China

SHANGHAI (Reuters) -China and its neighbours must not only crack down on wildlife trade but also shut legal loopholes that allow disease-prone species to be farmed, experts said after an investigation team concluded that COVID-19 most likely originated in animals.

A World Health Organization-led study, published Tuesday, said it was “likely to very likely” that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that caused the global pandemic, was introduced to humans from bats via an intermediary species, with wildlife farming playing a crucial role.

HONG KONG, April 3 (Xinhua) -- With legislative changes on improving Hong Kong's electoral system adopted by China's top legislature, Carrie Lam, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), expects a more peaceful and prosperous Hong Kong under "one country, two systems."

She also expects stronger confidence among people at home and abroad in the prospects of the global financial hub.

BEIJING, Apr 2 (APP): Now, most Chinese people favor mangoes imported from some Southeast Asian countries in supermarkets because the mangoes from South Asia are plump and beautiful.

On March 30, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Pakistan Consulate General in Shanghai and China`s Hongqiao Import Commodity Exhibition and Trading Center jointly organized an online seminar.

Beijing, Apr 2 (AP-PTI) A Chinese border city hit by a fresh outbreak of COVID-19 began a five-day drive Friday to vaccinate its entire population of 300,000 people.

State broadcaster CCTV showed people lining up and getting vaccinated in Ruili, where 16 cases have been confirmed since Tuesday. Twelve of them are Chinese and the other four are nationals of Myanmar, which lies across the border.

A city Communist Party official told CCTV the previous day that 159,000 doses of vaccine had arrived in the city.

BEIJING, Apr 1 (APP): Prime Minister Imran Khan’s letter to Indian counterpart Narendra Modi showed Pakistan’s good wishes and unremitting efforts aimed at enabling durable peace and stability in South Asia.

“This letter depicted the wisdom and vision of PM Khan”, these views were expressed by Cheng Xizhong, Visiting Professor at Southwest University of Political Science and Law and former military diplomat in South Asian countries on Thursday.

BEIJING, April 1 (Xinhua) -- A report on the global tracing of COVID-19 origins released Tuesday by the World Health Organization (WHO) showed that the novel coronavirus might have spread in many countries before the first case was detected in China, according to media reports.

The team of the WHO report reviewed data from published studies from different countries suggesting early circulation of SARS-CoV-2, reported Sputnik news agency.

BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets followed Wall Street higher Thursday after Japan and South Korea reported unexpectedly strong economic data and President Joe Biden announced a $2.3 trillion U.S. infrastructure spending plan.

Market benchmarks in Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Sydney advanced.

Japan’s closely watched Tankan survey found business conditions improved more than expected. South Korea reported higher March export growth. House prices rose in New Zealand and Australian manufacturing expanded.

HONG KONG (AP) — Seven Hong Kong pro-democracy advocates were convicted Thursday on charges of organizing and participating in an unlawful assembly during massive anti-government protests in 2019 that triggered a crackdown on dissent.

The seven include media tycoon and founder of the Apple Daily tabloid Jimmy Lai, as well as 82-year-old Martin Lee, a veteran of the city’s democracy movement. Lai had already been held without bail on other charges related to his pro-democracy activities.

BEIJING, March 31. /TASS/: The World Health Organization (WHO) needs to address the possibility that the coronavirus leaked from a US military laboratory or another overseas facility, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a briefing on Wednesday.

JIUQUAN, Mar 31 (NNN-XINHUA) – China sent a new Earth observation satellite into space, from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, in north-west China at 6:45 a.m. today (Beijing Time).

The satellite, Gaofen-12 02, was launched aboard a Long March-4C rocket, and entered its planned orbit successfully.

The satellite will be used in land surveys, urban planning, road network design and crop yield estimation, as well as, disaster relief.

It was the 364th flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series.