Briefly

CHINA

DPRK's foreign minister to pay visit

The Foreign Minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Choe Son-hui will pay a four-day visit to China starting on Saturday. China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun announced Choe's visit on Thursday. The visit comes less than a month after DPRK's top leader Kim Jong-un visited China to attend the commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War.

MALAWI

Peter Mutharika wins presidential election

Malawi's former President Peter Mutharika has won the presidential election with 56.8 percent of the vote, securing a decisive lead over incumbent Lazarus Chakwera, the country's electoral commission announced Wednesday. The president-elect, contesting on the Democratic Progressive Party ticket, secured nearly 3.04 million votes in the 17-candidate race on Sept 16, while Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party garnered around 1.77 million votes, Malawi Electoral Commission Chairwoman Annabel Mtalimanja announced at a news briefing in Lilongwe, the capital. The 85-year-old Mutharika obtained 56.8 percent of the valid votes cast, surpassing the 50-percent-plus-one threshold required for an outright victory, while Chakwera, 70, trailed with 33 percent of ballots, according to the MEC.

UNITED NATIONS

Kyiv restores ties with Damascus

Ukraine and Syria formally restored diplomatic relations on Wednesday as their leaders met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Ukraine broke off relations with Syria in June 2022. "We are pleased with this important step and are ready to support the Syrian people on their path to stability," Zelensky wrote on Telegram after announcing the restoration of diplomatic relations. The Syrian leadership said it was hoping for close relations with Kyiv. On Wednesday, Zelensky told the UN General Assembly in his speech that Syria deserved stronger international support.

China Daily - Xinhua - Agencies