Page 167 - China

China calls for Gaza peace talks; Hamas to tell fate of Israeli hostages

Hamas aired video showing three Israeli hostages it is holding in Gaza and urged the Israeli government to stop the offensive against the Palestinian Islamist group and bring about their release

Baidu denies report of Ernie AI chatbot linked to Chinese military research

Technology company Baidu on Monday refuted a newspaper report that said its artificial intelligence chatbot Ernie was linked to Chinese military research. Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post on Friday cited an academic paper from a university affiliated with the People's Liberation Army cyberwarfare division. The paper stated that the division had tested its artificial intelligence system on Baidu's Ernie and on artificial intelligence firm iFlyTek's Spark, both of which are language-based AI chatbots similar to ChatGPT. After its Hong Kong-listed stock plunged more than 11.5 per cent on Monday, Baidu denied the allegations, saying in a statement that it had not engaged in a business collaboration with the paper's authors or their affiliated institutions. Ernie Bot is available to and used by the general public, the Chinese company said in its statement. The academic paper from the PLA Information Engineering University detailed how researchers had given Ernie Bot prompts

China fully supports sovereignty of Maldives: Muizzu amid row with India

Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu has spoken highly of his country's strategic ties with China, saying the two countries respect each other and Beijing fully supports the Indian Ocean island's sovereignty. Muizzu's comments came amid an unease in the Maldives' bilateral ties with India after he took office in November last year. Muizzu, who returned to the Maldives on Saturday after a high-profile state visit to China, noted that China has provided assistance to the development of the Maldives since establishing diplomatic relations in 1972. During his just-concluded visit to China, Muizzu, regarded as a pro-China leader, sought to align Maldives closer to Beijing and both countries elevated their ties to a strategic partnership. He also said China's Belt and Road Initiative has taken bilateral relations to a new level. China is not a country that would interfere with the internal affairs of the Maldives, which is why the two countries have a strong relationship, Muizzu was quote

Apple offers rare discount on iPhone 15 in China amid demand fears

Apple quietly introduced the savings on its official Chinese website on Monday. The deal runs from Jan. 18 to Jan. 21 ahead of the Lunar New Year shopping season

Army maintaining 'robust posture' at borders: Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande

The Indian Army continues to maintain a "robust posture" at the borders and is prepared to protect the country's territorial integrity at "all costs", Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande said on Sunday, amid the over three-year festering border row with China in eastern Ladakh. On the eve of the Army Day, Gen Pande said the force is fully committed with an "unwavering resolve" to counter any security threat, asserting that its fundamental character, core ethos and professionalism will enable it to live up to the expectations of citizens. He said the transition towards becoming a modern, agile, adaptive, technology-enabled and future-ready force shall continue as part of the transformation roadmap. "Each member of the 'Olive Green' fraternity is fully committed, with an unwavering resolve, to counter security threats to the nation," he said. "We continue to maintain a robust posture at the borders and stand prepared to protect our territorial integrity, at all costs," he said in a message ai

Apple set to shutter 121-person San Diego AI Team in reorganisation

Apple told employees that they have until the end of February to decide if they will relocate, according to the people. If they don't, the workers will be terminated on April 26

Nepal PM Dahal reiterates 'One China Policy' after recent Taiwan polls

PM Dahal also expressed his commitment not to allow activities that are against China's interests. The remarks of the Nepali PM came after the result of the Taiwan election held this week

Taiwan condemns 'fallacious' Chinese comments on election, awaits US visit

Taiwan on Sunday condemned what it said were fallacious comments by China following the self-governing island's presidential and parliamentary election the previous day. The verbal sparring did not bode well for the future of Taiwan's relations with China under the winner, President-elect Lai Ching-te, or for China's relations with the United States. The US said it has asked two former officials to go to Taiwan this week for post-election meetings with political leaders, a move that will likely displease China. Former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley and former Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg will arrive in Taipei on Monday and have meetings on Tuesday, the American Institute in Taiwan said in a news release. The institute is the de-facto US Embassy, since the United States does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Lai's victory means the Democratic Progressive Party will continue to hold the presidency for a third four-year term, following eight year

Determined to safeguard Taiwan from China: President-elect Lai Ching-te

Addressing thousands of supporters at a rally after coasting to a win in the Presidential elections, Lai said Taiwan managed to stay on the world map through the conduct of the polls

China agrees to consider restructuring of loans: Maldives President Muizzu

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu said on Saturday that China, largest external creditor to the country, has agreed to consider restructuring the repayment of loans taken by his country and the governments will initiate negotiations soon. He told the media in Male after his return from a five-day high-profile state visit to China that he has directly appealed to Chinese President Xi Jinping to restructure the loans provided to the Maldives. He said that the loans were direct loans and that a technical team from China's Finance Ministry will travel to Maldives soon to research and decide the way to offer a grace period in loan repayments over next five years, Maldives news portal Sun online reported. This will allow us great easements in loan repayment, he said. China is currently the Indian Ocean island nation's largest external creditor, comprising about 20 per cent of its total public debt, according to data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Data shows that Maldives owe

Govt acts against Indian firm for undisclosed links with Chinese group

Cracking the whip for hiding the beneficial ownership links to a Chinese group, the Registrar of Companies (RoC) has slapped penalties totalling more than Rs 21 lakh on an Indian company and its related individuals as well as entities. Besides, the Indian company Metec Electronics Pvt Ltd has been directed not to enter into fresh agreements with entities of Metec Group of Companies in China and Hong Kong. An official in the know on Friday said Metec Electronics Pvt Ltd had portrayed itself as a standalone entity, with shareholdings held by two foreign nationals -- Chen Feiyan and Yang Wen -- and an Indian national. The company had denied any relationship with China's Metec Group of companies and claimed that the relationship was limited to buying goods only, the official said. However, the official said the company was "actually operating as a group company of the Metec Group of companies of China". For the violations, RoC, NCT of Delhi and Haryana have imposed penalties on the ..

