China will continue to enforce production restrictions in heavy industry in winter this year and will tighten its emission assessment on steel mills when granting exemptions from curbs already in place, an environment ministry official said on Saturday.

With increasing discontent over large-scale industrial shutdowns, Beijing has vowed to adopt more effective and targeted measures during its war against air pollution by imposing different levels of output cuts on companies based on their emission situation.

"The steel industry remains a major contributor of pollutants despite improvement in emission levels and production restrictions.

This year, there will not be many first-class firms that will be exempt from curbs," Liu Bingjiang, the head of the atmospheric environment department at Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), told an industrial conference.

Liu said MEE will bring in industrial associations to carry out emission assessments on mills to avoid fraud in the emission upgrading process.

"We will hand out severe punishment to mills who play tricks and will enforce the highest level of production restrictions on them," said Liu, adding that he had noticed that investment and operational costs of emission upgrade at mills varied from less than 20 yuan ($2.91) a tonne to as high as 270 yuan a tonne in steel-making.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/photos/united-states-china-trade-war-in-10-dates-230517&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi67PCd37HjAhXijOYKHS-9DskQFjACegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw05t8IGlOX4L-stYh5vIJRH">China, the world's biggest steel producer</a>, has ordered mills in key regions, including Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the Fenwei Plain and the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-water-quality-improvements-imbalanced-in-first-quarter-xinhua-219635&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj_zIb63rHjAhWa8HMBHRcJDdUQFjAAegQIARAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3zujw4ETo7AJLM4fbi8rD_">Yangtze River Delta</a>, to meet ultra-low emission standards by 2020.

That would include more than 60% of steel capacity in the country.

Companies who attain "ultra-low" emission standards are entitled to be exempt from or are allowed to implement a minimum level of production cuts during smog days.

However, an executive at the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) at the same conference warned of insufficient "clean capacity" in the steel industry despite the record high output.

"I hope the government can adopt fair measures in its anti-smog campaign by protecting and supporting clean and advanced steel producers," said CISA Chairman He Wenbo.

In the first five months of this year, China's crude steel output increased by 10.2% from a year earlier to reach 404.88 million tonnes.&nbsp;

Of the incremental output, 54% comes from small steel firms whose emission level is typically lower compared with their mid- and big-sized rivals, He said.

"Mills are investing huge amounts of money to improve their emission levels...they are the real heroes in the war against pollution."

China will continue to enforce production restrictions in heavy industry in winter this year and will tighten its emission assessment on steel mills when granting exemptions from curbs already in place, an environment ministry official said on Saturday.

China will continue to enforce production restrictions in heavy industry in winter this year and will tighten its emission assessment on steel mills when granting exemptions from curbs already in place, an environment ministry official said on Saturday. With increasing discontent over large-scale industrial shutdowns, Beijing has vowed to adopt more effective and targeted measures during its war against air pollution by imposing different levels of output cuts on companies based on their emission situation. "The steel industry remains a major contributor of pollutants despite improvement in emission levels and production restrictions. This year, there will not be many first-class firms that will be exempt from curbs," Liu Bingjiang, the head of the atmospheric environment department at Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), told an industrial conference. Liu said MEE will bring in industrial associations to carry out emission assessments on mills to avoid fraud in the emission upgrading process. "We will hand out severe punishment to mills who play tricks and will enforce the highest level of production restrictions on them," said Liu, adding that he had noticed that investment and operational costs of emission upgrade at mills varied from less than 20 yuan ($2.91) a tonne to as high as 270 yuan a tonne in steel-making. China, the world's biggest steel producer, has ordered mills in key regions, including Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the Fenwei Plain and the Yangtze River Delta, to meet ultra-low emission standards by 2020. That would include more than 60% of steel capacity in the country. Companies who attain "ultra-low" emission standards are entitled to be exempt from or are allowed to implement a minimum level of production cuts during smog days. However, an executive at the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) at the same conference warned of insufficient "clean capacity" in the steel industry despite the record high output. "I hope the government can adopt fair measures in its anti-smog campaign by protecting and supporting clean and advanced steel producers," said CISA Chairman He Wenbo. In the first five months of this year, China's crude steel output increased by 10.2% from a year earlier to reach 404.88 million tonnes. Of the incremental output, 54% comes from small steel firms whose emission level is typically lower compared with their mid- and big-sized rivals, He said. "Mills are investing huge amounts of money to improve their emission levels...they are the real heroes in the war against pollution."

China plans to toughen emission checks on steel mills

China on Friday said it would impose sanctions on US companies involved in a potential arms sale worth $2.2 billion to self-ruled Taiwan - a move that has infuriated Beijing.&nbsp;

"The US arms sale to Taiwan has severely violated the basic norms of international law and international relations," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang in an online statement.

"In order to safeguard national interests, <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/china-says-the-us-should-not-play-with-fire-on-taiwan-235313&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjZuOOQuq_jAhVFQd4KHc2RApsQFjADegQICxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2sOn1souC3kVjZYjjWTGWm">China</a> will impose sanctions on US enterprises participating in this sale of weapons to Taiwan," he said.

The planned weapons sale, the first transfer of big-ticket United States military gear to democratically-governed Taiwan in decades, comes as ties between Washington and Beijing are already strained by their trade war.

China views Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to one day seize it, by force if necessary.

It bristles at any country that might lend Taiwan diplomatic support or legitimacy.

Earlier this week, the Chinese foreign ministry said Beijing had lodged formal complaints through diplomatic channels expressing "strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition" at the potential weapons sale, which includes battle tanks and anti-aircraft missiles.

China on Tuesday had also demanded that the US "immediately cancel" the $2.2 billion potential arms sale.

The US later shrugged off China's complaints, responding that the equipment would contribute to "peace and stability" in Asia.

'Playing with fire'&nbsp;

With the US currently engaged in a trade war with China, relations between Taipei and Washington have warmed considerably.&nbsp;

Unlike the last three American presidents, who were wary of angering Beijing, Donald Trump has ramped up relations with Taiwan.&nbsp;

And although Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979, it has remained Taiwan's most powerful unofficial ally and biggest arms supplier.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday warned Washington "not to play with fire with the Taiwan question" during a visit to Hungary.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen is spending two days in the US this week ahead of a trip to visit diplomatic allies in the Caribbean.

The decision to let Tsai pass through the US has drawn ire from Beijing, which voiced "firm" opposition to official exchanges between Washington and Taipei.

Separately, foreign ministry spokesman Geng told a press briefing Friday that the US should not provide a platform for "Taiwan independence separatist forces".&nbsp;

"We urge the US... to not let Tsai Ing-wen pass through its territory," said Geng.

After her US trip, Tsai will visit Haiti, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia, and St Christopher and Nevis, in an attempt to shore up support for Taiwan.

China has poached five of Taipei's dwindling number of allies since Tsai became president in 2016.

China on Friday said it would impose sanctions on US companies involved in a potential arms sale worth $2.2 billion to self-ruled Taiwan - a move that has infuriated Beijing.

China on Friday said it would impose sanctions on US companies involved in a potential arms sale worth $2.2 billion to self-ruled Taiwan - a move that has infuriated Beijing. "The US arms sale to Taiwan has severely violated the basic norms of international law and international relations," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang in an online statement. "In order to safeguard national interests, China will impose sanctions on US enterprises participating in this sale of weapons to Taiwan," he said. The planned weapons sale, the first transfer of big-ticket United States military gear to democratically-governed Taiwan in decades, comes as ties between Washington and Beijing are already strained by their trade war. China views Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to one day seize it, by force if necessary. It bristles at any country that might lend Taiwan diplomatic support or legitimacy. Earlier this week, the Chinese foreign ministry said Beijing had lodged formal complaints through diplomatic channels expressing "strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition" at the potential weapons sale, which includes battle tanks and anti-aircraft missiles. China on Tuesday had also demanded that the US "immediately cancel" the $2.2 billion potential arms sale. The US later shrugged off China's complaints, responding that the equipment would contribute to "peace and stability" in Asia. 'Playing with fire' With the US currently engaged in a trade war with China, relations between Taipei and Washington have warmed considerably. Unlike the last three American presidents, who were wary of angering Beijing, Donald Trump has ramped up relations with Taiwan. And although Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979, it has remained Taiwan's most powerful unofficial ally and biggest arms supplier. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday warned Washington "not to play with fire with the Taiwan question" during a visit to Hungary. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen is spending two days in the US this week ahead of a trip to visit diplomatic allies in the Caribbean. The decision to let Tsai pass through the US has drawn ire from Beijing, which voiced "firm" opposition to official exchanges between Washington and Taipei. Separately, foreign ministry spokesman Geng told a press briefing Friday that the US should not provide a platform for "Taiwan independence separatist forces". "We urge the US... to not let Tsai Ing-wen pass through its territory," said Geng. After her US trip, Tsai will visit Haiti, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia, and St Christopher and Nevis, in an attempt to shore up support for Taiwan. China has poached five of Taipei's dwindling number of allies since Tsai became president in 2016.

China to impose sanctions on US firms in Taiwan arms sale

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/china-continues-to-be-key-driver-of-global-economy-experts-205273">China's economic growth</a> is expected to slow to a near 30-year low of 6.2 per cent this year, a Reuters poll showed on Wednesday, despite a flurry of support measures to spur domestic demand amid a bruising trade war with the United States.

The median forecast was unchanged from the last poll in April.

But a stream of downbeat data in recent months and higher <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-says-us-tariffs-must-be-lifted-to-reach-a-deal-to-end-trade-war-232996">US tariffs</a> have fanned expectations that Beijing will need to roll out more stimulus soon to ward off a sharper slowdown that could stoke job losses.

Second-quarter growth was seen cooling to 6.2 per cent from a year earlier, the same as in the previous poll, from 6.4 per cent in the first quarter. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sale-of-weapons-to-taiwan-violates-one-china-policy-cancel-it-immediately-china-to-us-234236">China</a> will post its second-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) on July 15.

Most of the 72 institutions covered in the survey expect growth will remain at 6.2 per cent for the rest of this year, compared with expectations for a tick-up to 6.3 per cent in the previous poll.

Zhang Yiping, the senior economist at Merchants Securities in Shenzhen, said he expected the US tariff hike in May on $200 billion of Chinese goods to weigh on growth in the second half.

But Zhang said authorities are likely to stick to more moderate policy easing, rather than resorting to more aggressive measures.

"We expect policy this year would focus more on building a floor to underpin the economy, rather than to boost growth," he said.

So far, China's stimulus measures have been more restrained than in past downturns, which analysts attribute to fears of adding to a mountain of debt left over from past credit binges.

But the central bank governor reportedly said last month that there is "tremendous" room to adjust policy if the trade war worsens.

The full-year forecast would be nearing the lower end of the government's 2019 target range of 6-6.5 per cent, and would mark the weakest pace of growth China has seen in 29 years.

It would also spell a further deceleration from 6.6 per cent in 2018 and 6.8 per cent in 2017.

Growth next year will likely cool further to 6.0 per cent, the poll showed.

Trade Uncertainty&nbsp;

Beijing has been relying on a combination of fiscal stimulus and monetary easing to weather the current slowdown, including hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure spending and tax cuts for companies.

But the economy has been slow to respond, and investors fear a longer and costlier trade war between the world's two largest economies could trigger a global recession.

US President Donald Trump told counterpart Xi Jinping late last month that he is putting threatened additional levies on hold as they agreed to get trade negotiations back on track.

But Washington sharply raised tariffs on $200 billion of goods from China in May, which remain in force, and no timeframe was set for the talks.

"Trade frictions would remain in the long run despite the truce reached last month. We expect the standoff to morph into more forms such as a tech war, to put further strain on China's economy," Zhang added.

Capital Economics believes China's fiscal policy will become even more supportive, which would be most likely achieved by relaxing constraints on off-budget borrowing.

"We now expect our estimates of the augmented fiscal deficit, which includes off-budget borrowing, to widen in the coming quarters and average 8 per cent of GDP this year, up from 6.4 per cent in 2018."

The government has announced a rise in its budget deficit to 2.8 per cent of GDP this year from 2.6 per cent in 2018.

More Measures Expected

Analysts in the latest Reuters poll expect the People's Bank of China (PBOC) will ease policy further this year.

But they do not expect it to cut its benchmark lending rate, as it repeatedly did in past downturns.

Separately, some other China watchers have recently raised the possibility of cut in the PBOC's benchmark or one of its short-term rates if the US central bank starts easing policy as soon as this month.

The PBOC has slashed banks' reserve requirement ratio (RRR) six times since early 2018 to turn around soft credit growth. It has also injected large amounts of liquidity into the financial system and guided short-term interest rates lower.

Analysts forecast two more RRR cuts of 50 basis points each in this quarter and the last quarter.

Economists expect the central bank to keep its benchmark rate unchanged at 4.35 percent through at least the end of 2020.

The poll also predicted annual consumer inflation will pick up to 2.3 per cent in 2019, quickening from 2.1 per cent estimate in the April survey, but below the government target of around 3 per cent.

Data this week showed China's producer prices stalled in June while consumer price growth reached a 15-month high as supply shortages triggered by the African swine fever outbreak and extreme weather continued to push up pork and fruit prices.

China's economic growth is expected to slow to a near 30-year low of 6.2 per cent this year, a Reuters poll showed on Wednesday, despite a flurry of support measures to spur domestic demand amid a bruising trade war with the United States.

