Briefly

CHINA

Wang Yi to chair Pacific Islands FMs' meeting

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will chair the third China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Xiamen, Fujian province, from May 28 to 29, the first of its kind to be held offline in China. Foreign ministers or representatives from 11 island countries having diplomatic relations with China, and Deputy Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum Esala Nayasi will attend the meeting, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Wednesday. China highly values its ties with the Pacific Island countries and is ready to strengthen solidarity and cooperation, seek common development to build an even closer China-Pacific Island countries community with a shared future, she added.

RUSSIA

Putin visits Kursk for 1st time after Ukraine ouster

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the western Kursk region for the first time since Russian forces ejected Ukrainian troops from the area. The Kremlin said that during the visit on Tuesday, Putin met volunteer organizations in the region and visited the Kursk-II nuclear power plant. State television showed Putin meeting volunteers and local officials in the region. Russia said in late April that it had ejected Ukrainian troops from the Kursk region.

China Daily - Agencies