Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

Jakarta, Mar 4 (AFP) Indonesia and Australia on Monday signed a long-awaited trade deal after months of diplomatic tension over Canberra's contentious plan to move its embassy to Jerusalem.

Indonesian trade minister Enggartiasto Lukita and his Australian counterpart Simon Birmingham wrapped up the multi-billion-dollar agreement in Jakarta, some nine years after negotiations first started.

ZHENGZHOU, March 2 (Xinhua) -- China added a new route to its China-Europe freight train service, as a freight train made its maiden trip from Zhengzhou for Liege in Belgium on Saturday.

The service exclusive for cross-border e-commerce is the first of its kind departing from the capital of central China's Henan Province.

According to Zhengzhou International Hub Development and Construction Co. Ltd., it is the first freight line in the country to operate under customs surveillance code "9610" for cross-border e-commerce.

BEIJING, March 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday urged Australia to abandon ideological bias and provide an environment of fair competition for Chinese companies.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang made the remarks at a routine press briefing when asked to comment on media reports that Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne had reiterated keeping Chinese telecoms giant Huawei out of Australia's 5G network infrastructure even if the United States softens its stance on Huawei.

China expressed grave concern over this statement, Lu said.

BEIJING, March 1 (Xinhua) -- The China-developed  MA700 turboprop aircraft has entered the trial-manufacturing and test phase, announced the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) Friday.

The first MA700 is expected to roll off the production line this September.

The MA700 is the third member of China's "Morden Ark(MA)" regional airplane family following the MA60 and MA600. The AVIC is striving to conduct the maiden flight by the end of 2019, said AVIC.

Hanoi, March 1 (Xinhua) -- The top leaders of Vietnam and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) agreed on Friday to facilitate high-level visits, and expand the exchange of all-level delegations via the party, state and mass organization channels, Vietnam News Agency reported.

BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- As the annual sessions of China's top legislative and advisory bodies approach, world experts look forward to a greater role of China in improving global governance.

William Jones, Washington bureau chief of the U.S. publication Executive Intelligence Review, praised China's contribution to tackling global issues and believed China's wisdom as well as its philosophy will further benefit the whole world.

Hanoi, March 1 : North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended a formal welcome ceremony in Hanoi on Friday afternoon, commencing his official friendly visit to Vietnam scheduled for March 1-2.

Chairman Kim was warmly welcomed by Vietnamese Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong at the Presidential Palace at 3:30 pm.

This is his first official friendly visit to Vietnam after he assumed his post in 2011.

Hanoi; March 1; GANASHAKTI  — North Korean foreign minister Ri Yong Ho called an impromptu press conference at midnight in Hà N?i following the disappointing end to the highly anticipated summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump.

Ri said during the two-day summit, the two countries’ leaders had held serious discussions.

01 Mar 2019; AFP: A shadowy group believed to be protecting the son of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's assassinated brother declared the formation of a government-in-exile on Friday, dedicating itself to the abolition of the "great evil".

HANOI, March 1 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) only proposed that the United States partially remove its sanctions against Pyongyang, said the country's foreign minister here early Friday.

"What we proposed was not the removal of all sanctions, but they are partial removal," said Ri Yong Ho at a press conference, adding the DPRK only asked for those sanctions impeding the livelihood of its people to be removed first.