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Along with mild winter weather in much of the northern hemisphere, Chinese fuel exports helped avert widespread shortages of diesel, heating oil and gasoil. Russia's ban on diesel exports ahead of winter has sparked a new round of concerns of another supply shock. Chinese fuel exports are currently around 1.1 million barrels per day (bpd), down from last year's peak at 1.8 million bpd in December. China's fuel exports are subject to quotas, closely monitored by the global fuel trading community. China also has quotas for imports of crude oil that refiners use to make diesel and other products.

Persons: Meng Meng, John Kilduff, Matt Smith, Al Zour, Kpler, Laura Sanicola, Trixie Yapl, Simon Webb, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, Total, Al, Diesel, U.S . East, U.S . Energy Information Administration, Thomson Locations: Boxing, Shandong Province, China, U.S, Ukraine, Europe, Americas, Brazil, Turkey, New York, Beijing, Russia, Iran, Venezuela, Asia, Middle, Western Europe, America, U.S . East Coast

☆ China's exports and imports drop again in September
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

In U.S.-dollar terms, exports fell by 6.2% last month from a year ago. China's exports have fallen on a year-on-year basis every month this year starting in May. The last positive print for imports on a year-on-year basis was in September last year. For the first three quarters of the year, China's exports to the U.S. fell by 16.4%, while imports dropped by 6% during that time. The volume of China's cosmetics imports fell by 14.2% in the first three quarters compared to a year ago.

Organizations: Future Publishing, Getty, Imports, Reuters, European Union, CNBC, Association of Southeast, Nations, EU, U.S, Monetary Fund, Initiative Locations: Qingdao, Shandong province, BEIJING, China, U.S, Russia, Europe, Southeast Asia

☆ China's export, import growth with Russia quickens in September
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Stringer/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Oct 13 (Reuters) - The growth of China's exports and imports with Russia on a year-on-year basis quickened in September from August, China's customs data showed on Friday, as it urged deeper trade ties with its neighbour despite the disapproval of the West. Chinese shipments to Russia rose 21% to $9.6 billion in September from a year earlier, accelerating from 16% growth in August, Reuters calculations based on customs data showed. Imports from Russia rose 8% to $11.53 billion last month after rising 3% in August. Under Western sanctions, Russia has turned to China for economic support, benefiting from Chinese demand for oil, gas and grain. China also cleared the way for imports of pork from regions of Russia without African swine fever, Chinese customs said recently.

Persons: Stringer, Wang Wentao, Vladimir Putin, Ryan Woo, Ellen Zhang, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Imports, Chinese, Administration of Customs, Commerce, Beijing, Thomson Locations: Qingdao, Shandong province, China, Rights BEIJING, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, China's

Oil and gas tanks are seen at an oil warehouse at a port in Zhuhai, China October 22, 2018. Reuters' analysis of China's savings on oil purchases from the three sanctioned countries compares what Chinese importers would have paid by purchasing similar grades from non-sanctioned producers. For imports of Venezuelan oil, mostly heavy grade Merey, China saved an average of $10 a barrel versus comparable Colombian Castilla crude, the calculations based on the trader data showed. With January-September inflows of Venezuelan oil at around 430,000 bpd, according to the average of the Vortexa and Kpler data, China's savings from buying Venezuelan oil was $1.17 billion. TEAPOT MARGINSWith state refiners Sinopec and PetroChina refraining entirely from buying Iranian and Venezuelan crude, teapots have feasted on discounted oil from the two suppliers.

