An outspoken Chinese constitutional scholar was detained overnight after he publicized a letter to the regime’s rubber-stamp legislature that criticized the one-party political system and proposed a transition toward a genuine democratic government.

Zhang Xuezhong, 43, was picked up&nbsp;from his Shanghai home by police because he shared a letter titled 'A&nbsp;fake constitution' which he wrote to the deputies of the National People's Congress of China. This body is expected to meet on the May 22.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/chinese-scholar-arrested-after-criticizing-governments-coronavirus-response-298114/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In his letter, Zhang wrote that Chinese constitution ''is a just a manual used by the ruling party to organize and run its regime''.

''China has not built a modern political system in accordance with a genuine constitution. The outbreak and spread of the epidemic have been a good indication of the problem''.

''The last 70 years in which the Communist party has ruled over China, have been a complete failure not only in nation-building but also in social governance,'' he added.

To back these claims, Zhang categorically mentioned instances of the Chinese regime's strict control over the society. He questioned the lack of transparency and scrutiny,&nbsp;the silencing of whistleblowers, the incompetence of local governments and the human rights disaster caused by quarantine measures.

This letter was leaked on China's official social media platform We-Chat on May 9. It was widely&nbsp;circulated and within&nbsp;minutes it went viral.

Unsurprisingly, Zhang Xue-Zhong disappeared within hours.&nbsp;However, his friends claimed that he was ''fortunately safe''.

A major reason behind that is that Zhang himself was once a prominent member of the&nbsp;Communist Party&nbsp;of&nbsp;China, a position that he relinquished in 2012.

And he has been an eyesore for the chinese regime ever since...

In 2013, he was fired from his teaching position at a law university in Shanghai because he was writing articles about constitutionalism.

In 2019, his licence to practice law was revoked because he didn't stop questioning communist ideologues.

One year on, he still hasn't stopped. Zhang Xue--Zhong is one of the many dissidents in China calling for reform and his voice needs to be heard.

An outspoken Chinese constitutional scholar was detained overnight after he publicized a letter to the regime’s rubber-stamp legislature that criticized the one-party political system and proposed a transition toward a genuine democratic government.

An outspoken Chinese constitutional scholar was detained overnight after he publicized a letter to the regime’s rubber-stamp legislature that criticized the one-party political system and proposed a transition toward a genuine democratic government. Zhang Xuezhong, 43, was picked up from his Shanghai home by police because he shared a letter titled 'A fake constitution' which he wrote to the deputies of the National People's Congress of China. This body is expected to meet on the May 22. In his letter, Zhang wrote that Chinese constitution ''is a just a manual used by the ruling party to organize and run its regime''. ''China has not built a modern political system in accordance with a genuine constitution. The outbreak and spread of the epidemic have been a good indication of the problem''. ''The last 70 years in which the Communist party has ruled over China, have been a complete failure not only in nation-building but also in social governance,'' he added. To back these claims, Zhang categorically mentioned instances of the Chinese regime's strict control over the society. He questioned the lack of transparency and scrutiny, the silencing of whistleblowers, the incompetence of local governments and the human rights disaster caused by quarantine measures. This letter was leaked on China's official social media platform We-Chat on May 9. It was widely circulated and within minutes it went viral. Unsurprisingly, Zhang Xue-Zhong disappeared within hours. However, his friends claimed that he was ''fortunately safe''. A major reason behind that is that Zhang himself was once a prominent member of the Communist Party of China, a position that he relinquished in 2012. And he has been an eyesore for the chinese regime ever since... In 2013, he was fired from his teaching position at a law university in Shanghai because he was writing articles about constitutionalism. In 2019, his licence to practice law was revoked because he didn't stop questioning communist ideologues. One year on, he still hasn't stopped. Zhang Xue--Zhong is one of the many dissidents in China calling for reform and his voice needs to be heard.

Chinese constitutional scholar detained for proposing transition to democracy

Publishers of three US&nbsp;newspapers urged China on Tuesday to reverse a decision to force out about a dozen of their American journalists, saying in an open letter that the expulsions come at a time of "shared crisis" for the world.

China announced on March 18 it was revoking the press accreditations of all American journalists in the China bureaus of the three newspapers that were due to expire at the end of 2020, effectively expelling them.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-to-expel-us-journalists-escalates-bitter-row-with-washington-287103">China to expel US journalists, escalates bitter row with Washington</a>

"We strongly urge the Chinese government to reverse its decision to force the Americans working for our news organizations to leave," the publishers of News Corp's Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and the New York Times said.

The decision "uniquely damaging and reckless" as the world is fighting a global coronavirus pandemic, they said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-imported-virus-cases-spike-as-fears-grow-of-second-wave-288149">China's imported virus cases spike as fears grow of second wave</a>

"Perhaps more than any major news event in modern history, this moment underscores the urgent importance of both probing, accurate, on-the-ground reporting from the centers of the pandemic and of sharing the information."

The expulsions were the latest escalation in a dispute with the United States over media freedom and access, which last month saw the United States require that Chinese state media register as foreign embassies.

China then expelled three Wall Street Journal reporters - two Americans and an Australian - after the paper published an opinion column calling China the "real sick man of Asia".

The United States then cut the number of journalists allowed to work at four major Chinese state media outlets there from 160 to 100, citing a "deepening crackdown" on independent reporting in China.

China's Foreign Ministry has said its measures are "necessary" and "reciprocal" against "escalating discrimination and oppression against Chinese media" by the United States.

Publishers of three US newspapers urged China on Tuesday to reverse a decision to force out about a dozen of their American journalists, saying in an open letter that the expulsions come at a time of "shared crisis" for the world.

Publishers of three US newspapers urged China on Tuesday to reverse a decision to force out about a dozen of their American journalists, saying in an open letter that the expulsions come at a time of "shared crisis" for the world. China announced on March 18 it was revoking the press accreditations of all American journalists in the China bureaus of the three newspapers that were due to expire at the end of 2020, effectively expelling them. Also read: China to expel US journalists, escalates bitter row with Washington "We strongly urge the Chinese government to reverse its decision to force the Americans working for our news organizations to leave," the publishers of News Corp's Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and the New York Times said. The decision "uniquely damaging and reckless" as the world is fighting a global coronavirus pandemic, they said. Also read: China's imported virus cases spike as fears grow of second wave "Perhaps more than any major news event in modern history, this moment underscores the urgent importance of both probing, accurate, on-the-ground reporting from the centers of the pandemic and of sharing the information." The expulsions were the latest escalation in a dispute with the United States over media freedom and access, which last month saw the United States require that Chinese state media register as foreign embassies. China then expelled three Wall Street Journal reporters - two Americans and an Australian - after the paper published an opinion column calling China the "real sick man of Asia". The United States then cut the number of journalists allowed to work at four major Chinese state media outlets there from 160 to 100, citing a "deepening crackdown" on independent reporting in China. China's Foreign Ministry has said its measures are "necessary" and "reciprocal" against "escalating discrimination and oppression against Chinese media" by the United States.

US newspapers call on China to reverse expulsion of journalists

Four individuals were diagnosed with pneumonia on Thursday and are in stable condition, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said in a statement published shortly after midnight. Saturday's statement marked the first confirmation of new cases by the authority in nearly a week and came a day after the commission confirmed the death of a second patient.

Watch:&nbsp;At least 59 people infected with mysterious virus in China, Beijing rules out SARS threat

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Nearly 50 people are known to have been infected and so far involve only individuals who have travelled to or live in Wuhan, but the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mysterious-sars-like-virus-in-china-has-affected-hundreds-report-274962">wider outbreak is possible</a>. Many of China's 1.4 billion people will be travelling abroad during the Lunar New Year holidays next week, raising concerns about the disease spreading to other parts of the world.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-confirmed-in-chinese-traveller-who-arrived-in-thailand-who-274059">Thailand has reported two cases</a> of the coronavirus from Chinese travellers from Wuhan this week, while Japan has confirmed one case involving a Japanese national who travelled to Wuhan. Memories remain fresh in Asia of a 2002/03 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which emerged in China and killed nearly 800 people worldwide.\

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-warns-hospitals-worldwide-as-new-china-coronavirus-may-spread-further-274255">WHO warns hospitals worldwide over further spread of China's coronavirus</a>

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause infections ranging from the common cold to SARS. Health authorities have so far said the new virus discovered in Wuhan does not appear to be as lethal as SARS but admit they still know little about it, including its origins or how easily it can be transmitted from person to person.

A seafood market in Wuhan is believed to be the epicentre, but authorities say some of the 45 patients they have identified with the virus in the city deny having any exposure to this market.

U.S. authorities have said they would start <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/amidst-novel-coronavirus-outbreak-in-china-health-ministry-issues-travel-advisory-274904">screening at three airports</a> - Los Angeles International, San Francisco International and New York's John F. Kennedy International - to detect travellers arriving via direct or connecting flights from Wuhan who may have symptoms of the new virus.

In Asia, Thailand has stepped up monitoring at four airports receiving daily flights from Wuhan. Airports in Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea are also screening passengers from Wuhan, authorities said.

Indonesian authorities said they have stepped up screening at all points of entry in response to the outbreak. The Philippines is scanning all passengers at seaports and airports and those with fever will be interviewed for a history of illness and whether they have travelled to Wuhan, the country's Health Secretary Franciso Duque stated.

Japan screens all incoming travellers for high temperatures and the health ministry last week started displaying notices at airports around the country asking passengers to come forward if they have travelled to Wuhan and have become sick.

The WHO has said it advises against any travel or trade restrictions on China, however.

Australia, which saw about 1.4 million short-term arrivals from China last year, is not planning any screenings for now.

Four individuals were diagnosed with pneumonia on Thursday and are in stable condition, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said in a statement published shortly after midnight.

