Mainland China piles on the pressure to Taiwan’s east in a twist on old tactics
By Hayley Wong
In the second of a three-part series on mainland China’s increasing military presence around the self-governed island, Hayley Wong looks at how the People’s Liberation Army has been stepping up its efforts away from the Taiwan Strait.
To city dwellers and tourists in Taiwan, the island’s eastern coast is all about pristine mountains, deep gorges, and vast, scenic views of the Pacific Ocean that stretch uninterrupted towards Guam, 2,900km (1,800 miles) away.
To the Taiwanese military, the island’s east has long been considered a safe haven – with the natural barriers of terrain and its position at the furthest reach from mainland China’s looming military pressure on the western coast, facing the Taiwan Strait.
But while Beijing continues to concentrate its efforts in the strait, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) appears to be changing the dynamic – adding a twist this year with more reconnaissance and strategic efforts on the island’s far side.
Over the past 18 months, the PLA has deployed more helicopters, combat aircraft and drones to the island’s eastern seaboard, according to data compiled by the South China Morning Post from the Taiwanese defence ministry’s daily reports.
The ministry provides details of the number of PLA aircraft and vessels near Taiwan every day, including the number of aircraft entering Taiwan’s de facto air defence identification zone, and the activity areas of different aircraft types.
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By Hayley Wong
In the second of a three-part series on mainland China’s increasing military presence around the self-governed island, Hayley Wong looks at how the People’s Liberation Army has been stepping up its efforts away from the Taiwan Strait.
To city dwellers and tourists in Taiwan, the island’s eastern coast is all about pristine mountains, deep gorges, and vast, scenic views of the Pacific Ocean that stretch uninterrupted towards Guam, 2,900km (1,800 miles) away.
To the Taiwanese military, the island’s east has long been considered a safe haven – with the natural barriers of terrain and its position at the furthest reach from mainland China’s looming military pressure on the western coast, facing the Taiwan Strait.
But while Beijing continues to concentrate its efforts in the strait, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) appears to be changing the dynamic – adding a twist this year with more reconnaissance and strategic efforts on the island’s far side.
Over the past 18 months, the PLA has deployed more helicopters, combat aircraft and drones to the island’s eastern seaboard, according to data compiled by the South China Morning Post from the Taiwanese defence ministry’s daily reports.
The ministry provides details of the number of PLA aircraft and vessels near Taiwan every day, including the number of aircraft entering Taiwan’s de facto air defence identification zone, and the activity areas of different aircraft types.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
American who says he crossed into Syria on foot freed after 7 months in detention
By Associated Press
An American who turned up in Syria on Thursday said he was detained after crossing into the country on foot seven months ago on a Christian pilgrimage.
Travis Timmerman appears to have been among thousands of people released from the country’s notorious prisons after rebels reached Damascus over the weekend, overthrowing President Bashar al-Assad and ending his family’s 54-year rule.
As video emerged online of Timmerman on Thursday, he was initially mistaken by some for Austin Tice, an American journalist who went missing in Syria 12 years ago.
In the video, Timmerman could be seen lying on a mattress under a blanket in what appeared to be a private house. A group of men in the video said that he was being treated well and would be safely returned home.
Later, a Syrian family said they found Timmerman barefoot on a main road in the countryside of Damascus early on Thursday. He appeared cold and hungry so they brought him back to their home.
“I … fed him and called a doctor,” said Mosaed al-Rifai, a 68-year-old waste collector, adding that Timmerman appeared disoriented.
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By Associated Press
An American who turned up in Syria on Thursday said he was detained after crossing into the country on foot seven months ago on a Christian pilgrimage.
Travis Timmerman appears to have been among thousands of people released from the country’s notorious prisons after rebels reached Damascus over the weekend, overthrowing President Bashar al-Assad and ending his family’s 54-year rule.
As video emerged online of Timmerman on Thursday, he was initially mistaken by some for Austin Tice, an American journalist who went missing in Syria 12 years ago.
In the video, Timmerman could be seen lying on a mattress under a blanket in what appeared to be a private house. A group of men in the video said that he was being treated well and would be safely returned home.