Persons: Aly, Kang Wu, Brent, Viktor Katona, Chen Aizhu, Muyu Xu, Tony Munroe Organizations: REUTERS, refiners, Reuters, P, Administration, Customs, Vortexa, Russia's, Castilla, Brent, U.S . State Department, U.S ., Thomson Locations: Zhuhai, China, Russia, Iran, Venezuela, SINGAPORE, United States, Moscow, Tehran, Caracas, East, West Africa, South America, Beijing, Kpler, Kozmino, Baltic, Ukraine, Europe, India, Brazil, Urals, Oman, U.S, Venezuelan, teapots, Shandong, Israel

☆ ‘Ring of fire’ annular eclipse: Here’s where to see it
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-07 | by ( Terry Ward | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Path of the ‘ring of fire’ eclipseBehold the beauty of an annular solar eclipse. For many, the event is being seen as a sort of warm-up for the 2024 total solar eclipse, which professor Mark Littmann calls “the gold standard” of eclipse viewing. It gives you a kind of an omen of what a total eclipse would look like.”Viewing an annular eclipse is far from routine: The next one won’t happen over the contiguous United States until 2046. Corpus Christi, TexasCorpus Christi residents and visitors will among the last to witness the annular eclipse on the US mainland. Santa Fe National Park, PanamaSanta Fe National Park in Panama will also enjoy the spectacular event.

Persons: Mark Littmann, ”, ” Littman, Debra Ross, ” Ross, Richard Tresch Fienberg, Bryce, ” Clark, Dave Clark, Del, Campspot, Yogi Bear’s, Clark, Christi, Chichén, Matthias Kestel Organizations: CNN, University of Tennessee, North, Eclipse, Task Force, “, CNN Travel, Utah, Capitol, Navajo Tribal, Boulder Mail, NASA, NOAA, Roswell Public Library, Grande Recreation, Alamo Beer Company, Omni, Corpus Christi, Christi, UNESCO, Santa Fe, Panama Santa Fe Locations: United States, Oregon , New Mexico, Texas, Antonio , Texas, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China, Oregon, Central, South America, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, Brazil, Arizona, New Mexico , Utah, Colorado, Boulder, Bryce, annularity, Albuquerque, Roswell , New Mexico, New Mexico, Roswell, Grande, Antonio, San Antonio, Jose, Del Rio, Kerrville, Guadalupe, Bandera, Garner, Corpus Christi , Texas, Christi, Corpus Christi, Mexico, Corpus, North Padre, Uzmal, Mérida, Edzná, Campeche, of Mexico, Santa, Panama Santa, Santa Fe

An employee works on the production line at Jingjin filter press factory in Dezhou, Shandong province, China August 25, 2022. China's non-manufacturing PMI, which incorporates sub-indexes for service sector activity and construction, also rose, coming in at 51.7 versus August's 51.0. PROPERTY RISKSMore stable economic indicators will be welcomed by policymakers as they continue to grapple with a property sector debt crisis that has rattled global markets. Analysts say more policy support will be needed to ensure China's economy can hit the government's growth target of about 5% this year. "China's economy stabilised partly driven by the loosening of property sector policies," said Zhiwei Zhang, chief economist of Pinpoint Asset Management.

Persons: Siyi Liu, Zhou Hao, Zhiwei Zhang, Ryan Woo, Tina Qiao, Joe Cash, Michael Perry, William Mallard Organizations: REUTERS, National Bureau of Statistics, PMI, Guotai, China Evergrande, HK, Asian Development Bank, Analysts, Thomson Locations: Dezhou, Shandong province, China, BEIJING

☆ How surging trade with China is boosting Russia’s war
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +15 min

Mikhail Tereshchenko | Afp | Getty ImagesThe defense ministries of China and Russia did not respond to CNBC's request for comment on the trade flows. Trade of 'dual-use' goods spikesTotal bilateral trade between Russia and China hit a record high of $190 billion in 2022, up 30% from 2021. Semiconductor sales to Russia from China and Hong Kong more than doubled in 2022 as Western sanctions took hold. Meantime, construction equipment has played an "underappreciated" but significant role in China's contribution to Russia's war efforts, having helped bolster its defenses against Ukraine's counteroffensive, Joseph Webster, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, said. The findings add to the growing list of Chinese goods and companies reported to be supplying Russia's military, including state-owned enterprises.

