China achieves notable progress in advancing a special pilot initiative aimed at integrating science, technology, industry, and finance.
To date, China’s national platform for the integration of production has brought together 381,000 high-quality enterprises, 3,090 financial institutions, and over 800 financial products. A tripartite information-sharing mechanism among the science and technology, industrial, and financial sectors has been established. More than 150 leading financial institutions have joined efforts to support early-stage hard-tech projects, key industrial transfer initiatives, and advanced manufacturing cluster enterprises, helping to raise 540 billion yuan (about 75 billion U.S. dollars).
"In response to the financing needs of manufacturing enterprises, a range of specialized financial products have been launched, including 'pilot test insurance plus research and development loans', loans for enterprises that utilize specialized and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products, loans for scientific and technological innovation, and loans for digital transformation in manufacturing. Additionally, 17 regional equity markets have established special boards dedicated to enterprises with specialized and sophisticated technologies," said Wei Wei, director of the Department of Science and Technology of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
The ministry stated that it will prioritize early-stage hard-tech projects in key areas such as biomanufacturing, artificial intelligence, digital technology, and the low-altitude economy. It aims to align national innovation resources with financial support to advance a number of high-quality projects.
China achieves notable progress in advancing integration of sci-tech, industries, finance
Lebanon's Health Ministry said Saturday that Israeli strikes during the latest round of fighting have killed 2,020 people and wounded 6,436 others since hostilities escalated.
The ministry said the toll reflects cumulative casualties recorded across multiple regions amid continued Israeli airstrikes and cross-border exchanges of fire.
On Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that Israeli forces engaged in close-range firefights with Hezbollah militants, striking multiple targets and killing several militants while seizing various weapons. In the past 24 hours, the IDF targeted over 200 Hezbollah sites within Lebanon and continued to target Hezbollah rocket launchers to prevent attacks against Israel.
Additionally, the IDF's Home Front Command has tightened public safety guidelines, suspending or limiting educational activities in border communities, Upper Galilee, and Haifa Bay, while also restricting the size of gatherings in those areas.
Hezbollah, in its statement, claimed that its operations in southern Lebanon continued, attacking Israeli tanks and personnel. The group also targeted Israeli military infrastructure, soldiers, and vehicles in northern Israel.
The escalation followed renewed hostilities involving Hezbollah, which said it launched rockets from southern Lebanon toward Israel on March 2 for the first time since a ceasefire on Nov. 27, 2024. The exchange prompted Israel to expand its military campaign across Lebanon.
Lebanon has since been hit by sustained strikes in several areas, with fighting spreading beyond border regions into other parts of the country.
Iran and the United States agreed to a ceasefire on Wednesday. Israel said it would abide by the truce but argued the agreement does not apply to Lebanon. That assertion was rejected by Iran and by mediator Pakistan.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that the disarmament of Hezbollah is a prerequisite for any ceasefire agreement with Lebanon.
In a video statement, he said Lebanon had approached Israel several times over the past month seeking to begin direct talks following Israeli military actions.
"I approved this, subject to two conditions: we want to achieve the disarmament of Hezbollah, and we want a real peace agreement that will last for generations," Netanyahu said.
Death toll from Israeli attacks in Lebanon reaches 2,020
