Enraged with India&#39;s refusal to extend the visas of three Chinese journalists, Beijing has issued a warning, saying that New Delhi will have to face &#39;serious consequences&#39; if the move was taken with the intent of seeking &#39;revenge&#39; after they opposed India&#39;s bid to join the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group or NSG last month. 
 
&quot;Speculation is swirling that India is taking revenge against China for the latter&#39;s opposition to India joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). If New Delhi is really taking revenge due to the NSG membership issue, there will be serious consequence,&quot; said an editorial published in Global Times. 
 
China&#39;s warning comes after the Indian Government refused to extend the visas of three Chinese writers from the Xinhua News Agency, forcing them to leave the country. Among the three, one is Wu Qiang, Xinhua bureau chief in Delhi; another is Tang Lu, chief correspondent at the Mumbai bureau. 
 
&quot;No official reason was given for the rejection of the visa renewals. Some Indian media claimed that the three journalists are suspected of impersonating other people to access several restricted departments in Delhi and Mumbai with fake names. There were also reports attributing it to the journalists&#39; meeting with exiled Tibetan activists,&quot; said the article. 
 
L? Pengfei, former India-based special correspondent with the Global Times, said there is absolutely no need for Chinese journalists in India to conduct interviews under fake names and it is completely normal for reporters to request interviews with the Dalai Lama group. 
 
&quot;In any case, it&#39;s not a good thing that India has turned down Chinese reporters&#39; applications for new visas. The act has sent negative messages and media communications between China and India will inevitably be negatively impacted. India has a suspicious mind. No matter whether Chinese reporters apply for a long-term or a temporary journalist visa, they will come across many troubles. Complaints about difficulties of acquiring an Indian visa have also been heard from other Chinese who deal with India. In contrast, it&#39;s much easier for Indians to get a Chinese visa,&quot; the editorial said. 
 
&quot;On the visa issue this time, we should take actions to display our reaction. We at least should make a few Indians feel Chinese visas are also not easy to get,&quot; it added. The editorial, however, added that the bilateral relationship between the two countries is now on a sound track, with a by and large tranquil border and steadily booming trade. 
 
&quot;The two in general are able to maintain neutrality with regard to international affairs that are related to the other side. But problems emerge when it comes to issues that the two are at odds,&quot; the editorial said.&nbsp; 
 
(ANI)

India has denied visa extensions to three Chinese journalists; China says this is retaliation for its opposition to India's inclusion in NSG

Enraged with India's refusal to extend the visas of three Chinese journalists, Beijing has issued a warning, saying that New Delhi will have to face 'serious consequences' if the move was taken with the intent of seeking 'revenge' after they opposed India's bid to join the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group or NSG last month. "Speculation is swirling that India is taking revenge against China for the latter's opposition to India joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). If New Delhi is really taking revenge due to the NSG membership issue, there will be serious consequence," said an editorial published in Global Times. China's warning comes after the Indian Government refused to extend the visas of three Chinese writers from the Xinhua News Agency, forcing them to leave the country. Among the three, one is Wu Qiang, Xinhua bureau chief in Delhi; another is Tang Lu, chief correspondent at the Mumbai bureau. "No official reason was given for the rejection of the visa renewals. Some Indian media claimed that the three journalists are suspected of impersonating other people to access several restricted departments in Delhi and Mumbai with fake names. There were also reports attributing it to the journalists' meeting with exiled Tibetan activists," said the article. L? Pengfei, former India-based special correspondent with the Global Times, said there is absolutely no need for Chinese journalists in India to conduct interviews under fake names and it is completely normal for reporters to request interviews with the Dalai Lama group. "In any case, it's not a good thing that India has turned down Chinese reporters' applications for new visas. The act has sent negative messages and media communications between China and India will inevitably be negatively impacted. India has a suspicious mind. No matter whether Chinese reporters apply for a long-term or a temporary journalist visa, they will come across many troubles. Complaints about difficulties of acquiring an Indian visa have also been heard from other Chinese who deal with India. In contrast, it's much easier for Indians to get a Chinese visa," the editorial said. "On the visa issue this time, we should take actions to display our reaction. We at least should make a few Indians feel Chinese visas are also not easy to get," it added. The editorial, however, added that the bilateral relationship between the two countries is now on a sound track, with a by and large tranquil border and steadily booming trade. "The two in general are able to maintain neutrality with regard to international affairs that are related to the other side. But problems emerge when it comes to issues that the two are at odds," the editorial said. (ANI)

China threatens to make visa process difficult for Indians

Anger erupted today over floods in northern China that left more than 100 people dead or missing, with media and internet users accusing officials of negligence. 
 
Torrential rain has lashed northern China this week, and a flashflood near the city of Xingtai in Hebei province, which left nine dead and 11 missing, has become a focus of the public&#39;s dissatisfaction with the government&#39;s response to the disaster. 
 
Angry villagers have blamed local officials for failing to warn them of the impending deluge, with Hebei Satellite TV showing one resident saying water had reached chest-level before an alarm was raised. 
 
Photos of the aftermath showed telephone poles toppled and homes completely collapsed, and debris submerged in a tide of brown mud. 
 
Local deputy Communist party secretary Wang Qingfei drew ire for earlier comments that there had been &quot;no casualties&quot; in the flood, the Beijing News said. 
 
A video of him kneeling before wailing relatives who lost family members was spread on social media, showing three distraught women clutching at his arm while asking how many had died. 
 
Other online footage showed locals clashing with phalanxes of police, with one video showing police lining up to form a road blockade that the person filming claimed was intended to stop residents from travelling to Beijing to report the incident. 
 
 
230,000 people relocated, more than 29,000 homes collapsed 
 
Public scepticism towards officials is common following disasters in China, as authorities seek to control information and their lack of openness can raise doubts about their trustworthiness. 
 
It remained unclear whether the flood, which struck early Wednesday while villagers slept, was the result of the levee of a nearby river breaking, a release of water from a local reservoir, or a combination of the two, the Beijing News said. 
 
&quot;Not to notify villagers about the Xingtai flood wasn&#39;t just an abandonment of the officials&rsquo; duty -- it was essentially manslaughter,&quot; wrote one incensed user of China&#39;s Twitter-like Sina Weibo microblog on Saturday. 
 
Between Monday and Friday evening, rainstorms left 36 people dead and 77 missing across Hebei, with 230,000 people relocated and more than 29,000 homes collapsed, the province&#39;s civil affairs department said on an official social media account. 
 
Flooding is not uncommon during the summer monsoon season in northern China, but rains have been unusually heavy across the country this summer. 
 
Heavy downpours have already wreaked havoc in central and southern China, flooding several major cities and causing over 200 deaths, state media has said. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

'Heavy downpours have already wreaked havoc in central and southern China, flooding several major cities and causing over 200 deaths'

Anger erupted today over floods in northern China that left more than 100 people dead or missing, with media and internet users accusing officials of negligence. Torrential rain has lashed northern China this week, and a flashflood near the city of Xingtai in Hebei province, which left nine dead and 11 missing, has become a focus of the public's dissatisfaction with the government's response to the disaster. Angry villagers have blamed local officials for failing to warn them of the impending deluge, with Hebei Satellite TV showing one resident saying water had reached chest-level before an alarm was raised. Photos of the aftermath showed telephone poles toppled and homes completely collapsed, and debris submerged in a tide of brown mud. Local deputy Communist party secretary Wang Qingfei drew ire for earlier comments that there had been "no casualties" in the flood, the Beijing News said. A video of him kneeling before wailing relatives who lost family members was spread on social media, showing three distraught women clutching at his arm while asking how many had died. Other online footage showed locals clashing with phalanxes of police, with one video showing police lining up to form a road blockade that the person filming claimed was intended to stop residents from travelling to Beijing to report the incident. 230,000 people relocated, more than 29,000 homes collapsed Public scepticism towards officials is common following disasters in China, as authorities seek to control information and their lack of openness can raise doubts about their trustworthiness. It remained unclear whether the flood, which struck early Wednesday while villagers slept, was the result of the levee of a nearby river breaking, a release of water from a local reservoir, or a combination of the two, the Beijing News said. "Not to notify villagers about the Xingtai flood wasn't just an abandonment of the officials’ duty -- it was essentially manslaughter," wrote one incensed user of China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo microblog on Saturday. Between Monday and Friday evening, rainstorms left 36 people dead and 77 missing across Hebei, with 230,000 people relocated and more than 29,000 homes collapsed, the province's civil affairs department said on an official social media account. Flooding is not uncommon during the summer monsoon season in northern China, but rains have been unusually heavy across the country this summer. Heavy downpours have already wreaked havoc in central and southern China, flooding several major cities and causing over 200 deaths, state media has said. (AFP)

China floods: Public anger erupts over government handling of disaster

At least one person was killed and 34 went missing as torrential rain pounded northern China, state media reported today. 
 
