Xi'an-Penang direct flight inaugurated, students from both countries celebrate New Year together

A direct flight route connecting Xi'an City in northwest China's Shaanxi Province with Malaysia's Penang was launched on Monday, marking a new chapter in cultural exchanges between the two nations.

A group of 10 university students from Xi'an International Studies University and Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts were warmly welcomed upon arrival by the Chinese Consulate General in Penang and the Penang State government officials.

Upon landing at the Penang International Airport, the flight was greeted with the traditional "water salute", followed by a warm reception at the arrival hall.

Penang State Executive Councilor for Tourism and Creative Economy Yeoh Soon Hin, and Ding Qiao, deputy consul general of China in Penang, posed for photos with the students.

As 2025 approached, the students joined tens of thousands of locals in a countdown celebration, with fireworks lighting up the night sky, heralding a year of hope and aspirations.

"We will be undertaking a one-month internship as assistant councilors in Penang State. As young Chinese people in the new era, we aim to use this opportunity to broaden our global perspectives, better tell China's stories, convey China's voice, and contribute to the enduring friendship between China and Malaysia," said Liu Hao, a graduate student at the School of Advanced Translation and Interpretation, Xi'an International Studies University.

The students, dressed in matching activewear, also participated in a New Year's Day city walk in George Town alongside local residents.

In the evening, they attended the Penang temple fair's lantern lighting ceremony and strolled through the beautifully decorated streets. The group also took photos with Chow Kon Yeow, Chief Minister of Penang, and Zhou Youbin, Chinese Consul-General in Penang.

Penang State and Shaanxi Province enjoy a strong friendship, exemplified by collaborative projects such as the Penang State Assistant Councilor Internship Program, the Silk Road (China-ASEAN) Model United Nations Conference, and the creation of mural paintings in the typical style of farmers in Shaanxi.

As Malaysia assumes the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, the partnership between the two countries is set to deepen, offering broader opportunities for China-Malaysia cooperation.

Xi'an-Penang direct flight inaugurated, students from both countries celebrate New Year together

Xi'an-Penang direct flight inaugurated, students from both countries celebrate New Year together

Xi'an-Penang direct flight inaugurated, students from both countries celebrate New Year together

Xi'an-Penang direct flight inaugurated, students from both countries celebrate New Year together

Xi'an-Penang direct flight inaugurated, students from both countries celebrate New Year together

A Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman on Friday lashed out at Japan's latest sharp increase in defense budget and planned revision of defense equipment transfer principles to allow the export of lethal weapons, urging the country to make a clean break from militarism.

It was reported that the Japanese parliament has enacted a record-high budget for fiscal year 2026, featuring a defense expenditure of 9.04 trillion yen (about 58 billion U.S. dollars), exceeding 9 trillion yen for the first time. Reports also indicate that the Japanese government is planning a significant revision to the implementation guidelines of its "Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology," which will allow the export of lethal weapons.

Speaking at a press conference in Beijing, Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, the spokesman, said in response, "Various signs have shown that the Japanese right-wing forces are stepping up efforts to push the country's security policy to shift toward a more offensive and expansionist direction. Their acts gravely violate the [1943] Cairo Declaration, the [1945] Potsdam Proclamation, the [1945] Japanese Instrument of Surrender, and other instruments with legal effect under international law, gravely go against Japan's own Constitution and existing domestic norms, and pose a serious threat to the post-war international order and regional peace and stability."

"Japanese militarism once inflicted untold suffering on the region and beyond, yet there has never been a proper reckoning with it after World War II," Zhang said.

Now, the Japanese side has completely torn off its disguise and accelerated its pace of re-militarization, which cannot but arouse strong concern and condemnation from the rest of the world, the spokesman said.

"We urge the Japanese side to stop its retrogressive moves and make a clean break from militarism. Otherwise, it will lose the trust of its Asian neighbors and the rest of the international community," he said.

China urges Japan to break away from militarism