China

BEIJING, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- China's natural gas consumption is expected to increase in 2020 amid the country's efforts to step up exploration and development of the energy source, according to an industry report.

Consumption of natural gas is estimated to expand by 13 billion cubic meters to 320 billion in 2020, according to the report compiled by the National Energy Administration together with two other think tanks.

BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets were lower Monday after Wall Street declined for a third straight week and Britain reported a rise in coronavirus infections.

Benchmarks in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Seoul and Sydney retreated. Japanese markets were closed for a holiday.

On Friday, Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index lost 1.1%, led by a sell-off of tech companies that led this year’s rebound. Investors worry they might have become to expensive.

BEIJING, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Under Secretary of State Keith Krach's visit to Taiwan severely violates the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, damaging China-U.S. ties as well as peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, experts say.

XIAMEN, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Wang Yang addressed the 12th Straits Forum held in the port city of Xiamen in Fujian Province via video link on Sunday.

Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, congratulated the forum on its opening despite COVID-19 and some obstruction from Taiwan.

BEIJING, Sep19 (APP): The Chinese-made COVID-19 inactivated vaccines may be available on the market by the end of 2020, according to China National Biotec Group (CNBG), a subsidiary of China National Pharmaceutical Group Corporation on the 2020 Zhongguancun Forum held here.

BEIJING, Sep 19 (APP): The 15th Security Secretaries of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) had a constructive exchange of opinions on joint hands-on efforts to counter security challenges and threats across the SCO space.

Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev chaired the meeting held recently via videoconference, according to a press release issued by SCO Secretariat here on Saturday.

BEIJING, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Saturday it is resolutely opposed to the U.S. move to block downloads of WeChat and TikTok apps.

In the absence of any evidence, the U.S. has repeatedly used state power to suppress the two enterprises for unwarranted reasons, which seriously disrupted their normal business activities, undermined the confidence of international investors in the U.S. investment environment and damaged the normal global economic and trade order, the MOC said in an online statement.

HONG KONG (AP) — China’s Ministry of Commerce on Saturday issued regulations for its “unreliable entity” list, aimed at foreign companies it says endanger its national sovereignty, security or development interests.

Companies that end up on the list could be banned from importing or exporting from China, and may be barred from investing in the country.

Other measures include imposing fines, entry restrictions on employees into China and revoking their work or residence permits.

BEIJING, Sep 17 (APP): Research and development on COVID-19 vaccines in China is progressing rapidly, and they may be available for public use as early as November, a senior virologist said.

Five of the nine COVID-19 vaccines that have entered phase 3 clinical trials globally are being developed in China, and they have produced satisfying trial results, said Wu Guizhen, chief biosafety expert at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, according to China Daily on Thursday.

Beijing, Sep 16 (AP/PTI) Recent Chinese war games near Taiwan were a deliberate signal to the leaders of the island and its foreign backers that Beijing intends to make good on its vow to defend what it considers Chinese sovereignty, a government spokesperson said Wednesday.

Ma Xiaoguang of the Chinese Cabinet's Taiwan Affairs Office said the exercises were a necessary measure" because Taiwan's leaders had been engaging in activities aimed pushing the island's formal independence from China.