Persons: Vladimir Putin's, Mark Cancian, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Mikhail Tereshchenko, Wang Yi, China's, Putin, Li Shangfu, —, Qilai Shen, Antonia Hmaidi, Cancian, they've, Hong Kong Retekess, Legittelecom, It's, Silva, Hmaidi, Joseph Webster, Webster, that's, Ramzan Kadyrov, Russia's Organizations: CNBC, for Strategic, International Studies, Kremlin, Afp, Getty, Ukraine's Defense Ministry, Ukrainian Armed Forces, Bank of Finland's Institute, Emerging, Semiconductor, CNBC CNBC, Federal, Service, SZ DJI Technology, Robotics, Iflight, SZ, Technology, Bloomberg, Rostov, R Technology, Beijing KRnatural International Trade Co, Mercator Institute for China Studies Defense, Industry, Hong, Mercator Institute for China Studies, Moscow, ImportGenius, Ukraine's, Atlantic Council, Atlantic, U.S, China Taly Aviation Technologies, China Poly Technologies, EU, Beijing, National Security Council Locations: Ukraine, China, Washington, Russian, Moscow, Russia, Beijing, U.S, Kyiv, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, DJI, Liaoning, Shanghai, Berlin, Buryatia, Hubei, Korea, Pyongyang, Russia's, Amur, Chechen Republic, Qianwan, Qingdao Port, Shandong Province, deniability

HANGZHOU, China Sept 27 (Reuters) - Cui Chenxi became China's youngest Asian Games gold medallist on Wednesday after the 13-year-old skateboarder won the women's street event on day four of competition in Hangzhou. With an eye-catching performance featuring several 'Ollies' and a huge move off a high rail, which several of her competitors avoided, Cui took gold ahead of compatriot Zeng Wenhui, 18, with Japanese 16-year-old Miyu Ito taking bronze. Cui, who hails from China's eastern Shandong province, only took up skateboarding in 2020 when China's COVID restrictions meant she could not practice rollerblading, which she began as a three-year-old. Each athlete's highest scoring run and two highest scoring tricks were then added together to reach a final score. Margielyn Didal, who won gold for the Philippines at the 2018 Asian Games, is still only 24 yet she seemed like a veteran with all her competitors in the final 18 or under.

Persons: Cui Chenxi, Cui, Zeng Wenhui, Miyu Ito, Margielyn Didal, Didal, I'm, Martin Quin Pollard, Dylan Martinez, Peter Rutherford Organizations: Asian, Thomson Locations: HANGZHOU, China, Hangzhou, China's, Shandong, Philippines

REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Global production of primary aluminium hit an all-time high in August, with the world's smelters running at an annualised rate of 71.2 million metric tons. It now estimates national output rose by 1.3 million metric tons. Global production in August came in at 6.0 million metric tons, up 1.6% on August last year, while cumulative production of 46.5 million metric tons was up 1.7% on the year-ago period. The country's annualised run-rate has increased by 2.1 million metric tons since March and registered a fresh all-time high of 42.4 million tons in August. Everything depends on rainfall levels in Yunnan, which has emerged as a major aluminium production hub due to its "green", low-carbon credentials.

Persons: Stringer, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, International Aluminium Institute, IAI, Institute, Shanghai Futures Exchange, London, Exchange, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Binzhou, Shandong province, China, Malaysia, Iran, Yunnan, Sichuan

☆ Mexico is trying to be best new trade buddies with both the US and China — but it might not be able to handle the pressure
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Cork Gaines | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Mexico is now America's top trade partner thanks to US-China tensions and "nearshoring." AdvertisementAdvertisementMexico's infrastructure is not readyBeing a more attractive trade partner to the US is one thing. China is now Mexico's largest trading partner globally, and Mexico is already China's second-largest trade partner in Latin America. China's Foreign Direct Investment in Mexico is still small (about 1% of Mexico's Foreign Direct Investment) but it is its fastest-growing source of outside investment. If Mexico's economy is going to surge, it needs to be more than just a middleman.

