UN General Assembly overwhelmingly demands immediate Gaza ceasefire
By Reuters
The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted on Wednesday to demand an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the immediate release of all hostages.
The ceasefire demand in the resolution – adopted with 158 votes in favour in the 193-member assembly – was expressed in more urgent language than one urging an immediate humanitarian truce in Gaza that the body “called for” in October 2023 then “demanded” in December 2023.
General Assembly resolutions are not binding but carry political weight, reflecting a global view on the war. The United States, Israel and seven other countries voted against the ceasefire resolution, while 13 countries abstained.
The world body also threw its support behind the UN Palestinian relief agency UNRWA, adopting a second resolution with 159 votes in favour to deplore a new Israeli law that will ban UNRWA’s operations in Israel from late January.
It demanded that Israel respect UNRWA’s mandate and “enable its operations to proceed without impediment or restriction”. The US, Israel and seven other countries voted no, while 11 countries abstained.
“The messages we send to the world through these resolutions matter. And both of these resolutions have significant problems,” Deputy US Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood told the assembly.
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By Reuters
The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted on Wednesday to demand an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the immediate release of all hostages.
The ceasefire demand in the resolution – adopted with 158 votes in favour in the 193-member assembly – was expressed in more urgent language than one urging an immediate humanitarian truce in Gaza that the body “called for” in October 2023 then “demanded” in December 2023.
General Assembly resolutions are not binding but carry political weight, reflecting a global view on the war. The United States, Israel and seven other countries voted against the ceasefire resolution, while 13 countries abstained.
The world body also threw its support behind the UN Palestinian relief agency UNRWA, adopting a second resolution with 159 votes in favour to deplore a new Israeli law that will ban UNRWA’s operations in Israel from late January.
It demanded that Israel respect UNRWA’s mandate and “enable its operations to proceed without impediment or restriction”. The US, Israel and seven other countries voted no, while 11 countries abstained.
“The messages we send to the world through these resolutions matter. And both of these resolutions have significant problems,” Deputy US Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood told the assembly.
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Chinese citizen arrested for flying drone over US Space Force base
By Agence France-Presse
A Chinese citizen has been charged with flying a drone over Vandenberg Space Force Base in California where he is alleged to have recorded images of the military facility, the US Justice Department said Wednesday.
Yinpiao Zhou, 39, was arrested as he readied to board a flight to China from San Francisco, authorities said.
“This defendant allegedly flew a drone over a military base and took photos of the base’s layout, which is against the law,” United States Attorney Martin Estrada said.
“The security of our nation is of paramount importance and my office will continue to promote the safety of our nation’s military personnel and facilities.”
Charging documents say detection systems at Vandenberg tracked a drone as it flew about 1.6km (one mile) above the facility in late November.
Security personnel at the base, which is the launch site for space missions – including Elon Musk’s SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets – as well as missile tests, traced the drone to a nearby public park where they allegedly found Zhou with the device concealed in his jacket.
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By Agence France-Presse
A Chinese citizen has been charged with flying a drone over Vandenberg Space Force Base in California where he is alleged to have recorded images of the military facility, the US Justice Department said Wednesday.
Yinpiao Zhou, 39, was arrested as he readied to board a flight to China from San Francisco, authorities said.
“This defendant allegedly flew a drone over a military base and took photos of the base’s layout, which is against the law,” United States Attorney Martin Estrada said.
“The security of our nation is of paramount importance and my office will continue to promote the safety of our nation’s military personnel and facilities.”
Charging documents say detection systems at Vandenberg tracked a drone as it flew about 1.6km (one mile) above the facility in late November.
Security personnel at the base, which is the launch site for space missions – including Elon Musk’s SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets – as well as missile tests, traced the drone to a nearby public park where they allegedly found Zhou with the device concealed in his jacket.
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US House advances defence bill that bans Chinese goods from tech to garlic
By Bochen Han
Legislation banning everything from Chinese laser-based navigation technology to Chinese garlic has passed the US House of Representatives and is set to become law by the end of the year.
The House advanced Congress’s annual defence bill, known as the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA), on Wednesday by a vote of 281-140. The Senate is expected to vote on the US$884 billion measure by next week before US President Joe Biden signs it into law.
