China's food trade with BRI partners tops 900 bln yuan in first 3 quarters

China's food trade with Belt and Road partner countries reached 915.24 billion yuan (about 128 billion U.S. dollars) in the first three quarters of this year, marking a 2.5 percent year-on-year increase, according to a Belt and Road Initiative conference on food safety cooperation in trade.

Held in Shanghai, east China, on Wednesday, the conference brought together representatives from over 20 Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partner countries to discuss strategies for enhancing cross-border food safety and cooperation.

Since its establishment in 2023, the import and export food safety cooperation mechanism for Belt and Road countries has yielded notable results. Agricultural and food products have become safer and more reliable, while trade exchanges have become more convenient and smoother. Trade diversification continues to broaden, producing steadily expanding mutual benefits.

During the conference, participants adopted the "Shanghai Declaration on Promoting Trade Facilitation and Shared Food Safety", and launched the "Silk Road Food Safety" information platform. Eleven new Belt and Road countries signed on-site cooperation agreements, while China concluded 14 agricultural market access documents with 10 countries, allowing 15 additional food items to enter the Chinese market.

China's food trade with BRI partners tops 900 bln yuan in first 3 quarters

Russia and Ukraine conducted another prisoner exchange on Saturday that also included civilians, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

According to the ministry, 175 Russian soldiers were returned from Ukrainian-controlled territory in exchange for 175 Ukrainian service members. It added that the repatriated Russian servicemen are currently in Belarus, where they are receiving psychological and medical assistance ahead of their transfer to Russia.

The ministry also said that seven Russian civilians from the Kursk region previously illegally detained by Ukraine were released.

A total of 182 Ukrainians returned home Saturday as part of a prisoner exchange with Russia ahead of Orthodox Easter, Ukrainian authorities said.

Those released included 175 service members and seven civilians, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X.

The freed individuals range in age from 22 to 63, with most having been held in captivity since 2022, the Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said in a statement.

Russia, Ukraine conduct another prisoner exchange, civilians also released