Page 102 - China

Can China navigate the storm? New economic hurdles may test resilience

While it has successfully weathered economic challenges before, this time is different

In China's 'war for people', cities ease residency rules to invite migrants

The competition among cities mirrors the 'talent war' that started in 2017, during which urban centres sought to bolster modern industries by maintaining robust population levels

PetroChina set to shut top north China's largest domestic refinery in 2025

Dalian represents 3 per cent of China's refinery capacity and shutting the site should cut into the country's world-leading crude imports

Iran calls for UNSC meeting amid Israel airstrikes, backed by China, Russia

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday that Tehran was not looking for war with Israel but will respond "appropriately" to Israel's strikes on Saturday on Iranian military sites

Philips cuts annual sales outlook as China demand deteriorates further

Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes and amortisation (EBITA) were exactly in line with expectations at 516 million euros, up 13 per cent year-on-year, as lower costs pushed the profit margin up

Swiss firms set sights on India as $100 bn pact shows more opportunities

Under the deal, EFTA, whose other members are Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, will invest $100 billion in India and will benefit from easier and cheaper access to the Indian market of 1.4 bn people

Mercedes and Porsche's battle with Chinese EVs edges closer to home

The clearest sign of their impact came on Friday, when Mercedes reported its weakest profitability

China launches new lending tool to inject liquidity, support credit flow

In a separate statement announcing the new facility, the PBOC said it would use it to trade with primary dealers in OMO on a monthly basis

Taiwan condemns China's interference in Guatemala diplomatic ties

In response, Taiwan's MOFA dismissed China's assertions as 'absurd' and condemned its efforts to undermine Taiwan-Guatemala relations by misinterpreting UN Resolution 2758 and promoting

Thousands of kindergartens closed in China amid decline in birth rates

Hit hard by China's deepening demographic crisis, thousands of famed kindergartens have been closed as enrolment of children dropped sharply across the country due to a significant decline in birth rates, according to an official report. In 2023, the number of kindergartens fell by 14,808 to 274,400, the annual report by the Chinese education ministry stated. It is the second consecutive annual decline in the latest indicator of China's falling birth rates. The number of children enrolled in kindergarten declined for a third consecutive year dropping by 11.55 per cent, or 5.35 million, last year to 40.9 million, the Hong Kong based South China Morning Post reported on Sunday, quoting the ministry's report. The number of primary schools also dropped by 5,645 to 143,500 in 2023, a 3.8 per cent fall. The decline reflects a broader demographic shift in China where both birth rates and total population continue to dwindle posing a serious threat to future economic growth, which is ..

Pakistan seeks additional 10 billion yuan loan from China: Report

Pakistan has requested an additional 10 billion yuan (USD 1.4 billion) loan from China as the cash-strapped country has already used the existing 30 billion yuan (USD 4.3 billion) Chinese trade facility, a media report said on Sunday. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, who met with China's Vice Minister of Finance Liao Min on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the IMF and the World Bank in Washington, requested the Chinese side to raise the limits under the currency swap agreement to 40 billion yuan, a statement issued by the Finance Ministry late on Saturday said. If Beijing accepts, the total facility will reach approximately USD 5.7 billion, The Express Tribune newspaper reported. This is not the first time Pakistan has requested an increased debt limit, however, Beijing has declined all such past requests. This latest request comes less than two weeks after China extended the current USD 4.3 billion (30 billion yuan) facility for another three years. Pakistan and China

Taiwan detects 8 aircraft, 7 vessels as China continues military activities

Earlier, twenty-two Chinese aircraft and five naval vessels were detected in the region, out of which sixteen crossed the median line

EAM hails military, democracy for India-China LAC patrolling agreement

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday credited the breakthrough agreement with China on patrolling along the Line of Actual Control to the military which worked in "very very unimaginable" conditions and deft diplomacy. Responding to a question during an interaction with students in Pune, Jaishankar said it is still a bit early for normalisation of relations which will naturally take time to rebuild a degree of trust and willingness to work together. He said that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi met President Xi Jinping at Kazan in Russia for the BRICS summit, it was decided that the foreign ministers and National Security Advisors of the two countries would meet and see how to move forward. "If today we have reached where we have...One is because of the very determined effort on our part to stand our ground and make our point. The military was there (at LAC) in very very unimaginable conditions to defend the country, and the military did its part and diplomacy did its

US boosts Taiwan's defence with $1.988 bn arms deal amid China tensions

The report states that the arms sales package also includes the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System and associated equipment

12 Chinese PLA aircraft, 5 naval PLAN vessels spotted near Taiwan

Notably, the latest Chinese military action is part of tensions between Taiwan and China, with frequent military activity by Beijing around the island

China is scanning Canada's cyber defences, state watchdog issues warning

Canada is in the midst of a high-profile public inquiry over foreign interference in its politics

UK plans to expand pacific fishing patrols in pushback against China

Countries such as the US and France, which each have overseas territories in the South Pacific, have announced similar efforts

Taiwan wants to join IMF in bid to receive financial protection from China

Taiwan, a major economy the size of Poland but absent from global organisations, is making a longshot push to join the International Monetary Fund, the 190-country organisation that offers members emergency loans and other financial assistance. Taiwan's membership at the IMF would help boost financial resilience, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Washington said during this week's IMF and World Bank annual meetings. The office serves as Taiwan's de facto embassy in the US. The push is part of a wider effort to boost the self-governed island's global status. Taiwan also is seeking to participate in the UN World Health Organisation's annual World Health Assembly and join Interpol. The US and its allies are Taiwan's supporters. But China, which sees Taiwan as a breakaway province and threatens to annex it by force, has blocked such efforts and insists it represent Taiwan in international forums. The island is now designated as Taiwan Province of China in IMF ...

China may offer Taliban tariff-free trade to get closer to its resources

Selling Afghanistan's lithium, copper and iron deposits to the world's biggest commodities buyer would help Taliban prop up their ailing economy, which United Nations says has 'basically collapsed'

Highlights: India name squad for Test series against Aus; pacer Harshit Rana gets maiden call up

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