Xi's APEC, G20 attendance, state visits to Peru, Brazil mark a journey of friendship, cooperation: foreign minister

President Xi Jinping's attendance at the 2024 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and the 19th G20 Summit and just-concluded state visits to Peru and Brazil mark a journey of friendship, unity, cooperation and pioneering across mountains and seas, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday.

Wang, also member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the comment when briefing the accompanying journalists at the end of Xi's current two-nation Latin America tour.

Xi returned to Beijing earlier Saturday after the 11-day trip. During the 11-day trip from November 13 to 23, Xi attended nearly 40 bilateral and multilateral events and signed more than 60 cooperation documents. He met with friends old and new, conducted strategic communication and deepened practical cooperation among nations, which not only promoted the healthy and stable development of major-country relations, but also led the Global South to unite and strengthen itself, Wang said.

The tour also expanded more space for China's high-quality development and high-level opening-up, enriched new practices of building a community with a shared future for mankind and broke new ground in major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, he said.   Xi's Latin America tour became a focus of attention and public opinion at home and from abroad, which is widely considered to be of extraordinary significance and far-reaching influence.

From Lima to Rio de Janeiro, Xi once again sent a clear message of firmly upholding multilateralism at the crossroads of human history and contributed Chinese wisdom to the "Latin American moment" of global governance, which showed China's image as a responsible major country that is fair, just, responsible, open and inclusive, and enhanced China's international influence and moral appeal, according to the foreign minister.

Xi's APEC, G20 attendance, state visits to Peru, Brazil mark a journey of friendship, cooperation: foreign minister

Xi's APEC, G20 attendance, state visits to Peru, Brazil mark a journey of friendship, cooperation: foreign minister

Xi's APEC, G20 attendance, state visits to Peru, Brazil mark a journey of friendship, cooperation: foreign minister

China's meteorological authorities on Saturday renewed blue alerts for cold waves and strong winds, with sharp drops in temperature and powerful winds expected to hit parts of the country in the coming days.

From Saturday to Thursday, temperatures in most parts of China will fall by six to 10 degrees Celsius, according to the National Meteorological Center (NMC).

Some places in the northwestern, northern and northeastern parts of China are expected to experience temperature drops between 12 and 14 degrees Celsius, with some areas up to 16 degrees Celsius.

The center also renewed a blue alert for strong winds for regions including Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Xinjiang, Qinghai, Xizang, Ningxia, the Taiwan Strait, the sea area off the east of Taiwan, and parts of the South China Sea.

According to the forecast, northern parts of China will see strong winds between force five and six, with gusts reaching force eight. Offshore winds are expected to hit force eight, with gusts reaching force nine. The NMC has urged vessels in potentially affected sea areas to take precautions against the dangerous conditions.

In northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, a snowstorm struck the Tianshan Mountains along National Highway 218 on Friday, with wind gusts reaching force 10. Visibility in some sections dropped to under 50 meters, while heavy snow and ice have caused dangerous driving conditions.

Meanwhile, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province has seen its first major snowfall of the season, with accumulations ranging from 4 to 8 millimeters. Road maintenance teams have been deployed to clear snow and apply anti-slip measures to ensure road safety for motorists.

China has a three-tier, color-coded weather warning system for cold waves, with orange representing the most severe weather, followed by yellow and blue.

China renews alerts for cold waves, strong winds