The Chinese Ministry of Transport is aiming to cut logistics costs throughout society by 300 billion yuan (about 41 billion U.S. dollars) in 2025, it said at a press briefing on Friday.
The ministry will speed up the construction of major projects it has listed for improvement of the national comprehensive multidimensional transportation network next year, Vice Minister of Transport Li Yang told the press conference held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing.
"We expect to cut logistics costs of the whole society by 300 billion yuan (about 41 billion U.S. dollars) in 2025, which will bring strong support to the growth of the real economy, especially the manufacturing sector. Transportation is a part of the logistics costs for the whole society, which mainly include transportation costs, storage costs and management costs. We hope that by giving play to the advantages of the integrated transportation system and promoting the shift of freight transport from roads to railways and waterways, we can better contribute to reducing costs, upgrading quality and increasing efficiency," said the official.
In 2025, the Ministry of Transport will promote further reform of the integrated transportation system, advance reform of the railway system, and accelerate the development of general aviation and the low-altitude economy, the official said.
China aims to cut logistics costs by 41 billion USD in 2025: official
The Republic of Korea (ROK)'s former impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday was sentenced to five years in prison on arrest obstruction charges.
The criminal division of the Seoul Central District Court in charge of Yoon's obstruction of justice case handed down the prison sentence to Yoon for abusing the presidential security service to hinder the anti-corruption agency from executing its arrest warrant in January 2025.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) was once thwarted in its attempt to arrest Yoon as the presidential security service formed human shields and bus blockades to prevent investigators from entering the presidential residence.
The team of Cho Eun-suk, an independent counsel who led investigations into Yoon's insurrection and other charges, demanded a 10-year prison term for Yoon.
The court said Yoon privatized the presidential security service for personal safety and private interests by blocking the law enforcement agencies' lawful execution of an arrest warrant and attempting to destroy evidence, pointing out that despite the very bad nature of his crime, he consistently offered unconvincing excuses and showed no remorse.
The court stressed that severe punishment was necessary, considering the need to restore the rule of law damaged by Yoon's crime, but it noted that the fact that he was a first-time offender with no criminal record was considered a favorable factor.
The sentencing, which was broadcast live, was Yoon's first verdict coming from his botched martial law bid.
The first-instance sentencing for Yoon's insurrection charges was scheduled for Feb 19. The special counsel sought a death penalty for Yoon on the charges.
Yoon declared emergency martial law on the night of Dec 3 in 2024, but it was revoked hours later by the National Assembly.
The constitutional court upheld a motion to impeach Yoon in April 2025, officially removing him from office.
The ousted leader was indicted while in detention in January 2025 on charges of leading an insurrection, becoming the first sitting ROK president facing such prosecution.
ROK ex-president Yoon sentenced to 5 years in prison on arrest obstruction charges