Four individuals were diagnosed with pneumonia on Thursday and are in stable condition, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said in a statement published shortly after midnight. Saturday's statement marked the first confirmation of new cases by the authority in nearly a week and came a day after the commission confirmed the death of a second patient. Watch: At least 59 people infected with mysterious virus in China, Beijing rules out SARS threat Nearly 50 people are known to have been infected and so far involve only individuals who have travelled to or live in Wuhan, but the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that a wider outbreak is possible. Many of China's 1.4 billion people will be travelling abroad during the Lunar New Year holidays next week, raising concerns about the disease spreading to other parts of the world. Thailand has reported two cases of the coronavirus from Chinese travellers from Wuhan this week, while Japan has confirmed one case involving a Japanese national who travelled to Wuhan. Memories remain fresh in Asia of a 2002/03 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which emerged in China and killed nearly 800 people worldwide.\ Also Read: WHO warns hospitals worldwide over further spread of China's coronavirus Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause infections ranging from the common cold to SARS. Health authorities have so far said the new virus discovered in Wuhan does not appear to be as lethal as SARS but admit they still know little about it, including its origins or how easily it can be transmitted from person to person. A seafood market in Wuhan is believed to be the epicentre, but authorities say some of the 45 patients they have identified with the virus in the city deny having any exposure to this market. U.S. authorities have said they would start screening at three airports - Los Angeles International, San Francisco International and New York's John F. Kennedy International - to detect travellers arriving via direct or connecting flights from Wuhan who may have symptoms of the new virus. In Asia, Thailand has stepped up monitoring at four airports receiving daily flights from Wuhan. Airports in Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea are also screening passengers from Wuhan, authorities said. Indonesian authorities said they have stepped up screening at all points of entry in response to the outbreak. The Philippines is scanning all passengers at seaports and airports and those with fever will be interviewed for a history of illness and whether they have travelled to Wuhan, the country's Health Secretary Franciso Duque stated. Japan screens all incoming travellers for high temperatures and the health ministry last week started displaying notices at airports around the country asking passengers to come forward if they have travelled to Wuhan and have become sick. The WHO has said it advises against any travel or trade restrictions on China, however. Australia, which saw about 1.4 million short-term arrivals from China last year, is not planning any screenings for now.

China reports new cases in Wuhan virus outbreak

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/oil-falls-as-us-inventories-rise-but-demand-hopes-stem-bigger-drop-268973">Oil prices</a> fell on Monday, but were holding near recent three-month highs amid expectations that the United States and China will soon agree on a trade deal, with President Donald Trump saying an agreement would be signed "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/phase-one-trade-deal-with-china-would-be-signed-very-shortly-donald-trump-269576">very shortly</a>".

Brent crude was down 16 cents, or 0.2 per cent, at $65.98 a barrel by 0730 GMT. West Texas Intermediate was down 22 cents, or 0.4 per cent, at $60.22 a barrel.

A so-called <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/phase-one-trade-deal-reached-with-us-china-268186">phase one deal</a> was announced earlier in December as part of a bid to end the months-long tit-for-tat trade war between the world's two largest economies, which has sent shockwaves through markets and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-hopes-us-china-trade-deal-will-be-signed-by-middle-of-november-256808">roiled global growth</a>.

The United States is to agree to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-will-make-final-call-on-china-tariffs-likes-direction-of-talks-larry-kudlow-266889">reduce some tariffs</a> in return for a big increase in purchases by Chinese importers of American farm products, according to the deal that is due to be signed in January.

"We just achieved a breakthrough on the trade deal and we will be signing it very shortly," Trump said at a Turning Point USA event in Florida on Saturday.

The easing of tensions has improved business confidence and boosted the outlook for economic growth and energy demand.

"Oil prices will continue to benefit from the positive developments in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-xi-jinping-give-positive-signals-on-trade-deal-after-phone-call-269443">US-China&nbsp;trade</a>," said <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/gold-prices-subdued-as-investors-await-trade-deal-details-palladium-dips-268837">Stephen Innes</a>, chief&nbsp;Asia market strategist at <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/oil-prices-slip-as-weak-china-exports-highlights-trade-war-impact-267079">AxiTrader</a>.

"With a more constructive global macro outlook than at any time in the last year, oil is well-supported by both fundamental factors and sentiment now," he said.

US&nbsp;drillers may be anticipating higher prices as well and last week increased the number of their oil rigs by the most in a week since February 2018.

Drillers added 18 oil rigs in the week to December&nbsp;20, bringing the total to 685, the most since November, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/oil-drops-as-us-inventory-build-record-output-rekindles-supply-worries-264998">Baker Hughes</a>, an energy services company, said in its weekly report.

US&nbsp;economic growth nudged up in the third quarter, latest data shows, and the economy appears to have maintained the moderate pace of expansion as the year ended, supported by a strong labour market.

Many investors are on holiday already with the end of the year around the corner and trading is thin, potentially accentuating market moves due to the lack of liquidity.

"With the holiday season upon us with much-reduced volumes and liquidity, some choppy daily moves can&nbsp;be expected," said <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/oil-rises-on-hopes-for-deeper-opec-output-cuts-us-china-trade-talks-255148">Jeffrey Halley</a>, senior market analyst at OANDA.

Oil prices fell on Monday, but were holding near recent three-month highs amid expectations that the United States and China will soon agree on a trade deal, with President Donald Trump saying an agreement would be signed "very shortly".

Oil prices fell on Monday, but were holding near recent three-month highs amid expectations that the United States and China will soon agree on a trade deal, with President Donald Trump saying an agreement would be signed "very shortly". Brent crude was down 16 cents, or 0.2 per cent, at $65.98 a barrel by 0730 GMT. West Texas Intermediate was down 22 cents, or 0.4 per cent, at $60.22 a barrel. A so-called phase one deal was announced earlier in December as part of a bid to end the months-long tit-for-tat trade war between the world's two largest economies, which has sent shockwaves through markets and roiled global growth. The United States is to agree to reduce some tariffs in return for a big increase in purchases by Chinese importers of American farm products, according to the deal that is due to be signed in January. "We just achieved a breakthrough on the trade deal and we will be signing it very shortly," Trump said at a Turning Point USA event in Florida on Saturday. The easing of tensions has improved business confidence and boosted the outlook for economic growth and energy demand. "Oil prices will continue to benefit from the positive developments in the US-China trade," said Stephen Innes, chief Asia market strategist at AxiTrader. "With a more constructive global macro outlook than at any time in the last year, oil is well-supported by both fundamental factors and sentiment now," he said. US drillers may be anticipating higher prices as well and last week increased the number of their oil rigs by the most in a week since February 2018. Drillers added 18 oil rigs in the week to December 20, bringing the total to 685, the most since November, Baker Hughes, an energy services company, said in its weekly report. US economic growth nudged up in the third quarter, latest data shows, and the economy appears to have maintained the moderate pace of expansion as the year ended, supported by a strong labour market. Many investors are on holiday already with the end of the year around the corner and trading is thin, potentially accentuating market moves due to the lack of liquidity. "With the holiday season upon us with much-reduced volumes and liquidity, some choppy daily moves can be expected," said Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at OANDA.

Oil eases but supported by trade deal hopes

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../were-in-final-throes-of-trade-deal-but-will-see- how-it-goes-in-hong-kong-trump-264769">China </a>on Wednesday denounced US policies in the Middle East as "selfish", as it blamed Washington for destabilising the fraught region where Beijing has stepped up investment in recent years.

While <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../china-overtakes-united-states-in-number-of- diplomatic-missions-264784">US President Donald Trump</a> has decided to abruptly withdraw troops from northeast Syria and reimpose sweeping sanctions on Iran, Beijing,&nbsp;the world's top crude importer,&nbsp;has doubled down on its economic commitments in the oil-rich region.

"The United States, the world's only superpower and one with tremendous influence in the region, has pursued a selfish and unilateralist policy," said Chen Xiaodong, China's assistant foreign minister.

This policy "sides with the strong at the expense of the weak, which has been a prominent factor behind the security predicament of the region," said Chen, speaking at the two-day Middle East Security Forum in Beijing.

Since taking office, President Xi Jinping has overseen a concerted effort to expand Chinese influence in the Middle East and Africa, including the construction of the country's first military base in Arab League state Djibouti.

In July 2018, Xi pledged $20 billion in loans for economic development to Arab states, which have remained largely silent on Beijing's rounding up and detention of an estimated one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim ethnic minorities in China's western Xinjiang region.

Beijing has also increased its involvement in neighbouring Muslim countries, such as the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

"We hope that China could play a bigger role in the political and economic security of the region," said Jawad Anani, former deputy prime minister of Jordan, in an opening speech.

Speakers echoed China's criticism of US actions in the Middle East, such as the Iraq War, and highlighted China's support for an independent Palestinian state.

Many blamed Washington's backing of Israel,&nbsp;including Trump's decision to recognise bitterly disputed Jerusalem as Israel's capital -- for disrupting the peace process.

"Both China and Russia have benefited from the anti-US sentiment in the Middle East because both the ruling elites and ordinary people hope to see an alternative to US hegemony," Ahmed Ould Teguedi, Mauritania's foreign affairs minister, said at the forum's opening ceremony.

The conference came as a report Wednesday said for the first time, China has more diplomatic missions around the world than the US.

China on Wednesday denounced US policies in the Middle East as "selfish", as it blamed Washington for destabilising the fraught region where Beijing has stepped up investment in recent years.

China on Wednesday denounced US policies in the Middle East as "selfish", as it blamed Washington for destabilising the fraught region where Beijing has stepped up investment in recent years. While US President Donald Trump has decided to abruptly withdraw troops from northeast Syria and reimpose sweeping sanctions on Iran, Beijing, the world's top crude importer, has doubled down on its economic commitments in the oil-rich region. "The United States, the world's only superpower and one with tremendous influence in the region, has pursued a selfish and unilateralist policy," said Chen Xiaodong, China's assistant foreign minister. This policy "sides with the strong at the expense of the weak, which has been a prominent factor behind the security predicament of the region," said Chen, speaking at the two-day Middle East Security Forum in Beijing. Since taking office, President Xi Jinping has overseen a concerted effort to expand Chinese influence in the Middle East and Africa, including the construction of the country's first military base in Arab League state Djibouti. In July 2018, Xi pledged $20 billion in loans for economic development to Arab states, which have remained largely silent on Beijing's rounding up and detention of an estimated one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim ethnic minorities in China's western Xinjiang region. Beijing has also increased its involvement in neighbouring Muslim countries, such as the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. "We hope that China could play a bigger role in the political and economic security of the region," said Jawad Anani, former deputy prime minister of Jordan, in an opening speech. Speakers echoed China's criticism of US actions in the Middle East, such as the Iraq War, and highlighted China's support for an independent Palestinian state. Many blamed Washington's backing of Israel, including Trump's decision to recognise bitterly disputed Jerusalem as Israel's capital -- for disrupting the peace process. "Both China and Russia have benefited from the anti-US sentiment in the Middle East because both the ruling elites and ordinary people hope to see an alternative to US hegemony," Ahmed Ould Teguedi, Mauritania's foreign affairs minister, said at the forum's opening ceremony. The conference came as a report Wednesday said for the first time, China has more diplomatic missions around the world than the US.

China slams 'selfish' US-Middle East policies

Hong Kong's acting leader said on Tuesday he deeply regretted the involvement of civil servants in protests that have plunged the Chinese-ruled city into crisis as activists planned masked "Guy Fawkes" demonstrations across the territory.

