<a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../china-slams-us-bill-on-uighur-muslims-266287">China</a> on Thursday denied posing a threat to other countries, insisting it is a "peaceful power" after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../netanyahu-pushes-pompeo-for-more-pressure- on-iran-in-portugal-266280">NATO members</a> signed a statement acknowledging the "challenges" posed by Beijing for the first time.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday that the alliance had to jointly tackle China's growing military capabilities, which include missiles that could reach Europe and the United States.

The alliance said in a declaration Wednesday it recognised that "China's growing influence and international policies present both opportunities and challenges" after a summit in London of leaders from NATO's 29 member states.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Thursday that "the growth of China's power is the growth of peaceful power" and that "there is not necessarily a connection between the threat and the size of a country".

Speaking at a regular press conference, she said "the largest threat facing the world today is unilateralism and bullying actions," making a thinly veiled reference to the US.

"Even American allies have been harmed," she added.

The two-day summit in London was overshadowed by bad blood with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../how-us-public-opinion-has-evolved-on- impeachment-of-trump-266209">Donald Trump branding Canada's prime minister "two-faced"</a> after a group of allied leaders were caught on video at a Buckingham Palace reception mocking the US president's rambling press appearances.

NATO's summit declaration also stressed the need for "secure and resilient" communications, particularly 5G infrastructure.

This points to growing anxiety in NATO and the West at large about the role of Chinese companies, particularly Huawei, in building the networks needed for the next generation of mobile communications.

China on Thursday denied posing a threat to other countries, insisting it is a "peaceful power" after NATO members signed a statement acknowledging the "challenges" posed by Beijing for the first time.

China on Thursday denied posing a threat to other countries, insisting it is a "peaceful power" after NATO members signed a statement acknowledging the "challenges" posed by Beijing for the first time. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday that the alliance had to jointly tackle China's growing military capabilities, which include missiles that could reach Europe and the United States. The alliance said in a declaration Wednesday it recognised that "China's growing influence and international policies present both opportunities and challenges" after a summit in London of leaders from NATO's 29 member states. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Thursday that "the growth of China's power is the growth of peaceful power" and that "there is not necessarily a connection between the threat and the size of a country". Speaking at a regular press conference, she said "the largest threat facing the world today is unilateralism and bullying actions," making a thinly veiled reference to the US. "Even American allies have been harmed," she added. The two-day summit in London was overshadowed by bad blood with Donald Trump branding Canada's prime minister "two-faced" after a group of allied leaders were caught on video at a Buckingham Palace reception mocking the US president's rambling press appearances. NATO's summit declaration also stressed the need for "secure and resilient" communications, particularly 5G infrastructure. This points to growing anxiety in NATO and the West at large about the role of Chinese companies, particularly Huawei, in building the networks needed for the next generation of mobile communications.

Beijing brushes off NATO fears of China 'challenges'

Uigher Human Rights Bill passed in the U.S. house, New Uigher Bill is a stronger version of Uigher Act 2019, Uigher bill is a message to Beijing

U.S. house ramps up China Tension

Nineteen <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-overtakes-united-states-in-number-of-diplomatic-missions-264784">Chinese</a> officials face punishment for covering up a murder after the victim's body was found buried under a school playground some 16 years after the crime, state media said Wednesday.

Deng Shiping was overseeing the construction of a playground at the middle school where he worked in Huaihua city, central <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-sets-up-hong-kong-crisis-centre-in-mainland-open-to-replacing-chief-liaison-264564">Hunan province</a>, when he disappeared in 2003.

The cold case was finally solved after his body was unearthed from the playground in June.

The raft of civil servants accused of concealing the crime includes police officers, local Communist Party committee members, government officials and school staff.

Two suspects have been prosecuted for the murder.

One of the men, Du Shaoping, had been contracted to build the school's playground, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Deng was overseeing the "quality of construction" of the building project and relations were tense with Du, Xinhua said.

The victim's daughter told Beijing News that Du had given her father gifts and cash, but Deng handed them over to the accounting staff of the school.

Du had told construction staff at the site that Deng was "too strict on the quality of the project and he wants to kill him", Beijing News reported.

The investigation found that Du and another man killed Deng in January 2003 and buried him under the playground.

The day after Deng disappeared, Du's uncle Huang Bingsong,&nbsp;who was also the principal of the school,&nbsp;was seen directing the bulldozer at the building site.

Deng's family reported the disappearance and suggested to police his corpse might be buried under the playground, but said police repeatedly failed to investigate or properly file the case.

After the murder, the principal helped hide the crime by "seeking help from local public security officers and other public servants", Xinhua said.

Xinhua said the 19 officials were found guilty of dereliction of duty or other violations of discipline and law.

Ten of them are awaiting a criminal trial, including six police officers and Huang, according to the Paper, a local daily.

The nine others face administrative punishments, including being sacked or "disciplined".

A total of 13 members of Du's crime group were also arrested and prosecuted for suspected crimes including illegal detention, affray and forced transactions.

Nineteen Chinese officials face punishment for covering up a murder after the victim's body was found buried under a school playground some 16 years after the crime, state media said Wednesday.

Nineteen Chinese officials face punishment for covering up a murder after the victim's body was found buried under a school playground some 16 years after the crime, state media said Wednesday. Deng Shiping was overseeing the construction of a playground at the middle school where he worked in Huaihua city, central Hunan province, when he disappeared in 2003. The cold case was finally solved after his body was unearthed from the playground in June. The raft of civil servants accused of concealing the crime includes police officers, local Communist Party committee members, government officials and school staff. Two suspects have been prosecuted for the murder. One of the men, Du Shaoping, had been contracted to build the school's playground, according to the official Xinhua news agency. Deng was overseeing the "quality of construction" of the building project and relations were tense with Du, Xinhua said. The victim's daughter told Beijing News that Du had given her father gifts and cash, but Deng handed them over to the accounting staff of the school. Du had told construction staff at the site that Deng was "too strict on the quality of the project and he wants to kill him", Beijing News reported. The investigation found that Du and another man killed Deng in January 2003 and buried him under the playground. The day after Deng disappeared, Du's uncle Huang Bingsong, who was also the principal of the school, was seen directing the bulldozer at the building site. Deng's family reported the disappearance and suggested to police his corpse might be buried under the playground, but said police repeatedly failed to investigate or properly file the case. After the murder, the principal helped hide the crime by "seeking help from local public security officers and other public servants", Xinhua said. Xinhua said the 19 officials were found guilty of dereliction of duty or other violations of discipline and law. Ten of them are awaiting a criminal trial, including six police officers and Huang, according to the Paper, a local daily. The nine others face administrative punishments, including being sacked or "disciplined". A total of 13 members of Du's crime group were also arrested and prosecuted for suspected crimes including illegal detention, affray and forced transactions.

19 Chinese officials punished for covering-up murder in 2003

Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday expressed confidence that air pollution in the national capital will be reduced in lesser time than taken by China to address the problem of pollution in Beijing and called for the people`s movement to deal with the problem.

Replying to debate over air pollution in the Lok Sabha, Javadekar said that a national knowledge network has been created and scientists meet daily to find new ways to deal with the problem of pollution.

The minister said that India will provide leadership on climate change and will be able to deal with the problem of pollution soon.

He said every individual has to make a contribution to combating pollution as part of the people`s movement.

"The government will also take everyone along. I have confidence that if it took 15 years to tackle the problem of pollution in Beijing, we will do it in lesser time and do it collectively," he said.

He said that there is only one earth and resources are depleting. Pointing to difference between climate change and air pollution, Javadekar said there has been excessive emission of carbon dioxide during the industralisation of the western world and this gas remains in the atmosphere for a very long time and impedes the flow of heat generated by the sun.

"This is leading to a rise in temperature of the earth," he said. Javadekar said that in contrast, pollutants which cause air pollution disappear in a short time.

He said India is not responsible for climate change and its carbon emissions are far less than the developed world.

"We are not a cause of the problem, but ultimately we are suffering and everybody is suffering. So, as a responsible country, India has decided to become a part of the solution," he said.

The minister said that India was committed to increasing the share of renewable power in its energy mix to 40 per cent and has already scaled up the production target from 1,75,000 MW of renewable energy to 4,50,000 MW.

He said that India will also reduce its emission intensity by 35 per cent and steps have been taken in this direction. Stressing on afforestation, he said trees absorb carbon and produce wood.

"In the coming 10 years, we will create forests on a large scale. We have the highest target in the world. The green cover has increased by 13,000 square kilometres in the last four years," he said.

The minister said that India has also announced that it will make 26 million hectare barren land green in the next 10 years. Javadekar said he will visit Spain next month for CoP 25 and India`s position is straight.

"India is doing what it had said and every country has to fulfill its promise made in the Paris Climate Agreement. The developing world should get finance, 100 billion dollars that were committed. Technology should be given at an affordable cost. If technology is not given, the change will not happen soon," he said.

Stressing on sustainable development, he cited the instance of Delhi metro and said both that "development and environment protection have to go hand-in-hand."

Javadekar said that five times more trees have been planted than the trees cut for the construction of the metro. The minister said that the government has prepared the National Clean Air programme and released funds according to the needs of the cities to reduce the pollution level.

He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Air Quality Index in 2015 and devices for measuring air quality have been installed at 730 places in 344 cities.

Javadekar said that poor air quality of Delhi was also related to its geography and noted that Indo-Gangetic plain has the highest level of pollution.

"Because there is moisture from Ganga, from the Himalayas, there are cold winds or slow winds. Delhi is like a bowl. If the wind speed is 20 km, the air will get clean but if it is less than 20 km, the air stays there and that is the reason for more pollution," he said.

Reading from the report of a scientist, he said, "Meteorology plays a dominant role in Delhi`s air quality and also other places` air quality. Ventilation Index defined as a product of wind speed and mixing height is a significant factor affecting air quality."

"Winters are dominated by cold dry air and ground-based inversions with low wind conditions which make the air stagnant and creates an unfavourable condition for dispersion," he said.

He said that air pollution is caused by industry, vehicles, dust and bio-mass and listed the steps taken by the government to address each aspect including the closure of coal-based power plant in the capital, expansion of metro network and construction of peripheral highways.

He urged the people to create their own oxygen bank by planting seven trees. Javadekar said that they had started a school nursery programme and the child will take a sapling home when results are declared.

The minister said higher awareness had led to fewer bursting of crackers during Diwali. He also laid stress on using electric-vehicles.

The minister said that the Indian tradition teaches to live with nature and cited examples of clothes being dried in sun and not through an electric dryer and clothes of children being passed from generation to generation.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday expressed confidence that air pollution in the national capital will be reduced in lesser time than taken by China to address the problem of pollution in Beijing and called for the people`s movement to deal with the problem.

Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday expressed confidence that air pollution in the national capital will be reduced in lesser time than taken by China to address the problem of pollution in Beijing and called for the people`s movement to deal with the problem. Replying to debate over air pollution in the Lok Sabha, Javadekar said that a national knowledge network has been created and scientists meet daily to find new ways to deal with the problem of pollution. The minister said that India will provide leadership on climate change and will be able to deal with the problem of pollution soon. He said every individual has to make a contribution to combating pollution as part of the people`s movement. "The government will also take everyone along. I have confidence that if it took 15 years to tackle the problem of pollution in Beijing, we will do it in lesser time and do it collectively," he said. He said that there is only one earth and resources are depleting. Pointing to difference between climate change and air pollution, Javadekar said there has been excessive emission of carbon dioxide during the industralisation of the western world and this gas remains in the atmosphere for a very long time and impedes the flow of heat generated by the sun. "This is leading to a rise in temperature of the earth," he said. Javadekar said that in contrast, pollutants which cause air pollution disappear in a short time. He said India is not responsible for climate change and its carbon emissions are far less than the developed world. "We are not a cause of the problem, but ultimately we are suffering and everybody is suffering. So, as a responsible country, India has decided to become a part of the solution," he said. The minister said that India was committed to increasing the share of renewable power in its energy mix to 40 per cent and has already scaled up the production target from 1,75,000 MW of renewable energy to 4,50,000 MW. He said that India will also reduce its emission intensity by 35 per cent and steps have been taken in this direction. Stressing on afforestation, he said trees absorb carbon and produce wood. "In the coming 10 years, we will create forests on a large scale. We have the highest target in the world. The green cover has increased by 13,000 square kilometres in the last four years," he said. The minister said that India has also announced that it will make 26 million hectare barren land green in the next 10 years. Javadekar said he will visit Spain next month for CoP 25 and India`s position is straight. "India is doing what it had said and every country has to fulfill its promise made in the Paris Climate Agreement. The developing world should get finance, 100 billion dollars that were committed. Technology should be given at an affordable cost. If technology is not given, the change will not happen soon," he said. Stressing on sustainable development, he cited the instance of Delhi metro and said both that "development and environment protection have to go hand-in-hand." Javadekar said that five times more trees have been planted than the trees cut for the construction of the metro. The minister said that the government has prepared the National Clean Air programme and released funds according to the needs of the cities to reduce the pollution level. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Air Quality Index in 2015 and devices for measuring air quality have been installed at 730 places in 344 cities. Javadekar said that poor air quality of Delhi was also related to its geography and noted that Indo-Gangetic plain has the highest level of pollution. "Because there is moisture from Ganga, from the Himalayas, there are cold winds or slow winds. Delhi is like a bowl. If the wind speed is 20 km, the air will get clean but if it is less than 20 km, the air stays there and that is the reason for more pollution," he said. Reading from the report of a scientist, he said, "Meteorology plays a dominant role in Delhi`s air quality and also other places` air quality. Ventilation Index defined as a product of wind speed and mixing height is a significant factor affecting air quality." "Winters are dominated by cold dry air and ground-based inversions with low wind conditions which make the air stagnant and creates an unfavourable condition for dispersion," he said. He said that air pollution is caused by industry, vehicles, dust and bio-mass and listed the steps taken by the government to address each aspect including the closure of coal-based power plant in the capital, expansion of metro network and construction of peripheral highways. He urged the people to create their own oxygen bank by planting seven trees. Javadekar said that they had started a school nursery programme and the child will take a sapling home when results are declared. The minister said higher awareness had led to fewer bursting of crackers during Diwali. He also laid stress on using electric-vehicles. The minister said that the Indian tradition teaches to live with nature and cited examples of clothes being dried in sun and not through an electric dryer and clothes of children being passed from generation to generation.

Will take lesser time than Beijing: Javadekar on tackling Delhi's air pollution

Global&nbsp;shares&nbsp;slid on Thursday as a fresh&nbsp;row&nbsp;between Washington and Beijing&nbsp;over&nbsp;US&nbsp;bills on&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;could complicate their&nbsp;trade&nbsp;negotiation and delay a "phase one"&nbsp;deal&nbsp;that investors had initially hoped to be inked by now.

MSCI's broadest index of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/flare-up-of-sino-us-tensions-over-hong-kong-knocks-world-shares-off-22-month-high-263395">Asia-Pacific&nbsp;shares</a>&nbsp;outside Japan fell 1.2 per cent, with&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong's Hang Seng shedding 2&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;while Japan's Nikkei dropped 1.6 per cent. Chinese mainland&nbsp;shares&nbsp;dropped 0.6 per cent.

US&nbsp;futures&nbsp;dropped 0.5&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;in Asian&nbsp;trade, a day after MSCI's broadest gauge of world stocks fell 0.4 per cent, the biggest fall since early October. On Wall Street, all three major indexes fell, with the losing 0.38 per cent.

The&nbsp;US&nbsp;House of Representatives on Wednesday passed two bills intended to support protesters in&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;and send a warning to&nbsp;China&nbsp;about human rights.

The legislation, which has angered Beijing, has been sent to the White House for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-accuses-uk-of-misleading-public-in-election-row-263418">President Donald Trump</a>'s approval. A person familiar with the matter said Trump was expected to sign it.

"China&nbsp;will surely take this as interference into its domestic affairs and is likely to think it will no longer need to make concessions on&nbsp;trade," said Norihiro Fujito, chief investment strategist at <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/asian-shares-near-two-month-lows-ahead-of-looming-us-tariff-hike-217382">Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities</a>.

The move came as&nbsp;trade&nbsp;experts and people close to the White House said completion of a "phase one"&nbsp;US-China&nbsp;trade&nbsp;deal&nbsp;could slide into next year, as Beijing presses for more extensive tariff rollbacks, and the Trump administration counters with heightened demands of its own.

Trump said on Oct. 11 that the&nbsp;deal&nbsp;could take as long as five weeks, and investors had initially expected an agreement by mid-November.

Asked Wednesday about the status of the&nbsp;China&nbsp;deal, Trump told reporters in Texas: "I don't think they're stepping up to the level that I want."

Trade&nbsp;jitters sent the 10-year&nbsp;US&nbsp;Treasuries to yield down to 1.707 per cent, near its lowest levels in three weeks and down more than 25 basis points from a Nov. 7 peak of 1.973 per cent, a three-month high.

Similarly in the currency market, the yuan hit three-week lows, trading as low as 7.0450 to the dollar in onshore&nbsp;trade.

The dollar slipped 0.3 per cent&nbsp;against the yen to 108.31, compared to this week's high of 109.07 touched on Monday, while safe-haven gold edged up 0.26 per cent to $1,474.9 per ounce.

The euro was little changed at $1.1075&nbsp;

Tomoo Kinoshita, chief economist at Invesco Asset Management in Tokyo, said the market is unlikely to completely give up hopes on the&nbsp;trade&nbsp;deal.

"There have always been some uncertainties in&nbsp;trade&nbsp;talks but that won't erase positive effects from signs of bottoming out in the global manufacturing sector," he said.

The minutes from the Federal Reserve's previous policy meeting published on Wednesday offered little guidance on what would cause policymakers to change their minds on the&nbsp;outlook&nbsp;after an increasingly divided Fed decided to hit pause in its easing cycle.

Oil prices also dipped, paring some of their 2 per cent&nbsp;gains made on Wednesday after a better-than-expected&nbsp;US&nbsp;crude inventories report and as Russia said it would continue its cooperation with OPEC to keep the market balanced.

Global benchmark Brent futures dropped 0.4 per cent&nbsp;to $62.16.&nbsp;US&nbsp;West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were down 0.39 per cent&nbsp;at $56.79 per barrel in early Thursday&nbsp;trade.

Global shares slid on Thursday as a fresh row between Washington and Beijing over US bills on Hong Kong could complicate their trade negotiation and delay a "phase one" deal that investors had initially hoped to be inked by now.

Global shares slid on Thursday as a fresh row between Washington and Beijing over US bills on Hong Kong could complicate their trade negotiation and delay a "phase one" deal that investors had initially hoped to be inked by now. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 1.2 per cent, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng shedding 2 per cent while Japan's Nikkei dropped 1.6 per cent. Chinese mainland shares dropped 0.6 per cent. US futures dropped 0.5 per cent in Asian trade, a day after MSCI's broadest gauge of world stocks fell 0.4 per cent, the biggest fall since early October. On Wall Street, all three major indexes fell, with the losing 0.38 per cent. The US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed two bills intended to support protesters in Hong Kong and send a warning to China about human rights. The legislation, which has angered Beijing, has been sent to the White House for President Donald Trump's approval. A person familiar with the matter said Trump was expected to sign it. "China will surely take this as interference into its domestic affairs and is likely to think it will no longer need to make concessions on trade," said Norihiro Fujito, chief investment strategist at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities. The move came as trade experts and people close to the White House said completion of a "phase one" US-China trade deal could slide into next year, as Beijing presses for more extensive tariff rollbacks, and the Trump administration counters with heightened demands of its own. Trump said on Oct. 11 that the deal could take as long as five weeks, and investors had initially expected an agreement by mid-November. Asked Wednesday about the status of the China deal, Trump told reporters in Texas: "I don't think they're stepping up to the level that I want." Trade jitters sent the 10-year US Treasuries to yield down to 1.707 per cent, near its lowest levels in three weeks and down more than 25 basis points from a Nov. 7 peak of 1.973 per cent, a three-month high. Similarly in the currency market, the yuan hit three-week lows, trading as low as 7.0450 to the dollar in onshore trade. The dollar slipped 0.3 per cent against the yen to 108.31, compared to this week's high of 109.07 touched on Monday, while safe-haven gold edged up 0.26 per cent to $1,474.9 per ounce. The euro was little changed at $1.1075 Tomoo Kinoshita, chief economist at Invesco Asset Management in Tokyo, said the market is unlikely to completely give up hopes on the trade deal. "There have always been some uncertainties in trade talks but that won't erase positive effects from signs of bottoming out in the global manufacturing sector," he said. The minutes from the Federal Reserve's previous policy meeting published on Wednesday offered little guidance on what would cause policymakers to change their minds on the outlook after an increasingly divided Fed decided to hit pause in its easing cycle. Oil prices also dipped, paring some of their 2 per cent gains made on Wednesday after a better-than-expected US crude inventories report and as Russia said it would continue its cooperation with OPEC to keep the market balanced. Global benchmark Brent futures dropped 0.4 per cent to $62.16. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were down 0.39 per cent at $56.79 per barrel in early Thursday trade.

Shares stumble as China-US row over Hong Kong clouds trade deal outlook

China&nbsp;resolutely opposes US lawmakers' passing of a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-police-trying-to-settle-university-scuffle-peacefully-one-country-two-systems-to-be-upheld-263534">Hong Kong</a> human rights bill and will&nbsp;never&nbsp;allow&nbsp;anyone&nbsp;to&nbsp;destroy&nbsp;Hong Kong's prosperity and&nbsp;stability,&nbsp;senior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/turkey-and-china-tie-themselves-in-knots-over-syria-and-xinjiang-257735">Chinese&nbsp;diplomat&nbsp;Wang Yi</a> said on Thursday.

China's foreign ministry said in a statement that Wang,&nbsp;China's state councillor, told former US&nbsp;Secretary of Defense William Cohen during a meeting in&nbsp;Beijing&nbsp;that&nbsp;China&nbsp;will&nbsp;never&nbsp;allow&nbsp;anyone&nbsp;to undermine its "one country two systems" principle.

The Hong Kong police said on Wednesday that they intend to stick to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-house-passes-hong-kong-rights-bill-president-trump-expected-to-sign-263483">peaceful solutions</a> to the standoff at&nbsp;the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU).

Ho Yeung-sing, Chief Superintendent and Commander of Yau Tsim District of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, made the statement outside the PolyU campus, calling protesters to drop their weapons and leave the campus in a peaceful manner.

Additionally, Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah, said Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will uphold the ‘one country, two systems’ principle and will work to rebuild its image, during a press conference inside the Chinese embassy in London Wednesday.

The chief superintendent said the police that they had names of around 300 people under the age of 18 who had left the university. He added that while 700 protesters&nbsp;had been arrested, there was still a small group which was refusing to come out.

He said <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-students-sewer-escape-thwarted-as-rows-with-uk-us-grow-263389">efforts are being made to clear obstructions</a> and police are keeping maintaining communication with the leaders of different groups. He noted ambulances and first-aid staff are allowed to do their work, and police are now waiting for the remaining protesters to leave the campus voluntarily.