Heavy downpours struck Hebei province, which surrounds Beijing, causing all major rivers to breach their banks and damaging 11 dams and two hydropower stations, the official Xinhua news agency reported.&nbsp;Nearly 68,000 residents had been relocated as the provincial land resources bureau warned of flooding, landslides and mountain torrents, it said. 
 
Weather authorities in the province have issued their highest, or red, alert for rainstorms, the agency added.&nbsp;Beijing was also hit by the rainfall, with some roads submerged by water more than two metres deep, traffic delayed and some subway stations reporting leaks, the city&#39;s newspapers said. 
 
Torrential rain has already wreaked havoc in southern China this year, causing floods in several major cities including Wuhan in the central province of Hubei.&nbsp;Northern China is normally arid, but flooding is not rare during the summer monsoon season.&nbsp;In the summer of 2012 Beijing was lashed by the worst rains to hit the capital for more than 60 years and around 80 people were killed. 
 
(AFP)

Weather authorities in the province have issued their highest alert for rainstorms

At least one person was killed and 34 went missing as torrential rain pounded northern China, state media reported today. Heavy downpours struck Hebei province, which surrounds Beijing, causing all major rivers to breach their banks and damaging 11 dams and two hydropower stations, the official Xinhua news agency reported. Nearly 68,000 residents had been relocated as the provincial land resources bureau warned of flooding, landslides and mountain torrents, it said. Weather authorities in the province have issued their highest, or red, alert for rainstorms, the agency added. Beijing was also hit by the rainfall, with some roads submerged by water more than two metres deep, traffic delayed and some subway stations reporting leaks, the city's newspapers said. Torrential rain has already wreaked havoc in southern China this year, causing floods in several major cities including Wuhan in the central province of Hubei. Northern China is normally arid, but flooding is not rare during the summer monsoon season. In the summer of 2012 Beijing was lashed by the worst rains to hit the capital for more than 60 years and around 80 people were killed. (AFP)

Torrential rain in China leaves one dead, 34 missing

Candidates in Hong Kong&#39;s September elections must by law pledge that the city is an &quot;inalienable&quot; part of China and advocating independence could end their candidacy, the head of the Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) said. 
 
The comments come after the EAC and the Hong Kong government sparked anger by saying candidates for the legislative council, which includes pro-democracy and independence activists, are required to declare in a new Confirmation Form that the city falls directly under the central government in Beijing. 
 
The Hong Kong government also said that advocating and promoting independence was &quot;contrary&quot; to that declaration and could render a candidate ineligible. The EAC said anyone making a false declaration was &quot;liable to criminal sanction.&quot; 
 
&quot;The introduction of the Confirmation Form has sound legal basis. The measure (is) entirely based on legal and procedural considerations,&quot; EAC chairman Justice Barnabas Fung Wah told lawmakers on Tuesday, according to a printed version of the remarks. 
 
Hong Kong is part of China but governed by separate laws under a &quot;one country, two systems&quot; framework agreed with the British when it was handed back from colonial rule in 1997. 
 
Relations between&nbsp;Hong Kong and Beijing have frayed in recent years amid pro-democracy protests, a failed bid for electoral reform and instances where Hong Kong residents say Beijing is breaking the &quot;one country, two systems&quot; agreement, such as the alleged abduction of five Hong Kong booksellers known for their gossipy books about China&#39;s leaders. 
 
There is also a small but vocal minority of activists calling for outright independence.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;There have been comments and proposals in the public arena which have deviated from &#39;one country, two systems&#39; and the constitutional status of Hong Kong as prescribed in the Basic Law. In this regard, there are public concerns on whether candidates fully understand the Basic Law,&quot; Fung said.&nbsp; 
 
A candidate who fails to submit the confirmation form may be asked for further information and election officers, with input from the Justice Department, may declare the candidacy invalid, according to the EAC. 
 
The EAC is an independent statutory body that oversees elections in Hong Kong. Legislative Council elections are on September 4. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Relations between?Hong Kong and Beijing have frayed in recent years amid pro-democracy protests and a failed bid for electoral reform

Candidates in Hong Kong's September elections must by law pledge that the city is an "inalienable" part of China and advocating independence could end their candidacy, the head of the Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) said. The comments come after the EAC and the Hong Kong government sparked anger by saying candidates for the legislative council, which includes pro-democracy and independence activists, are required to declare in a new Confirmation Form that the city falls directly under the central government in Beijing. The Hong Kong government also said that advocating and promoting independence was "contrary" to that declaration and could render a candidate ineligible. The EAC said anyone making a false declaration was "liable to criminal sanction." "The introduction of the Confirmation Form has sound legal basis. The measure (is) entirely based on legal and procedural considerations," EAC chairman Justice Barnabas Fung Wah told lawmakers on Tuesday, according to a printed version of the remarks. Hong Kong is part of China but governed by separate laws under a "one country, two systems" framework agreed with the British when it was handed back from colonial rule in 1997. Relations between Hong Kong and Beijing have frayed in recent years amid pro-democracy protests, a failed bid for electoral reform and instances where Hong Kong residents say Beijing is breaking the "one country, two systems" agreement, such as the alleged abduction of five Hong Kong booksellers known for their gossipy books about China's leaders. There is also a small but vocal minority of activists calling for outright independence. "There have been comments and proposals in the public arena which have deviated from 'one country, two systems' and the constitutional status of Hong Kong as prescribed in the Basic Law. In this regard, there are public concerns on whether candidates fully understand the Basic Law," Fung said. A candidate who fails to submit the confirmation form may be asked for further information and election officers, with input from the Justice Department, may declare the candidacy invalid, according to the EAC. The EAC is an independent statutory body that oversees elections in Hong Kong. Legislative Council elections are on September 4. (Reuters)

Hong Kong election candidates must issue China pledge by law: Electoral commission

Audi will boost spending on digital technologies and electric cars over the next decade, sources at the German carmaker said, as it follows parent Volkswagen in reshaping its business in the wake of the diesel emissions scandal. 
 
Volkswagen&#39;s (VW) main profit contributor plans to invest about a third of its R&amp;D budget which totalled 4.24 billion euros ($4.69 billion) in 2015, in digital services, electric cars and autonomous driving by 2025, two sources at Audi told Reuters late on Monday on condition they not be identified because the plans are still confidential. 
 
Audi will offer on-demand mobility services for premium customers and increase the share of electric vehicles of its overall sales to about a fourth by 2025, the sources said. The Ingolstadt-based brand sold a record 1.8 million cars last year. 
 
Chief Executive Rupert Stadler plans to outline details of Audi&#39;s new business roadmap to more than 2,000 managers on Wednesday at a closed-door conference in Munich, the sources said. 
 
A spokesman at Audi declined comment. German business daily Handelsblatt reported late on Monday about Audi&#39;s transformation plans. 
 
To free up funds for the new strategy, Audi plans retrenchments in its conventional car programme including steps to reduce country-specific engine and transmission variants, the sources said, without being more specific.&nbsp; 
 
The changes come as three US states plan to unveil new lawsuits against Volkswagen on Tuesday tied to the automaker&#39;s sale of diesel vehicles with emissions-cheating software, even after they announced settlements with the German automaker in June. 
 
