China

(Reuters) --- Chinese carrier drills and stepped-up incursions into Taiwan's air defence zone in recent weeks are meant to send a message to Washington to stand down and back off, security sources in Taipei say.

The increased activity - which China, unusually, described as "combat drills" on Wednesday - has raised alarm in both Taipei and Washington, though security officials do not see it as a sign of an imminent attack.

(Reuters) --- Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai will serve 12 months in prison for taking part in an unauthorised assembly during the 2019 mass pro-democracy protests in the Chinese-ruled financial hub.

Hong Kong's District Court Judge Amanda Woodcock gave Lai a 15-month sentence, reduced by three months in mitigation.

Martin Lee, who helped launch the city’s largest opposition Democratic Party in the 1990s and is often called the former British colony’s “father of democracy,” was given a suspended sentence of 11 months in the same case.

BEIJING, April 15 (Xinhua) -- China's Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Jianghao Thursday summoned the Japanese ambassador to China Tarumi Hideo. Wu lodged solemn representations against the Japanese government's decision to dump the wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea.

Wu said Japan's relevant decision disregarded the global marine environment, the safety of international public health, and the security interests of people from the surrounding countries.

BEIJING (AP) — China’s economy grew by double digits in the latest quarter but an explosive rebound from the coronavirus pandemic is slowing abruptly as manufacturing and consumer spending return to normal.

The economy grew by 18.3% over a year ago, official data showed Friday, a figure that was magnified by comparison with early 2020, when factories and shops were closed and activity plunged. Growth compared with 2020’s final quarter, when a recovery was under way, slowed to 0.6%, among the weakest of the past decade.

HONG KONG (AP) — A Hong Kong court on Friday sent five leading pro-democracy advocates, including media tycoon Jimmy Lai, to up to 18 months in prison for organizing a march during the 2019 anti-government protests that triggered an overwhelming crackdown from Beijing.

A total of nine advocates were given jail terms, but four of them, including 82-year-old lawyer and former lawmaker Martin Lee, had their sentences suspended after their age and accomplishments were taken into consideration.

BEIJING, April 14 (Xinhua) -- China has lodged solemn representations with the United States over the U.S. government sending a delegation to the Taiwan region, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Wednesday.

Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a press briefing when commenting on U.S. President Joe Biden sending a delegation of former U.S. officials to Taiwan, scheduled to visit the island from Wednesday to Friday.

BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets were mixed Thursday after Wall Street retreated from a record high as major banks reported strong profits.

Shanghai, Hong Kong and India declined. Tokyo, Seoul and Sydney advanced.

Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index closed 0.4% below the previous day’s record due to losses for major tech stocks while smaller companies rallied.

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said Tuesday that the semiautonomous Chinese territory’s legislative elections will take place in December, more than a year after they were postponed by authorities citing public health risks from the coronavirus pandemic.

Lam also said that laws will be amended so that inciting voters not to vote or to cast blank or invalid votes will be made illegal, although voters themselves are free to boycott voting or cast votes as they wish.

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced amendments to voting laws on Tuesday that critics say favour pro-Beijing candidates by redrawing constituency boundaries, creating more electoral districts, and criminalising calls for voters to leave ballots blank.

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Joshua Wong, one of Hong Kong’s most prominent democracy activists and among 47 people charged under a national security law, was sentenced to four months in jail on Tuesday for unauthorized assembly and violating an anti-mask law.

Wong, 24, had pleaded guilty to both charges, including taking part in and using a facial covering at an unauthorized assembly in October 2019 during the height of anti-government protests, the court heard.