Watch: US House passes Hong Kong rights bill

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-house-passes-hong-kong-rights-bills-263487/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

''Apart from peaceful means, we also adopt a feasible approach to solve the problem. In this regard, we made a special arrangement for underage people. As long as they give up their weapons and leave the campus in a peaceful manner, we do our best in this regard, but we'll record their personal details and then let them go. But, of course, we will reserve the rights to pursue a case later," said Ho.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-university-protest-fizzling-out-as-over-1000-arrested-by-authorities-263246">protesters gathered at the PolyU campus</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;November 11, committing violent acts such as hurling gasoline bombs and shooting arrows at police and government supporters.

"Increasing violence in Hong Kong has continuously affected our core values and the international community's confidence in Hong Kong. This impacts Hong Kong's rule of law. Only through fortifying the implementation of the 'one country, two systems' principle by ourselves and rebuild our home, can we see the Hong Kong that we know once again," said Cheng.

Initially, the protests were triggered by a controversial bill that would have allowed extradition to China, but eventually morphed into a full-fledged movement asking for democracy in Hong Kong.

(With inputs from Reuters)

China resolutely opposes US lawmakers' passing of a Hong Kong human rights bill and will never allow anyone to destroy Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi said on Thursday.

China resolutely opposes US lawmakers' passing of a Hong Kong human rights bill and will never allow anyone to destroy Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi said on Thursday. China's foreign ministry said in a statement that Wang, China's state councillor, told former US Secretary of Defense William Cohen during a meeting in Beijing that China will never allow anyone to undermine its "one country two systems" principle. The Hong Kong police said on Wednesday that they intend to stick to peaceful solutions to the standoff at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). Ho Yeung-sing, Chief Superintendent and Commander of Yau Tsim District of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, made the statement outside the PolyU campus, calling protesters to drop their weapons and leave the campus in a peaceful manner. Additionally, Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah, said Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will uphold the ‘one country, two systems’ principle and will work to rebuild its image, during a press conference inside the Chinese embassy in London Wednesday. The chief superintendent said the police that they had names of around 300 people under the age of 18 who had left the university. He added that while 700 protesters had been arrested, there was still a small group which was refusing to come out. He said efforts are being made to clear obstructions and police are keeping maintaining communication with the leaders of different groups. He noted ambulances and first-aid staff are allowed to do their work, and police are now waiting for the remaining protesters to leave the campus voluntarily. Watch: US House passes Hong Kong rights bill ''Apart from peaceful means, we also adopt a feasible approach to solve the problem. In this regard, we made a special arrangement for underage people. As long as they give up their weapons and leave the campus in a peaceful manner, we do our best in this regard, but we'll record their personal details and then let them go. But, of course, we will reserve the rights to pursue a case later," said Ho. The protesters gathered at the PolyU campus on November 11, committing violent acts such as hurling gasoline bombs and shooting arrows at police and government supporters. "Increasing violence in Hong Kong has continuously affected our core values and the international community's confidence in Hong Kong. This impacts Hong Kong's rule of law. Only through fortifying the implementation of the 'one country, two systems' principle by ourselves and rebuild our home, can we see the Hong Kong that we know once again," said Cheng. Initially, the protests were triggered by a controversial bill that would have allowed extradition to China, but eventually morphed into a full-fledged movement asking for democracy in Hong Kong. (With inputs from Reuters)

Will never allow anyone to destroy Hong Kong's stability: Senior Chinese diplomat

By Dimitrios Syrrakos

The eurozone has emerged from its debt crisis of 2010-18 intact, but at a very high cost to the periphery. Greece’s exit from its third bailout in August 2018, the swan song of the crisis, is perceived as successful only from a purely accounting perspective. Of the approximately €290 billion (£248 billion) lent to the country overall by the IMF, European Commission and European Central Bank, less than 12 per cent was spent on investment.

The remainder has been used to service Greece’s spiralling national debt, and even then, repayments are only covered up to 2022. Thanks to the government spending cuts implemented from 2010-18 in return for these loans, unemployment is still running at 17 per cent.

What timing for the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, to make his first official visit to Athens, intensifying a friendship between the two countries that has been developing for more than a decade. Earlier this year, Greece already became a member of China’s 17+1 initiative, which aims to deepen cooperation between Beijing and 17 states in central and eastern Europe and the Balkans.

The initiative is part of China’s One Belt One Road project to develop connectivity and trade in Eurasia and beyond, to which the Greeks committed as far back as 2009 – the first developed economy and NATO member to do so. Greece has also unnerved its Western allies in the past couple of years by obstructing EU plans to condemn China over issues like human rights and the law of the sea.

To mark Xi Jinping’s visit to Athens, 16 new bilateral agreements were announced. They build on previous Chinese investments into Greek shipping, while also covering sectors as diverse as education and agriculture. This comes just two months after the Chinese president made a similar trip to Italy. That, too, saw the announcement of trade deals covering various sectors worth multiple billions of euros. The Italians also became the first major Western power to endorse One Belt One Road.

The Chinese alternative

The timing of these Italian and Greek announcements is not a coincidence. Italy, like Greece, is saddled with high debts and is bearing the brunt of the EU external migration crisis. Both countries had been calling on the EU for pan-European investment programmes for the past three years, but were rejected outright by core eurozone members like Germany, the Netherlands and Finland.

Greece and Italy are attempting the fine balancing act of dealing with China without undermining the EU’s overarching external trade policy, but the EU and Americans are still uneasy. The EU, in particular, is worried about China promoting its alternative model of governance without democracy.

In the case of the Greek announcement, one major concern is China’s involvement in the port of Piraeus via its state-owned China Ocean Shipping Corporation (COSCO). Though COSCO has taken stakes in at least 15 European ports in recent years, including the likes of Rotterdam, Antwerp and Marseilles, the port of Piraeus is a particularly eye-catching commitment.

The Chinese became the port’s majority owner in 2016, and had already committed €800m towards upgrading its facilities. Now there will be a further €600m investment. This aims to turn Piraeus into the biggest commercial port in Europe, while raising COSCO’s stake from 51 per cent to 67 per cent by 2022. The Chinese see Piraeus as a gateway to EU markets, with a strategic role in Asia-European-African trade routes thanks to its close proximity to the Suez Canal.

Greece’s participation in China’s 17+1 initiative is also viewed by the West as particularly significant. Greece is the biggest of the five eurozone members to have joined – the others are Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. Membership is part of Greece’s broader plan to realise international trade agreements via new trade routes. The move seems to have rejuvenated an initiative which has been limited to upgrading infrastructure and had stalled since 2016.

While Greece initially joined 17+1 under its hard-left Syriza government, the fact that the new conservative government is prepared to upgrade strategic relations with China demonstrates that the relationship can survive political change in Athens. Xi Jinping’s visit came just a week after prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited Shanghai, after China made Greece the official guest country of the 2019 China International Import Expo.

The way ahead

In truth, it looks somewhat late for the EU to be concerned about these moves by Greece and Italy. They are the direct result of the strict bailouts and the eurozone’s refusal to invest seriously in either country. Other eurozone reforms that might help these countries – a eurozone fiscal union with an unemployment insurance programme; a eurozone banking union with a pan-European deposits guarantee scheme; a single European immigration policy – are also long overdue.

To make matters worse, eurozone growth rates have slowed considerably – led by Germany, the supposed powerhouse. France seems to be the only member yet to feel the impact of US tariffs, the Brexit process and the slowdown in the Chinese economy. The gloom is being exacerbated by the likes of the new fragmented European parliament and fragile Italian banks.

This all means that there is less room for manoeuvre than there might have been two or three years ago. So while the West may wish that its Mediterranean allies were not looking eastwards, it is going to be difficult to put this particular genie back inside its bottle. The growing sense in Rome and Athens that they have been abandoned by their allies will be difficult to reverse.

(Dimitrios Syrrakos is Deputy Head - Department of Economics, Policy and International Business, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester Metropolitan University)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/chinas-relationships-with-greece-and-italy-are-deepening-eu-is-reaping-exactly-what-it-sowed-127087">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp;

By Dimitrios Syrrakos The eurozone has emerged from its debt crisis of 2010-18 intact, but at a very high cost to the periphery. Greece’s exit from its third bailout in August 2018, the swan song of the crisis, is perceived as successful only from a purely accounting perspective.

By Dimitrios Syrrakos The eurozone has emerged from its debt crisis of 2010-18 intact, but at a very high cost to the periphery. Greece’s exit from its third bailout in August 2018, the swan song of the crisis, is perceived as successful only from a purely accounting perspective. Of the approximately €290 billion (£248 billion) lent to the country overall by the IMF, European Commission and European Central Bank, less than 12 per cent was spent on investment. The remainder has been used to service Greece’s spiralling national debt, and even then, repayments are only covered up to 2022. Thanks to the government spending cuts implemented from 2010-18 in return for these loans, unemployment is still running at 17 per cent. What timing for the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, to make his first official visit to Athens, intensifying a friendship between the two countries that has been developing for more than a decade. Earlier this year, Greece already became a member of China’s 17+1 initiative, which aims to deepen cooperation between Beijing and 17 states in central and eastern Europe and the Balkans. The initiative is part of China’s One Belt One Road project to develop connectivity and trade in Eurasia and beyond, to which the Greeks committed as far back as 2009 – the first developed economy and NATO member to do so. Greece has also unnerved its Western allies in the past couple of years by obstructing EU plans to condemn China over issues like human rights and the law of the sea. To mark Xi Jinping’s visit to Athens, 16 new bilateral agreements were announced. They build on previous Chinese investments into Greek shipping, while also covering sectors as diverse as education and agriculture. This comes just two months after the Chinese president made a similar trip to Italy. That, too, saw the announcement of trade deals covering various sectors worth multiple billions of euros. The Italians also became the first major Western power to endorse One Belt One Road. The Chinese alternative The timing of these Italian and Greek announcements is not a coincidence. Italy, like Greece, is saddled with high debts and is bearing the brunt of the EU external migration crisis. Both countries had been calling on the EU for pan-European investment programmes for the past three years, but were rejected outright by core eurozone members like Germany, the Netherlands and Finland. Greece and Italy are attempting the fine balancing act of dealing with China without undermining the EU’s overarching external trade policy, but the EU and Americans are still uneasy. The EU, in particular, is worried about China promoting its alternative model of governance without democracy. In the case of the Greek announcement, one major concern is China’s involvement in the port of Piraeus via its state-owned China Ocean Shipping Corporation (COSCO). Though COSCO has taken stakes in at least 15 European ports in recent years, including the likes of Rotterdam, Antwerp and Marseilles, the port of Piraeus is a particularly eye-catching commitment. The Chinese became the port’s majority owner in 2016, and had already committed €800m towards upgrading its facilities. Now there will be a further €600m investment. This aims to turn Piraeus into the biggest commercial port in Europe, while raising COSCO’s stake from 51 per cent to 67 per cent by 2022. The Chinese see Piraeus as a gateway to EU markets, with a strategic role in Asia-European-African trade routes thanks to its close proximity to the Suez Canal. Greece’s participation in China’s 17+1 initiative is also viewed by the West as particularly significant. Greece is the biggest of the five eurozone members to have joined – the others are Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. Membership is part of Greece’s broader plan to realise international trade agreements via new trade routes. The move seems to have rejuvenated an initiative which has been limited to upgrading infrastructure and had stalled since 2016. While Greece initially joined 17+1 under its hard-left Syriza government, the fact that the new conservative government is prepared to upgrade strategic relations with China demonstrates that the relationship can survive political change in Athens. Xi Jinping’s visit came just a week after prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited Shanghai, after China made Greece the official guest country of the 2019 China International Import Expo. The way ahead In truth, it looks somewhat late for the EU to be concerned about these moves by Greece and Italy. They are the direct result of the strict bailouts and the eurozone’s refusal to invest seriously in either country. Other eurozone reforms that might help these countries – a eurozone fiscal union with an unemployment insurance programme; a eurozone banking union with a pan-European deposits guarantee scheme; a single European immigration policy – are also long overdue. To make matters worse, eurozone growth rates have slowed considerably – led by Germany, the supposed powerhouse. France seems to be the only member yet to feel the impact of US tariffs, the Brexit process and the slowdown in the Chinese economy. The gloom is being exacerbated by the likes of the new fragmented European parliament and fragile Italian banks. This all means that there is less room for manoeuvre than there might have been two or three years ago. So while the West may wish that its Mediterranean allies were not looking eastwards, it is going to be difficult to put this particular genie back inside its bottle. The growing sense in Rome and Athens that they have been abandoned by their allies will be difficult to reverse. (Dimitrios Syrrakos is Deputy Head - Department of Economics, Policy and International Business, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester Metropolitan University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

China’s relationships with Greece and Italy are deepening – EU is reaping exactly what it sowed

By Michael Clarke

This past weekend, The New York Times’ China correspondents, Chris Buckley and Austin Ramzy, published an expose of over 400 internal Chinese government documents relating to Beijing’s mass detentions of Uighurs, Kazakhs and other Muslim minorities in the far-western region of Xinjiang.