VW last month announced plans to spend billions of euros on electric cars, ride-hailing and automated driving to become a world leader in green transport by 2025. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

The German carmaker plans to invest a third of its R&D budget in digital services, electric cars & autonomous driving by 2025

Audi will boost spending on digital technologies and electric cars over the next decade, sources at the German carmaker said, as it follows parent Volkswagen in reshaping its business in the wake of the diesel emissions scandal. Volkswagen's (VW) main profit contributor plans to invest about a third of its R&D budget which totalled 4.24 billion euros ($4.69 billion) in 2015, in digital services, electric cars and autonomous driving by 2025, two sources at Audi told Reuters late on Monday on condition they not be identified because the plans are still confidential. Audi will offer on-demand mobility services for premium customers and increase the share of electric vehicles of its overall sales to about a fourth by 2025, the sources said. The Ingolstadt-based brand sold a record 1.8 million cars last year. Chief Executive Rupert Stadler plans to outline details of Audi's new business roadmap to more than 2,000 managers on Wednesday at a closed-door conference in Munich, the sources said. A spokesman at Audi declined comment. German business daily Handelsblatt reported late on Monday about Audi's transformation plans. To free up funds for the new strategy, Audi plans retrenchments in its conventional car programme including steps to reduce country-specific engine and transmission variants, the sources said, without being more specific. The changes come as three US states plan to unveil new lawsuits against Volkswagen on Tuesday tied to the automaker's sale of diesel vehicles with emissions-cheating software, even after they announced settlements with the German automaker in June. VW last month announced plans to spend billions of euros on electric cars, ride-hailing and automated driving to become a world leader in green transport by 2025. (Reuters)

Audi reshapes business strategy after emissions scandal

Beijing will &quot;never&quot; stop building in the South China Sea prematurely, a top military official has vowed, despite an international ruling that its actions were illegal. 
 
The pushback came as China launched war games in waters in the strategically vital region, where diplomatic tensions are high. 
 
&quot;We will never stop our construction on the Nansha Islands halfway,&quot; Wu Shengli, the commander of the People&#39;s Liberation Army Navy, told US counterpart Admiral John Richardson, according to the official Xinhua news agency. 
 
Nansha is China&#39;s name for the Spratlys, where Beijing has rapidly turned reefs into artificial islands with facilities capable of military use, including extensive runways. 
 
The reef system has multiple claimants in the region. 
 
&quot;The Nansha Islands are China&#39;s inherent territory, and our necessary construction on the islands is reasonable, justified and lawful,&quot; Wu added. 
 
China dismissed Hague ruling as &#39;piece of waste paper&#39;&nbsp; 
 
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague last week ruled that there was no legal basis for Beijing&#39;s claims to much of the South China Sea, embodied in a &quot;nine-dash line&quot; that dates from 1940s maps and stretches close to other countries&#39; coasts. 
 
Its extensive decision also said that China&#39;s construction on Mischief Reef had &quot;violated the Philippines&#39; sovereign rights with respect to its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf&quot;. 
 
Manila -- which lodged the suit against Beijing -- welcomed the decision but China dismissed it as a &quot;piece of waste paper&quot;. 
 
Wu said Beijing would not be intimated over the issue, adding: &quot;Any attempt to force China to give in through flexing military muscles will only have the opposite effect.&quot; 
 
Despite Chinese objections, the European Union weighed in on the subject at a regional summit last weekend, with President Donald Tusk telling reporters the bloc &quot;will continue to speak out in support of upholding international law&quot;, adding that it had &quot;full confidence&quot; in the PCA and its decisions. 
 
China pressured countries in the ASEAN bloc of Southeast Asian nations not to issue a joint statement on the ruling, diplomats said. 
 
The US, Japan and Australia, amongst others, have urged Beijing to fall into line and respect the tribunal&#39;s ruling. 
 
&#39;Flexing military muscles&#39;&nbsp; 
 
An area off the east coast of China&#39;s island province of Hainan will host military exercises from Tuesday to Thursday, China&#39;s maritime administration said on its website, adding that entrance was &quot;prohibited&quot;. 
 
The area of sea identified is some distance from the Paracel islands and even further from the Spratlys. 
 
Beijing held military drills in the South China Sea just days before the international arbitration court ruling, state media reported. 
 
A combat air patrol was mounted over the sea recently and these would become a regular practice in future, an air force spokesman said separately. 
 
Bombers, fighters and other aircraft were sent to patrol islands and reefs including Huangyan Dao -- the Chinese name for Scarborough Shoal -- spokesman Shen Jinke was quoted by the official Xinhua news agency as saying. 
 
Scarborough Shoal is disputed with the Philippines and is seen as a particular flashpoint. 
 
In a separate message on its website, the maritime administration said last week that four out of five lighthouses built atop islands and reefs in the sea have been activated, and a fifth would be put into use soon. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

The pushback came as China launched war games in waters in the strategically vital region, where diplomatic tensions are high

Beijing will "never" stop building in the South China Sea prematurely, a top military official has vowed, despite an international ruling that its actions were illegal. The pushback came as China launched war games in waters in the strategically vital region, where diplomatic tensions are high. "We will never stop our construction on the Nansha Islands halfway," Wu Shengli, the commander of the People's Liberation Army Navy, told US counterpart Admiral John Richardson, according to the official Xinhua news agency. Nansha is China's name for the Spratlys, where Beijing has rapidly turned reefs into artificial islands with facilities capable of military use, including extensive runways. The reef system has multiple claimants in the region. "The Nansha Islands are China's inherent territory, and our necessary construction on the islands is reasonable, justified and lawful," Wu added. China dismissed Hague ruling as 'piece of waste paper' The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague last week ruled that there was no legal basis for Beijing's claims to much of the South China Sea, embodied in a "nine-dash line" that dates from 1940s maps and stretches close to other countries' coasts. Its extensive decision also said that China's construction on Mischief Reef had "violated the Philippines' sovereign rights with respect to its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf". Manila -- which lodged the suit against Beijing -- welcomed the decision but China dismissed it as a "piece of waste paper". Wu said Beijing would not be intimated over the issue, adding: "Any attempt to force China to give in through flexing military muscles will only have the opposite effect." Despite Chinese objections, the European Union weighed in on the subject at a regional summit last weekend, with President Donald Tusk telling reporters the bloc "will continue to speak out in support of upholding international law", adding that it had "full confidence" in the PCA and its decisions. China pressured countries in the ASEAN bloc of Southeast Asian nations not to issue a joint statement on the ruling, diplomats said. The US, Japan and Australia, amongst others, have urged Beijing to fall into line and respect the tribunal's ruling. 'Flexing military muscles' An area off the east coast of China's island province of Hainan will host military exercises from Tuesday to Thursday, China's maritime administration said on its website, adding that entrance was "prohibited". The area of sea identified is some distance from the Paracel islands and even further from the Spratlys. Beijing held military drills in the South China Sea just days before the international arbitration court ruling, state media reported. A combat air patrol was mounted over the sea recently and these would become a regular practice in future, an air force spokesman said separately. Bombers, fighters and other aircraft were sent to patrol islands and reefs including Huangyan Dao -- the Chinese name for Scarborough Shoal -- spokesman Shen Jinke was quoted by the official Xinhua news agency as saying. Scarborough Shoal is disputed with the Philippines and is seen as a particular flashpoint. In a separate message on its website, the maritime administration said last week that four out of five lighthouses built atop islands and reefs in the sea have been activated, and a fifth would be put into use soon. (AFP)

Despite Hague ruling, Beijing vows to continue South China Sea construction

Nine persons have been killed along with hundreds of yaks and sheep after an avalanche hit southwest Tibet, officials said today. 
 
The residents were of Dungru Village in Rutog County, Ngari Prefecture, more than 1,000 kilometers from the Himalayan region&#39;s capital Lhasa. 
 
According to the prefectural government of the Tibet Autonomous Region, more than 350 sheep and 110 yaks were also buried in yesterday&#39;s avalanche that shifted snow up to eight meters deep on to grazing land. 
 
Cracks have since appeared on the surrounding glaciers, and rescuers are concerned that more avalanches may occur, according to local officials. 
 
The officials confirmed the deaths without giving additional details. 
 
Rutog County is in the northwest of Tibet, with an average elevation of 4,500 meters (about 14,800 feet). 
 
Rising global temperatures are blamed for speeding the melting of glaciers in Tibet. 
 
China is also grappling with floods and landslides. 
 
