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☆ China complains to Germany after foreign minister calls Xi a 'dictator'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FILE PHOTO: German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock attends a joint press conference with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang (not pictured) at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, April 14, 2023. Suo Takekuma/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Sept 18 (Reuters) - China has complained to Germany after its foreign minister labelled President Xi Jinping a "dictator", the Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday, calling the title "absurd" and an "open political provocation". German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock made the remarks in a live interview with Fox News last week when asked about Russia's war on Ukraine. "If Putin were to win this war, what sign would that be for other dictators in the world, like Xi, like the Chinese president?" Mao Ning, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, said Baerbock's remarks were "extremely absurd" and infringed on China's political dignity.

Persons: Annalena Baerbock, Qin Gang, Xi Jinping, Putin, Xi, Mao Ning, Baerbock's, Mao, Joe Biden, Antony Blinken, Liz Lee, Ethan Wang, Bernard Orr, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: Chinese Foreign, Rights, Fox News, Thomson Locations: Diaoyutai, Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, Germany, Ukraine, Baerbock

Rahm Emanuel, Washington's outspoken ambassador to Japan, wrote in a post on X: "1st: Defense Minister Li Shangfu hasn't been seen or heard from in 3 weeks. China's defence ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. On the trip, Wat met with China's navy commander, Dong Jun and other navy leaders, Singapore's defence ministry said on its website. Singapore's defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Military observers and diplomats are closely watching whether China will go ahead with plans to hold the Beijing Xiangshan Forum - an annual international security summit normally hosted by China's defence minister - in late October.

Persons: Li Shangfu, Li, Rahm Emanuel, Washington's, Li Shangfu hasn't, Mao Ning, Qin Gang, Qin, Emanuel, Barack Obama, Matthew Miller, Sean Wat, Wat, Dong Jun, Lloyd Austin, Yew Lun Tian, Laurie Chen, Martin Pollard, Yukiko Toyoda, Xinghui, John Geddie, Neil Fullick, Lincoln, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Defence, Financial Times, U.S, Street Journal, Defense, Navy, Liberation, Rocket Force, . State Department, Reuters, Military, Beijing Xiangshan, U.S . Defence, Australian National University, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, TOKYO, U.S, Beijing, Japan, Vietnam, Tokyo, States, China, Singapore, United States, Xinghui Kok

☆ China’s Defense Minister Has Not Been Seen in Weeks, Fueling Intrigue
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Chris Buckley | More About Chris Buckley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

China’s defense minister, Gen. Li Shangfu, has not been seen in public in more than two weeks, fueling speculation about further upheaval in the military after the abrupt removal of two top commanders in charge of the country’s nuclear force. Just six weeks ago, China’s leader, Xi Jinping, replaced the two most senior commanders of the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force, which oversees China’s nuclear missiles. The abrupt dismissals suggested that Mr. Xi was seeking to reassert his control over the military and purge perceived corruption, disloyalty and dysfunction from its ranks, analysts have said. Many experts believe that the military commanders may be accused of corruption, though some have said that suspicions of disloyalty toward Mr. Xi may be involved. In July, China also dismissed the foreign minister, Qin Gang — another official who had risen rapidly under Mr. Xi — without explanation.

Persons: Li Shangfu, General Li’s, Li’s, Mao Ning, Xi Jinping, Xi, Qin Gang — Organizations: Chinese Foreign Ministry, People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force, Qin Locations: Vietnam, China

REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Sept 15 (Reuters) - China will impose sanctions against U.S. aerospace and defence firms Northrop Grumman (NOC.N) and Lockheed Martin (LMT.N) for providing weapons to Taiwan, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Friday. The sanctions are being enacted under China's Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular press briefing. Mao named Lockheed Martin Corp's branch in Missouri as the prime contractor that was directly involved in an arms sale to Taiwan on Aug. 24 and said Northrop Grumman has repeatedly participated in the sale of weapons to Taiwan. Taiwan has also reported dozens of Chinese fighters, bombers and other aircraft flying into its air defence zone this week. China's wide-ranging law to counter foreign sanctions came into force in 2021 in an apparent move to legalise tit-for-tat retaliation against punitive actions taken by foreign countries.

