China, Indonesia launch first joint disaster relief exercise

Chinese and Indonesian militaries launched their first joint humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) exercise, Peace Garuda-2024, with an opening ceremony on Sunday.

The exercise follows the arrival of Chinese military in Indonesia on Saturday, transported by Y-20 aircraft.

The opening ceremony took place simultaneously at land, sea, and air training grounds in Jakarta and Banten Province. Commanders from both nations addressed the troops via video teleconference from the joint exercise command center. Peace Garuda-2024, scheduled to run until Saturday, will involve army, navy, and air force personnel from both countries. The exercise will encompass drills focusing on search and rescue, medical aid, evacuation and resettlement, nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) protection, and parachute delivery. The two sides will also carry out cultural and sports activities

"This inaugural exercise between the Chinese and Indonesian militaries will deepen practical cooperation, enhance joint operational capabilities, and contribute to regional peace and stability," said Tong Wen, member of Command and Coordination Organization of the Peace Garuda-2024 joint HADR exercise.

This exercise builds upon increasingly close high-level military exchanges and fruitful cooperation between the two nations in recent years, as highlighted by Chinese Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Wu Qian earlier this week.

With the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations approaching next year, China has expressed its commitment to further strengthening military ties and enhancing defense dialog with Indonesia.

China, Indonesia launch first joint disaster relief exercise

China has firmly rejected the European Union's (EU) groundless designation of China as a so-called "high-risk country" and its decision to restrict funding support for projects using Chinese inverters, China's Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said on Thursday.

Inverters are devices that convert solar panels' direct current output into alternating current for use in homes and industrial facilities.

The spokesperson made the remarks in response to media reports that EU officials had stated the bloc would prohibit funding support for projects using inverters from "high-risk countries" such as China.

"Without any concrete evidence, the EU has, for the first time, designated China as a 'high-risk country' and, on that basis, banned funding for projects using Chinese inverters," the spokesperson said. "This constitutes an act of stigmatization against China and subjects Chinese products to unfair and discriminatory treatment. China rejects and firmly opposes this move."

China urges the EU to immediately cease the stigmatizing practice of listing China as a "high-risk country" and to withdraw the unfair, discriminatory measures against Chinese products, the spokesperson said, adding that China will closely monitor and carefully assess the impact of EU policies on the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, as well as on China-EU industrial and supply chains.

Necessary actions will be taken to protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies, according to the spokesperson.

China slams EU's discriminatory restrictions on Chinese inverters