Provinces in southern China take measures against typhoon Matmo

Guangdong and Hainan provinces in south China have taken various measures against Typhoon Matmo, the 21st of the 2025 Pacific typhoon season, which made landfall along the eastern coast of Xuwen County, Zhanjiang City of Guangdong at 14:50 on Sunday.

Following the typhoon warning, Xuwen mobilized over 2,250 officials to root out hidden dangers, recall fishing boats back to port, coordinate evacuations, stockpile supplies, and take emergency rescue and relief efforts across communities, rural villages, and enterprises.

To date, over 20,000 residents have been evacuated to shelters across the county.

As the typhoon weakened later, the Guangzhou Railway Bureau planned to gradually resume operations of the Jiangmen-Zhanjiang high-speed railway, Guangzhou-Maoming railway, trains within Hainan Island, and trains to and from Hainan.

Northern Hainan Island experienced severe wind and rain brought by the typhoon.

The provincial capital Haikou City preemptively opened 54 indoor shelters on Saturday for residents living in high-risk areas such as rundown buildings and low-lying flood-prone zones.

All construction sites in the city have suspended work.

To guarantee the order at the shelters, local officials and volunteers have promptly distributed supplies while proactively learning about residents' needs and resolving their practical difficulties.

"Regarding order and safety, we have organized community staff and volunteers from veterans and social workers, and police officers to jointly stay on duty around the clock," said Zhu Xi, an official of Longhua District, Haikou.

Provinces in southern China take measures against typhoon Matmo

Provinces in southern China take measures against typhoon Matmo

Provinces in southern China take measures against typhoon Matmo

Provinces in southern China take measures against typhoon Matmo

The multilateral system is "under attack" amid global turmoil, President of the 80th UN General Assembly Annalena Baerbock warned in her remarks on Wednesday.

In her briefing on the priorities for the resumed 80th Session of the General Assembly, the UNGA president noted that the current multilateral system does not collapse all in a sudden, but "crumbles piece by piece" in divisions, compromises, and lack of political commitment.

The president called all the UN member states to defend the UN Charter and international law and promote cross-regional cooperation.

She also urged to push forward the work of the UNGA on certain critical issues with a strong majority, rather than an absolute consensus among all member states. Such act is not a failure of multilateralism, but "an affirmation of it," she said.

The foundational principles of the institution should not be eroded by appeasement, she said, calling the member states to show courage, leadership, and responsibility at the UN's "critical make-or-break moment."

"The UN needs you. Your support, your leadership, your principle, stand, your cross-regional cooperation, if we are to preserve and modernize this institution, if we are to make it, rather than break it," she said.

UNGA President warns global multilateral system "under attack"