China’s Communist Party will impose a sweeping national security law in Hong Kong during the annual meeting of its top political body, criminalizing “foreign interference” along with secessionist activities and subversion of state power. This is directed at the protests for independence. It is a very dramatic and bold move that unquestionably undermines Hong Kong’s […]

ASIA: China’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday spoke highly of World Health Organization (WHO) member states’ adherence to the one-China principle, saying that this proved “Taiwan independence” will lead nowhere. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks after the World Health Assembly (WHA) decided not to discuss a proposal made by Taiwan authorities and a […]

ASIA: Chinese President Xi Jinping said when addressing the World Health Assembly that he supports calls for an investigation into the handling of the coronavirus pandemic, but insisted that any inquiry should wait until the virus is contained. More than 100 countries have called for an independent inquiry into the pandemic, which has so far […]

ASIA: Chinese industry rebounded in April from record falls, but the country’s economic recovery remains fragile after the latest threat from US President Donald Trump strained relations further. Industrial production rose 3.9% year-on-year in April after collapsing 13.5% during the January-February period, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Friday. Taiwan has sought India’s support […]

ASIA: China has warned the US that stopping US government’s main pension fund from investing in Chinese equities will only hurt US investors. Trump administration officials linked the action to the coronavirus pandemic, which the US and Chinese governments have blamed on each other in increasingly bitter exchanges. The US Department of Homeland Security and […]

ASIA: China has suspended imports of red meat from four Australian abattoirs in a move analysts say was “politically motivated punishment” for Australia’s call for an inquiry into the origins of COVID-19. The Chinese embassy in Canberra did not respond to a request for comment. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will force additional checks on […]

ASIA: China said that their exports rose 3.5% in April, crushing expectations of a group of economists who predicted a decline of 1-5.7% for the same period. According to data from the General Administration of Customs released on Thursday, exports rose 3.5% from a year ago while imports fell 14.2% in the same period. China’s […]

  ASIA: China’s official index of manufacturing purchasing managers slipped to 50.8 in April from 52.0 in March, the National Bureau of Statistics said. Pandemic triggered recessions around the world have made Chinese manufacturers pessimistic about export demand. Cui Tiankai, China’s ambassador to the United States, has said the two countries need to look beyond […]

ASIA: India’s sovereign rating could come under pressure if its fiscal outlook deteriorates further as the government tries to steer the country through the coronavirus crisis, rating agency Fitch said on Tuesday. Fitch currently rates India at BBB-, with a stable outlook, but any downgrade would consign its sovereign debt to junk bond territory. The […]

ASIA: India laid out plans for the gradual reopening of its economy that will permit some manufacturing, agricultural work, and other activities to resume on a limited basis after April 20, provided they are not in designated coronavirus hotspots. India’s top-down approach to implementing the initial countrywide lockdown was critical in slowing the rapid spread […]