Persons: Luis Torres, —, Tesla, JULIO CESAR AGUILAR, Xi Jinping, Lintao Zhang, Kearney, Gerardo Esquivel Organizations: Service, Federal Reserve Bank of, Foreign, Investment, Bloomberg, Getty, Publishing Locations: Mexico, China, Wall, Silicon, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Nuevo León, Latin America, Yantai, Shandong Province, Mexican, United States

☆ Oil prices rise on supply deficit concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The "Bay Drill 3" jack-up drilling rig is pulled by a tugboat at CIMC Raffles' construction base in Yantai, East China's Shandong province, April 26, 2023. Oil prices rose in early trade on Tuesday for the fourth consecutive session, as weak shale output in the U.S. spurred further concerns about a supply deficit stemming from extended production cuts by Saudi Arabia and Russia. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 90 cents, or 1%, to $92.38, by 0018 GMT, just under a 10-month high reached on Monday, while global oil benchmark Brent crude futures rose 27 cents, or 0.3%, to $94.70 a barrel. U.S. oil output from top shale-producing regions is on track to fall to 9.393 million barrels per day in October, the lowest level since May 2023, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Monday. Those estimates come after Saudi Arabia and Russia this month extended a combined 1.3 million barrels per day of supply cuts to the end of the year.

Persons: Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Organizations: Raffles, U.S . West Texas, Brent, U.S . Energy, Administration, Saudi Arabia's Energy Locations: Yantai, East China's Shandong province, U.S, Saudi Arabia, Russia

☆ Oil inches higher on supply concerns, China demand recovery
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Two large oil tankers unload at the 300,000-ton crude oil terminal in Yantai Port, Shandong Province, China, July 9, 2023. Oil prices inched higher on Monday, buoyed by forecasts of a widening supply deficit in the fourth quarter after Saudi Arabia and Russia extended cuts and on optimism of a demand recovery in China, the world's top crude importer. Traders will be watching decisions by central banks, including the Federal Reserve, this week on interest rate policies. "The Fed is expected to pause rate hikes this time but is likely to stay hawkish," CMC's Teng said. A pause in U.S. rate hikes could weaken the greenback which makes dollar-denominated commodities such as oil more affordable for holders of other currencies.

Persons: Tina Teng, WTI, CMC's Teng Organizations: Brent, West Texas, CMC, ANZ, International Energy Agency, Organization of, Petroleum, Traders, Federal Reserve Locations: Yantai Port, Shandong Province, China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, OPEC, Ukraine

☆ Wang Bin: Chinese insurance boss sentenced to life in jail for corruption
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —Wang Bin, the former chairman of one of China’s biggest life insurers, will spend the rest of his life in jail after a court found him guilty of corruption. Wang was accused of taking the bribes between 1997 and 2021, when he headed a number of state-owned financial institutions, including China Life Insurance, China’s Bank of Communications and China Taiping Insurance. “The amount of bribes Wang Bin accepted was particularly huge, the circumstances of the crime were particularly serious and the social impact was particularly bad,” the ruling said. He is the latest top executive to become ensnared in President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption crackdown on the country’s $56 trillion financial sector. The sentence came more than a year after Wang, who was also the top Communist Party official at China Life, was investigated by the party’s top anti-graft agency.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Wang Bin, Wang, Wang Bin, Xi Jinping’s, Li Xiaopeng, Liu Liange, Bao Fan, Xi Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, China Life Insurance, China’s Bank of Communications, China Taiping Insurance, Communist Party, China, China Everbright, Bank of China Locations: China, Hong Kong, Jinan, China’s, Shandong, United States

A general view of a crude oil importing port in Qingdao, Shandong province, November 9, 2008. Many of the newer, complex refineries in Asia prefer medium sour crude as it offers a higher yield of middle distillates such as diesel and jet fuel. ALTERED FLOWSThe higher prices for medium crude grades is impacting the ways in which crude is flowing around the world. China's imports from Brazil are expected to reach 29.07 million barrels in September, which would be the highest in three years, according to Kpler. While Saudi Arabia may have been successful in boosting oil prices, it is also disrupting the markets and altering physical crude flows.

