Page 174 - China

Taiwan reports Chinese balloons near its territory amid pressure from China

Two Chinese balloons flew north of Taiwan, the island's Defense Ministry said Monday, as China increases pressure on the self-ruled territory it claims as its own ahead of a presidential election in January. The balloons crossed the sensitive Taiwan Strait separating the island from China and were detected about 110 nautical miles (204 kilometres) northwest of the northern port city of Keelung on Sunday, the ministry said. It was the second time this month Taiwan reported a Chinese balloon near its territory, after one crossed southwest of Keelung on December 7. China's potential for using weather balloons to spy on other governments came into focus earlier this year, when the United States shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon over the Atlantic Ocean, drawing China's ire. Taiwan's Defense Ministry did not say whether it suspected the balloon could have been used for spying. China's Foreign Ministry did not immediately comment. Beijing has increased pressure on Taiwan by send

UK's National Grid drops China-based supplier over cyber security fears

The decision came in April after the utility sought advice from the National Cyber Security Centre, a branch of the nation's signals intelligence agency GCHQ, a report said

Nissan expands research ties in China as part of bid to regain market share

Nissan Motor Co. is expanding its research ties with a leading Chinese university as it and other foreign car companies try to claw back market share in the important Chinese market. The Japanese automaker announced Sunday that it would launch joint research next year with Tsinghua University on reaching Generation Z defined for this project as those born between 1995 and 2009 and on the social responsibility of automakers in battery recycling, charging stations and other electric vehicle-related issues. The major auto companies were caught flat-footed by a boom in electric vehicles in China that has given rise to new Chinese competitors that have gobbled up market share at home and are now moving into Southeast Asia, Europe and other overseas markets. Nissan's sales in China plunged 34% in the six months from April to September compared with a year earlier. Market conditions in China have become extremely tough, Masashi Matsuyama, the head of Nissan's Chinese investment company,

Chinese visa case: Karti Chidambaram calls ED probe 'fishing' inquiry

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram has sought exemption from appearing before the ED on Saturday, on fresh summons issued to him in a money laundering case linked to issuance of visa to some Chinese nationals in 2011, stating that the probe was a "fishing and roving" inquiry and that he required time to collect documents. The federal agency had first asked the 52-year-old legislator from Sivaganga constituency in Tamil Nadu to depose before the investigating officer of the case on December 12 in Delhi. After the MP cited his engagement in the ongoing Parliament session, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) asked him to appear on December 16. The 2022 ED case pertains to allegations of Rs 50 lakh being paid as kickbacks to Karti and his close associate S Bhaskararaman by a top executive of Vedanta group company Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd. (TSPL), which was setting up a power plant in Punjab, according to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) FIR. The money laundering case stems from the CBI

People's Bank of China offers record $112 bn of cash as economy struggles

China's economy has struggled this year as a rebound from restrictive Covid Zero policies proved to be weaker than expected and the property crisis deepened

Ministry holds review meeting on surging steel imports from China, Vietnam

The government has reviewed the steel import situation amid concerns raised by the domestic industry over the increased inward shipments, according to an industry official. Steel players have been raising concerns with various ministries including steel and commerce over the surge in steel imports from select countries like China and Vietnam. The Ministry of Steel on Wednesday held a meeting to review the import situation in the country, an industry executive said. The meeting was chaired by steel secretary Nagendra Nath Sinha and attended by representatives of various steel companies. Several ministry officials also participated in the hour-long meeting, he said. "Steel makers informed the ministry that there has been a continuous surge in imports from countries like China and Vietnam despite the same type of steel being available in India," a Steel Ministry official said. When asked about the steps, the official said any action can be initiated only after the study of details ..

