A Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson on Thursday expressed hope for China and India to seize the opportunity and the good momentum of the two countries' defense minister's recent positive and constructive meeting to make new progress in the military-to-military relationship.

Spokesperson Wu Qian made the remarks at a regular press conference on Thursday, when asked to comment about information on the website of the Indian Defense Ministry on November 20. Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh stated recently during his meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun in Vientiane, Laos, that a friendly relationship between India and China, the two most populous countries, will have a positive impact on global peace and prosperity, and the two countries should focus on cooperation rather than conflict.

Wu said that Dong met with his Indian counterpart in Vientiane, Laos, on the afternoon of November 20, and the meeting was positive and constructive.

The two sides agreed to deliver on the important consensus reached by the two state leaders and promote a stable development of the mil-to-mil relationship; to strictly abide by the recent common understanding reached by the two sides and make efforts to deescalate tensions in the border areas; to focus on enhancing mutual trust and conduct more exchanges and interactions between the two militaries, Wu noted.

"We hope our two sides can seize the opportunity and the good momentum to make new progress in the mil-to-mil relationship. We also look forward to a harmonious dance between the Chinese dragon and the Indian elephant with concerted steps," Wu said.

Customs authorities at Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) recently apprehended a foreign citizen who smuggled 123 cocaine pills weighing a total of 1,580.44 grams by concealing them inside his body. This is the largest case of body-packing drug smuggling intercepted during travel inspection by Beijing customs in the past five years, according to the WeChat account of the General Administration of Customs on Friday. 

During routine monitoring of inbound flights, customs officers in BCIA identified the individual, a male foreign passenger, as suspicious due to his nervous demeanor and lack of any declared goods. Further questioning and examination led officers to suspect body-packing drug smuggling.

During the on-site investigation, the suspect excreted four cylindrical objects wrapped in white plastic and rubber film, which initial tests confirmed as cocaine. Following his transfer to the Anti-Smuggling Bureau, the suspect was taken to a designated medical facility for further monitoring and detoxification. Over the following hours, he excreted additional drug capsules, which were later confirmed by a professional laboratory to contain high-purity cocaine.

Body-packing is a common method of drug smuggling, involving the swallowing of drug capsules wrapped in plastic film. However, such methods pose severe health risks as stomach acid can corrode the wrapping, causing leakage or rupture, leading to acute poisoning and potentially death. This method of smuggling also contributes to violent crime and other societal problems, seriously undermining public safety and social stability, said the General Administration of Customs.

Customs authorities remind the public that, under Article 347 of China's Criminal Law, "Whoever smuggles, traffics in, transports, or manufactures narcotic drugs, regardless of the quantity involved, shall be held criminally responsible and subjected to criminal punishment." Offenders face severe penalties, including lengthy imprisonment or even the death penalty.

On November 29, Lithuania's Foreign Ministry, without any reason, declared relevant diplomatic personnel of the Office of the Chargé d'Affaires of China in Lithuania "persona non grata" and demanded that they leave the country within the time required. China strongly condemns and firmly rejects this wanton and provocative action.

As many are aware, on issues concerning China's Taiwan region, Lithuania has been acting in serious violation of the one-China principle and breached the political commitment Lithuania made in the communiqué on the establishment of China-Lithuania diplomatic relations. This has caused severe difficulty for bilateral ties. Three years on since the downgrade of bilateral ties with China, Lithuania has again taken detrimental action that further exacerbates the relations.

China calls on Lithuania to immediately stop undermining China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and stop creating difficulty for bilateral relations. China reserves the right to take countermeasures against Lithuania. We hope the upcoming new government of Lithuania will follow the prevailing international consensus, abide by the one-China principle, and foster conditions for the normalization of China-Lithuania relations.