Persons: Kim Kyung, Northrop, Lockheed Martin, Mao Ning, Mao, Northrop Grumman, Joe Biden, Joe Cash, Liz Lee, Kim Coghill, Christian Organizations: Lockheed, Japan Aerospace, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Northrop Grumman, China's, Foreign, Thomson Locations: Japan, Tokyo, Rights BEIJING, China, Taiwan, U.S, Missouri, China . U.S, Shandong, Taiwan's, Beijing

☆ Li Shangfu: Speculation grows over whereabouts of China's defense minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Hong Kong CNN —China’s Foreign Ministry on Friday skirted questions on the whereabouts of the country’s defense minister, amid mounting speculation the recently promoted general has been placed under investigation. Qin, who was only foreign minister for seven months, has retained the position of state councillor – a senior role in China’s cabinet which Li also holds. On Chinese government and military websites, Li is still listed as the defense minister, state councillor and a member of the party’s powerful Central Military Commission (CMC). “The foreign minister and the defense minister are both externally facing interlocutors with the international community. Two weeks away from the public view is not unprecedented for China’s defense minister, who typically has less frequent public engagements than the foreign minister.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Li Shangfu, China’s, Li, Mao Ning, “ I’m, Qin Gang, Qin, –, Rahm Emanuel, Li hadn’t, Emanuel, Xi’s, Agatha Christie’s, Li Shangfu hasn’t, ”, Xi Jinping, ” Drew Thompson, Lee, Sergey Shoigu, Alexander Lukashenko Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hong Kong CNN — China’s, Communist Party, Financial Times, Street, Foreign Ministry, Central Military Commission, People’s Liberation Army, Force, CNN, Foreign, Rocket Force, Defense, Lee Kuan Yew, of Public, National University of Singapore, Development Department, Equipment Development Department, Security Forum, ”, Reuters, ” Reuters, Border Defense Friendship Exchange Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, China, United States, Africa, Russia, Belarus, Moscow, Minsk, Hanoi

☆ China says it has not banned purchase, use of foreign phone brands
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Sept 13 (Reuters) - China has not issued a ban on the purchase and use of foreign phone brands, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Wednesday, in response to media reports that said some government agencies and firms had told staff to stop using Apple's iPhones at work. "China has not issued laws, regulations or policy documents that prohibit the purchase and use of foreign brand phones such as Apple's," foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular press briefing when asked about the reports. The Chinese government attaches great importance to information and cyber security and treats both domestic and foreign companies as equals," she added. Mao said China hoped all mobile phone companies would strictly abide its laws and regulations, as well as "strengthen information security management". China has increasingly emphasized using locally-made tech products, as technology has become a major national security issue for Beijing and Washington.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Mao Ning, Mao, Ethan Wang, Bernard Orr, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: Apple, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S, Rights BEIJING, China, Beijing, Washington

☆ China Denies Banning iPhones, but Cites Unspecified Security Concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( David Pierson | More About David Pierson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

China on Wednesday made its first public comments about reports that the government is restricting the use of Apple’s iPhones by some state employees, saying that Beijing had noted what it claimed were security concerns about the device. She pointed to what she described as “media reports” about security flaws in the iPhone, without elaborating. She also said China had not published “any law, regulation or policy document” banning the purchase or use of foreign cellphones, including those made by Apple. The comments come after some employees of government agencies have said they have had been told not to use iPhones for work. Notices issued to government employees and state-owned businesses, calling for usage of domestic brands of cellphones, have also been circulating online.

