China factory output, retail sales beat forecasts in boost to recovery prospects

China’s industrial output and retail sales grew at a faster-than-expected pace in August, but property investment slumped further and could drag on broader demand even as the recent flurry of support policies showed signs of stabilising the economy. Industrial output, released on Friday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), rose 4.5% in August from […]

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North Korean leader heads for aviation plant in Russian Far East town

Moscow: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in the town of Komsomolsk-on-Amur in Russia’s Far East on Friday and headed straight to a vast aviation plant that produces warplanes and other equipment, TASS news agency said. TASS said Kim was met by the regional governor and other officials on a red carpet at the […]

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China’s defence minister, not seen in weeks, skipped Vietnam meet

Beijing :  Chinese defence minister Li Shangfu abruptly pulled out of a meeting with Vietnamese defence leaders last week, three officials with direct knowledge of the matter said, amid questions about his more than two-weeks-long absence from public view. Li, 65, was due to attend an annual gathering on defence cooperation hosted by Vietnam on its […]

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China concerns drive historic upgrade in US-Vietnam relations

Over the weekend, US President Joe Biden arrived in Hanoi and finalised a diplomatic agreement with former foe Vietnam that was, until recently, almost unthinkable. Shortly after touching down in the country, Biden met Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist party of Vietnam, to upgrade their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership (CSP), […]

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Inside North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s armoured train

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un used a dark green train to travel to Russia, state media showed on Tuesday, relying on a slow but specialised form of transportation that the reclusive country’s leaders have used for decades. Compared to the country’s ageing fleet of planes, bulletproof trains offer a safer and more comfortable space […]

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Strong partnership with China more important than BRI : Italian PM

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Sunday there was more to Italy’s relationship with China than the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), adding that a final decision on whether to leave the BRI was still to be taken. Italian media reported earlier in the day that Italy would quit the BRI and instead seek to […]

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China is a challenge not a foe, says British trade minister

Beijing :  China should not be described as a foe, but as a “challenge”, British business and trade minister Kemi Badenoch said on Monday, amid concerns over possible Chinese interference in Britain’s parliamentary democracy. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Sunday he had raised his concerns during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at […]

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North Korea’s Kim boards train bound for Russia and summit with Putin – Reports

Pyongyang: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appears to have departed aboard a special train bound for Russia and a summit with President Vladimir Putin, South Korean media reported on Monday, citing unnamed senior government sources. Russia’s Interfax news agency reported earlier on Monday that Kim, who rarely travels abroad, was expected to visit Russia’s far […]

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