Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

27 Nov 2020; MEMO: Azerbaijani parliament on Thursday slammed a resolution by the French Senate urging the recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh as "a republic", Anadolu Agency reports.

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.

TASHKENT, Nov 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Uzbekistan plans to implement 52 projects worth nine billion U.S. dollars, to start deep processing of natural gas and produce value-added products, as well as, create new jobs, the press service of Uzbek president said today.

The projects, presented to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, cover inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and the production of polymers, it said.

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea and China agreed on Thursday to prepare for a visit to South Korea by Chinese President Xi Jinping and to cooperate on stalled talks on North Korea’s nuclear programme and on tackling the novel coronavirus.

China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, arrived in the South Korean capital late on Wednesday, after a two-day visit to Japan, as Asian governments prepare for change under a new U.S. administration.

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. 

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — A Cambodian court on Thursday began hearing the cases of nearly 130 opponents and government critics charged with treason for taking part in nonviolent political activities over the past three years, in what one of them described as a sham trial.