Briefly

CHINA

Foreign Minister to attend SCO meeting

Foreign Minister Wang Yi will start a four-day trip on Saturday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Foreign Ministers Council meeting and pay official visits to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, the Foreign Ministry announced. The meeting will be held in Astana on Monday and Tuesday. During the meeting, Wang will discuss with other SCO foreign ministers on issues regarding international and regional situations, and prepare for this year's SCO summit. He will also meet with the leaders of Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, and hold talks with their foreign ministers to discuss bilateral ties and international and regional issues of shared concern.

NEW ZEALAND

Pacific nations call for calm amid riots

New Zealand is among Pacific nations that are gravely concerned about the situation in the French overseas territory of New Caledonia, calling for calm, and constructive dialogue. New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said on Thursday that the escalating situation and violent protests in the capital Noumea, are of serious concern across the region. Vanuatu's prime minister, Charlot Salwai, said the indiscriminate destruction of property would affect New Caledonia's economy in a big way. Protests and violence broke out on Tuesday ahead of a vote in the French National Assembly on changes to the New Caledonian constitution. French President Emmanuel Macron decided on Wednesday to declare a state of emergency in New Caledonia, a French territory, where protests have left three people dead.

Xinhua - China Daily