China

15 October 2023; MEMO: Israel’s action sin Gaza are “beyond the scope of self-defence”, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday.

He added that the Israeli government must “cease its collective punishment of the people of Gaza.”

In a call to his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal Bin Farhan, Wang said: “All parties should not take any action to escalate the situation and should return to the negotiating table as soon as possible.”

BEIJING, Oct 14 (Reuters) - The European Union's top diplomat Josep Borrell said on Saturday his message to Chinese officials on a Beijing visit had been that Brussels takes China seriously and expects the same in return on geopolitical issues and trade.

"Cooperation is very much important," Borrell told a press conference ending a three-day visit that had twice been postponed.

"Europe takes China very, very seriously," he said. "We also expect to be considered not through the lens of our relationship with others, but in ourselves."

BEIJING, Oct 14 (Reuters) - China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken by phone on Saturday on the crisis in Israel and Gaza, a statement from his ministry said.

"China calls for the convening of an international peace conference as soon as possible," the statement read, while warning that "the Palestinian-Israel conflict is escalating and risks getting out of control".

Wang told Blinken that "China opposes all acts that harm civilians and condemns practices that violate international law".

BEIJING (AP) — The European Union’s top foreign policy official warned Friday that public sentiment in Europe could turn more protectionist if the region’s trade deficit with China is not reduced.

Josep Borrell, the EU high representative for foreign affairs, called for improved access for European companies that want to export to or invest in China. He said that political leaders in Europe could face pressure from voters to disengage from the world’s second-largest economy.

BEIJING, Oct 12 (APP): A Pakistani delegation led by Shahid Firoz, representative of Pakistan Arfeen Group and vice chairman of Belt and Road Development Company, recently paid a visit to the Hydro-Blok Company in Guangzhou, China, and had an in-depth discussion on deepening China-Pakistan cooperation in building material industry.

Chen Yuwei, chairman of Hydro-Blok Company, accompanied the delegation to visit the workshops and display areas of the company, showing the key technologies.

BEIJING, Oct 12 (Reuters) - China said on Thursday it had sent fighter jets to monitor and warn a U.S. Navy patrol aircraft that flew through the Taiwan Strait.

China claims sovereignty over democratically-governed Taiwan, and says it has jurisdiction over the narrow waterway. Taiwan and the United States dispute that, saying the Taiwan Strait is an international waterway.

HONG KONG (AP) — Chinese property developer Country Garden warned Tuesday that it cannot repay on time a 470 million Hong Kong dollar ($60 million) loan in the latest sign of distress after Beijing clamped down on mounting debts in the industry.

The company said in a filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange that it “expects that it will not be able to meet all of its offshore payment obligations when due or within the relevant grace periods,” including U.S. dollar notes the firm has issued.

The company said its sales were under “remarkable pressure.”

BEIJING, Oct 9 (APP):: The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as part of the Belt and Road Initiative, has helped build an enabling economic environment in Pakistan with energy, education and the economy being among its key pillars.

China has invested nearly $26 billion in direct projects in Pakistan, creating 236,000 jobs, generating 8,000 megawatts of electricity, and building 510 kilometres of highways and 886 km of the national electricity grid.

HONG KONG, Oct 9 (Reuters) - A submarine arms race is intensifying as China embarks on production of a new generation of nuclear-armed submarines that for the first time are expected to pose a challenge to growing U.S. and allied efforts to track them.

Analysts and regional defence attaches say evidence is mounting that China is on track to have its Type 096 ballistic missile submarine operational before the end of the decade, with breakthroughs in its quietness aided in part by Russian technology.

BEIJING (AP) — U.S. Senate Majority Leader Schumer said Monday he was grateful for a strengthened statement from China condemning the killing and kidnapping of Israeli and foreign civilians by Hamas, issued during a bipartisan Congressional visit to Beijing that included a lengthy meeting with President Xi Jinping.

Schumer had said earlier in the day that he was very disappointed by China’s failure to strongly condemn the attack on Israel and show sympathy for the country and its people.