33 countries sign Convention on Establishment of International Organization for Mediation in Hong Kong

Photo: www.fmprc.gov.cn

The signing ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) took place in Hong Kong on Friday. Around 400 high-level representatives from 85 countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe, as well as from nearly 20 international organizations, attended the ceremony, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. 

Of these,n-s 33 countries signed the convention oite, becoming its founding member states, according to the ministry. 

China has consistently advocated resolving differences in the spirit of mutual understanding and compromise, building consensus through dialogue and consultation, promoting development with a win-win mindset, and addressing challenges with a forward-looking approach, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, told at the ceremony. 

The establishment of the IOMed is an innovative step in the field of international rule of law and holds significant importance in the history of international relations, Wang said, according to a statement published on the ministry’s website on Friday. It embodies the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, fills a longstanding institutional gap in the field of international mediation, and serves as an important public good for strengthening the rule of law in global governance, Wang said. 

According to Reuters, Indonesia, Pakistan, Laos, Cambodia and Serbia were among the countries attending the signing ceremony. Representatives from 20 international bodies including the UN were also expected to participate. 

The mediation group could enhance China's influence internationally and promote a more assertive role for the world's second-largest economy in global governance, some analysts said, although its success remains to be seen, according to Reuters. 

The IOMed is an authoritative symbol for peaceful and harmonious settlement, and the establishment of the IOMed marks a new chapter in global dispute resolution, Chu Kar-kin, a member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, told the Global Times on Friday. 

Given the legal system and bilingual environment, Hong Kong is an ideal jurisdiction for hosting the IOMed headquarters, Chu said, noting that Hong Kong also benefits from its status as a hub attracting global business attention. 

“Geographically, Hong Kong enjoys full support from the mainland, it is a gateway and middleman between the Oriental and West. The IOMed opens opportunities to professionals and talents starting or advancing their career in Hong Kong,” Chu said, noting that upon the establishment of IOMed end of this year, parties from potential disputes or conflicts and entrepreneurs may vet IOMed as the jurisdiction of dispute resolution.

After consultations among the negotiating parties to the convention, it was agreed that Hong Kong would serve as the headquarters of the IOMed, Wang said at the ceremony. Hong Kong’s return to the motherland itself stands as a successful example of peacefully resolving international disputes, he added. 

The success of the “One Country, Two Systems” framework has ensured continued prosperity and stability to the city, promising an even brighter future, Wang said. 

The HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee said at the ceremony that the HKSAR government is committed to supporting the IOMed's provision of friendly, flexible, economical and efficient mediation services. We actively promote a vibrant culture of mediation. In fact, it is a general policy to incorporate a mediation clause in all government contracts. We are also improving the system for local accreditation and disciplinary matters of the mediation profession, Lee said. 

The establishment of the IOMed reflects the peaceful development ethos inherent in international law. It embodies a spirit of internationalism and the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind. It also upholds the rule-of-law values underpinning a true human destiny community, Tian Feilong, a vice-dean of the Law School of Minzu University of China in Beijing, told the Global Times on Friday. 

“Mediation embodies the core of China’s traditional legal culture. Unlike the adversarial nature of Western-rooted litigation and arbitration, mediation prioritizes consensus, reconciliation, and mutual understanding. This approach offers unique advantages in resolving disputes, bringing divisions, enhancing international social capital, and building a more cooperative global order,” Tian said. 

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Apple to rebrand its operating systems

Major overhaul: Signage for the iPhone 16 in New York. Apple is making the change to bring consistency to its branding and move away from an approach that can be confusing to customers and developers. — Bloomberg

SAN FRANCISCO: Apple Inc is planning the most sweeping change yet to its operating system names, part of a software overhaul that extends to all its devices.

The next Apple operating systems will be identified by year, rather than with a version number, according to sources.

That means the current iOS 18 will give way to “iOS 26”, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plan is still private.

Other updates will be known as iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26 and visionOS 26.

Apple is making the change to bring consistency to its branding and move away from an approach that can be confusing to customers and developers.

Today’s operating systems – including iOS 18, watchOS 12, macOS 15 and visionOS 2 – use different numbers because their initial versions didn’t debut at the same time.

A spokesperson for Cupertino, California-based Apple declined to comment.

The company will announce the shift at its Worldwide Developers Conference on June 9.

The branding will accompany fresh user interfaces across the operating systems – an attempt to ensure a more cohesive experience when people move between devices.

The new look, dubbed Solarium internally, will include tvOS, watchOS and parts of visionOS, Bloomberg News reported this week.

The latest naming strategy is reminiscent of approaches taken by both Samsung Electronics Co and Microsoft Corp.

In 2020, Samsung renamed its flagship Galaxy S phone line after its launch year, moving to the Galaxy S20.

That device’s predecessor, which debuted in 2019, was the Galaxy S10, representing the 10th generation.

In 1995, Microsoft shifted to naming major operating systems after the year they launched, rolling out Windows 95 and then Windows 98 and Windows 2000.

The big difference is Apple will use the upcoming year rather than the current one.

Though its next operating systems will launch around September 2025, they’ll be named for 2026 – not unlike how car companies market their vehicles.

If Apple keeps the strategy, the following set of releases will carry the 27 moniker.