After recording all-time high, global coal demand to decline by 2026: IEA

After reaching an all-time high this year, global coal demand is expected to decline by 2026 due to a major expansion of renewables, according to the latest edition of the International Energy Agency's (IEA) annual coal market report. This is the first time that the report has predicted a drop in global coal consumption. Around 40 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions stem from coal, while oil and gas contribute to the remaining percentage. The report says global demand for coal rose by 1.4 per cent in 2023, mainly due to rising energy demand in emerging and developing economies, including India (8 per cent) and China (5 per cent). Consumption is on course to decline in most advanced economies in 2023, including in the European Union and the United States (around 20 per cent each), it said. Both the US and the EU rely more on oil and natural gas. For instance, oil and natural gas accounted for 36 per cent and 33 per cent of the total energy production in the US in 2022. The

515 injured in Beijing rail collision as heavy snow hits Chinese capital

Two subway trains collided in heavy snow in Beijing, sending 515 people to the hospital, including 102 with broken bones, authorities said Friday. The accident occurred Thursday evening in Beijing's mountainous west on an above-ground portion of the sprawling subway system's Changping line. Slippery tracks prompted automatic braking on the leading train. A train following from behind was on a descending section and went into a skid and was unable to brake in time, the city transport authority said in a statement Friday on its social media account. Emergency medical personnel, police and transport authorities responded, and all passengers were evacuated by about 11 p.m., it said. Twenty-five passengers were under observation and 67 remained hospitalized on Friday morning, the authority said. Unusually heavy snow that began falling on Wednesday has prompted the suspension of some train operations and school closures. Alerts remain in place for icy roads, extreme cold and further ...

China Nov industrial output rises 6.6%, retail sales below expectations

The data on output released on Friday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) exceeded analysts' expectations for a 5.6% rise in a Reuters poll and made it the strongest growth since September 2022

China's central bank injects $112 bn of cash to revive economic growth

The People's Bank of China offered commercial lenders 1.45 trillion yuan ($204 billion) via its medium-term lending facility - 800 billion yuan more than the expected maturity this month

India's light vehicle market fastest growing among top 10 markets: S&P

Auto sales in India reached a record high of 3.8 million units in the FY23, surpassing the pre-Covid peak of 3.3 million units seen in FY19

Probe China's role in violence against protesters on US soil: Congress

A congressional commission is asking the Justice Department to investigate the role of Beijing after protesters claimed they were beaten and harassed by Chinese government agents in November in San Francisco during an official visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping. The protesters, who were defending the rights of Hong Kong, Tibet and ethnic Uyghurs, said their attackers' attire, coordination and strong reaction to anti-Communist Party rhetoric indicated official Chinese involvement. They provided no definitive evidence, but US officials have previously accused Chinese operatives of targeting people in the United States. Rep. Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican who chairs the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, said Tuesday it was demanding a thorough investigation to find out why all of these wonderful people who were peacefully protesting were hit with poles, have scars that now you know will not go away. The Chinese Embassy denied any involvement and instead accused the

China's Xi meets with Vietnamese PM on second day of visit to shore up ties

Chinese leader Xi Jinping met with Vietnam's prime minister and the head of the country's National Assembly on Wednesday, on the second day of his visit to shore up Beijing's relationship with Hanoi after the Southeast Asian nation recently elevated its ties with Japan and the United States. Xi met with Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on Tuesday, and they announced that China and Vietnam would work toward a community with a shared future, in what was seen as a diplomatic concession by Vietnam to Beijing. The two sides signed 36 agreements, mostly about deepening cooperation," ranging from telecommunications to cross-party exchange, according to Vietnamese media reports. Vietnam has resisted using that phrase in the past but wanted to assuage Beijing's concerns after Vietnam designated both the US and Japan as comprehensive strategic partners" in recent months the highest official designation for a diplomatic relationship. Chinese state media says the designation .

US, India, Taiwan unite to strengthen cybersecurity against China threat

Three countries share a common interest in warding off cyber attacks from various agencies PLA is developing and training in China

Article 370 verdict doesn't affect China's claims over border: Official

China on Wednesday said the Indian Supreme Court's verdict on Article 370 upholding the centre's decision to carve out the union territory of Ladakh from the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir does not have any bearing on its claim on the western section of the China-India border. India's Supreme Court on Monday unanimously upheld the central government's decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370 bestowing special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. The apex court also upheld the validity of the Centre's decision to carve out the union territory of Ladakh from the erstwhile state of J&K and directed restoration of statehood at the earliest as well as holding elections to the assembly by September 30 next year. Asked about the court verdict upholding the validity of the decision of the Indian government to carve out the union territory of Ladakh, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a media briefing here that China has never recognised the ...

