The Honghaiwan scenic area in Shanwei City, south China's Guangdong Province saw huge sea waves on Saturday as typhoon Noul is approaching.
Typhoon Noul, the 12th typhoon of the year, is expected to make landfall somewhere between Lufeng City of Guangdong and Hong Kong between Saturday evening and Sunday morning, at a speed of 35 to 42 meters per second.
The coastal scenic spot has closed since Friday afternoon, with some emergency personnel still on duty. Besides, almost all stores in the city have closed as of 15:00 on Saturday.
The center of the Typhoon Noul was located around 200 kilometers southeast of Shanwei at 15:00 Saturday, with the maximum wind speed reaching 33 meters per second, according to the National Meteorological Center.
Due to the typhoon, the cumulative rainfall is expected to reach 150 to 300 millimeters in some areas of Guangdong, eastern provinces of Fujian and Jiangxi, Hunan Province in central China, and Sichuan Province in southwest China, while the rainfall is likely to even reach 400 to 500 millimeters in northern and eastern Guangdong.
As of 16:00 on Saturday, Guangdong has evacuated over 340,000 people, while 144 passenger ferry routes and 296 passenger ferries have been suspended.
The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters upgraded the emergency response to flooding and typhoon in Guangdong to level-III at 16:00 on Saturday, while activating a level-IV emergency response to flooding in Jiangxi and Hunan.
The Ministry of Natural Resources upgraded the response for geological disaster prevention in Guangdong from level-IV to level-III at 11:00 on Saturday, while activating a level-IV response for geological disaster prevention in Jiangxi and Hunan.
China has a four-tier emergency response system, with Level I being the most severe.
Coastal scenic spot sees huge waves as typhoon Noul approaches Guangdong
Coastal scenic spot sees huge waves as typhoon Noul approaches Guangdong
Shanghai opened a new investment office in Piraeus Port on Thursday to deepen its commercial relationship with Greece, even as instability on key shipping routes in the region disrupts global trade.
In a modest office at the heart of Athens' main port, a curtain was drawn back to unveil a new plaque, marking the official opening of "the Pudong Service Center for Overseas Investment Liaison Office in Greece" with a platform designed to link businesses and investment opportunities between Shanghai, Greece, and the wider region.
"Especially in the current international environment, marked by intense geopolitical tensions and transformations, strengthening trade and facilitating investments have become more important than ever," said Stefanos Gkikas, Greece's deputy minister of maritime affairs and insular policy.
The office will assist Greek companies looking to enter the Chinese market and support Chinese firms seeking opportunities in Greece. Its services include investment guidance, regulatory advice, and networking support.
"The establishment of the Pudong Service Center for Overseas Investment Liaison Office in Greece will create a professional cross-border service platform for business matchmaking, resource integration, information exchanges and end-to-end investment support," said Li Ying, Economic Counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Greece.
While the initiative may facilitate cross-border investment, the trade underpinning this relationship still moves largely by sea, through routes where volatility is already forcing shipping companies to reassess risk, cost and journey times.
Yemen's Houthi group said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea earlier this week, extending the threat to shipping in the region. Meanwhile, traffic passing through the Strait of Hormuz remains at a virtual standstill as strikes in the waterway continue. Ship-tracking data recorded only three crossings a day over the past three days, with the insecurity pushing up oil prices and transport costs.
"If you stop the flow of energy from the Arab world to the world, this means that everything will be more expensive. Inflation will appear and a general recession will come," said George Xiradakis, President of the Association of Banking and Financial Executives of Hellenic Shipping.
The disruption is putting pressure on major trade and energy routes linking Asia, the Middle East and Europe. But the opening of the office also signals that Greece and China are continuing to strengthen business and investment ties despite the uncertainty at sea.
Shanghai opens new investment office in Greece to boost business ties
