Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

BEIJING (AP) — China’s trade with the United States sank again in November as negotiators worked on the first stage of a possible deal to end a tariff war.

Customs data on Sunday showed exports to the United States fell 23% from a year earlier while imports of American goods were off 2.8%.

Exports to some other countries including France rose, helping to offset the loss.

Total Chinese exports were off 2.5% from a year earlier despite weakening global demand while imports were up 0.2%.

HONG KONG (AP) --- Marchers were expected to fill Hong Kong streets Sunday in a protest that will test the enduring appeal of an anti-government movement marking a half year of demonstrations.

A large crowd gathered in Victoria Park for a rally ahead of the planned march through central Hong Kong.

“We hope this will be a signature for our movement after six months to show to (Hong Kong leader) Carrie Lam as well as to the world that people are not giving up, people will still fight for our freedom and democracy,” said Eric Lai, one of the organizers.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said Sunday it carried out a “very important test” at its long-range rocket launch site that it reportedly rebuilt after having partially dismantled it when it entered denuclearization talks with the United States last year.

The announcement comes amid dimming prospects for a resumption of negotiations, with the North warning it would seek “a new way” if it fails to get major U.S. concessions by year’s end. North Korea has said its resumption of nuclear and long-range missile tests depends on the United States.

BEIJING (Reuters) - China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi told U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a phone call on Saturday that the United States should stop interfering in China’s internal affairs, according to a report by state TV.

Citing the passing of the Uighur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019 and the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019, Yang said the United States had seriously violated international relations, and urged Washington to “correct its mistakes” and “immediately stop interfering in China’s internal affairs”.

BEIJING/HONG KONG (Reuters) - The Hong Kong police will use both “hard” and “soft” approaches when dealing with protests, Hong Kong’s police commissioner Chris Tang told reporters in Beijing on Saturday.

The police chief spoke ahead of a potentially large pro-democracy demonstration on Sunday and following nearly six months of sometimes violent protests in Hong Kong, sparked by a now-withdrawn bill allowing extradition to Mainland China.

BEIJING, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday said it had taken "reciprocal" measures on U.S. diplomats in the country.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a press conference that the Chinese side issued a note to the U.S. Embassy in China on Wednesday, informing it of reciprocal measures going into immediate effect.

Hua made the remarks when asked to respond to reports that China had taken countermeasures in response to the previous restrictions imposed on Chinese diplomatic and consular officials posted in the United States.

BEIJING, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday local time passed the so-called "Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019," which has grossly interfered in China's internal affairs and slandered China's efforts in deradicalization and counter-terrorism in Xinjiang.

The United States, as a matter of fact, has also colluded with terrorist and separatist forces including the World Uygur Congress (WUC).

Singapore, 6 Dec (PTI) A 22-year-old Indian-origin man has been jailed for one year and a week and fined 30,000 Singapore dollars for soliciting more than 3,000 clients for a pimp in Singapore, according to a media report on Friday.

Ashok Kumar Manogaran, 22, who is accused of soliciting 3,360 clients, was jailed on Wednesday.

BEIJING, Dec 6 (APP): Four Chinese dignitaries were awarded civil awards of Pakistan at a special investiture ceremony held at the Embassy of Pakistan, Beijing on Friday.

SEOUL, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States seemed to still have differences in negotiations for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, South Korea's unification ministry said Friday.

Kim Eun-han, a deputy spokesperson of the unification ministry, told a press briefing that it seemed that the DPRK and the United States still had differences in positions for denuclearization negotiations, considering the statements recently announced by the DPRK.