Later, a Syrian family said they found Timmerman barefoot on a main road in the countryside of Damascus early on Thursday. He appeared cold and hungry so they brought him back to their home.
“I … fed him and called a doctor,” said Mosaed al-Rifai, a 68-year-old waste collector, adding that Timmerman appeared disoriented.
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China’s dwindling Western expat workforce should be cause for concern
By Chris Rowley
China is facing a new and gradually building demographic dynamic – a decline in the number, and a shift in the nationalities, of expatriates in the country. As the number of expats from the West dwindles, they have been replaced to some extent with a growing number of expats from countries in the Global South.
This changing mix has wider implications, not least for businesses in China itself and the West. Empirical studies show that migration and the presence of foreigners increases international trade and foreign direct investment by reducing information and transaction costs, as well as fostering innovation.
Furthermore, expats can bring people-to-people exchanges, ideas and knowledge transfer. They can build cultural bridges to help improve understanding and reduce ethnocentrism.
China’s dwindling expatriate population, especially in its capital, has attracted increasing attention and comment, including from the media. Not only is this development indicated by individual examples but also in a report published in late October by the Beijing International Talent Exchange Association.
The report found a 40 per cent drop over the decade, from 37,000 to just 22,000 foreigners living and working long term in Beijing. That equates to just 0.2 per cent of the city’s workforce and 0.1 per cent of its population.
This situation is even more stark in Shanghai, where the expat population is collapsing. One estimate attributed to a think tank in the city noted a massive 64 per cent decrease in the foreign population in just five years, from over 200,000 in 2018 to just 72,000 by 2023.
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By Chris Rowley
China is facing a new and gradually building demographic dynamic – a decline in the number, and a shift in the nationalities, of expatriates in the country. As the number of expats from the West dwindles, they have been replaced to some extent with a growing number of expats from countries in the Global South.
This changing mix has wider implications, not least for businesses in China itself and the West. Empirical studies show that migration and the presence of foreigners increases international trade and foreign direct investment by reducing information and transaction costs, as well as fostering innovation.
Furthermore, expats can bring people-to-people exchanges, ideas and knowledge transfer. They can build cultural bridges to help improve understanding and reduce ethnocentrism.
China’s dwindling expatriate population, especially in its capital, has attracted increasing attention and comment, including from the media. Not only is this development indicated by individual examples but also in a report published in late October by the Beijing International Talent Exchange Association.
The report found a 40 per cent drop over the decade, from 37,000 to just 22,000 foreigners living and working long term in Beijing. That equates to just 0.2 per cent of the city’s workforce and 0.1 per cent of its population.
This situation is even more stark in Shanghai, where the expat population is collapsing. One estimate attributed to a think tank in the city noted a massive 64 per cent decrease in the foreign population in just five years, from over 200,000 in 2018 to just 72,000 by 2023.
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Canada weighs export taxes on uranium and oil If Trump starts trade war
By Bloomberg
Canada is examining the use of export taxes on major commodities it exports to the US – including uranium, oil and potash – if incoming US president Donald Trump carries out his threat to impose broad tariffs.
Export levies would be a last resort for Canada, according to officials familiar with the discussions inside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government. Retaliatory tariffs against US-made goods, and export controls on certain Canadian products, would be more likely to come first, said the people.
But commodity export taxes – which would drive up costs for US consumers, farmers and businesses – are a real option if Trump decides to start a full-scale trade war, said the officials, speaking on condition they not be identified.
Trudeau’s government may also propose giving itself expanded powers over export controls as part of a scheduled update on the country’s fiscal and economic situation to be released on Monday, they said.
Canada is by far the largest external supplier of oil to the US; some refineries depend on buying cheaper Canadian heavy crude and have few alternatives to it. The US Midwest would be hit particularly hard by higher costs. Fuel makers in the region rely on Canada for almost half of the crude they turn into petrol and diesel.
Canadian uranium is also the biggest foreign source of fuel for US nuclear power plants, and potash from the country’s western provinces is a huge source of fertiliser for American farms.
