Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is reportedly to arrive in the Netherlands amid charges related to his crackdown on drugs, the Philippine media Inquirer reported. Duterte will be taken to the International Criminal Court's (ICC) detention unit after landing, where he will be readied for an initial appearance before the court's judges, according to media. 

"They are taking him out on a plane by force without considering his health conditions," the former president's youngest daughter Veronica Duterte wrote on Instagram. Duterte was placed on a flight late on Tuesday and the plane that brought Duterte to Dubai en route to the Netherlands took off after a stopover of several hours on Wednesday, AFP reported citing a flight tracking site.

Zhou Shixin, a research fellow at Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, told the Global Times that Duterte may soon face the evidence presentation process at the ICC. Since the Philippines is not a member state of the ICC, the evidence has to be provided by the Philippine authorities, which is likely to be unfavorable to Duterte.

Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday departed Manila to join her father, according to the Office of the Vice President (OVP).

Veronica "Kitty" Duterte, the youngest child of Duterte, on Wednesday asked the Philippine Supreme Court to compel the government to bring her father back to the country after he was arrested by the ICC, according to the Inquirer.

Attorney Salvador Panelo, the former president's legal counsel, and his son Attorney Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr. filed a writ of habeas corpus before the Supreme Court with Kitty Duterte as the petitioner. The younger Panelo said that the grounds for the petition are the lack of jurisdiction of the ICC over the country and the basis of the extradition treaty.

Malacañang Palace, the official residence and office of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, on Wednesday thumbed down Vice President Sara Duterte's remark likening the arrest of her father to a "state kidnapping," Philippine media ABS-CBN reported.

At a press briefing on Tuesday night, Philippine President Marcos Jr. defended the Philippines' decision to send Duterte to the ICC, saying his arrest was done "in compliance with our commitments to the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol)." 

He said, "Interpol asked for help, and we obliged because we have commitments to the Interpol which we have to fulfill. If we don't do that, they will not - they will no longer help us with other cases involving Filipino fugitives abroad," according to the Presidential Communications Office.

Some netizens in the Philippines have expressed clear indignation. On a social media platform, one netizen remarked, "The ICC has no right to apprehend a citizen of the Philippines." 

Former Philippine Gabriela Rep. Luz Ilagan, who served as social welfare undersecretary under the Duterte administration, described the arrest as "sheer audacity and a blatant abuse of power," according to the Inquirer.

Zhou believes that the public's complex sentiments in the Philippines are understandable. "Many Filipinos perceive the move as inviting external intervention into internal conflicts, and the former president still enjoys significant support among the populace. Unfortunately, as a sovereign nation, the Philippines fails to fulfill its obligation to protect its own citizens," he stated.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, outlined on Friday China's five-point proposal for properly resolving the Iranian nuclear issue under the new circumstances including resolving disputes through political and diplomatic means, and opposing the use of force and illegal sanctions.

Wang made this proposal when meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov Sergey Alexeevich and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, who came to Beijing for attending the China-Russia-Iran meeting on the Iranian nuclear issue on Friday.

Wang said all parties should uphold a common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security outlook, actively create conditions for resuming dialogue and negotiations, and refrain from actions that could escalate tensions.

China also suggested to ensure a balance between rights and responsibilities, coordinating nuclear non-proliferation with the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Iran should continue to uphold its commitment not to develop nuclear weapons, while all parties should fully respect Iran's right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy as a signatory of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), according to a readout published on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Wang proposed to reach new consensus based on the framework of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). China hopes all parties will meet each other halfway and resume dialogue and negotiations as soon as possible. The US should demonstrate political sincerity and return to the negotiations without delay, Wang said.

Also, efforts should be made to promote cooperation through dialogue, opposing the forced involvement of the UN Security Council, Wang said.

Under the current circumstances, a hasty intervention by the Security Council would not help build trust or bridge differences. Triggering the "snapback mechanism" would undo years of diplomatic efforts and must be approached with extreme caution, the Chinese Foreign Minister noted.

Also, it should adhere to a step-by-step, reciprocal approach and seeking consensus through consultation, Wang said.

History has shown that the so-called position of strength will never serve as the key to solving complex issues. Only by upholding mutual respect can all parties find the broadest common ground that accommodates legitimate concerns of all parties and achieve a resolution in line with international expectations, Wang added.

This year marks the second anniversary of the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI). Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the GCI on March 15, 2023, during a dialogue between the Communist Party of China and other global political parties held via video link.

The initiative advocates for respect for the diversity of civilizations, the common values of humanity, the importance of both the inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation.

The following are some of his quotes in this regard.

After China unveiled a plan for special initiatives to boost consumption, including the potential establishment of a childcare subsidy system, Li Chunlin, a deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission, said Monday that relevant authorities have been actively formulating childcare subsidies, which will be introduced progressively, CCTV News reported.

A total of 23 provincial-level regions across the country have introduced childbirth subsidies at various levels, mostly benefiting families with a second or third child, the People's Daily reported on Monday.

