Editor’s Notes: More and more international cooperation and governance can be seen in the global stage, showing the positive tendency to construct the human community of shared future. Today’s Global Focus will keep you well informed of Sino-US dialogue, Mekong River patrol, COVID-19 jabs on African refugees and educational support backed up by Chinese government and UN. Let's take a quick look at today's Global Focus.

1. Chinese premier pledges to unswervingly expand opening-up

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said that China will unswervingly expand its opening-up and create a business environment that is market-orientated, law-based and up to international standards.

Li made the remarks while attending a special virtual dialogue with global business leaders hosted by the World Economic Forum on Tuesday. Nearly 400 entrepreneurs from over 40 countries attended the meeting.

2. China to introduce stronger tax, fee reduction measures in due course

China will introduce and implement more powerful tax and fee reduction measures in due course, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Tuesday, while addressing the World Economic Forum (WEF) Special Virtual Dialogue with Global Business Leaders via video link.

China's economy has maintained its recovery trend this year, though it has encountered new downward pressures, Li said, adding that the fundamentals of the economy are unchanged. 

3. Mainland spokesperson warns against Taiwan's provocations

A Chinese mainland spokeswoman on Tuesday warned the Democratic Progressive Party authorities in Taiwan the mainland will be compelled to take resolute measures if the separatist forces for "Taiwan independence" make coercive provocations or even cross the red line.

Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said the DPP authorities have stubbornly adhered to the position of "Taiwan independence", challenged the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, and attempted to change the status quo position that both sides of the Straits belong to one China.

4. Eligible HK people encouraged to join mainland social security system

Chinese mainland officials invited more eligible Hong Kong residents to join the mainland's social security system and enjoy more safeguards in a seminar on relevant policies organized in Hong Kong on Monday. Since Jan 1, 2020, residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan who live, work or study on the mainland have been eligible for the mainland's social security benefits.

Residents hired by China's enterprises, the self-employed, retirees, and students can apply for different insurance systems, including medical, pension, work-related injury, unemployment, and maternity insurance. Over 160,000 Hong Kong and Macao people signed up for the mainland's pension insurance scheme by October 2021, while over 80,000 applied for the work-related injury insurance and over 70,000 availed of unemployment insurance, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security said recently.

5. Astronaut goes with the flow in space with tai chi

What is it like to exercise in space? Simple things can be harder in microgravity, while difficult tasks might suddenly be a breeze. A video released on Tuesday shows Zhai Zhigang, a crew member of Shenzhou XIII, practicing tai chi on the Tiangong-1 space lab module with flowing and graceful movements.

The three taikonauts Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu have been in orbit for about a month since they began their six-month mission to build the space station on Oct 16. Chinese netizens have long been curious about what really goes on inside the space station. While people were still amazed by Wang Yaping's zero-gravity hair style, Zhai showed his "flying" skill and was obviously good at it.

6. Xi, Biden pledge to steer China-US relations back on right track

President Xi Jinping had a virtual meeting with US President Joe Biden on Nov 16. The two sides had thorough and in-depth communication and exchanges on issues of strategic, overarching and fundamental importance shaping the development of China-US relations and on important issues of mutual interest.

President Xi pointed out that both China and the US are at critical stages of development, and the "global village" of humanity faces multiple challenges. As the world's two largest economies and permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and the US need to increase communication and cooperation, each run their domestic affairs well and, at the same time, shoulder their share of international responsibilities, and work together to advance the noble cause of world peace and development. This is the shared desire of the people of the two countries and around the world, and the joint mission of Chinese and American leaders.

7. Over 7,400 refugees receive COVID-19 jabs in Ethiopia: UNHCR

Some 7,425 refugees presently residing in Ethiopia have received COVID-19 jabs, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has said. According to the latest figures from UNHCR, Ethiopia is the third-largest refugee-hosting country in Africa, sheltering 806,374 registered refugees and asylum-seekers as of the end of October 2021. The overwhelming majority originate from South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan.

Amid a national push for vaccination, Ethiopia has so far administered 5,084,917 COVID-19 vaccine doses, according to the figures from the Ethiopian Ministry of Health. China has so far donated in excess of 1.8 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to Ethiopia, which the Ethiopian government said has played an important role in combating the virus.

8. China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand begin 111th joint Mekong River patrol

Law enforcement authorities from China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand joined forces on Tuesday to conduct the 111th joint Mekong River patrol. Two Chinese vessels departed for the patrol at 9 a.m. Tuesday from Jingha Port in the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture of southwest China's Yunnan Province, the Yunnan public security department said.

Prior to the operation, law enforcement authorities held video conferences to jointly analyze public security situation in the river basin amid the COVID-19 pandemic. During the patrol, the four countries conducted joint law enforcement activities in key sections of the river and made efforts to ensure the river basin's security and stability.

9. 12 civilians reportedly killed, 15 injured in CAR rebel attack: UN

Central African Republic (CAR) rebels reportedly killed 12 civilians and injured 15 others in the attack on an army base and surrounding neighborhood, a UN spokesman said on Wednesday.

Stephane Dujarric, the chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said the UN peacekeeping mission in CAR reported the Monday attack occurred in a village of Ouham-Pende prefecture by "presumed combatants from the 3R (Return, Reclamation, Rehabilitation) armed group."Violence involving government forces, rebels and militias has wracked CAR in recent years. UN peacekeepers have been in the country since 2014.

10. UNESCO to work with China to improve girls' education and support African nations

Audrey Azoulay, the director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has told CGTN it works closely with China on promoting education for girls and supporting applications for African sites to gain heritage status.   

Following her successful re-election, the former French culture minister aims to improve freedom of the press and the safety of journalists and continues to work closely with China, which contributes 15 percent of the UNESCO budget after the U.S. and Israel left in 2017. 

Editor: Huang Yan