Briefly

CHINA

Vice-premier to kick off 3-day Russia visit

Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang will kick off a three-day visit to Russia, starting from Sunday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian announced. During the tour, Ding will co-chair the 11th meeting of the China-Russia Investment Cooperation Committee and the 21st meeting of the China-Russia Energy Cooperation Committee respectively with Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov and Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak. Ding will also attend the sixth China-Russia Energy Business Forum. Data showed the bilateral trade volume reached $240.11 billion in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 26.3 percent.

THE MALDIVES

Foreign minister to begin China tour

Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer will visit China from Saturday to Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian has announced. The five-day visit is Zameer's first China tour since assuming the office in November. His visit follows Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu's state visit to China in January, when the relationship between the two countries was upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Figures show that as of April 2024, China is the largest source of tourists to the Maldives.

DPRK

Top leader receives Russian delegation

Kim Jong-un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, received on Thursday a Russian military delegation led by Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexey Krivoruchko in Pyongyang, the DPRK's official Korean Central News Agency reported on Friday. Kim and Krivoruchko held talks and "shared recognition of the importance and necessity of the military cooperation", the report said.

FRANCE

Yael Braun-Pivet reelected as speaker

Centrist Yael Braun-Pivet was reelected as speaker of the French National Assembly on Thursday evening, securing a relative majority of 220 votes in the third round of voting. Veteran Communist Andre Chassaigne came in second with 207 votes. Far-right party candidate Sebastien Chenu came in third with 141 votes. "We have an immense responsibility today," Braun-Pivet said after being reelected.

China Daily - Xinhua - Agencies