China's economic growth is expected to slow to a near 30-year low of 6.2 per cent this year, a Reuters poll showed on Wednesday, despite a flurry of support measures to spur domestic demand amid a bruising trade war with the United States. The median forecast was unchanged from the last poll in April. But a stream of downbeat data in recent months and higher US tariffs have fanned expectations that Beijing will need to roll out more stimulus soon to ward off a sharper slowdown that could stoke job losses. Second-quarter growth was seen cooling to 6.2 per cent from a year earlier, the same as in the previous poll, from 6.4 per cent in the first quarter. China will post its second-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) on July 15. Most of the 72 institutions covered in the survey expect growth will remain at 6.2 per cent for the rest of this year, compared with expectations for a tick-up to 6.3 per cent in the previous poll. Zhang Yiping, the senior economist at Merchants Securities in Shenzhen, said he expected the US tariff hike in May on $200 billion of Chinese goods to weigh on growth in the second half. But Zhang said authorities are likely to stick to more moderate policy easing, rather than resorting to more aggressive measures. "We expect policy this year would focus more on building a floor to underpin the economy, rather than to boost growth," he said. So far, China's stimulus measures have been more restrained than in past downturns, which analysts attribute to fears of adding to a mountain of debt left over from past credit binges. But the central bank governor reportedly said last month that there is "tremendous" room to adjust policy if the trade war worsens. The full-year forecast would be nearing the lower end of the government's 2019 target range of 6-6.5 per cent, and would mark the weakest pace of growth China has seen in 29 years. It would also spell a further deceleration from 6.6 per cent in 2018 and 6.8 per cent in 2017. Growth next year will likely cool further to 6.0 per cent, the poll showed. Trade Uncertainty Beijing has been relying on a combination of fiscal stimulus and monetary easing to weather the current slowdown, including hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure spending and tax cuts for companies. But the economy has been slow to respond, and investors fear a longer and costlier trade war between the world's two largest economies could trigger a global recession. US President Donald Trump told counterpart Xi Jinping late last month that he is putting threatened additional levies on hold as they agreed to get trade negotiations back on track. But Washington sharply raised tariffs on $200 billion of goods from China in May, which remain in force, and no timeframe was set for the talks. "Trade frictions would remain in the long run despite the truce reached last month. We expect the standoff to morph into more forms such as a tech war, to put further strain on China's economy," Zhang added. Capital Economics believes China's fiscal policy will become even more supportive, which would be most likely achieved by relaxing constraints on off-budget borrowing. "We now expect our estimates of the augmented fiscal deficit, which includes off-budget borrowing, to widen in the coming quarters and average 8 per cent of GDP this year, up from 6.4 per cent in 2018." The government has announced a rise in its budget deficit to 2.8 per cent of GDP this year from 2.6 per cent in 2018. More Measures Expected Analysts in the latest Reuters poll expect the People's Bank of China (PBOC) will ease policy further this year. But they do not expect it to cut its benchmark lending rate, as it repeatedly did in past downturns. Separately, some other China watchers have recently raised the possibility of cut in the PBOC's benchmark or one of its short-term rates if the US central bank starts easing policy as soon as this month. The PBOC has slashed banks' reserve requirement ratio (RRR) six times since early 2018 to turn around soft credit growth. It has also injected large amounts of liquidity into the financial system and guided short-term interest rates lower. Analysts forecast two more RRR cuts of 50 basis points each in this quarter and the last quarter. Economists expect the central bank to keep its benchmark rate unchanged at 4.35 percent through at least the end of 2020. The poll also predicted annual consumer inflation will pick up to 2.3 per cent in 2019, quickening from 2.1 per cent estimate in the April survey, but below the government target of around 3 per cent. Data this week showed China's producer prices stalled in June while consumer price growth reached a 15-month high as supply shortages triggered by the African swine fever outbreak and extreme weather continued to push up pork and fruit prices.

China's 2019 growth seen slowing to 6.2 per cent as trade war weighs: Report

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-has-changed-a-lot-since-bimstecs-inception-thailand-ambassador-227899">Thailand</a>'s rice exports fell by 12 per cent in the first half of 2019 hurt by a strong baht, and will likely fall short of this year's target of 9.5 million tonnes, an exporter group said on Wednesday.

The country has been struggling to export rice at a time when the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/rice-demand-dwindles-in-top-asian-exporters-thai-rates-hit-by-fresh-supplies-200354">Thai baht is Asia's best-performing currency</a> and is trading near its strongest in more than six years at 30.81 against the US dollar.

Thailand, the world's second-largest rice exporter after India, shipped 4.2 million tonnes of rice between January and June, with orders in the last two months declining to as low as 600,000 tonnes per month. This was below a targeted monthly average of 800,000 tonnes.

"Thai rice is very expensive because of the currency exchange," Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, told Reuters.

"If the baht keeps strengthening below 30 against the dollar, it's game over for us."

Thai benchmark 5 per cent broken rice was quoted last Thursday at an average of $404 per tonne, significantly higher than the same grade from competitors India and Vietnam at $372.5 and $332.50 respectively.

The association said earlier this year it aimed to export 9.5 million tonnes of rice, already a drop from 11 million tonnes in 2018.

But now, even reaching 9 million tonnes will be hard, Chookiat said.

"With a price gap like this, it's a no-brainer that buyers would go for Vietnamese rice," he said.

China Supply

Thailand also faced competition from China, as the world's biggest rice importer and Thailand's third-biggest buyer last year has been offloading its stockpiles.

China has slowed trade with its two biggest partners Thailand and Vietnam this year due to large state reserves, and has been selling its stockpiles of "old rice", which ended up in the African markets previously dominated by Thailand, Chookiat said.

"Because China doesn't buy from Vietnam this year, Vietnam has a lot of rice to compete with us in every market. At the same time China takes our African markets," he said.

From January to May, Thailand has exported rice worth 3.7 billion baht ($120.1 million) to China, a 45% decline from the same period last year, according to the Thai commerce ministry data.

Thailand's government-to-government deal with Chinese state-owned food trader COFCO has also stalled due to China's ample rice supply.

As of end-2018, Thailand had supplied 700,000 tonnes of rice to China as part of the pledged deal for 1 million tonnes of the grain struck in 2015.

"From then to now, there haven't been any new orders for the deal," Chookiat said.

($1 = 30.8100 baht)

Thailand's rice exports fell by 12 per cent in the first half of 2019 hurt by a strong baht, and will likely fall short of this year's target of 9.5 million tonnes, an exporter group said on Wednesday.

Thailand's rice exports fell by 12 per cent in the first half of 2019 hurt by a strong baht, and will likely fall short of this year's target of 9.5 million tonnes, an exporter group said on Wednesday. The country has been struggling to export rice at a time when the Thai baht is Asia's best-performing currency and is trading near its strongest in more than six years at 30.81 against the US dollar. Thailand, the world's second-largest rice exporter after India, shipped 4.2 million tonnes of rice between January and June, with orders in the last two months declining to as low as 600,000 tonnes per month. This was below a targeted monthly average of 800,000 tonnes. "Thai rice is very expensive because of the currency exchange," Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, told Reuters. "If the baht keeps strengthening below 30 against the dollar, it's game over for us." Thai benchmark 5 per cent broken rice was quoted last Thursday at an average of $404 per tonne, significantly higher than the same grade from competitors India and Vietnam at $372.5 and $332.50 respectively. The association said earlier this year it aimed to export 9.5 million tonnes of rice, already a drop from 11 million tonnes in 2018. But now, even reaching 9 million tonnes will be hard, Chookiat said. "With a price gap like this, it's a no-brainer that buyers would go for Vietnamese rice," he said. China Supply Thailand also faced competition from China, as the world's biggest rice importer and Thailand's third-biggest buyer last year has been offloading its stockpiles. China has slowed trade with its two biggest partners Thailand and Vietnam this year due to large state reserves, and has been selling its stockpiles of "old rice", which ended up in the African markets previously dominated by Thailand, Chookiat said. "Because China doesn't buy from Vietnam this year, Vietnam has a lot of rice to compete with us in every market. At the same time China takes our African markets," he said. From January to May, Thailand has exported rice worth 3.7 billion baht ($120.1 million) to China, a 45% decline from the same period last year, according to the Thai commerce ministry data. Thailand's government-to-government deal with Chinese state-owned food trader COFCO has also stalled due to China's ample rice supply. As of end-2018, Thailand had supplied 700,000 tonnes of rice to China as part of the pledged deal for 1 million tonnes of the grain struck in 2015. "From then to now, there haven't been any new orders for the deal," Chookiat said. ($1 = 30.8100 baht)

Thailand rice exports hit by strong baht, unlikely to meet 2019 goal

Monaco on Tuesday became the first country in Europe to inaugurate a next-generation <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/with-us-driving-west-to-shun-it-huawei-seeks-to-strengthen-grip-on-africa-225593">5G mobile phone network</a> based on technology from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-lawyer-tells-us-jury-spelling-errors-video-shows-rival-stole-trade-secrets-224361">Chinese firm Huawei</a>, which is seen by the US as a major security risk.&nbsp;

As mobile operators shift away from slower 3G and 4G networks, Europe has been torn over its approach to the Chinese giant, which is a pioneer in 5G technology.

Offering super-fast wireless access, 5G mobile networks offer much greater data transfer speeds.

In September, Monaco Telecom, which is owned by French billionaire Xavier Niel, signed an agreement with Huawei to make the tiny principality the first country in Europe fully covered by 5G.

"We are the first state to be entirely covered by a 5G network," said Monaco Telecom president Etienne Franzi at the inauguration ceremony.

"In Monaco, the 5G is the promise of a better quality of life for all and exceptional opportunities," added the principality's head of digital transition Frederic Genta.

For <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-us-china-row-huawei-signs-deal-with-russian-telecom-company-mts-to-develop-5g-network-224867">Huawei vice president Guo Ping</a>, the rollout in Monaco is a major opportunity despite the small size of territory covered.

"It allows us to make a shop window in a number of areas, notably linking 5G development to this intelligent state.

"It can serve as a model for other operators and states," he added.&nbsp;

Controversial partner&nbsp;

Speaking to AFP in May, Monaco Telecom's director general Martin Peronnet defended the decision to work with the Chinese supplier.&nbsp;

"There are many countries and operators that are in the process of finalising a 5G rollout with Huawei or who have already done so," he said.

Ahead of the deployment, the operator worked to update its network equipment and deploy 5G-compatible antennae, stressing that it had put in place the necessary security measures to protect its systems.&nbsp;

Huawei's involvement in the roll-out of 5G networks has become an increasingly political issue after Washington raised concerns over potential security risks and pushed its closest allies to reject the Chinese firm.&nbsp;

US intelligence agencies believe Huawei is backed by the Chinese military and that its equipment could provide Beijing's intelligence services with a backdoor into the communications networks of rival countries.

Huawei has denied the claims, and so far, Washington has offered no evidence for its concerns.&nbsp;

The company says it has signed 50 contracts worldwide, including 28 with European operators, for 5G.

South Korea has already announced complete nationwide 5G coverage while in Europe smaller nations like Switzerland, Finland and Estonia have only just started deploying the technology.

Germany is only now handing out frequencies to operators and France should follow in the final quarter of the year.

In May, Washington moved to block Huawei from the US market and banned the export of US technology and materials to the firm in the latest salvo in a monumental economic showdown between the two superpowers.

Last month, an internal report by the GSM Association, which represents mobile network operators around the world, found that banning Huawei and fellow Chinese equipment maker ZTE from Europe's 5G roll-out would cost European operators up to 55 billion euros ($62 billion).

It would also slow down the roll-out of 5G networks in Europe and lead to reduced take-up, which would further increase the productivity gap between the EU and the US, the report said.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Monaco on Tuesday became the first country in Europe to inaugurate a next-generation 5G mobile phone network based on technology from Chinese firm Huawei, which is seen by the US as a major security risk.

Monaco on Tuesday became the first country in Europe to inaugurate a next-generation 5G mobile phone network based on technology from Chinese firm Huawei, which is seen by the US as a major security risk. As mobile operators shift away from slower 3G and 4G networks, Europe has been torn over its approach to the Chinese giant, which is a pioneer in 5G technology. Offering super-fast wireless access, 5G mobile networks offer much greater data transfer speeds. In September, Monaco Telecom, which is owned by French billionaire Xavier Niel, signed an agreement with Huawei to make the tiny principality the first country in Europe fully covered by 5G. "We are the first state to be entirely covered by a 5G network," said Monaco Telecom president Etienne Franzi at the inauguration ceremony. "In Monaco, the 5G is the promise of a better quality of life for all and exceptional opportunities," added the principality's head of digital transition Frederic Genta. For Huawei vice president Guo Ping, the rollout in Monaco is a major opportunity despite the small size of territory covered. "It allows us to make a shop window in a number of areas, notably linking 5G development to this intelligent state. "It can serve as a model for other operators and states," he added. Controversial partner Speaking to AFP in May, Monaco Telecom's director general Martin Peronnet defended the decision to work with the Chinese supplier. "There are many countries and operators that are in the process of finalising a 5G rollout with Huawei or who have already done so," he said. Ahead of the deployment, the operator worked to update its network equipment and deploy 5G-compatible antennae, stressing that it had put in place the necessary security measures to protect its systems. Huawei's involvement in the roll-out of 5G networks has become an increasingly political issue after Washington raised concerns over potential security risks and pushed its closest allies to reject the Chinese firm. US intelligence agencies believe Huawei is backed by the Chinese military and that its equipment could provide Beijing's intelligence services with a backdoor into the communications networks of rival countries. Huawei has denied the claims, and so far, Washington has offered no evidence for its concerns. The company says it has signed 50 contracts worldwide, including 28 with European operators, for 5G. South Korea has already announced complete nationwide 5G coverage while in Europe smaller nations like Switzerland, Finland and Estonia have only just started deploying the technology. Germany is only now handing out frequencies to operators and France should follow in the final quarter of the year. In May, Washington moved to block Huawei from the US market and banned the export of US technology and materials to the firm in the latest salvo in a monumental economic showdown between the two superpowers. Last month, an internal report by the GSM Association, which represents mobile network operators around the world, found that banning Huawei and fellow Chinese equipment maker ZTE from Europe's 5G roll-out would cost European operators up to 55 billion euros ($62 billion). It would also slow down the roll-out of 5G networks in Europe and lead to reduced take-up, which would further increase the productivity gap between the EU and the US, the report said.

Monaco rolls out Huawei-built 5G network in European first

Prominent activist Denise Ho brought the issue of protests in Hong Kong to the United Nations in Geneva on Monday, saying China was tightening its grip on the territory and that its autonomy and democratic freedoms were slipping away. Beijing's delegation twice interrupted singer and producer Ho, who is banned in mainland China, as she was delivering her speech, invoking "point of order".

Hong Kong singer-activist brings protest to UN rights body, urges action

China and the rest of the world must co-exist, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/china-will-always-stand-by-pakistans-core-interests-chinese-vice-president-221991">Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan</a> said on Monday, in an indirect jab at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-congress-expands-probe-of-white-house-personal-email-use-232215">United States</a> with which Beijing is currently trying to resolve a bitter trade war.

"China's development can't shut out the rest of the world. The world's development can't shut out China," Wang said in an opening address to the World Peace Forum at Beijing's elite Tsinghua University.

Wang also warned against "protectionism in the name of national security", without mentioning the United States, and called major powers to make more contributions to global peace and stability.

The Trump administration has accused China of engaging in unfair trade practices that discriminate against US firms, forced technology transfers, and intellectual property rights theft, all charges Beijing has denied.

Both sides have levelled increasingly severe tariffs on each other's imports.

China has also been angered by the US sanctions against Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd over national security concerns.

Wang, who is extremely close to Chinese President Xi Jinping and who only rarely speaks in public, reiterated China's commitment to opening up.

The world needs China just as much as China needs the world, said Wang, who became vice president last year having previously lead Xi's fight against deep-rooted corruption.

"Large countries must assume their responsibilities and set an example, make more contributions to global peace and stability, and broaden the path of joint development," he said.

"Development is the key to resolving all issues," Wang told an audience that included senior Beijing-based Western diplomats and former European Council President Herman Van Rompuy.

Top representatives of the United States and China are organizing a resumption of talks for this week to try to resolve the year-long trade war between the world's two largest economies.

The two sides have been in communication by telephone since last month's G20 summit when US President Donald Trump and Xi agreed to relaunch talks that had stalled in May.

Talks between the two sides broke down in May after US officials accused China of pulling back from commitments it had made previously in the text of an agreement that negotiators said was nearly finished.

The two countries have been at loggerheads over a series of other issues, from human rights to the disputed South China Sea and US support of self-ruled Taiwan, claimed by China as its own.

Wang said that no matter how the international situation develops or how China develops, it will walk the path of peace, and not seek spheres of influence or expansion.

"If there is no peaceful, stable international environment, there will be no development to talk of."

China and the rest of the world must co-exist, Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan said on Monday, in an indirect jab at the United States with which Beijing is currently trying to resolve a bitter trade war.

