Senior CPC official highlights global civilizations dialogue, cooperation at Beijing conference

Senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official Cai Qi on Thursday called for greater efforts to promote dialogue and cooperation among global civilizations, as he attended the opening of the Global Civilizations Dialogue Ministerial Meeting in Beijing.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the meeting, which was read out at the opening ceremony by Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee.

In his keynote speech, Cai, who is a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, said the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by President Xi more than two years ago has received enthusiastic responses and positive echoes from the international community.

The initiative, which upholds the core principle of seeking common ground while reserving differences, is deeply rooted in China's fine traditional culture and resonates with cultural values shared by many other nations, Cai said.

Noting that the path to global peace and development remains long and challenging, Cai called for joint efforts to explore diverse development models, strengthen cultural inheritance and innovation, advance cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and build a diverse and multi-dimensional global network for dialogue and cooperation among civilizations.

Themed "Safeguarding Diversity of Human Civilizations for World Peace and Development," the meeting is co-hosted by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and the International Department of the CPC Central Committee.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sent his message of congratulations to the event, which has attracted over 600 guests from about 140 countries and regions.

Former heads of state and government from Indonesia, Namibia, Japan and Belgium delivered speeches at the opening ceremony.

Senior CPC official highlights global civilizations dialogue, cooperation at Beijing conference

Russia reported on Saturday that its forces attacked several Ukrainian military targets over the past day, while Ukraine on the same day claimed it hit Russian oil facilities.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in its latest report that over the past 24 hours, the Russian forces conducted strikes on Ukrainian energy and transport infrastructure, drone storage sites and fuel depots, temporary deployment points of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 145 locations. The ministry said Russian air defense forces shot down 568 drones over the past day.

Meanwhile, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on the same day that a total of 151 combat engagements were reported on the battlefield over the past day. It said the Ukrainian forces launched attacks on multiple Russian troops and an equipment concentration area and drone control points, and shot down 2,104 operational-tactical level Russian drones. The Ukrainian forces also hit four key Russian oil facilities on Saturday, said the report.

Ukraine's Security Service (SSU) said in a social media post on Saturday that it had hit three Russian warships in Crimea. The SSU said that the hit warships included the Russian Navy's large landing ships Yamal and Azov,and a third warship of an unspecified type. Other reports said that a Russian Project 21980 anti-sabotage boat "may have been hit."

According to the SSU, Ukraine also launched drones to attack Russia's communication systems, a radar station, and an oil base in Crimea.

Russia has not responded to these reports.

Russia claims striking multiple Ukrainian targets; Ukraine reports hitting Russian oil facilities