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By Bloomberg
Canada is examining the use of export taxes on major commodities it exports to the US – including uranium, oil and potash – if incoming US president Donald Trump carries out his threat to impose broad tariffs.
Export levies would be a last resort for Canada, according to officials familiar with the discussions inside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government. Retaliatory tariffs against US-made goods, and export controls on certain Canadian products, would be more likely to come first, said the people.
But commodity export taxes – which would drive up costs for US consumers, farmers and businesses – are a real option if Trump decides to start a full-scale trade war, said the officials, speaking on condition they not be identified.
Trudeau’s government may also propose giving itself expanded powers over export controls as part of a scheduled update on the country’s fiscal and economic situation to be released on Monday, they said.
Canada is by far the largest external supplier of oil to the US; some refineries depend on buying cheaper Canadian heavy crude and have few alternatives to it. The US Midwest would be hit particularly hard by higher costs. Fuel makers in the region rely on Canada for almost half of the crude they turn into petrol and diesel.
Canadian uranium is also the biggest foreign source of fuel for US nuclear power plants, and potash from the country’s western provinces is a huge source of fertiliser for American farms.
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Chinese official praises Trump invitation but does not say if Xi will attend inauguration
By Kawala XieLaura Zhou
An official at the Chinese embassy in Washington on Thursday called Donald Trump’s invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping to his second inauguration a “welcoming signal”, but did not say whether Xi would attend the ceremony on January 20.
Trump’s incoming press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed earlier media reports that Trump had invited Xi, but said it remained “to be determined” if Xi would attend.
Qiu Wenxing, an embassy minister, said at the Institute for China-America Studies’ annual conference in Washington that he hoped such an overture might lead to a “good start” to bilateral relations in Trump’s second term.
“If that report is real, it shows that the president-elect’s transitional team attaches great performance to the working relations between the presidents, and between the Chinese government and the transition team,” Qiu said, though he did not say whether Xi would attend.
“I think that is a welcoming signal. We’re looking forward to working … with the transition team … that is our goal, to make this relationship to have a smooth transition, and then early next year we can have a good start.”
Foreign heads of state do not customarily attend US presidential inaugurations, and some analysts said Xi was unlikely to go.
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By Kawala XieLaura Zhou
An official at the Chinese embassy in Washington on Thursday called Donald Trump’s invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping to his second inauguration a “welcoming signal”, but did not say whether Xi would attend the ceremony on January 20.
Trump’s incoming press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed earlier media reports that Trump had invited Xi, but said it remained “to be determined” if Xi would attend.
Qiu Wenxing, an embassy minister, said at the Institute for China-America Studies’ annual conference in Washington that he hoped such an overture might lead to a “good start” to bilateral relations in Trump’s second term.
“If that report is real, it shows that the president-elect’s transitional team attaches great performance to the working relations between the presidents, and between the Chinese government and the transition team,” Qiu said, though he did not say whether Xi would attend.
“I think that is a welcoming signal. We’re looking forward to working … with the transition team … that is our goal, to make this relationship to have a smooth transition, and then early next year we can have a good start.”
Foreign heads of state do not customarily attend US presidential inaugurations, and some analysts said Xi was unlikely to go.
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Chinese associate of Prince Andrew banned from UK as national security risk
By Reuters
A Chinese businessman, who had forged close links with Prince Andrew and was authorised to act on his behalf to seek investors in China, has been banned from Britain on national security grounds.
The 50-year-old man, who has been granted anonymity and is named only as H6, was taken off a flight from Beijing to London in February 2023 and told that Britain intended to ban him from the country. This happened the following month.
H6 appealed against the ban at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC), which rejected his case in a written ruling on Thursday – the first time the reported relationship has come to light.
Buckingham Palace no longer comments on matters relating to Andrew, who was removed from royal duties by the palace in 2022, and Reuters was unable to reach him or a representative for comment.
The ban on the Chinese businessman came after the contents of his phone were downloaded when he was stopped under counterterrorism laws at a UK border in 2021, the ruling said.
