Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, urged efforts to strengthen political guidance and deepen innovation-driven development to advance the high-quality modernization of national defense and the armed forces.

HOHHOT, July 31 (Xinhua) -- A tunnel under construction collapsed early Friday in Ulanqab City, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, leaving four people dead and six others injured, according to local authorities.The accident happened at around 3:50 a.m. at the tunnel construction section undertaken by the China Railway 15th Bureau Group Co., Ltd. for Zhuozi County, Ulanqab.The search and rescue operation is continuing. Treatment for the injured and accident investigation are currently underway.

CHONGQING, July 30 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from a mountain collapse in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality has risen to 51, and 10 people are still missing, local authorities said Thursday.More than 1,100 residents were evacuated. Three of the ten rescued people have been discharged from the hospital, according to the rescuers.The rainfall-induced disaster occurred at 9:08 a.m. on July 17 in Hanjia sub-district of Pengshui Miao and Tujia Autonomous County, along a section of the Wujiang River. More than 10 residential buildings were buried.Land search operations at the site have concluded, while underwater searches and river cleanup are still ongoing. Efforts to restore traffic and normal life are underway.

BEIJING, July 30 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Water Resources activated a Level-IV emergency response for flood control in northwest China's Shaanxi and Gansu provinces at 9 p.m. Thursday.Under the combined influence of the southwest monsoon and cold air, heavy rain is forecast to hit parts of southwestern Shaanxi and southeastern Gansu from 8 p.m. Thursday to 8 a.m. Monday, with short-duration downpours expected in some areas.From 8 p.m. Thursday to 8 p.m. Friday, the risk of mountain torrents in 13 county-level areas in the two provinces is expected to reach the orange-alert level.The ministry urged local water authorities to strengthen emergency on-duty operations, consultations, and assessments, as well as to enhance the monitoring, forecasting, and early warning systems for rainfall and water conditions.It also called for clearly defined responsibilities throughout the evacuation process and the advance relocation of residents from high-risk areas.Between 8 a.m. Wednesday and 8 a.m. Thursday, rainfall caused floods exceeding warning levels in 11 rivers in Jilin, Heilongjiang, Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiang, with the largest excess reaching 3.97 meters.Meanwhile, the ministry maintains Level-IV emergency responses for Henan, Hubei and Sichuan. Seven ministry work teams are assisting flood-control efforts in Hunan, Gansu, Hubei, Henan, Sichuan, Guangdong, Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia.China has a four-tier flood-control emergency response system, with Level I being the most severe.

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, also China's lead person for China-US economic and trade affairs, held a video call on Thursday with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.