China and the rest of the world must co-exist, Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan said on Monday, in an indirect jab at the United States with which Beijing is currently trying to resolve a bitter trade war. "China's development can't shut out the rest of the world. The world's development can't shut out China," Wang said in an opening address to the World Peace Forum at Beijing's elite Tsinghua University. Wang also warned against "protectionism in the name of national security", without mentioning the United States, and called major powers to make more contributions to global peace and stability. The Trump administration has accused China of engaging in unfair trade practices that discriminate against US firms, forced technology transfers, and intellectual property rights theft, all charges Beijing has denied. Both sides have levelled increasingly severe tariffs on each other's imports. China has also been angered by the US sanctions against Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd over national security concerns. Wang, who is extremely close to Chinese President Xi Jinping and who only rarely speaks in public, reiterated China's commitment to opening up. The world needs China just as much as China needs the world, said Wang, who became vice president last year having previously lead Xi's fight against deep-rooted corruption. "Large countries must assume their responsibilities and set an example, make more contributions to global peace and stability, and broaden the path of joint development," he said. "Development is the key to resolving all issues," Wang told an audience that included senior Beijing-based Western diplomats and former European Council President Herman Van Rompuy. Top representatives of the United States and China are organizing a resumption of talks for this week to try to resolve the year-long trade war between the world's two largest economies. The two sides have been in communication by telephone since last month's G20 summit when US President Donald Trump and Xi agreed to relaunch talks that had stalled in May. Talks between the two sides broke down in May after US officials accused China of pulling back from commitments it had made previously in the text of an agreement that negotiators said was nearly finished. The two countries have been at loggerheads over a series of other issues, from human rights to the disputed South China Sea and US support of self-ruled Taiwan, claimed by China as its own. Wang said that no matter how the international situation develops or how China develops, it will walk the path of peace, and not seek spheres of influence or expansion. "If there is no peaceful, stable international environment, there will be no development to talk of."

In jab at US, China's vice president Wang Qishan says world cannot shut China out

Anti-government <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dancing-aunties-spark-new-hong-kong-protest-233608">protesters in Hong Kong</a> plan to rally later Sunday outside a controversial station where high-speed trains depart for the Chinese mainland as they try to keep up pressure on the city's pro-Beijing leaders.

The rally is the first major protest planned since last Monday's unprecedented storming of parliament by largely young, masked protesters - a move which plunged the international financial hub further into crisis.

Hong Kong has been rocked by a month of huge peaceful protests as well as a series of separate <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-state-media-says-western-ideologues-to-blame-for-hong-kong-unrest-232918">violent confrontations with police</a>, sparked by a law that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China.

The bill has since been postponed in response to the intense backlash but that has done little to quell public anger, which has evolved into a wider movement calling for democratic reforms and a halt to sliding freedoms in the semi-autonomous city.

Protesters are demanding the bill be scrapped entirely, an independent inquiry into police use of tear gas and rubber bullets, amnesty for those arrested, and for the city's unelected leader Carrie Lam to step down.

Beijing has thrown its full support behind Lam, calling on Hong Kong police to pursue anyone involved in the parliament storming and other clashes.

Watch: 'China eroding Hong Kong autonomy,' Hong Kong activist speaks to WION

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Aimed at mainlanders

Sunday's rally - first mooted on encrypted messaging apps and online forums - is being billed as an opportunity to explain to Chinese mainlanders in the city what the protest movement is about.

It is the first to take place in Kowloon, across the harbour from the main island, and will begin at 3:00 pm (0700 GMT) in the Tsim Sha Tsui district, which is popular with mainland Chinese tourists.

Inside the Chinese mainland, where news and information is heavily censored, the Hong Kong protests have been portrayed as a primarily violent, foreign-funded plot to destabilise the motherland.

"I hope this march can tell mainland people what we are fighting for and plant a seed that opposes the tyranny," one user wrote on the Reddit-like LIHKG forum, which has been a key online gathering place for demonstrators.

Sunday's rally is not being organised by the same protest group behind three massive peaceful marches, making it difficult to predict the expected crowd size.

The protest will later march to West Kowloon, a recently opened multi-billion-dollar station that links to China's high-speed rail network.

The terminus is controversial because Chinese law operates in the parts of the station dealing with immigration and customs as well as the platforms, even though West Kowloon is miles from the border further north.

Critics say that move gave away part of the city's territory to an increasingly assertive Beijing.

Local politician Ventus Lau Wing-hong, one of those organising the rally, said they would "protest in a peaceful, rational and elegant way" adding there was no desire to occupy the station given the catalyst for their movement was opposing people being sent to the mainland.

But local authorities appeared to be taking no chances.

The station's operator announced only passengers with existing tickets would be allowed inside the building while all but two entrances would be shuttered alongside restaurants and parking bays. New ticket sales were also halted for Sunday.

Under Hong Kong's mini-constitution - the Basic Law -&nbsp;China's national laws do not apply to the city apart from in limited areas, including defence.

Hong Kong also enjoys rights unseen on the mainland, including freedom of speech, protected by a deal made before the city was handed back to China by Britain in 1997.

But there are growing fears those liberties are being eroded.

Among recent watershed moments, critics point to are the disappearance into mainland custody of dissident booksellers, the disqualification of prominent politicians, the de facto expulsion of a foreign journalist and the jailing of democracy protest leaders.

Authorities have also resisted calls for the city's leader to be directly elected by the people.

A 79-day occupation of key intersections in 2014 calling for universal suffrage failed to win any concessions from Beijing.

Anti-government protesters in Hong Kong plan to rally later Sunday outside a controversial station where high-speed trains depart for the Chinese mainland as they try to keep up pressure on the city's pro-Beijing leaders.

Anti-government protesters in Hong Kong plan to rally later Sunday outside a controversial station where high-speed trains depart for the Chinese mainland as they try to keep up pressure on the city's pro-Beijing leaders. The rally is the first major protest planned since last Monday's unprecedented storming of parliament by largely young, masked protesters - a move which plunged the international financial hub further into crisis. Hong Kong has been rocked by a month of huge peaceful protests as well as a series of separate violent confrontations with police, sparked by a law that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China. The bill has since been postponed in response to the intense backlash but that has done little to quell public anger, which has evolved into a wider movement calling for democratic reforms and a halt to sliding freedoms in the semi-autonomous city. Protesters are demanding the bill be scrapped entirely, an independent inquiry into police use of tear gas and rubber bullets, amnesty for those arrested, and for the city's unelected leader Carrie Lam to step down. Beijing has thrown its full support behind Lam, calling on Hong Kong police to pursue anyone involved in the parliament storming and other clashes. Watch: 'China eroding Hong Kong autonomy,' Hong Kong activist speaks to WION Aimed at mainlanders Sunday's rally - first mooted on encrypted messaging apps and online forums - is being billed as an opportunity to explain to Chinese mainlanders in the city what the protest movement is about. It is the first to take place in Kowloon, across the harbour from the main island, and will begin at 3:00 pm (0700 GMT) in the Tsim Sha Tsui district, which is popular with mainland Chinese tourists. Inside the Chinese mainland, where news and information is heavily censored, the Hong Kong protests have been portrayed as a primarily violent, foreign-funded plot to destabilise the motherland. "I hope this march can tell mainland people what we are fighting for and plant a seed that opposes the tyranny," one user wrote on the Reddit-like LIHKG forum, which has been a key online gathering place for demonstrators. Sunday's rally is not being organised by the same protest group behind three massive peaceful marches, making it difficult to predict the expected crowd size. The protest will later march to West Kowloon, a recently opened multi-billion-dollar station that links to China's high-speed rail network. The terminus is controversial because Chinese law operates in the parts of the station dealing with immigration and customs as well as the platforms, even though West Kowloon is miles from the border further north. Critics say that move gave away part of the city's territory to an increasingly assertive Beijing. Local politician Ventus Lau Wing-hong, one of those organising the rally, said they would "protest in a peaceful, rational and elegant way" adding there was no desire to occupy the station given the catalyst for their movement was opposing people being sent to the mainland. But local authorities appeared to be taking no chances. The station's operator announced only passengers with existing tickets would be allowed inside the building while all but two entrances would be shuttered alongside restaurants and parking bays. New ticket sales were also halted for Sunday. Under Hong Kong's mini-constitution - the Basic Law - China's national laws do not apply to the city apart from in limited areas, including defence. Hong Kong also enjoys rights unseen on the mainland, including freedom of speech, protected by a deal made before the city was handed back to China by Britain in 1997. But there are growing fears those liberties are being eroded. Among recent watershed moments, critics point to are the disappearance into mainland custody of dissident booksellers, the disqualification of prominent politicians, the de facto expulsion of a foreign journalist and the jailing of democracy protest leaders. Authorities have also resisted calls for the city's leader to be directly elected by the people. A 79-day occupation of key intersections in 2014 calling for universal suffrage failed to win any concessions from Beijing.

In a bid to keep up pressure on city's pro-Beijing leaders, Hong Kong protesters take aim at China station 

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/78-dead-200-badly-hurt-in-heavy-floods-in-eastern-china-1029">A tornado swept through</a> the northeastern Chinese province of Liaoning on Wednesday, killing six and injuring 190, the state broadcaster said, amid a series of "extreme" weather events that government forecasters have linked to climate change.

The tornado damaged nearly 3,600 homes and affected more than 9,900 residents in Kaiyuan, a city of around half-a-million people, according to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-warns-china-of-serious-consequences-if-hong-kong-rights-not-honoured-232315">China </a>Central Television.

Footage posted by CCTV on its official Weibo account shows dozens of flattened buildings in an economic development zone in Kaiyuan.

China's Global Times newspaper said that tornadoes were rarely seen in the area.

The country's weather bureau on Tuesday said that climate change could cause more extreme weather events, following floods, drought and extremely high temperatures in some regions this year.

It said rainfall had broken records in some areas and that as many as 40 weather stations had this year registered their hottest temperatures ever.

The northern Chinese province of Hebei issued an extreme heat 'red alert' on Thursday, with temperatures set to soar beyond 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in its major cities and putting the area's corn crop at risk, the local government said.

The government of Hebei said on its official website that the cities of Baoding, Shijiazhuang, Hengshui, Cangzhou, Xingtai and Handan were all expected to see temperatures above 40C on Thursday.

The local weather bureau also warned that the extreme heat and drought in the province were likely to affect its corn crop. Hebei, which surrounds the capital Beijing, is among China's biggest producers of the grain.

Rainfall in the province has declined 23.9% compared to the average in the second quarter of 2019, the local Hebei Daily reported.

Cities in Hebei have been deploying sprinklers mounted on trucks to try to keep temperatures down, putting further pressure on water supplies.

A heat wave that has swept across northern China, including the capital Beijing, is expected to last until next week, the Hebei Daily said, citing the local weather bureau.

In a joint statement with France and the United Nations released on Saturday, China promised to show the "highest possible ambition" when it comes to fighting global warming, with higher targets to cut carbon emissions expected next year.

A tornado swept through the northeastern Chinese province of Liaoning on Wednesday, killing six and injuring 190, the state broadcaster said, amid a series of "extreme" weather events that government forecasters have linked to climate change.

A tornado swept through the northeastern Chinese province of Liaoning on Wednesday, killing six and injuring 190, the state broadcaster said, amid a series of "extreme" weather events that government forecasters have linked to climate change. The tornado damaged nearly 3,600 homes and affected more than 9,900 residents in Kaiyuan, a city of around half-a-million people, according to China Central Television. Footage posted by CCTV on its official Weibo account shows dozens of flattened buildings in an economic development zone in Kaiyuan. China's Global Times newspaper said that tornadoes were rarely seen in the area. The country's weather bureau on Tuesday said that climate change could cause more extreme weather events, following floods, drought and extremely high temperatures in some regions this year. It said rainfall had broken records in some areas and that as many as 40 weather stations had this year registered their hottest temperatures ever. The northern Chinese province of Hebei issued an extreme heat 'red alert' on Thursday, with temperatures set to soar beyond 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in its major cities and putting the area's corn crop at risk, the local government said. The government of Hebei said on its official website that the cities of Baoding, Shijiazhuang, Hengshui, Cangzhou, Xingtai and Handan were all expected to see temperatures above 40C on Thursday. The local weather bureau also warned that the extreme heat and drought in the province were likely to affect its corn crop. Hebei, which surrounds the capital Beijing, is among China's biggest producers of the grain. Rainfall in the province has declined 23.9% compared to the average in the second quarter of 2019, the local Hebei Daily reported. Cities in Hebei have been deploying sprinklers mounted on trucks to try to keep temperatures down, putting further pressure on water supplies. A heat wave that has swept across northern China, including the capital Beijing, is expected to last until next week, the Hebei Daily said, citing the local weather bureau. In a joint statement with France and the United Nations released on Saturday, China promised to show the "highest possible ambition" when it comes to fighting global warming, with higher targets to cut carbon emissions expected next year.

Tornado hits northeast China; six killed, several injured

Chinese state media blamed meddling by Western governments on Thursday for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-warns-china-of-serious-consequences-if-hong-kong-rights-not-honoured-232315">unrest in Hong Kong</a> amid an escalating diplomatic spat between <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-is-watching-hong-kong-protests-joe-biden-warns-china-227245">China and the United Kingdom </a>over protests in the former British colony.

"Ideologues in Western governments never cease in their efforts to engineer unrest against governments that are not to their liking, even though their actions have caused misery and chaos in country after country in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia," the official China Daily said in an editorial.

"Now they are trying the same trick in China," the English-language newspaper said.

Hundreds of protesters besieged and broke into the Hong Kong legislature on Monday after a demonstration marking the anniversary of the return to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula that includes freedoms not enjoyed in mainland China, including the right to protest.

That followed weeks of protests against a now-suspended extradition bill that opponents say would undermine Hong Kong's much-cherished rule of law and give Beijing powers to prosecute activists in mainland courts, which are controlled by the Communist Party.

Hong Kong police have arrested more than two dozen people in connection with the protests. Investigators and forensics teams have been combing through evidence in the legislature and more arrests are expected.

Widespread damage inside the Legislative Council building, where protesters smashed furniture and daubed graffiti over chamber walls, forced the government to close it for two weeks.

The Legislative Council Commission is due to hold a closed-door special meeting at an undisclosed venue later on Thursday.

The China Daily accused Western forces of instigating unrest against Hong Kong's government "as a means to put pressure on the central government".

"The violent behaviour that these Western agitators are emboldening tramples on the rule of law in Hong Kong and undermines its social order," it said.

An editorial in the widely read tabloid The Global Times, published by the Communist Party's People's Daily, criticised comments by British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and said: "the UK's diplomacy toward China will pay for his behaviour".

Hunt warned on Tuesday of consequences if China did not abide by the Sino-British Joint Declaration in 1984 on the terms of the return of Hong Kong.

His comments were met by a sharp rebuke from China's ambassador to the UK, who told Britain on Wednesday to keep its hands off Hong Kong.

Chinese state media blamed meddling by Western governments on Thursday for unrest in Hong Kong amid an escalating diplomatic spat between China and the United Kingdom over protests in the former British colony.