This trove of documents includes 96 internal speeches by Chinese President and Communist Party (CCP) Chairman Xi Jinping, as well as hundreds of speeches and directives by other CCP officials on the strategies of surveillance and control implemented in the region.

The documents confirm previous analyses by researchers on key aspects of the Chinese government’s so-called “reeducation” system for Uighurs. They also reveal new details on both the timing and rationale for the mass detentions and the extent of opposition within the CCP to this approach.

Most importantly, however, the documents confirm Xi’s high level of personal involvement in driving the campaign of repression in Xinjiang.

What the documents confirm

A number of Xi’s internal speeches confirm previous assessments of the reasons behind the implementation of the government’s mass detention and “reeducation” policies.

It’s clear from the documents that fears of potential connections between violence in Xinjiang and Islamic extremism in neighbouring Afghanistan and the battlefields of Iraq and Syria played a key role in Xi’s call for a “people’s war on terrorism”.

In one speech, for instance, Xi remarks that with the American troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, “terrorist organisations” would be “positioned on the frontiers of Afghanistan and Pakistan” while East Turkestan terrorists who have received real-war training in Syria and Afghanistan could at any time launch terrorist attacks in Xinjiang.

In this context, a number of high-profile terrorist attacks that have occurred in China in recent years, including a train station attack in Kunming and a bombing at a marketplace in Xinjiang’s capital, Urumqi, appear to have confirmed such fears.

As Xi asserted during a visit to a counterterrorism police unit in Urumqi the same month as the marketplace attack, the party must “unleash” the “tools of dictatorship” and “show absolutely no mercy” in its eradication of “extremists”.

The documents also demonstrate that the CCP’s recent tendency to frame both “extremists” and religious believers more broadly through the language of biological contagion or drug addiction comes from the top.

Xi himself states that those “infected” by “extremism” would require “a period of painful, interventionary treatment”, lest they have their consciences destroyed, lose their humanity and murder without blinking an eye.

This language of paternalistic state intervention is not mere rhetoric, but concretely guides policy on the ground.

This is evident in one document prepared to assist local officials in the city of Turpan respond to queries by Uighur children of relatives sent to “reeducation” camps.

If officials are asked why those sent to the detention centres cannot return home, for example, they should answer by noting the party would be “irresponsible” to let a member of your family go home before their illness was cured.

Rather, children should be grateful to the state for the detention of their family members and should treasure this chance for free education that the party and government has provided to thoroughly eradicate erroneous thinking, and also learn Chinese and job skills.

The Turpan document also confirms the link between “reeducation” and forced labour. It notes family members undergoing “reeducation” can find a satisfying job in one of the businesses that we’ve brought in or established.

As American researcher Darren Byler has detailed, detainees are often compelled to work as low-skilled labour in factories either directly connected to re-education centres or, upon their “release”, in nearby industrial parks where Chinese companies have been incentivised to relocate.

Key revelations in the reporting

There are several major revelations associated with the documents, as well. Most significant of all, according to the Times, is the fact the documents were leaked by a member of the Chinese political establishment who requested anonymity and expressed hope that their disclosure would prevent party leaders, including Xi, from escaping culpability for the mass detentions.

Beyond such a (presumably) high-placed official, the leaked documents and reporting also reveal a greater level of dissent and uncertainty within lower levels of the party than previously understood.

Internal party documents note 12,000 investigations in 2017 alone into party members in Xinjiang for “violations” in the “fight against separatism and extremism”.

The case of CCP official Wang Yongzhi, detailed by Buckley and Ramzy, is indicative here.

According to a “confession”, the local party chief in Yarkand in the far south of Xinjiang initially followed central policy directives by zealously building “two sprawling new detention facilities, including one as big as 50 basketball courts” and “doubling spending on outlays such as checkpoints and surveillance”.

However, fearing mass detentions would negatively impact on economic development goals and social cohesion - key benchmarks for achieving promotion within the party - Wang “broke the rules” and released thousands of detainees.

For this, he was removed from his post in 2017 and in an internal party report six months later was openly castigated for his “brazen defiance” of the “central leadership’s strategy for Xinjiang”.

Wang’s case demonstrates the existence of competing incentives at the local level in the implementation of centrally dictated policy.

His “brazen defiance” was not a principled stand against mass detentions but rather a pragmatic consideration of the potentially negative effects on his career should detentions undermine broader policy goals.

In this regard, it feels like a fairly typical experience of a low-level official in any authoritarian or totalitarian regime around the world.

It is this mundane quality that gives at least a kernel of hope the naked self-interest of party officials may play a part in pressuring the leadership to eventually reverse course on its Uighur detention policies.

However, given the stark and cold-blooded language revealed in the documents, this may prove to be a forlorn one. 
 
(Michael Clarke is Associate Professor, National Security College, Australian National University)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the<a href="https://theconversation.com/leaked-documents-on-uighur-detention-camps-in-china-an-expert-explains-the-key-revelations-127221"> original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

By Michael Clarke This past weekend, The New York Times’ China correspondents, Chris Buckley and Austin Ramzy, published an expose of over 400 internal Chinese government documents relating to Beijing’s mass detentions of Uighurs, Kazakhs and other Muslim minorities in the far-western region of Xinjiang.

By Michael Clarke This past weekend, The New York Times’ China correspondents, Chris Buckley and Austin Ramzy, published an expose of over 400 internal Chinese government documents relating to Beijing’s mass detentions of Uighurs, Kazakhs and other Muslim minorities in the far-western region of Xinjiang. This trove of documents includes 96 internal speeches by Chinese President and Communist Party (CCP) Chairman Xi Jinping, as well as hundreds of speeches and directives by other CCP officials on the strategies of surveillance and control implemented in the region. The documents confirm previous analyses by researchers on key aspects of the Chinese government’s so-called “reeducation” system for Uighurs. They also reveal new details on both the timing and rationale for the mass detentions and the extent of opposition within the CCP to this approach. Most importantly, however, the documents confirm Xi’s high level of personal involvement in driving the campaign of repression in Xinjiang. What the documents confirm A number of Xi’s internal speeches confirm previous assessments of the reasons behind the implementation of the government’s mass detention and “reeducation” policies. It’s clear from the documents that fears of potential connections between violence in Xinjiang and Islamic extremism in neighbouring Afghanistan and the battlefields of Iraq and Syria played a key role in Xi’s call for a “people’s war on terrorism”. In one speech, for instance, Xi remarks that with the American troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, “terrorist organisations” would be “positioned on the frontiers of Afghanistan and Pakistan” while East Turkestan terrorists who have received real-war training in Syria and Afghanistan could at any time launch terrorist attacks in Xinjiang. In this context, a number of high-profile terrorist attacks that have occurred in China in recent years, including a train station attack in Kunming and a bombing at a marketplace in Xinjiang’s capital, Urumqi, appear to have confirmed such fears. As Xi asserted during a visit to a counterterrorism police unit in Urumqi the same month as the marketplace attack, the party must “unleash” the “tools of dictatorship” and “show absolutely no mercy” in its eradication of “extremists”. The documents also demonstrate that the CCP’s recent tendency to frame both “extremists” and religious believers more broadly through the language of biological contagion or drug addiction comes from the top. Xi himself states that those “infected” by “extremism” would require “a period of painful, interventionary treatment”, lest they have their consciences destroyed, lose their humanity and murder without blinking an eye. This language of paternalistic state intervention is not mere rhetoric, but concretely guides policy on the ground. This is evident in one document prepared to assist local officials in the city of Turpan respond to queries by Uighur children of relatives sent to “reeducation” camps. If officials are asked why those sent to the detention centres cannot return home, for example, they should answer by noting the party would be “irresponsible” to let a member of your family go home before their illness was cured. Rather, children should be grateful to the state for the detention of their family members and should treasure this chance for free education that the party and government has provided to thoroughly eradicate erroneous thinking, and also learn Chinese and job skills. The Turpan document also confirms the link between “reeducation” and forced labour. It notes family members undergoing “reeducation” can find a satisfying job in one of the businesses that we’ve brought in or established. As American researcher Darren Byler has detailed, detainees are often compelled to work as low-skilled labour in factories either directly connected to re-education centres or, upon their “release”, in nearby industrial parks where Chinese companies have been incentivised to relocate. Key revelations in the reporting There are several major revelations associated with the documents, as well. Most significant of all, according to the Times, is the fact the documents were leaked by a member of the Chinese political establishment who requested anonymity and expressed hope that their disclosure would prevent party leaders, including Xi, from escaping culpability for the mass detentions. Beyond such a (presumably) high-placed official, the leaked documents and reporting also reveal a greater level of dissent and uncertainty within lower levels of the party than previously understood. Internal party documents note 12,000 investigations in 2017 alone into party members in Xinjiang for “violations” in the “fight against separatism and extremism”. The case of CCP official Wang Yongzhi, detailed by Buckley and Ramzy, is indicative here. According to a “confession”, the local party chief in Yarkand in the far south of Xinjiang initially followed central policy directives by zealously building “two sprawling new detention facilities, including one as big as 50 basketball courts” and “doubling spending on outlays such as checkpoints and surveillance”. However, fearing mass detentions would negatively impact on economic development goals and social cohesion - key benchmarks for achieving promotion within the party - Wang “broke the rules” and released thousands of detainees. For this, he was removed from his post in 2017 and in an internal party report six months later was openly castigated for his “brazen defiance” of the “central leadership’s strategy for Xinjiang”. Wang’s case demonstrates the existence of competing incentives at the local level in the implementation of centrally dictated policy. His “brazen defiance” was not a principled stand against mass detentions but rather a pragmatic consideration of the potentially negative effects on his career should detentions undermine broader policy goals. In this regard, it feels like a fairly typical experience of a low-level official in any authoritarian or totalitarian regime around the world. It is this mundane quality that gives at least a kernel of hope the naked self-interest of party officials may play a part in pressuring the leadership to eventually reverse course on its Uighur detention policies. However, given the stark and cold-blooded language revealed in the documents, this may prove to be a forlorn one. (Michael Clarke is Associate Professor, National Security College, Australian National University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Leaked documents on Uighur detention camps in China – the key revelations

Pro-china Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been sworn in as the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/gotabaya-rajapaksa-sworn-in-as-sri-lankan-new-president-262851">7th President of Sri Lanka</a>.

The oath-taking ceremony took place in Anuradhapura. With Gotabaya's swearing-in, the powerful Rajapaksa family has made a comeback.

Indian <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-narendra-modi-congratulates-gotabaya-rajapaksa-for-winning-sri-lanka-presidential-election-262770">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a> was among the first leaders to congratulate Gotabaya on his victory.

