country to legalize recreational cannabis, despite fierce objections from opposition politicians and medical associations. Under the first step in the much-debated new law, adults over 18 are now allowed to carry 25 grams of dried cannabis and cultivate up to three marijuana plants at home. The changes leave Germany with some of the most liberal cannabis laws in Europe, alongside Malta and Luxembourg, which legalized recreational use in 2021 and 2023 respectively. The Netherlands, known for its permissive attitude to the drug, has in recent years taken a stricter approach to counter cannabis tourism.

China Daily - Agencies