Senior political advisors study guiding principles from Xi's speech on CPPCC

The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee started a standing committee session on Wednesday to study an important speech that Xi Jinping, the general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, delivered on Sept 20 to celebrate the 75th founding anniversary of the CPPCC.

Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, attended the opening meeting.

The meeting was presided over by Shi Taifeng, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice chairman of the CPPCC National Committee. Shi called on CPPCC members to take the study and implementation of Xi's important speech as a major political task, and give full play to CPPCC's role as a specialized consultative body, so as to build consensus and pool strength for advancing Chinese modernization.

Li Shulei, also a member of the Political Bureau and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, was invited to the meeting and gave a report on the advances on cultural fronts.

The senior political advisors also heard reports on a number of topics, including developing fine traditional Chinese culture, building sci-tech innovation centers and improving foreign-related legal services.

During the two-and-a-half-day session, they will also hold themed consultations with regional CPPCC committees in Henan, Guangdong and Xinjiang via videolink.

Senior political advisors study guiding principles from Xi's speech on CPPCC

At least 200 miners were killed after several mine shafts collapsed at coltan sites in Rubaya of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, a spokesperson for the March 23 Movement rebel group confirmed on Friday.

Most of the victims were artisanal miners who were buried, the spokesperson said, adding that children and women were also among the dead.

The collapses occurred on Wednesday and Thursday at different coltan mines in Rubaya, an area controlled by the rebels since April 2024.

Coltan, or columbite-tantalite, is the main source of tantalum, a rare metal used in the production of advanced electronic devices. The United Nations estimated that the Rubaya mines alone account for about 15 percent of the global tantalum supply.

At least 200 killed in mine collapse in eastern DR Congo