Nauruan President David Adeang, who recently embarked on a journey to trace his roots in China, has expressed hope that his family will stay connected and maintain close ties with their rediscovered ancestral relatives.
Earlier this month, Adeang arrived in Jiangmen City in south China's Guangdong Province for a four-day visit, accompanied by his family, to explore their ancestral heritage.
After verification by relevant authorities, it was confirmed that Adeang's great-grandfather's ancestral home is located in the ancient Chikan town of Jiangmen.
Over a century ago, Adeang's ancestors left China for Southeast Asia in search of better opportunities, before eventually settling in Nauru.
"The world is not so big anymore. To think that before today we didn't know each other at all, but now we are going to be communicating by WeChat to keep the families connected. And my daughter who will be schooling at Beijing in a couple of months, she will be responsible for staying connected and bringing the two families closer together," Adeang said in an interview with China Media Group (CMG).
Adeang's great-grandfather belonged to a large family with the surname Situ. To commemorate this meaningful reunion, Adeang posed for a group photo with members of the Situ family.
Adeang also met an elderly woman whom he and his family affectionately called "granny".
"It's good to know her. And I hope that they will welcome us back again and again, because we really want to be close to our family on this side of the world," said the president.
Nauruan president hopes to stay connected with his ancestral relatives in China
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