The NDAA, which establishes the top-line budget and directs policy for the Pentagon, is a “must-pass” bill because its enactment is required for members of the military to receive their pay and benefits on time. As a result, provisions not strictly tied to defence often make it into the legislation.
As has been the case in past years, the NDAA for the 2025 fiscal year is ripe with measures related to competing with and countering China.
Among other procurement restrictions, the bill bans the Pentagon from operating or contracting for light detection and ranging (lidar) technology manufactured in or using operating software developed in China.
“Lidar, a remote sensing technology with both military and civilian applications, stands at the centre of Beijing’s bid for technological superiority,” said the Foundation for the Defence of Democracies, a Washington-based think tank.
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By Bochen Han
Legislation banning everything from Chinese laser-based navigation technology to Chinese garlic has passed the US House of Representatives and is set to become law by the end of the year.
The House advanced Congress’s annual defence bill, known as the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA), on Wednesday by a vote of 281-140. The Senate is expected to vote on the US$884 billion measure by next week before US President Joe Biden signs it into law.
The NDAA, which establishes the top-line budget and directs policy for the Pentagon, is a “must-pass” bill because its enactment is required for members of the military to receive their pay and benefits on time. As a result, provisions not strictly tied to defence often make it into the legislation.
As has been the case in past years, the NDAA for the 2025 fiscal year is ripe with measures related to competing with and countering China.
Among other procurement restrictions, the bill bans the Pentagon from operating or contracting for light detection and ranging (lidar) technology manufactured in or using operating software developed in China.
“Lidar, a remote sensing technology with both military and civilian applications, stands at the centre of Beijing’s bid for technological superiority,” said the Foundation for the Defence of Democracies, a Washington-based think tank.
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More aircraft, more ships, more often: how the PLA is pressuring Taiwan’s defences
By Hayley Wong
In the first of a three-part series examining mainland China’s increasing military presence around Taiwan, the Post details how coordinated air force, navy and coastguard drills and patrols have intensified over the past 18 months and what it could mean for the self-governed island’s defences.
Decades after a civil war in the middle of the 20th century led to the foundation of the People’s Republic of China, tensions between mainland China and Taiwan are surging again. Despite Beijing’s repeated calls over the years for peaceful reunification the military option has never been taken off the table.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) – so named by the Communist Party as a reference to its seizure of cities during the conflict – has been increasingly active around Taiwan.
Strains between Beijing and Taipei have intensified since the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party’s William Lai Ching-te was elected as the island’s leader.
With Lai now six months into his term, a tally by the Post, based on the almost-daily figures released by the island’s defence ministry, has revealed how the PLA turned up its pressure on the island since Lai was sworn in in May.
The analysis, which examined tracking data from the past 18 months, showed that the PLA has deployed more aircraft, increasingly closer to the island, with a higher number of sorties, and a higher percentage of those sorties, crossing the median line that divides the Taiwan Strait.
The military exercises are becoming increasingly comprehensive, with blockade manoeuvres and “island encirclement patrols” becoming routine, covering more of the island, including the strategic east of the island, where the Taiwanese military intends to deploy key assets such as submarines.
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By Hayley Wong
In the first of a three-part series examining mainland China’s increasing military presence around Taiwan, the Post details how coordinated air force, navy and coastguard drills and patrols have intensified over the past 18 months and what it could mean for the self-governed island’s defences.
Decades after a civil war in the middle of the 20th century led to the foundation of the People’s Republic of China, tensions between mainland China and Taiwan are surging again. Despite Beijing’s repeated calls over the years for peaceful reunification the military option has never been taken off the table.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) – so named by the Communist Party as a reference to its seizure of cities during the conflict – has been increasingly active around Taiwan.
Strains between Beijing and Taipei have intensified since the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party’s William Lai Ching-te was elected as the island’s leader.
With Lai now six months into his term, a tally by the Post, based on the almost-daily figures released by the island’s defence ministry, has revealed how the PLA turned up its pressure on the island since Lai was sworn in in May.
The analysis, which examined tracking data from the past 18 months, showed that the PLA has deployed more aircraft, increasingly closer to the island, with a higher number of sorties, and a higher percentage of those sorties, crossing the median line that divides the Taiwan Strait.
