Xi's visit to Brazil to elevate bilateral ties: spokesman

President Xi Jinping's state visit to Brazil will further enhance the two countries' political mutual trust and improve bilateral ties, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Wednesday.

Xi arrived in Brasilia on Tuesday for a state visit to Brazil after attending the 19th G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

China and Brazil are the biggest developing country respectively in the Eastern and Western Hemispheres, and the two countries are both important emerging markets and comprehensive strategic partners, said Lin in response to a media query on the visit.

"This year marks the 50th anniversary of China-Brazil diplomatic relations. Over the past half century, amid the changing international landscape, the two countries have maintained sound and steady development of bilateral ties, achieved fruitful outcomes in practical cooperation in various areas, and set an example of developing countries pursuing common development in solidarity and cooperation. The overall, strategic and global significance of the bilateral relations has continued to improve," said Lin.

In April last year, President Lula paid a successful state visit to China, and the two presidents reached a number of important common understandings on guiding and opening up new prospects of China-Brazil relations in the new era, said Lin, noting that this is President Xi's second visit to Brazil in five years.

"We believe President Xi Jinping's visit will further consolidate political mutual trust, improve the strategic significance, innovative nature and leading role of the bilateral relations, enhance synergy between the two countries' development strategies, deepen strategic communication and coordination on global hotspot issues, and jointly open up the next golden 50 years of China-Brazil relations," said Lin. 

Xi's visit to Brazil to elevate bilateral ties: spokesman

Xi's visit to Brazil to elevate bilateral ties: spokesman

Tens of thousands of Palestinians began returning to their homes in norther Gaza on Monday after 15 months of forced displacement.

The return follows an announcement by Qatar on Sunday evening that Hamas and Israel had reached an agreement to release Israeli hostage Arbel Yehud and two others by Friday. On Saturday, Hamas is expected to release three additional hostages.

Under the Israel-Hamas agreement, Israel has permitted displaced residents to return to the northern Gaza Strip starting Monday morning.

Drone footage captured by China Media Group showed a long stretch of crowd resemble a huge, slow moving wave making its way up Gaza's coast, most traveling on foot and carrying what little belongings they have left on their backs. Until Monday, they had spent many months exiled in makeshift refugee camps after Israeli forces ordered large-scale evacuations. It also showed vehicles inch forward for kilometers toward neighborhoods now reduced to rubble.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated early Monday, "Hamas has conceded and agreed to proceed with an additional phase of hostage releases, scheduled for next Thursday following firm and determined negotiations." The statement outlined that this phase will involve the release of Yehud, a soldier called Agam Berger, and another hostage. Additionally, three more hostages are set to be freed on Saturday as part of the agreement.

Israel has also received from Hamas a list detailing the conditions and status of all hostages to be released in the initial phase of the deal.

For many displaced families, the journey back to northern Gaza is bittersweet. While there is relief at the thought of returning to familiar surroundings, there is also a deep sense of apprehension about what remains of their neighborhoods after months of intense bombardment by Israel.

Thousands of displaced Palestinians begin returning to northern Gaza