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☆ Chinese military’s three-day show of force increases headache for Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) activity has a range of implications, none of them positive for Taiwan or cross-strait stability, analysts say. The PLA aircraft detected this week included fighter jets, H-6 bombers, anti-submarine warning aircraft and reconnaissance drones, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said. Their response underscores the problem that increased PLA activity poses to Taiwan, said Carl Schuster, a Hawaii-based analyst and former director of operations at the US Pacific Command’s Joint Intelligence Center. “Beijing hopes Taipei will just accept unification as inevitable and allow Chinese forces in without resistance. A Chinese fighter jet refuels during military exercises near Taiwan on April 12, 2023.

Persons: CNN —, China’s, Carl Schuster, ”, “, –, Joe Biden, ” Schuster, hasn’t, Defense Lloyd Austin Organizations: CNN, People’s Liberation Army, PLA, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry, Communist Party, Pacific Command’s Joint Intelligence Center, Taiwan Relations, Washington, PLA buildups, US, AP, ” “ Forces, Times, US Navy, Fleet, United, Eastern Theater Command, Defense Locations: Taiwan, Beijing, Hawaii, Taipei, Washington, Xinhua, Taiwan Strait China, Japan, States, United States, China

Hong Kong CNN —Chinese officials on Wednesday unveiled new details about their plans for a manned lunar mission, as China attempts to become only the second nation to put citizens on the moon. Zhang Hailian, deputy chief engineer with the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), revealed the preliminary plan at an aerospace summit in the city of Wuhan on Wednesday, according to state-run news agency Xinhua. To prepare for the mission, Chinese researchers are busy developing all the necessary equipment including moon suits, manned lunar rovers, manned spaceships and moon landers, Xinhua reported. The state media reports did not say how many astronauts China plans to send to the moon. China has also spent the past few years building its own Tiangong space station, which was completed in November.

Persons: Zhang Hailian, Zhang, landers, Xi Jinping Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Wednesday, China Manned Space Agency, Xinhua, Times, Global Times, Xi’s, International Space Locations: Hong Kong, China, Wuhan, Xinhua, United States, Beijing

[1/3] US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen speaks during her meeting with China's Vice Premier He Lifeng (out of frame) at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on July 8, 2023. Yellen said nothing publicly to indicate that the U.S. was poised to ease tariffs, but commentators in China were hopeful, amid a U.S. Trade Representative review. "While U.S might continue its technological curbs on China, a reduction or exemption of non-core tariffs against China is possible." Yellen last year advocated eliminating some duties on "non-strategic" goods as a way to ease some specific costs amid high inflation. Haley has said she would push Congress to revoke China’s trade status until China curbs its alleged role in the fentanyl trade.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Lifeng, Pedro PARDO, Janet Yellen's, Biden, Harry Broadman, Donald Trump's, Premier Li Qiang, Yellen, Hong Hao, Chad Bown, " Bown, Josh Hawley, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Haley, Donald Trump, David Lawder, Andrea Shalal, Gram Slattery, Jeff Mason, Heather Timmons, Nick Zieminski Organizations: China's, WASHINGTON, . Treasury, Trump, White House, World Bank, Berkeley Research, Premier, U.S . Treasury, . Trade, China's Finance, U.S, Grow Investment, Times, Peterson Institute of International Economics, Reuters, Republican, Firebrand, Thomson Locations: Diaoyutai, Beijing, China, U.S, Washington, U.s, Donald Trump's China, CHINA, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Florida, Mexico, Cuba

☆ Yellen's China trip yields long meetings, 'cordial' tone, but no consensus
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"The accomplishment of the meeting was the meeting itself, not specific issues," said Scott Kennedy, a China economics expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. A senior U.S. Treasury official accompanying Yellen on her first trip to China as secretary described it as "respectful, frank and constructive," adding: "She was warmly received." Her meeting on Saturday with He, China's new economic czar, was scheduled for two hours but lasted five, followed by a "cordial" dinner, the official said. In the meantime, Yellen said the talks set the stage for more frequent U.S.-China communications at the staff level about economic issues, including areas of disagreement. A possible venue for this would be the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco in November.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Yellen, Lifeng, Scott Kennedy, Premier Li Qiang, Pan Gongsheng, Joe Biden's, Jake Colvin, Hong Hao, Hong, Colvin, Biden, John Kerry, Gina Raimondo, Xi Jinping, Wang Yiwei, David Lawder, Andrea Shalal, Ryan Woo, Ellen Zhang, Qiaoyi Li, Stephen Coates Organizations: . Treasury, U.S, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Global Times, Treasury, Premier, People's Bank of China, National Foreign Trade Council, Grow Investment, . Commerce, Renmin University, Economic Cooperation, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Washington, China's, U.S, United States, Hong Kong, Asia, San Francisco, Anchorage , Alaska

