China

BEIJING, Dec 19 (APP): With the two e-commerce companies recently obtaining large amounts of financing, Pakistan’s start-ups have raised more than $300 million this year, higher than the sum of the past six years.

It is reported that Bookme, Pakistan’s leading online ticket booking platform, and Bagallery, a Karachi-based beauty and fashion e-commerce start-up, recently announced the collection of $7.5 million and $4.5 million respectively in Series A funding round.

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong was voting Sunday in the first election since Beijing amended the laws to reduce the number of directly elected lawmakers and vet candidates to ensure that only those loyal to China can run.

The semi-autonomous territory was rocked by pro-democracy protests in 2014 and 2019, but they were crushed by security forces, followed by the imposition of a sweeping national security law that silenced most of the city’s opposition activists and led others to flee abroad.

BEIJING, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- The approved quotas of the Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor (QDII) program, a scheme that allows Chinese investors to access foreign assets, totaled 157.52 billion U.S. dollars as of Wednesday, said the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE).

The QDII quotas were granted to 174 financial institutions, including banks, securities firms, insurers, and trust companies, according to the SAFE's official website.

HONG KONG (AP) — Elections for Hong Kong’s Legislative Council on Sunday mark the culmination of Beijing’s campaign to rein in the body that had once kept it from imposing its unrestrained will over the semi-autonomous territory.

Since the city was handed over from British to Chinese rule in 1997, with a promise by Beijing to keep Western-style freedoms for 50 years, demands for expanded democracy inspired protest movements in 2014 and 2019. But they were largely ignored and subsequently crushed by security forces.

Hong Kong, Dec 17 (AP) Alibaba this week revealed an ambitious vision to grow its Southeast Asian e-commerce business to 100 billion in transacted sales as well as a pledge to reach carbon neutrality in its operations by 2030.

BEIJING, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday refuted Lithuania's accusation of violating the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, saying it resolutely opposes the Lithuanian side spreading false information and shirking responsibilities.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks during a daily press briefing when answering a query on Lithuanian foreign minister's recent accusations against China.

BEIJING, Dec 16 (APP): China stands ready to work with Pakistan to promote the high-quality development of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) so that it will drive growth and benefit people’s livelihood, and play a bigger role in promoting regional connectivity and economic integration, a Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said on Thursday.

VILNIUS/BEIJING, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Lithuania is to ask European leaders for help against Chinese pressure after the Vilnius delegation and its dependents left China in a hasty departure and amid denials from Beijing there were concerns for Lithuanian diplomats' safety.

China downgraded its diplomatic ties with Lithuania last month after the opening of a representative office by Taiwan in Vilnius under its own name.

BEIJING, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday that companies from all over the world are welcome to further expand investment in China and deepen cooperation in various fields to achieve common development.

Li made the remarks when attending the virtual dialogue with business leaders of the Global CEO Council in Beijing.

BEIJING/VILNIUS, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Lithuania's diplomatic delegation to China left the country on Wednesday in a hastily arranged exit, diplomatic sources said, as relations soured further over Taiwan, which opened a de facto embassy in Vilnius last month.

Beijing, which has stepped up pressure on countries to sever relations with the island, downgraded diplomatic ties with Lithuania in November after Taiwan openeda representative office in the Baltic state's capital.