China

LHASA, June 17 (Xinhua) -- A total of 202 projects aimed at helping lift southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region out of poverty were signed Monday at a poverty alleviation meeting.

The projects, with an estimated investment of 21.5 billion yuan (about 3.1 billion U.S. dollars), cover a wide range of fields, including education, healthcare, relocation and employment and science and technology.

Since 2017, 25 such projects have been implemented, according to the local poverty alleviation authorities.

BEIJING, June 17 (APP): The organizing committee for the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games and Asian Para Games will continue to accept submission of proposals for the design of official mascot till July 15.

The organizing committee for the games launched a campaign to solicit ideas for official mascots starting from April 16, running for three months until July 15.

The result will be announced by the end of 2019, Secretary of Hangzhou Municipal Committee Zhou Jiangyoung said on Monday.

HONG KONG (AP) — Demonstrators in Hong Kong gathered Monday outside the office of the city’s leader, demanding that she step down for the crisis over a highly unpopular extradition bill that has tested the durability of China’s promises to respect the former British colony’s quasi-autonomy.

The mostly young protesters blocked a street near the city’s waterfront as they stood outside the office of Chief Executive Carrie Lam chanting calls for her to cancel the proposed legislation.

SHENZHEN, China (AP) — Huawei’s founder said Monday that the Chinese telecom giant’s revenue will be $30 billion less than forecast over the next two years, as he compared the company to a “badly damaged plane” in the face of U.S. government actions against it.

“We never thought that the U.S.’s determination to attack Huawei would be so strong, so firm,” Ren Zhengfei, who is also the CEO, said during a panel discussion at company headquarters in Shenzhen.

MACAO, June 16 (Xinhua) -- A total of 344 members of the chief executive election committee of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) were elected on Sunday, the management committee of Macao chief executive election announced on Sunday night.

During Sunday's election which started from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time, 5,001 out of 5,735 legitimate voters went to three polling stations to cast their vote, with a turnout rate of more than 87 percent.

KUNMING, China, Jun 16 (APP): From textiles to leather, gems and handicraft – Pakistan’s indigenous products showcased at the ongoing South and Southeast Asia Commodity Expo and Investment Fair (SSACEIF) in China’s Kunming city have hit the mark, attracting huge number of local and international entrepreneurs.

By setting up 200 stalls, Pakistani businessmen are making headway in highlighting country’s trade potential amongst 3,300 corporate entities from 74 countries at the week-long expo, being held in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province.

HONG KONG (AP) — The Latest on protests in Hong Kong against an extradition bill (all times local):

11:15 p.m.

Pro-democracy activists helping to drive mass protests in Hong Kong over a proposed extradition law have rejected an apology issued by the city’s leader.

Leaders of the Civil Human Rights Front said Sunday that they estimated almost 2 million people had marched to demand Chief Executive Carrie Lam scrap the legislation and resign. Police have not issued an estimate of the crowd size.

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam steadily climbed her way up bureaucratic ranks to capture the top position in the former British colony, relying on sheer intelligence, ambition, canny networking and an astute deference to authority.

HONG KONG (AP) — Pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong are planning a mass protest Sunday even after the territory’s embattled leader Carrie Lam sought to quell public anger by shelving an unpopular extradition bill that has highlighted apprehension about relations with mainland China.

Activists said Lam’s announcement on Saturday is not enough. Over the past week, hundreds of thousands marched to demand Lam drop the legislation, which many fear would undermine freedoms enjoyed by this former British colony but not elsewhere in China.

BEIJING, June 14 (APP): China on Friday condemned the attacks on Saudi civilian airport by Yemeni armed forces and hoped all parties would avoid actions that would lead to an escalation of regional tensions.

“China condemns the attacks on civilians and civilian facilities in Saudi Arabia,” Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Geng Shuang said during his regular briefing held here.