Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

BEIJING, April 1. /TASS/: In light of the Ukrainian crisis, the Chinese authorities fear Asia may face such destabilization along the same lines as a result of Washington’s policy, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

"Since the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis China has shared its wisdom to overcome it and has made efforts in five areas," Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, according to the Foreign Ministry. "Firstly, we assist in promoting peace negotiations. Furthermore, we resolutely support the fundamental principles of the development of international relations."

TAIPEI, April 1 (Reuters) - Taiwan's foreign minister on Friday strongly rejected criticism of its relief efforts for Ukraine from China, saying the aid came "from our heart" and was not an exercise in political manipulation.

China's government last month described Taiwan's humanitarian aid for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia as "taking advantage of other's difficulties", after the island announced it was sending funds donated by the public for refugees.

BEIJING, April 1 (Xinhua) -- China's Shenzhou-13 astronauts are preparing for their return to Earth following the Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft's recent separation from the country's space station, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

The Shenzhou-13 crew members -- Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu -- are all in good condition, said the agency, adding that they plan to return to Earth in mid-April.

BEIJING, April 1 (Xinhua) -- China strongly condemns and firmly opposes a report on Hong Kong released by the UK government, urging the British side to stop interfering in Hong Kong's affairs and other internal affairs of China, a foreign ministry spokesperson said Friday.

BEIJING, March 31 (APP): The Chinese and Pakistani militaries stand ready to expand practical cooperation in various fields to a new level, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense said here on Thursday.

The military-to-military relations, serving as the mainstay of the China-Pakistan friendship, have played an important role in the development of bilateral relations for a long time, he said at a regular press conference.

KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 (NNN-Bernama) — Malayan Banking Bhd has endowed RM21 million (US$5 million) to the Asia School of Business to establish the Maybank ASEAN Research Center (Maybank ARC), aimed to be a centre of intellectual activity in Southeast Asia conducting research on topics surrounding emerging markets in the region.

The Asia School of Business is a collaboration between the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Sloan School of Management and Malaysia’s central bank, Bank Negara Malaysia.

KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 (NNN-Bernama) — More than 1,000 international tourists are expected to arrive in Malaysia on the first day of the country’s transition to the endemic phase on Friday.

Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) Nancy Shukri said the arrivals will mostly be from Singapore via various international air and land entry points, with several preparations in place to welcome them.

HONG KONG/SYDNEY, March 31 (Reuters) - China on Thursday blamed the resignation of two senior British judges from Hong Kong's highest court on "British pressure" against a sweeping national security law which makes dissent in the former British colony a crime punishable by jail.

But British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, in a report to parliament, said "the political and legal situation in Hong Kong has now deteriorated beyond the point where it is acceptable for serving UK judges to take part".

BEIJING, March 31 (Reuters) - China has decided to restrict the visas for U.S. officials, in response to the U.S. visa restrictions on some China officials, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said on Thursday.

The United States was restricting visas of some Chinese officials for involvement in "repressive acts" against ethnic and religious minority groups, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this month.

BEIJING, March 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday called on the neighboring countries of Afghanistan to do their best to support the Afghan people to create a brighter future.

Xi made the remarks in a written message to the third meeting of foreign ministers of the countries neighboring Afghanistan, in Tunxi, east China's Anhui Province.

Xi pointed out that having gone through so much in the past, Afghanistan is in urgent need of development in many areas. The country has come to a critical point of transition from chaos to order.