At least 83 people have been killed and 19 others are still missing after typhoon Nepartak struck east China&#39;s Fujian Province last week, taking the death toll in recent rains and floods in the country to 309.&nbsp; 
 
(PTI) &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Rescuers are concerned that more avalanches may occur, according to local officials

Nine persons have been killed along with hundreds of yaks and sheep after an avalanche hit southwest Tibet, officials said today. The residents were of Dungru Village in Rutog County, Ngari Prefecture, more than 1,000 kilometers from the Himalayan region's capital Lhasa. According to the prefectural government of the Tibet Autonomous Region, more than 350 sheep and 110 yaks were also buried in yesterday's avalanche that shifted snow up to eight meters deep on to grazing land. Cracks have since appeared on the surrounding glaciers, and rescuers are concerned that more avalanches may occur, according to local officials. The officials confirmed the deaths without giving additional details. Rutog County is in the northwest of Tibet, with an average elevation of 4,500 meters (about 14,800 feet). Rising global temperatures are blamed for speeding the melting of glaciers in Tibet. China is also grappling with floods and landslides. At least 83 people have been killed and 19 others are still missing after typhoon Nepartak struck east China's Fujian Province last week, taking the death toll in recent rains and floods in the country to 309. (PTI)

Avalanche kills 9 in Tibet, rescue operations underway

China will prosecute a prominent Chinese human rights lawyer, Zhou Shifeng,&nbsp;on charges of subverting state power after months of secret detention, prosecutors said on Friday, the latest move by authorities to crack down on dissent. 
 
China consistently rejects any criticism of its human rights record, saying it adheres to the rule of law, that all are equal under the law and that those who break the law can expect to be punished.&nbsp;President Xi Jinping&#39;s administration has tightened control over almost every aspect of civil society since 2012, citing the need to buttress national security and stability. 
 
 
Three other activists to be prosecuted on similar charges&nbsp; 
 
Shifeng, the director of Beijing Fengrui law firm, will be prosecuted on charges of subverting state power, the prosecutor in the northern city of Tianjin said in a brief statement on its official microblog, without giving details. 
 
Pertinently, state media has accused the firm&nbsp;and its associates of orchestrating protests outside courts and politicising ordinary legal cases in order to attract international attention.&nbsp;Dozens of lawyers and activists associated with the firm have been swept up in the crackdown and held since last July, triggering concern in Western capitals. 
 
The firm has represented several high-profile clients, including the ethnic Uighur dissident, Ilham Tohti. 
 
An official reached by telephone at the prosecutors&#39; office declined further comment. It was not clear who Zhous own lawyer currently is.&nbsp; 
 
Shang Baojun, another well-known rights lawyer, told Reuters that Zhous previous legal team had all been replaced by government-appointed lawyers. &quot;To be honest, we don&#39;t know anything more about his case than you do,&quot; Shang said, adding that a court date could still be two months off, according to Chinese law. 
 
The prosecutor said in the same statement that three other rights activists - Hu Shigen, Zhai Yanmin and Gou Hongguo - would also be prosecuted on the same charges. 
 
It was also not possible to immediately locate lawyers for them for comment. 
 
In severe cases, the charges can result in life sentences. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

State media has accused lawyer's firm, its associates of orchestrating protests outside courts and politicising ordinary legal cases

China will prosecute a prominent Chinese human rights lawyer, Zhou Shifeng, on charges of subverting state power after months of secret detention, prosecutors said on Friday, the latest move by authorities to crack down on dissent. China consistently rejects any criticism of its human rights record, saying it adheres to the rule of law, that all are equal under the law and that those who break the law can expect to be punished. President Xi Jinping's administration has tightened control over almost every aspect of civil society since 2012, citing the need to buttress national security and stability. Three other activists to be prosecuted on similar charges Shifeng, the director of Beijing Fengrui law firm, will be prosecuted on charges of subverting state power, the prosecutor in the northern city of Tianjin said in a brief statement on its official microblog, without giving details. Pertinently, state media has accused the firm and its associates of orchestrating protests outside courts and politicising ordinary legal cases in order to attract international attention. Dozens of lawyers and activists associated with the firm have been swept up in the crackdown and held since last July, triggering concern in Western capitals. The firm has represented several high-profile clients, including the ethnic Uighur dissident, Ilham Tohti. An official reached by telephone at the prosecutors' office declined further comment. It was not clear who Zhous own lawyer currently is. Shang Baojun, another well-known rights lawyer, told Reuters that Zhous previous legal team had all been replaced by government-appointed lawyers. "To be honest, we don't know anything more about his case than you do," Shang said, adding that a court date could still be two months off, according to Chinese law. The prosecutor said in the same statement that three other rights activists - Hu Shigen, Zhai Yanmin and Gou Hongguo - would also be prosecuted on the same charges. It was also not possible to immediately locate lawyers for them for comment. In severe cases, the charges can result in life sentences. (Reuters)

After months of secret detention, China to prosecute prominent rights lawyer for subversion

European Union president Donald Tusk on Tuesday cautioned China to respect the international system, as the world&#39;s second-largest economy finds itself locked in disagreements over maritime law and global trade practices. His comments preceded a judgement from a UN-backed tribunal declaring that China had no &quot;historic rights&quot; in the strategically vital South China Sea, a ruling swiftly rejected by China&#39;s foreign ministry. 
 
Speaking in Beijing at the start of the EU-China summit, Tusk called on the Asian country to protect the &quot;rule-based international order&quot;, saying the task &quot;may be the biggest challenge ahead of us&quot;. 
 
EU members have roundly criticised Beijing for its trade practices, claiming the Asian giant is flooding global markets with cheap products, driving down prices and threatening economic stability. 
 
The global framework of laws and regulations &quot;brings so many benefits to our nations&quot;, Tusk said, adding: &quot;If many start believing that globalisation and international trade are happening without or against common rules, then the first victims will be Chinese and European economies, not to mention people.&quot; 
 
His comments followed remarks by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang that the meeting is &quot;an active signal that clearly states that we are two important powers safeguarding world peace and development&quot;. 
 
Earlier in the day, China cancelled a pre-arranged press conference with the leaders, EU representatives said. 
 
The EU is in the process of considering whether or not to grant China market economy status, a designation that would make it much harder for major economies to fight Beijing over alleged unfair trading practices. 
 
Opposition to granting the status has focused on complaints that China has violated global trade rules, most notably selling steel at below market prices. 
 
Tusk also referred to the South China Sea dispute between Beijing and Manila ahead of the decision from the Hague-based tribunal, saying &quot;the rule-based international order is in our common interest, and both China and the EU have to protect it, as this is in our peoples best interests.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the strategically vital waters in the face of rival claims from its south-east Asian neighbours. To bolster its position it has rapidly turned reefs into artificial islands capable of hosting military planes. Manila lodged its suit against Beijing in 2013, challenging China&#39;s claims to much of the waterway and saying it was in violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both countries are signatories. 
 
Beijing insists the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the issue and that it will ignore the ruling. 
 
(AFP)

After maritime row, Beijing is facing criticisms for it's trade practices which has been threatening economic stability across markets

European Union president Donald Tusk on Tuesday cautioned China to respect the international system, as the world's second-largest economy finds itself locked in disagreements over maritime law and global trade practices. His comments preceded a judgement from a UN-backed tribunal declaring that China had no "historic rights" in the strategically vital South China Sea, a ruling swiftly rejected by China's foreign ministry. Speaking in Beijing at the start of the EU-China summit, Tusk called on the Asian country to protect the "rule-based international order", saying the task "may be the biggest challenge ahead of us". EU members have roundly criticised Beijing for its trade practices, claiming the Asian giant is flooding global markets with cheap products, driving down prices and threatening economic stability. The global framework of laws and regulations "brings so many benefits to our nations", Tusk said, adding: "If many start believing that globalisation and international trade are happening without or against common rules, then the first victims will be Chinese and European economies, not to mention people." His comments followed remarks by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang that the meeting is "an active signal that clearly states that we are two important powers safeguarding world peace and development". Earlier in the day, China cancelled a pre-arranged press conference with the leaders, EU representatives said. The EU is in the process of considering whether or not to grant China market economy status, a designation that would make it much harder for major economies to fight Beijing over alleged unfair trading practices. Opposition to granting the status has focused on complaints that China has violated global trade rules, most notably selling steel at below market prices. Tusk also referred to the South China Sea dispute between Beijing and Manila ahead of the decision from the Hague-based tribunal, saying "the rule-based international order is in our common interest, and both China and the EU have to protect it, as this is in our peoples best interests." China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the strategically vital waters in the face of rival claims from its south-east Asian neighbours. To bolster its position it has rapidly turned reefs into artificial islands capable of hosting military planes. Manila lodged its suit against Beijing in 2013, challenging China's claims to much of the waterway and saying it was in violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both countries are signatories. Beijing insists the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the issue and that it will ignore the ruling. (AFP)

EU head cautions China to respect international system

Beijing &quot;does not accept and does not recognise&quot; the ruling by a UN-backed tribunal on its dispute with the Philippines over the South China Sea, the foreign ministry said today.&nbsp; 
 
The declaration in a statement on its website followed a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that China has no historic rights to its claimed &quot;nine-dash line&quot;. 
 