It said this revealed Prince Andrew had authorised him to set up an international financial initiative to engage with potential partners and investors in China. The ruling did not say what the fund was intended for.
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By Reuters
A Chinese businessman, who had forged close links with Prince Andrew and was authorised to act on his behalf to seek investors in China, has been banned from Britain on national security grounds.
The 50-year-old man, who has been granted anonymity and is named only as H6, was taken off a flight from Beijing to London in February 2023 and told that Britain intended to ban him from the country. This happened the following month.
H6 appealed against the ban at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC), which rejected his case in a written ruling on Thursday – the first time the reported relationship has come to light.
Buckingham Palace no longer comments on matters relating to Andrew, who was removed from royal duties by the palace in 2022, and Reuters was unable to reach him or a representative for comment.
The ban on the Chinese businessman came after the contents of his phone were downloaded when he was stopped under counterterrorism laws at a UK border in 2021, the ruling said.
It said this revealed Prince Andrew had authorised him to set up an international financial initiative to engage with potential partners and investors in China. The ruling did not say what the fund was intended for.
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Indian chess prodigy Dommaraju beats Chinese grandmaster to become youngest world champion
By Agence France-Presse
Indian teen prodigy Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest undisputed world chess champion on Thursday after beating China’s Ding Liren in the final match of their series in Singapore.
The 18-year-old Dommaraju burst into tears, burying his face in both hands, after Ding resigned in a thrilling endgame that had been expected to end in a draw.
Dommaraju later stood up and raised both hands triumphantly, smiling wide.
“My whole strategy for this match was to push as much as possible in every single game,” Dommaraju told reporters afterwards. “It just takes one game for the strategy to pay off.”
Cheers from jubilant fans, many of them Indians who had flown in to watch the match and Singaporeans of Indian descent, had erupted at the viewing rooms near the playing arena.
Fans were also chanting Dommaraju’s name as he walked in for the after-match press conference.
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By Agence France-Presse
Indian teen prodigy Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest undisputed world chess champion on Thursday after beating China’s Ding Liren in the final match of their series in Singapore.
The 18-year-old Dommaraju burst into tears, burying his face in both hands, after Ding resigned in a thrilling endgame that had been expected to end in a draw.
Dommaraju later stood up and raised both hands triumphantly, smiling wide.
“My whole strategy for this match was to push as much as possible in every single game,” Dommaraju told reporters afterwards. “It just takes one game for the strategy to pay off.”
Cheers from jubilant fans, many of them Indians who had flown in to watch the match and Singaporeans of Indian descent, had erupted at the viewing rooms near the playing arena.
Fans were also chanting Dommaraju’s name as he walked in for the after-match press conference.
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China busy bolstering other trade ties amid tensions with US, EU
By Kandy Wong
Officials at China’s Ministry of Commerce have been kept busy recently as they navigate a hectic agenda of trade talks.
As well as continuing to engage in negotiations with the European Union on electric vehicle tariffs, they have been monitoring tariff threats from United States president-elect Donald Trump, and working on strengthening trade ties with other countries and relationships with international bodies.
It was a busy start to the week on those fronts for ministry officials.
On Monday alone, Commerce Minister Wang Wentao met visiting International Monetary Fund managing director Kristalina Georgieva in Beijing, while vice-minister Wang Shouwen attended a meeting of the China-South Korea Free Trade Agreement Joint Committee with South Korean Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo in Seoul.
On the same day, and also in Seoul, Wang Shouwen led the Chinese delegation at the 24th minister’s meeting of the Greater Tumen Initiative – an intergovernmental mechanism involving China, South Korea, Mongolia and Russia.
On the Middle East front, China’s deputy international trade representative, Ling Ji, convened the first investment and economic cooperation meeting in Saudi Arabia on Monday.
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By Kandy Wong
Officials at China’s Ministry of Commerce have been kept busy recently as they navigate a hectic agenda of trade talks.
As well as continuing to engage in negotiations with the European Union on electric vehicle tariffs, they have been monitoring tariff threats from United States president-elect Donald Trump, and working on strengthening trade ties with other countries and relationships with international bodies.