Persons: Mao Ning Organizations: Foreign Ministry, Apple Locations: China, Beijing

☆ China, Airbus among potential losers from boosted US-Vietnam ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

U.S. President Joe Biden attends a meeting with Vietnam's Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, at the Communist Party of Vietnam Headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam, September 10, 2023. But Washington's elevation to the same tier as Beijing in Vietnam's ranking will inevitably have an impact on China. The White House had no new arms deals to announce, but the new ties may facilitate future supplies from the U.S. or its partners. That would inevitably reduce Vietnam's reliance on Russian gear, although Hanoi is currently negotiating a new possible arms deal with Moscow. "We do not have any comment on a decision that does not involve Airbus," an Airbus spokesperson said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Nguyen Phu Trong, Evelyn Hockstein, Mao Ning, Joe Biden's, Biden, Carolyn Nash, Fluence, Germany's, Francesco Guarascio, Tim Hepher, Jamie Freed Organizations: Vietnam's Communist Party General, Communist Party of, REUTERS, Washington, White, AIRBUS, U.S, planemaker Boeing, Vietnam Airlines, Airbus, Boeing, Amnesty International, Vietnam, Communist Party, Human Rights Watch, INDIA Washington, Nvidia, Microsoft, AES, SIEMENS, AMI, Honeywell, Nasdaq, Germany's Siemens, Siemens, Thomson Locations: Communist Party of Vietnam, Hanoi, Vietnam, United States, Washington, CHINA Vietnam, Beijing, China, Vietnam's, RUSSIA Vietnam, Russia, U.S, Moscow, Hanoi , U.S, Asia, MALAYSIA, INDIA, Malaysia, India, Paris

☆ China agrees to rare visit by Vatican envoy for Ukraine talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Sept 13 (Reuters) - The Chinese foreign ministry said on Wednesday that Vatican envoy Cardinal Matteo Zuppi will visit China for talks on resolving the conflict in Ukraine, despite the lack of formal bilateral relations between Beijing and the Holy See. Li Hui, China's Special Envoy for Eurasian Affairs, will meet with Zuppi, foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular news conference. "On the issue of Ukraine, China has always been committed to promoting peace talks," said Mao. Zuppi will be in China from Wednesday to Friday as part of a diplomatic push to facilitate peace in Ukraine, the Vatican said on Tuesday. The Chinese foreign ministry did not give details on Zuppi's schedule or say whether he would meet China's top officials.

Persons: Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Pope Francis, Maxim, Li Hui, Mao Ning, Mao, Li Qiang, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Wang Yi, Ryan Woo, Ethan Wang, Christian Schmollinger, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Italian Episcopal Conference, REUTERS, Rights, Eurasian Affairs, Kyiv, Vatican, Repubblica, Foreign, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, Rights BEIJING, China, Ukraine, Beijing, Russian, Italian, Washington, Taiwan, Europe, Taipei, Munich

☆ China says it hasn't issued any ban on iPhones
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Mengchen Zhang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Beijing CNN —China hasn’t issued any laws or rules to ban the use of iPhones or any other foreign phone brand, a Chinese government spokesperson said on Wednesday. Bloomberg/Getty ImagesLast week, The Wall Street Journal reported that China had banned the use of iPhones by central government officials, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter. China is the largest foreign market for the company’s products, and Chinese sales represented about a fifth of the company’s total revenue last year. The company doesn’t disclose iPhone sales by country, but analysts at research firm TechInsights estimate that there were more iPhone sales in China than in the United States last quarter. Apple also produces the majority of its iPhones in Chinese factories.

Persons: China hasn’t, “, Mao Ning, ” Mao, Apple hasn’t Organizations: Beijing CNN, ” Ministry of Foreign, Apple Inc, Bloomberg, Getty, Street Journal, Apple Locations: Beijing, China, United States

☆ China says its economy is 'resilient', rejects Western concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, Sept 12 (Reuters) - China's economy is resilient and has not collapsed, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Tuesday, rejecting claims from the West that its economy is faltering and could cause wider problems. Officials from countries including Australia and the United States have publicly raised concerns about the world's second-largest economy. U.S. President Joe Biden called China's economic situation a "crisis" while Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers said a slowing Chinese economy could in turn weigh on Australia's. "The fact is that China's economy has not collapsed," Mao added, without naming Biden or Chalmers. She said China's economy had great potential and that the fundamentals of long-term improvement had not changed.