Persons: Brent, China doesn't, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: United Arab Emirates, Moscow, Kpler, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Qingdao, Shandong province, LAUNCESTON, Australia, Asia, Saudi Arabia, OPEC, Russia, East, Kuwait, Brent, Dubai, Ukraine, India, Iraq, China, Iran, Islamic Republic, United States, Brazil

☆ Asia markets mixed ahead of trade data from China and Australia
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

A view of the automated container port in Qingdao in east China's Shandong province. Zhang Jingang | Future Publishing | Getty ImagesAsia-Pacific markets were mixed on Thursday, following a sell off on Wall Street and ahead of trade data from China and Australia. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 slid 0.45% ahead of its August trade data release. Japan's Nikkei 225 rose marginally after eight straight days of gains, while the Topix was 0.1% higher. Futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index were mostly flat and stood at 18,449, compared with the HSI's close of 18,449.98.

Persons: Zhang Jingang, Kospi Organizations: Getty, Reuters, Nikkei Locations: Qingdao, Shandong province, Asia, Pacific, China, Australia

☆ Oil rises on China, U.S. economic data and OPEC+ cut expectations
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Oil pumpjacks stand at the Qingdong-5 offshore oil production platform, an artificial island, of Sinopec Shengli Oilfield on January 16, 2023 in Dongying, Shandong Province of China. Oil prices ticked up in Asian morning trade on Monday, as market sentiment was buoyed by positive China and U.S. economic data, as well as expectations of ongoing crude supply cuts from major producers. In the U.S., employment data was higher than expected on Friday, with nonfarm payrolls increasing by 187,000 jobs last month. Russia has already said it will cut exports by 300,000 barrels per day, or bpd in September, following a 500,000 bpd cut in August. Saudi Arabia is also expected to roll over a voluntary 1 million bpd cut into October.

Persons: Brent, nonfarm, Alexander Novak's Organizations: . West Texas, Beijing, Federal Reserve, Organization of, Petroleum Locations: Dongying, Shandong Province, China, U.S, Russia, Saudi Arabia

☆ Asia's factory activity weakens, China's rebound offers some hope
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Leika Kihara | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

While the rebound in China's factory conditions say be a sign official efforts to revive growth is starting to have some effect, manufacturing activity in most of Asia remained stagnant in August. "It's unlikely we'll see a sharp, quick rebound in China's economy. Asia has been among the few bright spots in the global economy, though persistent weakness in China cloud the outlook. It expects China's economy to expand 5.2% this year after a 3.0% increase in 2022. Factory activity also contracted in Taiwan, Malaysia and the Philippines last month, with Indonesia the outlier with a modest expansion, surveys showed.

Persons: Siyi Liu, Toru Nishihama, Leika, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: REUTERS, PMI, P Global, Dai, Research, International Monetary Fund, Jibun Bank, Thomson Locations: Dezhou, Shandong province, China, Japan, Korea, TOKYO, Asia, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia

Together, experts say, these efforts aim to enhance China’s military reach, which currently includes only one operational overseas naval base in Djibouti on the Horn of Africa. “It’s a question of when – not if – China will secure its next overseas military outpost,” he said. This photo taken on August 1, 2017, shows Chinese People's Liberation Army personnel attending the opening ceremony of China's new military base in Djibouti. The Hambantota commercial port in Sri Lanka has long been considered a prime candidate for a Chinese naval base. However, China’s path to developing permanent overseas bases, if indeed that is its aim, is not straightforward.