Modi said that he looked forward to deepening ties between India and Sri Lanka.

Replying to Modi, Gotabaya thanked the people of India and said that he looked forward to meeting the Indian Prime Minister.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I thank Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> and the people of India for your warm wishes. Our two nations are bound by history and common beliefs and I look forward to strengthening our friendship and meeting you in the near future <a href="https://t.co/WZkLWc3MFS">https://t.co/WZkLWc3MFS</a>
— Gotabaya Rajapaksa (@GotabayaR) <a href="https://twitter.com/GotabayaR/status/1195965508018769922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Now, a pro-Beijing government in a neighbouring nation is going to impact India in a major way.

Watch:&nbsp;Gotabaya Rajapaksa's victory in Sri Lanka: What does it mean for India?

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&nbsp;

China became Sri Lanka's largest donor under Gotabaya's brother Mahinda Rajapaksa's presidency.

In fact, it was his party that leased the Hambantota port to Beijing for 99 years. Critics have dubbed the port deal as a 'Chinese debt trap'.

Last year, Gotabaya said that India unnecessarily interfered in Sri Lanka's internal affairs.

Now, a pro-China govt is also going to be a regional challenge for India.&nbsp;

Remember, Sri Lanka is central to India's maritime security as the two nations share a maritime boundary.

Meanwhile, ahead of his swearing-in ceremony, Gotabaya hinted that his brother Mahinda might make a comeback as the prime minister.

Remember, Mahinda Rajapaksa served as the de facto Prime Minister of the country for a short time, last year.

In his message to Mahinda, Gotabaya said.

"It is time for this land to demand your services again. May you join us in fulfilling people's demands."

Pro-china Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been sworn in as the 7th President of Sri Lanka. The oath-taking ceremony took place in Anuradhapura. With Gotabaya's swearing-in, the powerful Rajapaksa family has made a comeback.

Pro-china Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been sworn in as the 7th President of Sri Lanka. The oath-taking ceremony took place in Anuradhapura. With Gotabaya's swearing-in, the powerful Rajapaksa family has made a comeback. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first leaders to congratulate Gotabaya on his victory. Modi said that he looked forward to deepening ties between India and Sri Lanka. Replying to Modi, Gotabaya thanked the people of India and said that he looked forward to meeting the Indian Prime Minister. I thank Prime Minister @narendramodi and the people of India for your warm wishes. Our two nations are bound by history and common beliefs and I look forward to strengthening our friendship and meeting you in the near future https://t.co/WZkLWc3MFS — Gotabaya Rajapaksa (@GotabayaR) November 17, 2019 × Now, a pro-Beijing government in a neighbouring nation is going to impact India in a major way. Watch: Gotabaya Rajapaksa's victory in Sri Lanka: What does it mean for India? × China became Sri Lanka's largest donor under Gotabaya's brother Mahinda Rajapaksa's presidency. In fact, it was his party that leased the Hambantota port to Beijing for 99 years. Critics have dubbed the port deal as a 'Chinese debt trap'. Last year, Gotabaya said that India unnecessarily interfered in Sri Lanka's internal affairs. Now, a pro-China govt is also going to be a regional challenge for India. Remember, Sri Lanka is central to India's maritime security as the two nations share a maritime boundary. Meanwhile, ahead of his swearing-in ceremony, Gotabaya hinted that his brother Mahinda might make a comeback as the prime minister. Remember, Mahinda Rajapaksa served as the de facto Prime Minister of the country for a short time, last year. In his message to Mahinda, Gotabaya said. "It is time for this land to demand your services again. May you join us in fulfilling people's demands."

Is Rajapaksa regime's inclination towards Beijing a challenge to India?

The founder and CEO of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../exclusive-us-opens-national-security- investigation-into-tiktok-sources-259364">TikTok</a> owner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../founder-of-chinas-smartphone-maker-smartisan -barred-from-planes-trains-259693">ByteDance</a> will focus on adding users of the popular video app in countries outside of its strongest markets, according to an internal staff note seen by Reuters, as it faces political pressure in the United States.

The note from Zhang Yiming setting out company goals for November and December comes after lawmakers in the US&nbsp;recently voiced concerns about collection of user data and whether China censors content seen by US&nbsp;users.

"Continue to diversify TikTok's growth," said the note, which was written in both English and Mandarin Chinese. "Increase investment in weaker markets," Zhang added.

The video app is especially popular with US&nbsp;teenagers and young adults, drawing scrutiny at a time of rising tensions between Washington and Beijing.

Zhang did not mention the pressure in the US&nbsp;but urged the firm to enhance its capabilities in "handling global public affairs" and strengthening user data protection.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States has started to review ByteDance’s $1 billion acquisition of the US&nbsp;app Musical.ly, which was subsequently merged into TikTok, Reuters reported this month.

ByteDance didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The company has said the Chinese government does not have any jurisdiction over TikTok content.

Launched just two years ago, TikTok has been downloaded 1.5 billion times, making it the third most downloaded non-gaming app of the year, after of Facebook's WhatsApp and Messenger apps, according to research firm SensorTower.

TikTok has faced regulatory challenges in India and Indonesia, where it is also a big hit. India temporary banned downloads of the app in April this year and Indonesia did the same last year, largely due to concerns about salacious content.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../if-madras-high-court-doesnt-decide-by-april-24 -ban-on-tiktok-will-be-lifted-supreme-court-212501">SensorTower</a> said that India is the main driver for TikTok's new downloads this year, and the app is also popular in Britain, France, Japan, Australia and Canada, according to App Annie.

In his brief note, Zhang also made mention of the company's other apps, such as the Chinese version of TikTok, Douyin, and Chinese news aggregator Jinri Toutiao. Both Douyin and Toutiao make money from advertising, competing with China's tech giants Tencent Holdings and Baidu Inc

He said the goal for Toutiao, one of ByteDance's major sources of revenue, was to enhance its "monetization efficiency" and urged staffers to "continue to put our foot to the floor" for Douyin to widen the app's advantage over its competitors.

The founder and CEO of TikTok owner ByteDance will focus on adding users of the popular video app in countries outside of its strongest markets, according to an internal staff note seen by Reuters, as it faces political pressure in the United States.

The founder and CEO of TikTok owner ByteDance will focus on adding users of the popular video app in countries outside of its strongest markets, according to an internal staff note seen by Reuters, as it faces political pressure in the United States. The note from Zhang Yiming setting out company goals for November and December comes after lawmakers in the US recently voiced concerns about collection of user data and whether China censors content seen by US users. "Continue to diversify TikTok's growth," said the note, which was written in both English and Mandarin Chinese. "Increase investment in weaker markets," Zhang added. The video app is especially popular with US teenagers and young adults, drawing scrutiny at a time of rising tensions between Washington and Beijing. Zhang did not mention the pressure in the US but urged the firm to enhance its capabilities in "handling global public affairs" and strengthening user data protection. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States has started to review ByteDance’s $1 billion acquisition of the US app Musical.ly, which was subsequently merged into TikTok, Reuters reported this month. ByteDance didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The company has said the Chinese government does not have any jurisdiction over TikTok content. Launched just two years ago, TikTok has been downloaded 1.5 billion times, making it the third most downloaded non-gaming app of the year, after of Facebook's WhatsApp and Messenger apps, according to research firm SensorTower. TikTok has faced regulatory challenges in India and Indonesia, where it is also a big hit. India temporary banned downloads of the app in April this year and Indonesia did the same last year, largely due to concerns about salacious content. SensorTower said that India is the main driver for TikTok's new downloads this year, and the app is also popular in Britain, France, Japan, Australia and Canada, according to App Annie. In his brief note, Zhang also made mention of the company's other apps, such as the Chinese version of TikTok, Douyin, and Chinese news aggregator Jinri Toutiao. Both Douyin and Toutiao make money from advertising, competing with China's tech giants Tencent Holdings and Baidu Inc He said the goal for Toutiao, one of ByteDance's major sources of revenue, was to enhance its "monetization efficiency" and urged staffers to "continue to put our foot to the floor" for Douyin to widen the app's advantage over its competitors.

ByteDance CEO urges TikTok diversification as US pressure mounts: internal note

Gravitas: China's Mars Mission: Beijing Tests Mars Lander

China's cabinet will begin a nationwide safety crackdown on its massive chemical industry after an official investigation into a deadly plant blast that killed 78 people and injured dozens more in March.

The explosion, at the Tianjiayi chemical factory in Yancheng in eastern coastal Jiangsu province, has already resulted in the closure of dozens of small plants and China expects to relocate more than 80 per cent&nbsp;of hazardous chemical production by the end of 2020.

A meeting of the State Council chaired by Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday said an inquiry into the blast revealed local authorities had failed to implement safety rules or crackdown on violations.

A summary of the meeting on China's official government website&nbsp;showed Beijing will launch a new round of inspections into hazardous chemical producers throughout the country, and that local government must eliminate all hazards around production, storage, transportation and waste disposal.

It will also work on new legislation to help enforce safety rules and punish offenders, and curb "blind and disorderly" development in the industry.

The March blast sent shockwaves throughout the chemical industry, with industry officials saying costs have risen and supply chains have been disrupted as a result of stricter inspections and plant closures.

As well as tighter zoning regulations that prevent chemical plants from being built near residential areas, China is now implementing new rules on the transportation and disposal of hazardous materials.

China's cabinet will begin a nationwide safety crackdown on its massive chemical industry after an official investigation into a deadly plant blast that killed 78 people and injured dozens more in March.

China's cabinet will begin a nationwide safety crackdown on its massive chemical industry after an official investigation into a deadly plant blast that killed 78 people and injured dozens more in March. The explosion, at the Tianjiayi chemical factory in Yancheng in eastern coastal Jiangsu province, has already resulted in the closure of dozens of small plants and China expects to relocate more than 80 per cent of hazardous chemical production by the end of 2020. A meeting of the State Council chaired by Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday said an inquiry into the blast revealed local authorities had failed to implement safety rules or crackdown on violations. A summary of the meeting on China's official government website showed Beijing will launch a new round of inspections into hazardous chemical producers throughout the country, and that local government must eliminate all hazards around production, storage, transportation and waste disposal. It will also work on new legislation to help enforce safety rules and punish offenders, and curb "blind and disorderly" development in the industry. The March blast sent shockwaves throughout the chemical industry, with industry officials saying costs have risen and supply chains have been disrupted as a result of stricter inspections and plant closures. As well as tighter zoning regulations that prevent chemical plants from being built near residential areas, China is now implementing new rules on the transportation and disposal of hazardous materials.

China launches new crackdown on chemical safety

Chinese health officials say the risk of an outbreak of pneumonic plague is minimal after two new cases were confirmed this week in Beijing, the official China Daily said on Thursday.

Two patients from Inner Mongolia were quarantined after being diagnosed with the highly infectious and often fatal disease, health authorities in the Chaoyang district of the capital said on Tuesday.

State news agency Xinhua said one of the two was in critical condition while the other was stable. Infected in Inner Mongolia, they were sent by ambulance to a medical institution in Beijing.

The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said all those at risk of exposure to plague had been traced and treated, and hospitals had stepped up monitoring of those with similar symptoms.

Pneumonic plague is a lung disease spread mostly by rats, with death rates of close to 100% in humans if left untreated, Beijing health authorities said in a notice.

Outbreaks in China have been rare, but large parts of the northwestern city of Yumen were sealed off in 2014 after a 38-year-old resident died of bubonic plague, known as "Black Death" in the Middle Ages and caused by the same bacterium as the pneumonic variant.

Rodent populations have risen in Inner Mongolia after persistent droughts, worsened by climate change. An area the size of the Netherlands was hit by a "rat plague" last summer, causing damages of 600 million yuan ($86 million), Xinhua said.