Apple previously attempted something similar with its software bundles for office work and creativity applications.

In August 2007, it rolled out iWork ‘08 and iLife ‘08.

That was eventually followed by iLife ‘11, which went on sale in October 2010.

As part of the changes, Apple plans to give the iPad a more Mac-like experience, potentially making it more useful for office work.

And the company is opening up its artificial intelligence (AI) models to third-party developers, letting them tap into the underlying technology used by the Apple Intelligence platform.

Other new features coming this year include a live-translation mode for AirPods and the Siri voice assistant, as well as an eye-scrolling option on the Vision Pro headset.

In the AI realm, Apple is planning health features and an AI-enabled battery management mode.

There also will be a new bi-directional Arabic and English keyboard, a digital calligraphy pen for Apple Pencil users and a new app for gaming on Apple devices. — Bloombe

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ASEAN-China-GCC Summit in Malaysia sets an example for global cross-regional cooperation

 Chinese Premier Li Qiang gives his opening remarks during the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center in Malaysia on 27 May, 2025. Photo: AFP

The successful convening of the ASEAN-China-GCC Summit in Malaysia has been widely recognized as a "landmark" event of major significance. The Joint Statement of the ASEAN-China-GCC Summit adopted at the summit marks the transition of cooperation among the parties from concept to reality. This summit not only showcased the surging momentum of Global South solidarity but also expanded the horizon of cross-regional cooperation and inter-civilizational integration. The three parties view their differences as opportunities for cooperation and promote development through unity, which not only responds to the common aspirations of Global South countries but also provides a new model of cooperation for the world.

The fruitful outcomes of the first trilateral summit are clearly reflected in the Joint Statement of the ASEAN-China-GCC Summit. In the economic area, the three sides agreed to leverage their complementarities to strengthen collaboration in the fields such as trade, investment and finance, promote economic integration, and enhance industrial and supply chain resilience. In promoting the de-escalation of regional tensions, the three parties jointly called on all sides involved in Middle East conflicts to refrain from targeting civilians and to uphold international humanitarian law, thereby laying a cornerstone for regional peace and stability. The three sides will also deepen cooperation in cultural exchanges, energy security and sustainability, as well as digital transformation and innovation. In addition, to further facilitate the movement of people between China and other countries, China has decided to expand its visa-free policy, now covering all GCC member states. With the implementation of the aforementioned outcomes, trilateral cooperation will surely advance to a higher level, broader areas, and deeper dimensions.

Beyond bringing certainty to the region and the world, the trilateral cooperation holds a deeper and more unique significance. 

It transcends the once-popular notion of a so-called "clash of civilizations" by transforming differences in cultural traditions and stages of development into powerful drivers of complementary collaboration. This, in turn, unveils a new chapter of mutual learning among human civilizations.

If viewed through the lens of bloc confrontation, the trilateral cooperation would be seen as friction among different religions and as a geopolitical tug-of-war forcing countries to take sides. However, from the perspective of a "shared future," what emerges is something entirely different: the GCC with its vast energy reserves and multi-trillion-dollar sovereign wealth funds; ASEAN's manufacturing strength and its emerging consumer market of nearly 700 million people; and China's formidable industrial capacity, technological innovation, and infrastructure-building expertise. Together, these elements signal enormous development potential and ample room for win-win cooperation. As one Qatari economic expert observed, "Everyone will benefit from this historic summit."

China, ASEAN, and GCC countries together account for roughly a quarter of the world's population and global economic output. The groundbreaking cooperation among the three parties sends a clear message to the world: Unity and joint development are not distant dreams but a tangible path already unfolding. This cooperation is not a "victory" for any one side, but an epitome of peace and development, cooperation and mutual benefit. In the face of the increasingly severe realities of global deficits in peace, development, and trust, the trilateral summit has injected new vitality into the maintenance and practice of multilateralism. 

In the future, countries in the Global South, such as those in Africa, Latin America, and beyond, can certainly envision a richer imagination in building a comprehensive cross-regional cooperation network and achieving open and inclusive development.

In this "big triangle," China is both a participant and a supporter, injecting new momentum into tripartite cooperation through its own high-quality development. Whether from China's economic data or the global capital rush to invest in China, it is evident that the Chinese economy, having weathered storms, has become deeper, richer, and more inclusive. This stability, certainty, and inclusiveness provide a solid foundation for the international community, including ASEAN and GCC countries, to trust and invest in China. 

The recent announcement of the completion of the negotiations on the Version 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area has fostered more positive expectations regarding China's completion of free trade agreement negotiations with the GCC. It is believed that with the enhancement of trilateral trade levels, China, ASEAN, and GCC countries will all further benefit from open cooperation.

Just as President Xi Jinping said, "For us to break through the mist and embrace a bright future, the biggest strength comes from cooperation and the most effective way is through solidarity." This "1+1+1" cooperation model among China, ASEAN, and the GCC is a concentrated embodiment of this spirit. It not only benefits each individual party but also contributes to a greater overall increment for Asia and the world as a whole. 

It is believed that the three parties will unite to generate tremendous strength, bringing a more prosperous and stable development outlook for the region and the world, injecting continuous positive energy into the cause of world peace and development, and providing lasting momentum for the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. -Global Times

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