Persons: FDD, Craig Singleton, “, –, ”, Tea Banh, FDD’s Singleton, Tang Chhin Sothy, Singleton, Xi Jinping, Stringer, ” AidData, Stephen J, Townsend, ” Townsend, Bata, Ali Bongo Ondimba, Ken Ishii, ’, ” Singleton, China’s, Aaron Favila, Isaac Kardon, Kardon, ” Kardon, BlackSky Singleton, Rob Wittman, Fu Tian, Seth Moulton, ” Moulton, Martin Meiners Organizations: South Korea CNN, People’s Liberation Army Navy, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, People’s Liberation Army, PLA, Ream, Base, CNN, China’s Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ream Naval Base, ” Cambodian Defense, Cambodian, Getty, Fleet, Communist Party, US, Liberation Army personnel, William & Mary University, Sri Lankan Navy, US Africa Command, Gabonese, of, Xinhua, Naval Research Academy, Carnegie Endowment, International Peace, East China Seas, China, Control, Organization, Force, Strategic, International Studies, Defense Department, Chinese Communist Party, ”, Virginia Republican, The Defense Department, Qingdao Port, People's Liberation Army Navy, China News Service, America, Pentagon, US Defense Department Locations: Seoul, South Korea, China, Beijing, Washington, Cambodia, Argentina, Cuba, Djibouti, of Africa, Africa, West Asia, Gulf, Thailand, United States, Preah Sihanouk, AFP, Horn of Africa, “, South, Taiwan, Virginia, —, Sri Lanka, Bata , Equatorial Guinea, Gwadar, Pakistan, Kribi, Cameroon, Ream, Vanuatu, Nacala, Mozambique, Nouakchott, Mauritania, Colombo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, West Africa, South China, East Asia, East, Asia, Washington In Washington, Nanchang, Qingdao, Shandong province, Massachusetts

☆ Morning Bid: Asia kicks off September with eyes on Beijing
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Stephen Culp | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An employee works on the production line at Jingjin filter press factory in Dezhou, Shandong province, China August 25, 2022. REUTERS/Siyi Liu/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 1 (Reuters) - A look at the day ahead in Asian markets from Stephen Culp, financial markets journalist. Recent policy decisions and other steps taken by Beijing and Chinese firms to jump start investor sentiment and support local markets has had an effect. Chinese stocks this week posted back-to-back gains of 1% or more for the first time since January. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Siyi Liu, Stephen Culp, Josie Kao Organizations: REUTERS, PMI, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Dezhou, Shandong province, China, Shanghai, Beijing, South Korea, Australia

Reuters GraphicsCOAL, CRUDESimilar to iron ore, China's imports of seaborne coal are also expected to be robust in August, with Refinitiv estimating arrivals of 31.2 million tons, while Kpler expects 34.3 million. Coal imports have been strong since March as the country turned to thermal generation to make up for weaker-than-usual hydropower. Whether China maintains strength in crude imports will largely depend on whether its refiners continue to export large volumes of diesel and gasoline. The rally in crude prices since June should start to show up in China's crude imports from September onwards, given the lag between when cargoes are arranged and delivered. Overall, it appears that factors other than the strength of China's economy are behind the still solid imports of iron ore, coal and crude oil.

Persons: China's, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Rights, National Bureau of Statistics, Iron, Reuters Graphics, Kpler, Refinitiv Oil, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Qingdao, Shandong province, China, Rights LAUNCESTON, Australia, Indonesia, OPEC, Saudi Arabia

☆ Soaring youth joblessness is driving record-setting enrollment at China's military academies
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Jack Lau | South China Morning Post | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Total intake at China's military academies is the highest since 2017 and 2,000 more than last year. The total intake — spread across China's 27 military academies that accept high-school graduates — was 2,000 more than last year, the People's Liberation Army (PLA)'s official newspaper reported on Tuesday. Almost all places for this cohort had been filled, the PLA Daily report said. STR/AFP via Getty ImagesThe Central Military Commission — China's top military command, chaired by President Xi Jinping — announced the new standards in March. AdvertisementAdvertisementHowever, China's military academies offer far more places for men than for women.

Persons: —, Chen Bin, Xi Jinping —, Air Defence —, Xi, Liu Yang, Zhu Yuemeng, Dong Jun Organizations: Service, People's Liberation Army, PLA, Getty, PLA Daily, Military Commission, PLA Army Academy of Artillery, Air Defence Locations: Wall, Silicon, Beijing, Huainan, Hefei, Shandong, China, Liaoning

The mayor of Fukushima, Hiroshi Kohata, said on Saturday the city’s town hall alone had received about 200 such harassment calls in two days. Security officers in front of the Japanese embassy in Beijing, China, on August 26, 2023. In an echo of the Japanese embassy’s statement, it urged Tokyo to protect the safety of Chinese residents in Japan. Many countries, including China, release treated radioactive water from their own nuclear plants, sometimes at higher concentrations than in Fukushima. Other prefectures are considering similar programs, with the Osaka governor proposing Fukushima seafood be served at all government cafeterias.