Persons: Joe Biden, Jim Chalmers, Mao Ning, Mao, Chalmers, Liz Lee, Ethan Wang, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Ed Osmond Organizations: Biden, Reuters, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Australia, United States

☆ US Says Hanoi Ties Upgrade Is Not a 'Cold War' Move Against China
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

HANOI (Reuters) - The United States' move to upgrade relation with Hanoi is not a Cold War move against China, a U.S. National Security Council official said on Wednesday. Vietnam and the United States on Sunday upgraded their relationship to the highest diplomatic status during a visit to Hanoi by U.S. President Joe Biden. On Monday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning called on the U.S. to "abandon hegemony and Cold War thinking," in her response to the Vietnam-U.S. relation upgrade. "We demand that the United States, when dealing with relations with Asian countries, must respect the common aspiration of regional countries for stability, cooperation, and development, abide by the basic norms of international relations," Ning said. Vietnam and China have for years been embroiled in a dispute over the potentially energy-rich stretch of water, called the East Sea by Vietnam.

Persons: Mira Rapp, Hooper, Joe Biden, Mao Ning, Ning, Rapp, Khanh Vu, Francesco Guarascio, Lincoln Organizations: United, U.S . National Security, National Security, Sunday Locations: HANOI, United States, Hanoi, China, U.S, Vietnam, Sea

Hanoi, Vietnam CNN —President Joe Biden will arrive at Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s doorstep on Sunday with a deal in hand to draw yet another one of China’s neighbors closer to the United States. “It’s not going to be easy for Vietnam, because they’re under enormous pressure from China,” the official went on. In Vietnam, it’s not only China whose influence Biden is competing with. On Monday, Biden plans to announce steps to help Vietnam diversify away from an over-reliance on Russian arms, a senior administration official said. “I think that’s a deliberate design by the Biden administration,” said Yun Sun, the China program director at the Stimson Center.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping’s, Biden, ”, It’s, playbook, Xi Jinping, Evelyn Hockstein, ” Biden, Modi, Xi, States ’, it’s, ratchets, aggressions, Didier Marti, “ We’re, “, Biden’s, Mao Ning, Vietnam’s, Antony J, Blinken, Trung, Patricia Kim, Le Hoai, Jake Sullivan, Sullivan, ” –, General Secreatary Nguyen, Trong, Yun Sun, ’ Organizations: Vietnam CNN, White House, Korean, Getty, Saturday, Communist Party, Xinhua, China’s, Monday, Communist Party of Vietnam's, Department of State . US Department of State, Biden, Brookings Institution, Communist, NATO, Wing, Stimson Locations: Hanoi, Vietnam, United States, Philippines, China, Beijing, New Delhi, AFP, Asia, States, Russia, Moscow, India, Brazil, South Africa, –, That’s, South China, Washington, South Korea, Helsinki, Japan, Korea, Australia, United Kingdom

NEW DELHI/BEIJING, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping's decision to skip the G20 summit is being seen in host India as a snub to New Delhi and a new setback to the already frozen relations between the nuclear-armed Asian giants. Asked if Xi's decision reflects China-India tensions, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that Beijing had supported India's hosting of the summit. China did not refer to any agreement and said Xi stressed improving ties helps both countries and global peace and stability. Shyam Saran, formerly India's top diplomat, said Xi's decision to skip the summit was "unusual". Happymon Jacob, who teaches international relations at New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University, said Xi skipping the G20 summit "doesn't bode well" for India-China relations.

Persons: Xi Jinping's, Xi, Li Qiang, Mao Ning, Mao, Narendra Modi's, Baijayant Jay Panda, ”, China nosedived, Modi, Shi Yinhong, Shi, Shyam Saran, Saran, Happymon Jacob, bode, Jacob, Liz Lee Organizations: NEW, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, riling, China's Renmin University, Reuters, New, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Thomson Locations: NEW DELHI, BEIJING, India, New Delhi, China, Beijing, Johannesburg, Delhi, United States, riling Beijing, Japan, Australia, South China