&quot;The award is null and void and has no binding force,&quot; the ministry said. &quot;China neither accepts nor recognises it.&quot; 
 
Beijing &quot;does not accept any means of third party dispute settlement or any solution imposed on China,&quot; it added, reiterating its long-standing position on the dispute. 
 
China has repeatedly denied the tribunal&#39;s authority to rule on the dispute with the Philippines over the strategically vital region, claiming that the court&#39;s actions are illegal and biased against it. 
 
Beijing refused the opportunity to defend its position before the body. 
 
&quot;China&#39;s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall under no circumstances be affected by those awards,&quot; the statement said, adding that &quot;China opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awards.&quot; 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

China has repeatedly denied the tribunal's authority to rule on the longstanding dispute?

Beijing "does not accept and does not recognise" the ruling by a UN-backed tribunal on its dispute with the Philippines over the South China Sea, the foreign ministry said today. The declaration in a statement on its website followed a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that China has no historic rights to its claimed "nine-dash line". "The award is null and void and has no binding force," the ministry said. "China neither accepts nor recognises it." Beijing "does not accept any means of third party dispute settlement or any solution imposed on China," it added, reiterating its long-standing position on the dispute. China has repeatedly denied the tribunal's authority to rule on the dispute with the Philippines over the strategically vital region, claiming that the court's actions are illegal and biased against it. Beijing refused the opportunity to defend its position before the body. "China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall under no circumstances be affected by those awards," the statement said, adding that "China opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awards." (AFP)

South China Sea ruling: Beijing 'does not accept' decision by The Hague in Philippines' favour

An international tribunal on Tuesday ruled against China in a bitter row over territorial claims to the South China Sea that is likely to ratchet up regional tensions. 
 
&quot;The tribunal concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights within the sea areas falling within the &#39;nine-dash line,&#39;&quot; the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) said in a statement. 
 
All eyes were watching for reaction from the Asian political and military powerhouse, which had fired off a barrage of criticism even before the decision by the PCA in The Hague was announced. 
 
China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the South China Sea -- about 90 per cent of the strategically vital waters -- in the face of rival claims from its South East Asian neighbours. 
 
Manila had lodged the suit against Beijing in 2013, saying that after 17 years of negotiations it had exhausted all political and diplomatic avenues.&nbsp;Beijing waged a months-long campaign to discredit the panel, which it says has no jurisdiction in the multinational dispute, and it refused to take part in the case. 
 
The state-run China Daily topped its front page with a picture of Woody Island in the Paracels, emblazoned: &quot;Arbitration invalid&quot;. 
 
English-language headlines on the official Xinhua news agency included: &quot;South China Sea arbitration abuses international law: Chinese scholar&quot;, &quot;Permanent Court of Arbitration must avoid being used for political purposes&quot; and &quot;The sea where Chinese fishermen live and die&quot;. 
 
Ahead of the decision, new Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte had signalled he did not want to antagonise China, saying he would not &quot;taunt or flaunt&quot; a favourable ruling and would seek a &quot;soft landing&quot; with China. 
 
Nine-dash line&nbsp; 
 
China&#39;s claims were first enshrined in a map drawn in the 1940s with a nine-dash line stretching south from China and encircling almost all of the sea, although it says Chinese fishermen have been using it for centuries. 
 
To bolster its position it has rapidly turned reefs into artificial islands capable of hosting military planes. 
 
It has held naval drills between the Paracels and the southern Chinese island of Hainan in recent days. 
 
US naval destroyers have been patrolling near the Chinese-claimed Scarborough Shoal and Spratly Islands, supported by aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, the US-based Navy Times reported. 
 
Chinese state media have said Beijing will not take a &quot;single step back&quot; after the ruling, and President Xi Jinping said earlier this month that China would never compromise on sovereignty, adding: &quot;We are not afraid of trouble&quot;. 
 
China had sought diplomatic support around the world, and foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said its latest backers included Angola, Madagascar and Papua New Guinea, showing that &quot;justice and righteousness always have popular support&quot;. 
 
&quot;Who is upholding the sanctity of international law and who is breaking international law, I think people are all clear about that,&quot; Lu said. 
 
Likely to &#39;escalate the war of words&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Manila lodged its suit against Beijing in 2013, saying China was in violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both countries are signatories. 
 
One of the key issues was whether the land features in the area are islands capable of supporting human habitation - which under UNCLOS are entitled to territorial waters and an exclusive economic zone - or rocks, which only have territorial waters, or low-tide elevations, which get neither. 
 
If none of the outcrops are islands, then none of the claimants to them would gain sole rights to major expanses of the waters around them. 
 
&quot;The ruling can reduce the scope of the South China Sea disputes, but will not solve them,&quot; said analysts Yanmei Xie and Tim Johnston of the International Crisis Group in a report. 
 
The ruling was likely to &quot;escalate the war of words&quot;, they said, but added: &quot;Escalation to military standoffs is not inevitable&quot;. 
 
China could choose to withdraw from UNCLOS, or begin building on Scarborough Shoal, which Washington would view as a provocation. 
 
Beijing could also declare an air defence identification zone over the South China Sea, claiming the right to interrogate aircraft passing through the airspace, or try to remove a ship grounded by the Philippines on Second Thomas Shoal for use as a base. 
 
Alternatively, it could move to reduce tensions. 
 
Philippine foreign minister Perfecto Yasay had said on Friday that Manila hoped to open direct talks with Beijing on the dispute, and presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said Tuesday: &quot;The top priority will be national interest.&quot; 
 
The Philippine embassy in China has warned its citizens to beware of personal &quot;threats&quot; and avoid political debates. 
 
Nationalist demonstrations are not rare in China, sometimes apparently with the tacit backing of authorities. 
 
More than 20 Chinese police were positioned outside the Philippine embassy on Tuesday, with more in vans nearby - a significantly larger presence than usual - along with two lorries loaded with crowd control barriers, a possible indication that authorities expected protests at the building. 
 
Official response from China 
 
China rejected an international ruling on the South China Sea on Tuesday, saying its islands had exclusive economic zones and the Chinese people have more than 2,000 years of history of activities there. 
 
China has sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea, including the Spratlys and Paracels, and China&#39;s position is consistent with international law and practice, China&#39;s Foreign Ministry added. 
 
(AFP and Reuters)

China claims 90% of the sea. The Philippines took it to court in 2013, saying that after 17 years it had exhausted all other options