Acting Chief Executive Matthew Cheung's comments came after commentary by the ruling Communist Party's People's Daily said Hong Kong civil servants who supported the anti-government demonstrations would "perish with the rioters".

The demonstrations began over a since-scrapped extradition bill and escalated in mid-June against perceived Chinese meddling in the former British colony which was guaranteed its colonial freedoms when it returned to China in 1997. China denies the charge.

Protesters have kept up their calls for universal suffrage and an independent inquiry into alleged police brutality, among other demands.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/mass-protests-protect-hong-kongs-legal-autonomy-from-china-for-now-228567">protests</a>, which pose the gravest challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012, have received broad support, including from some civil servants, teachers and financial sector workers.

"In the past few months, a very small portion of the civil servants have broken the law, participating in illegal protests. We deeply regret that" Cheung said.

"... Their first job is to serve society, serve the community. And to support government policies, that is the responsibility of the civil servants."

In August, thousands of civil servants defied a government warning to remain politically neutral and joined a rally, while the territory's chief executive Carrie Lam said in September she regretted the arrest of some civil servants during protests.

After gatecrashing fancy-dress Halloween festivities on October&nbsp;31, protesters have circulated plans on social media to mark Guy Fawkes Day on Tuesday by wearing the white, smiling Guy Fawkes masks made popular by anti-establishment hackers, the film "V for Vendetta" and protesters globally.

Gunpowder&nbsp;Plot

Guy Fawkes Day, also called Bonfire Night, is celebrated with fireworks and bonfires every November&nbsp;5 in Britain, when effigies of "guys" are burnt, marking the night in 1605 when Fawkes was arrested for a "gunpowder plot" to blow up parliament.

Lam banned face masks last month, invoking colonial-era emergency powers for the first time in more than 50 years, but protesters have largely ignored the ruling.

The number of people who take part in the mostly weekend rallies has dwindled from the millions who participated in June, but the violence and vandalism have escalated. Authorities have refused permits for many recent protests, making them illegal from the outset and activists liable to be arrested.

There have been many injuries in the protests, but no deaths. A 22-year-old student at a Hong Kong university who fell during protests at the weekend was in critical condition on Tuesday, hospital authorities said.

A man knifed several people on Sunday and bit off a part of a politician's ear before being beaten by protesters. A 48-year-old suspect is in custody.

Cheung said his administration would safeguard freedom of the press amid criticism of what many see as the excessive police force, including against the media.

Cheung is standing in for Lam, who is visiting mainland China, where Xi said on Monday the central government had a high degree of confidence in her.

The demonstrations have battered the retail and tourism sectors, with preliminary government data showing the economy slid into recession for the first time in a decade in the third quarter.

An IHS Markit survey published on Tuesday showed business activity in Hong Kong's private sector fell to its weakest in 21 years in October, weighed down by anti-government protests and softening global demand.

Hong Kong returned to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/how-china-benefits-from-the-hong-kong-protests-246211">China</a> under a "one country, two systems" formula that is meant to protect its freedoms for 50 years.

Hong Kong's acting leader said on Tuesday he deeply regretted the involvement of civil servants in protests that have plunged the Chinese-ruled city into crisis as activists planned masked "Guy Fawkes" demonstrations across the territory.

Hong Kong's acting leader said on Tuesday he deeply regretted the involvement of civil servants in protests that have plunged the Chinese-ruled city into crisis as activists planned masked "Guy Fawkes" demonstrations across the territory. Acting Chief Executive Matthew Cheung's comments came after commentary by the ruling Communist Party's People's Daily said Hong Kong civil servants who supported the anti-government demonstrations would "perish with the rioters". The demonstrations began over a since-scrapped extradition bill and escalated in mid-June against perceived Chinese meddling in the former British colony which was guaranteed its colonial freedoms when it returned to China in 1997. China denies the charge. Protesters have kept up their calls for universal suffrage and an independent inquiry into alleged police brutality, among other demands. The protests, which pose the gravest challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012, have received broad support, including from some civil servants, teachers and financial sector workers. "In the past few months, a very small portion of the civil servants have broken the law, participating in illegal protests. We deeply regret that" Cheung said. "... Their first job is to serve society, serve the community. And to support government policies, that is the responsibility of the civil servants." In August, thousands of civil servants defied a government warning to remain politically neutral and joined a rally, while the territory's chief executive Carrie Lam said in September she regretted the arrest of some civil servants during protests. After gatecrashing fancy-dress Halloween festivities on October 31, protesters have circulated plans on social media to mark Guy Fawkes Day on Tuesday by wearing the white, smiling Guy Fawkes masks made popular by anti-establishment hackers, the film "V for Vendetta" and protesters globally. Gunpowder Plot Guy Fawkes Day, also called Bonfire Night, is celebrated with fireworks and bonfires every November 5 in Britain, when effigies of "guys" are burnt, marking the night in 1605 when Fawkes was arrested for a "gunpowder plot" to blow up parliament. Lam banned face masks last month, invoking colonial-era emergency powers for the first time in more than 50 years, but protesters have largely ignored the ruling. The number of people who take part in the mostly weekend rallies has dwindled from the millions who participated in June, but the violence and vandalism have escalated. Authorities have refused permits for many recent protests, making them illegal from the outset and activists liable to be arrested. There have been many injuries in the protests, but no deaths. A 22-year-old student at a Hong Kong university who fell during protests at the weekend was in critical condition on Tuesday, hospital authorities said. A man knifed several people on Sunday and bit off a part of a politician's ear before being beaten by protesters. A 48-year-old suspect is in custody. Cheung said his administration would safeguard freedom of the press amid criticism of what many see as the excessive police force, including against the media. Cheung is standing in for Lam, who is visiting mainland China, where Xi said on Monday the central government had a high degree of confidence in her. The demonstrations have battered the retail and tourism sectors, with preliminary government data showing the economy slid into recession for the first time in a decade in the third quarter. An IHS Markit survey published on Tuesday showed business activity in Hong Kong's private sector fell to its weakest in 21 years in October, weighed down by anti-government protests and softening global demand. Hong Kong returned to China under a "one country, two systems" formula that is meant to protect its freedoms for 50 years.

After gatecrashing Halloween, Hong Kong protesters plot Guy Fawkes protests

Asian markets mostly rose but investor caution returned as the optimism fanned by Donald Trump's much-vaunted <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-donald-trump-announces-partial-trade-deal-with-china-255358">China trade deal</a> wore off, while the pound was boosted by a report saying a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brexit-on-october-31-a-priority-for-british-government-queen-255851">Brexit </a>deal was taking shape.

While Friday's mini agreement between the world's economic superpowers put off fresh tariffs and saw them reach common ground on some issues, observers pointed out it was light on detail and left other major levies in place.

And, despite Trump's insistence that the "phase one" agreement was "the greatest and biggest deal", Beijing said it wanted to hold more talks and called for a delay in more tariffs before it would sign.

Equity traders, who have been under pressure from the trade war as well as the slowing global economy and worries about Brexit among others, seized on the news and sent regional markets surging Monday.

But they struggled to build on that as questions swirled over the value of the deal.

"It has taken precisely one working day of the new week for optimism to fade about the US-China trade deal lite/mini/part one," said Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst for Asia-Pacific at OANDA.

"The rhetoric-high, but detail-light trade announcement in Washington DC on Friday has been tempered by China being both a lot more circumspect and requesting additional talks before signing an agreement."

He said that while he expected the two to hammer out something for Trump and counterpart Xi Jinping to sign before they are due to meet next month, "the pseudo-deal itself represents nothing more than a holding action".

"Everyone's a winner, but everything stays the same, as no progress on the hard stuff has occurred in reality."

Still, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Monday that officials would hold further talks by phone this week and next to finalise the deal, while he also defended it on CNBC.

"There is a fundamental agreement in principle," he said. "There are still some issues that need to be worked out in wording but I would say we have every expectation that phase one will close.

In early trade, Hong Kong and Sydney were each down 0.1 percent, and Shanghai slipped 0.6 percent.

Manila and Jakarta also fell but Tokyo jumped 1.7 percent by lunch as dealers returned from a long weekend to play catch-up with the rest of Asia.

Singapore, Seoul and Wellington were all 0.2 percent higher while Taipei added 0.4 percent.

On currency markets, the pound rebounded after Britain's Daily Telegraph said a divorce deal was taking shape,<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-and-uk-bid-to-save-brexit-talks-before-key-summit-255299"> EU and British negotiators </a>hailing a positive day of talks on the Northern Ireland issue.

The paper quoted unnamed sources as saying there was "cautious optimism", while the BBC said the EU is considering holding an emergency summit to push through a possible deal. It said there was not enough time to get anything done before a summit set for this week.

The reports will come as welcome news after European officials played down the chances of an agreement that had been aired by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar last week.

Sterling was up against the dollar and euro on Tuesday, with David Kelly at JP Morgan Asset Management saying the Johnson-Varadkar talks had sparked a "whirlwind of diplomacy between the British government and the Europeans to try to come up with an agreement this week".

He added in a note: "While it is by no means certain that the UK and Europe can agree to a deal or that such a deal can make it through the UK parliament, there does appear to be recognition from the British side that any Brexit deal will have to treat Northern Ireland very differently from the rest of the UK.

"In the multiple permutations of Brexit endgames, this has reduced the risk of a damaging 'no deal' Brexit."

Asian markets mostly rose but investor caution returned as the optimism fanned by Donald Trump's much-vaunted China trade deal wore off, while the pound was boosted by a report saying a Brexit deal was taking shape.

