China

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will negotiate with American companies and increase imports of U.S. goods and products according to market principles, an official with its state planner said on Sunday.

The United States has high quality supply in the fields of energy, manufactured goods, agricultural products, medical care and financial services, said Meng Wei, spokesperson for China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), at a press conference on Sunday.

BEIJING (Reuters) - China said on Sunday that 17 more people had become infected with a new coronavirus strain, fanning fears it will spread further as hundreds of millions of people travel to celebrate the upcoming Lunar New Year.

Three of those patients are seriously ill, according to a statement issued by the health commission in the central city of Wuhan, where all 62 of the cases in China have occurred.

Two people have died. Two cases have also been reported in Thailand and one in Japan - each involving people who traveled from Wuhan.

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Police fired tear gas on Sunday to disperse thousands of anti-government protesters who gathered in a central Hong Kong park but later spilled onto the streets, briefly barricading roads and spray-painting buildings.

Out in numbers before the demonstration began, police intervened promptly when the rally turned into an impromptu march. Several units of police in riot gear were seen chasing protesters and several arrests were made.

A water cannon truck drove on central streets, flanked by an armored jeep, but was not used.

Beijing, Jan 17 (PTI) China's economy grew by 6.1 per cent last year, the lowest annual growth rate in 29 years, National Bureau of Statistics said on Friday, as weak domestic demand and the bruising 18-month-long trade war with the US took their toll on the world's second-largest economic giant.

The new data comes a day after China and the US signed a long-awaited phase one deal, marking a ceasefire in the 18-month-long trade war which saw the world's two largest economies slap 25 per cent tariffs on about half a trillion-dollar worth of each other's exports.

BEIJING (Reuters) - China’s economic growth cooled to its weakest in nearly 30 years in 2019 amid a bruising trade war with the United States, and more stimulus is expected this year as Beijing tries to boost sluggish investment and demand.

But data on Friday also showed the world’s second-largest economy ended the rough year on a somewhat firmer note as a trade truce revived business confidence and earlier growth boosting measures finally appeared to be taking hold.

Beijing (AP) --- Asian stock markets followed Wall Street higher on Friday after China reported 6.1% economic growth in 2019 and Washington and Beijing signed an interim trade agreement.

Benchmarks in Shanghai, Tokyo, Seoul and Sydney advanced after the U.S. benchmark S&P 500 index hit a new high and Google parent Alphabet passed $1 trillion in market value.

BEIJING (AP) — As the Lunar New Year approaches, Chinese travelers flocked to train stations and airports Friday to take part in a nationwide ritual: the world’s biggest annual human migration.

Around 3 billion trips will be made during the Spring Festival travel rush, China’s Transport Ministry has estimated. The period began this year on Jan. 10 and is expected to last through Feb. 18, well after Lunar New Year’s Day on Jan. 25.

BEIJING, Jan 16 (APP): China on Thursday said it was pleased to handle the Afghan-bound transit cargo by Gwadar port as China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was not only beneficial for both the countries but also for the regional connectivity and economic cooperation.

“We have noted the report. And we are pleased over new progress achieved by Gwadar port,” Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Geng Shuang said while responding to a question asked by APP during his regular briefing held here.

Beijing(AP) — Share prices were mixed Thursday in moderate trading in Asia after the U.S. and China signed a preliminary trade agreement that investors hope will bring better relations between the two biggest economies.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 was flat Thursday at 23,925.70, while the Kospi in South Korea added 0.2% to 2,236.01. Shares fell in China, with the Shanghai Composite index giving up 0.3% to 3,081.38. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng edged 0.1% lower, to 28,752.32.

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam says the ″one country, two systems″ framework under which the city enjoys freedoms unknown in China could continue after 2047 deadline if loyalty to Beijing is upheld.

Lam’s comments Thursday at the Legislative Council appeared to be an appeal to those in the city who see Beijing as tightening its control over the semi-autonomous territory’s civic, economic and political life.