Authorities in coastal regions in southern China stepped up precautionary measures and conducted timely evacuations as they braced for the impact of the Super Typhoon Yagi, which made landfall in south China’s Hainan Province on Friday afternoon.

The 11th typhoon of the year, Yagi, made landfall at 16:20 local time Friday in the Wengtian Township of Hainan’s Wenchang City, with ferocious wind speeds exceeding 234 kilometers per hour.

The typhoon has brought heavy rainfall across most of the island, with severe rainstorms pummeling many townships and villages. Around 20,000 firefighters, soldiers, and additional rescue personnel have gathered and are on standby to handle any emergency situations which may arise, while the relevant departments stocked up on relief supplies in advance.

As of 17:00 on Friday, more than 460,000 people have been evacuated and more than 500 relocation centers have been set up across Wenchang City. Efforts are also ongoing to assess geological hazards and conduct inspections of the rivers, lakes, and reservoirs deemed at risk.

As the typhoon approaches the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, efforts are also being stepped up to ensure emergency support for power, communication, and transportation.

The typhoon-induced suspension of all ferry services across the Qiongzhou Strait between Hainan and Guangdong led to over 3,000 trucks being left stranded in the Xuwen County of Zhanjiang City. Local authorities have dispatched specialized teams to direct people to specific emergency shelters.

Meanwhile, multiple cities in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, including the popular coastal resort city of Beihai, have preemptively implemented various measures, including suspending business operations and closing schools, while more coastal regions are stepping up their preventive work.

Elsewhere, South China’s Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions (SARs) have taken a variety of precautions for Super Typhoon Yagi. The stock exchange in Hong Kong was shuttered while schools remained closed on Friday. All ferries, buses and taxis have been suspended across the city, and subways are running on a reduced timetable.

Macao also proactively implemented a range of preventive emergency measures that encompassed transportation, water and electricity supplies, and municipal services.

(CCTV +)
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Sri Lanka is seeking further investment from China and has taken substantial actions to protect investor’s rights, said Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, the country’s Speaker of Parliament.

The top official, who just attended the eighth China-South Asia Expo in Kunming, southwest China’s Yunnan Province, highlighted that the expo brings together enterprises from China and South Asia for trade opportunities while speaking in an exclusive interview with China Global Television Network.

“Last time we had only 80-odd participants. This time we had 126, or something like that, so the number of participants has increased considerably. The number one is gem and jewelry. Gem and jewelry is very popular and successful business in our country. Now they want to capture the Chinese market. The Chinese market is very attractive. The other thing was the garment industry. The garment industry is also is one of the lucrative businesses in the country. With this exhibition, I invite Chinese investors to come and invest in Sri Lanka in these fields, especially the tea, gem and jewelry, and garments,” he said.

Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena shared that the two countries will further cooperate under the Belt and Road Initiative, especially to advance flagship projects including the Colombo Port City and the Hambantota Port.

“Belt and Road Initiative is not a new thing for Sri Lanka. Thousands of years ago, there had been Chinese businessmen who did a lot of business in my country. Now, with this new approach, with the Belt and Road [Initiative], there is an ample opportunity, and it can expand unprecedentedly in our country. The port city is totally a Chinese investment, and Sri Lanka has recognized it. And in parliament, we have passed the legislation to give security for the investors. It’s a special law that is investor beneficial, investor friendly, and their investments are untouched,” he said.

The official also highly praised the medical aid offered by China for local cataract patients and expressed expectations that there will more exchanges in tourism.

“Those cataract operations were very successful and there was a big demand. And more than that, now China has given us a friendship hospital in Polonnaruwa. It’s for kidney patients. It’s an amazing investment, amazing donation to our country and which we appreciate very much. Tourism is also another industry that we develop in our country. There are very attractive sceneries, very attractive tourist offerings. If you can get 10 percent of your tourist influx to the country, that is more than enough for us to survive our industry. Chinese tourists are very well recognized and accepted by the Sri Lankan government and by the Sri Lankan people,” he said.

(CCTV +)

In December 2012, Xi Jinping, then newly elected general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, chose Guangdong, a frontier of China’s reform and opening up, as the destination of his first inspection tour.

During this trip, he issued a mobilization order to the whole Party and country.

“The decision to launch reform and opening up was right. We must keep to this correct path, ” he said. “We must stay unwavering on the road to the prosperity of the nation and the people.”

For over a decade, Xi has continuously planned the overall direction of reforms and promoted implementation.

2024 marks another significant year for deepening reform in the new era. Xi will lead the 1.4 billion Chinese people in jointly writing a new chapter of reform in the new era.