South China provinces brace as Typhoon Matmo approaches landfall

Authorities across southern China have intensified emergency measures and expanded evacuations as Typhoon Matmo, the 21st typhoon of the year, approaches landfall.

As the typhoon moved closer, Guangdong Province raised its emergency response for strong winds to Level II on Saturday, relocating more than 300 vessels to safe waters.

The Guangxi Maritime Safety Administration also upgraded its typhoon emergency response to Level II on Saturday. Maritime authorities along the coast were instructed to strengthen duty shifts and on-site typhoon prevention efforts, verify that personnel had been evacuated ashore, and organize local vessels to leave port and take shelter.

Hainan has issued a Level III emergency response for strong winds and flooding.

Haikou, the provincial capital, began a gradual, citywide suspension of classes, work, transportation, flights, park services, and business operations on Saturday afternoon, with the measures remaining in effect through Sunday.

All inbound and outbound flights at Haikou Meilan International Airport were cancelled starting at 23:00 on Saturday.

RoPax ferry services across the Qiongzhou Strait were suspended from 16:00 Saturday.

Wenchang City in Hainan Province, one of the locations along the typhoon's projected landfall path, has established 363 temporary shelters for construction workers and nearby residents. Each shelter has been stocked with emergency supplies and equipped with generators to ensure a stable temporary power supply for those taking refuge.

The typhoon, observed at 18 degrees north latitude and 117.7 degrees east longitude at 5:00 on Saturday, is moving northwestward at a speed of 25-30 km per hour, according to China's National Meteorological Center (NMC).

It is anticipated to make landfall along coastal areas ranging from Dianbai in Guangdong Province to Wanning in Hainan Province, both located in south China, around noon on Sunday, the NMC said.

South China provinces brace as Typhoon Matmo approaches landfall

South China provinces brace as Typhoon Matmo approaches landfall

South China provinces brace as Typhoon Matmo approaches landfall

South China provinces brace as Typhoon Matmo approaches landfall

The "soft landing" of the China-EU electric vehicle case will greatly boost market confidence and inject new momentum into China-EU cooperation in automobile trade and investment, a spokeswoman of the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said at a press briefing in Beijing on Thursday.

He Yongqian, the spokeswoman, made the remarks after China and the European Union (EU) agreed on the necessity of providing general guidance on price undertakings for Chinese companies exporting battery electric vehicle (BEV) passenger cars to the EU.

"China and the EU simultaneously announced on Monday that they had achieved positive outcomes following multiple rounds of consultations on the EV case, a development that has drawn wide attention at home and abroad. Industry players from both sides have 'highly welcomed and fully endorsed' the outcome, saying the 'soft landing' of the case is expected to greatly boost market confidence and inject new momentum into China-EU cooperation in automobile trade and investment. Some EU politicians have described it as a positive step toward building a sustainable China-EU trade relationship, and said it demonstrated that resolving trade differences through partnership remains feasible," she said.

"Against the current international backdrop, China and the EU, acting in a spirit of mutual respect and within the framework of WTO rules, have properly addressed the EV case, which is of significant positive importance. The outcome will not only contribute to the sound development of China-EU economic and trade ties and help safeguard the stability of the global automotive industrial and supply chains, but will also send a clear and strong signal that both sides are willing to uphold a rules-based international trading order, setting a good example for countries to resolve differences through dialogue and consultation and injecting greater certainty and positive energy into global economic growth," she said.

"China appreciates the spirit of dialogue showed by the EU side and stands ready to work with the EU, building on the current positive outcomes, to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two sides, maintain dialogue and communication, and support stable industrial and supply chains on both sides, continue to deepen cooperation on the basis of market principles, and make active contributions to the global green transition," she added.

"Soft landing" of China-EU EV case to significantly boost market confidence: MOC spokeswoman