China congratulates Joseph Aoun on election as Lebanon's president: spokesman

China congratulates Joseph Aoun on his election as Lebanon's president, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun at a press briefing in Beijing on Friday.

Lebanon's army chief Joseph Aoun was elected president in the second round of the presidential vote held on Thursday.

"China welcomes the election of a new president in Lebanon and congratulates President Aoun on his election. China and Lebanon enjoy a traditional friendship. China attaches great importance to the development of China-Lebanon relations, and will, as always, support Lebanon in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity. China will continue to promote bilateral friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, and push for new development of bilateral relations," said Guo.

China remains a popular destination for global investment, Morgan Stanley's China chief economist Xing Ziqiang said in a recent interview in Beijing.

At the start of the new year, foreign enterprises are accelerating their business expansion in China, seizing opportunities in its thriving economy.

As a leading foreign economist specializing in China's economy, Xing focuses on helping global investors better navigate and invest in the Chinese market.

"The structural adjustments in China are full of highlights, whether it's the internationalization of the renminbi, the booming bond market, or the new quality productive forces, all of which have already achieved a certain scale, produced benefits, and fostered an ecosystem. These developments offer diversified opportunities that are of great interest to foreign investors," said Xing.

Since the beginning of the year, Xing's team has already outlined a nationwide research plan.

They plan to visit cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, as well as inland cities like Hefei and Chengdu, to conduct on-the-ground assessments of businesses.

At a tech park in Beijing's Haidian District, Xing expressed amazement at the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence.

"It was truly eye-opening to see so many practical applications of new quality productive forces being integrated with users and taking root in real-world scenarios. In this global wave of technological revolution, many AI models in China are well integrated into people's everyday life. Once these technologies reach the application stage, China consistently delivers numerous breakthroughs. Global investors have always viewed China as an indispensable hub for global investment," said Xing.