Chinese embassies in African countries held a series of events to celebrate the 2025 Chinese Spring Festival, sharing Chinese traditional culture and best wishes with local Chinese communities and African friends.
In Botswana, the Chinese embassy held a Spring Festival reception to welcome the beginning of the Year of the Snake. Chinese Ambassador to Botswana Fan Yong, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Ministry of International Relations Clifford Maribe, along with over 200 guests representing local Chinese companies, the Chinese medical team, Confucius Institute, and Botswanan friends, attended the reception.
On January 26, the Chinese Embassy in Mozambique held the 2025 Spring Festival reception, featuring performances showcasing Chinese culture and full of festival atmosphere. Together with over 200 Chinese and Mozambican guests from all walks of life, Chinese ambassador Wang Hejun extended Chinese New Year greetings, and shared best wishes to promote bilateral cooperation and people-to-people connection between the two countries as 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Mozambique.
Chinese embassies in Botswana, Mozambique host Spring Festival receptions
The U.S. decision to impose a 15 percent global tariff has cast more confusion and uncertainty for businesses and consumers, according to financial analysts.
U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday morning in a 6-3 vote that U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policy under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act was illegal.
Infuriated by the ruling, Trump signed an order imposing a 10 percent tariff on imports from all countries hours later. Then on Saturday he said that he will raise the new global tariff to 15 percent.
The White House said the new levy is being imposed to address "fundamental international payment problems," adding that it will stay in effect for 150 days under a section of the Trade Act of 1974.
Certain products will be exempt from that levy - including some critical minerals, beef and tomatoes. The Trump administration also said it's considering other legal avenues to impose duties.
While the Supreme Court deemed many of Trump's tariffs illegal, it did not specify a means to pursue refunds, instead leaving that issue to lower courts. That could mean protracted legal wrangling for years for U.S. importers and uncertainty over if and how consumers will see any benefit.
"I would caution consumers, business owners, from assuming that this is going to have an immediate benefit, that this is going to cause immediate lower prices. That isn't likely. What this really does is, again, cause a lot more uncertainty，" said Stephen Kates, senior financial analyst with Bankrate, a consumer financial services company based in New York City.
Trump tariffs cast more uncertainty for businesses, consumers: analyst