Asian markets mostly rose but investor caution returned as the optimism fanned by Donald Trump's much-vaunted China trade deal wore off, while the pound was boosted by a report saying a Brexit deal was taking shape. While Friday's mini agreement between the world's economic superpowers put off fresh tariffs and saw them reach common ground on some issues, observers pointed out it was light on detail and left other major levies in place. And, despite Trump's insistence that the "phase one" agreement was "the greatest and biggest deal", Beijing said it wanted to hold more talks and called for a delay in more tariffs before it would sign. Equity traders, who have been under pressure from the trade war as well as the slowing global economy and worries about Brexit among others, seized on the news and sent regional markets surging Monday. But they struggled to build on that as questions swirled over the value of the deal. "It has taken precisely one working day of the new week for optimism to fade about the US-China trade deal lite/mini/part one," said Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst for Asia-Pacific at OANDA. "The rhetoric-high, but detail-light trade announcement in Washington DC on Friday has been tempered by China being both a lot more circumspect and requesting additional talks before signing an agreement." He said that while he expected the two to hammer out something for Trump and counterpart Xi Jinping to sign before they are due to meet next month, "the pseudo-deal itself represents nothing more than a holding action". "Everyone's a winner, but everything stays the same, as no progress on the hard stuff has occurred in reality." Still, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Monday that officials would hold further talks by phone this week and next to finalise the deal, while he also defended it on CNBC. "There is a fundamental agreement in principle," he said. "There are still some issues that need to be worked out in wording but I would say we have every expectation that phase one will close. In early trade, Hong Kong and Sydney were each down 0.1 percent, and Shanghai slipped 0.6 percent. Manila and Jakarta also fell but Tokyo jumped 1.7 percent by lunch as dealers returned from a long weekend to play catch-up with the rest of Asia. Singapore, Seoul and Wellington were all 0.2 percent higher while Taipei added 0.4 percent. On currency markets, the pound rebounded after Britain's Daily Telegraph said a divorce deal was taking shape, EU and British negotiators hailing a positive day of talks on the Northern Ireland issue. The paper quoted unnamed sources as saying there was "cautious optimism", while the BBC said the EU is considering holding an emergency summit to push through a possible deal. It said there was not enough time to get anything done before a summit set for this week. The reports will come as welcome news after European officials played down the chances of an agreement that had been aired by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar last week. Sterling was up against the dollar and euro on Tuesday, with David Kelly at JP Morgan Asset Management saying the Johnson-Varadkar talks had sparked a "whirlwind of diplomacy between the British government and the Europeans to try to come up with an agreement this week". He added in a note: "While it is by no means certain that the UK and Europe can agree to a deal or that such a deal can make it through the UK parliament, there does appear to be recognition from the British side that any Brexit deal will have to treat Northern Ireland very differently from the rest of the UK. "In the multiple permutations of Brexit endgames, this has reduced the risk of a damaging 'no deal' Brexit."

Asian markets edge up but caution keeps traders in check

Bollywood veterans Anil Kapoor and Anupam Kher hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for plogging at a beach in Mamallapuram on Saturday and reiterated his message of cleanliness. 
 
The PM on Saturday set an example as he took to plogging for 30 minutes at a beach in Mamallapuram ahead of his second round of formal summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. 
 
Anil on Sunday echoed PM Modi's message through his tweet writing, "Keeping our surroundings clean is not just limited to our houses. It's about keeping our home, #India clean &amp; safe". He added that in order to stay happy, healthy and fit, cleanliness&nbsp;is essential."Cleanliness is definitely very essential for remaining happy, healthy &amp; fit. We all need to work towards reducing the collection," he wrote.

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Keeping our surroundings clean is not just limited to our houses. It’s about keeping our home, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/India?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#India</a> clean &amp; safe. 
Cleanliness is definitely very essential for remaining happy, healthy &amp; fit. We all need to work towards reducing the ‘collection’. <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> <a href="https://t.co/fPPoyxPMBT">https://t.co/fPPoyxPMBT</a>
— Anil Kapoor (@AnilKapoor) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnilKapoor/status/1183247035979325445?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Veteran actor Anupam also hailed the PM for taking the matter in his hands by sharing a picture of PM Modi holding a bag full of waste he collected while plogging at the beach. "This picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will become a symbol of honesty, truth, simplicity and selfless spirit in the whole world in times to come," he hailed in his tweet.

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प्रधानमंत्री श्री <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> जी की ये तस्वीर आने वाले समय में पूरी दुनिया में ईमानदारी, सच्चाई, सादगी और निस्स्वार्थ भावना का एक प्रतीक बनेगी। इस तस्वीर में स्वच्छ भारत का अभियान तो है ही। साथ में एक फ़क़ीर के छवि भी छुपी है।अब ऐसे इंसान को किस चीज़ का डर हो सकता है। जय हो।🙏 <a href="https://t.co/IOmM2l1Fy3">pic.twitter.com/IOmM2l1Fy3</a>
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnupamPKher/status/1183213794866204673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2019</a></blockquote>
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PM Modi has time and again spoken on the need to stay fit and keeping one's surroundings clean. During his monthly radio address 'Mann Ki Baat'&nbsp;on September 29, he had said that the government would be organising several 2-km long runs to promote plogging across the country starting October 2. 
''There is a clean India campaign in this picture. Along with the image of a faqir is hidden. Now, what can such a person fear&nbsp;Jai Ho," the actor added. 
&nbsp;

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Hon. Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> ji, a leader is one who knows the way, goes the way &amp; shows the way. You are that leader for us. A Clean &amp; fit nation is the best nation.🇮🇳🙏 <a href="https://t.co/jdsaNbhBf7">https://t.co/jdsaNbhBf7</a>
— Madhur Bhandarkar (@imbhandarkar) <a href="https://twitter.com/imbhandarkar/status/1183238633567870977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Meanwhile, filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar too sang praises of the PM saying that he is the one "who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. 
''Hon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji, a leader is one who knows the way, goes the way &amp; shows the way. You are that leader for us. A Clean &amp; fit nation is the best nation," he tweeted.

Bollywood veterans Anil Kapoor and Anupam Kher hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for plogging at a beach in Mamallapuram on Saturday and reiterated his message of cleanliness.

Bollywood veterans Anil Kapoor and Anupam Kher hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for plogging at a beach in Mamallapuram on Saturday and reiterated his message of cleanliness. The PM on Saturday set an example as he took to plogging for 30 minutes at a beach in Mamallapuram ahead of his second round of formal summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Anil on Sunday echoed PM Modi's message through his tweet writing, "Keeping our surroundings clean is not just limited to our houses. It's about keeping our home, #India clean & safe". He added that in order to stay happy, healthy and fit, cleanliness is essential."Cleanliness is definitely very essential for remaining happy, healthy & fit. We all need to work towards reducing the collection," he wrote. Keeping our surroundings clean is not just limited to our houses. It’s about keeping our home, #India clean & safe. Cleanliness is definitely very essential for remaining happy, healthy & fit. We all need to work towards reducing the ‘collection’. @narendramodi https://t.co/fPPoyxPMBT — Anil Kapoor (@AnilKapoor) October 13, 2019 × Veteran actor Anupam also hailed the PM for taking the matter in his hands by sharing a picture of PM Modi holding a bag full of waste he collected while plogging at the beach. "This picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will become a symbol of honesty, truth, simplicity and selfless spirit in the whole world in times to come," he hailed in his tweet. प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी की ये तस्वीर आने वाले समय में पूरी दुनिया में ईमानदारी, सच्चाई, सादगी और निस्स्वार्थ भावना का एक प्रतीक बनेगी। इस तस्वीर में स्वच्छ भारत का अभियान तो है ही। साथ में एक फ़क़ीर के छवि भी छुपी है।अब ऐसे इंसान को किस चीज़ का डर हो सकता है। जय हो।🙏 pic.twitter.com/IOmM2l1Fy3 — Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) October 13, 2019 × PM Modi has time and again spoken on the need to stay fit and keeping one's surroundings clean. During his monthly radio address 'Mann Ki Baat' on September 29, he had said that the government would be organising several 2-km long runs to promote plogging across the country starting October 2. ''There is a clean India campaign in this picture. Along with the image of a faqir is hidden. Now, what can such a person fear Jai Ho," the actor added. Hon. Prime Minister @narendramodi ji, a leader is one who knows the way, goes the way & shows the way. You are that leader for us. A Clean & fit nation is the best nation.🇮🇳🙏 https://t.co/jdsaNbhBf7 — Madhur Bhandarkar (@imbhandarkar) October 13, 2019 × Meanwhile, filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar too sang praises of the PM saying that he is the one "who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. ''Hon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji, a leader is one who knows the way, goes the way & shows the way. You are that leader for us. A Clean & fit nation is the best nation," he tweeted.

Anil Kapoor, Anupam Kher hail PM Narendra Modi for plogging at beach in Mamallapuram

A <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-donald-trump-announces-partial-trade-deal-with-china-255358">partial US-China deal</a> may only offer a temporary tariff reprieve because it lacks specifics and leaves the thorny issues for later, analysts said, allowing both economic powers to claim success.

Friday's initial agreement -- which included increasing US farm product purchases, and also&nbsp;covers intellectual property, financial services and currencies -- finally breaks an 18-month trade spat.

Engulfed in an impeachment inquiry, US President Donald Trump heralded the deal as a major&nbsp;breakthrough.&nbsp;

But it will take weeks to finalise and the details are not clear -- nor will it roll back tariffs already in place on hundreds of billions of dollars in two-way trade.

"The lack of specificity and even the fact this baby stepped agreement could take weeks to iron out, quickly cooled trader optimism," said Axi Trader analyst&nbsp;Stephen Innes.

After earlier attempts at a truce between Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping did not pan out businesses remained cautious, Innes said.

There is "fear this could be more of the same old lather rinse and repeat trade detente followed by trade escalation," he said.

For now, Washington will hold off on a massive tariff increase planned for next week and -- as negotiations progress -- new December tariffs could also be cancelled, US officials said.

Trump said China had pledged to rapidly increase purchases of American farm products to $40-50 billion -- a stunning feat, and more than double 2017 levels.

But China is yet to confirm these details.

"Substantial progress had been made in such areas as agriculture, intellectual property rights protection, exchange rate, financial services, expansion of trade cooperation, technology transfer and dispute settlement," state-run Xinhua news agency reported citing Liu He, the country's top negotiator.

"The two sides also discussed arrangements for future consultations," Liu said when he met Trump Friday, according to Xinhua.

Previously, Trump has blamed China for backtracking on its promises.

'Major deal unlikely'&nbsp;

On Friday, the US president played up the "substantial phase one" deal as a result of his hard-line stance with China.

"It's not much and it doesn't get us very far in the big issues, so whether it will lead to anything important is still very unclear," said&nbsp;Barry Naughton, an expert on China's economy at the University of California, San Diego.

The Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily warned in an editorial Saturday the trade war would only be resolved by "abolishing all tariffs."

But to get there, the two sides need to address issues such as scaling back Chinese government subsidies that have skewed competition, and opening up sectors dominated by state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

In a step in towards that, China recently announced a timetable to remove foreign ownership limits in finance companies beginning next year.

Beijing also passed a foreign investment law in March, promising a level playing field for overseas investors, addressing a major US complaint.

But "a significant improvement is... not very likely," said Song Houze, a research fellow at The Paulson Institute.

"The existence of thorny issues like SOE and tech make a major deal unlikely, which means the existing tariff will most likely stay."