An international tribunal on Tuesday ruled against China in a bitter row over territorial claims to the South China Sea that is likely to ratchet up regional tensions. "The tribunal concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights within the sea areas falling within the 'nine-dash line,'" the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) said in a statement. All eyes were watching for reaction from the Asian political and military powerhouse, which had fired off a barrage of criticism even before the decision by the PCA in The Hague was announced. China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the South China Sea -- about 90 per cent of the strategically vital waters -- in the face of rival claims from its South East Asian neighbours. Manila had lodged the suit against Beijing in 2013, saying that after 17 years of negotiations it had exhausted all political and diplomatic avenues. Beijing waged a months-long campaign to discredit the panel, which it says has no jurisdiction in the multinational dispute, and it refused to take part in the case. The state-run China Daily topped its front page with a picture of Woody Island in the Paracels, emblazoned: "Arbitration invalid". English-language headlines on the official Xinhua news agency included: "South China Sea arbitration abuses international law: Chinese scholar", "Permanent Court of Arbitration must avoid being used for political purposes" and "The sea where Chinese fishermen live and die". Ahead of the decision, new Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte had signalled he did not want to antagonise China, saying he would not "taunt or flaunt" a favourable ruling and would seek a "soft landing" with China. Nine-dash line China's claims were first enshrined in a map drawn in the 1940s with a nine-dash line stretching south from China and encircling almost all of the sea, although it says Chinese fishermen have been using it for centuries. To bolster its position it has rapidly turned reefs into artificial islands capable of hosting military planes. It has held naval drills between the Paracels and the southern Chinese island of Hainan in recent days. US naval destroyers have been patrolling near the Chinese-claimed Scarborough Shoal and Spratly Islands, supported by aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, the US-based Navy Times reported. Chinese state media have said Beijing will not take a "single step back" after the ruling, and President Xi Jinping said earlier this month that China would never compromise on sovereignty, adding: "We are not afraid of trouble". China had sought diplomatic support around the world, and foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said its latest backers included Angola, Madagascar and Papua New Guinea, showing that "justice and righteousness always have popular support". "Who is upholding the sanctity of international law and who is breaking international law, I think people are all clear about that," Lu said. Likely to 'escalate the war of words' Manila lodged its suit against Beijing in 2013, saying China was in violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both countries are signatories. One of the key issues was whether the land features in the area are islands capable of supporting human habitation - which under UNCLOS are entitled to territorial waters and an exclusive economic zone - or rocks, which only have territorial waters, or low-tide elevations, which get neither. If none of the outcrops are islands, then none of the claimants to them would gain sole rights to major expanses of the waters around them. "The ruling can reduce the scope of the South China Sea disputes, but will not solve them," said analysts Yanmei Xie and Tim Johnston of the International Crisis Group in a report. The ruling was likely to "escalate the war of words", they said, but added: "Escalation to military standoffs is not inevitable". China could choose to withdraw from UNCLOS, or begin building on Scarborough Shoal, which Washington would view as a provocation. Beijing could also declare an air defence identification zone over the South China Sea, claiming the right to interrogate aircraft passing through the airspace, or try to remove a ship grounded by the Philippines on Second Thomas Shoal for use as a base. Alternatively, it could move to reduce tensions. Philippine foreign minister Perfecto Yasay had said on Friday that Manila hoped to open direct talks with Beijing on the dispute, and presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said Tuesday: "The top priority will be national interest." The Philippine embassy in China has warned its citizens to beware of personal "threats" and avoid political debates. Nationalist demonstrations are not rare in China, sometimes apparently with the tacit backing of authorities. More than 20 Chinese police were positioned outside the Philippine embassy on Tuesday, with more in vans nearby - a significantly larger presence than usual - along with two lorries loaded with crowd control barriers, a possible indication that authorities expected protests at the building. Official response from China China rejected an international ruling on the South China Sea on Tuesday, saying its islands had exclusive economic zones and the Chinese people have more than 2,000 years of history of activities there. China has sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea, including the Spratlys and Paracels, and China's position is consistent with international law and practice, China's Foreign Ministry added. (AFP and Reuters)

South China Sea dispute: Hague rules against China

China will carry out social stability risk assessments before approving major projects for the 2022 Winter Olympics, a senior official wrote on Monday, pledging an open and transparent programme of construction. 
 
Beijing, along with the nearby city of Zhangjiakou, won the right to host the 2022 Games last year. The only other city in the bid to host was Kazakhstan&#39;s Almaty, after other prospective cities dropped out citing costs and other worries.&nbsp; 
 
Governement pledges to draw &#39;red lines&#39; 
 
Building projects in China are frequently controversial, with complaints about a lack of compensation and consultation, and forced demolitions prompting protests which can turn violent. 
 
Writing in the Study Times, Zhangjiakou&#39;s top official, Communist Party chief Hou Liang, repeated the government&#39;s pledge to hold a clean and open games. 
 
There would be full oversight for every penny spent on the Olympics, and clear &quot;red lines&quot; drawn on financial management, Hou wrote in the newspaper, published twice a week by the Central Party School, which trains rising officials. 
 
&quot;Carry out social stability risk assessments before approval for large-scale construction projects, broadly accept oversight from society,&quot; Hou wrote, without giving details. 
 
The 2008 Beijing Olympics were overshadowed by allegations from rights groups of large-scale forced evictions, claims dismissed at the time by the government and organisers. 
 
It has not been smooth sailing for China&#39;s Winter Games plans either. 
 
A green Olympics&nbsp; 
 
The run-up to China&#39;s bid last year was overshadowed by corruption investigations into a deputy sports minister, who had sat on China&#39;s Olympics committee and the Communist Party boss of Hebei province, where Zhangjiakou is located, who had attended meetings of the bid committee. 
 
Hou pledged strict compliance with discipline rules, so that &quot;respect for discipline and upholding the law is always stretched taught as a bowstring&quot;. 
 
While Beijing hosted the 2008 Summer Games to wide acclaim, its bid for the Winter Games had been dogged by concerns over a number of issues such as China&#39;s notorious smog problem, a lack of snow and the country&#39;s poor human rights record. 
 
Hou said they would host a green Olympics and enforce tough rules to ensure clean air. 
 
He made no mention of human rights or the lack of snow. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

Top official vows full oversight for every penny spent and also carry out social stability risk assessments

China will carry out social stability risk assessments before approving major projects for the 2022 Winter Olympics, a senior official wrote on Monday, pledging an open and transparent programme of construction. Beijing, along with the nearby city of Zhangjiakou, won the right to host the 2022 Games last year. The only other city in the bid to host was Kazakhstan's Almaty, after other prospective cities dropped out citing costs and other worries. Governement pledges to draw 'red lines' Building projects in China are frequently controversial, with complaints about a lack of compensation and consultation, and forced demolitions prompting protests which can turn violent. Writing in the Study Times, Zhangjiakou's top official, Communist Party chief Hou Liang, repeated the government's pledge to hold a clean and open games. There would be full oversight for every penny spent on the Olympics, and clear "red lines" drawn on financial management, Hou wrote in the newspaper, published twice a week by the Central Party School, which trains rising officials. "Carry out social stability risk assessments before approval for large-scale construction projects, broadly accept oversight from society," Hou wrote, without giving details. The 2008 Beijing Olympics were overshadowed by allegations from rights groups of large-scale forced evictions, claims dismissed at the time by the government and organisers. It has not been smooth sailing for China's Winter Games plans either. A green Olympics The run-up to China's bid last year was overshadowed by corruption investigations into a deputy sports minister, who had sat on China's Olympics committee and the Communist Party boss of Hebei province, where Zhangjiakou is located, who had attended meetings of the bid committee. Hou pledged strict compliance with discipline rules, so that "respect for discipline and upholding the law is always stretched taught as a bowstring". While Beijing hosted the 2008 Summer Games to wide acclaim, its bid for the Winter Games had been dogged by concerns over a number of issues such as China's notorious smog problem, a lack of snow and the country's poor human rights record. Hou said they would host a green Olympics and enforce tough rules to ensure clean air. He made no mention of human rights or the lack of snow. (Reuters)

China pledges to hold clean and open 2022 Winter Olympics

A senior Hong Kong delegation will head to Beijing for talks following explosive revelations by a bookseller who said he was detained for eight months on the mainland, the city&#39;s leader said Monday. 
 
Lam Wing-kee, 61, has said he was seized after crossing the border into the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, taken away blindfolded and then kept in a cell without access to a lawyer for alleged involvement in bringing banned books into the mainland. 
 
The case has laid bare growing anxiety that the semi-autonomous city&#39;s freedoms are disappearing. 
 
Lam was one of five employees of a Hong Kong firm, which published gossipy books about leading Chinese politicians, to go mysteriously missing last year. All later emerged in mainland China. 
 
Hong Kong&#39;s Beijing-backed chief executive Leung Chun-ying said a team of senior officials would visit Beijing Tuesday to discuss Lam&#39;s case and review the &quot;existing notification mechanism between the two places&quot;. 
 
Under that mechanism, authorities on the mainland are required to give clear details about arrests and detentions of Hong Kong citizens over the border, a procedure critics say went disastrously wrong in the booksellers&#39; case. 
 
&quot;(Officials) will go to Beijing tomorrow morning (and) meet with relevant departments in order to improve the existing mechanism. It will be a comprehensive and in-depth review,&quot; Leung told reporters. 
 
He added mainland authorities would also brief the Hong Kong officials, including the city&#39;s justice and security ministers as well as heads of police and immigration, on Lam&#39;s case. 
 
Lam was due to lead a pro-democracy march Friday to mark the 19th anniversary of the city&#39;s handover from Britain to China, but pulled out at the last minute citing a &quot;serious threat&quot; to his security. 
 
Hong Kong security minister Lai Tung-kwok said Lam had filed a report over his claims and investigation was underway. 
 