Chinese state media blamed meddling by Western governments on Thursday for unrest in Hong Kong amid an escalating diplomatic spat between China and the United Kingdom over protests in the former British colony. "Ideologues in Western governments never cease in their efforts to engineer unrest against governments that are not to their liking, even though their actions have caused misery and chaos in country after country in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia," the official China Daily said in an editorial. "Now they are trying the same trick in China," the English-language newspaper said. Hundreds of protesters besieged and broke into the Hong Kong legislature on Monday after a demonstration marking the anniversary of the return to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula that includes freedoms not enjoyed in mainland China, including the right to protest. That followed weeks of protests against a now-suspended extradition bill that opponents say would undermine Hong Kong's much-cherished rule of law and give Beijing powers to prosecute activists in mainland courts, which are controlled by the Communist Party. Hong Kong police have arrested more than two dozen people in connection with the protests. Investigators and forensics teams have been combing through evidence in the legislature and more arrests are expected. Widespread damage inside the Legislative Council building, where protesters smashed furniture and daubed graffiti over chamber walls, forced the government to close it for two weeks. The Legislative Council Commission is due to hold a closed-door special meeting at an undisclosed venue later on Thursday. The China Daily accused Western forces of instigating unrest against Hong Kong's government "as a means to put pressure on the central government". "The violent behaviour that these Western agitators are emboldening tramples on the rule of law in Hong Kong and undermines its social order," it said. An editorial in the widely read tabloid The Global Times, published by the Communist Party's People's Daily, criticised comments by British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and said: "the UK's diplomacy toward China will pay for his behaviour". Hunt warned on Tuesday of consequences if China did not abide by the Sino-British Joint Declaration in 1984 on the terms of the return of Hong Kong. His comments were met by a sharp rebuke from China's ambassador to the UK, who told Britain on Wednesday to keep its hands off Hong Kong.

'Western ideologues' to blame for Hong Kong unrest: Chinese media

The Pentagon said on Tuesday a recent Chinese missile launch in the disputed South China Sea was "disturbing" and contrary to Chinese pledges that it would not militarise the disputed waterway.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-warship-sails-in-disputed-south-china-sea-amid-trade-tensions-220018">South China Sea</a> is one of a growing number of flashpoints in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/us-china-trade-war-points-to-the-real-crisis-that-global-leaders-must-confront-at-g20-summit-231112">US-China relationship</a>, which include a trade war, US sanctions and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/decoding-report-which-raises-concerns-over-china-attacking-taiwan-190996">Taiwan</a>.

China and the United States have repeatedly traded barbs in the past over what Washington says is Beijing's militarization of the South China Sea by building military installations on artificial islands and reefs.

A US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said China tested multiple anti-ship ballistic missiles over the weekend.

"Of course the Pentagon was aware of the Chinese missile launch from the man-made structures in the South China Sea near the Spratly Islands," Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Dave Eastburn said.

"I'm not going to speak on behalf of all the sovereign nations in the region, but I'm sure they agree that the PRC's behaviour is contrary to its claim to want to bring peace to the region and obviously actions like this are coercive acts meant to intimidate other (South China Sea) claimants," Eastburn added. PRC is an acronym for the People's Republic of China.

China has not confirmed the missile tests and on Tuesday the foreign ministry declined to comment, referring questions to the defence ministry, which did not respond to a request for comment.

The Chinese government has said that the military was carrying out drills between the Spratly and Paracel Islands starting last weekend and ending on Wednesday, warning other shipping not to enter a designated area.

China's claims in the South China Sea, through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes each year, are contested by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

News of the China missile test was first reported by NBC News.

The Pentagon said on Tuesday a recent Chinese missile launch in the disputed South China Sea was "disturbing" and contrary to Chinese pledges that it would not militarise the disputed waterway.

The Pentagon said on Tuesday a recent Chinese missile launch in the disputed South China Sea was "disturbing" and contrary to Chinese pledges that it would not militarise the disputed waterway. The South China Sea is one of a growing number of flashpoints in the US-China relationship, which include a trade war, US sanctions and Taiwan. China and the United States have repeatedly traded barbs in the past over what Washington says is Beijing's militarization of the South China Sea by building military installations on artificial islands and reefs. A US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said China tested multiple anti-ship ballistic missiles over the weekend. "Of course the Pentagon was aware of the Chinese missile launch from the man-made structures in the South China Sea near the Spratly Islands," Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Dave Eastburn said. "I'm not going to speak on behalf of all the sovereign nations in the region, but I'm sure they agree that the PRC's behaviour is contrary to its claim to want to bring peace to the region and obviously actions like this are coercive acts meant to intimidate other (South China Sea) claimants," Eastburn added. PRC is an acronym for the People's Republic of China. China has not confirmed the missile tests and on Tuesday the foreign ministry declined to comment, referring questions to the defence ministry, which did not respond to a request for comment. The Chinese government has said that the military was carrying out drills between the Spratly and Paracel Islands starting last weekend and ending on Wednesday, warning other shipping not to enter a designated area. China's claims in the South China Sea, through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes each year, are contested by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. News of the China missile test was first reported by NBC News.

China's missile test in South China Sea 'disturbing': Pentagon

US stock index futures indicated to a flat opening on Tuesday, a day after the benchmark S&amp;P 500 index hit a record high, as optimism sparked by the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/asian-shares-creep-higher-on-hopes-of-us-china-trade-truce-230724">US-China trade truce</a> waned and a fresh threat of tariffs on Europe kept investors on edge.

A clutch of discouraging manufacturing surveys in the past 24 hours from around the world that rekindled fears of a global economic slowdown added to the cautious mood.

US markets rose on Monday as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-says-to-hold-more-trade-talks-with-us-in-beijing-217628">Washington and Beijing </a>agreed to resume trade talks and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/feisty-trump-sets-tone-as-stormy-g20-looms-230804">President Donald Trump</a> offered concessions including no new tariffs and an easing of curbs on Huawei Technologies Co Ltd.

However, Washington threatened to slap tariffs on $4 billion of additional EU goods, ratcheting up pressure on Europe in a long-running dispute over aircraft subsidies.

"While the threat of additional tariffs on EU imports is still an overhang for investors, the market is more likely taking a breather until new macro-economic data comes out," Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Spartan Capital Securities said.

Investors are waiting for the monthly jobs report on Friday, which is expected to show that the private sector added 160,000 jobs in June, after a sharp slowdown in jobs growth in May.

At 8:39 a.m. ET, Dow e-minis were down 18 points, or 0.07%. S&amp;P 500 e-minis were down 0.75 points, or 0.03% and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 3.75 points, or 0.05%.

The S&amp;P 500 and the Dow Jones indexes posted their best June performance in decades, on hopes that the Federal Reserve would cut interest rates to preserve a decade-long US expansion, after a breakdown in trade talks in May sent markets into a tailspin.

Market participants still expect a rate cut by the Fed of at least a quarter of a percentage point at its July 30-31 policy meeting, despite the latest developments in trade talks.

Among stocks, Western Digital Corp fell 3% in premarket trading after Benchmark cut its rating on the hard-disk drive maker's stock to "sell."

Coty Inc dropped 4.1% as multiple brokerages cut price targets on the cosmetics maker's shares, a day after the company said it would restructure and write down about $3 billion in value of brands acquired from Procter &amp; Gamble Co.

Gilead Sciences Inc rose 1% after the drugmaker said it will submit a new drug application for its arthritis drug to the US FDA this year.

US stock index futures indicated to a flat opening on Tuesday, a day after the benchmark S&P 500 index hit a record high, as optimism sparked by the US-China trade truce waned and a fresh threat of tariffs on Europe kept investors on edge.

US stock index futures indicated to a flat opening on Tuesday, a day after the benchmark S&P 500 index hit a record high, as optimism sparked by the US-China trade truce waned and a fresh threat of tariffs on Europe kept investors on edge. A clutch of discouraging manufacturing surveys in the past 24 hours from around the world that rekindled fears of a global economic slowdown added to the cautious mood. US markets rose on Monday as Washington and Beijing agreed to resume trade talks and President Donald Trump offered concessions including no new tariffs and an easing of curbs on Huawei Technologies Co Ltd. However, Washington threatened to slap tariffs on $4 billion of additional EU goods, ratcheting up pressure on Europe in a long-running dispute over aircraft subsidies. "While the threat of additional tariffs on EU imports is still an overhang for investors, the market is more likely taking a breather until new macro-economic data comes out," Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Spartan Capital Securities said. Investors are waiting for the monthly jobs report on Friday, which is expected to show that the private sector added 160,000 jobs in June, after a sharp slowdown in jobs growth in May. At 8:39 a.m. ET, Dow e-minis were down 18 points, or 0.07%. S&P 500 e-minis were down 0.75 points, or 0.03% and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 3.75 points, or 0.05%. The S&P 500 and the Dow Jones indexes posted their best June performance in decades, on hopes that the Federal Reserve would cut interest rates to preserve a decade-long US expansion, after a breakdown in trade talks in May sent markets into a tailspin. Market participants still expect a rate cut by the Fed of at least a quarter of a percentage point at its July 30-31 policy meeting, despite the latest developments in trade talks. Among stocks, Western Digital Corp fell 3% in premarket trading after Benchmark cut its rating on the hard-disk drive maker's stock to "sell." Coty Inc dropped 4.1% as multiple brokerages cut price targets on the cosmetics maker's shares, a day after the company said it would restructure and write down about $3 billion in value of brands acquired from Procter & Gamble Co. Gilead Sciences Inc rose 1% after the drugmaker said it will submit a new drug application for its arthritis drug to the US FDA this year.

Wall Street set to open flat as trade talk euphoria fades

Anti-government protesters laid siege to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-protests-chinas-army-to-be-handed-prime-harbour-in-hong-kong-231230">Hong Kong's parliament </a>on Monday as the territory marked its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fresh-protests-erupt-in-hong-kong-on-china-handover-anniversary-231871">China handover anniversary</a>, smashing windows, battling police armed with pepper spray and plunging the city further into crisis.

The angry scenes ramped up tensions in the financial hub which has been rocked by three weeks of historic demonstrations against a hugely unpopular bill that would allow<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-news-outlets-say-controversial-extradition-bill-may-be-suspended-227232"> extraditions</a> to the Chinese mainland.

Watch: Anniversary Protests begin in Hong Kong

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/anniversary-protests-begin-in-hong-kong-232053/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Tens of thousands of democracy activists staged another large, peaceful march through the city on Monday afternoon, calling for the city's pro-<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-marks-19th-anniversary-of-handover-while-tensions-with-beijing-run-high-1560">Beijing</a> leader to step down and reverse what they see as years of sliding freedoms.

But that rally was overshadowed by small groups of mainly young, masked protesters who seized roads and tried to break into the legislature, sparking renewed clashes with police after two weeks of relative calm.

Under blazing summer skies, the young demonstrators made multiple attempts to smash into the building, using a metal cart as a battering ram and wielding steel poles to prize open gaps in the reinforced windows.&nbsp;

Riot police inside the building wore gas masks as they squirted pepper spray at protesters, who unfurled umbrellas to shield themselves.

The anti-government demonstrators eventually managed to prise open a hole in the reinforced glass at the main entrance. But police retreated behind heavy metal shutters that locked down the rest of the building.

"We know that this is breaking the law, but we have no choice," a 24-year-old protester surnamed Cheung told AFP.&nbsp;

Years of fears

The huge rallies over the last three weeks are the latest expression of growing fears that China is stamping down on the city's freedoms and culture with the help of the financial hub's pro-Beijing leaders.

But the increasingly hardline tactics from some protesters have alienated some, with a large counter-rally in support of the police taking place on Sunday.&nbsp;

Although<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/protesters-try-to-smash-way-into-hong-kongs-legislative-council-231945"> Hong Kong</a> returned from British to Chinese rule on July 1, 1997, it is still administered separately under an arrangement known as "one country, two systems".

The city enjoys rights and liberties unseen on the autocratic mainland, but many residents fear Beijing is already reneging on that deal.

Activists have organized a march every handover anniversary, calling for greater democratic freedoms such as the right to elect the city's leader.

They have mustered large crowds in recent years including a two-month occupation of parts of the city centre in 2014 &nbsp;but have failed to win any concessions from Beijing.

"When I heard that there are clashes outside (parliament), I was very worried," Amy Siu, a 37-year-old accountant taking part in the rally, told AFP. "I'm worried about the youngsters' safety. I hope they can be rational."

"I would not blame the young people, I blame the government," added an 80-year-old protester who gave his surname Yeung.

This year's rally is framed by unprecedented anti-government protests of the past three weeks that have drawn millions, with the public anger over police use of tear gas and rubber bullets.

The spark for the current wave of protests was an attempt by chief executive Carrie Lam to pass the Beijing-backed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/extradition-bill-fury-likely-to-fuel-numbers-at-hong-kong-annual-rally-231787">extradition law</a>, which she has now postponed following the public backlash.

But she has resisted calls to permanently shelve the law or step down.&nbsp;

As a result, the demonstrations have morphed into a wider movement against her administration and Beijing.&nbsp;

Champagne toasts &amp; flags&nbsp;

Lam, who has kept out of the public eye since her climb down and has record low approval ratings attended a flag-raising ceremony early Monday, marking the moment the city returned to Chinese ownership 22 years ago.&nbsp;

But she and other dignitaries watched from indoors due to "inclement weather" the first time in the ceremony's history.

Her speech stuck to the conciliatory tone she has used in recent weeks.

"What happened in recent months has caused conflicts and disputes between the government and residents," Lam said. "It has made me fully understand that as a politician, I need to be aware and accurately grasp the feelings of the people."

She then raised a champagne toast alongside cabinet officials and two of her predecessors.

Police said 13 officers were also sent to hospital after being doused by an "unknown liquid" from protesters while the government released a statement condemning protesters for using "extreme violence."

But activists have vowed to keep up their civil disobedience campaign.

"Whatever happens we won't lose heart," Jason Chan, a 22-year-old accountant added. "Resistance is not a matter of a day or a week, it is long term."

Anti-government protesters laid siege to Hong Kong's parliament on Monday as the territory marked its China handover anniversary, smashing windows, battling police armed with pepper spray and plunging the city further into crisis.