The military exercises are becoming increasingly comprehensive, with blockade manoeuvres and “island encirclement patrols” becoming routine, covering more of the island, including the strategic east of the island, where the Taiwanese military intends to deploy key assets such as submarines.
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A world in crisis needs a smooth US presidential transition
By Hao Nan
On December 7, South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol survived an impeachment motion following his abrupt declaration of martial law on December 3. Yoon had attempted to paint the liberal-left opposition as pro-communist and a threat to South Korea’s democracy but this failed to resonate with the public.
While 18 legislators from the ruling People Power Party joined opposition parties to nullify the declaration, lawmakers could not get enough defectors from Yoon’s party to reach the constitutionally required two-thirds majority for impeachment.
Nevertheless, Yoon’s administration is unlikely to advance any meaningful agenda in this climate. The implications of South Korea’s political paralysis extend beyond its borders. Indeed, the crisis is part of a broader, dangerous pattern emerging in the weeks leading up to the US presidential transition on January 20.
US President Joe Biden’s administration, rather than operating as a lame-duck government, has taken aggressive measures on several fronts, from escalating sanctions on China’s semiconductor industry to authorising Ukraine to use US advanced weapons that are capable of striking Russian territory. These moves, though perhaps well intentioned, could provoke significant blowback for Donald Trump’s incoming administration and complicate any efforts to recalibrate US foreign policy.
South Korea’s foreign policy trajectory under Yoon has already dramatically shifted. His administration has aligned closely with US-led Indo-Pacific strategies to counter China, extended US nuclear deterrence on the Korean peninsula and abandoned inter-Korean rapprochement. Yoon has also effectively internationalised tensions with North Korea by supporting Nato’s position on Ukraine.
Now, South Korea’s paralysis threatens the US-Japan-South Korea trilateral security partnership and risks creating a power vacuum on the Korean peninsula. North Korea could escalate tensions, especially with its comprehensive strategic partnership treaty with Moscow now in effect. The regional balance could collapse without South Korea’s participation, weakening US influence in East Asia at a critical juncture.
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By Hao Nan
On December 7, South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol survived an impeachment motion following his abrupt declaration of martial law on December 3. Yoon had attempted to paint the liberal-left opposition as pro-communist and a threat to South Korea’s democracy but this failed to resonate with the public.
While 18 legislators from the ruling People Power Party joined opposition parties to nullify the declaration, lawmakers could not get enough defectors from Yoon’s party to reach the constitutionally required two-thirds majority for impeachment.
Nevertheless, Yoon’s administration is unlikely to advance any meaningful agenda in this climate. The implications of South Korea’s political paralysis extend beyond its borders. Indeed, the crisis is part of a broader, dangerous pattern emerging in the weeks leading up to the US presidential transition on January 20.
US President Joe Biden’s administration, rather than operating as a lame-duck government, has taken aggressive measures on several fronts, from escalating sanctions on China’s semiconductor industry to authorising Ukraine to use US advanced weapons that are capable of striking Russian territory. These moves, though perhaps well intentioned, could provoke significant blowback for Donald Trump’s incoming administration and complicate any efforts to recalibrate US foreign policy.
South Korea’s foreign policy trajectory under Yoon has already dramatically shifted. His administration has aligned closely with US-led Indo-Pacific strategies to counter China, extended US nuclear deterrence on the Korean peninsula and abandoned inter-Korean rapprochement. Yoon has also effectively internationalised tensions with North Korea by supporting Nato’s position on Ukraine.
Now, South Korea’s paralysis threatens the US-Japan-South Korea trilateral security partnership and risks creating a power vacuum on the Korean peninsula. North Korea could escalate tensions, especially with its comprehensive strategic partnership treaty with Moscow now in effect. The regional balance could collapse without South Korea’s participation, weakening US influence in East Asia at a critical juncture.
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FBI Director Christopher Wray to resign before being fired by Trump
By Reuters
FBI Director Christopher Wray will step down from his post early next year, the bureau said on Wednesday, after Republican US president-elect Donald Trump signalled his intent to fire the veteran official and replace him with firebrand Kash Patel.
Trump himself had appointed Wray, a fellow Republican, to his 10-year term in 2017, after firing his predecessor James Comey, who the then-US president soured on over the FBI’s investigations into alleged contacts between his 2016 campaign and Russia.