Grossi said the IAEA's report did not amount to an endorsement of the plan and that Tokyo must take the final decision to release the water due to start later this summer. I'm not on the side of Japan or on the side of China or on the side of Korea. South Korea, which has previously expressed concerns about the release, said on Friday it respected the IAEA's review. Grossi said he understood the concerns because "nothing identical" to this release had happened before. Reporting by Sakura Murakami and John Geddie in Tokyo; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Michael PerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Japan's, Rafael Grossi, Grossi, Liu Senlin, Liu, I'm, Sakura Murakami, John Geddie, Jacqueline Wong, Michael Perry Organizations: Reuters, Global Times, IAEA, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, China, China's, Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, Marshall Islands, South Korea, Russia, Britain, U.S, Vietnam, Beijing, Japan, Tokyo, Korea

'NOT ENDORSEMENT'International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi speaks at an interview with Reuters in Tokyo, Japan, July 7, 2023. Grossi said the IAEA's report did not amount to an endorsement of the plan and that Tokyo must take the final decision to release the water due to start later this summer. We say this plan is consistent with the standards," Grossi said. Grossi said he understood the concerns because "nothing identical" to this release had happened before. Reporting by Sakura Murakami and John Geddie in Tokyo; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Michael PerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Japan's, Rafael Grossi, Grossi, Liu Senlin, Liu, Kim Kyung, Hoon, I'm, Sakura Murakami, John Geddie, Jacqueline Wong, Michael Perry Organizations: Reuters, Global Times, IAEA, Atomic Energy Agency, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, China, China's, Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, Marshall Islands, South Korea, Russia, Britain, U.S, Vietnam, Tokyo, Japan, Hoon Beijing, Korea

☆ China beats its own record for hot days over six months
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —China has registered the highest number of hot days over six months since records began, according to authorities, as the country confronts another record-breaking summer of blistering heat. The national average was calculated from the number of high temperature days recorded by weather stations across the country. Northern China, a heavily populated region with hundreds of millions of residents, has been particularly hard hit, with more heat waves expected in coming weeks. So far this year, Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei province, has seen 17 high temperature days, followed by Beijing’s 14 days. As the climate crisis intensifies, scientists say dangerous, record heat waves are set to become more frequent and more severe.

Persons: Beijing’s, Sheng Jiapeng, Zhou Bing, El Nino, ” Zhou Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, National Climate Center, Museum, China News Service, Climate Center, China Meteorological Administration, Times, El Nino, El, Xinhua Locations: Hong Kong, China, Northern China, Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, Beijing, Sichuan

☆ China's Hainan Airlines defends weight restrictions for flight attendants
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines has defended imposing weight requirements on flight attendants after reports of the new policy went viral on social media and sparked a public backlash. “I just need the flight attendant to be fully qualified in professional knowledge, well-practiced in safety procedures, and wear the most suitable shoes and clothes for emergencies. Alaska Airlines also launched gender-neutral uniform guidelines for flight attendants last year; Virgin Atlantic and British Airways have adopted similar policies for greater inclusivity. Other Asian airlines have made headlines in recent years for imposing weight rules on cabin crew. In 2015, Air India asked 125 flight attendants to lose weight, while Pakistan’s national airline ordered cabin crew to abide by weight limits or face being grounded in 2019.

Persons: ” Organizations: CNN, Hainan Airlines, State, Global Times, Qantas, Alaska Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Air Locations: Weibo, Air India

☆ China records fewest marriages in more than three decades as population crisis looms
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Some 6.83 million couples married in 2022, according to data released by China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs on Friday. That’s down around 10.5% from the 7.63 million marriage registrations in 2021 and marks a record low since 1986, when the ministry began releasing statistics, according to state media. Chinese officials see a direct link between fewer marriages and falling births in the country, where social norms and government regulations make it challenging for unmarried couples to have children. Efforts from Chinese officials in recent years to reverse trends of falling marriages and births have yet to see results amid the looming economic and social issues at play. The Ministry of Civil Affairs’ recent data release also showed a slight fall in divorce registrations, with 2.1 million couples divorced in 2022, down from 2.13 million couples the previous year.

Persons: That’s, – Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs, Communist, United Nations, Authorities, Communist Party, Communist Youth League, China Family Planning, Ministry, Civil Affairs, China isn’t Locations: Hong Kong, China, Beijing, Communist China, India, Japan, South Korea

CNN —For nearly 13 million high school students across China, Wednesday marks a day that could make or break their plans for college and the increasingly competitive job market beyond. A high score in the two-day “gaokao” college entrance exam is the only way to get into the country’s top universities, and most Chinese students only get one shot at the grueling test, unlike US students who can take the SAT several times. A user on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, recalled taking the gaokao in 2000 when there were only about 3.75 million other test takers. The urban unemployment rate for 16- to 24-year-olds hit a record high of 20.4% in April, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics. And the rate could increase further, as a record 11.6 million college students are set to graduate this year.