Chinese health officials say the risk of an outbreak of pneumonic plague is minimal after two new cases were confirmed this week in Beijing, the official China Daily said on Thursday.

Chinese health officials say the risk of an outbreak of pneumonic plague is minimal after two new cases were confirmed this week in Beijing, the official China Daily said on Thursday. Two patients from Inner Mongolia were quarantined after being diagnosed with the highly infectious and often fatal disease, health authorities in the Chaoyang district of the capital said on Tuesday. State news agency Xinhua said one of the two was in critical condition while the other was stable. Infected in Inner Mongolia, they were sent by ambulance to a medical institution in Beijing. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said all those at risk of exposure to plague had been traced and treated, and hospitals had stepped up monitoring of those with similar symptoms. Pneumonic plague is a lung disease spread mostly by rats, with death rates of close to 100% in humans if left untreated, Beijing health authorities said in a notice. Outbreaks in China have been rare, but large parts of the northwestern city of Yumen were sealed off in 2014 after a 38-year-old resident died of bubonic plague, known as "Black Death" in the Middle Ages and caused by the same bacterium as the pneumonic variant. Rodent populations have risen in Inner Mongolia after persistent droughts, worsened by climate change. An area the size of the Netherlands was hit by a "rat plague" last summer, causing damages of 600 million yuan ($86 million), Xinhua said.

China says plague outbreak risk minimal after two new cases in Beijing

China on Monday accused Mike Pompeo&nbsp;of "outdated Cold War thinking" after the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pompeo-slams-iran-intimidation-of-iaea-inspector-as-outrageous-260911">US Secretary of State</a> warned against a Chinese threat to Western freedoms.

Pompeo, who spoke in Germany on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, said the Chinese Communist Party "uses tactics and methods to suppress its own people that would be horrifyingly familiar to former East Germans".

He added that Washington has made clear to Beijing that they should "honour their commitment" to the "one country, two systems" policy that allows Hong Kong rights unseen in the mainland.

In response, Beijing slammed Pompeo's "baseless malicious attacks" on the Chinese government.

Some figures in the US have "attempted to build an ideological wall between Chinese and foreign enterprises," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Monday at a regular press briefing.

Geng accused Pompeo of ignoring the interest of the American people to pursue personal political goals, and urged him to "abandon his ideological bias and outdated Cold War thinking".

Pompeo's visit to Berlin came as Germany prepared to mark three decades since November 9, 1989, when the Berlin Wall came down, ultimately culminating in the collapse of the communist regime in the east.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pompeo-warns-against-china-russia-on-eve-of-berlin-wall-anniversary-260807">Pompeo</a> said on Friday that the United States and its allies should "defend what was so hard-won... in 1989" and "recognise we are in a competition of values with unfree nations".

His Berlin speech was the latest in a string of hawkish remarks on China by the Secretary of State.

In October, Pompeo called Beijing "truly hostile" to the United States, and vowed to ramp up pressure on China on multiple fronts.

China on Monday accused Mike Pompeo of "outdated Cold War thinking" after the US Secretary of State warned against a Chinese threat to Western freedoms. Pompeo, who spoke in Germany on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, said the Chinese Communist Party "uses tactics and methods to suppress its own people that would be horrifyingly familiar to former East Germans".

China on Monday accused Mike Pompeo of "outdated Cold War thinking" after the US Secretary of State warned against a Chinese threat to Western freedoms. Pompeo, who spoke in Germany on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, said the Chinese Communist Party "uses tactics and methods to suppress its own people that would be horrifyingly familiar to former East Germans". He added that Washington has made clear to Beijing that they should "honour their commitment" to the "one country, two systems" policy that allows Hong Kong rights unseen in the mainland. In response, Beijing slammed Pompeo's "baseless malicious attacks" on the Chinese government. Some figures in the US have "attempted to build an ideological wall between Chinese and foreign enterprises," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Monday at a regular press briefing. Geng accused Pompeo of ignoring the interest of the American people to pursue personal political goals, and urged him to "abandon his ideological bias and outdated Cold War thinking". Pompeo's visit to Berlin came as Germany prepared to mark three decades since November 9, 1989, when the Berlin Wall came down, ultimately culminating in the collapse of the communist regime in the east. Pompeo said on Friday that the United States and its allies should "defend what was so hard-won... in 1989" and "recognise we are in a competition of values with unfree nations". His Berlin speech was the latest in a string of hawkish remarks on China by the Secretary of State. In October, Pompeo called Beijing "truly hostile" to the United States, and vowed to ramp up pressure on China on multiple fronts.

Beijing slams Pompeo for 'outdated Cold War thinking' in Berlin speech against China

Hong Kong faces 24th weekend of protest after student's death. Watch this video to find out more.

Hong Kong faces 24th weekend of protest after student's death

China's exports suffered their third month of decline in October, and while the drop was less than expected there were warnings Friday of more pain to come as the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-us-agree-tariff-rollback-if-phase-one-trade-deal-is-completed-260641">US trade war </a>rumbles on.

While tensions between the world's top two economies are beginning to ease, Beijing is struggling to get the engines of growth firing on all cylinders as demand for its goods around the world tails off.

In the latest sign of weakness, official data showed overseas shipments fell 0.9 per cent on-year last month, though that is much slower than the 3.2 per cent drop seen in September and much better than forecasts.

Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had tipped a 3.9 per cent plunge.

Imports sank for the sixth straight month in October, dropping 6.4 per cent, though that was also an improvement on the previous month and beat estimates.

China's trade surplus with the United States, a key point of anger in the White House, increased to $26.42 billion.

The economic powerhouses have been embroiled in a bruising trade war for more than a year, with punitive tariffs slapped on two-way trade worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

But markets have been buoyed in recent weeks by expectations the row, which has dragged on the global economy, could be easing as China and the US finalise a mini trade deal that is part of a wider agreement.

Hopes for an end to the stand-off were boosted Thursday when China said the two sides have agreed a plan to remove tariffs imposed on goods in stages if the phase one preliminary pact on which they are working is completed.

Ken Cheung Kin Tai, a senior strategist at Mizuho Bank said that the "less worrying trade figures should help suppress fears of weakening fourth-quarter China growth amid the trade war".

China's economic growth slowed to six percent in the third quarter, the weakest rate in 27 years.

However, analysts warned the subdued outlook worldwide will continue to weigh on trade.

"Slowing global growth and the uncertainty surrounding the US-China trade tensions will continue to dampen trade prospects in China and demand for imports," said Tommy Wu of Oxford Economics.

He added that further policy easing and support from the government could be expected to stabilise growth.

"The contraction in both exports and imports eased more than expected last month," said Martin Rasmussen, China economist at Capital Economics.

"But even if the 'phase one' US-China trade deal crosses the finish line, it is unlikely to alleviate the main headwinds facing exporters and outbound shipments look set to remain weak in the coming months."

China's exports suffered their third month of decline in October, and while the drop was less than expected there were warnings Friday of more pain to come as the US trade war rumbles on.

China's exports suffered their third month of decline in October, and while the drop was less than expected there were warnings Friday of more pain to come as the US trade war rumbles on. While tensions between the world's top two economies are beginning to ease, Beijing is struggling to get the engines of growth firing on all cylinders as demand for its goods around the world tails off. In the latest sign of weakness, official data showed overseas shipments fell 0.9 per cent on-year last month, though that is much slower than the 3.2 per cent drop seen in September and much better than forecasts. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had tipped a 3.9 per cent plunge. Imports sank for the sixth straight month in October, dropping 6.4 per cent, though that was also an improvement on the previous month and beat estimates. China's trade surplus with the United States, a key point of anger in the White House, increased to $26.42 billion. The economic powerhouses have been embroiled in a bruising trade war for more than a year, with punitive tariffs slapped on two-way trade worth hundreds of billions of dollars. But markets have been buoyed in recent weeks by expectations the row, which has dragged on the global economy, could be easing as China and the US finalise a mini trade deal that is part of a wider agreement. Hopes for an end to the stand-off were boosted Thursday when China said the two sides have agreed a plan to remove tariffs imposed on goods in stages if the phase one preliminary pact on which they are working is completed. Ken Cheung Kin Tai, a senior strategist at Mizuho Bank said that the "less worrying trade figures should help suppress fears of weakening fourth-quarter China growth amid the trade war". China's economic growth slowed to six percent in the third quarter, the weakest rate in 27 years. However, analysts warned the subdued outlook worldwide will continue to weigh on trade. "Slowing global growth and the uncertainty surrounding the US-China trade tensions will continue to dampen trade prospects in China and demand for imports," said Tommy Wu of Oxford Economics. He added that further policy easing and support from the government could be expected to stabilise growth. "The contraction in both exports and imports eased more than expected last month," said Martin Rasmussen, China economist at Capital Economics. "But even if the 'phase one' US-China trade deal crosses the finish line, it is unlikely to alleviate the main headwinds facing exporters and outbound shipments look set to remain weak in the coming months."

China export drop beats forecasts in October but more pain tipped

China has imposed a curfew to limit the time spent by children playing games online, in the latest part of a government crackdown on youth gaming addiction.

The regulations will mean those under 18 cannot play games online between 10pm and 8am, and for only ninety minutes at a time during the daytime.

In addition, the guidelines will reduce the amount of money minors can spend online playing games to 200 RMB ($28) per month, rising to 400 RMB for those between 16 and 18 years old.

The new rules will also require all gamers to use a real-name registration and details such a WeChat account, phone number or ID number to sign up.

In the statement published Tuesday, the government also calls for games producers to "modify the game content, functions or rules" to avoid causing addiction in young players.

China is the world's biggest video game market, but the government has been tightening up on the industry amid concerns about health, worsening near-sightedness in children and online addiction.

A hashtag about the new rules was one of the most discussed on China's social media platform Weibo on Thursday with 210 million views.

"This statement just means that teenagers can't play the games, because for most teenagers in China, they need to go to school from 6.30am and end at 10pm," one user complained.

"It's a bit of a one-size-fits-all thing," wrote another, saying a graded rating system of games made more sense.

Another claimed that it was easy to obtain fake ID numbers online and that gamers would just use these to create their accounts.

Last year Beijing announced new controls on the number of games that can be played online, limited new releases, and imposed rules on underage players to reduce their screen time.

Chinese giant Tencent -- the planet's biggest game company -- announced in March it was implementing new curbs on underage video-game playing.

The gaming group had already has launched a real-name identification system for "Honour of Kings" to enforce playtime restrictions on youths. 
&nbsp;

China has imposed a curfew to limit the time spent by children playing games online, in the latest part of a government crackdown on youth gaming addiction. The regulations will mean those under 18 cannot play games online between 10pm and 8am, and for only ninety minutes at a time during the daytime.

China has imposed a curfew to limit the time spent by children playing games online, in the latest part of a government crackdown on youth gaming addiction. The regulations will mean those under 18 cannot play games online between 10pm and 8am, and for only ninety minutes at a time during the daytime. In addition, the guidelines will reduce the amount of money minors can spend online playing games to 200 RMB ($28) per month, rising to 400 RMB for those between 16 and 18 years old. The new rules will also require all gamers to use a real-name registration and details such a WeChat account, phone number or ID number to sign up. In the statement published Tuesday, the government also calls for games producers to "modify the game content, functions or rules" to avoid causing addiction in young players. China is the world's biggest video game market, but the government has been tightening up on the industry amid concerns about health, worsening near-sightedness in children and online addiction. A hashtag about the new rules was one of the most discussed on China's social media platform Weibo on Thursday with 210 million views. "This statement just means that teenagers can't play the games, because for most teenagers in China, they need to go to school from 6.30am and end at 10pm," one user complained. "It's a bit of a one-size-fits-all thing," wrote another, saying a graded rating system of games made more sense. Another claimed that it was easy to obtain fake ID numbers online and that gamers would just use these to create their accounts. Last year Beijing announced new controls on the number of games that can be played online, limited new releases, and imposed rules on underage players to reduce their screen time. Chinese giant Tencent -- the planet's biggest game company -- announced in March it was implementing new curbs on underage video-game playing. The gaming group had already has launched a real-name identification system for "Honour of Kings" to enforce playtime restrictions on youths.