The latest truce, however, was essential for both sides as both face cooling domestic growth, he said.

'Off the table'

US restrictions on Chinese investments in its high-tech sectors -- blocking Huawei from government contracts -- and sanctions on a series of China's tech giants have also cast a shadow on trade negotiations.

The US commerce department said last week it will blacklist 28 Chinese entities it says are implicated in rights violations and abuses in China's Xinjiang region.

"Even if the US and China reach a comprehensive trade deal, the US will likely tighten restrictions on China's access to technology in the coming years," said Wang Tao, head of Asia economics at UBS Investment Bank.

"The US has elevated this issue to national security and it may be hard to reverse, no matter what kind of agreement they reach (or not) on Huawei," said Wang Tao, head of Asia economics at UBS Investment Bank.

A partial US-China deal may only offer a temporary tariff reprieve because it lacks specifics and leaves the thorny issues for later, analysts said, allowing both economic powers to claim success.

A partial US-China deal may only offer a temporary tariff reprieve because it lacks specifics and leaves the thorny issues for later, analysts said, allowing both economic powers to claim success. Friday's initial agreement -- which included increasing US farm product purchases, and also covers intellectual property, financial services and currencies -- finally breaks an 18-month trade spat. Engulfed in an impeachment inquiry, US President Donald Trump heralded the deal as a major breakthrough. But it will take weeks to finalise and the details are not clear -- nor will it roll back tariffs already in place on hundreds of billions of dollars in two-way trade. "The lack of specificity and even the fact this baby stepped agreement could take weeks to iron out, quickly cooled trader optimism," said Axi Trader analyst Stephen Innes. After earlier attempts at a truce between Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping did not pan out businesses remained cautious, Innes said. There is "fear this could be more of the same old lather rinse and repeat trade detente followed by trade escalation," he said. For now, Washington will hold off on a massive tariff increase planned for next week and -- as negotiations progress -- new December tariffs could also be cancelled, US officials said. Trump said China had pledged to rapidly increase purchases of American farm products to $40-50 billion -- a stunning feat, and more than double 2017 levels. But China is yet to confirm these details. "Substantial progress had been made in such areas as agriculture, intellectual property rights protection, exchange rate, financial services, expansion of trade cooperation, technology transfer and dispute settlement," state-run Xinhua news agency reported citing Liu He, the country's top negotiator. "The two sides also discussed arrangements for future consultations," Liu said when he met Trump Friday, according to Xinhua. Previously, Trump has blamed China for backtracking on its promises. 'Major deal unlikely' On Friday, the US president played up the "substantial phase one" deal as a result of his hard-line stance with China. "It's not much and it doesn't get us very far in the big issues, so whether it will lead to anything important is still very unclear," said Barry Naughton, an expert on China's economy at the University of California, San Diego. The Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily warned in an editorial Saturday the trade war would only be resolved by "abolishing all tariffs." But to get there, the two sides need to address issues such as scaling back Chinese government subsidies that have skewed competition, and opening up sectors dominated by state-owned enterprises (SOEs). In a step in towards that, China recently announced a timetable to remove foreign ownership limits in finance companies beginning next year. Beijing also passed a foreign investment law in March, promising a level playing field for overseas investors, addressing a major US complaint. But "a significant improvement is... not very likely," said Song Houze, a research fellow at The Paulson Institute. "The existence of thorny issues like SOE and tech make a major deal unlikely, which means the existing tariff will most likely stay." The latest truce, however, was essential for both sides as both face cooling domestic growth, he said. 'Off the table' US restrictions on Chinese investments in its high-tech sectors -- blocking Huawei from government contracts -- and sanctions on a series of China's tech giants have also cast a shadow on trade negotiations. The US commerce department said last week it will blacklist 28 Chinese entities it says are implicated in rights violations and abuses in China's Xinjiang region. "Even if the US and China reach a comprehensive trade deal, the US will likely tighten restrictions on China's access to technology in the coming years," said Wang Tao, head of Asia economics at UBS Investment Bank. "The US has elevated this issue to national security and it may be hard to reverse, no matter what kind of agreement they reach (or not) on Huawei," said Wang Tao, head of Asia economics at UBS Investment Bank.

Partial US-China trade deal only 'baby step' as thorny issues remain

Basking in the rich heritage of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping enjoyed a thrilling cultural performance at the centuries-old Shore Temple with the Bay of Bengal in the backdrop.

The programme showcased the Indian classical dance forms of Kathakali and Bharatnatyam to fast-paced Carnatic music, highlighting the region's magnificent roots.

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Mahabalipuram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend cultural program at the Shore Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site. <a href="https://t.co/XynWn8jVFf">pic.twitter.com/XynWn8jVFf</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1182645205733785600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Kick-starting the second informal summit, Prime Minister Modi took the visiting Chinese dignitary on a tour of UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Arjuna's Penance, Krishna's Butter Ball and the Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram, before settling down for the colourful performances.&nbsp;

The city is famed for its temples and architecture which date back to the Pallava Dynasty.

Xi was received in the coastal city by a veshti-wearing Modi earlier in the day. While the Chinese President opted for a relaxed outfit comprising of a crisp white full-sleeved shirt and black trousers, Modi looked like a true son of the soil in a veshti, angvastram and a white half-sleeved shirt for the first day of the informal summit.

The meeting is a follow up to the inaugural summit which was held in Wuhan from April 27 to 28 last year.

Taking forward the Wuhan Spirit, the Mahabalipuram meet will provide an opportunity to the Chinese President and PM Modi to continue their discussions on overarching issues of bilateral, regional and global importance and to exchange views on deepening India-China Closer Development Partnership, the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

President Xi was earlier accorded a grand welcome by people who lined the streets along with traditional drum players, creating a warm environment which personified the Indian belief of 'Atithi Devo Bhava'.

Basking in the rich heritage of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping enjoyed a thrilling cultural performance at the centuries-old Shore Temple with the Bay of Bengal in the backdrop.

Basking in the rich heritage of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping enjoyed a thrilling cultural performance at the centuries-old Shore Temple with the Bay of Bengal in the backdrop. The programme showcased the Indian classical dance forms of Kathakali and Bharatnatyam to fast-paced Carnatic music, highlighting the region's magnificent roots. Mahabalipuram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend cultural program at the Shore Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site. pic.twitter.com/XynWn8jVFf — ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019 × Kick-starting the second informal summit, Prime Minister Modi took the visiting Chinese dignitary on a tour of UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Arjuna's Penance, Krishna's Butter Ball and the Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram, before settling down for the colourful performances. The city is famed for its temples and architecture which date back to the Pallava Dynasty. Xi was received in the coastal city by a veshti-wearing Modi earlier in the day. While the Chinese President opted for a relaxed outfit comprising of a crisp white full-sleeved shirt and black trousers, Modi looked like a true son of the soil in a veshti, angvastram and a white half-sleeved shirt for the first day of the informal summit. The meeting is a follow up to the inaugural summit which was held in Wuhan from April 27 to 28 last year. Taking forward the Wuhan Spirit, the Mahabalipuram meet will provide an opportunity to the Chinese President and PM Modi to continue their discussions on overarching issues of bilateral, regional and global importance and to exchange views on deepening India-China Closer Development Partnership, the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement. President Xi was earlier accorded a grand welcome by people who lined the streets along with traditional drum players, creating a warm environment which personified the Indian belief of 'Atithi Devo Bhava'.

Mamallapuram: Modi, Xi enjoy Carnatic music, Kathakali at sea-facing Shore Temple

Looking every bit Tamil, a veshti-wearing Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Chinese President Xi Jinping in the historic coastal city of Mamallapuram for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-rolls-out-red-carpet-to-welcome-xi-in-chennai-255256">second informal summit.</a>

Both the leaders had arrived in Chennai on Friday, following which they headed towards Mamallapuram for the two-day summit from October 11 to 12.

The summit is a follow up to the inaugural meet which was held in Wuhan from April 27 to 28 last year.

While Modi looked like a true son of the soil in his veshti, half sleeved white shirt and angvastram, Xi donned a relaxed look in a crisp white full-sleeved shirt with black trousers.

Kickstarting their informal meet, Modi took Xi on a guided tour at the magnificent relief structure Arjuna`s Penance, which was carved in the mid-seventh century.

Taking forward the Wuhan Spirit, the Mamallapuram meet will provide an opportunity to the Chinese President and PM Modi to continue their discussions on overarching issues of bilateral, regional and global importance and to exchange views on deepening India-China Closer Development Partnership, the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

The two leaders are also slated to visit the Panch Rathas and the Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram, which is known for its architecture and temples which date back to the Pallava Dynasty.

President Xi was earlier accorded a grand welcome by people who lined the streets along with traditional drum players, creating a warm environment which personified the Indian belief of `Atithi Devo Bhava`.

Looking every bit Tamil, a veshti-wearing Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Chinese President Xi Jinping in the historic coastal city of Mamallapuram for the second informal summit.

Looking every bit Tamil, a veshti-wearing Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Chinese President Xi Jinping in the historic coastal city of Mamallapuram for the second informal summit. Both the leaders had arrived in Chennai on Friday, following which they headed towards Mamallapuram for the two-day summit from October 11 to 12. The summit is a follow up to the inaugural meet which was held in Wuhan from April 27 to 28 last year. While Modi looked like a true son of the soil in his veshti, half sleeved white shirt and angvastram, Xi donned a relaxed look in a crisp white full-sleeved shirt with black trousers. Kickstarting their informal meet, Modi took Xi on a guided tour at the magnificent relief structure Arjuna`s Penance, which was carved in the mid-seventh century. Taking forward the Wuhan Spirit, the Mamallapuram meet will provide an opportunity to the Chinese President and PM Modi to continue their discussions on overarching issues of bilateral, regional and global importance and to exchange views on deepening India-China Closer Development Partnership, the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement. The two leaders are also slated to visit the Panch Rathas and the Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram, which is known for its architecture and temples which date back to the Pallava Dynasty. President Xi was earlier accorded a grand welcome by people who lined the streets along with traditional drum players, creating a warm environment which personified the Indian belief of `Atithi Devo Bhava`.

Wearing veshti, PM Modi receives Xi in Mahabalipuram

As violence flares in Hong Kong, a look at controversial anti-mask ban

Hong Kong authorities start arrests after violent clashes

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-marks-70-years-of-communism-with-massive-show-of-force-252955">China</a> celebrated its growing power and confidence with a massive display of military hardware and goose-stepping troops in Beijing on Tuesday, overseen by President&nbsp;Xi&nbsp;Jinping who pledged&nbsp;peaceful&nbsp;development&nbsp;on the 70th birthday of Communist China.