Persons: gaokao, ”, TikTok, Fu Linghui, Xi Jinping’s Organizations: CNN, Getty, Authorities, Times, National Bureau of Statistics, NBS Locations: China, Shenyang, honking

☆ Russia predicts trade with China will hit record $200 billion in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-24 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —Trade between Russia and China is expected to hit a new record level of $200 billion this year, according to Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin during his trip to China, as Moscow faces growing isolation from the West. Last year, bilateral trade jumped nearly 30% to a record $190 billion, mainly boosted by China buying Russian energy. This year, their trade continued to surge, up 41% in the first four months, according to Chinese customs figures. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Chinese Premier Li Qiang attend a welcoming ceremony in Beijing on May 24, 2023. The two countries have also planned to build the Power-of-Siberia 2 pipeline to deliver more Russian gas to China via Mongolia.

CNN —South Korean soccer star Son Jun-ho has been arrested in China for allegedly accepting bribes as Beijing clamps down on alleged corruption in the upper ranks of Chinese football. A South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday the ministry was aware of Son’s situation and that local Korean diplomatic missions were providing consular assistance. Wang said China would provide South Korean officials with the “necessary facilitation” to perform their consular duties. The Korea Football Association (KFA) said it had written to the Chinese Football Association and the Asian Football Confederation regarding the player on Tuesday but had not yet heard back. Vice President Kim Jeong-bae was checking on Son’s condition with the South Korean Foreign and Sports Ministries, a KFA official told CNN.

☆ Factbox: What's on the agenda at the South Korea-US summit?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Ju-Min Park | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Yoon has been pushing to increase South Korea's say in operating "extended deterrence" while calls are growing in South Korea for it to develop its own nuclear weapons. At the summit, Biden will pledge "substantial" steps to underscore the U.S. commitment to deter a North Korean nuclear attack, a senior U.S. official said. South Korea's defence ministry said the allies have been exploring ways to support Ukraine but declined to confirm specific discussions. His comments prompted an angry exchange of words between Beijing and Seoul with South Korea summoning the Chinese ambassador. South Korea's comment on Taiwan was "the worst" since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Korea in 1992, China's state-run Global Times said on Sunday.

The last time Cook visited China was in 2019. We also have a thriving App Store,” the Apple chief was quoted as saying in state-run China Daily. On Friday, Cook had posted a picture of himself smiling with customers and staff at the Apple store in the shopping district of Sanlitun on China’s Twitter-like social media site Weibo. “TikTok CEO was under siege at the US hearing, while Apple CEO was enthusiastically welcomed by people at its flagship Chinese store. China’s commerce ministry said Thursday that a forced sale of TikTok would “seriously damage” global investors’ confidence in the United States.

☆ China's super rich population drops as tech crackdown, global factors hurt wealth
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Jack Ma, billionaire founder of Alibaba Group, arrives at the "Tech for Good" Summit in Paris, France May 15, 2019. China lost 229 billionaires from the Hurun Global Rich List 2023, accounting more than half of the 445 people who disappeared from the list, which ranks moguls with a minimum net worth of $1 billion, the Hurun Report said on Thursday. The world's second biggest economy also added 69 new billionaires to the list during the period. In China, Jack Ma, founder of China's e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding , dropped to 52nd place from 34th a year earlier, due largely to China's regulatory crackdown on its tech sector. "The only thing I am not certain of is whether there would be a global financial crisis," he said.

☆ Exclusive: BlackRock fast-tracks eviction of ESG violators from MSCI-linked ETFs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Virginia Furness | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The ruling covers 35 of its European listed ESG ETFs that track MSCI indices. "We found that there was a desire to re-examine the timescales around the removal of companies with the worst controversies," the spokesperson added. MSCI ESG Controversies measure companies based on actual or alleged involvement across a range of adverse ESG indicators including human rights, child labour and toxic waste. Separately, MSCI introduced a similar set of rules for its MSCI ESG Screened Indexes range in February after a consultation with the broader funds industry that began last year. BlackRock has six ETFs based on MSCI's Screened range with assets of around $15 billon.

☆ Space, Life Science, and Quantum Computing Innovations
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Sponsor Post | Created Insider Studios With The Uk'S Department For Business | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

According to the Global Innovation Index 2022, global government R&D investment is growing and the UK is ranked fourth for global innovation (and third most innovative economy in Europe). "Space observation is vital for our planet — the UK invests in the European Space Agency and at the Space Cluster at Harwell, a significant science and innovation park." Jo Hawley, deputy director for aerospace, space and automotive at DBT, reported that the UK space sector spent £836 million on R&D in 2021. The company has reported strong growth of its life science research tools business, reflected in the international footprint of its commercial and distribution operations. The Department for Business and Trade can connect you with dedicated, professional assistance to locate R&D investment opportunities and support.