Anti-government protesters laid siege to Hong Kong's parliament on Monday as the territory marked its China handover anniversary, smashing windows, battling police armed with pepper spray and plunging the city further into crisis. The angry scenes ramped up tensions in the financial hub which has been rocked by three weeks of historic demonstrations against a hugely unpopular bill that would allow extraditions to the Chinese mainland. Watch: Anniversary Protests begin in Hong Kong Tens of thousands of democracy activists staged another large, peaceful march through the city on Monday afternoon, calling for the city's pro-Beijing leader to step down and reverse what they see as years of sliding freedoms. But that rally was overshadowed by small groups of mainly young, masked protesters who seized roads and tried to break into the legislature, sparking renewed clashes with police after two weeks of relative calm. Under blazing summer skies, the young demonstrators made multiple attempts to smash into the building, using a metal cart as a battering ram and wielding steel poles to prize open gaps in the reinforced windows. Riot police inside the building wore gas masks as they squirted pepper spray at protesters, who unfurled umbrellas to shield themselves. The anti-government demonstrators eventually managed to prise open a hole in the reinforced glass at the main entrance. But police retreated behind heavy metal shutters that locked down the rest of the building. "We know that this is breaking the law, but we have no choice," a 24-year-old protester surnamed Cheung told AFP. Years of fears The huge rallies over the last three weeks are the latest expression of growing fears that China is stamping down on the city's freedoms and culture with the help of the financial hub's pro-Beijing leaders. But the increasingly hardline tactics from some protesters have alienated some, with a large counter-rally in support of the police taking place on Sunday. Although Hong Kong returned from British to Chinese rule on July 1, 1997, it is still administered separately under an arrangement known as "one country, two systems". The city enjoys rights and liberties unseen on the autocratic mainland, but many residents fear Beijing is already reneging on that deal. Activists have organized a march every handover anniversary, calling for greater democratic freedoms such as the right to elect the city's leader. They have mustered large crowds in recent years including a two-month occupation of parts of the city centre in 2014 but have failed to win any concessions from Beijing. "When I heard that there are clashes outside (parliament), I was very worried," Amy Siu, a 37-year-old accountant taking part in the rally, told AFP. "I'm worried about the youngsters' safety. I hope they can be rational." "I would not blame the young people, I blame the government," added an 80-year-old protester who gave his surname Yeung. This year's rally is framed by unprecedented anti-government protests of the past three weeks that have drawn millions, with the public anger over police use of tear gas and rubber bullets. The spark for the current wave of protests was an attempt by chief executive Carrie Lam to pass the Beijing-backed extradition law, which she has now postponed following the public backlash. But she has resisted calls to permanently shelve the law or step down. As a result, the demonstrations have morphed into a wider movement against her administration and Beijing. Champagne toasts & flags Lam, who has kept out of the public eye since her climb down and has record low approval ratings attended a flag-raising ceremony early Monday, marking the moment the city returned to Chinese ownership 22 years ago. But she and other dignitaries watched from indoors due to "inclement weather" the first time in the ceremony's history. Her speech stuck to the conciliatory tone she has used in recent weeks. "What happened in recent months has caused conflicts and disputes between the government and residents," Lam said. "It has made me fully understand that as a politician, I need to be aware and accurately grasp the feelings of the people." She then raised a champagne toast alongside cabinet officials and two of her predecessors. Police said 13 officers were also sent to hospital after being doused by an "unknown liquid" from protesters while the government released a statement condemning protesters for using "extreme violence." But activists have vowed to keep up their civil disobedience campaign. "Whatever happens we won't lose heart," Jason Chan, a 22-year-old accountant added. "Resistance is not a matter of a day or a week, it is long term."

Violent clashes as Hong Kong marks China handover anniversary

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-vietnam-worse-than-china-on-trade-230655">US President Donald Trump</a> said on Saturday that while his meeting with China's President Xi Jinping was far better than expected, he was "in no hurry" to cut a trade deal.

Trump also said he would <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/g20-summit-donald-trump-confirms-wont-impose-new-tariffs-on-china-231445">not increase existing tariffs to China</a>.

"I am in no hurry, but things look very good," Trump wrote in a post on Twitter, referring to ongoing talks between Washington and Beijing.

"The quality of the transaction is far more important to me than speed."

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that while his meeting with China's President Xi Jinping was far better than expected, he was "in no hurry" to cut a trade deal.

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that while his meeting with China's President Xi Jinping was far better than expected, he was "in no hurry" to cut a trade deal. Trump also said he would not increase existing tariffs to China. "I am in no hurry, but things look very good," Trump wrote in a post on Twitter, referring to ongoing talks between Washington and Beijing. "The quality of the transaction is far more important to me than speed."

United States President Donald Trump says is 'in no hurry' for a deal with China

Hong Kong is celebrating the anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to Beijing. Watch this video to know more.

Hong Kong marks 22 years since handover

Pressured by a labour crunch and rising wages in China, Shu Ke' an, whose company supplies bulletproof vests, rifle bags and other tactical gear to the United States, first considered shifting some production to Southeast Asia a few years ago, but nothing came of it.

When <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/asian-markets-tumble-over-intensifying-us-china-trade-tensions-223751">trade tensions</a> flared into a tariff war last year, however, it was the final straw.

A day after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-china-rekindle-trade-talks-ahead-of-donald-trump-xi-jinping-g20-meeting-228545">US President Donald</a> imposed additional tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods in September, Shu, 49, decided to start making vests for his US clients in Myanmar instead.

Since then, the Trump administration has further hiked tariffs on Chinese imports, raising the US taxes on Shu's Guangzhou-made bulletproof vests to 42.6%.

With more than half of his company's income reliant on orders from the United States, Shu was happy with his Myanmar decision.

"The trade war was actually a blessing in disguise," he said.

With Trump poised to slap 25% tariffs on another $300 billion-plus of Chinese goods, no exporter in China will be unscathed.

In recent years, some Chinese manufacturers had already started to relocate some of their capacity to countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia, due to high operating costs at home. The trade war is now pushing more to follow suit, especially makers of low-tech and low-value goods.

A few Chinese exporters have also tried to dodge the trade war bullet by quietly transhipping via third countries.

Choice Destination

Nine months on, Shu's firm, Yakeda Tactical Gear Co, is relying on his new Myanmar factory, which started operations in December, to produce new orders for its US clients.

The 220 workers at his original Guangzhou plant, in China's Pearl River Delta manufacturing powerhouse, now mostly supply clients in the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

In Yangon, meanwhile, Shu's Myanmar factory turns raw materials imported from China into backpacks, kit bags and pouches for rifles and pistols - all labelled 'Made in Myanmar' almost all of which are exported to the United States.

"Our factory is receiving many orders. The products are being exported to the US and Europe. So, I believe our future will be improved from working in this factory," said Marlar Cho, 36, a supervisor at the factory.

The factory manager, 40-year-old Jiang Aoxiong from eastern China, said they were constantly rushing to keep up with orders, despite its 600-strong workforce.

Though international criticism of Myanmar's handling of the Rohingya crisis has crimped Western investment, the Southeast Asian nation has become the choice destination for some Chinese firms, drawn to its cheap and abundant labour.

The former British colony, located on China's southwestern border, exports some 5,000 products to the United States duty-free under a US trade programme for developing nations - another big plus.

In the 12 months through April, approved Chinese projects increased by $585 million, the latest data from Myanmar's Directorate of Investment and Company Administration shows.

The infusion of Chinese capital has helped fuel expansion in Myanmar's fledgeling industrial sector.

In May, firms saw the fastest rise in workforce numbers since 2015, while production scaled a 13-month high, the latest Nikkei Myanmar Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index survey showed.

Stay or Go?

ACMEX Group, a tyre maker based in China's coastal Shandong province, already had some experience with offshoring when the trade war began.

About two years ago, it started manufacturing some tyres in Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia to take advantage of lower labour and raw material costs and avoid US anti-dumping duties.

With fresh tariffs in the trade war, the company plans to boost the proportion of tyres made abroad to 50% from 20%, and build its own factories instead of outsourcing to existing factories, Chairman Guan Zheng said.

"The time is ripe now," he said, adding that supply chain infrastructure had improved.

The experience of companies like ACMEX and Shu's Yakeda Tactical Gear underlines how the trade war has put Chinese exporters on the back foot, needing to either diversify their client base, increase domestic sales or move production to a third country.

But all those options require time and money, which are not necessarily available to China's legion of small exporters grappling with thinning profit margins.

Even locations such as Vietnam and the Philippines have grown too dear for some.

While China has encouraged the relocation of some heavy industry overseas to ease overcapacity and support its ambitious Belt and Road infrastructure plan, Beijing is less supportive of a broader move to shift manufacturing offshore.

Liang Ming, director of the Institute of International Trade at the Ministry of Commerce's Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, rejected the idea that Chinese firms were leaving China in droves.

"Few companies are actually moving. If they move, they risk losses if there is a China-US deal," Liang told reporters earlier this month, adding that any relocation back to China would be expensive.

As trade pressures intensify, analysts say China will loosen policy further in months ahead to shore up economic growth.

Investors are also watching to see how much Beijing allows the yuan to weaken to offset higher US tariffs. The tightly-managed currency has depreciated about 2% against the dollar since trade tensions worsened in early May.

Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are due to meet in Osaka at a G20 summit at the end of this week in a bid to reset ties poisoned by the trade war.

And though costs and labour may be cheaper, some Chinese firms with experience of offshoring say there are downsides too.

Factory manager Jiang complained about lower worker productivity in Myanmar compared with China, flooded roads during the rainy season, and power cuts of eight to nine hours every day.

"If there is no trade war between China and the US, we definitely would not have come to Myanmar to open our factory," he said.

Pressured by a labour crunch and rising wages in China, Shu Ke' an, whose company supplies bulletproof vests, rifle bags and other tactical gear to the United States, first considered shifting some production to Southeast Asia a few years ago, but nothing came of it.

Pressured by a labour crunch and rising wages in China, Shu Ke' an, whose company supplies bulletproof vests, rifle bags and other tactical gear to the United States, first considered shifting some production to Southeast Asia a few years ago, but nothing came of it. When trade tensions flared into a tariff war last year, however, it was the final straw. A day after US President Donald imposed additional tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods in September, Shu, 49, decided to start making vests for his US clients in Myanmar instead. Since then, the Trump administration has further hiked tariffs on Chinese imports, raising the US taxes on Shu's Guangzhou-made bulletproof vests to 42.6%. With more than half of his company's income reliant on orders from the United States, Shu was happy with his Myanmar decision. "The trade war was actually a blessing in disguise," he said. With Trump poised to slap 25% tariffs on another $300 billion-plus of Chinese goods, no exporter in China will be unscathed. In recent years, some Chinese manufacturers had already started to relocate some of their capacity to countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia, due to high operating costs at home. The trade war is now pushing more to follow suit, especially makers of low-tech and low-value goods. A few Chinese exporters have also tried to dodge the trade war bullet by quietly transhipping via third countries. Choice Destination Nine months on, Shu's firm, Yakeda Tactical Gear Co, is relying on his new Myanmar factory, which started operations in December, to produce new orders for its US clients. The 220 workers at his original Guangzhou plant, in China's Pearl River Delta manufacturing powerhouse, now mostly supply clients in the Middle East, Africa and Europe. In Yangon, meanwhile, Shu's Myanmar factory turns raw materials imported from China into backpacks, kit bags and pouches for rifles and pistols - all labelled 'Made in Myanmar' almost all of which are exported to the United States. "Our factory is receiving many orders. The products are being exported to the US and Europe. So, I believe our future will be improved from working in this factory," said Marlar Cho, 36, a supervisor at the factory. The factory manager, 40-year-old Jiang Aoxiong from eastern China, said they were constantly rushing to keep up with orders, despite its 600-strong workforce. Though international criticism of Myanmar's handling of the Rohingya crisis has crimped Western investment, the Southeast Asian nation has become the choice destination for some Chinese firms, drawn to its cheap and abundant labour. The former British colony, located on China's southwestern border, exports some 5,000 products to the United States duty-free under a US trade programme for developing nations - another big plus. In the 12 months through April, approved Chinese projects increased by $585 million, the latest data from Myanmar's Directorate of Investment and Company Administration shows. The infusion of Chinese capital has helped fuel expansion in Myanmar's fledgeling industrial sector. In May, firms saw the fastest rise in workforce numbers since 2015, while production scaled a 13-month high, the latest Nikkei Myanmar Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index survey showed. Stay or Go? ACMEX Group, a tyre maker based in China's coastal Shandong province, already had some experience with offshoring when the trade war began. About two years ago, it started manufacturing some tyres in Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia to take advantage of lower labour and raw material costs and avoid US anti-dumping duties. With fresh tariffs in the trade war, the company plans to boost the proportion of tyres made abroad to 50% from 20%, and build its own factories instead of outsourcing to existing factories, Chairman Guan Zheng said. "The time is ripe now," he said, adding that supply chain infrastructure had improved. The experience of companies like ACMEX and Shu's Yakeda Tactical Gear underlines how the trade war has put Chinese exporters on the back foot, needing to either diversify their client base, increase domestic sales or move production to a third country. But all those options require time and money, which are not necessarily available to China's legion of small exporters grappling with thinning profit margins. Even locations such as Vietnam and the Philippines have grown too dear for some. While China has encouraged the relocation of some heavy industry overseas to ease overcapacity and support its ambitious Belt and Road infrastructure plan, Beijing is less supportive of a broader move to shift manufacturing offshore. Liang Ming, director of the Institute of International Trade at the Ministry of Commerce's Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, rejected the idea that Chinese firms were leaving China in droves. "Few companies are actually moving. If they move, they risk losses if there is a China-US deal," Liang told reporters earlier this month, adding that any relocation back to China would be expensive. As trade pressures intensify, analysts say China will loosen policy further in months ahead to shore up economic growth. Investors are also watching to see how much Beijing allows the yuan to weaken to offset higher US tariffs. The tightly-managed currency has depreciated about 2% against the dollar since trade tensions worsened in early May. Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are due to meet in Osaka at a G20 summit at the end of this week in a bid to reset ties poisoned by the trade war. And though costs and labour may be cheaper, some Chinese firms with experience of offshoring say there are downsides too. Factory manager Jiang complained about lower worker productivity in Myanmar compared with China, flooded roads during the rainy season, and power cuts of eight to nine hours every day. "If there is no trade war between China and the US, we definitely would not have come to Myanmar to open our factory," he said.

To dodge trade war, Chinese exporters shift production to low-cost nations

Asian markets rose Thursday as investors brushed off <a href="https://www.wionews.com/americas/donald-trump-xi-jinping-and-trade-a-high-stakes-game-of-chicken-216697">Donald Trump</a>'s latest dig at China and threatened to impose more tariffs on the country's goods if crunch talks with Xi Jinping fail this weekend.

Before setting off for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/kim-and-trump-impersonators-wow-osaka-crowds-ahead-of-g20-summit-230561">G20 summit in Japan</a>, the president said in an interview that he had a "Plan B" in case the face-to-face talks show no progress, adding he would "take in billions and billions of dollars a month and we'll do less and less business with them".

He said Xi wanted to make a deal as "China's economy is going down the tubes".

His remarks on Fox Business Network came soon after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the two sides were "90 per cent" of the way to an agreement when talks broke down last month, with the US blaming Beijing for backsliding.

Still, observers said traders were taking the latest developments with a pinch of salt.

"The market is unreactive to these types of headlines given that Trump has continued to adopt a 'good cop/bad cop' strategy with... Mnuchin," said Stephen Innes at Vanguard Markets.

"Instead, market participants are content to wait for Saturday's meeting to unfold where the proof will be in the pudding.

"A harmonious photo op could go a long way to soothing investors' concerns at the market open on Monday."

Oil steps back after the rally&nbsp;

However, while there is optimism for an eventual agreement, analysts say they are not expecting anything major to come out of the Osaka meeting.

OANDA senior market analyst Alfonso Esparza said: "The G20 is looking to be a disappointment to investors looking for a blockbuster trade deal to be announced and is now expected to yield a new round of talks between the US and China to be held later this year."

And Eli Lee, head of the investment strategy at Bank of Singapore, added: "Our baseline scenario is that both sides will commit to re-engaging in trade negotiations while Trump puts the final round of tariffs on hold for a few months."

Hong Kong added 1.4 per cent, Shanghai jumped 0.7 per cent and Tokyo ended up 1.2 per cent.

