China builds space alliances in Africa as Trump cuts foreign aid

On the outskirts of Cairo, a cutting-edge space lab was supposed to be the first in Africa to produce homegrown satellites. Step inside the plant, though, and the made-in-Africa image begins to fade. Satellite equipment and parts arrive in crates from Beijing. Chinese scientists scan space-tracking monitors and deliver instructions to Egyptian engineers. A Chinese […]

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China’s counter-tariffs on US goods come into effect

China’s tariffs on some US goods are set to take effect on Monday, as the trade war between the world’s two largest economies intensifies and Donald Trump threatens to impose tariffs on more countries. Beijing announced the tariffs on February 4, after the US imposed a 10% tariff on all Chinese goods. Trump said on […]

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Hong Kong to complain to WTO on U.S. tariff decision

The Hong Kong government will proceed with launching a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) over the United States’ decision to levy an additional 10 per cent tariff on products from the city, an escalation analysts say is important but unlikely to sway the Trump administration. Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau […]

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Japan PM Ishiba, after meeting Trump, voices optimism over averting tariffs

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed optimism on Sunday that his country could avoid higher U.S. tariffs, saying President Donald Trump had “recognised” Japan’s huge investment in the U.S. and the American jobs that it creates. At his first White House summit on Friday, Ishiba told public broadcaster NHK, he explained to Trump how many […]

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vows to further develop nuclear forces

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un criticised trilateral military cooperation among the United States, Japan and South Korea for raising tensions in the region and vowed countermeasures, including the further development of nuclear forces. Kim said U.S. deployments of nuclear strategic assets, war exercises and military cooperation with Japan and South Korea were inviting military […]

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Kim’s new map, confusion amid demands for reunification of two Koreas

Tensions between North and South Korea are nothing new. Reunification efforts between the two Koreas have not been successful since the Korean War in the 1950s. However, a recent viral image of a map of North Korea has confused policy researchers and users alike. The viral map shows the Korean peninsula divided into two separate […]

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Japan, US agree to have FX matters in the hands of finance chiefs, Ishiba says

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he agreed with U.S. President Donald Trump that the two countries will leave foreign exchange-rate matters in the hands of their finance ministers. “As was the case during the first Trump administration, we decided to continue close discussions between the Japanese and U.S. finance leaders, who are the experts,” […]

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China challenges Trump tariffs at WTO as package shippers warn of chaos

China filed a World Trade Organization complaint on Wednesday against US President Donald Trump’s new 10% tariff on Chinese imports and his cancellation of a duty-free exemption for low-value packages, arguing the actions are “protectionist” and break WTO rules. Beijing’s request for US trade consultations came as confusion reigned among shippers and retailers over Trump’s […]

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Japan’s underlying inflation approaching 2%, economy minister says

Japan’s Economy Minister Ryosei Akazawa said on Monday the country’s underlying inflation was approaching 2%, a goal that is included in the government’s joint statement with the central bank aimed at coordinating policy to beat economic stagnation. Speaking in parliament, Akazawa also said households face even higher inflation that is driven more by cost-push factors, […]

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