The Hong Kong government has been accused of dragging its feet over the booksellers&#39; case, with residents demanding to know what authorities have done to try to help them. There have also been accusations China has illegally sent its security agents to operate in Hong Kong. 
 
Fellow bookseller Lee Bo disappeared on Hong Kong soil, spurring fears that he was detained by Chinese personnel. 
 
Hong Kong was returned by Britain to China in 1997 under a deal which allows it freedoms unseen on the mainland, but there is concern they are now being eroded. 
 
(AFP)

Lam Wing-kee, 61, has said he was seized for alleged involvement in bringing banned books into the mainland

A senior Hong Kong delegation will head to Beijing for talks following explosive revelations by a bookseller who said he was detained for eight months on the mainland, the city's leader said Monday. Lam Wing-kee, 61, has said he was seized after crossing the border into the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, taken away blindfolded and then kept in a cell without access to a lawyer for alleged involvement in bringing banned books into the mainland. The case has laid bare growing anxiety that the semi-autonomous city's freedoms are disappearing. Lam was one of five employees of a Hong Kong firm, which published gossipy books about leading Chinese politicians, to go mysteriously missing last year. All later emerged in mainland China. Hong Kong's Beijing-backed chief executive Leung Chun-ying said a team of senior officials would visit Beijing Tuesday to discuss Lam's case and review the "existing notification mechanism between the two places". Under that mechanism, authorities on the mainland are required to give clear details about arrests and detentions of Hong Kong citizens over the border, a procedure critics say went disastrously wrong in the booksellers' case. "(Officials) will go to Beijing tomorrow morning (and) meet with relevant departments in order to improve the existing mechanism. It will be a comprehensive and in-depth review," Leung told reporters. He added mainland authorities would also brief the Hong Kong officials, including the city's justice and security ministers as well as heads of police and immigration, on Lam's case. Lam was due to lead a pro-democracy march Friday to mark the 19th anniversary of the city's handover from Britain to China, but pulled out at the last minute citing a "serious threat" to his security. Hong Kong security minister Lai Tung-kwok said Lam had filed a report over his claims and investigation was underway. The Hong Kong government has been accused of dragging its feet over the booksellers' case, with residents demanding to know what authorities have done to try to help them. There have also been accusations China has illegally sent its security agents to operate in Hong Kong. Fellow bookseller Lee Bo disappeared on Hong Kong soil, spurring fears that he was detained by Chinese personnel. Hong Kong was returned by Britain to China in 1997 under a deal which allows it freedoms unseen on the mainland, but there is concern they are now being eroded. (AFP)

Hong Kong delegation to visit Beijing for talks over 'detention of bookseller'

A little-known international tribunal will early next month step into a bitter dispute over the South China Sea, handing down a ruling which risks further inflaming tensions between Southeast Asian nations and China. 
 
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) , the world&#39;s oldest international tribunal for the peaceful resolution of disputes between nations, said on Wednesday that it will rule on July 12 in the highly-watched case brought by the Philippines challenging China&#39;s claims to much of the strategic waterway. 
 
Manila lodged the suit against Beijing in early 2013, saying that after 17 years of negotiations it had exhausted all political and diplomatic avenues to settle the dispute.&nbsp; 
 
But Beijing, angered by Manila&#39;s move, has refused to participate in any hearings, and said it will not comply with any decisions by the tribunal based in The Hague. 
 
The court, which was set up in 1899, said in a statement Wednesday that it had informed the parties it would issue its ruling at about 11 am (0900 GMT) on July 12. 
 
The written decision will first be emailed to the parties, and then released to the press and uploaded onto the PCA&#39;s website. 
 
Tensions in the South China Sea have also alarmed other nations, notably the United States, which has key defence treaties with many allies in the region, and in a show of strength has sent warships close to some of the Chinese claimed reefs. 
 
Spanning more than three years, two hearings and nearly 4,000 pages of evidence, the arbitration case in The Hague is extremely complex, and has already drawn anger in Beijing.&nbsp; 
 
In essence, the world economic and military power claims most of the sea, even waters approaching neighbouring countries, based on a vaguely defined &quot;nine-dash&quot; Chinese map dating back to the 1940s. 
 
The Philippines disputes this and while it has stressed that it is not asking the court to rule on sovereignty or to delimit any boundaries it has asked the tribunal to rule on other key points. 
 
Basing its arguments on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, Manila contends that the &quot;nine-dash&quot; line has no basis under international law and Beijing has no &quot;historic&quot; claim to the ocean. 
 
Manila has further argued that Beijing violated the UN convention by preventing it from exercising its fishing and exploration rights and that Chinese fishing boats have irreversibly damaged coral reefs. 
 
The Philippine government further says that some of the &quot;islands&quot; that Beijing claims as Chinese territory are rocks and not entitled to an exclusive economic zone. 
 
&quot;China will be obliged under international law to comply with the decision, and with all its obligations under the law of the sea as clarified by the arbitral tribunal. 
 
But being bound by the decision says nothing about means of enforcing it,&quot; Joris Larik, a senior researcher with the think-tank The Hague Institute for Global Justice, told AFP. 
 
He said any ruling &quot;in favour of the Philippines on any of the points it raises would be a blow to China&#39;s expansive nine dash line claims.&quot; 
But Larik acknowledged that &quot;enforcement is the Achilles Heel of public international law. 
 
The PCA is an extreme example of that. &quot;Tensions have been growing for years in the South China Sea, as Beijing has sought to expand its presence in what is a main maritime link between the Pacific and Indian oceans. 
 
Its shipping lanes connect East Asia with Europe and the Middle East, and over $5 trillion (4.5 trillion euros) in ship-borne trade passes through the sea annually. 
 
Major unexploited oil and gas deposits are also believed to lie under the seabed. 
 
China has conducted massive dredging and artificial island-building activities in the Spratlys, dwarfing the scale of reclamation work of other claimants.&nbsp; 
 
In April, the United States launched joint South China Sea patrols with its key ally Manila and has consistently called for a diplomatic solution to the standoff. 
 
Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have overlapping claims to the strategic waterway. 
 
And last week Indonesian President Joko Widodo visited the remote Indonesian Natuna islands on a warship in an apparent show of force after clashes with Chinese vessels. 
 
(AFP)

Spanning more than three years, two hearings and nearly 4,000 pages of evidence, the arbitration case has drawn anger in Beijing

A little-known international tribunal will early next month step into a bitter dispute over the South China Sea, handing down a ruling which risks further inflaming tensions between Southeast Asian nations and China. The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) , the world's oldest international tribunal for the peaceful resolution of disputes between nations, said on Wednesday that it will rule on July 12 in the highly-watched case brought by the Philippines challenging China's claims to much of the strategic waterway. Manila lodged the suit against Beijing in early 2013, saying that after 17 years of negotiations it had exhausted all political and diplomatic avenues to settle the dispute. But Beijing, angered by Manila's move, has refused to participate in any hearings, and said it will not comply with any decisions by the tribunal based in The Hague. The court, which was set up in 1899, said in a statement Wednesday that it had informed the parties it would issue its ruling at about 11 am (0900 GMT) on July 12. The written decision will first be emailed to the parties, and then released to the press and uploaded onto the PCA's website. Tensions in the South China Sea have also alarmed other nations, notably the United States, which has key defence treaties with many allies in the region, and in a show of strength has sent warships close to some of the Chinese claimed reefs. Spanning more than three years, two hearings and nearly 4,000 pages of evidence, the arbitration case in The Hague is extremely complex, and has already drawn anger in Beijing. In essence, the world economic and military power claims most of the sea, even waters approaching neighbouring countries, based on a vaguely defined "nine-dash" Chinese map dating back to the 1940s. The Philippines disputes this and while it has stressed that it is not asking the court to rule on sovereignty or to delimit any boundaries it has asked the tribunal to rule on other key points. Basing its arguments on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, Manila contends that the "nine-dash" line has no basis under international law and Beijing has no "historic" claim to the ocean. Manila has further argued that Beijing violated the UN convention by preventing it from exercising its fishing and exploration rights and that Chinese fishing boats have irreversibly damaged coral reefs. The Philippine government further says that some of the "islands" that Beijing claims as Chinese territory are rocks and not entitled to an exclusive economic zone. "China will be obliged under international law to comply with the decision, and with all its obligations under the law of the sea as clarified by the arbitral tribunal. But being bound by the decision says nothing about means of enforcing it," Joris Larik, a senior researcher with the think-tank The Hague Institute for Global Justice, told AFP. He said any ruling "in favour of the Philippines on any of the points it raises would be a blow to China's expansive nine dash line claims." But Larik acknowledged that "enforcement is the Achilles Heel of public international law. The PCA is an extreme example of that. "Tensions have been growing for years in the South China Sea, as Beijing has sought to expand its presence in what is a main maritime link between the Pacific and Indian oceans. Its shipping lanes connect East Asia with Europe and the Middle East, and over $5 trillion (4.5 trillion euros) in ship-borne trade passes through the sea annually. Major unexploited oil and gas deposits are also believed to lie under the seabed. China has conducted massive dredging and artificial island-building activities in the Spratlys, dwarfing the scale of reclamation work of other claimants. In April, the United States launched joint South China Sea patrols with its key ally Manila and has consistently called for a diplomatic solution to the standoff. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have overlapping claims to the strategic waterway. And last week Indonesian President Joko Widodo visited the remote Indonesian Natuna islands on a warship in an apparent show of force after clashes with Chinese vessels. (AFP)