Sydney was 0.4 per cent higher, Singapore rose 0.7 per cent, Seoul put on 0.6 per cent and Taipei jumped 1.1 per cent. Wellington, Mumbai, Manila and Jakarta also rose.

In early trade London gained 0.3 per cent, Paris rose 0.2 per cent and Frankfurt gained 0.7 per cent.

Regional energy firms enjoyed healthy interest after a rally in oil prices Wednesday fuelled by data showing US inventories had seen their biggest weekly drop since September 2016 owing to a dip in US production and improving exports.&nbsp;

Brent rallied more than two per cent and WTI shot up almost three per cent on the news, though both edged down Thursday.

&nbsp;Key figures around 0810 GMT&nbsp;

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.2 percent at 21,338.17 (close)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 1.4 per cent at 28,621.42 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.7 percent at 2,996.79 (close)

London - FTSE 100: UP 0.3 percent at 7,437.60

Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1360 from $1.1366 at 2050 GMT

Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2680 from $1.2685

Dollar/yen: UP at 108.04 yen from 107.78

Bitcoin: DOWN at $12,355 from $13,661

West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 21 cents at $59.17 per barrel

Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 37 cents at $66.12 per barrel

New York - Dow: FLAT at 26,536.82 (close)

Asian markets rose Thursday as investors brushed off Donald Trump's latest dig at China and threatened to impose more tariffs on the country's goods if crunch talks with Xi Jinping fail this weekend.

Asian markets rose Thursday as investors brushed off Donald Trump's latest dig at China and threatened to impose more tariffs on the country's goods if crunch talks with Xi Jinping fail this weekend. Before setting off for the G20 summit in Japan, the president said in an interview that he had a "Plan B" in case the face-to-face talks show no progress, adding he would "take in billions and billions of dollars a month and we'll do less and less business with them". He said Xi wanted to make a deal as "China's economy is going down the tubes". His remarks on Fox Business Network came soon after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the two sides were "90 per cent" of the way to an agreement when talks broke down last month, with the US blaming Beijing for backsliding. Still, observers said traders were taking the latest developments with a pinch of salt. "The market is unreactive to these types of headlines given that Trump has continued to adopt a 'good cop/bad cop' strategy with... Mnuchin," said Stephen Innes at Vanguard Markets. "Instead, market participants are content to wait for Saturday's meeting to unfold where the proof will be in the pudding. "A harmonious photo op could go a long way to soothing investors' concerns at the market open on Monday." Oil steps back after the rally However, while there is optimism for an eventual agreement, analysts say they are not expecting anything major to come out of the Osaka meeting. OANDA senior market analyst Alfonso Esparza said: "The G20 is looking to be a disappointment to investors looking for a blockbuster trade deal to be announced and is now expected to yield a new round of talks between the US and China to be held later this year." And Eli Lee, head of the investment strategy at Bank of Singapore, added: "Our baseline scenario is that both sides will commit to re-engaging in trade negotiations while Trump puts the final round of tariffs on hold for a few months." Hong Kong added 1.4 per cent, Shanghai jumped 0.7 per cent and Tokyo ended up 1.2 per cent. Sydney was 0.4 per cent higher, Singapore rose 0.7 per cent, Seoul put on 0.6 per cent and Taipei jumped 1.1 per cent. Wellington, Mumbai, Manila and Jakarta also rose. In early trade London gained 0.3 per cent, Paris rose 0.2 per cent and Frankfurt gained 0.7 per cent. Regional energy firms enjoyed healthy interest after a rally in oil prices Wednesday fuelled by data showing US inventories had seen their biggest weekly drop since September 2016 owing to a dip in US production and improving exports. Brent rallied more than two per cent and WTI shot up almost three per cent on the news, though both edged down Thursday. Key figures around 0810 GMT Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.2 percent at 21,338.17 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 1.4 per cent at 28,621.42 (close) Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.7 percent at 2,996.79 (close) London - FTSE 100: UP 0.3 percent at 7,437.60 Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1360 from $1.1366 at 2050 GMT Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2680 from $1.2685 Dollar/yen: UP at 108.04 yen from 107.78 Bitcoin: DOWN at $12,355 from $13,661 West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 21 cents at $59.17 per barrel Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 37 cents at $66.12 per barrel New York - Dow: FLAT at 26,536.82 (close)

Asian markets rally as crucial Donald Trump-Xi Jin Ping meeting approaches

A look at United States-China trade war in 10 dates

Pyongyang's relationship with Beijing is "invincible" because the countries both endured Japanese rule, North Korea said Saturday, the day after the Chinese President's highly symbolic visit ended.

The commentary, an official North Korean newspaper Rodong Sinmun, comes shortly before the G20 summit in Japan where US President Donald Trump will meet with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/americas/donald-trump-xi-jinping-and-trade-a-high-stakes-game-of-chicken-216697">China's Xi Jinping</a>.

With Beijing and Washington at loggerheads over trade, China is keen to remind Trump of its influence with nuclear-armed Pyongyang, while increasingly looking to Japan, a key US ally in the region, to serve as a hedge against growing American protectionism.

Relations between Tokyo, Beijing, and both Koreas are still heavily affected by Japan's expansionism in the first half of the 20th century, with Pyongyang's state media criticizing Japan on a near-daily basis.

Saturday's Rodong Sinmun dedicated five pages to the second day of Xi's visit to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/seoul-to-seek-meetings-with-pyongyang-to-revive-dialogue-with-washington-202799">Pyongyang</a>, and carried a separate editorial stating how the "sacred period of the anti-Japanese struggle has become the foundation of the DPRK-China friendship".

"DPRK-China relationship is an invincible friendship that firmly combines military camaraderie and trust," it stated, using the abbreviation of North Korea's official name.

Xi, in a rare opinion piece penned for the newspaper earlier this week, also said citizens of the countries jointly opposed a "foreign invasion" and supported each other in the pursuit of socialism.

Like North Korea, Beijing's Communist authorities also regularly denounce Tokyo over historical issues.

Xi is the first Chinese president to visit North Korea in 14 years after relations deteriorated over Pyongyang's nuclear programs and Beijing's subsequent backing of UN sanctions.

But when Kim embarked on a flurry of diplomacy last year, Xi as the leader of North Korea's main trading partner and key aid provider was the first head of state he met.

As Kim expands his diplomatic circle, Japan finds itself battling to remain involved in North Korean discussions.

Tokyo, one of the most hawkish of the major powers on the isolated North, has received some of Pyongyang's harshest rhetoric as well as missiles launched over its territory.&nbsp;

The dovish South Korean President Moon Jae-in who brokered nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang has also stressed the independence struggle against Japan is at the heart of both Koreas' national identity.

Seoul and Pyongyang's whirlwind of diplomacy has died down since a second Trump-Kim summit in February ended without a deal, and analysts say North Korea now may seek a new mediator for its deadlocked negotiations with Washington.

North Korea's official news agency KCNA also wrote Kim and Xi had reached an agreement on "important issues" in their five summits over the past year.

Pyongyang's relationship with Beijing is "invincible" because the countries both endured Japanese rule, North Korea said Saturday, the day after the Chinese President's highly symbolic visit ended.

Pyongyang's relationship with Beijing is "invincible" because the countries both endured Japanese rule, North Korea said Saturday, the day after the Chinese President's highly symbolic visit ended. The commentary, an official North Korean newspaper Rodong Sinmun, comes shortly before the G20 summit in Japan where US President Donald Trump will meet with China's Xi Jinping. With Beijing and Washington at loggerheads over trade, China is keen to remind Trump of its influence with nuclear-armed Pyongyang, while increasingly looking to Japan, a key US ally in the region, to serve as a hedge against growing American protectionism. Relations between Tokyo, Beijing, and both Koreas are still heavily affected by Japan's expansionism in the first half of the 20th century, with Pyongyang's state media criticizing Japan on a near-daily basis. Saturday's Rodong Sinmun dedicated five pages to the second day of Xi's visit to Pyongyang, and carried a separate editorial stating how the "sacred period of the anti-Japanese struggle has become the foundation of the DPRK-China friendship". "DPRK-China relationship is an invincible friendship that firmly combines military camaraderie and trust," it stated, using the abbreviation of North Korea's official name. Xi, in a rare opinion piece penned for the newspaper earlier this week, also said citizens of the countries jointly opposed a "foreign invasion" and supported each other in the pursuit of socialism. Like North Korea, Beijing's Communist authorities also regularly denounce Tokyo over historical issues. Xi is the first Chinese president to visit North Korea in 14 years after relations deteriorated over Pyongyang's nuclear programs and Beijing's subsequent backing of UN sanctions. But when Kim embarked on a flurry of diplomacy last year, Xi as the leader of North Korea's main trading partner and key aid provider was the first head of state he met. As Kim expands his diplomatic circle, Japan finds itself battling to remain involved in North Korean discussions. Tokyo, one of the most hawkish of the major powers on the isolated North, has received some of Pyongyang's harshest rhetoric as well as missiles launched over its territory. The dovish South Korean President Moon Jae-in who brokered nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang has also stressed the independence struggle against Japan is at the heart of both Koreas' national identity. Seoul and Pyongyang's whirlwind of diplomacy has died down since a second Trump-Kim summit in February ended without a deal, and analysts say North Korea now may seek a new mediator for its deadlocked negotiations with Washington. North Korea's official news agency KCNA also wrote Kim and Xi had reached an agreement on "important issues" in their five summits over the past year.

North Korea reminds China of colonial history to strengthen ties

China on Thursday for the first time acknowledged that it recently hosted Afghan Taliban's chief peace negotiator Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar for talks as part of its stepped-up efforts to enlarge its strategic role in Afghanistan and efforts to restore peace in the war-torn country.

Mullah Baradar, one of the four top commanders who formed the Taliban in 1994, was released from jail last year by the Pakistan government. He is believed to be the highest-ranking Afghan Taliban prisoner freed so far.

After his release from the jail, Mullah Baradar has been holding talks with US Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad.

China, a close ally of Pakistan, has been trying to iron out differences between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of providing safe haven to the Afghan Taliban, Haqqani network and other militant groups, which carry out attacks in the war-torn country.

The "head of Taliban political office in Doha, Bardar, visited China", Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told the media here Thursday.

"During his visit, the Chinese officials exchanged views with him on the peace and reconciliation process as well as the fight against terrorism," he said.

Bardar was told about the constructive role being played by China in the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan, Lu said.

"We always support the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned extensive and inclusive peace and reconciliation as well as the internal dialogue among the Afghanis. So, we have made the position clear with the Taliban chief negotiator," he said.

"This is an important part of our efforts to promote peace talks. Both sides agreed that the exchange is mutually beneficial and we also agreed to seek communication and cooperation for a political settlement of the Afghan issue. We will try and talk through various means and ways to play our due role in realising peace and reconciliation, stability and development in Afghanistan," Lu said.

Mullah Baradar held several senior positions in the Taliban government before its fall in 2001. He was once considered the most influential Taliban leader after Mullah Muhammad Omar.

Asked what the Taliban wants to end the civil war in Afghanistan, Lu said, "I believe the relevant parties in Afghanistan who are committed to peace talks hope to resolve the internal situation in Afghanistan and achieve sustainable peace and reconciliation".

"China is trying to promote the dialogue of Afghanis. Another issue is the joint fight against terrorism," he said.

China has also been holding talks with India over the situation in Afghanistan.

China's special envoy in Afghanistan Deng Xijun visited New Delhi in May last and held talks the top External Affairs Ministry officials.

India and China also conducted a joint programme to train diplomats of Afghanistan.&nbsp;

China on Thursday for the first time acknowledged that it recently hosted Afghan Taliban's chief peace negotiator Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar for talks as part of its stepped-up efforts to enlarge its strategic role in Afghanistan and efforts to restore peace in the war-torn country.

China on Thursday for the first time acknowledged that it recently hosted Afghan Taliban's chief peace negotiator Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar for talks as part of its stepped-up efforts to enlarge its strategic role in Afghanistan and efforts to restore peace in the war-torn country. Mullah Baradar, one of the four top commanders who formed the Taliban in 1994, was released from jail last year by the Pakistan government. He is believed to be the highest-ranking Afghan Taliban prisoner freed so far. After his release from the jail, Mullah Baradar has been holding talks with US Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad. China, a close ally of Pakistan, has been trying to iron out differences between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of providing safe haven to the Afghan Taliban, Haqqani network and other militant groups, which carry out attacks in the war-torn country. The "head of Taliban political office in Doha, Bardar, visited China", Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told the media here Thursday. "During his visit, the Chinese officials exchanged views with him on the peace and reconciliation process as well as the fight against terrorism," he said. Bardar was told about the constructive role being played by China in the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan, Lu said. "We always support the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned extensive and inclusive peace and reconciliation as well as the internal dialogue among the Afghanis. So, we have made the position clear with the Taliban chief negotiator," he said. "This is an important part of our efforts to promote peace talks. Both sides agreed that the exchange is mutually beneficial and we also agreed to seek communication and cooperation for a political settlement of the Afghan issue. We will try and talk through various means and ways to play our due role in realising peace and reconciliation, stability and development in Afghanistan," Lu said. Mullah Baradar held several senior positions in the Taliban government before its fall in 2001. He was once considered the most influential Taliban leader after Mullah Muhammad Omar. Asked what the Taliban wants to end the civil war in Afghanistan, Lu said, "I believe the relevant parties in Afghanistan who are committed to peace talks hope to resolve the internal situation in Afghanistan and achieve sustainable peace and reconciliation". "China is trying to promote the dialogue of Afghanis. Another issue is the joint fight against terrorism," he said. China has also been holding talks with India over the situation in Afghanistan. China's special envoy in Afghanistan Deng Xijun visited New Delhi in May last and held talks the top External Affairs Ministry officials. India and China also conducted a joint programme to train diplomats of Afghanistan.

We support Afghan-led peace dialogue, says China while hosting Taliban leader

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-businesses-pledge-closures-as-extradition-anger-builds-226173">Hong Kong</a> student groups were preparing to mobilise support for another major demonstration, a union leader said, as a Thursday deadline approached for the pro-Beijing government to respond to demands of protesters who have shaken the city with massive rallies.

Millions have marched this month to oppose a proposed law that would have allowed extraditions to the Chinese mainland, but the huge protest movement has morphed into a larger rebuke of Hong Kong's administration.

Under-fire <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-firmly-support-hong-kong-leader-carrie-lam-china-227947">chief executive Carrie Lam</a> has apologised and suspended the controversial bill, but that has failed to quell the opposition, with protesters demanding she step down and completely withdraw the legislation.

A network of students at universities and higher education institutions is preparing to mobilise based on a 5:00 pm (0900 GMT) Thursday deadline circulating online for several demands to be met, said So Tsun Fung, president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Students Union.

In addition to Lam's ouster and the extradition law's withdrawal, protesters have also demanded the release of those detained during sporadic clashes with police last week, and an investigation into allegations of police brutality.

So told AFP the student network would call for people to surround Hong Kong's central government offices at 7:00 am Friday (2300 GMT Thursday) if the Lam administration does not respond to demands.

&nbsp;Human chain

"The hope is to apply pressure before civil servants go to work if we have a certain amount of people," he added.