“After weeks of careful thought, I’ve decided the right thing for the bureau is for me to serve until the end of the current Administration in January and then step down,” Wray told FBI employees today, the agency said in a statement.
In a statement, Patel said he looks forward to a “smooth transition”. “I will be ready to serve the American people on day one,” he said.
Trump and his hardline allies turned on Wray, and the FBI more generally, after agents conducted a court-approved search of Trump’s Florida resort in 2022 to recover classified documents that he had retained after leaving office.
That sparked one of two federal prosecutions Trump faced while out of power, neither of which went to trial. Trump denied wrongdoing and described all the cases against him as politically motivated. Federal prosecutors ended their efforts after his election, citing long-standing US Justice Department policy not to prosecute a sitting president.
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By Reuters
FBI Director Christopher Wray will step down from his post early next year, the bureau said on Wednesday, after Republican US president-elect Donald Trump signalled his intent to fire the veteran official and replace him with firebrand Kash Patel.
Trump himself had appointed Wray, a fellow Republican, to his 10-year term in 2017, after firing his predecessor James Comey, who the then-US president soured on over the FBI’s investigations into alleged contacts between his 2016 campaign and Russia.
“After weeks of careful thought, I’ve decided the right thing for the bureau is for me to serve until the end of the current Administration in January and then step down,” Wray told FBI employees today, the agency said in a statement.
In a statement, Patel said he looks forward to a “smooth transition”. “I will be ready to serve the American people on day one,” he said.
Trump and his hardline allies turned on Wray, and the FBI more generally, after agents conducted a court-approved search of Trump’s Florida resort in 2022 to recover classified documents that he had retained after leaving office.
That sparked one of two federal prosecutions Trump faced while out of power, neither of which went to trial. Trump denied wrongdoing and described all the cases against him as politically motivated. Federal prosecutors ended their efforts after his election, citing long-standing US Justice Department policy not to prosecute a sitting president.
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Gun found on US CEO shooting suspect matches shell casings at scene, police say
By Associated Press
The gun found on the suspect in the killing of United Healthcare’s CEO matched shell casings found at the site of the shooting, New York’s police commissioner said on Wednesday.
Suspect Luigi Mangione’s fingerprints also matched a water bottle and a protein bar wrapper that police found near the scene and that officials say the gunman bought at a nearby coffee shop while awaiting his target, Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at an unrelated news conference.
The 26-year-old Mangione’s was charged with murder in the shooting last week in midtown Manhattan of Brian Thompson, who led the United States’ largest medical insurance company.
Authorities have said that writings found in Mangione’s possession hinted at a hatred of corporate greed.
They have recovered a spiral notebook that Mangione kept, along with a three-page handwritten letter found when he was arrested, a law enforcement official said Wednesday. Police have not disclosed what was in the notebook.
The letter, found when Mangione was arrested on Monday in Altoona, Pennsylvania, teased the possibility that clues to the attack – “some straggling notes and To Do lists that illuminate the gist of it” – could be found in the notebook, the law enforcement official said.
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By Associated Press
The gun found on the suspect in the killing of United Healthcare’s CEO matched shell casings found at the site of the shooting, New York’s police commissioner said on Wednesday.
Suspect Luigi Mangione’s fingerprints also matched a water bottle and a protein bar wrapper that police found near the scene and that officials say the gunman bought at a nearby coffee shop while awaiting his target, Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at an unrelated news conference.
The 26-year-old Mangione’s was charged with murder in the shooting last week in midtown Manhattan of Brian Thompson, who led the United States’ largest medical insurance company.
Authorities have said that writings found in Mangione’s possession hinted at a hatred of corporate greed.
They have recovered a spiral notebook that Mangione kept, along with a three-page handwritten letter found when he was arrested, a law enforcement official said Wednesday. Police have not disclosed what was in the notebook.
The letter, found when Mangione was arrested on Monday in Altoona, Pennsylvania, teased the possibility that clues to the attack – “some straggling notes and To Do lists that illuminate the gist of it” – could be found in the notebook, the law enforcement official said.
