China

BEIJING (AP) — China’s Zhurong Mars rover is soldiering on after completing its initial program to explore the red planet and search for frozen water that could provide clues as to whether it once supported life.

China’s National Space Administration said on its website Friday that Zhurong completed its 90-day program on Aug. 15 and was in excellent technical condition and fully charged.

Beijing, Aug 20 (PTI) China's national legislature on Friday formally endorsed the three-child policy mooted by the ruling Communist Party, in a major policy shift aimed to prevent a steep decline in birth rates in the world's most populous country.

The revised Population and Family Planning Law, which allows Chinese couples to have three children, was passed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC).

BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng and Liu Boming had both slipped out of the space station core module Tianhe by 10:12 a.m. (Beijing Time) on Friday to conduct extravehicular activities (EVAs) for a second time, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

Nie opened the hatch of Tianhe's node cabin at 8:38 a.m., the CMSA said.

BEIJING (AP) — China is tightening control over data gathered by companies about the public under a law approved Friday by its ceremonial legislature, expanding the ruling Communist Party’s crackdown on internet industries.

The data protection law follows anti-monopoly and other enforcement actions against companies including e-commerce giant Alibaba and games and social media operator Tencent that caused their share prices to plunge.

BEIJING, Aug 19 (APP): China and Pakistan are enhancing communication and coordination on Afghan issues as two important neighbors of Afghanistan, and expect to play constructive roles in maintaining regional peace and stability, which has triggered India’s anxiety.

India has been unwilling to make a U-turn in its policies after a prolonged hostility toward the Afghan Taliban.

BEIJING, Aug 19 (NNN-ANA) – The Taliban, yesterday, met with former Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, as the group is seeking to form a new government in the war-torn country.

The meeting between the Taliban and the former Afghan leader came, after Afghan President, Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, left the country, following the Taliban’s takeover of most parts of the country, including the capital city of Kabul, on Sunday.

HONG KONG, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Four Hong Kong student leaders charged with "advocating terrorism" after their union passed a motion last month mourning the death of a 50-year-old who stabbed a policeman before killing himself were denied bail on Thursday.

The four, aged 18-20 and all from the University of Hong Kong (HKU), are the latest democracy activists to be denied bail under a sweeping national security law that Beijing imposed on the former British colony last year.

BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- China maintains contact and communication with the Afghan Taliban and other parties on the basis of full respect for the sovereignty of Afghanistan and the will of all parties, and it encourages and hopes the Afghan Taliban can follow through its positive statements, a foreign ministry spokesperson said Thursday.

Hong Kong, Aug 18 (AP-PTI) Hong Kong will tighten entry restrictions for travellers arriving from the United States and 15 other countries beginning Friday, extending the quarantine period to 21 days.

Previously, the 15 countries, which also include Malaysia, Thailand, France and the Netherlands, were classified as medium-risk, with travellers able to stay only seven days of quarantine if they were fully vaccinated and tested positive for antibodies prior to leaving for the city.

BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday had a phone conversation with Haji Erywan, special envoy of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to Myanmar and Brunei's second minister of foreign affairs, over ties and the situation in Myanmar.

Wang expressed his appreciation for Brunei's contribution to the development of China-ASEAN relations as the rotating chair of ASEAN, and thanked Brunei for its support in elevating the positioning of China-ASEAN relations.