☆ G20: China sending premier to G20 summit in India, Beijing confirms, after reports Xi Jinping would miss gathering
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —China on Monday issued the clearest sign yet its leader Xi Jinping will skip an important gathering of world leaders in New Delhi this weekend, as it confirmed Premier Li Qiang will be traveling to the event. Xi’s attendance at the G20 summit was thrown into doubt last week when Reuters reported that he was likely to miss it, citing two unnamed Indian diplomats. Beijing’s announcement came after US President Joe Biden publicly expressed disappointment that he will not see Xi at the summit. “I am disappointed – but I’m going to get to see him,” Biden told reporters on Sunday. Biden had previously told CNN he would be meeting with Xi in “the fall.”They last spoke on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali last November.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Li, Xi, Mao Ning, sidestepped, ” Mao, Joe Biden, –, ” Biden, Biden, ” Organizations: CNN, Reuters, China’s Foreign Ministry, Sunday Locations: China, New Delhi, “, Bali

☆ Xi to skip G20 summit in India, China to send Li instead
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Xi Jinping, China's president, on the closing day of the BRICS summit at the Sandton Convention Center in the Sandton district of Johannesburg, South Africa, on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023. Premier Li Qiang will lead China's delegation at a G20 summit in New Delhi this weekend, China's foreign ministry said on Monday, indicating President Xi Jinping would not attend and scuppering chances of a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden there. Reuters reported exclusively last month that Xi was likely to skip the meeting and send Li. Xi last met Biden on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Indonesia in November. The other G20 leaders attending include German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, Joe Biden, Xi, Biden, Mao Ning, Mao, Li, Vladimir Putin, Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron, Fumio Kishida Organizations: Premier, U.S, Reuters, Criminal Court Locations: Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa, New Delhi, China, Indonesia, Germany, Europe's, Ukraine, Russia

Ms. Mao declined to explain the reason for the decision and refused to answer questions about Mr. Xi. The Chinese leader has never missed a G20 summit, which brings together 19 countries and the European Union, since taking power in 2012. The opacity of Chinese politics and Beijing’s reticence make it difficult to know why Mr. Xi appears to have chosen not to attend the summit. Analysts say it could reflect Mr. Xi’s preference for groupings in which China is more dominant, such as the recently concluded BRICS summit of emerging nations in Johannesburg. Given that Mr. Xi would be missing an opportunity to meet with President Biden on the sidelines of the summit, the move might suggest that Mr. Xi wants to ease tensions with the United States on his own terms.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Mao Ning, Mao, Xi, Beijing’s, Biden Organizations: China’s Foreign Ministry, European Union, Russia Locations: China, New Delhi, India, United States, Washington, Asia, Johannesburg

☆ Southeast Asia's first high-speed train – a boon or bust for Indonesia's economy?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Nyshka Chandran | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

While it could improve overall economic and business productivity, those benefits may be overrun by Jakarta's soaring debt burden as project costs continue to mount. The 142-kilometre train linking Indonesia's capital to Bandung is expected to move at 350 kilometers per hour, driven by electricity with no direct carbon emissions expected during operations. However, escalating costs of the project could push up Indonesia's government debt and overshadow any short-term economic gains. Initially, the train was to be financed by PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China — a consortium of companies from China and Indonesia tasked with building the rail project. In that scenario, money spent on the train would have been better spent on alternative investments like irrigation projects, he said.

Persons: Joko Widodo, Arief Anshory Yusuf, Jokowi, Sri Lanka's, Mao Ning, Mao, Yusuf Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, Initiative, Indonesian, Bandung's Padjadjaran University, Australian National University, PT Kereta, Indonesia China —, KCIC, China Development Bank, Reuters, of Economic, Law Studies, Nurphoto, CNBC Locations: Indonesia, Jakarta, Bandung, Southeast Asia, Indonesian, Surabaya, Japan, Indonesia China, China, Entebbe, Beijing, IDR

☆ What China's big earnings say about the consumer
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

But general merchandise revenue fell by 8.6% from a year ago to 81.72 billion yuan. Marketing revenue rose by 8.5% to 22.51 billion yuan. TencentLivestreaming e-commerce saw 150% year-on-year growth in gross merchandise value in the second quarter to an unspecified number. Overall, Tencent reported earnings for the quarter that missed expectations, but showed a third-straight quarter of revenue growth. The overall Taobao and Tmall Group saw revenue grow by 12% to 114.95 billion yuan.

Persons: Aly Song, Tencent, ByteDance, Tim Cook, Li Ning Organizations: Artificial Intelligence, Reuters, Electronics, Tmall, Shanghai Disney, Universal Studios Beijing, Comcast, Baidu, Adidas, Fila, Apple Apple Locations: Shanghai, China, Reuters BEIJING, Douyin, Greater China

☆ 'Not found': China's ex-foreign minister is gone but wait for explanation goes on
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Yew Lun Tian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

BEIJING, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Hours after China's top legislature convened a special meeting last week to remove foreign minister Qin Gang, photos and mentions of the 57-year-old started disappearing from his former ministry's website. China named veteran diplomat Wang Yi to replace Qin, but gave few further clues on the reason for the change. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning on Thursday said Beijing will release information in a timely matter regarding Qin and opposes "malicious hype". The foreign ministry removed all online traces to its former chief protocol officer Zhang Kunsheng who was found guilty of corruption and using his position of power to obtain sex in 2016. He then made a triple jump from director of protocol to U.S. ambassador and then to foreign minister and state councillor in five years, bullet-train speed by China standards.

Persons: Qin Gang, Qin, Gang, Xi Jinping, Wang Yi, Mao Ning, Ian Johnson, Wu Qiang, Wu, Xiao Yaqing, Zhang Kunsheng, Mao Zedong, Mao, Xi, Xi's, Alfred Wu, Lee Kwan, Yew Lun Tian, John Geddie Organizations: Foreign Ministry, State, Information Office, Council, Foreign Relations, Industry, Committee, Communist, Xinhua, Lee Kwan Yew, of Public Policy, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, Beijing, Washington, Singapore, Lincoln

"Chinese Exim bank rolled over principal amounts totalling $2.4 bln which are due in next 2 fiscal years," he said in a post on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter. "Pakistan will make interest payments only over the next two years," Dar said, meaning the wavier is only for the principal loan amount. "In principle, China and Pakistan have close cooperation in economic and financial sectors, and we will continue to advance cooperation with Pakistan to support the country in achieving stability and development," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said. The IMF team this month met the leadership of all political parties, including former Prime Minister Imran Khan, to seek a continuation of its bailout objectives irrespective of who comes to power. Reporting by Asif Shahzad; Additional Reporting by Andrew Hayley in Beijing; Editing by Tom Hogue and Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ishaq Dar, Dar, Mao Ning, Shehbaz Sharif, Imran Khan, Asif Shahzad, Andrew Hayley, Tom Hogue, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Pakistan Finance, Reuters, Foreign Ministry, Longtime, Beijing, Initiative, International Monetary Fund, United, United Arab Emirates, IMF, Thomson Locations: Islamabad, Pakistan, ISLAMABAD, China, Saudi Arabia, United Arab, Beijing

☆ Taiwan-US trade: Deal is key to countering diplomatic isolation, Taipei's top trade negotiator says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Eric Cheung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Taipei CNN —The signing of a trade pact between Taiwan and the United States will play a key role in helping the island counter its diplomatic isolation from China, according to Taiwan’s top trade negotiator. Taipei has described the initiative as the most comprehensive trade agreement between the United States and Taiwan since Washington switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1979. But Chinese pressure is not the only hurdle facing Taiwan’s trade negotiators like Deng, as trade deals could also become a politically sensitive issue on the island itself. In 2014, a controversial service trade agreement between Taipei and Beijing — which was passed by the then ruling Kuomintang — resulted in mass student protests, known as the Sunflower Movement. They opposed it because it would allow meat products containing ractopamine, an animal feed additive common in the United States.