The event is the&nbsp;country's most important of the year as China looks to project its assurance in the face of mounting challenges, including nearly four months of anti-government protests in Hong Kong and an economy-sapping trade war with the United States.

Xi, dressed in a slate grey "Mao" suit and accompanied by his predecessors Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin, said China will pursue a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up.

The&nbsp;country's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-70th-anniversary-national-day-parade-china-unveils-dongfeng-41-nuke-missile-that-can-strike-us-in-30-minutes-252957">military</a> should resolutely safeguard&nbsp;China's&nbsp;sovereignty, security, and&nbsp;development&nbsp;interests, and firmly uphold world peace,&nbsp;Xi&nbsp;told a handpicked crowd at Tiananmen Square, in comments carried live on state television.

"We must adhere to the&nbsp;path&nbsp;of&nbsp;peaceful&nbsp;development, pursue a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up, and continue to push forward to create a community of shared future for mankind together with people of all the other countries,"&nbsp;Xi&nbsp;said from the Gate of Heavenly Peace, where Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China on this day in 1949.

China must maintain lasting prosperity and stability in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/street-fires-burn-in-hong-kong-amid-running-battles-between-protesters-and-police-252690">Hong Kong</a> and Macao, promote the&nbsp;peaceful&nbsp;development&nbsp;of relations with self-ruled Taiwan and "continue to strive for the motherland's complete reunification", he added.

Xi, whose military modernisation programme has rattled nerves around the region, then descended to the street and inspected row upon row of military hardware and immaculately presented troops.

Riding past in a black limousine,&nbsp;Xi&nbsp;bellowed; "Hello comrades, hard-working comrades!"

The massed ranks of soldiers shouted back: "Follow the Party! Fight to win! Forge exemplary conduct!"

Xi&nbsp;remains broadly popular in China for his aggressive campaign against corruption and for propelling what is now the world's second-biggest economy to the forefront of global politics.

But the Communist Party remains nervous about its grip on power and international standing.

The capital has been locked down for the parade.

China celebrated its growing power and confidence with a massive display of military hardware and goose-stepping troops in Beijing on Tuesday, overseen by President Xi Jinping who pledged peaceful development on the 70th birthday of Communist China.

China celebrated its growing power and confidence with a massive display of military hardware and goose-stepping troops in Beijing on Tuesday, overseen by President Xi Jinping who pledged peaceful development on the 70th birthday of Communist China. The event is the country's most important of the year as China looks to project its assurance in the face of mounting challenges, including nearly four months of anti-government protests in Hong Kong and an economy-sapping trade war with the United States. Xi, dressed in a slate grey "Mao" suit and accompanied by his predecessors Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin, said China will pursue a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up. The country's military should resolutely safeguard China's sovereignty, security, and development interests, and firmly uphold world peace, Xi told a handpicked crowd at Tiananmen Square, in comments carried live on state television. "We must adhere to the path of peaceful development, pursue a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up, and continue to push forward to create a community of shared future for mankind together with people of all the other countries," Xi said from the Gate of Heavenly Peace, where Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China on this day in 1949. China must maintain lasting prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao, promote the peaceful development of relations with self-ruled Taiwan and "continue to strive for the motherland's complete reunification", he added. Xi, whose military modernisation programme has rattled nerves around the region, then descended to the street and inspected row upon row of military hardware and immaculately presented troops. Riding past in a black limousine, Xi bellowed; "Hello comrades, hard-working comrades!" The massed ranks of soldiers shouted back: "Follow the Party! Fight to win! Forge exemplary conduct!" Xi remains broadly popular in China for his aggressive campaign against corruption and for propelling what is now the world's second-biggest economy to the forefront of global politics. But the Communist Party remains nervous about its grip on power and international standing. The capital has been locked down for the parade.

Chinese President Xi Jinping says country will stay on path of peaceful development

China's Tiananmen Square lit up as the country celebrated 70 years of the founding of the People's Republic.

Thousands of participants filled the&nbsp;Square with Chinese President Xi looking on as people with people from around the country in attendance.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/china-celebrates-70th-anniversary-of-communist-rule-252939">See Photos: China's extravagant display of its military prowess</a>

Earlier, China's military&nbsp;showed off new equipment at a parade in central Beijing including hypersonic-glide missiles that experts say could be difficult for the United States to counter.

Among the weapons were the Dongfeng-21D (DF-21D) which can hit warships at sea at a range of up to 1,500 kilometres, and the DF-26 intermediate range missile.&nbsp;

The parade which lasted for over two hours saw 15,000 soldiers, 70 floats and 100,000 civilians gripped in national fervour as China put on a display for the worldwide audience to remember.

China's Tiananmen Square lit up as the country celebrated 70 years of the founding of the People's Republic. Thousands of participants filled the Square with Chinese President Xi looking on as people with people from around the country in attendance.

China's Tiananmen Square lit up as the country celebrated 70 years of the founding of the People's Republic. Thousands of participants filled the Square with Chinese President Xi looking on as people with people from around the country in attendance. See Photos: China's extravagant display of its military prowess Earlier, China's military showed off new equipment at a parade in central Beijing including hypersonic-glide missiles that experts say could be difficult for the United States to counter. Among the weapons were the Dongfeng-21D (DF-21D) which can hit warships at sea at a range of up to 1,500 kilometres, and the DF-26 intermediate range missile. The parade which lasted for over two hours saw 15,000 soldiers, 70 floats and 100,000 civilians gripped in national fervour as China put on a display for the worldwide audience to remember.

People's Republic of China celebrates 70th anniversary in Beijing

Missiles and pyrotechnics: China set to celebrate 70th anniversary

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/oil-prices-drop-as-trade-tensions-stoke-economy-worries-234147">Oil prices</a> slipped on Monday after China posted its slowest quarterly economic growth in at least 27 years, reinforcing concerns about demand in the world's largest crude oil importer.

Brent crude futures for September fell 15 cents, or 0.2 per cent, to $66.57 a barrel by 0611 GMT while US crude for August was down 24 cents, or 0.4 per cent, at $59.97 a barrel. Both contracts last week posted their biggest weekly gains in three weeks on cuts in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/oil-prices-jump-45-per-cent-on-united-states-crude-stocks-draw-gulf-of-mexico-storm-234960">US oil production</a> and diplomatic tensions in the Middle East.

Refineries in the path of Tropical Storm Barry continued to operate despite flood threats while the storm has slashed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-orleans-braces-for-flooding-trump-declares-emergency-ahead-of-storm-barry-235308">US Gulf of Mexico</a> crude output by 73per cent, or 1.38 million barrels per day.

"The supply side is keeping prices firm," said Michael McCarthy, chief market strategist at CMC Markets in Sydney.

China's economic growth slowed to 6.2 per cent in the second quarter from a year earlier, in line with analysts' expectations, with demand at home and abroad faltering as the Sino-US trade war bites.

Still, China's industrial output and retail sales beat forecasts, "suggesting that the economy in China is healthier than we previously been pricing," McCarthy said.

China's crude oil throughput rose to a record of 13.07 million barrels per day in June, up 7.7 per cent from a year earlier, following the start-up of two new, large refineries, official data showed on Monday.

ANZ analysts said China's crude oil imports year-to-date still looked impressive even as imports fell in June for a second straight month.

"We believe additional crude oil quota (given) to private refiners should keep the imports upbeat in H2 2019," the bank said.

In the Middle East, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a televised speech on Sunday that Iran is ready to hold talks with the United States if Washington lifts sanctions and returns to the 2015 nuclear deal it quit last year.

Meanwhile Britain has offered to facilitate the release of the detained Iranian oil tanker Grace 1 if Tehran gave guarantees that it would not go to Syria.

"The Iran situation is also in focus. It's not making headlines but it has the potential to move markets around," CMC Markets' McCarthy said.

Oil prices slipped on Monday after China posted its slowest quarterly economic growth in at least 27 years, reinforcing concerns about demand in the world's largest crude oil importer.

Oil prices slipped on Monday after China posted its slowest quarterly economic growth in at least 27 years, reinforcing concerns about demand in the world's largest crude oil importer. Brent crude futures for September fell 15 cents, or 0.2 per cent, to $66.57 a barrel by 0611 GMT while US crude for August was down 24 cents, or 0.4 per cent, at $59.97 a barrel. Both contracts last week posted their biggest weekly gains in three weeks on cuts in US oil production and diplomatic tensions in the Middle East. Refineries in the path of Tropical Storm Barry continued to operate despite flood threats while the storm has slashed US Gulf of Mexico crude output by 73per cent, or 1.38 million barrels per day. "The supply side is keeping prices firm," said Michael McCarthy, chief market strategist at CMC Markets in Sydney. China's economic growth slowed to 6.2 per cent in the second quarter from a year earlier, in line with analysts' expectations, with demand at home and abroad faltering as the Sino-US trade war bites. Still, China's industrial output and retail sales beat forecasts, "suggesting that the economy in China is healthier than we previously been pricing," McCarthy said. China's crude oil throughput rose to a record of 13.07 million barrels per day in June, up 7.7 per cent from a year earlier, following the start-up of two new, large refineries, official data showed on Monday. ANZ analysts said China's crude oil imports year-to-date still looked impressive even as imports fell in June for a second straight month. "We believe additional crude oil quota (given) to private refiners should keep the imports upbeat in H2 2019," the bank said. In the Middle East, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a televised speech on Sunday that Iran is ready to hold talks with the United States if Washington lifts sanctions and returns to the 2015 nuclear deal it quit last year. Meanwhile Britain has offered to facilitate the release of the detained Iranian oil tanker Grace 1 if Tehran gave guarantees that it would not go to Syria. "The Iran situation is also in focus. It's not making headlines but it has the potential to move markets around," CMC Markets' McCarthy said.

Slower China Gross Domestic Product growth nudges oil prices lower

Anti-government <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dancing-aunties-spark-new-hong-kong-protest-233608">protesters in Hong Kong</a> began circulating plans on Monday to "stress test" the Bank of China in their bid to keep the pressure on the city's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-a-bid-to-keep-up-pressure-on-citys-pro-beijing-leaders-hong-kong-protesters-take-aim-at-china-station-233724">pro-Beijing leaders</a> after five people were arrested in the latest clashes with police.

The finance hub has been plunged into its worst crisis in recent history following a month of huge marches as well as separate violent confrontations with police involving a minority of hardcore protesters.&nbsp;

The rallies were sparked by a now-suspended law that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China, but have since morphed into a wider movement calling for democratic reforms and a halt to sliding freedoms in the semi-autonomous territory.

