Tag: china

China inflation eases further as farms recover from floods, swine fever

BEIJING, China (AFP) — The rise in Chinese consumer prices slowed for a second successive month in September, official data showed Thursday, as pork supplies bounce back from the devastating African swine fever while farms recovered from flooding. The consumer price index (CPI), a key gauge of retail inflation, rose 1.7 percent last month from a year ago, compared with a 2.4 percent reading in August, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The […]

One-third of Chinese city of 9 million swabbed for virus in two days

BEIJING, China (AFP) — More than three million swabs have been taken in a matter of days in Qingdao, the Chinese port city where a minor coronavirus outbreak elicited a sweeping health response. Queues for testing stretched deep into Monday night across the eastern city, which detected six virus cases the day before but swiftly swung into action to head off a wider outbreak. In scenes which contrast with the fumbled efforts of other nations […]

China to test entire city in ‘five days’ after six virus cases

BEIJING, China (AFP) — China aims to test more than nine million residents of the port city of Qingdao within five days following a minor outbreak of the coronavirus, health officials said Monday, the first mass testing in months. The country where the virus first emerged has largely controlled the pandemic, cutting a stark contrast to many parts of the world still afflicted by rolling lockdowns and high case numbers. On Sunday six cases of […]

China joins deal to get Covid-19 vaccine to poorer nations

BEIJING, China (AFP) — China has signed up to a deal to ensure future Covid-19 vaccines are distributed to developing countries, the biggest economy yet to join the World Health Organization-led bid to control the pandemic. The COVAX pledge to get vaccines to poorer nations as soon as they are developed aims to head off fears rich countries will limit distribution of game-changing medicines made by their pharmaceutical companies. The deal gives China, the country […]

Pompeo slams China’s ‘malign activity’ as he meets Asian allies

  by Hiroshi HIYAMA Agence France Presse TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Tuesday of Beijing’s “malign activity in the region” as he met with key Asia-Pacific allies in Tokyo, presenting a united front against an increasingly assertive China. The top US diplomat is meeting his Japanese, Australian and Indian counterparts on a trip that was scaled back after President Donald Trump and a raft of staff and advisors contracted […]

‘Hardware failure’ halts trade all day for Tokyo stock markets

by Hiroshi HIYAMA / Kyoko HASEGAWA Agence France Presse TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Trade on Tokyo’s stock markets, which are among the world’s biggest, was halted for the entire day Thursday after the system was hit by one of the worst glitches in its history. A “hardware failure” created problems with the delivery of market information, operator Japan Exchange Group (JPX) said in a statement. “TSE (Tokyo Stock Exchange) is currently planning to replace the […]

Chinese company targets global sales with quick Covid-19 tests

  by Ludovic EHRET Agence France Presse BEIJING, China (AFP) — A Chinese company is entering the global race to help defeat the coronavirus, promising its testing machine will return results faster than a lab and more reliably than at-home screening kits. The Flash 20 “is currently the fastest machine in the world for PCR tests for the new coronavirus”, says Sabrina Li, founder of the company Coyote. PCR tests are the industry standard and […]

TikTok gets reprieve as judge halts Trump download ban

by Rob Lever Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — TikTok won a last-minute reprieve late Sunday as a US federal judge halted enforcement of a politically charged ban ordered by the Trump administration on downloads of the popular video app, hours before it was set to take effect. District Judge Carl Nichols issued a temporary injunction at the request of TikTok, which the White House has called a national security threat stemming from […]

Enough is enough’: China attacks US at Security Council

  by Philippe Rater with Valerie Leroux in Paris Agence France Presse UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — China on Thursday lashed out at the United States at a high-level UN meeting over its criticism on the coronavirus, with its envoy declaring, “Enough is enough!” Two days after President Donald Trump used his annual address to the General Assembly to attack China’s record, the US ambassador to the United Nations also took an outraged tone — after […]

Pres. Duterte tells UN: PHL win in 2016 Arbitral Ruling “now part of int’l law”, affirms claim in South China Sea

  (Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte told the United Nations General Assembly that the Philippine government is standing firm in its “commitment in the South China Sea” including the 2016 Arbitral Award which invalidated the “nine-dash line” claim of China on the South China Sea. Speaking during the High-Level General Debate of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), President Duterte said that the Philippines is standing firm on its claim […]

Trump says UN must ‘hold China accountable’ for Covid-19

UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump told the UN General Assembly on Tuesday that China must be held accountable by the world for its actions over the Covid-19 pandemic. In a recorded message played to the annual meeting of the UN, Trump accused Beijing of allowing the coronavirus to “leave China and infect the world.” “The United Nations must hold China accountable for their actions,” he said. Trump, who faces a […]

China ‘must back off’, says Taiwan

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — Taiwan on Tuesday demanded that China “back off” and accused it of threatening peace after a Beijing official rejected a largely respected marine boundary following recent incursions. Foreign minister Joseph Wu urged Beijing to “return to the civilized international standards” after a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said there was no so-called median line in the Taiwan Strait “as Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory”. Wu told reporters: “The median […]