Indonesia President Prabowo kicks off state visit to China

Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto began a state visit to China on Friday, making China his first overseas destination after taking office. Analysts said that the visit underscores Prabowo's commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and the high level of cooperation between China and Indonesia, and will further push the building of a China-Indonesia community with a shared future. 

At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, Prabowo will pay a state visit to China from Friday to Sunday. President Xi will hold a welcoming ceremony for him, and the two heads of state will hold talks. Premier Li Qiang and Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, will meet with him respectively, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. 

Prabowo's decision to make China the first country to visit after his election in March, and again as his first destination after taking office, underscores the high priority he places on China-Indonesia relations. This move highlights the strength of bilateral ties and signals Indonesia's continued commitment to cooperation with China under his administration, Ge Hongliang, vice dean of the ASEAN College at the Guangxi Minzu University, told the Global Times on Friday. 

Prabowo shows a strong commitment to building on former president Joko Widodo's policies. With the solid foundation laid by Joko's tenure, China-Indonesia cooperation is expected to remain a focus in Prabowo's foreign policy, said Ge. 

The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a release on Tuesday that Prabowo's first state visit to China "holds significant importance for the commitment to strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between Indonesia and China in various fields."

Ge said that how to further promote projects under the Belt and Road Initiative and the building of a China-Indonesia community with a shared future would be central topics during Prabowo's visit. 

In addition to ongoing infrastructure projects, including Indonesia's new capital, China-Indonesia cooperation is expected to deepen across economic sectors. With regional supply chains undergoing realignment, both China and Indonesia have a shared interest in strengthening resilience and stability within the regional industry. Moreover, there is vast potential for collaboration in emerging fields, particularly in new energy, said the expert. 

Ge said Prabowo has high expectations for deepening cooperation with China and other developing countries, especially those in the Global South, and that Indonesia is pursuing a balanced foreign policy. 

China is Prabowo's first stop on a two-week overseas tour that includes the APEC summit in Peru, the G20 meeting in Brazil, and an official visit to the UK. "We will maintain good relations with all parties," Prabowo said on Friday before his departure from Jakarta, Bloomberg reported.

7th China International Import Expo opens in Shanghai

The newest edition of the China International Import Expo (CIIE), the world's first national-level exposition dedicated to imports, opened on Tuesday in Shanghai.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 7th CIIE and the Hongqiao International Economic Forum.

Running from Nov. 5 to 10, the 7th CIIE has attracted 3,496 exhibitors from 129 countries and regions. It also sets a new record with 297 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders attending the event.

More than 400 new products, new technologies and new services are set to be unveiled during the expo, which experts believe is a strong indication of global companies' confidence in the Chinese market and their commitment to further development in China despite a sluggish global economic recovery.

Chinese FM refutes hypothesis of ‘Chinese espionage’; MSS cautions against traps of foreign spy agencies

In response to The Wall Street Journal's recent report stating that some Western countries believe that China is conducting espionage activities on an "unprecedented scale" to undermine rival states and bolster the country's economy, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said he doesn't know what factual basis this report has, yet noted that the CIA recently posted on social media in Chinese on how to contact it online, in an attempt to lure Chinese personnel to be their informant, and this seriously infringes on China's national interest. 

China strongly protests this, Lin said. China will resolutely crack down on infiltration and sabotage activities by anti-China forces outside China and defend national sovereignty, security and development interest.

The US has never stopped its espionage activities against China, and it has also long been conducting massive surveillance and secret theft against its allies, Lin said, noting that the US on the one hand blatantly carries out spy activities worldwide, yet on the other makes unwarranted accusations of spy threats against other countries, which is a clear misrepresentation of the facts. 

As China's Foreign Ministry condemned US espionage activities around the world, China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) on Monday also unveiled well-designed espionage activities by foreign powers disguised as coincidences, calling on the public to raise their awareness and strictly keep their behavior in line with standards and regulations, and promptly report any activities that may threaten state security.

National security agencies have learned from their work findings that foreign espionage agencies typically recruit personnel with access to national secrets by initiating conversations and consultations, with the aim of persuading them to serve foreign spy agencies, according to the MSS on its official WeChat account.

Overseas intelligence agencies commonly target personnel on core security-related duties under various pretexts, such as asking for directions or advice, the MSS said.

Once responses are received, the foreign intelligence agency staff will ask for the basic personal information and contacts of the individuals related to the confidential materials, biding their time to seize the state secrets.

Foreign spies will also deliberately and purposely pose as attendees in exhibitions, talks, seminars, and other events in order to become acquainted with participants with potential links to national secrets. After getting familiar with them, overseas spies will progressively solicit them to commit stealing of national secrets.

A short video released by the MSS in June narrated the story of a researcher involved in national scientific research who, being struck up by a foreign spy at an exhibition, gradually dropped into the other side's secret-stealing trap, and eventually recognized the truth and voluntarily turned himself in to the national security authorities.

Internet-based stealing of nationally critical data is another frequent approach adopted by foreign intelligence agencies, according to the MSS.

Foreign spies will use fake identities and establish relationships with individuals working in vital sectors of the country via online forums, chat rooms or online games. After successfully getting acquainted on the internet, overseas espionage will continue to communicate with them until the right moment arrives for theft of state secrets, which may even be extended to face-to-face persuasion.

The MSS reminds the public to be vigilant if they are unexpectedly greeted by someone without a clear reason. In particular, when it comes to sensitive topics, individuals are advised to avoid sharing personal information and work details, and to avoid in-depth discussions if overseas strangers ask for contact information or invite them alone in private.

The public is encouraged to safeguard their personal information to avoid revealing their work affiliations, positions, contact details, and other sensitive information online. Personnel in key areas should strictly abide by the discipline of confidentiality and work discipline, resolutely refuse any request that involves national secrets or may jeopardize national security, the MSS reminded.

The MSS also urges the public to promptly report any illegal acts or suspicious activities to the relevant authorities.

Wang Yi meets Russian Deputy FM Rudenko, says China-Russia ties not directed against or interfered by third party

The development of the China-Russia relations does not target any third party or is subject to interference by any third party, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during a meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko on Wednesday in Beijing.

Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said that the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination is grounded in a natural logic of history and driven by strong internal dynamics, no matter how the international situation changes. 

Wang said under the leadership of the two heads of state, the China-Russia relations have maintained a sound momentum of development, which serves common interests of the people of both nations and allows them to make their respective contributions to safeguarding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

He noted that not long ago, the BRICS Summit was successfully held in Russia's Kazan, making positive progress on the BRICS mechanism, promoting unity and self-strengthening of the Global South, and playing an important and constructive role in world peace and stability.

He urged the two sides to make joint efforts to coordinate cooperation in various fields and exchanges at all levels, and implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state.

China has taken over the rotating presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and stands ready to work closely with Russia to promote new development of the SCO, Wang added.

For his part, Rudenko said that the head-of-state diplomacy has laid a good foundation for the development of bilateral relations.

Russia is ready to work with China to earnestly implement the arrangements made by the two heads of state, maintain close high-level exchanges, strengthen practical cooperation, continue to maintain coordination on international and regional affairs, and push for new development of the Russia-China relations, Rudenko said.

They exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis.