Welcome to Fresh Start.

This is People’s Daily app. 

Here are today’s picks from our editors.

Top leaders attend congress of returned overseas Chinese

About 3,000 people attended the opening ceremony of the 10th National Congress of Returned Overseas Chinese and their Relatives in Beijing Wednesday.

Chinese leaders Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the ceremony.

On behalf of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Zhao Leji delivered a speech at the event, expressing congratulations to the Congress and extending greetings to returned overseas Chinese and their relatives, Chinese people living abroad and workers with the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (AFROC).

Zhao expressed his appreciation for the returned overseas Chinese, their relatives and Chinese living abroad and their patriotic sentiment, striving spirit and the confident image they displayed.

Zhao said the important discourses by President Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, on the work related to returned overseas Chinese affairs has provided fundamental guidelines for relevant work in the new era. (Xinhua)

China unveils top 500 private firms, Huawei tops list

China on Wednesday unveiled its latest ranking for 500 largest private enterprises, with telecom equipment giant Huawei and e-commerce firm Suning atop the list amid sound development in the country’s private business sector.

The list, by the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC), came at the 2018 Summit of China Top 500 Private Enterprises held in Shenyang, the capital of Northeast China's Liaoning Province.

Revenues for the nine largest private firms all exceeded 44 billion US dollars in 2017. 

To be listed with China's top 500 private companies last year, an enterprise needed to have a revenue exceeding 15.68 billion yuan. (Xinhua)

Iran threatens to quit nuke deal if interests not secured 

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned on Wednesday that Iran will quit the 2015 nuclear deal if the interests of his country are not secured.

Iran and six world powers, namely China, Russia, Britain, France, the US, and Germany, struck a landmark agreement over Iran's nuclear program in 2015, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

However, US President Donald Trump decided to withdraw from the deal in May and re-impose sanctions against the country, including an oil embargo.

Iran has incessantly urged Europe to take "practical and tangible measures" to protect Iranian interests since the US pullout. (Xinhua)

EU ready for unprecedented deal with Britain, says Barnier

The EU is willing to strike an "ambitious" deal with post-Brexit Britain far beyond any agreements the Bloc has made with other countries in the past, the European Union's top negotiator said Wednesday.

Such a deal could include "an ambitious free trade agreement" as well as cooperation in areas of aviation, security and foreign policy.

But he warned that any agreement had to respect "the four pillars" of the EU's cherished single market -- the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital. (AFP)

Chinese lawmakers eye tax breaks for workers and families 

Chinese lawmakers on Wednesday reviewed revisions made for the individual income tax law during panel discussions at the ongoing bi-monthly session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, which ends Friday.

According to a draft amendment , the minimum threshold for personal income tax exemption is expected to be raised from $512 dollars to roughly $800 per month. 

The new income tax law will go into effect starting next year. 

It also adds special expense deductions for items like caring for the elderly, children's education, continuing education, treatment for serious diseases, housing loan interest and rent. (People’s Daily app)

China, US jointly crack down on fentanyl smuggling

Chinese and US law enforcement agencies successfully cooperated on a fentanyl trafficking case for the first time, China's National Narcotics Control Commission (CNNCC) official said on Wednesday.

A task force is now investigating and collecting evidence in the US, Deng Ming, deputy head of China National Narcotics Control Commission told a media briefing in Beijing. 

China exchanges intelligence and cooperates on cases with other countries. 

“In 2017, CNNCC proactively synchronized with the US counterpart on the purchase of more than 400 fentanyl trafficking leads and information on more than 500 new psychoactive substances by US customers,” Deng said. (People’s Daily app)

China snatches 100th gold medal in artistic swimming team event at Asiad

With the traditional Peking Opera music elements and movements as if the Phoenixes in the water, defending champion China retained the title of the team artistic swimming for the fourth time and it is the 100th gold medal for team China at these Asian Games here on Wednesday.

China, finishing on top with The Beautiful Baikal in the technical routine continued their lead in the free routine to claim the title.(Xinhua)

Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.

And now for the Question of the Day:

Which country has the longest coastline in the world?

(Answer: Canada, with the coastline of 202,080 km / 152,100 miles.)

Today’s quote is from Austrian novelist Hugo von Hofmannsthal.

“To grow mature is to separate more distinctly, to connect more closely.”

(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Ryan Yaoran Yu, Lance Crayon, Raymond Mendoza, and Terry Guanlin Li.)