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By Reuters
Meta’s Facebook and Instagram were down for thousands of users across the United States on Wednesday, according to outage tracking website Downdetector.com.
There were more than 27,000 incidents of people reporting issues with Facebook and over 28,000 with Instagram, in an outage that started around 12.50pm US Eastern Time.
WhatsApp, Meta’s messaging application, was also down for more than 1,000 users, according to Downdetector.com.
Downdetector’s numbers are based on user-submitted reports. The actual number of affected users may vary.
Meta said it is aware of a technical issue impacting users’ ability to access its apps.Some WhatsApp users were also affected by the outage. Photo illustration: AFP
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Global airline body expects airfares to fall in 2025 with profits set to soar
By Cannix Yau
The global airline industry is expected to reap net profits of US$36.6 billion in 2025, up 16 per cent from an estimated US$31.5 billion this year, despite ongoing cost and supply chain challenges, an international trade body has said, while predicting more affordable airfares.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said the increase would be driven by lower oil prices, maintenance of high load factors and tightly controlled costs, with airlines managing to achieve growth following an “extraordinary” pandemic recovery.
“We’re expecting airlines to deliver a global profit of US$36.6 billion in 2025,” Willie Walsh, director general of airline trade body IATA, said on Tuesday.
“This will be hard-earned as airlines take advantage of lower oil prices while keeping load factors above 83 per cent … and managing the return to more normal growth levels following the extraordinary pandemic recovery.
“All these efforts will help to mitigate several drags on profitability which are outside of airlines’ control, namely persistent supply chain challenges, infrastructure deficiencies, onerous regulation and a rising tax burden.”
The load factor is a measure of how well an airline is filling available seats.
IATA said it expected the industry’s revenues to reach US$1 trillion next year, an increase of 4.4 per cent from 2024, with a profit margin of 3.6 per cent against this year’s 3.3 per cent.
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By Cannix Yau
The global airline industry is expected to reap net profits of US$36.6 billion in 2025, up 16 per cent from an estimated US$31.5 billion this year, despite ongoing cost and supply chain challenges, an international trade body has said, while predicting more affordable airfares.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said the increase would be driven by lower oil prices, maintenance of high load factors and tightly controlled costs, with airlines managing to achieve growth following an “extraordinary” pandemic recovery.
“We’re expecting airlines to deliver a global profit of US$36.6 billion in 2025,” Willie Walsh, director general of airline trade body IATA, said on Tuesday.
“This will be hard-earned as airlines take advantage of lower oil prices while keeping load factors above 83 per cent … and managing the return to more normal growth levels following the extraordinary pandemic recovery.
“All these efforts will help to mitigate several drags on profitability which are outside of airlines’ control, namely persistent supply chain challenges, infrastructure deficiencies, onerous regulation and a rising tax burden.”
The load factor is a measure of how well an airline is filling available seats.
IATA said it expected the industry’s revenues to reach US$1 trillion next year, an increase of 4.4 per cent from 2024, with a profit margin of 3.6 per cent against this year’s 3.3 per cent.
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EU to sanction China entities for role in supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine
By Finbarr Bermingham
The European Union reached a provisional agreement on Wednesday to sanction Chinese entities for the first time for their role in supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Six China and Hong Kong-based companies will have their assets frozen while one Chinese citizen will face a visa ban, as part of a broader package of sanctions designed to curb Russia’s military capability.
This is the fifteenth such package the EU has passed since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. As the war has rumbled on, they have increasingly focused on cutting out efforts to circumvent sanctions and trying to choke military supplies to Moscow’s war machine.
Previously, Chinese firms have been added to a blacklist of entities banned from buying goods made in the EU for their alleged role in funnelling to Russia products with dual military and civilian uses.
The latest package will be the first time, however, that they face direct sanctions for playing a role in the invasion that has dragged on for nearly three years. It reflects a growing concern in Europe about China’s support for the conflict, both in providing an economic lifeline for Moscow through direct trade, or through the provisions of weaponry for use on the battlefield.
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By Finbarr Bermingham
The European Union reached a provisional agreement on Wednesday to sanction Chinese entities for the first time for their role in supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Six China and Hong Kong-based companies will have their assets frozen while one Chinese citizen will face a visa ban, as part of a broader package of sanctions designed to curb Russia’s military capability.
