China's centrally-administered enterprises step up aid to Xizang

China's centrally-administered enterprises unveiled an up-scaled aid package for the Xizang Autonomous Region in southwest China on Sunday, with the signing of a cluster of agreements on investment in a new batch of 75 projects worth 317.54 billion yuan (more than 44.23 billion U.S. dollars), aimed at improving the local population's livelihoods.

At a meeting convened in the regional capital city of Lhasa by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) of the State Council, the 16 enterprises involved announced the upgraded assistance package for the remote far western region.

Also at the meeting, some enterprises signed separate agreements covering employment support, financial assistance, and consumer-product procurement to aid the region.

The industrial projects covered by the newly signed agreements focus on the sectors Xizang needs the most - clean energy, green mining, power supply, communication, and infrastructure. Once completed, the projects are expected to create more than 11,400 jobs directly.

A SASAC spokesperson said that, in recent years, centrally-administered enterprises have steadily ramped up assistance to Xizang, undertaking 10,100 projects in transportation, electricity, and communications, with a total contract value of 166.81 billion yuan (more than 23.23 billion U.S. dollars).

Since 2021, centrally-administered enterprises have furnished 4.7 billion yuan (more than 654 million U.S. dollars) in grant aid to Xizang and purchased 5.2 billion yuan (more than 724 million U.S. dollars) worth of local farm products, while implementing a large number of public-benefit projects in education, healthcare, and living conditions.

Going forward, centrally-administered enterprises will further scale up their support, helping Xizang foster distinctive industries, deepen technological innovation, and enhance ethnic solidarity, thereby making new and greater contributions to maintaining long-term stability and high-quality development in the region.

China's centrally-administered enterprises step up aid to Xizang

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Wednesday that Seoul firmly adheres to the one-China principle, in comments made ahead of his upcoming state visit to China.

The remarks were made in an interview with China Media Group (CMG). The visit is scheduled for Jan 4–7.

"The consensus reached between governments of the Republic of Korea and China when diplomatic relations were established continues to be the fundamental principle governing our relations, and its effectiveness remains steadfast. I want to clearly state that the ROK has always adhered to the one-China principle. Maintaining peace and stability in regional matters, including in Northeast Asia and concerning the Taiwan issue, holds significant importance to us," said Lee.

"The foundational relationship between the ROK and China was established on a very principled and fundamental basis from the beginning. It is clear that the ROK government has always adhered to this position and has never wavered from it. I believe that the sound development of ROK-China relations depends on both sides fully respecting each other's core interests and being mutually tolerant of each other's positions. In this context, we will, as always, uphold the one-China principle as the Taiwan issue is China's most fundamental concern," he said.

ROK president reiterates firm adherence to one-China principle