Persons: China’s, Hiroshi Kohata, It’s, ”, Yasuhiro Matsuda, Yoon Suk Yeol, Han Duck, Yoon, Han, Yuriko Koike, Rahm Emanuel, Matsuda, Xi Jinping, Fumio Kishida Organizations: Tokyo CNN, NHK, CNN, Security, Kyodo, Chinese Foreign Ministry, University of Tokyo’s Institute, Advanced Studies, South, Osaka, US, East China, Reuters Locations: Fukushima, Japan, China, Tokyo, Fukushima prefecture, Beijing, “, Qingdao, China’s Shandong, Suzhou, China’s Jiangsu, Asia, East

☆ Oil ticks higher after China moves to support flagging economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A very large oil tanker docked at the 300,000-ton crude oil terminal at Yantai Port in Yantai, Shandong province, China, June 16, 2023. Oil prices ticked higher on Monday, along with equity markets, after China took steps to support its flagging economy, though investors remained worried about the pace of growth as well as further U.S. interest rate hikes that could dampen fuel demand. China's manufacturing purchasing managers' index, or PMI, due later this week will likely reveal more dour economic news around the world's second-biggest economy, Sycamore said. However, oil prices remained above $80 a barrel on support from falling oil inventories and supply cuts from the OPEC+ collective of oil producers. That "should see some short term support for the oil price," he said.

Persons: Brent, Tony Sycamore, Sycamore, Tina Teng, WTI, Jerome Powell, Baker Hughes, Idalia Organizations: West Texas, PMI, CMC Locations: Yantai, Shandong province, China, U.S, Brent, OPEC, United States, Caribbean, Florida, Gulf

☆ China's industrial profits extend slump into seventh month
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A view of the automated container port in Qingdao in east China's Shandong province. Profits at China's industrial firms fell 6.7% in July from a year earlier, extending this year's slump to a seventh month with weak demand squeezing companies as a post-pandemic recovery faltered in the world's second-biggest economy. Profits were down 8.3% in June, according to the bureau, which only occasionally publishes monthly figures. "Commodity prices are running low, the pressure on raw material costs in the midstream and downstream industries has eased. Major banks have downgraded their growth forecasts for the year to below the government's target of about 5% as recovery sputters on a worsening property slump, weak consumer spending and tumbling credit growth, prompting the authorities to slash interest and promise further support.

Persons: Sun Xiao Organizations: National Bureau, Statistics, Unit, NBS, Big, China Aluminum International Locations: Qingdao, Shandong

☆ A dissident who mocked Xi Jinping online fled China on a jet ski, crossing 180 miles of sea to reach South Korea
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

He used a jet ski and a compass to get to the South Korean city of Incheon, per AFP. "He refilled the petrol on the ride and dumped the empty barrels into the sea," said the Korea Coast Guard on Tuesday, according to AFP. Kwon is now considering whether to apply for refugee status in South Korea, which only grants asylum to only a limited number of refugees each year. "While his means of entry into South Korea in violation of the law was wrong, surveillance of the Chinese authorities and political persecution of Kwon since 2016 are behind his life-risking crossing into South Korea," Lee told the news agency. The Incheon Korea Coast Guard Station was unable to be reached for comment because it was outside of office hours.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Kwon Pyong, Xi, Lee Dae, Kwon, Lee Organizations: AFP, Service, Agence France, Presse, Dialogue China, Korea Coast Guard, South Korea Korea Coast Guard, Coast Guard, Incheon Korea Coast Guard Locations: China, Korean, Incheon, Wall, Silicon, South Korea, Shandong, AFP, South

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