This is the fifteenth such package the EU has passed since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. As the war has rumbled on, they have increasingly focused on cutting out efforts to circumvent sanctions and trying to choke military supplies to Moscow’s war machine.
Previously, Chinese firms have been added to a blacklist of entities banned from buying goods made in the EU for their alleged role in funnelling to Russia products with dual military and civilian uses.
The latest package will be the first time, however, that they face direct sanctions for playing a role in the invasion that has dragged on for nearly three years. It reflects a growing concern in Europe about China’s support for the conflict, both in providing an economic lifeline for Moscow through direct trade, or through the provisions of weaponry for use on the battlefield.
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China’s hypersonic jumbo jet prototype hits Mach 6 in Gobi Desert test flight
By Stephen Chen
Chinese scientists have sent a hypersonic aircraft with a remarkably bulky body soaring through the sky, reaching a speed that could cover the distance from Beijing to New York in two hours.
During a 2021 test flight first widely publicised this week, a scaled-down prototype of the aircraft reached a top speed of Mach 6.56 – or over six times the speed of sound.
The test has provided early validation of a design that, when first unveiled six years ago, was thought to be impossible.
“At the time, everyone thought it was a crazy idea,” said Cui Kai, the project’s leader and a researcher at the Institute of Mechanics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, speaking in Beijing in October.
“We faced almost universal scepticism. Fortunately, we chose to persevere. I always believed that innovation thrives amid doubt.”
The aircraft marks a significant departure from the slender hypersonic vehicles previously seen. It features a fat and round fuselage and cape-shaped wings on its back.
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By Stephen Chen
Chinese scientists have sent a hypersonic aircraft with a remarkably bulky body soaring through the sky, reaching a speed that could cover the distance from Beijing to New York in two hours.
During a 2021 test flight first widely publicised this week, a scaled-down prototype of the aircraft reached a top speed of Mach 6.56 – or over six times the speed of sound.
The test has provided early validation of a design that, when first unveiled six years ago, was thought to be impossible.
“At the time, everyone thought it was a crazy idea,” said Cui Kai, the project’s leader and a researcher at the Institute of Mechanics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, speaking in Beijing in October.
“We faced almost universal scepticism. Fortunately, we chose to persevere. I always believed that innovation thrives amid doubt.”
The aircraft marks a significant departure from the slender hypersonic vehicles previously seen. It features a fat and round fuselage and cape-shaped wings on its back.
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China’s customs chief and trade warrior Yu Jianhua dies aged 63 after sudden illness
By Phoebe Zhang
China’s customs chief Yu Jianhua, who helped China fight its trade war with the US during Donald Trump’s first term in the White House, has died suddenly aged 63.
Yu was suddenly taken ill on Tuesday and died despite receiving emergency treatment, the customs office said in a statement.
He had made his last public appearance that same day, according to media reports, meeting senior officials from the northeastern province of Jilin in Beijing.
Yu became head of the General Administration of Customs in April 2022, succeeding Ni Yuefeng.
Before that, he worked for the Ministry of Commerce on and off starting in 2001.
In 2013, he was appointed China’s permanent representative to the World Trade Organization, a position he held until February 2017, when he was promoted to commerce vice-minister and deputy representative for international trade negotiations.
In September of that year, Yu met Wilbur Ross, former US commerce secretary, in Washington, according to Beijing Youth Daily.
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By Phoebe Zhang
China’s customs chief Yu Jianhua, who helped China fight its trade war with the US during Donald Trump’s first term in the White House, has died suddenly aged 63.
Yu was suddenly taken ill on Tuesday and died despite receiving emergency treatment, the customs office said in a statement.
He had made his last public appearance that same day, according to media reports, meeting senior officials from the northeastern province of Jilin in Beijing.
Yu became head of the General Administration of Customs in April 2022, succeeding Ni Yuefeng.
Before that, he worked for the Ministry of Commerce on and off starting in 2001.
In 2013, he was appointed China’s permanent representative to the World Trade Organization, a position he held until February 2017, when he was promoted to commerce vice-minister and deputy representative for international trade negotiations.
In September of that year, Yu met Wilbur Ross, former US commerce secretary, in Washington, according to Beijing Youth Daily.
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