Sunday night saw fresh political violence break out in the <a href="district of Mongkok">district of Mongkok</a> as police baton-charged small groups of masked, largely young protesters who were walking along roads and refused to disperse following another massive, peaceful rally earlier in the day.

Police said the group was taking part in an "unlawful assembly" and had been warned that officers would take action.&nbsp;

"Some protesters resisted and police arrested five persons for assaulting a police officer and obstructing a police officer in the execution of duties," a statement said.

Another protester was arrested earlier in the day for failing to provide identification during a stop and search.

'Excessive force'&nbsp;

Activists hit out at the police tactics, saying the protesters had remained peaceful as they made their way home, and that violence was started by a shield wall of riot officers that had blocked the crowd's path.&nbsp;

"HKers joined rally peacefully... against extradition, bill results in being beaten and assaulted by HK Police," democracy activist Joshua Wong wrote in a tweet accompanying pictures of at least two protesters with bleeding head wounds.&nbsp;

"Just another example of excessive force used by the police," he added in another tweet.

By Monday morning, online groups were already planning more protests on encrypted messenger apps and chat forums that have been successfully used by demonstrators to bring out huge crowds.&nbsp;

One proposal going viral was a call to collectively withdraw funds from the Bank of China this Saturday to "stress test" the organisation's liquidity.

Shares in the bank were down about one per cent Monday in line with the broader market.

The state-owned Bank of China's towering Hong Kong headquarters is one of the most recognisable buildings in the territory's famous skyline and the organisation is one of three banks licensed to issue its notes.&nbsp;

Public anger has soared against the city's pro-Beijing leaders and its police force after officers used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters outside parliament last month.&nbsp;

Last Monday, anger peaked as hundreds of demonstrators stormed and trashed the city's parliament.

Those unprecedented scenes and renewed huge marches have failed to persuade the government, whose sole concession so far has been to suspend the loathed extradition bill.

Protester demands&nbsp;

Protesters are demanding the bill be scrapped entirely, an independent inquiry into police tactics, amnesty for those arrested, and for the city's unelected leader Carrie Lam to step down.

They have also demanded authorities stop characterising protesters as "rioters", a definition that carries much steeper jail terms.

Beijing has thrown its full support behind the embattled Lam, calling on police to pursue anyone involved in the parliament storming and other clashes.

Except for a pre-dawn press conference after parliament was stormed, Lam has virtually disappeared from public view in recent weeks with little clue as to what direction her administration intends to take.

Her office announced she planned to speak to the media on Tuesday morning, the first appearance in over a week.&nbsp;

Despite repeated requests, police have not released a breakdown of how many people have been detained in the last month of protests.

A tally kept by AFP shows at least 72 people have been arrested, though it is not clear how many have been charged.

Sunday's rally outside a controversial train station that runs to the mainland drew 230,000 people, organisers said, after calls for the gathering started on online forums and snowballed.

Police estimated 56,000 people attended the protest at its peak. 
&nbsp;

Anti-government protesters in Hong Kong began circulating plans on Monday to "stress test" the Bank of China in their bid to keep the pressure on the city's pro-Beijing leaders after five people were arrested in the latest clashes with police.

Anti-government protesters in Hong Kong began circulating plans on Monday to "stress test" the Bank of China in their bid to keep the pressure on the city's pro-Beijing leaders after five people were arrested in the latest clashes with police. The finance hub has been plunged into its worst crisis in recent history following a month of huge marches as well as separate violent confrontations with police involving a minority of hardcore protesters. The rallies were sparked by a now-suspended law that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China, but have since morphed into a wider movement calling for democratic reforms and a halt to sliding freedoms in the semi-autonomous territory. Sunday night saw fresh political violence break out in the district of Mongkok as police baton-charged small groups of masked, largely young protesters who were walking along roads and refused to disperse following another massive, peaceful rally earlier in the day. Police said the group was taking part in an "unlawful assembly" and had been warned that officers would take action. "Some protesters resisted and police arrested five persons for assaulting a police officer and obstructing a police officer in the execution of duties," a statement said. Another protester was arrested earlier in the day for failing to provide identification during a stop and search. 'Excessive force' Activists hit out at the police tactics, saying the protesters had remained peaceful as they made their way home, and that violence was started by a shield wall of riot officers that had blocked the crowd's path. "HKers joined rally peacefully... against extradition, bill results in being beaten and assaulted by HK Police," democracy activist Joshua Wong wrote in a tweet accompanying pictures of at least two protesters with bleeding head wounds. "Just another example of excessive force used by the police," he added in another tweet. By Monday morning, online groups were already planning more protests on encrypted messenger apps and chat forums that have been successfully used by demonstrators to bring out huge crowds. One proposal going viral was a call to collectively withdraw funds from the Bank of China this Saturday to "stress test" the organisation's liquidity. Shares in the bank were down about one per cent Monday in line with the broader market. The state-owned Bank of China's towering Hong Kong headquarters is one of the most recognisable buildings in the territory's famous skyline and the organisation is one of three banks licensed to issue its notes. Public anger has soared against the city's pro-Beijing leaders and its police force after officers used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters outside parliament last month. Last Monday, anger peaked as hundreds of demonstrators stormed and trashed the city's parliament. Those unprecedented scenes and renewed huge marches have failed to persuade the government, whose sole concession so far has been to suspend the loathed extradition bill. Protester demands Protesters are demanding the bill be scrapped entirely, an independent inquiry into police tactics, amnesty for those arrested, and for the city's unelected leader Carrie Lam to step down. They have also demanded authorities stop characterising protesters as "rioters", a definition that carries much steeper jail terms. Beijing has thrown its full support behind the embattled Lam, calling on police to pursue anyone involved in the parliament storming and other clashes. Except for a pre-dawn press conference after parliament was stormed, Lam has virtually disappeared from public view in recent weeks with little clue as to what direction her administration intends to take. Her office announced she planned to speak to the media on Tuesday morning, the first appearance in over a week. Despite repeated requests, police have not released a breakdown of how many people have been detained in the last month of protests. A tally kept by AFP shows at least 72 people have been arrested, though it is not clear how many have been charged. Sunday's rally outside a controversial train station that runs to the mainland drew 230,000 people, organisers said, after calls for the gathering started on online forums and snowballed. Police estimated 56,000 people attended the protest at its peak.

Hong Kong protesters moot Bank of China 'stress test' after latest clashes

<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

Britain's Foreign Secretary <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-race-for-no-10-uks-johnson-and-hunt-vow-to-splash-the-cash-231797">Jeremy Hunt</a> said on Thursday that he had not backed violent protests in Hong Kong after Chinese state media blamed interference by Western governments for unrest in the former British colony.

"Let me clarify what I said. I said that I condemned, and we as the United Kingdom, condemn all violence and that people who supported the pro-democracy demonstrators would have been very dismayed by the scenes they saw," Hunt told BBC radio.

Hunt said authorities had to deal with the root causes of the protests over a now-suspended extradition law in Hong Kong. He also said there was no reason why good relations between Britain and China could not continue.

Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Thursday that he had not backed violent protests in Hong Kong after Chinese state media blamed interference by Western governments for unrest in the former British colony.

Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Thursday that he had not backed violent protests in Hong Kong after Chinese state media blamed interference by Western governments for unrest in the former British colony. "Let me clarify what I said. I said that I condemned, and we as the United Kingdom, condemn all violence and that people who supported the pro-democracy demonstrators would have been very dismayed by the scenes they saw," Hunt told BBC radio. Hunt said authorities had to deal with the root causes of the protests over a now-suspended extradition law in Hong Kong. He also said there was no reason why good relations between Britain and China could not continue.

United Kingdom's Jeremy Hunt denies he supported violent protests in Hong Kong

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/chinas-factory-activity-shrinks-as-us-tariffs-slowdown-hit-orders-231705">Existing US tariffs</a> will have to be removed if there is to be a trade deal between <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-ready-to-fight-us-on-trade-but-door-open-for-talks-defence-minister-223524">Beijing and Washington</a>, China's commerce ministry said on Thursday.

The leaders of the two countries agreed last weekend to relaunch trade talks that had stalled in May after US officials accused China of pulling back from commitments made in the text of pact negotiators had said was nearly finished.

Trade teams from both countries are in contact, commerce ministry spokesman Gao Feng told a regular media briefing.

To get talks restarted, US President Donald Trump had agreed not to put tariffs on about $300 billion in additional Chinese imports and ease curbs on Chinese tech giant Huawei.

The United States now has tariffs of 25% on $250 billion of Chinese goods, ranging from furniture to semiconductors.

China welcomes the US decision not to slap new tariffs on its goods, Gao said, when asked how long the trade truce can last.

Existing US tariffs will have to be removed if there is to be a trade deal between Beijing and Washington, China's commerce ministry said on Thursday. The leaders of the two countries agreed last weekend to relaunch trade talks that had stalled in May after US officials accused China of pulling back from commitments made in the text of pact negotiators had said was nearly finished.

Existing US tariffs will have to be removed if there is to be a trade deal between Beijing and Washington, China's commerce ministry said on Thursday. The leaders of the two countries agreed last weekend to relaunch trade talks that had stalled in May after US officials accused China of pulling back from commitments made in the text of pact negotiators had said was nearly finished. Trade teams from both countries are in contact, commerce ministry spokesman Gao Feng told a regular media briefing. To get talks restarted, US President Donald Trump had agreed not to put tariffs on about $300 billion in additional Chinese imports and ease curbs on Chinese tech giant Huawei. The United States now has tariffs of 25% on $250 billion of Chinese goods, ranging from furniture to semiconductors. China welcomes the US decision not to slap new tariffs on its goods, Gao said, when asked how long the trade truce can last.

China says existing United States tariffs must be removed for a trade deal

China on Tuesday rebuked<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-vietnam-worse-than-china-on-trade-230655"> Donald Trump</a> for "gross interference" in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-police-retake-parliament-from-anti-government-protesters-232153">Hong Kong's affairs</a> after the US president said protesters who stormed the city's legislature wanted democracy for the financial hub.

Trump weighed in on the protests in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-urges-uk-to-stop-interfering-in-hong-kong-affairs-230624">Hong Kong</a> on Monday, saying the demonstrators are "looking for democracy" but that "some governments don't want democracy".

"We deplore and strongly oppose the relevant country's gross interference in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular press briefing.

China, he added, warns "the relevant country to speak and act cautiously and stop interfering in Hong Kong's internal affairs in any form".

He also said the United States should "not in any form support those engaged in violence and breaking the law".

