China

9 July 2019; AFP: China demanded Tuesday that the United States "immediately cancel" a potential sale of $2.2 billion in arms to self-ruled Taiwan, including battle tanks and anti-aircraft missiles, adding fuel to tensions between the two powers.

It would be the first big-ticket US military sale to the democratically-governed island in decades, and comes as ties between Washington and Beijing are already strained by their trade war.

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said Tuesday the effort to amend an extradition bill was dead, but it wasn’t clear if the legislation was being withdrawn as protesters have demanded.

Lam noted there were “lingering doubts about the government’s sincerity or worries whether the government will restart the process in the Legislative Council.” But she said at a news conference, “I reiterate here, there is no such plan. The bill is dead.”

BEIJING (AP) — Global stocks tumbled Monday after unexpectedly strong U.S. employment data tempered hopes the Federal Reserve might cut interest rates.

Benchmarks in London, Frankfurt, Tokyo and Shanghai all declined.

Fed leaders have said they are ready to cut rates to support economic growth amid a tariff war with Beijing. But investors questioned whether the Fed will think that is needed after Friday’s data on June job creation.

BEIJING, July 8 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Wang Yang Monday called for joint efforts from authorities, market players and other stakeholders to improve the business environment.

Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, made the remarks here while attending a consultative symposium with leaders of other political parties on research findings regarding optimizing the business environment.

BEIJING, July 7 (Xinhua) -- China is expected to surpass the United States to become the world's largest insurance market in the mid-2030s, according to a report from Swiss Re Institute.

China consolidated its position as the second largest insurance market globally in 2018, with total premiums reaching 575 billion U.S. dollars. However, the Chinese market is currently still less than 40 percent of the size of the U.S. market and is also smaller than the three largest markets in Europe - Britain, Germany and France - combined.

LANZHOU, July 5 (Xinhua) -- A heavy ion cancer treatment system developed by Chinese researchers will soon be put into operation in northwest China's Gansu Province, researchers said.

The system will be used in a hospital in Lanzhou, capital of Gansu, which is mainly dedicated to treating cancer patients with the technology of heavy-ion accelerators.

Cancer radiation treatments employing heavy-ion accelerators can bombard a target with high-energy electrons to kill cancer cells.

SHENYANG, July 6 (Xinhua) -- More than 28,600 people were affected after a strong tornado hit a city in northeast China's Liaoning Province on Wednesday, causing an economic loss of over 1 billion yuan (145 million U.S. dollars), the local government announced on Saturday.

The tornado, packing winds up to 23 meters per second, struck the city of Kaiyuan around 5:15 p.m Wednesday. It touched down at the Jingouzi Township, rampaged through an industrial park and churned south. It lasted around 15 minutes.

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s political divisions showed no sign of closing as students rebuffed an offer from city leader Carrie Lam to meet and a few thousand mothers rallied in support of young protesters who left a trail of destruction in the legislature’s building at the start of the week.

“Don’t feel lonely, dad and mum will support you,” read one of many handwritten messages held aloft at a “Hong Kong Mothers” rally Friday.

Beijing, Jul 4; GANASHAKTI: China Thursday accorded a red carpet welcome to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who held wide ranging talks with her Chinese counterpart

Li Keqiang to further consolidate bilateral ties and signed nine agreements.

The nine instruments - five agreements, three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and a document - were signed in different sectors ranging from aid for the Rohingyas and economic and technical cooperation, investment, power, culture and tourism.

BEIJING (AP) — Asian stocks fell Friday as investors waited for American employment data and details of U.S.-Chinese trade talks.

Benchmarks in Shanghai, Tokyo and Hong Kong fell while Australia edged up.

Investors looked ahead to monthly U.S. jobs data due out Friday, which are expected to be a factor in the Federal Reserve’s decision this month on interest rates. The markets expect a solid 165,000 increase in non-farm payrolls.

The central bank has said it is prepared to cut rates to shore up the U.S. economy if trade disputes crimp growth.