It was a busy start to the week on those fronts for ministry officials.
On Monday alone, Commerce Minister Wang Wentao met visiting International Monetary Fund managing director Kristalina Georgieva in Beijing, while vice-minister Wang Shouwen attended a meeting of the China-South Korea Free Trade Agreement Joint Committee with South Korean Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo in Seoul.
On the same day, and also in Seoul, Wang Shouwen led the Chinese delegation at the 24th minister’s meeting of the Greater Tumen Initiative – an intergovernmental mechanism involving China, South Korea, Mongolia and Russia.
On the Middle East front, China’s deputy international trade representative, Ling Ji, convened the first investment and economic cooperation meeting in Saudi Arabia on Monday.
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Why Beijing has put e-commerce sector’s ‘refund-only’ policy and PDD under scrutiny
By Wency Chen
The “refund-only” policy in China’s e-commerce sector – where consumers can get back money for goods bought from merchants, without returning the products – is now under scrutiny, as analysts point to how the practice has been abused in the local market.
China’s market regulator has directed PDD Holdings, operator of popular budget-shopping platforms Pinduoduo on the mainland and Temu overseas, to fix this refund-only practice, according to a Bloomberg report on Wednesday.
The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and the Ministry of Commerce have summoned PDD executives to a meeting in Beijing over the matter, according to the report. The regulators did not slap PDD with any punishment.
PDD did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday. No information about PDD’s meeting was found on the two agencies’ website.
The intervention by the SAMR and the Commerce Ministry reflects how an unchecked and aggressive “refund without return” practice has been abused and hurt online sellers’ earnings.
“The policy has been used by platforms to leverage their dominant position to attract consumers at the expense of merchants, leading to unfair practices and market distortion,” said Wu Libin, senior partner at M&T Lawyers. “Regulatory intervention aims to balance interests between platforms and merchants, while ensuring fair competition.”
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By Wency Chen
The “refund-only” policy in China’s e-commerce sector – where consumers can get back money for goods bought from merchants, without returning the products – is now under scrutiny, as analysts point to how the practice has been abused in the local market.
China’s market regulator has directed PDD Holdings, operator of popular budget-shopping platforms Pinduoduo on the mainland and Temu overseas, to fix this refund-only practice, according to a Bloomberg report on Wednesday.
The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and the Ministry of Commerce have summoned PDD executives to a meeting in Beijing over the matter, according to the report. The regulators did not slap PDD with any punishment.
PDD did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday. No information about PDD’s meeting was found on the two agencies’ website.
The intervention by the SAMR and the Commerce Ministry reflects how an unchecked and aggressive “refund without return” practice has been abused and hurt online sellers’ earnings.
“The policy has been used by platforms to leverage their dominant position to attract consumers at the expense of merchants, leading to unfair practices and market distortion,” said Wu Libin, senior partner at M&T Lawyers. “Regulatory intervention aims to balance interests between platforms and merchants, while ensuring fair competition.”
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Hong Kong opening self-service ID card kiosks – with 6 chances for photo
By Johnny Wan
Hong Kong residents will be able to apply for identity cards and passports via self-service kiosks from Friday, with the collection time shortened by two days to five – and applicants getting six chances to take their best photo.
The fully automated process was made possible after the law was amended in October, allowing eligible applicants to apply for the two documents at the kiosks without the need for an in-person interview with an immigration officer, a previous requirement.
According to the Immigration Department, each applicant using the kiosks to apply for an ID card will have six chances to take their photos, and registration officers will help if all these attempts fail. Applicants who apply for a card through the staffed counters are usually allowed to choose from one of the two photos taken.
Assistant Principal Immigration Officer Angelina Chow Pui-yuk said on Thursday that the department’s new Tseung Kwan O headquarters would update functions on 54 self-service kiosks and put them into use from Friday, with 44 for submissions and 10 for collections.
“The kiosks can now process applications for identity cards and passports altogether. The newly implemented kiosks will help the department to process 900 applications per day, and the processing time will be shortened from seven days to five days,” Chow said.
