Brief look at Henan Province as Xi goes on inspection tour

Henan, the central Chinese province steeped in rich history where Chinese President Xi Jinping made an inspection tour on Monday, is forging a path of all-round development as it writes a new chapter of prosperity in the country’s modernization journey.

Nestled in the heart of China, Henan is often referred to as the birthplace of Chinese civilization. Today, it continues to thrive as a vital agricultural, industrial, and cultural hub, contributing significantly to China's high-quality development.

Covering an area of 167,000 square kilometers, the province was home to 97.85 million permanent residents by the end of 2024, making it one of China’s most populous provinces.

In the first quarter of 2025, Henan's GDP reached 1.49 trillion yuan (about 206.7 billion U.S. dollars), representing a year-on-year growth of 5.9 percent.

As a major agricultural producer, dubbed the "granary of the central plains," Henan plays a crucial role in safeguarding China's food security. Over the years, the province has been leveraging its natural resources to accelerate the development of agriculture in the rural revitalization strategy.

Henan is fostering new quality productive forces based on local conditions and strengths as part of its commitment to innovation-driven industrial growth. With a focus on building advanced manufacturing clusters, the province is accelerating the development of a modern industrial system.

Strategically located at the "crossroads of multiple provinces," Henan is improving its transportation infrastructure to cement its role as a key regional hub and drive economic growth through enhanced connectivity.

Spanning the Yangtze, Huaihe, Yellow, and Haihe River basins, Henan is committed to ecological conservation, building ecological security shields to ensure sustainable development.

With a long and storied history, the province takes pride in preserving and revitalizing its outstanding cultural heritage, promoting cultural prosperity.

Henan remains committed to improving its people’s livelihoods, ensuring that its residents enjoy an enhanced sense of security, happiness, and fulfillment.

Brief look at Henan Province as Xi goes on inspection tour

The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) is ready to completely withdraw from the governmental scene in the Gaza Strip and engage in a positive and constructive manner with the second phase of the plan to end the war in the enclave, said Hamas political bureau member Basem Naim on Friday. In a statement, Naim said that the ceasefire deal became an international plan after being adopted by the United Nations Security Council. However, it is now facing obstacles.

He accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of reneging on his commitments and escalating the situation, in an attempt to return to war and save his political career. Pointing out that Israeli strikes have caused hundreds of casualties since the announcement of the ceasefire, the Hamas official said the escalation cannot occur without cover or green light from the United States. He said Hamas has committed to all its obligations under the ceasefire agreement, as attested by the mediators and the U.S., adding that it is ready for the second phase of the agreement.

He emphasized the Movement's commitment to the establishment of a fully empowered Palestinian body to administer Gaza, and its complete withdrawal from the governmental scene.

Naim warned that the situation will not be sustainable if the continued escalation of Israeli military operations and the persistence of the catastrophic humanitarian situation remain unaddressed, adding that the circle of fire may expand, which is what Netanyahu aspires to.

Since a ceasefire took effect on Oct 10, 2025, Gaza's death toll has risen to 439 with 1,223 injuries, according to local health authorities on Friday. Rescue teams have recovered 688 bodies during that period. In the broader conflict, at least 71,409 Palestinians have been killed and 171,304 wounded since Israel's military campaign in Gaza began in October 2023.

Hamas ready for complete withdrawal from Gaza governmental scene: official