In a chat group seen by AFP on the messaging app Telegram, some users posted anonymous polls asking its more than 34,000 members how they wanted to protest Friday, with options including a peaceful sit-in, forming a human chain, or surrounding Lam's residence.

A Hong Kong government press representative asked AFP to direct queries about the demands to Lam's office, which could not be immediately reached for comment.

The Civil Human Rights Front, a group that helped facilitate the massive June 9 and June 16 rallies, said it would support any lawful and peaceful protest by student groups.

The ongoing protests have been largely "leaderless", with no one group or individual articulating demands or negotiating with authorities on the demonstrators' behalf.

The minority pro-democracy bloc in Hong Kong's legislature would also back the students and urges them to remain peaceful, opposition lawmaker Claudio Mo told AFP.

Opponents of the extradition bill that sparked the crisis have said they fear the proposal will ensnare the people of Hong Kong in mainland China's opaque and politicised justice system and also give Beijing a tool to target its critics based in the semi-autonomous territory.

Hong Kong student groups were preparing to mobilise support for another major demonstration, a union leader said, as a Thursday deadline approached for the pro-Beijing government to respond to demands of protesters who have shaken the city with massive rallies.

Hong Kong student groups were preparing to mobilise support for another major demonstration, a union leader said, as a Thursday deadline approached for the pro-Beijing government to respond to demands of protesters who have shaken the city with massive rallies. Millions have marched this month to oppose a proposed law that would have allowed extraditions to the Chinese mainland, but the huge protest movement has morphed into a larger rebuke of Hong Kong's administration. Under-fire chief executive Carrie Lam has apologised and suspended the controversial bill, but that has failed to quell the opposition, with protesters demanding she step down and completely withdraw the legislation. A network of students at universities and higher education institutions is preparing to mobilise based on a 5:00 pm (0900 GMT) Thursday deadline circulating online for several demands to be met, said So Tsun Fung, president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Students Union. In addition to Lam's ouster and the extradition law's withdrawal, protesters have also demanded the release of those detained during sporadic clashes with police last week, and an investigation into allegations of police brutality. So told AFP the student network would call for people to surround Hong Kong's central government offices at 7:00 am Friday (2300 GMT Thursday) if the Lam administration does not respond to demands. Human chain "The hope is to apply pressure before civil servants go to work if we have a certain amount of people," he added. In a chat group seen by AFP on the messaging app Telegram, some users posted anonymous polls asking its more than 34,000 members how they wanted to protest Friday, with options including a peaceful sit-in, forming a human chain, or surrounding Lam's residence. A Hong Kong government press representative asked AFP to direct queries about the demands to Lam's office, which could not be immediately reached for comment. The Civil Human Rights Front, a group that helped facilitate the massive June 9 and June 16 rallies, said it would support any lawful and peaceful protest by student groups. The ongoing protests have been largely "leaderless", with no one group or individual articulating demands or negotiating with authorities on the demonstrators' behalf. The minority pro-democracy bloc in Hong Kong's legislature would also back the students and urges them to remain peaceful, opposition lawmaker Claudio Mo told AFP. Opponents of the extradition bill that sparked the crisis have said they fear the proposal will ensnare the people of Hong Kong in mainland China's opaque and politicised justice system and also give Beijing a tool to target its critics based in the semi-autonomous territory.

Hong Kong protesters threaten more demonstrations if demands not met

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-activist-joshua-wong-freed-from-jail-calls-on-pro-china-leader-carrie-lam-to-resign-227815">Joshua Wong</a> was the unlikely hero who helped lead a movement that inspired hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers to take over the city's streets for two months in 2014 calling for fully free elections.

Scrawny, with gaunt features and a studious frown, the then 17-year-old spearheaded the mass<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/umbrella-movement-student-leader-joshua-wong-in-hong-kong-to-be-released-227736"> "Umbrella Movement" protests</a>, which were a reaction to restrictions from Beijing on how Hong Kong's next leader would be chosen.&nbsp;

Alongside fellow student leaders Nathan Law and Alex Chow, Wong's speeches and calls for civil disobedience electrified the crowds but the movement failed to win any concessions from China or Hong Kong's pro-Beijing leaders.

He captured the attention of the world in his casting as David against the Goliath of the Chinese Communist Party and was hailed as one of the world's most influential figures by Time, Fortune and Foreign Policy magazines.&nbsp;

He even became the subject of Netflix documentary "Teenager vs Superpower", released in 2017.

Born to middle-class Christian parents Grace and Roger Wong, he began his life of activism aged just 13 with a protest against plans for a high-speed rail link between Hong Kong and the mainland.

At the age of just 15, Wong campaigned successfully for Hong Kong to drop a pro-China "National Education" program, rallying a crowd of 120,000 to blockade the city's parliament for 10 days.

In many ways, he pioneered a protest method that has since been embraced by Hong Kong's protest movement -- seizing streets in non-violent civil disobedience -- after years of peaceful rallies failed to achieve much.

But he has paid for his activism. Prosecutors came after him and many of the Umbrella Movement's leaders.&nbsp;

&nbsp;'The city I love'&nbsp;

In mid-May, he was sentenced to two months on a contempt charge after pleading guilty to obstructing the clearance of a major protest camp in 2014.

He was also convicted in a second prosecution related to the storming of a government forecourt during the 2014 protests.&nbsp;

He spent some time behind bars for that case, but in the end, the city's top court ruled that community service was sufficient punishment.

Alongside Nathan Law and Alex Chow, he went on to found the political party Demosisto which campaigns for more self-determination for Hong Kong but not independence, a clear red line to Beijing.

His demands have been both consistent and fairly simple: that Hong Kongers should get to decide their city's fate, not communist party officials in Beijing.

Since the end of the Umbrella Movement, he has been denied entry into Malaysia and Thailand, attacked in the street, and abused by pro-China protesters in Taiwan. But he has said he will fight on.

In an article written for Time Magazine from prison last week -- as historic protests gripped the city once more over a deeply divisive extradition law -- he wrote: "My lack of freedom today is a price I knew I would have to pay for the city I love."

He stepped back into the fray on Monday when authorities released him just one month into his prison term.

Authorities did not confirm whether the decision was procedural or a gesture to protestors.

He immediately called for Hong Kong's pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam to step down over her role pushing for the controversial extradition bill and vowed to join the protests.

"She is no longer qualified to be Hong Kong's leader," Wong told reporters. "She must take the blame and resign, be held accountable and step down."

"After leaving jail today I will also fight with all Hong Kongers to oppose the evil China extradition law," he added.

Joshua Wong was the unlikely hero who helped lead a movement that inspired hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers to take over the city's streets for two months in 2014 calling for fully free elections.

Joshua Wong was the unlikely hero who helped lead a movement that inspired hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers to take over the city's streets for two months in 2014 calling for fully free elections. Scrawny, with gaunt features and a studious frown, the then 17-year-old spearheaded the mass "Umbrella Movement" protests, which were a reaction to restrictions from Beijing on how Hong Kong's next leader would be chosen. Alongside fellow student leaders Nathan Law and Alex Chow, Wong's speeches and calls for civil disobedience electrified the crowds but the movement failed to win any concessions from China or Hong Kong's pro-Beijing leaders. He captured the attention of the world in his casting as David against the Goliath of the Chinese Communist Party and was hailed as one of the world's most influential figures by Time, Fortune and Foreign Policy magazines. He even became the subject of Netflix documentary "Teenager vs Superpower", released in 2017. Born to middle-class Christian parents Grace and Roger Wong, he began his life of activism aged just 13 with a protest against plans for a high-speed rail link between Hong Kong and the mainland. At the age of just 15, Wong campaigned successfully for Hong Kong to drop a pro-China "National Education" program, rallying a crowd of 120,000 to blockade the city's parliament for 10 days. In many ways, he pioneered a protest method that has since been embraced by Hong Kong's protest movement -- seizing streets in non-violent civil disobedience -- after years of peaceful rallies failed to achieve much. But he has paid for his activism. Prosecutors came after him and many of the Umbrella Movement's leaders. 'The city I love' In mid-May, he was sentenced to two months on a contempt charge after pleading guilty to obstructing the clearance of a major protest camp in 2014. He was also convicted in a second prosecution related to the storming of a government forecourt during the 2014 protests. He spent some time behind bars for that case, but in the end, the city's top court ruled that community service was sufficient punishment. Alongside Nathan Law and Alex Chow, he went on to found the political party Demosisto which campaigns for more self-determination for Hong Kong but not independence, a clear red line to Beijing. His demands have been both consistent and fairly simple: that Hong Kongers should get to decide their city's fate, not communist party officials in Beijing. Since the end of the Umbrella Movement, he has been denied entry into Malaysia and Thailand, attacked in the street, and abused by pro-China protesters in Taiwan. But he has said he will fight on. In an article written for Time Magazine from prison last week -- as historic protests gripped the city once more over a deeply divisive extradition law -- he wrote: "My lack of freedom today is a price I knew I would have to pay for the city I love." He stepped back into the fray on Monday when authorities released him just one month into his prison term. Authorities did not confirm whether the decision was procedural or a gesture to protestors. He immediately called for Hong Kong's pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam to step down over her role pushing for the controversial extradition bill and vowed to join the protests. "She is no longer qualified to be Hong Kong's leader," Wong told reporters. "She must take the blame and resign, be held accountable and step down." "After leaving jail today I will also fight with all Hong Kongers to oppose the evil China extradition law," he added.

Joshua Wong: Poster child of Hong Kong's 'Umbrella Movement'

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-activist-joshua-wong-freed-from-jail-calls-on-pro-china-leader-carrie-lam-to-resign-227815">Joshua Wong</a> was the unlikely hero who helped lead a movement that inspired hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers to take over the city's streets for two months in 2014 calling for fully free elections.

Scrawny, with gaunt features and a studious frown, the then 17-year-old spearheaded the mass <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/umbrella-movement-student-leader-joshua-wong-in-hong-kong-to-be-released-227736">"Umbrella Movement" protests</a>, which were a reaction to restrictions from Beijing on how Hong Kong's next leader would be chosen.&nbsp;

Alongside fellow student leaders Nathan Law and Alex Chow, Wong's speeches and calls for civil disobedience electrified the crowds but the movement failed to win any concessions from China or Hong Kong's pro-Beijing leaders.

He captured the attention of the world in his casting as David against the Goliath of the Chinese Communist Party and was hailed as one of the world's most influential figures by Time, Fortune and Foreign Policy magazines.&nbsp;

He even became the subject of Netflix documentary "Teenager vs Superpower", released in 2017.

Born to middle-class Christian parents Grace and Roger Wong, he began his life of activism aged just 13 with a protest against plans for a high-speed rail link between Hong Kong and the mainland.

At the age of just 15, Wong campaigned successfully for Hong Kong to drop a pro-China "National Education" program, rallying a crowd of 120,000 to blockade the city's parliament for 10 days.

In many ways, he pioneered a protest method that has since been embraced by Hong Kong's protest movement -- seizing streets in non-violent civil disobedience -- after years of peaceful rallies failed to achieve much.

But he has paid for his activism. Prosecutors came after him and many of the Umbrella Movement's leaders.&nbsp;

&nbsp;'The city I love'&nbsp;

In mid-May, he was sentenced to two months on a contempt charge after pleading guilty to obstructing the clearance of a major protest camp in 2014.

He was also convicted in a second prosecution related to the storming of a government forecourt during the 2014 protests.&nbsp;

He spent some time behind bars for that case, but in the end, the city's top court ruled that community service was sufficient punishment.

Alongside Nathan Law and Alex Chow, he went on to found the political party Demosisto which campaigns for more self-determination for Hong Kong but not independence, a clear red line to Beijing.

His demands have been both consistent and fairly simple: that Hong Kongers should get to decide their city's fate, not communist party officials in Beijing.

Since the end of the Umbrella Movement, he has been denied entry into Malaysia and Thailand, attacked in the street, and abused by pro-China protesters in Taiwan. But he has said he will fight on.

In an article written for Time Magazine from prison last week -- as historic protests gripped the city once more over a deeply divisive extradition law -- he wrote: "My lack of freedom today is a price I knew I would have to pay for the city I love."

He stepped back into the fray on Monday when authorities released him just one month into his prison term.

Authorities did not confirm whether the decision was procedural or a gesture to protestors.

He immediately called for Hong Kong's pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam to step down over her role pushing for the controversial extradition bill and vowed to join the protests.

"She is no longer qualified to be Hong Kong's leader," Wong told reporters. "She must take the blame and resign, be held accountable and step down."

"After leaving jail today I will also fight with all Hong Kongers to oppose the evil China extradition law," he added.

Poster Child of Hong Kong's 'Umbrella Movement' vows to join mass protest

Joshua Wong: Meet the Hong Kong student who risked the wrath of China, and lived

With under three weeks to go before proposed&nbsp;talks&nbsp;between the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/americas/donald-trump-xi-jinping-and-trade-a-high-stakes-game-of-chicken-216697">Chinese and US leaders</a>,&nbsp;expectations&nbsp;for progress toward ending the trade war are&nbsp;low&nbsp;and sources say there has been little preparation for a meeting even as the health of the world economy is at stake.

President Donald&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;says he wants to meet with President&nbsp;Xi&nbsp;Jinping at the June 28-29 G20 summit in Osaka, Japan and will decide on whether to extend tariffs to almost all Chinese imports after that.

Though neither side has confirmed that a meeting will take place, investors worldwide who have seen over a trillion dollars wiped from global markets in the past month by the trade fight will be closely watching any interaction between the two men.

Relations have deteriorated since May when negotiations to end the US-Chinese trade disputes broke down, all but killing off the possibility of an agreement in Japan.

"The atmosphere is poisonous," one senior Beijing-based Western diplomat told Reuters, referring to China-US ties.

Sources familiar with the matter, including officials and diplomats in Washington and Beijing, say there has been a lack of preparatory work for the meeting, due largely to the increasing acrimony. The trade negotiating teams have not met since&nbsp;talks&nbsp;ended in stalemate on May 10.

The White House declined to comment on plans for a&nbsp;Trump-Xi&nbsp;meeting.

"Preparations&nbsp;for the G20 summit in Japan are ongoing. We have nothing to announce at this time regarding specific bilateral meetings," White House National Security Council spokesman Garrett Marquis.

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow&nbsp;told CNBC on Tuesday that&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;is hoping to "pick up where we left off" in the&nbsp;talks&nbsp;with&nbsp;Xi.

Trump&nbsp;said again on Monday that he expected the meeting to happen, and threatened more tariffs on Chinese imports if there is not enough progress or if&nbsp;Xi&nbsp;does not attend.

China is open to more trade&nbsp;talks&nbsp;but has nothing to announce about a possible meeting between the two leaders, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Monday. He said on Tuesday that China would "fight to the end" if Washington escalates trade fictions.

Sources said the two leaders are likely to have some kind of meeting but whatever happens in Osaka, it will be a downgrade from the possibility both sides feted just two months ago - when they hoped the&nbsp;talks&nbsp;would be the scene for the two presidents to sign a historic trade deal.

A senior Chinese official told US business representatives last week that&nbsp;preparations&nbsp;had yet to begin for either a&nbsp;Trump-Xi&nbsp;meeting or to resume trade negotiations, a source with direct knowledge of the briefing said.