“The kiosks are eligible for a person who is applying for an identity card for the first time, a person who is applying for a replacement of a permanent identity card from a non-permanent one or a person who is requesting to replace an identity card due to a lost or damaged card. All applicants must be over 18 years old.”
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By Johnny Wan
Hong Kong residents will be able to apply for identity cards and passports via self-service kiosks from Friday, with the collection time shortened by two days to five – and applicants getting six chances to take their best photo.
The fully automated process was made possible after the law was amended in October, allowing eligible applicants to apply for the two documents at the kiosks without the need for an in-person interview with an immigration officer, a previous requirement.
According to the Immigration Department, each applicant using the kiosks to apply for an ID card will have six chances to take their photos, and registration officers will help if all these attempts fail. Applicants who apply for a card through the staffed counters are usually allowed to choose from one of the two photos taken.
Assistant Principal Immigration Officer Angelina Chow Pui-yuk said on Thursday that the department’s new Tseung Kwan O headquarters would update functions on 54 self-service kiosks and put them into use from Friday, with 44 for submissions and 10 for collections.
“The kiosks can now process applications for identity cards and passports altogether. The newly implemented kiosks will help the department to process 900 applications per day, and the processing time will be shortened from seven days to five days,” Chow said.
“The kiosks are eligible for a person who is applying for an identity card for the first time, a person who is applying for a replacement of a permanent identity card from a non-permanent one or a person who is requesting to replace an identity card due to a lost or damaged card. All applicants must be over 18 years old.”
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China-Russia ties: Xi Jinping tells Medvedev Beijing seeks political solution in Ukraine
By William Zheng
China will continue to work to create “favourable conditions for a political solution” to the Ukraine crisis, President Xi Jinping said while vowing to strengthen “strategic synergy” with Russia, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Meeting former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev in Beijing on Thursday, Xi repeated Beijing’s position on the Ukraine war, saying China “repeatedly stressed” the need to adhere to three principles – “no expansion of the battlefields, no escalation of hostilities and no fanning flames” – to strive for a swift de-escalation.
The three principles were previously mentioned in Xi’s speech at the 16th Brics summit in Kazan, Russia, in October.
“China will continue to uphold its consistent position and work with the international community to create favourable conditions for a political solution to the crisis,” Xi told Medvedev, who is deputy chairman of Russia’s powerful Security Council and chairman of the ruling United Russia party.
Hailing China-Russia relations as “exemplary” for international relations between large neighbouring countries, Xi said China was willing to “strengthen strategic synergy” with Russia, CCTV said.
He said both countries should work closely in multilateral frameworks such as Brics and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to “firmly safeguard the international system with the United Nations as the core, practise true multilateralism, promote the development of the international order in a more just and reasonable direction to jointly safeguard global strategic stability and international fairness and justice”.
Xi, the leader of China’s ruling Communist Party, also stressed that the ruling parties of both countries would further strengthen their coordination and cooperation to lead global governance.
“[We should] gather consensus among friendly political parties from around the world, especially those in the Global South, and push the world in the right direction,” Xi said.
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By William Zheng
China will continue to work to create “favourable conditions for a political solution” to the Ukraine crisis, President Xi Jinping said while vowing to strengthen “strategic synergy” with Russia, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Meeting former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev in Beijing on Thursday, Xi repeated Beijing’s position on the Ukraine war, saying China “repeatedly stressed” the need to adhere to three principles – “no expansion of the battlefields, no escalation of hostilities and no fanning flames” – to strive for a swift de-escalation.
The three principles were previously mentioned in Xi’s speech at the 16th Brics summit in Kazan, Russia, in October.
“China will continue to uphold its consistent position and work with the international community to create favourable conditions for a political solution to the crisis,” Xi told Medvedev, who is deputy chairman of Russia’s powerful Security Council and chairman of the ruling United Russia party.
Hailing China-Russia relations as “exemplary” for international relations between large neighbouring countries, Xi said China was willing to “strengthen strategic synergy” with Russia, CCTV said.