China imposes curfew on minors in gaming crackdown

How two global capitals checked pollution; Lessons to learn from London, Beijing. Watch video t o know more.

How two global capitals checked pollution; Lessons to learn from London, Beijing

China's Communist Party elite concluded a key meeting in Beijing Thursday with a promise to protect the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-police-fire-tear-gas-in-kowloon-as-protesters-across-harbour-gatecrash-halloween-259091">"stability" of Hong Kong</a>, which has been rocked by months of unrest.

The Fourth Plenum of the Party's Central Committee is a closed-door meeting of high-ranking officials where the country's future direction is discussed, and this week's meet was the first since February 2018.

This plenum came as Chinese President Xi Jinping battles a number of challenges, including months of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, a slowing economy, and a lingering trade war with the United States.

In the communique published Thursday, the government admitted that China was "facing a complicated situation of significantly increased risks and challenges domestically and abroad".

Semi-autonomous Hong Kong,&nbsp;which was returned to China in 1997,&nbsp;has rights unseen in the mainland, including free speech, and is governed by the Basic Law, its mini-constitution.

But the city has been rocked by months of unrest from protesters who say those rights are being rolled back by an increasingly authoritarian Beijing.

In response, Thursday's communique said the plenum proposed "upholding and improving" the system of "one country, two systems", without giving more specific details.

"The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region... must be governed in strict accordance with the Constitution and the Basic Law, and the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao should be safeguarded," it read.

Promoting the "peaceful <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-mask-ban-challenged-in-court-ahead-of-halloween-rally-258912">reunification</a> of the motherland" was a key theme of the plenum, particularly with regards to the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which Beijing sees as part of its territory, awaiting reunification.

"We must firmly advance the process of peaceful reunification of the motherland.... deepen cross-strait integrated development, safeguard the well-being of Taiwan compatriots, and unite the large numbers of Taiwan compatriots to jointly oppose "Taiwan independence" and promote reunification" the communique read.

'Tightly unite'

The plenum also said the party and the people "must more tightly unite around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core".

Despite its mention of increased "risks and challenges" abroad, the communique was notably silent on the ongoing US-China trade conflict.

Beijing and Washington have exchanged blows for over a year, with tariffs now impacting hundreds of billions of dollars in two-way trade.

Thursday's communique,&nbsp;which largely reaffirmed existing policy, fell short of observers' expectations for significant announcements, Willy Lam, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, told AFP.

Lam said this could be a sign of increased division at the meeting, as "according to tradition, they only put down things (in the communique) that they could agree on".

"Anything which is controversial or deemed to be divisive,&nbsp;for example some members might have challenged Xi Jinping's handling of Sino-US relations, these things are simply not mentioned," Lam said.

Many of the country's most significant policies have been announced after plenum meetings, with the last one in February 2018 focused on a reform plan for state institutions, giving even more power to the party.

The one before that approved the scrapping of presidential term limits, allowing Xi to stay in office for life.

China's Communist Party elite concluded a key meeting in Beijing Thursday with a promise to protect the "stability" of Hong Kong, which has been rocked by months of unrest.

China's Communist Party elite concluded a key meeting in Beijing Thursday with a promise to protect the "stability" of Hong Kong, which has been rocked by months of unrest. The Fourth Plenum of the Party's Central Committee is a closed-door meeting of high-ranking officials where the country's future direction is discussed, and this week's meet was the first since February 2018. This plenum came as Chinese President Xi Jinping battles a number of challenges, including months of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, a slowing economy, and a lingering trade war with the United States. In the communique published Thursday, the government admitted that China was "facing a complicated situation of significantly increased risks and challenges domestically and abroad". Semi-autonomous Hong Kong, which was returned to China in 1997, has rights unseen in the mainland, including free speech, and is governed by the Basic Law, its mini-constitution. But the city has been rocked by months of unrest from protesters who say those rights are being rolled back by an increasingly authoritarian Beijing. In response, Thursday's communique said the plenum proposed "upholding and improving" the system of "one country, two systems", without giving more specific details. "The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region... must be governed in strict accordance with the Constitution and the Basic Law, and the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao should be safeguarded," it read. Promoting the "peaceful reunification of the motherland" was a key theme of the plenum, particularly with regards to the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which Beijing sees as part of its territory, awaiting reunification. "We must firmly advance the process of peaceful reunification of the motherland.... deepen cross-strait integrated development, safeguard the well-being of Taiwan compatriots, and unite the large numbers of Taiwan compatriots to jointly oppose "Taiwan independence" and promote reunification" the communique read. 'Tightly unite' The plenum also said the party and the people "must more tightly unite around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core". Despite its mention of increased "risks and challenges" abroad, the communique was notably silent on the ongoing US-China trade conflict. Beijing and Washington have exchanged blows for over a year, with tariffs now impacting hundreds of billions of dollars in two-way trade. Thursday's communique, which largely reaffirmed existing policy, fell short of observers' expectations for significant announcements, Willy Lam, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, told AFP. Lam said this could be a sign of increased division at the meeting, as "according to tradition, they only put down things (in the communique) that they could agree on". "Anything which is controversial or deemed to be divisive, for example some members might have challenged Xi Jinping's handling of Sino-US relations, these things are simply not mentioned," Lam said. Many of the country's most significant policies have been announced after plenum meetings, with the last one in February 2018 focused on a reform plan for state institutions, giving even more power to the party. The one before that approved the scrapping of presidential term limits, allowing Xi to stay in office for life.

Hong Kong must be governed in strict accordance with Constitution: Communist Party of China at conclave

Beijing slammed US Secretary of State <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pompeo-says-us-must-confront-chinas-communist-party-259032">Mike Pompeo</a> on Thursday for a speech it said had "viciously attacked" China.

In the latest hawkish take on China by President Donald Trump's administration, Pompeo Wednesday called Beijing "truly hostile" to the United States, and vowed to ramp up pressure on China on multiple fronts.

In response, Beijing rounded on his comments Thursday, which it said revealed "arrogance and fear."

"This deliberate distortion of the facts and slandering of China's domestic and foreign policies fully exposes the deep political bias and anti-communist mindset of a small number of US politicians," said foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang at a press briefing.

"Pompeo's speech viciously attacked the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese government," added Geng.

In his talk at the conservative Hudson Institute in New York, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-mike-pence-and-mike-pompeo-head-to-turkey-seeking-ceasefire-256457">Pompeo</a> highlighted China's clampdown on Hong Kong protests and incarceration of Uighur Muslims, and said Beijing was seeking international domination.

Watch: Is Pompeo justifying Turkey's invasion?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pompeo-justifying-turkeys-invasion-257605/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Rights groups say more than one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim ethnic minorities have been rounded up in internment camps in Xinjiang.

After initially denying their existence, Beijing now defends the camps as "vocational education centres" that counter religious extremism and terrorism.

"The Chinese Communist Party is offering its people and the world an entirely different model of governance, it's one in which a Leninist party rules and everyone must think and act according to the will of the Communist elites," Pompeo said.

"That's not a future that I want... and it's not a future that the freedom-loving people of China" want, he said.

At a dinner attended by Henry Kissinger, the apostle of realpolitik who negotiated the US normalisation of ties with Beijing, Pompeo said Washington had long been too easy on China in hopes that it would transform.

"Today we're finally realising the degree to which the Chinese Communist Party is truly hostile to the United States and our values," Pompeo said.

Pompeo nonetheless said that the United States did not seek confrontation but rather still wanted to encourage a more "liberalised" China.

His remarks come amid a simmering trade war between the two countries, which Trump has voiced hope of resolving.

Beijing slammed US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday for a speech it said had "viciously attacked" China. In the latest hawkish take on China by President Donald Trump's administration, Pompeo Wednesday called Beijing "truly hostile" to the United States, and vowed to ramp up pressure on China on multiple fronts.

Beijing slammed US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday for a speech it said had "viciously attacked" China. In the latest hawkish take on China by President Donald Trump's administration, Pompeo Wednesday called Beijing "truly hostile" to the United States, and vowed to ramp up pressure on China on multiple fronts. In response, Beijing rounded on his comments Thursday, which it said revealed "arrogance and fear." "This deliberate distortion of the facts and slandering of China's domestic and foreign policies fully exposes the deep political bias and anti-communist mindset of a small number of US politicians," said foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang at a press briefing. "Pompeo's speech viciously attacked the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese government," added Geng. In his talk at the conservative Hudson Institute in New York, Pompeo highlighted China's clampdown on Hong Kong protests and incarceration of Uighur Muslims, and said Beijing was seeking international domination. Watch: Is Pompeo justifying Turkey's invasion? Rights groups say more than one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim ethnic minorities have been rounded up in internment camps in Xinjiang. After initially denying their existence, Beijing now defends the camps as "vocational education centres" that counter religious extremism and terrorism. "The Chinese Communist Party is offering its people and the world an entirely different model of governance, it's one in which a Leninist party rules and everyone must think and act according to the will of the Communist elites," Pompeo said. "That's not a future that I want... and it's not a future that the freedom-loving people of China" want, he said. At a dinner attended by Henry Kissinger, the apostle of realpolitik who negotiated the US normalisation of ties with Beijing, Pompeo said Washington had long been too easy on China in hopes that it would transform. "Today we're finally realising the degree to which the Chinese Communist Party is truly hostile to the United States and our values," Pompeo said. Pompeo nonetheless said that the United States did not seek confrontation but rather still wanted to encourage a more "liberalised" China. His remarks come amid a simmering trade war between the two countries, which Trump has voiced hope of resolving.

China blasts Pompeo for 'vicious' speech against Beijing

This segment of WION brings to you top stories of the morning from across the globe. Watch this video to get updated with the latest information.

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - October 26th, 2019

Hundreds of Hong Kong protesters, some waving Catalan flags and banners urging to "fight for freedom together", rallied in support of a separate Catalonia on Thursday (October 24), broaching an issue that is anathema to Hong Kong's Communist Party leaders in Beijing.

Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters rally for Catalan independence

Hong Kong Protesters rally for Catalan Freedom

The men jumped Stanley Ho without warning, smashing both his hands with metal rods -- one of the multiple recent attacks against prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy figures that activists have dubbed a "white terror".

Since late August, eight well-known dissidents have been beaten by unknown assailants as fear swirls that some "triad" crime networks have flocked to Beijing's cause after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-protesters-to-rally-in-support-of-catalan-activists-257825">five months of pro-democracy protests</a>.

The victims include rally organisers, opposition lawmakers, student leaders and people standing for upcoming polls.

Ho, a 35-year-old labour unionist, was set upon in late September by at least three people in Sai Kung, a rural district where he is competing in local elections against a pro-Beijing camp that has dominated the area for decades.

"The cause of the attack may be related to two things -- the upcoming district council election and the ongoing movement," Ho told AFP, referring to the protests.

"Some powerful people are creating 'white terror' in collaboration with criminals to make you fear to stand for election and to make voters think twice before they express their opinions," he added, one arm still in a cast.

The term "white terror" has been used to describe multiple periods of political persecution throughout history, but in Hong Kong, it is borrowed from nearby Taiwan.

During four decades of martial law there, organised crime groups frequently attacked critics of then-leader Chiang Kai-shek's repressive government.

No solution in sight

Vigilante violence has mounted on both sides of the ideological divide in Hong Kong as months of protests have spiralled with no political solution in sight.