Hague court to pass a ruling on July 12 in South China sea case

Indian finance minister Arun Jaitley today met his Chinese counterpart Lou Jiwei in Beijing and discussed the bilateral economic cooperation and the global macroeconomic situation. 
 
The two ministers talked about bilateral economic cooperation, G20 and BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) as well as global macroeconomic situation, a statement from the Indian embassy said. 
 
Jaitley, who arrived on June 23, is scheduled to attend the annual financial dialogue at the ministerial level with Lou on June 27. 
 
The dialogue at the level of finance secretaries has been postponed to July because of inability of India&#39;s economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das to travel to Beijing for the meeting. Das was asked to stay in Delhi to deal with implications of the &#39;Brexit&#39; vote for India. 
 
India and China have so for had seven rounds of financial dialogue at the level of finance secretaries, the last being held in New Delhi in 2014. 
 
Before he met Lou today, Jaitley attended the annual Board of Governors meeting of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), in which India is the second-largest shareholder after China. 
 
The Beijing-based AIIB was officially established late last year. 
 
Jaitley is on a five-day visit to China. 
 
(PTI)

Arun Jaitley and Lou Jiwei discussed bilateral economic cooperation in light of 'Brexit' vote

Indian finance minister Arun Jaitley today met his Chinese counterpart Lou Jiwei in Beijing and discussed the bilateral economic cooperation and the global macroeconomic situation. The two ministers talked about bilateral economic cooperation, G20 and BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) as well as global macroeconomic situation, a statement from the Indian embassy said. Jaitley, who arrived on June 23, is scheduled to attend the annual financial dialogue at the ministerial level with Lou on June 27. The dialogue at the level of finance secretaries has been postponed to July because of inability of India's economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das to travel to Beijing for the meeting. Das was asked to stay in Delhi to deal with implications of the 'Brexit' vote for India. India and China have so for had seven rounds of financial dialogue at the level of finance secretaries, the last being held in New Delhi in 2014. Before he met Lou today, Jaitley attended the annual Board of Governors meeting of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), in which India is the second-largest shareholder after China. The Beijing-based AIIB was officially established late last year. Jaitley is on a five-day visit to China. (PTI)

Indian finance minister scheduled to attend 'financial dialogue' in Beijing, meets Chinese counterpart

The first batch of students to graduate from a prestigious university in China under a joint programme with the Chinese army have been assigned to the air force, marking a new process of directly recruiting from universities. 
 
A graduation ceremony has been held for the 20-plus students, during which they were officially assigned to units under the People&#39;s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. 
 
The programme, initiated by the PLA Air Force and Beijing-based Tsinghua University, recruited its first group of 32 students in 2011. 
 
In addition to their chosen subjects, the students studied aviation, such as aeronautical engineering and mechanics at Tsinghua and received flying training at the Aviation University of Air Force. 
 
The graduates were awarded bachelor&#39;s degrees in engineering and military science. They also obtained their pilot licenses. 
 
The joint programme, part of a wider push to integrate civil and military resources in the education sector, is expected to attract more talented young people to pursue careers in the Air Force. 
(PTI)

The students studied aeronautical engineering and mechanics at Tsinghua University and received flying training at Aviation University

The first batch of students to graduate from a prestigious university in China under a joint programme with the Chinese army have been assigned to the air force, marking a new process of directly recruiting from universities. A graduation ceremony has been held for the 20-plus students, during which they were officially assigned to units under the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The programme, initiated by the PLA Air Force and Beijing-based Tsinghua University, recruited its first group of 32 students in 2011. In addition to their chosen subjects, the students studied aviation, such as aeronautical engineering and mechanics at Tsinghua and received flying training at the Aviation University of Air Force. The graduates were awarded bachelor's degrees in engineering and military science. They also obtained their pilot licenses. The joint programme, part of a wider push to integrate civil and military resources in the education sector, is expected to attract more talented young people to pursue careers in the Air Force. (PTI)

Chinese air force directly recruits pilots from university

The United States is pleased to see progress has been made with China on information sharing about cyber threats, said a senior US official on Tuesday during the latest round of cyber security talks between the two countries. 
 
Cyber security has long been an irritant in relations between China and the United States, the world&#39;s two largest economies. 
 
China and the US signed an anti-hacking accord in September last year, brokered during Chinese President Xi Jinping&#39;s state visit to Washington, including a pledge that neither country would knowingly carry out hacking for commercial advantages. 
 
The agreement marked an ongoing effort to repair relations after China withdrew from a working group in 2014 in response to the US indictment of five members of its military on charges it hacked six US companies. 
 
Meeting in Beijing, US Department of Homeland Security Under secretary Suzanne Spaulding said the focus on the talks was to make sure both sides fulfilled commitments made by the two presidents. 
 
&quot;We look forward to discussing the commitments we made with regards to not engaging in IP theft of trade secrets and confidential business information,&quot; she told reporters. 
 
A key element of the agreement is information sharing and establishing mechanisms. 
 
She said the two sides had been setting up email addresses to share information. 
 
&quot;We are very pleased to have temporary email addresses and very much appreciate&quot; working to set up permanent addresses, said Spaulding. 
 
Chinese Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun said that China highly valued the talk. 
 
&quot;We want to bring the discussions from policies on paper to actual implementation,&quot; said&nbsp;Guo. 
 
&quot;Both sides will continue to cooperate on cyber cases. I believe the leadership on both sides places emphasis on the issue and values participation. Xi Jinping has personally been involved,&quot; he further added. 
 
China, Russia and Iran are among what the United States believes are its most prolific and sophisticated hacking adversaries. 
 
US officials have privately blamed Beijing for a massive hack on federal employee records last year, which exposed sensitive personal information of more than 22 million current and former government workers.

Washington and Beijing pledge to keep refraining from political hacking and corporate espionage

The United States is pleased to see progress has been made with China on information sharing about cyber threats, said a senior US official on Tuesday during the latest round of cyber security talks between the two countries. Cyber security has long been an irritant in relations between China and the United States, the world's two largest economies. China and the US signed an anti-hacking accord in September last year, brokered during Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Washington, including a pledge that neither country would knowingly carry out hacking for commercial advantages. The agreement marked an ongoing effort to repair relations after China withdrew from a working group in 2014 in response to the US indictment of five members of its military on charges it hacked six US companies. Meeting in Beijing, US Department of Homeland Security Under secretary Suzanne Spaulding said the focus on the talks was to make sure both sides fulfilled commitments made by the two presidents. "We look forward to discussing the commitments we made with regards to not engaging in IP theft of trade secrets and confidential business information," she told reporters. A key element of the agreement is information sharing and establishing mechanisms. She said the two sides had been setting up email addresses to share information. "We are very pleased to have temporary email addresses and very much appreciate" working to set up permanent addresses, said Spaulding. Chinese Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun said that China highly valued the talk. "We want to bring the discussions from policies on paper to actual implementation," said Guo. "Both sides will continue to cooperate on cyber cases. I believe the leadership on both sides places emphasis on the issue and values participation. Xi Jinping has personally been involved," he further added. China, Russia and Iran are among what the United States believes are its most prolific and sophisticated hacking adversaries. US officials have privately blamed Beijing for a massive hack on federal employee records last year, which exposed sensitive personal information of more than 22 million current and former government workers.

US sees progress in latest cyber talks with China

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