He said both countries should work closely in multilateral frameworks such as Brics and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to “firmly safeguard the international system with the United Nations as the core, practise true multilateralism, promote the development of the international order in a more just and reasonable direction to jointly safeguard global strategic stability and international fairness and justice”.
Xi, the leader of China’s ruling Communist Party, also stressed that the ruling parties of both countries would further strengthen their coordination and cooperation to lead global governance.
“[We should] gather consensus among friendly political parties from around the world, especially those in the Global South, and push the world in the right direction,” Xi said.
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China still ‘open’ to trade engagement with Trump despite tariff threats
By Sylvia Ma
China remains “open to engaging with the new US administration” on trade, the country’s Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday, maintaining a cordial tone despite the high likelihood of new tariffs during Donald Trump’s imminent second term as US president.
“China’s stance against unilateral tariffs has been consistent,” said ministry spokesman He Yadong at a regular press conference.
Beijing is willing to strengthen dialogue and coordination with Washington, he added, while “effectively managing differences” to ensure the “steady and long-term development” of ties.
His remarks came as concerns mount over a potential resurgent trade war between the world’s two largest economies, as Trump has signalled he will resume his hardline stance upon taking office.
Addressing the heads of 10 major international economic organisations in Beijing on Tuesday, President Xi Jinping warned that there would be “no winners” in a protracted conflict between the two powers.
“Tariff wars, trade wars and technology wars run counter to historical trends and economic laws,” Xi said.
He added that China is ready to “maintain dialogue, expand cooperation and manage differences with the US government,” stressing the country will continue to safeguard its interests.
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By Sylvia Ma
China remains “open to engaging with the new US administration” on trade, the country’s Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday, maintaining a cordial tone despite the high likelihood of new tariffs during Donald Trump’s imminent second term as US president.
“China’s stance against unilateral tariffs has been consistent,” said ministry spokesman He Yadong at a regular press conference.
Beijing is willing to strengthen dialogue and coordination with Washington, he added, while “effectively managing differences” to ensure the “steady and long-term development” of ties.
His remarks came as concerns mount over a potential resurgent trade war between the world’s two largest economies, as Trump has signalled he will resume his hardline stance upon taking office.
Addressing the heads of 10 major international economic organisations in Beijing on Tuesday, President Xi Jinping warned that there would be “no winners” in a protracted conflict between the two powers.
“Tariff wars, trade wars and technology wars run counter to historical trends and economic laws,” Xi said.
He added that China is ready to “maintain dialogue, expand cooperation and manage differences with the US government,” stressing the country will continue to safeguard its interests.
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Hong Kong shopping centres failing to ensure barrier-free access, poll finds
By Fiona Sun
More than half of the facilities at 26 shopping centres in Hong Kong fail to meet barrier-free building standards, a charity has found, calling for improved accessibility to better serve people with disabilities and the elderly.
The Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation released the results of its survey on Thursday after reviewing the degree of accessibility at entrances and bathrooms, passageways, information counters, lifts and escalators.
It found that more than half of the facilities at all 26 sites reviewed failed to meet the minimum requirements set up in the Design Manual – Barrier Free Access 2008, published by the Buildings Department.
Half of the 26 shopping centres assessed were built in 2008 or before.
“The situation reflected in the survey was just the tip of the iceberg,” said Iris Chan Kwan-ning, the organisation’s consultant for research and advocacy.
“The non-compliance at older shopping centres was worse, but the conditions of the newer ones were also not good,” she added.
Chan said many of the failures were found in entrances, information counters and lift lobbies.
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By Fiona Sun
More than half of the facilities at 26 shopping centres in Hong Kong fail to meet barrier-free building standards, a charity has found, calling for improved accessibility to better serve people with disabilities and the elderly.
The Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation released the results of its survey on Thursday after reviewing the degree of accessibility at entrances and bathrooms, passageways, information counters, lifts and escalators.
It found that more than half of the facilities at all 26 sites reviewed failed to meet the minimum requirements set up in the Design Manual – Barrier Free Access 2008, published by the Buildings Department.