In recent weeks, crowds of pro-democracy supporters have savagely beaten people who vocally disagree with them -- although those fights tend to be spontaneous outbursts of mob anger during protests.

Pro-democracy figures, however, have been attacked in a noticeably more targeted way.

Last week, Jimmy Sham, the leader of a group that organised the largest rallies this summer, was left in a pool of blood after he was attacked by men wielding hammers. It was the second time he had been assaulted.

Five victims of attacks have reported assaults to the police, but only three men have so far been arrested -- for the initial assault on Sham.

Isaac Cheng, a 19-year-old student and vice chairman of the pro-democracy Demosisto party, was beaten by three men in early September outside his family home after he helped organise a school strike.

"I am confident in the police's capability to solve the case, but I am not confident in them actually doing it given the severity of selective law enforcement," Cheng said.

Hong Kong's police have denied allegations of bias, saying they pursue all crimes regardless of political motivation.

Reputation hammered

But the force's reputation was hammered in late July after officers took nearly 40 minutes to respond to an attack by a group of men on pro-democracy protesters at Yuen Long train station.

Officers were filmed allowing men armed with sticks to leave the area in the hours afterwards.

Police have arrested 34 people for that attack, some with links to triad crime groups, and deny accusations they allowed the Yuen Long assault to happen.

Haunted by fear and a shortage of trust in the police, pro-democracy figures say they now arrange their own protection, although their options are limited.

"All I can do is be more careful and recruit more volunteers so I don't have to work a street booth alone," said Janelle Leung, 25, a local election candidate who was attacked while campaigning.

Davin Wong, a former leader of the University of Hong Kong's student union, moved abroad after he was attacked.

But most victims refuse to be cowed.

"I do worry such attacks will be more frequent and serious," said Roy Kwong, a pro-democracy lawmaker who was attacked last month by a gang of men, one of whom filmed the beating.

"One important way to overcome fear is to continue our normal life and show those in the shadows that we are not intimidated."

The men jumped Stanley Ho without warning, smashing both his hands with metal rods -- one of the multiple recent attacks against prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy figures that activists have dubbed a "white terror".

The men jumped Stanley Ho without warning, smashing both his hands with metal rods -- one of the multiple recent attacks against prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy figures that activists have dubbed a "white terror". Since late August, eight well-known dissidents have been beaten by unknown assailants as fear swirls that some "triad" crime networks have flocked to Beijing's cause after five months of pro-democracy protests. The victims include rally organisers, opposition lawmakers, student leaders and people standing for upcoming polls. Ho, a 35-year-old labour unionist, was set upon in late September by at least three people in Sai Kung, a rural district where he is competing in local elections against a pro-Beijing camp that has dominated the area for decades. "The cause of the attack may be related to two things -- the upcoming district council election and the ongoing movement," Ho told AFP, referring to the protests. "Some powerful people are creating 'white terror' in collaboration with criminals to make you fear to stand for election and to make voters think twice before they express their opinions," he added, one arm still in a cast. The term "white terror" has been used to describe multiple periods of political persecution throughout history, but in Hong Kong, it is borrowed from nearby Taiwan. During four decades of martial law there, organised crime groups frequently attacked critics of then-leader Chiang Kai-shek's repressive government. No solution in sight Vigilante violence has mounted on both sides of the ideological divide in Hong Kong as months of protests have spiralled with no political solution in sight. In recent weeks, crowds of pro-democracy supporters have savagely beaten people who vocally disagree with them -- although those fights tend to be spontaneous outbursts of mob anger during protests. Pro-democracy figures, however, have been attacked in a noticeably more targeted way. Last week, Jimmy Sham, the leader of a group that organised the largest rallies this summer, was left in a pool of blood after he was attacked by men wielding hammers. It was the second time he had been assaulted. Five victims of attacks have reported assaults to the police, but only three men have so far been arrested -- for the initial assault on Sham. Isaac Cheng, a 19-year-old student and vice chairman of the pro-democracy Demosisto party, was beaten by three men in early September outside his family home after he helped organise a school strike. "I am confident in the police's capability to solve the case, but I am not confident in them actually doing it given the severity of selective law enforcement," Cheng said. Hong Kong's police have denied allegations of bias, saying they pursue all crimes regardless of political motivation. Reputation hammered But the force's reputation was hammered in late July after officers took nearly 40 minutes to respond to an attack by a group of men on pro-democracy protesters at Yuen Long train station. Officers were filmed allowing men armed with sticks to leave the area in the hours afterwards. Police have arrested 34 people for that attack, some with links to triad crime groups, and deny accusations they allowed the Yuen Long assault to happen. Haunted by fear and a shortage of trust in the police, pro-democracy figures say they now arrange their own protection, although their options are limited. "All I can do is be more careful and recruit more volunteers so I don't have to work a street booth alone," said Janelle Leung, 25, a local election candidate who was attacked while campaigning. Davin Wong, a former leader of the University of Hong Kong's student union, moved abroad after he was attacked. But most victims refuse to be cowed. "I do worry such attacks will be more frequent and serious," said Roy Kwong, a pro-democracy lawmaker who was attacked last month by a gang of men, one of whom filmed the beating. "One important way to overcome fear is to continue our normal life and show those in the shadows that we are not intimidated."

'White terror': Hong Kong's China critics beaten in targeted attacks

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - October 24th, 2019

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-blocks-almost-a-quarter-of-accredited-foreign-news-sites-watchdog-257490">Beijing</a> is drawing up a plan to remove <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-leader-carrie-lam-abandons-speech-after-heckles-from-lawmakers-256227">Hong Kong's beleaguered chief executive Carrie Lam</a>, the Financial Times reported Wednesday, after nearly five months of pro-democracy unrest.

The pro-Beijing leader has faced sustained criticism from protesters in the semi-autonomous city.

So far the central government in Beijing has given its support to her and the <a href="http://wionews.com/world/hong-kong-government-pledges-more-aid-to-battered-city-no-end-in-sight-to-unrest-257531">Hong Kong</a> police, calling the demonstrators "rioters" and condemning the violence.&nbsp;

But according to the FT report, which quoted unnamed figures briefed on the deliberations, the Chinese government is drawing up a plan to replace her with an interim chief executive.

However, sources told the newspaper that the plan would be dependent on the situation in the city first stabilising so that Beijing is not seen as giving in to violence.

Lam's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.

Hong Kong has now been battered by 20 weeks of protests and with no political solution in sight, clashes have intensified each month.

Earlier this month, Lam -- who has refused to grant any major concessions to protesters -- invoked a colonial-era emergency law to ban face masks, setting off a new wave of protests and vandalism that shut down much of the city's transport network.

If President Xi Jinping decided to go ahead with the plan to remove Lam, the report said her replacement would be installed by March.

Leading candidates being considered to replace Lam reportedly include Norman Chan, former head of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, and Henry Tang, who has also served as the territory’s financial secretary and chief secretary for administration.&nbsp;

A leaked audio recording emerged in September of Lam saying she would quit if she had a choice -- although she later said she had not contemplated standing down.

Lam has faced a series of political difficulties since the city's legislature returned for a new session last week.&nbsp;

She was unable to give her State of the Union-style policy speech after pro-democracy lawmakers repeatedly interrupted her, forcing her to deliver the address via a pre-recorded video.

Beijing is drawing up a plan to remove Hong Kong's beleaguered chief executive Carrie Lam, the Financial Times reported Wednesday, after nearly five months of pro-democracy unrest.

Beijing is drawing up a plan to remove Hong Kong's beleaguered chief executive Carrie Lam, the Financial Times reported Wednesday, after nearly five months of pro-democracy unrest. The pro-Beijing leader has faced sustained criticism from protesters in the semi-autonomous city. So far the central government in Beijing has given its support to her and the Hong Kong police, calling the demonstrators "rioters" and condemning the violence. But according to the FT report, which quoted unnamed figures briefed on the deliberations, the Chinese government is drawing up a plan to replace her with an interim chief executive. However, sources told the newspaper that the plan would be dependent on the situation in the city first stabilising so that Beijing is not seen as giving in to violence. Lam's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report. Hong Kong has now been battered by 20 weeks of protests and with no political solution in sight, clashes have intensified each month. Earlier this month, Lam -- who has refused to grant any major concessions to protesters -- invoked a colonial-era emergency law to ban face masks, setting off a new wave of protests and vandalism that shut down much of the city's transport network. If President Xi Jinping decided to go ahead with the plan to remove Lam, the report said her replacement would be installed by March. Leading candidates being considered to replace Lam reportedly include Norman Chan, former head of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, and Henry Tang, who has also served as the territory’s financial secretary and chief secretary for administration. A leaked audio recording emerged in September of Lam saying she would quit if she had a choice -- although she later said she had not contemplated standing down. Lam has faced a series of political difficulties since the city's legislature returned for a new session last week. She was unable to give her State of the Union-style policy speech after pro-democracy lawmakers repeatedly interrupted her, forcing her to deliver the address via a pre-recorded video.

China plans to replace Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam: Report

China on Tuesday invited International Energy Agency (IEA) delegation led by Taliban leader M. Baradar Akhund to take part in the upcoming intra-Afghan conference to be held in Beijing.

"China invited the IEA delegation led by M. Baradar Akhund to participate in the conference. The meeting will be a continuation of Moscow and Qatar conferences," wrote Zabihullah, official spokesperson of the Taliban on Twitter.

"All attendees shall participate in an individual capacity and present personal views about finding a resolution to the Afghan issue," Zabihullah said.

Earlier in the day, Akhund also known as M. Abdul Gani Baradar, along with his delegation met with China's Special Representative for Afghanistan Deng Xijun and the Ambassador of China to Qatar.

Both the sides discussed upcoming intra-Afghan conference in Beijing and the ongoing peace process between the US and the Taliban. Ever since US President Donald Trump abruptly cancelled months-long talks between US officials and the Taliban, the terrorist group has approached various countries to make a breakthrough in the peace process.

Taliban has escalated its offensive after the collapse of talks. It has carried out various suicide bombings in several provinces of the country.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

China on Tuesday invited International Energy Agency (IEA) delegation led by Taliban leader M. Baradar Akhund to take part in the upcoming intra-Afghan conference to be held in Beijing.

China on Tuesday invited International Energy Agency (IEA) delegation led by Taliban leader M. Baradar Akhund to take part in the upcoming intra-Afghan conference to be held in Beijing. "China invited the IEA delegation led by M. Baradar Akhund to participate in the conference. The meeting will be a continuation of Moscow and Qatar conferences," wrote Zabihullah, official spokesperson of the Taliban on Twitter. "All attendees shall participate in an individual capacity and present personal views about finding a resolution to the Afghan issue," Zabihullah said. Earlier in the day, Akhund also known as M. Abdul Gani Baradar, along with his delegation met with China's Special Representative for Afghanistan Deng Xijun and the Ambassador of China to Qatar. Both the sides discussed upcoming intra-Afghan conference in Beijing and the ongoing peace process between the US and the Taliban. Ever since US President Donald Trump abruptly cancelled months-long talks between US officials and the Taliban, the terrorist group has approached various countries to make a breakthrough in the peace process. Taliban has escalated its offensive after the collapse of talks. It has carried out various suicide bombings in several provinces of the country.

China invites Taliban representatives for intra-Afghan conference in Beijing

Watch in WION Wallet: China seeks sanctions on the U.S. in the World Trade Organisation.

WION Wallet: China seeks sanctions on U.S. in World Trade Organisation

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - October 22nd, 2019

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - October 17th, 2019

China Leans Towards Russian Camp In Syria China hasn't played a direct role in the Syrian conflict. But now, Beijing is increasingly leaning towards the Russian camp.

Gravitas: China's Game-plan In Syria

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