On the US side in recent years, the lack of preparation for a big meeting is not that unusual.&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;often attends important&nbsp;talks&nbsp;with little advance work and makes policy on the fly.

Xi&nbsp;may not even want to go into such a high profile meeting with an unpredictable outcome and facing the threat of more US tariffs on Chinese goods.

"For China, it's all about the protocol for&nbsp;Xi&nbsp;and making sure he is respected," said an Asian diplomat. "China will not want&nbsp;Xi to go into a meeting where he may be embarrassed."

Low Expectations

Eswar Prasad, a trade professor at Cornell University and a former head of the China department at the International Monetary Fund, said&nbsp;expectations&nbsp;from any&nbsp;talks&nbsp;were&nbsp;low.

"The best-case outcome from a&nbsp;Trump-Xi&nbsp;meeting, which seems a dubious proposition at this stage, would be an agreement for the two sides to resume&nbsp;talks," said Prasad, who is in touch with Chinese officials. "The prospects for even a temporary and&nbsp;limited&nbsp;ceasefire have dissipated and a prolonged period of trade and broader economic tensions between the two countries seems on the cards."

If&nbsp;talks&nbsp;go badly, both sides could raise tariffs on each other,&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;could withdraw licenses for firms trading with Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, and China might ban exports of rare earth supplies vital for high-tech products as well as take measures against US companies in China.

Trade negotiations broke down in May and the two sides raised tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of each other's imports.

Trump&nbsp;accused Beijing of reneging on promises to meet US demands to extend the protection of intellectual property, end state-sponsored cyber theft, open more markets to US firms, and reduce industrial subsidies.

China has said US demands are so extensive that they violate its sovereignty.

A source with ties to China's leadership said there was deep anger in the government and party about&nbsp;Trump's accusations of China backsliding, especially as Beijing thought it was on the verge of a deal.

The source likened the US response to the feeling of being jilted at the altar.

"You don't promise to marry someone and then back out at the last minute," the source, who meets regularly with senior officials, told Reuters.

Xi&nbsp;and&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;met last year in Buenos Aires and broke a prior impasse in trade&nbsp;talks.

The US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin drew parallels between the planned Osaka meeting and that encounter, telling Reuters that the pace of&nbsp;preparations&nbsp;for both meetings was similar.

But, unlike the current uncertainty over plans for the meeting in Japan, the White House confirmed the Argentina&nbsp;talks&nbsp;were taking place as early as six weeks in advance.

The US-China tension has gone beyond tariffs. The United States has sanctioned Huawei, sent its navy into the disputed South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, and made other public shows of support for self-ruled Taiwan.

The strains between Washington and Beijing are expected to make it difficult for diplomats to agree on the language of the G20 statement issued at the end of the summit.

Host country Japan and European Union countries are working with the United States on new World Trade Organization rules aimed at reining in "non market-oriented policies" including industrial subsidies, rules clearly aimed at China.

Beijing is expected to resist language in the statement that the United States may subsequently use against China in trade&nbsp;talks.

With under three weeks to go before proposed talks between the Chinese and US leaders, expectations for progress toward ending the trade war are low and sources say there has been little preparation for a meeting even as the health of the world economy is at stake.

With under three weeks to go before proposed talks between the Chinese and US leaders, expectations for progress toward ending the trade war are low and sources say there has been little preparation for a meeting even as the health of the world economy is at stake. President Donald Trump says he wants to meet with President Xi Jinping at the June 28-29 G20 summit in Osaka, Japan and will decide on whether to extend tariffs to almost all Chinese imports after that. Though neither side has confirmed that a meeting will take place, investors worldwide who have seen over a trillion dollars wiped from global markets in the past month by the trade fight will be closely watching any interaction between the two men. Relations have deteriorated since May when negotiations to end the US-Chinese trade disputes broke down, all but killing off the possibility of an agreement in Japan. "The atmosphere is poisonous," one senior Beijing-based Western diplomat told Reuters, referring to China-US ties. Sources familiar with the matter, including officials and diplomats in Washington and Beijing, say there has been a lack of preparatory work for the meeting, due largely to the increasing acrimony. The trade negotiating teams have not met since talks ended in stalemate on May 10. The White House declined to comment on plans for a Trump-Xi meeting. "Preparations for the G20 summit in Japan are ongoing. We have nothing to announce at this time regarding specific bilateral meetings," White House National Security Council spokesman Garrett Marquis. White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told CNBC on Tuesday that Trump is hoping to "pick up where we left off" in the talks with Xi. Trump said again on Monday that he expected the meeting to happen, and threatened more tariffs on Chinese imports if there is not enough progress or if Xi does not attend. China is open to more trade talks but has nothing to announce about a possible meeting between the two leaders, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Monday. He said on Tuesday that China would "fight to the end" if Washington escalates trade fictions. Sources said the two leaders are likely to have some kind of meeting but whatever happens in Osaka, it will be a downgrade from the possibility both sides feted just two months ago - when they hoped the talks would be the scene for the two presidents to sign a historic trade deal. A senior Chinese official told US business representatives last week that preparations had yet to begin for either a Trump-Xi meeting or to resume trade negotiations, a source with direct knowledge of the briefing said. On the US side in recent years, the lack of preparation for a big meeting is not that unusual. Trump often attends important talks with little advance work and makes policy on the fly. Xi may not even want to go into such a high profile meeting with an unpredictable outcome and facing the threat of more US tariffs on Chinese goods. "For China, it's all about the protocol for Xi and making sure he is respected," said an Asian diplomat. "China will not want Xi to go into a meeting where he may be embarrassed." Low Expectations Eswar Prasad, a trade professor at Cornell University and a former head of the China department at the International Monetary Fund, said expectations from any talks were low. "The best-case outcome from a Trump-Xi meeting, which seems a dubious proposition at this stage, would be an agreement for the two sides to resume talks," said Prasad, who is in touch with Chinese officials. "The prospects for even a temporary and limited ceasefire have dissipated and a prolonged period of trade and broader economic tensions between the two countries seems on the cards." If talks go badly, both sides could raise tariffs on each other, Trump could withdraw licenses for firms trading with Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, and China might ban exports of rare earth supplies vital for high-tech products as well as take measures against US companies in China. Trade negotiations broke down in May and the two sides raised tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of each other's imports. Trump accused Beijing of reneging on promises to meet US demands to extend the protection of intellectual property, end state-sponsored cyber theft, open more markets to US firms, and reduce industrial subsidies. China has said US demands are so extensive that they violate its sovereignty. A source with ties to China's leadership said there was deep anger in the government and party about Trump's accusations of China backsliding, especially as Beijing thought it was on the verge of a deal. The source likened the US response to the feeling of being jilted at the altar. "You don't promise to marry someone and then back out at the last minute," the source, who meets regularly with senior officials, told Reuters. Xi and Trump met last year in Buenos Aires and broke a prior impasse in trade talks. The US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin drew parallels between the planned Osaka meeting and that encounter, telling Reuters that the pace of preparations for both meetings was similar. But, unlike the current uncertainty over plans for the meeting in Japan, the White House confirmed the Argentina talks were taking place as early as six weeks in advance. The US-China tension has gone beyond tariffs. The United States has sanctioned Huawei, sent its navy into the disputed South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, and made other public shows of support for self-ruled Taiwan. The strains between Washington and Beijing are expected to make it difficult for diplomats to agree on the language of the G20 statement issued at the end of the summit. Host country Japan and European Union countries are working with the United States on new World Trade Organization rules aimed at reining in "non market-oriented policies" including industrial subsidies, rules clearly aimed at China. Beijing is expected to resist language in the statement that the United States may subsequently use against China in trade talks.

Expectations low for Trump-Xi talks, preparations limited

Why is Hong Kong's China extradition plan so controversial?

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xi-gifts-putin-chinas-friendship-medal-143236">Chinese President Xi Jinping presented</a> two&nbsp;pandas to Moscow's zoo at a ceremony with Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, in a gesture the Russian president described as a sign of deepening trust and respect between the two powers.

Xi unveiled the&nbsp;pandas - Ru Yi and Ding Ding - after talks with Putin whom he called his "best friend" at the start of a three-day visit that will see him attend Russia's flagship economic forum in St Petersburg later this week.

The&nbsp;pandas, who could be seen chomping bamboo as Xi and Putin arrived, will be living in a specially built enclosure. Beijing has loaned them to Moscow for 15 years as part of a joint research project.

Xi's visit to Russia comes with Moscow's ties with the West at post-Cold War lows and with Beijing's relations with the United States strained over a trade war. Both powers are eager to show they are strengthening ties.

The leaders promised to deepen military-technical cooperation at talks in Moscow, while Russian and Chinese businesses signed an array of deals.

"Over the past six years, we have met almost 30 times ... Putin is my best friend and a good colleague," Xi said in comments published on the Kremlin's website.

Standing alongside Xi after the talks, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-xi-in-russia-to-boost-cooperation-amid-us-tensions-224674">Putin</a> thanked China for entrusting the&nbsp;pandas to Moscow.

"This is a gesture of particular respect and trust in Russia. When we talk about&nbsp;pandas, we always end up with a smile on our faces. We accept this gift with great respect and gratitude," Putin said.

"These animals are a national symbol for China, and we greatly value this gesture of friendship," he said.

The&nbsp;pandas were given to Russia at the end of April after Putin visited Beijing but were only unveiled to the public on Wednesday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping presented two pandas to Moscow's zoo at a ceremony with Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, in a gesture the Russian president described as a sign of deepening trust and respect between the two powers.

Chinese President Xi Jinping presented two pandas to Moscow's zoo at a ceremony with Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, in a gesture the Russian president described as a sign of deepening trust and respect between the two powers. Xi unveiled the pandas - Ru Yi and Ding Ding - after talks with Putin whom he called his "best friend" at the start of a three-day visit that will see him attend Russia's flagship economic forum in St Petersburg later this week. The pandas, who could be seen chomping bamboo as Xi and Putin arrived, will be living in a specially built enclosure. Beijing has loaned them to Moscow for 15 years as part of a joint research project. Xi's visit to Russia comes with Moscow's ties with the West at post-Cold War lows and with Beijing's relations with the United States strained over a trade war. Both powers are eager to show they are strengthening ties. The leaders promised to deepen military-technical cooperation at talks in Moscow, while Russian and Chinese businesses signed an array of deals. "Over the past six years, we have met almost 30 times ... Putin is my best friend and a good colleague," Xi said in comments published on the Kremlin's website. Standing alongside Xi after the talks, Putin thanked China for entrusting the pandas to Moscow. "This is a gesture of particular respect and trust in Russia. When we talk about pandas, we always end up with a smile on our faces. We accept this gift with great respect and gratitude," Putin said. "These animals are a national symbol for China, and we greatly value this gesture of friendship," he said. The pandas were given to Russia at the end of April after Putin visited Beijing but were only unveiled to the public on Wednesday.

China's panda diplomacy puts a smile on best friend Putin's face

30 Years Ago, Young Protesters In China Gathered In Tiananmen Square In Beijing. They Demanded Greater Freedom. The Chinese State Responded By Sending Troops And Tanks. Thousands Died. This Report Revisits What Happened On June The Fourth.

Gravitas: 30 Years Of Pro-Democracy Protests In China

Tens of thousands of people gather every year in Hong Kong's Victoria Park to attend a vigil marking the anniversary of China's June 4th crackdown on pro-democracy protests in and around Beijing's Tiananmen Square.

Hong Kong millennial fights to vindicate June 4th democracy crackdown

A Chinese state-run daily defended the government's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-defence-minister-says-tiananmen-crackdown-was-justified-223616">handling of the Tiananmen protests</a> on Monday, saying it "immunized" China against turmoil in a rare editorial about the crackdown on the eve of its 30th anniversary.

Hundreds or by some estimates more than a 1,000 unarmed civilians were killed when troops and tanks were deployed to extinguish the pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijing on June 4, 1989.

The Global Times' English-language edition hailed the Chinese government's handling of what it called the "incident" in an editorial titled: "June 4 immunized China against turmoil".

"As a vaccination for the Chinese society, the Tiananmen incident will greatly increase China's immunity against any major political turmoil in the future," wrote the nationalist tabloid, which is affiliated to the Communist Party's mouthpiece, the People's Daily.

The paper echoed comments by China's defence minister, General Wei Fenghe, who defended the bloody crackdown as the "correct policy" at a regional security forum in Singapore on Sunday. It is rare for Chinese officials or media to publicly discuss the strictly taboo topic.

Authorities have detained activists and tightened online censorship ahead of the anniversary.

The party's "control of the incident" in 1989 has been a "watershed" that marked the difference between China's rapid economic progress and the fate of other Communist countries such as the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia that disintegrated, the Global Times said.

The editorial -- which only appeared in the English-language print edition of the paper -- also rebuked dissidents, Western politicians and media, saying their criticism of the event would have "no real impact" on Chinese society.

The Communist Party has tightened its grip on civil society since President Xi Jinping took office in 2012, detaining activists, rights lawyers, intensifying online censorship and using high-tech policing to keep the population in check.

The Global Times said today's China with its growing wealth has "no political conditions" that could reignite "the riots" seen three decades ago.&nbsp;"Chinese society, including its political elite, is now far more mature than in 1989."

A Chinese state-run daily defended the government's handling of the Tiananmen protests on Monday, saying it "immunized" China against turmoil in a rare editorial about the crackdown on the eve of its 30th anniversary.

A Chinese state-run daily defended the government's handling of the Tiananmen protests on Monday, saying it "immunized" China against turmoil in a rare editorial about the crackdown on the eve of its 30th anniversary. Hundreds or by some estimates more than a 1,000 unarmed civilians were killed when troops and tanks were deployed to extinguish the pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijing on June 4, 1989. The Global Times' English-language edition hailed the Chinese government's handling of what it called the "incident" in an editorial titled: "June 4 immunized China against turmoil". "As a vaccination for the Chinese society, the Tiananmen incident will greatly increase China's immunity against any major political turmoil in the future," wrote the nationalist tabloid, which is affiliated to the Communist Party's mouthpiece, the People's Daily. The paper echoed comments by China's defence minister, General Wei Fenghe, who defended the bloody crackdown as the "correct policy" at a regional security forum in Singapore on Sunday. It is rare for Chinese officials or media to publicly discuss the strictly taboo topic. Authorities have detained activists and tightened online censorship ahead of the anniversary. The party's "control of the incident" in 1989 has been a "watershed" that marked the difference between China's rapid economic progress and the fate of other Communist countries such as the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia that disintegrated, the Global Times said. The editorial -- which only appeared in the English-language print edition of the paper -- also rebuked dissidents, Western politicians and media, saying their criticism of the event would have "no real impact" on Chinese society. The Communist Party has tightened its grip on civil society since President Xi Jinping took office in 2012, detaining activists, rights lawyers, intensifying online censorship and using high-tech policing to keep the population in check. The Global Times said today's China with its growing wealth has "no political conditions" that could reignite "the riots" seen three decades ago. "Chinese society, including its political elite, is now far more mature than in 1989."

Tiananmen incident greatly increased China's immunity against political turmoil: China daily

The U.S. accusation that China has been forcing foreign companies to transfer technology is groundless and nothing but a pretext aimed at suppressing China's development, said Chinese experts.

US accusation of 'forced technology transfer' is baseless: experts

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