Childcare subsidies generally come in two forms: one-time cash payments and recurring allowances, the report said. For example, in Hefei of East China's Anhui Province, eligible couples receive a one-time subsidy of 2,000 yuan ($276.3) for the birth of a second child and 5,000 yuan for the birth of a third child.

In Jinan, East China's Shandong Province, eligible families with local household registration receive 600 yuan per month for each second or third child until the child turns 3 years old, the People's Daily reported. 

In Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, registered couples who have a second or third child after January 1, 2023, and register the child's household locally, qualify for a one-time subsidy of 2,000 yuan for a second child and 4,000 yuan for a third child. Additionally, they will receive a monthly childcare subsidy of 200 yuan per child until the child reaches the age of 3 years old.

However, the People's Daily's report found out that most childcare subsidies apply only to families with a second or third child, leaving families with only one child outside the preferential policy.

Guided by China's macro policies, various regions have tailored measures to their specific circumstances, including one-time payments and monthly allowances. These policies "have alleviated family burdens, encouraged childbirth and demonstrated policy support," Jiang Quanbao, a professor from the Institute for Population and Development Studies at Xi'an Jiaotong University, told the Global Times, on Monday.

Following the rollout of the special action plan to boost domestic consumption, local governments are likely to further strengthen subsidy programs, Jiang said. The measures may include an increase in the subsidies based on the current levels, and the coverage of subsidies is expected to be broader, according to Jiang.

Hohhot, the capital of North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, recently drew public attention by announcing a 100,000 yuan subsidy for families having a third child. Zhang Hongmin, head of the population, family and elderly health department at the Hohhot Health Commission, was quoted as saying in a report by Beijing Daily on Monday that the purpose of this policy is to provide direct financial support to help families share part of the childcare costs, alleviate concerns about having children due to financial pressure, and ultimately increase the birth rate.

Lei Anqi, an associate professor at the Department of Public Administration and Sociology at Ningxia University's Faculty of Law, suggested increasing subsidy amounts, moderately raising third-child subsidies, and considering benefits for first-child families to enhance policy incentives

Lei told the Global Times on Monday that authorities could expand the scope of eligibility, gradually relaxing subsidy application requirements, and including non-registered residents who have lived and worked in a region for a long time to improve the policy's inclusiveness.

Lei also called for better childcare support, including expanding affordable childcare institutions, reducing family childcare costs, and increasing willingness to have children.

Lei emphasized the need to establish a long-term security mechanism by promoting joint funding from central and local governments to ensure the stability of subsidy policies. She also suggested comprehensive measures such as tax breaks, housing support, and workplace-friendly policies to create a sustainable childbirth incentive system.

The support for childbirth is a "systematic project," Jiang noted, emphasizing that in addition to subsidies, complementary policies, such as childcare, education and housing support should also be explored. Jiang noted that support for families with their first child could also be considered.

East China's Zhejiang Province recently issued a special action implementation plan to boost and expand consumption, saying that in accordance with national policies, a childbirth subsidy system will be established to provide subsidies to eligible families, the Securities Times reported on Monday. 

The plan also encourages local governments with sufficient resources to issue marriage consumption vouchers and childcare vouchers and to develop basic public services for inclusive childcare, according to the report.

The trade union of a company in Yinan county, East China's Shandong Province recently issued a notice requiring single employees aged 28-58 to marry by September 30 or face a review and potential dismissal, sparking widespread attention, according to CCTV.com on Friday. Local human resources and social security bureau issued a correction order on Thursday, revoking the company's notice.

The notice released by Shandong Shuntian Chemical Group Co., Ltd., showed that the company promotes the spirit and cultural values of "diligence, kindness, loyalty, filial piety, and righteousness." It emphasized that employees should work well and establish families, so that their families can be reassured, equating this to filial piety. The notice required single employees (aged 28-58, including those who are divorced) to form families and have children within the specified time frame.

According to CCTV.com, the company also set up offices and a human resources department as supervisory units, stating that "if these supervisory units fail to accomplish the above tasks, the company will give them a negative rating for 'inaction' in the performance assessment."

Previously, in response to media inquiries, company representatives stated that this was an internal matter and a decision made by senior management, which is a part of the private company's internal affairs.

A company representative later clarified that the intention was to encourage older unmarried employees to focus on important life decisions and motivate them to marry and settle down. However, the approach was overly simplistic, and the company mistakenly transformed this initiative into a rigid policy, CCTV.com reported.

Local human resources and social security bureau held a meeting with the company on Thursday, pointing out that the notice violated relevant provisions of the Labor Law of the People's Republic of China and the Labor Contract Law of the People's Republic of China. Therefore, the notice was immediately stopped, and the company was ordered to correct its actions.

Shandong Shuntian Chemical Group Co., Ltd. later stated that the notice has been halted and the regulations revoked, adding that the company will strengthen internal management, study relevant laws and regulations, and prevent such incidents from occurring again.

"Corporate rules should not override laws or social morals," one netizen commented. Another netizen also pointed out that the Marriage Law guarantees freedom of marriage, emphasizing that the decision to marry should be a personal choice, not something imposed by parents or companies.