China

BEIJING, December 25. /TASS/: China and Russia are currently discussing a list of key projects and a roadmap for organizing the Year of Russian-Chinese Scientific, Technical and Innovation Cooperation, set to take place in 2020-2021, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang stated on Wednesday.

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong anti-government protesters marched through Christmas-decorated shopping centers on Wednesday, chanting pro-democracy slogans and forcing one mall to close early, as police fired tear gas to disperse crowds gathering on nearby streets.

The protests have turned more confrontational over the festive season, though earlier in December they had been largely peaceful after pro-democracy candidates overwhelmingly won district council elections.

Despite the embarrassing results, Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing leaders have made no new concessions.

CHENGDU, China (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday told Chinese Premier Li Keqiang that there would be no true improvement in bilateral relations without stability in the East China Sea, Japan’s foreign ministry said.

The two leaders held a bilateral meeting in the Chinese city of Chengdu, on the sidelines of a three-way summit with South Korea.

Abe also urged Li to swiftly remove import restrictions on Japanese food products, the ministry said in a summary of the meeting.

JIUQUAN, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- A commercial suborbital carrier rocket developed by a private Chinese company was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 4:50 p.m. Wednesday (Beijing Time).

The rocket, Tansuo-1, was developed by Space Trek. It completed the whole maneuver flight and fairing separation at high dynamic pressure during the flight.

The rocket can serve purposes of meteorological observation, microgravity testing as well as satellite payload experiments.

HONG KONG (AP) — Clashes resumed in Hong Kong on Tuesday between police and anti-government protesters, some of them donned in Santa Claus hats, as the more than 6-month-long demonstrations look set to move into the new year.

Black-clad protesters smashed shop windows, while police responded with tear gas and the arrest of a number of demonstrators.

The protests demanding greater democratic rights show no sign of ending despite the overwhelming victory by anti-establishment candidates in elections for district representatives earlier this month.

BEIJING, Dec 24 (APP): China Tuesday said it will continue to enhance cooperation with Nepal including law enforcement to jointly fight cross border crimes.

“China will continue to enhance cooperation with Nepal including law enforcement to fight cross border crimes together and to promote friendly exchanges between our two peoples,” Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Geng Shuang said during his regular briefing while responding to a question regarding the arrest of 122 Chinese nationals by Nepal Police.

BEIJING, Dec 24 (APP): The Chinese markets are open to Pakistan’s agricultural products, especially good quality fruits, as China had either suspended or reduced agricultural products from some countries.

In the past, China imported a large number of fruits from India and Australia. Due to the recent outbreak of a virus in India, China had suspended the import of fruits from India for the time being, Cheng Xizhong, special commentator of China Economic Net said on Tuesday.

24 December 2019; AFP: China hosted the leaders of squabbling neighbours South Korea and Japan for their first official meeting in over a year on Tuesday, flexing its diplomatic muscle with America's two key Asian allies and seeking unity on how to deal with a belligerent North Korea.

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong riot police fired tear gas at thousands of protesters, many wearing masks and reindeer horns, after scuffles in shopping malls and in a prime tourist district as anti-government rallies escalated into chaos on Christmas Eve.

Protesters inside the malls had thrown umbrellas and other objects at police who responded by beating some demonstrators with batons, with one pointing his gun at the crowd, but not firing.

Beijing, Dec 23 (AP) Rising space power China on Monday attacked the newly created US Space Force as a "direct threat to outer space peace and security".

Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters that China is "deeply concerned about it and resolutely opposed to it".

"The relevant US actions are a serious violation of the international consensus on the peaceful use of outer space, undermine global strategic balance and stability, and pose a direct threat to outer space peace and security," Geng said at a regular briefing.