Half of the 26 shopping centres assessed were built in 2008 or before.
“The situation reflected in the survey was just the tip of the iceberg,” said Iris Chan Kwan-ning, the organisation’s consultant for research and advocacy.
“The non-compliance at older shopping centres was worse, but the conditions of the newer ones were also not good,” she added.
Chan said many of the failures were found in entrances, information counters and lift lobbies.
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Could Trump be a catalyst for the reforms China and Germany need?
By Nicholas Spiro
There is still over a month before US president-elect Donald Trump moves back into the White House and supposedly makes good on his campaign pledge to put America first. Yet this has not stopped pundits, economists and investment strategists from fiercely speculating about how Trump will manage the conflicting policy goals of his four-pronged agenda of deregulation, tax cuts, punitive trade tariffs and a crackdown on immigration.
Never mind what is likely to happen in the first 100 days of his second term, even the first couple of days are the subject of intense discussion among analysts. “Trump’s first day of his second term as president may be very long indeed – ‘a day in the biblical sense’ – given the string of campaign promises he pledged to enact,” said Tina Fordham, the founder of Fordham Global Foresight.
Financial markets seem to be taking comfort from the growth-friendly parts of Trumponomics while withholding judgment or downplaying the severity of the damage caused by tariffs and immigration crackdowns. The benchmark S&P 500 equity index hit a fresh high on December 6 and is up more than 5 per cent since Trump’s victory.
In fact, the prevailing narrative is that the resounding triumph of Trump and his Republican Party reinforces the trend of “American exceptionalism”. This is the notion that America’s economy and markets will continue to outperform the rest of the world because of the US dollar’s role as the world’s pre-eminent reserve currency, a large consumer market, vast energy resources and its dominance of the industries of the future.
Moreover, the US benefits from being a relatively closed economy, with merchandise trade as a share of economic output standing at just 19 per cent last year. Morgan Stanley says: “US assets should also do relatively better than [the rest of the world] in an environment of rising trade tension. European and Chinese economies have to contend with a growth drag from a decline in exports and also need to price in higher geopolitical risk premiums.”
Yet there is another narrative that is getting more attention but is more controversial. Trump’s aggressive “America first” agenda may prove to be the catalyst for much-needed policy changes and reforms in the global economy.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Nicholas Spiro
There is still over a month before US president-elect Donald Trump moves back into the White House and supposedly makes good on his campaign pledge to put America first. Yet this has not stopped pundits, economists and investment strategists from fiercely speculating about how Trump will manage the conflicting policy goals of his four-pronged agenda of deregulation, tax cuts, punitive trade tariffs and a crackdown on immigration.
Never mind what is likely to happen in the first 100 days of his second term, even the first couple of days are the subject of intense discussion among analysts. “Trump’s first day of his second term as president may be very long indeed – ‘a day in the biblical sense’ – given the string of campaign promises he pledged to enact,” said Tina Fordham, the founder of Fordham Global Foresight.
Financial markets seem to be taking comfort from the growth-friendly parts of Trumponomics while withholding judgment or downplaying the severity of the damage caused by tariffs and immigration crackdowns. The benchmark S&P 500 equity index hit a fresh high on December 6 and is up more than 5 per cent since Trump’s victory.
In fact, the prevailing narrative is that the resounding triumph of Trump and his Republican Party reinforces the trend of “American exceptionalism”. This is the notion that America’s economy and markets will continue to outperform the rest of the world because of the US dollar’s role as the world’s pre-eminent reserve currency, a large consumer market, vast energy resources and its dominance of the industries of the future.
Moreover, the US benefits from being a relatively closed economy, with merchandise trade as a share of economic output standing at just 19 per cent last year. Morgan Stanley says: “US assets should also do relatively better than [the rest of the world] in an environment of rising trade tension. European and Chinese economies have to contend with a growth drag from a decline in exports and also need to price in higher geopolitical risk premiums.”
Yet there is another narrative that is getting more attention but is more controversial. Trump’s aggressive “America first” agenda may prove to be the catalyst for much-needed policy changes and reforms in the global economy.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
