China's top legislator meets Kazakhstan's first deputy PM

China's top legislator Zhao Leji on Wednesday met with Kazakhstan's First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar in south China's Hainan Province.

Sklyar is in Hainan to attend the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2026, which is being held from Tuesday to Friday in Boao Town of Hainan's Qionghai City.

During the meeting, Zhao, who is chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said that China and Kazakhstan are friendly neighbors connected by mountains and rivers, and highly trusted permanent comprehensive strategic partners.

China is willing to work with Kazakhstan to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, consolidate the foundation of political mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation focusing on high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, enrich the content of cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and promote China-Kazakhstan relations to a higher level and broader areas, according to Zhao.

The NPC is willing to play an active role as a legislative body in promoting China-Kazakhstan friendship, Zhao said.

Sklyar said that Kazakhstan supports the series of global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping. Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, Kazakhstan-China relations have continuously deepened.

Kazakhstan is willing to strengthen cooperation in various fields such as legislation, economy and trade, and energy to promote the development of bilateral relations, he said.

China's top legislator meets Kazakhstan's first deputy PM

China's top legislator meets Kazakhstan's first deputy PM

At least 68 people were killed in a collision between two high-speed trains on the railway line linking Madrid with the southern region of Andalusia on Wednesday morning, Spanish media reported.

The accident occurred at around 8:54 a.m. local time (0754 GMT) near Urda station in the province of Toledo, about 120 km south of Madrid.

The collision involved a train operated by state-owned railway company Renfe and another operated by private company Iryo.

Preliminary reports suggested that the Renfe train struck the rear of the Iryo train, which had reportedly been stationary on the tracks. Two carriages derailed and plunged down an embankment.

The Chinese Embassy in Spain has confirmed that four Chinese nationals were aboard the trains involved in the collision, with at least one sustaining minor injury.

Spanish railway infrastructure operator Adif confirmed that the accident prompted the suspension of rail services between Madrid and Andalusia.

Political parties across Spain cancelled scheduled activities on Wednesday, while officials expressed their condolences and support for those affected.

"Shocked by the serious train accident in Toledo," Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on social media, adding that emergency services are on the ground to assist those impacted.

The collision came just nine months after another major railway accident near Adamuz, in the southern province of Cordoba, which killed 46 people.

At least 68 killed in high-speed train collision in Spain