Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- China announced Tuesday that the country's new solid rocket booster, with 200-tonne thrust engine, completed hot firing tests, proving its readiness for commercial launches.

With a diameter of 2.65 meters, the booster engine is expected to be used on the modified version of the Long March-11 rocket.

The rocket is the only series in the Long March family that uses solid propellants, and it can be launched within 24 hours.

BEIJING (AP) — China announced a robust annual economic growth target and a 7.5 percent rise in military spending Tuesday as it convened an annual legislative session overshadowed by a tariff war with Washington.

Seeking to defuse U.S. and European complaints the Chinese system is rigged against foreign companies, Premier Li Keqiang promised in a speech to the National People’s Congress they will be “treated as equals” with their Chinese competitors.

05 Mar 2019; AFP: China announced Tuesday a 7.5 percent increase in military spending in 2019, lower than last year as the country faces an economic slowdown, but still likely to make Asian neighbours nervous.

It it working to provide the two million-strong People's Liberation Army (PLA) with state-of-the-art hardware, spending heavily on stealth warplanes, aircraft carriers and other weaponry.

MANILA, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno as the new governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the Philippine central bank, according to news reports.

Philippine Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea confirmed that Diokno's appointment was announced during a meeting in Malacanang presidential palace held on Monday.

SHIJIAZHUANG, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The main part of Yanchong expressway linking Yanqing district of Beijing and Chongli district of Zhangjiakou, two competition zones of 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, is expected to be completed and open this year.

Yanqing and Chongli will stage all the skiing events in 2022. The 116-kilometer expressway, an important transportation project for 2022 Winter Games, will shorten the distance between the two zones and cut the transportation time from more than two hours to nearly one hour.

BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO) announced Monday that the core module of the country's space station, the Long March-5B carrier rocket and its payloads will be sent to the launch site in the second half of this year, to make preparations for the space station missions.

China is scheduled to complete the construction of the space station around 2022. It will be the country's space lab in long-term stable in-orbit operation.

BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- China will reduce the tax burdens and social insurance contributions of enterprises by nearly 2 trillion yuan (about 298 billion U.S. dollars) this year, according to a government work report delivered Tuesday by Premier Li Keqiang at the opening meeting of the annual legislative session.

"We will introduce both general-benefit and structural tax cuts, focusing primarily on reducing tax burdens on the manufacturing sector and on small and micro businesses," Li said.

PYONGYANG, March 4. /TASS/. A ship with humanitarian aid from Russia carrying more than 2,000 tonnes of wheat has arrived in the North Korean port of Chongjin, the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang reported on Facebook on Monday.

"Over the weekend, the staff of the Russian Consulate General in Chongjin visited the city port where a ceremony to receive humanitarian aid from Russia was held. Consul General Yuri Bochkarev inspected the cargo (2,092 tonnes of wheat), after which he climbed aboard the ship and talked with the captain and crew," the embassy said.

BEIJING, March 4. /TASS/. China supports Russia’s initiative to act as a diplomatic intermediary between India and Pakistan to de-escalate the situation between the countries, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang said at Monday’s briefing.

"We welcome any measures that will help support peace and stability in the region, as well as improve the situation," he said in response to the corresponding question.

ULAN BATOR, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia's annual spring eagle festival kicked off near the capital city of Ulan Bator on Sunday, which is part of the country's efforts to attract tourists.

The event called "Spring Golden Eagle Festival" was co-organized by the Mongolian Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the Mongolian Eagle Hunter's Association and others with the aim of boosting tourism by promoting the tradition of hunting with eagles.