China

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam says she has to pile up cash at home as she has been unable to open a bank account in the global financial centre since Washington sanctioned her shortly after Beijing imposed a national security law on the city.

Beijing circumvented Hong Kong’s legislature and imposed a national security law on the former British colony on June 30, a move condemned by some foreign governments, business groups and rights groups.

NANNING (China), Nov. 27 (APP): President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday invited businessmen from China and ASEAN countries to come and invest in the special economic zones being setup in Pakistan.

“We encourage ASEAN countries as well as Chinese businessmen, to invest in the special economic zones in Pakistan”, he said while addressing through video message at the opening ceremony of 17th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) opened at Nanning, capital of south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Chinese authorities said on Friday they are set to charge 12 people from Hong Kong with border violations after they were detained in China more than three months ago while trying to flee from the city by speedboat.

The 12, who had all faced charges in Hong Kong linked to anti-government protests, have been held virtually incommunicado in a mainland prison since they were detained at sea, apparently while trying to reach the democratic island of Taiwan.

BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- China expects the United States to work with China in maintaining the healthy and stable development of the military-to-military relationship between the two countries, a Chinese military spokesperson said at a press conference on Thursday.

Ren Guoqiang, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks when asked about the recent appointment of the U.S. acting defense secretary.

BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets were mixed Friday as questions about the effectiveness of one possible coronavirus vaccine weighed on investor optimism.

Benchmarks in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Sydney retreated while Tokyo and Seoul gained.

Investors have been encouraged by reports of progress toward a possible vaccine. But they were uneasy after researchers questioned data that showed a candidate from the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca was 70% effective.

BEIJING, Nov 26 (APP): Chinese Premier Li Keqiang of State Council will attend the 19th meeting of the council of Heads of Govt of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states to be held through video link on November 30, Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Thursday.

“Since it’s founding 19 years ago, the SCO has maintained a sound and stable development momentum and successfully placed a new path of cooperation and development for regional organizations, ” he said during his regular briefing.

BEIJING, Nov 26 (APP): Pakistan will participate as a special partner in the 17th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) in Nanning, Guangxi province, China from November 27-30, said Gao Feng, spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.

“We have invited Pakistan to participate as a special partner in this important event along with 10 ASEAN countries,” he said at a press conference on Thursday.
He informed that President Dr. Arif Alvi will deliver a special message through video link, together with the leaders of China and ASEAN countries at the inaugural ceremony.

BEIJING (Reuters) - China has accelerated imports of crude oil, propane and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States since July, but total energy product purchases through October remain far short of targets for 2020 set out in the Phase 1 trade deal with Washington.

Over the first 10 months of 2020, China’s purchases of U.S. crude oil, LNG, propane, butane and other energy products totalled $6.61 billion, about 26% of the $25.3 billion target, according to Reuters calculations based on Chinese customs data.

GUANGZHOU, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Coast guard authority in south China's Guangdong Province have busted a case involving smuggling of the precious metal palladium, nabbing four suspects.

Three vehicles and 61 kilograms of palladium worth 30 million yuan (4.56 million U.S. dollars) have been seized by the coast guards in the city of Huizhou in Guangdong.

Further investigations are still underway, according to the coast guards. 

BEIJING, Nov 25 (APP): Pakistan ranked 45th in the Internet Development Index with a score of 39.03, but the country, placed 42nd, surpassed Vietnam, Kazakhstan and other countries in innovation capacity, according to the World Internet Development Report 2020.

The report was released during the World Internet Conference – Internet Development Forum kicked off in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, highlighting digital empowerment for a better future.