Xi concludes two-day trip to Xizang for its 60th anniversary of founding

Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded his two-day trip to southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region on Thursday, after attending celebrations for the region's 60th anniversary of founding.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, led a central-government delegation and arrived in Lhasa, the capital of Xizang, on Wednesday.

Xi and the delegation received a warm welcome from people of various ethnic groups in Xizang at the airport and in Lhasa's city proper.

On Wednesday afternoon, Xi met with representatives from all ethnic groups and all walks of life in Xizang, extending sincere greetings and heartfelt wishes to the people of all ethnic groups in the region. He hoped that everyone would continue to work together with one heart and one mind, strive in unity, and jointly write a splendid chapter of modernization with Chinese characteristics in the snowy plateau.

Later on Wednesday, Xi listened to work reports from the CPC Xizang regional committee and the regional government. He urged the region to build a modern socialist new Xizang that is united, prosperous, civilized, harmonious, and beautiful.

On Wednesday evening, Xi joined people of all ethnic groups in Xizang to watch the gala marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of Xizang, entitled "Joyful Songs of the Snowy Plateau Region."

Xi joined around 20,000 local officials and people from all ethnic groups and all walks of life on Thursday at the Potala Palace square in Lhasa to celebrate the region's 60th anniversary of its founding.

He left Xizang for Beijing on Thursday after attending the celebrations.

Xi concludes two-day trip to Xizang for its 60th anniversary of founding

Xi concludes two-day trip to Xizang for its 60th anniversary of founding

Xi concludes two-day trip to Xizang for its 60th anniversary of founding

Xi concludes two-day trip to Xizang for its 60th anniversary of founding

Russia said on Saturday that its armed forces had taken control over two more settlements in the Sumy and Donetsk regions, while Ukraine, on the same day, reported strikes against a Russian frigate.

The Russian Ministry of Defense said in its latest report that over the past 24 hours, the Russian forces had gained control over the settlements of Vysoke in the Sumy region and Svitle in the Donetsk region.

The ministry also said its forces had struck facilities used to transport Western-supplied weapons, ammunition and fuel depots, as well as temporary deployment sites of Ukrainian forces and foreign mercenaries.

On the same day, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that in the early hours of Friday, Ukrainian troops had successfully hit a Russian frigate using drones. The warship was patrolling near an oil and gas production platform in the Caspian Sea at the time.

It said efforts are currently underway to determine the extent of damage to the vessel and to confirm its hull number.

It also reported that a drilling platform located at the Filanovsky oil and gas field in the Caspian Sea had been struck. The platform, owned by Russian energy corporation Lukoil, has been supplying materials to Russian troops.

So far, there has been no official response from the Russian side regarding these incidents.

Also on Saturday, according to Russia's TASS News Agency, Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev had arrived at a golf club in Miami, U.S. state of Florida, where he held a new round of talks regarding a draft peace plan to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict with U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Following the meeting, Dmitriev described the talks with the U.S. as constructive and said that discussions would continue on Sunday.

A day earlier, Ukraine's chief peace negotiator, Rustem Umerov, and the chief of the general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces, Andrii Hnatov, had held consultations in the United States with American and European counterparts on the draft peace plan for the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday that Umerov had briefed him on the previous day's talks between Ukraine and the U.S.

He revealed that the issue of territory remains unresolved and emphasized that Ukraine is committed to reaching a stable and lasting peace agreement that provides reliable long-term security guarantees.

According to Zelensky, the U.S. has proposed holding a trilateral meeting involving the national security advisors of Ukraine, the United States and Russia.

Noting that in the negotiations for a potential peace agreement, the most critical issue -- territory -- remains unsettled, Zelensky said that any agreement should establish the current line of contact as a ceasefire line, with the goal of gradually reclaiming Ukraine’s occupied territories through diplomatic means on that basis. He further emphasized that Ukraine has made it clear to its American partners that, under its constitution, Ukraine cannot cede any territory.

Currently, Ukraine is working with its partners to outline every clause of the agreement, ensuring that it is not a vague deal about the division of territory and resources, but rather one focused on stable, lasting peace and reliable security guarantees, Zelensky said.

He said the security guarantee clauses for Ukraine in the agreement must be fair and effective, and that Ukraine must be fully informed of the specific details -- including how the United States and Europe would respond and react if Russia were to launch another attack, and what kind of deterrence package Ukraine would receive.

Regarding elections, Zelensky said that two aspects require attention in any future Ukrainian elections: security and legislation.

He said that during wartime, ways must be found to advance legislative reforms, while voting can only take place if security is guaranteed. Ukraine has already discussed this matter with the U.S., added Zelensky.

Russia claims capturing 2 more settlements, Ukraine claims strike on Russian frigate