Chinese airlines' advantage, Chongqing's rise as a global trade hub: SCMP daily highlights
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Western airlines risk suffering greater disruption than their Chinese rivals this summer, as the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel – compounded by US military strikes – forces most carriers to avoid flying over dangerous airspace on China-Europe routes.
Over the past decade, Chongqing has evolved into a hub of international trade, thanks to the launch of two expansive cross-border rail networks. One runs west to Germany and the other extends south, reaching as far as Singapore – trade corridors that give China faster, more reliable access to global markets while offering other countries a clear route into its vast interior.
President Xi Jinping reviews troops in Tiananmen Square during the Victory Day parade in 2015. It was the last time China held a military parade to mark the day Japan officially accepted the terms of surrender imposed by the Allied Forces in the Pacific conflict. Photo: EPA
China will stage a military parade to commemorate the end of World War II – only the second time the event has been held – as conflicts rage around the world, including the latest between Iran and Israel.
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