Persons: John Deng, ”, ” John Deng, John Mees, Deng, Mao Ning, Kuomintang —, —, Will Ripley Organizations: Taipei CNN, CNN, Taiwan Affairs Office, Trans, Pacific, Sunflower Movement, Student Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, United States, China, Washington, Beijing, Britain, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, New Zealand, Singapore, Vietnam, Kuomintang

The planned recipient of the colorful batik top was Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang, who has not been seen in nearly a month and is set to miss at least one other important meeting, in South Africa, next week. It is not clear whether even then Borrell would meet Qin as initially planned, the official said. The former aide to President Xi Jinping was appointed foreign minister in December after serving less than two years as ambassador to the United States. Qin's absence has also been widely discussed in the diplomatic community, with some saying it is another example of China's lack of transparency. Some diplomats have even started to speculate on who may replace Qin, with three telling Reuters the ranking vice foreign minister, Ma Zhaoxu could be a candidate.

Persons: Qin Gang, Qin, Yun Sun, Mao Ning, Wang Yi, Josep Borrell, Wen, Xi Jinping, Antony Blinken, Ma Zhaoxu, Ma, Wang, Xie Feng, Xie, Laurie Chen, Martin Quin Pollard, Yew, Tian, Kate Lamb, Gabriela Baczynska, Andrew MacAskill, John Geddie, Robert Birsel Organizations: China Program, Stimson, Reuters, EU, Australian National University, Qin, Baidu, London School of Economics, United, Aspen Security Conference, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, JAKARTA, China, Indonesia, Jakarta, South Africa, Washington, Johannesburg, Britain, United States, Beijing, Sri Lankan, United Nations, Brussels, London

[1/5] A worker sweeps a street in the Central Business District on a rainy day in Beijing, China, July 12, 2023. REUTERS/Thomas PeterBEIJING, July 18 (Reuters) - China is entering an era of much slower economic growth, raising a daunting prospect: it may never get rich. He expects growth to slow to 3%, which "will feel like an economic recession" when youth unemployment is already above 20%. The April-June data puts 2023 growth on track for roughly 5%, with slower rates thereafter. But China's annual growth averaged around 7% last decade, and more than 10% in the 2000s.

Persons: Thomas Peter BEIJING, Desmond Lachman, year's, Wang Jun, Zheng Shanjie, Zheng, Richard Koo, Juan Orts, Xi Jinping's, Zhao, Cai Fang, Zhu Ning, Koo, Liangping Gao, Ellen Zhang, Ziyi Tang, Kevin Yao, Joe Cash, Marius Zaharia, David Crawshaw Organizations: Central Business District, REUTERS, American Enterprise Institute, Reuters, Communist, Huatai Asset Management, Reform Commission, Overseas, Nomura Research Institute, Fathom Consulting, Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Japan, United States, Young, Africa, Latin, U.S, Central

BEIJING/TAIPEI, July 17 (Reuters) - China reacted with anger on Monday to a planned visit next month to the United States by "separatist" Taiwan presidential frontrunner Vice President William Lai, as the government in Taipei said it saw no reason to overreact to mere transit stops. Such transits infuriate China, which views them as covert support by the United States for Taiwan's separateness from China and challenge to Beijing's territorial claims. "China firmly opposes any form of official exchanges between the United States and Taiwan, resolutely opposes sneaky visits by Taiwan independence separatists in any name or for any reason, and resolutely opposes any form of connivance by the United States to support Taiwan independence separatists," she said. Speaking to reporters, Taiwan Vice Foreign Minister Alexander Yui declined to give details on Lai's U.S. transits, saying details would come later. Pena visited Taiwan last week and met both Lai and Tsai, who cannot run for office again after serving two terms.

Persons: William Lai, Lai, Santiago Pena, Tsai Ing, Tsai, Kevin McCarthy, Mao Ning, Pena, Alexander Yui, Yui, Liz Lee, Ben Blanchard, Kim Coghill, Lincoln, Michael Perry Organizations: Central America, Foreign Ministry, Taiwan, Foreign, U.S, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, TAIPEI, China, United States, Taiwan, Taipei, U.S, Taiwan's, Los Angeles, Central, Beijing, Paraguay, Republic of China

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