China's Xi meets with Vietnamese PM on second day of visit to shore up ties

Chinese leader Xi Jinping met with Vietnam's prime minister and the head of the country's National Assembly on Wednesday, on the second day of his visit to shore up Beijing's relationship with Hanoi after the Southeast Asian nation recently elevated its ties with Japan and the United States. Xi met with Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on Tuesday, and they announced that China and Vietnam would work toward a community with a shared future, in what was seen as a diplomatic concession by Vietnam to Beijing. Vietnam has resisted using that phrase in the past but wanted to assuage Beijing's concerns after Vietnam designated both the US and Japan as comprehensive strategic partners" in recent months, a designation it uses for China. The status is Vietnam's highest official designation for a diplomatic relationship. Xi referenced the phrase again on Wednesday in a meeting with National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue. In the next stage, both sides need to strengthen .

Kashmir issue should be resolved through dialogue between India, Pak: China

The Kashmir issue should be resolved through dialogue and consultation between India and Pakistan, China on Tuesday while reacting to India's Supreme Court judgment on Article 370 upholding the central government's decision on the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. On the Kashmir issue, China's position is consistent and clear, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, replying to a question by a Pakistani journalist seeking China's reaction on the issue. India's Supreme Court on Monday unanimously upheld the central government's decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370 bestowing special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. The apex court also directed restoration of statehood at the earliest as well as holding elections to the assembly by September 30 next year. This is a dispute left from the past between India and Pakistan and it should be properly addressed through peaceful means, according to the UN charter, United Nations Security Council ...

China's homegrown C919 aircraft arrives in Hong Kong in maiden flight

A Chinese C919 jet arrived in Hong Kong on Tuesday in the Chinese-made plane's first foray outside of mainland China as its manufacturer prepares to take on Airbus and Boeing in the market for single-aisle commercial aircraft. The C919 and another Chinese-made aircraft, an ARJ21, will be on display at Hong Kong's international airport until Sunday. The C919 is due to perform a fly-past over the city's scenic Victoria Harbor on Saturday. The maker of the C919, the Commercial Aircraft Company of China, or COMAC, designed many of the C919's parts, but some of its key components are still sourced from the West, including its engine. The narrow-bodied airliner was in development for 16 years and received certification in 2022. It has a maximum range of about 3,500 miles (5,630 kilometres) and is designed to carry 158-168 passengers.

India, China providing more climate finance than rich nations: Report

Some developing countries, including India, China and Brazil, contribute more climate-related finance through multilateral development banks than many countries in the Global North, according to an analysis by a UK-based website reporting on climate science and policy. The analysis comes amid a push from developed countries to broaden the donor base for climate finance to include developing countries like China and Saudi Arabia. For instance, in a submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on its expectations from the global stocktake in September, New Zealand said: "Different countries have different capabilities to contribute, which have changed over time. Current and historical emissions, national wealth, and a range of other factors have changed, and are continuing to change. Bifurcation based on thirty-year-old lists does not reflect the contemporary reality of where emissions are coming from, or respective capabilities to contribute." Citi

Hong Kong leader praises election turnout as voter numbers hit record low

Hong Kong leader John Lee on Tuesday praised the 27.5 per cent voter turnout in the city's weekend election, a record low since the territory returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Sunday's district council election was the first held under new rules introduced under Beijing's direction that effectively shut out all pro-democracy candidates. The turnout of 1.2 million voters has indicated that they supported the election, they supported the principles, Lee said at a news conference. It is important that we focus our attention on the outcome of the election, and the outcome will mean a constructive district council, rather than what used to be a destructive one, he said. Sunday's turnout was significantly less than the record 71.2 per cent of Hong Kong's 4.3 million registered voters who participated in the last election, held at the height of anti-government protests in 2019, which the pro-democracy camp won by a landslide. Lee said there was resistance to Sunday's election from ...