分类： world

Shanghai hosted a significant bilateral forum on Monday, December 16, 2025, centered around river-themed cooperation between global metropolitan centers and international organizations. The event marked the second edition of the river dialogue between Shanghai and New York, drawing inspiration from both cities’ iconic waterways—the Huangpu and Hudson rivers respectively.

The forum brought together representatives from United Nations agencies, business leaders, and cross-cultural experts from both nations to explore collaborative opportunities across economic, trade, and cultural dimensions. Sha Hailin, President of the Shanghai Public Relations Association, emphasized the historical transformation of both rivers from industrial arteries to urban landmarks, noting that sustained civilian bonds between the cities provide essential stability for China-US relations.

Jeffrey Lehman, Executive Vice Chancellor of NYU Shanghai and Chair of the AmCham Shanghai board of governors, highlighted the parallel roles both cities play as global connection points. “Both rivers anchor their respective cities and serve as vital connection points while defining urban identity,” Lehman observed. “New York connects the United States to the world economically, culturally and politically, while people in China look outward from Shanghai to connect to the rest of the world.”

Noah Fraser, Senior Vice President of China Operations at the US-China Business Council, underscored Shanghai’s strategic importance to American businesses, with over 6,000 US companies maintaining operations in the city. Fraser identified three priority areas: maintaining competitive business environments, deepening market openness, and enhancing people-to-people exchanges.

The event was jointly organized by the Shanghai Public Relations Association, the Shanghai Institute of American Studies, and the Shanghai UN Research Association, signaling institutional commitment to strengthening bilateral ties through multilateral engagement frameworks.

Tokyo’s Ueno Zoological Gardens is witnessing emotional farewells as thousands of visitors queue for hours to bid farewell to giant panda twins Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei before their scheduled return to China in late January. The four-year-old siblings, born at the zoo in June 2021, will make their final public appearance on January 25th, marking the end of an era as Japan faces its first panda-free period in over fifty years.

The departure coincides with significantly deteriorated diplomatic relations between Tokyo and Beijing. Tensions escalated sharply in early November when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested potential military involvement should China impose naval blockades against Taiwan. Subsequent Chinese restrictions on tourism to Japan and cancellation of cultural exchanges have been followed by recent military provocations, including Chinese aircraft carrier drills near southern Japan and radar-locking incidents targeting Japanese aircraft.

Panda diplomacy, a longstanding symbol of Sino-Japanese relations since the first pandas arrived in 1972 to commemorate normalized diplomatic ties, now faces uncertainty. While Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara expressed hope for continued panda exchange programs, zoo officials acknowledge the challenging prospects for replacement pandas given current political realities.

Visitors like Yuki Imai from Kanagawa prefecture expressed shock at the sudden departure announcement, while Kazuhiro Yamamoto and his wife Hiroko waited over two hours for their one-minute viewing window, speculating about the connection between diplomatic tensions and the accelerated return timeline.

The zoo has implemented new viewing restrictions, limiting access to 4,800 pre-registered visitors weekly for one-minute slots. Curator Hitoshi Suzuki acknowledged the challenges of raising the twins but emphasized the “great delight” they brought to visitors. The zoo will maintain panda facilities in anticipation of future arrivals while promoting other animals during the interim period.

In a significant demonstration of cross-border law enforcement cooperation, Chinese and United States narcotics control agencies have jointly dismantled an international cocaine trafficking operation. The successful operation, concluded in mid-December 2025, represents a breakthrough in bilateral anti-drug collaboration despite ongoing geopolitical tensions between the two nations.

The coordinated effort involved sophisticated intelligence sharing and simultaneous operational activities across multiple jurisdictions. According to official sources, the investigation uncovered a sophisticated smuggling network that attempted to exploit commercial shipping channels between North America and Asian markets. The operation resulted in multiple arrests across both countries and the seizure of substantial quantities of cocaine with an estimated street value running into millions of dollars.

This joint operation builds upon previous cooperation frameworks established through bilateral agreements on narcotics control. Law enforcement officials from both countries emphasized that drug trafficking represents a transnational challenge that requires international collaboration regardless of political differences. The successful takedown of this smuggling network demonstrates the operational effectiveness of US-China cooperation in combating organized crime.

Anti-narcotics experts note that such collaborations have become increasingly important as criminal organizations continue to develop more sophisticated methods to circumvent border controls and law enforcement measures. The operation signals both nations’ commitment to addressing the global drug trade through shared intelligence and coordinated enforcement actions.

SYDNEY — In a horrific act of antisemitic terrorism that has shaken Australia, fifteen innocent lives were brutally ended during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on Sunday evening. Federal police authorities have confirmed the attack was inspired by the Islamic State group, perpetrated by two gunmen who targeted the Jewish community during what should have been a joyous festival of lights.

Among the victims were remarkable individuals whose lives embodied compassion, service, and resilience. The youngest was 10-year-old Matilda, described by her language teacher as “a bright and loving soul who saw beauty in everyone.” Her family has requested privacy, remembering her as a gentle girl whose memory inspires kindness and compassion.

Eli Schlanger, 41, the assistant rabbi who organized the Chanukah by the Sea event, was a father of five—his youngest child just two months old. Born in London, Schlanger served as a chaplain to both the state’s corrective services department and a Sydney hospital, ministering to patients and families. Friends remembered him as someone who would go wherever needed to help people, including prisons, dedicating his life to encouraging good deeds.

Yaakov Levitan, 39, originally from Johannesburg, was a rabbi and father of four described as a “vital, behind-the-scenes pillar” of Sydney’s Jewish community. The Chabad movement noted his exceptional kindness and dedication to helping others.

Marika Pogany, an 82-year-old grandmother and community volunteer, had delivered thousands of kosher meals to those in need over her 29 years of service. Colleagues at COA, a Jewish senior service organization, described her as “the beating heart of COA and a source of warmth for thousands of people” who “asked for nothing and gave everything.”

Dan Elkayam, a 27-year-old French national, was remembered by his brother as “a golden person”—extraordinary, non-materialistic, and kind. The talented soccer player with Rockdale Ilinden FC was warmly embraced by all who knew him, described as down-to-earth and happy-go-lucky.

Peter Meagher, a retired police officer known as “Marzo,” was working as a freelance photographer at the event. His rugby club called him an “absolute legend” and noted his presence was “simply a catastrophic case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Reuven Morrison, 62, died heroically while trying to stop one of the shooters. His daughter reported that he was seen in video footage throwing objects at the gunman after another passerby wrestled the weapon away. Morrison had migrated to Australia from the Soviet Union five decades ago specifically to escape antisemitic persecution.

Most tragically, 87-year-old Alex Kleytman, a Holocaust survivor who had moved to Australia from Ukraine, died while protecting his wife during the attack. The couple had survived “the unspeakable terror of the Holocaust” as children before finding refuge in Australia, only to face antisemitic violence at the end of his life.

Tibor Weitzen, 78, a grandfather who migrated from Israel in 1988, was remembered by his granddaughter as someone who “saw the best in people” and loved his family “more than life itself.”

The attack has sent shockwaves through Australia’s Jewish community and prompted international condemnation, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot describing it as “yet another tragic manifestation of a revolting surge in antisemitic hatred that we must defeat.”