Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

TOKYO, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Japan on Monday continued to issue heatstroke alerts with near-record high temperatures boiling many parts of the country.

As temperatures soared to nearly 40 degrees Celsius in many regions including Tokyo, heatstroke alerts were issued for both Monday and Tuesday on about 20 of the country's 47 prefectures, mainly in the east and southwest, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

Of 914 places where temperatures were recorded across the country, 157 measured daily highs of at least 35 degrees Celsius on Sunday, JMA's data showed.

MANILA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- ASEAN countries have reaffirmed their determination to maintain regional peace and stability, and emphasized the need to maintain ASEAN's unity and centrality and avoid becoming any country's proxy.

During the 56th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) and related meetings that concluded last week in Jakarta, Indonesia, the countries in the bloc stated that they would join hands to promote regional economic integration.

HONG KONG (AP) — China’s economic growth missed forecasts in the second quarter of the year, adding to worries over surging youth unemployment and a weak property sector and raising the likelihood the government will double down on support for the faltering post COVID-19 recovery.

The world’s second largest economy grew at a 6.3% annual pace in the April-June quarter, much slower than the 7% plus growth analysts had forecast given the anemic pace of activity the year before.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Heavy downpours lashed South Korea for a ninth day on Monday as rescue workers struggled to search for survivors in landslides, buckled homes and swamped vehicles in the most destructive storm to hit the country this year.

At least 40 people have died, 34 others are injured and more than 10,000 people have had to evacuate from their homes since July 9, when heavy rain started pounding the country. The severest damage has been concentrated in South Korea’s central and southern regions.

BEIJING, July 16 (APP): Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal has said that Special Economic Zones (SEZs) will provide an opportunity for Chinese investments to take advantage of incentives that Pakistan offers to foreign investment with concessions.

“We are working on nine special economic zones.

The first Rashakai Special Economic Zone will be inaugurated later this month. Similarly, the other economic zones are also in the advanced stages, in Sindh, Punjab, and Baluchistan,” he told APP during his recent visit to China.

JAKARTA, Jul 16 (NNN-ANTARA) – The series of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers’ meetings, attended by senior Chinese diplomat, Wang Yi, have sent out three positive messages, a Chinese official said here yesterday.

First, the meetings saw a more peaceful atmosphere. The ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, held in a friendly and harmonious way, focused on practical cooperation.

BEIJING, July 16 (Reuters) - A Chinese naval flotilla set off on Sunday to join Russian naval and air forces in the Sea of Japan in an exercise aimed at "safeguarding the security of strategic waterways", according to China's defence ministry.

Codenamed "Northern/Interaction-2023", the drill marks enhanced military cooperation between China and Russia since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and is taking place as Beijing continues to rebuff U.S. calls to resume military communication.

BEIJING, July 16 (Reuters) - A Chinese military-run hospital ship has arrived in Kiribati for the first time, as China vies with the United States for influence in the Pacific region.

The arrival of the 14,300 metric ton "Peace Ark" - the first time a Chinese navy vessel has visited Kiribati - marks a step up in Chinese soft power in the Pacific Island state that switched its diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to China in 2019.

PHNOM PENH, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has pinned hopes on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement and bilateral Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) to boost its exports of garment, footwear and travel (GFT) goods.

Cambodian Footwear Association president Ly Khun Thai said the Southeast Asian country has seen a significant rise in the exports of shoes to China and South Korea since the RCEP and Cambodia's bilateral FTAs with China and South Korea entered into force last year.

PHUKET /Thailand/, July 15. /TASS/: Russia plans to open new diplomatic missions in Southeast Asian countries, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at the ceremony of opening Russia’s consulate general in Phuket on Saturday.

"Our plans envisage opening missions in other friendly [Southeast Asian] countries," Russia’s top diplomat said.