☆ This Chinese kissing device lets you smooch over the internet
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The device, advertised as a way to let long-distance couples share “real” physical intimacy, is causing a buzz among Chinese social media users, who have reacted with both intrigue and shock. To send a kiss, users need to download a mobile phone app and plug the device into their phone’s charging port. After pairing with their partners in the app, couples can start a video call and transmit replicas of their smooches to each other. The kissing device is advertised as a way to share physical intimacy between long-distance couples. While advertised for long-distance relationships, the Chinese device also allows users to pair up anonymously with strangers in the “kissing square” function of the app.

☆ A guide to climate buzzwords and what they say about corporate promises
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Thousands of companies with climate goals use confusing jargon like "carbon neutral" and "net zero." Corporate climate pledges are rife with terms like "carbon neutral," "net zero," and "carbon negative," leading to confusion among consumers and investors, among others, about what it all means. Some companies, including ExxonMobil, also have net-zero goals that only cover direct operations. Why 'carbon neutral' can be misleadingThe UN's concerns about carbon offsets are why claims of an organization or product being "carbon neutral" can also be worrisome. "I think there is rightfully some skepticism around climate neutral," Fischweicher said.

☆ ESG targets have to be science-based, says UN Global Compact's Ojiambo
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailIt's not enough to make ESG targets — they have to be science-based: UN Global Compact's OjiamboSanda Ojiambo, assistant secretary-general of the United Nations Global Compact, discusses the private sector's sustainability efforts with CNBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The aviation industry, battered by years of pandemic curbs, has also been critical of the decisions to impose testing on travellers from China. China reported five new COVID deaths in the mainland for Thursday, bringing its official virus death toll to 5,264, one of the lowest in the world. Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways (0293.HK) said on Thursday it would more than double flights to mainland China. Except for airplane wastewater testing by Malaysia and Thailand for the virus, the region's 11 nations will treat Chinese travellers like any others. As many as 76% of Chinese travel agencies ranked Southeast Asia as the top destination when outbound travel resumed, according to a survey released in December by trade show ITB China.

China reported one new COVID-19 death in the mainland for Wednesday, compared with five a day earlier, bringing its official death toll to 5,259. Chinese health officials have said only deaths caused by pneumonia and respiratory failure in patients who had the virus are classified as COVID deaths. The methods for counting COVID deaths have varied across countries since the pandemic first erupted in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. British-based health data firm Airfinity has estimated about 9,000 people in China are probably dying each day from COVID. TESTING WASTEWhile countries try to get more information on the extent and severity of China's outbreak, several have imposed requirements on travellers from China to be tested for COVID.

☆ Beijing braces for surge in severe COVID cases as world watches with concern
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Bernard Orr | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/4] People wearing face masks commute in a subway station during morning rush hour, following the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19) outbreak, in Beijing, China January 20, 2021. China, which uses a narrow definition of what can be classified as COVID fatalities, reported no new COVID deaths for Dec. 20, compared with five the previous day. Severe cases rose by 53 across China on Tuesday, versus an increase of 23 the previous day. China does not provide absolute figures of severe cases. Blood clots, heart problems and sepsis - an extreme body response to infection - have caused countless deaths among COVID patients around the world.

Now, as the virus sweeps through a country of 1.4 billion people who lack natural immunity having been shielded for so long, there is growing concern about possible deaths, virus mutations and the impact, again, on the economy. Beijing reported five COVID-related deaths on Tuesday, following two on Monday which were the first fatalities reported in weeks. Authorities have also been racing to build so-called fever clinics, facilities where medical staff check patients' symptoms and administer medicines. In the past week, major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Wenzhou announced they had added hundreds of fever clinics, according to government WeChat accounts and media reports. A survey by World Economics showed on Monday China's business confidence fell in December to its lowest since January 2013.

[1/4] People wait in line at a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) test centre in Xinyang, China, this still image obtained from social media video released December 15, 2022. China reported 2,157 new symptomatic COVID-19 infections for Dec. 15 compared with 2,000 a day. There is particular concern about China's hinterland in the run up to China's Lunar New Year holiday starting on Jan. 22. The COVID scare in China also led people in Hong Kong, Macau and in some neighbourhoods in Australia to go in search for fever medicines and test kits for family and friends on the mainland. JP Morgan on Friday revised down its expectations for China's 2022 growth to 2.8%, which is well below China's official target of 5.5% and would mark one of China's worst performances in almost half a century.

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