Myanmar military, ethnic groups agreed to immediate cease-fire: China

Myanmar's military has reached a cease-fire agreement with an alliance of ethnic minority guerrilla groups it has been battling in the north, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday. The agreement was brokered at talks mediated by China on Wednesday and Thursday in Kunming, a Chinese provincial capital about 400 kilometers (250 miles) from the border with Myanmar, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said. China hopes the relevant parties in Myanmar can conscientiously implement the agreement, exercise maximum restraint toward each other and solve the issues through dialogue and consultations, she said at a daily briefing in Beijing. Myanmar has been wracked by violence that began after the army ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. An alliance of three armed groups launched an offensive against the military in October and took control of Laukkaing, a key city on the border with China, last week. China is concerned about the rising violence and

China's Harvest Fund cuts Hong Kong staff in pullback from offshore biz

Harvest is one of the first Chinese asset managers to make sizable layoffs in Hong Kong in recent years

China is fast losing its place as must-have in the global portfolios

An analysis of filings by 14 US pension funds with investments in Chinese stocks shows most of them have reduced their holdings since 2020

Closely monitoring: Army Chief Gen Pande on Bhutan-China boundary talks

As Bhutan and China looked at an expeditious resolution of their festering boundary row, Army Chief Gen Manoj Pandey on Thursday said the development is being closely monitored. At a media briefing ahead of the Army Day, he said India has a unique bilateral relationship with Bhutan based on "utmost trust, goodwill and mutual understanding". "This relationship also transcends into the military domain as we have IMTRAT (Indian Military Training Team) right from the early 1960s. They are at the centre of our relationship," he said. Gen Pande was responding to a question on China and Bhutan making progress in their boundary talks and whether any possible resolution would have security implications for India. "Bhutan and we share mutual security concerns which both of us are aware of. The ongoing talks on the boundary which you alluded to, we are closely monitoring," he said. "We are interacting with our friends in Bhutan on a transparent and regular basis," the Army Chief said. He sa

Firmly oppose interference in Maldives: China as Muizzu winds up visit

China on Thursday said that it "firmly opposes external interference" in the internal affairs of the Maldives and supports the island nation in upholding its sovereignty and independence as Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu concluded his maiden visit here. "The two sides agree to continue firmly supporting each other in safeguarding their respective core interests," a joint statement issued at the end of Muizzu's talks with Chinese leaders said. "China firmly supports the Maldives in upholding its national sovereignty, independence and national dignity, respects and supports the Maldives' exploration of a development path that suits its national conditions, and firmly opposes external interference in the internal affairs of the Maldives," it said. The statement comes at a time when Maldives headed by Muizzu, who is regarded as a pro-Beijing leader, was involved in a diplomatic row with India over derogatory statements made by three Maldivian ministers against Prime Minister Narendr

How 2024 Taiwan election result will impact China, US & the world

Taiwan is set to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on January 13. Watch the video to know why the polls are crucial for the world, especially China and the US.

Govt planning to sell 291,000 'enemy property' shares in 84 companies

The government on Thursday said it is planning to sell over 2.91 lakh 'enemy property' shares in 84 companies to individuals and corporates in tranches as it looks to dispose of assets of individuals who had migrated to Pakistan and China. In the first tranche, the government is looking to sell about 1.88 lakh shares in 20 companies and has invited bids from 10 categories of buyers, including individuals, NRIs, Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs), Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs), trusts and companies by February 8, according to a public notice. Assets left behind by people who have taken citizenship of Pakistan and China -- mostly between 1947 and 1962 -- are called 'enemy property'. The proposed share sale is part of the government's initiative to dispose of "enemy property" in the country. Buyers will have to place bids for shares they wish to buy and any price quoted below the reserve price set by the government will be rejected. The reserve price will be kept confidential fro

Taiwan's election shaped by economic realities, not China's threat: Report

Beijing's threats to use force to claim self-governed Taiwan aren't just about missiles and warships. Hard economic realities will be at play as voters head to the polls Saturday, though the relationship is complicated. The economy has slowed since the pandemic, with growth in 2023 estimated at only 1.4 per cent. That partly reflects inevitable ups and downs in demand for computer chips and other exports, and a slowing of the Chinese economy. But longer-term challenges such as inequality, housing affordability and unemployment are especially vital for younger voters, but often are eclipsed by China's looming presence. The two sides split in 1949 after a civil war and have no official relations but are linked by tens of billions of dollars in trade and investment. Beijing has been courting Taiwan investment, while at the same time flying fighter planes and sailing warships near the island to enforce its stance that the island must eventually unite with the mainland, by force if ...

US plans delegation to Taiwan to meet new leader amid China tensions

The Biden administration will send an unofficial delegation comprised of former senior officials to Taiwan shortly after the self-governed island holds an election for a new president this weekend, a move that could upset Beijing in an already-fragile bilateral relationship. A senior administration official confirmed the plan on Wednesday without offering more details but said such a face-to-face meeting was the most effective way to engage the new Taiwanese government and convey U.S. policy in the region. The official, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive plans, said the administration believed the move would contribute to peace and stability in the region. Beijing claims Taiwan to be part of Chinese territory and vows to unify with it eventually. The Chinese have repeatedly warned Washington to stay out of Taiwan and oppose any official contact between the US and Taiwanese governments. In August 2022, Beijing reacted angrily by firing missiles and ...