Xi receives credentials of new ambassadors to China

Chinese President Xi Jinping received the credentials of 16 new ambassadors to China at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday.

Greeted by the guard of honor lining up on both sides outside the North Gate of the Great Hall of the People with trumpeters blowing the horns, the diplomatic envoys, arriving in succession, passed through the flag array, and walked up the white marble stairs.

In front of the giant painting "A Land So Rich in Beauty", Xi Jinping accepted the credentials respectively presented by the diplomatic envoys and posed for photos with them one by one.

The ambassadors are: Ambassador of Vietnam to China Pham Thanh Binh, Ambassador of Panama to China Miguel Humberto Lecaro Barcenas，Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to China Jose Julio Gomez Beato, Ambassador of Albania to China Riza Poda, Ambassador of New Zealand to China Jonathan Edward Austin, Ambassador of Papua New Guinea to China Thaddeus Kambanei, Ambassador of Angola to China Dalva Maurĺcia Calombo Ringote Allen, Ambassador of Egypt to China Khaled Nazmy, Ambassador of Nicaragua to China Ramiro Jose Cruz Flores, Ambassador of Iran to China Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, Ambassador of Chile to China Pablo Arriaran, Ambassador of Ukraine to China Olexander Nechytaylo, Ambassador of Benin to China Franck Adjagba, Ambassador of the United States to China David Perdue, Ambassador of Israel to China Eliav Belotsercovsky, and Ambassador of South Sudan to China Morris Simon Batali.

Xi also met with Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Nurlan Yermekbayev.

After the credentials presentation ceremony, Xi Jinping delivered a speech to the diplomatic envoys at the Beijing Hall.

Xi welcomed the diplomatic envoys to their posts in China, asked them to convey his best wishes to the leaders and people of their respective countries, and expressed the hope that the diplomatic envoys will gain a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of China, and make positive contributions to deepening friendship between China and other countries and enhancing China's exchanges with the world.

Noting that China always cherishes its friendship with people of all countries, Xi said that China stands ready to implement all-round cooperation with all countries on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and strengthen exchanges in various fields. China will expand high-level opening-up, unleash dividends of its enormous market, make its new development a new opportunity for all countries, and inject more certainty into global economic growth, said Xi.

Xi stressed that as the changes unseen in a century are unfolding at a faster pace in a volatile and turbulent world, all countries need solidarity and cooperation more than ever.

Noting that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War as well as the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, Xi said that China is willing to work together with other countries to firmly safeguard the international system with the UN at its core and the international order based on international law, promote friendship and cooperation, enhance mutual learning among civilizations, build a community with a shared future for humanity, and jointly create a better future for our planet.

Xi receives credentials of new ambassadors to China

Xi receives credentials of new ambassadors to China

Xi receives credentials of new ambassadors to China

Chicago policymakers have introduced measures to increase housing supply, in a move that local activists and construction industry stakeholders have hailed as key to easing affordability pressures on residents.

According to the city's 2025 annual report on homelessness, Chicago is facing its largest gap in affordable and available housing in a decade, with the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Count estimating that 7,452 people were experiencing homelessness, either in shelters or unsheltered locations, on January 23, 2025.

Steven Vance, a social worker in Chicago, said policies that previously curbed the city's housing supply have pushed up rent costs amid demographic changes.

"Households are declining in size, and that means we need more homes, and I thought it was strange that we would artificially restrict how many homes could get built in Chicago. Right now in Chicago, we have one of the highest rent growths, compared year to year in the country, and so now is a pivotal time to allow more housing," he said.

To address the challenge, Chicago has introduced zoning and land-use reforms, including the Additional Dwelling Units (ADU) Ordinance, aimed at increasing residential density and expanding housing supply.

The ordinance effectively expands housing access across the city by allowing ADUs in attics, basements, and accessory buildings, easing the rent burden and creating more budget-friendly housing options.

"In December 2020, City Council adopted an ordinance that would legalize ADUs in five pilot areas. (With ADU,) rents will maybe not always come down, but they will not climb as quickly as they are now if we have more housing options," he said.

The construction sector in the city has welcomed the policy change, with builders jumping on the opportunity to create new structures. For many in the industry, boosting housing supply is not just about doing business, but about addressing the issue of affordability as Chicago residents themselves.

"The housing market in Chicago has been impacted by the ADU program, to me, in a really big way. It's enabled a lot more rental projects to be constructed. I want there to be more housing in Chicago. I think there is a need for that, and I think there's also a need for responsible development that maintains the character of the neighborhood. Affordable housing to me is a really important issue, and to me, the biggest denominator in affordable housing is the lack of supply. The best route to affordable housing is to have an influx of housing," said Nick Serra, a construction professional.

Chicago expands housing supply to ease affordability pressure