The semi-autonomous financial hub has been thrown into crisis by weeks of demonstrations over a bill that would allow extraditions to the Chinese mainland, with the issue becoming a lightning rod for resentment towards Beijing.

On Monday, the 22nd anniversary of the city's handover to China -- anger spilt over as groups of mostly young, hardline protesters, breached the legislative council.

Blatant challenge

Beijing called for a criminal probe into what it dubbed a "blatant challenge" to the "one country, two systems" arrangement that has allowed Hong Kong to have its own laws, granting it special rights including freedom of speech.

The US had said that Trump would discuss Hong Kong when he met Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 in Japan on Saturday, during which the two leaders agreed to a trade-war ceasefire.

Asked whether the two leaders discussed Hong Kong, Geng referred to previous statements about the meeting which did not mention the topic.

"China's position on Hong Kong is consistent and clear and firm and I believe the US knows this very well," he said.

Geng also lashed out at "gross interference" from British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who wrote on Twitter that London's support for "Hong Kong and its freedoms is Unwavering" on the anniversary of the handover.

"We are unswerving in our determination to oppose foreign interference. We demand the UK reflect upon the consequences of its mistaken words and deeds and stop interfering in Hong Kong's and China's internal affairs in any form," he said.

China on Tuesday rebuked Donald Trump for "gross interference" in Hong Kong's affairs after the US president said protesters who stormed the city's legislature wanted democracy for the financial hub.

China on Tuesday rebuked Donald Trump for "gross interference" in Hong Kong's affairs after the US president said protesters who stormed the city's legislature wanted democracy for the financial hub. Trump weighed in on the protests in Hong Kong on Monday, saying the demonstrators are "looking for democracy" but that "some governments don't want democracy". "We deplore and strongly oppose the relevant country's gross interference in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular press briefing. China, he added, warns "the relevant country to speak and act cautiously and stop interfering in Hong Kong's internal affairs in any form". He also said the United States should "not in any form support those engaged in violence and breaking the law". The semi-autonomous financial hub has been thrown into crisis by weeks of demonstrations over a bill that would allow extraditions to the Chinese mainland, with the issue becoming a lightning rod for resentment towards Beijing. On Monday, the 22nd anniversary of the city's handover to China -- anger spilt over as groups of mostly young, hardline protesters, breached the legislative council. Blatant challenge Beijing called for a criminal probe into what it dubbed a "blatant challenge" to the "one country, two systems" arrangement that has allowed Hong Kong to have its own laws, granting it special rights including freedom of speech. The US had said that Trump would discuss Hong Kong when he met Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 in Japan on Saturday, during which the two leaders agreed to a trade-war ceasefire. Asked whether the two leaders discussed Hong Kong, Geng referred to previous statements about the meeting which did not mention the topic. "China's position on Hong Kong is consistent and clear and firm and I believe the US knows this very well," he said. Geng also lashed out at "gross interference" from British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who wrote on Twitter that London's support for "Hong Kong and its freedoms is Unwavering" on the anniversary of the handover. "We are unswerving in our determination to oppose foreign interference. We demand the UK reflect upon the consequences of its mistaken words and deeds and stop interfering in Hong Kong's and China's internal affairs in any form," he said.

China slams Donald Trump's 'gross interference' in Hong Kong

<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

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 href="https://www.wionews.com/americas/china-loves-ripping-off-america-says-us-president-donald-trump-218218">China </a>has asked Canada to suspend all meat exports after discovering bogus veterinary health certificates attached to a batch of pork, its embassy said Tuesday, as Canadian police launched a criminal probe.

The embassy in Ottawa said a customs investigation launched after the discovery of traces of a banned feed additive &nbsp;revealed that up to 188 forged certificates had been provided to Chinese officials through "Canadian official certificate notification channels."

"In order to protect the safety of Chinese consumers, China has taken urgent preventive measures and requested the Canadian government to suspend the issuance of certificates for meat exported to China since June 25," it said.

A Canadian government official confirmed to AFP that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has been called in to investigate the case for possible criminality.

Meanwhile, according to Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has reached out to its Chinese counterpart for more information about the forgery allegations.

In a statement, she said the CFIA "has identified a problem with false export certificates that could affect exports of pork and beef products to China."

The agency, she added, "has taken steps to remedy the situation" while continuing to work with industry partners and Chinese authorities.

Bibeau noted that the issue "does not affect export certificates to other countries."

The official Xinhua news agency earlier this month said that customs officials in the eastern city of Nanjing had found that recent pork shipments from Frigo Royal contained Ractopamine.

The feed additive, which boosts the growth of animals, is widely used in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-executive-asks-canada-to-quash-us-extradition-request-230152">United States</a> but banned in the European Union and China.

Bibeau said this month that Chinese customs had increased inspections of Canadian imports amid frosty relations over the December arrest of a senior executive of telecoms giant Huawei on a US extradition request related to alleged Iran sanctions violations.

China has asked Canada to suspend all meat exports after discovering bogus veterinary health certificates attached to a batch of pork, its embassy said Tuesday, as Canadian police launched a criminal probe.

China has asked Canada to suspend all meat exports after discovering bogus veterinary health certificates attached to a batch of pork, its embassy said Tuesday, as Canadian police launched a criminal probe. The embassy in Ottawa said a customs investigation launched after the discovery of traces of a banned feed additive revealed that up to 188 forged certificates had been provided to Chinese officials through "Canadian official certificate notification channels." "In order to protect the safety of Chinese consumers, China has taken urgent preventive measures and requested the Canadian government to suspend the issuance of certificates for meat exported to China since June 25," it said. A Canadian government official confirmed to AFP that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has been called in to investigate the case for possible criminality. Meanwhile, according to Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has reached out to its Chinese counterpart for more information about the forgery allegations. In a statement, she said the CFIA "has identified a problem with false export certificates that could affect exports of pork and beef products to China." The agency, she added, "has taken steps to remedy the situation" while continuing to work with industry partners and Chinese authorities. Bibeau noted that the issue "does not affect export certificates to other countries." The official Xinhua news agency earlier this month said that customs officials in the eastern city of Nanjing had found that recent pork shipments from Frigo Royal contained Ractopamine. The feed additive, which boosts the growth of animals, is widely used in the United States but banned in the European Union and China. Bibeau said this month that Chinese customs had increased inspections of Canadian imports amid frosty relations over the December arrest of a senior executive of telecoms giant Huawei on a US extradition request related to alleged Iran sanctions violations.

China halts Canadian meat exports over fake certificates

Instead of waging a trade war with China, the United States should drop its win-at-all-costs mentality and consider the interests of its people as well as the global community, the official People's Daily said an editorial on Saturday.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/alibaba-is-the-force-behind-hit-chinese-communist-party-app-report-198138">Chinese Communist Party</a>'s newspaper urged the United States to cancel all tariffs on Chinese goods, saying the only way to resolve trade issues was through "equal dialogue".

Hopes that the two sides can rekindle negotiations were raised in the run-up to a meeting next week between <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-china-rekindle-trade-talks-ahead-of-donald-trump-xi-jinping-g20-meeting-228545">President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Donald Trump</a> in Japan, where they will both attend a Group of 20 summits.

The Office of the US Trade Representative is holding seven days of hearings from manufacturers and other businesses likely to be affected by a new round of tariffs on $300 billion worth of Chinese imports proposed by US President Donald Trump.

The People's Daily said all previous hearings had shown "overwhelming" opposition to tariff increases from all walks of life, but it had made no difference.

"It seems that some people in the United States are waving the tariff stick to strengthen their so-called 'industrial competitive advantage'," it said.

"They do not consider public opinion, do not consider national conditions, and do not take the international economic order into account. They just want the renown as 'winners' but cannot understand the fact that they basically cannot win."

The US National Retail Federation (NRF) said on Friday that the proposed tariff extension on Chinese goods, including cellphones and computers, could cost US consumers an additional $12.2 billion each year.

Instead of waging a trade war with China, the United States should drop its win-at-all-costs mentality and consider the interests of its people as well as the global community, the official People's Daily said an editorial on Saturday.

Instead of waging a trade war with China, the United States should drop its win-at-all-costs mentality and consider the interests of its people as well as the global community, the official People's Daily said an editorial on Saturday. The Chinese Communist Party's newspaper urged the United States to cancel all tariffs on Chinese goods, saying the only way to resolve trade issues was through "equal dialogue". Hopes that the two sides can rekindle negotiations were raised in the run-up to a meeting next week between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Donald Trump in Japan, where they will both attend a Group of 20 summits. The Office of the US Trade Representative is holding seven days of hearings from manufacturers and other businesses likely to be affected by a new round of tariffs on $300 billion worth of Chinese imports proposed by US President Donald Trump. The People's Daily said all previous hearings had shown "overwhelming" opposition to tariff increases from all walks of life, but it had made no difference. "It seems that some people in the United States are waving the tariff stick to strengthen their so-called 'industrial competitive advantage'," it said. "They do not consider public opinion, do not consider national conditions, and do not take the international economic order into account. They just want the renown as 'winners' but cannot understand the fact that they basically cannot win." The US National Retail Federation (NRF) said on Friday that the proposed tariff extension on Chinese goods, including cellphones and computers, could cost US consumers an additional $12.2 billion each year.

China state media urges United States to drop win-at-all-costs trade stance

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

&nbsp;The US&nbsp;President<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-consumers-businesses-to-pay-for-tariffs-on-chinese-goods-expert-219096"> Donald&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;said his tariffs on Chinese goods </a>are causing companies to move production out of China to Vietnam and other countries in Asia and added that any agreement with China cannot be a "50-50" deal.

In an interview with Fox News Channel recorded last week and aired on Sunday night,&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;said that the United States and China "had a very strong deal, we had a good deal, and they changed it. And I said that's OK, we're going to tariff their products."

No further trade talks between top Chinese and US&nbsp;trade negotiators have been scheduled since the last round ended on May 10 - the same day&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;raised the tariff rate on $200 billion worth of Chinese products from 10 per cent.

Trump&nbsp;took the step after China soured the negotiations by seeking major changes to a deal that US&nbsp;officials said had been largely agreed.

Since then, China has struck a sterner tone in its rhetoric, suggesting that a resumption of talks aimed at ending the 10-month trade war between the world's two largest economies was unlikely to happen soon.

Trump, who said the interview with Fox News host Steve Hilton had taken place two days after he raised the tariffs, said he would be happy to simply keep tariffs on Chinese products because the United States would be taking in $100 billion or more in tariffs.

But he added that he believed that China would eventually make a deal with the United States "because they're getting killed with the tariffs, China' getting totally killed."

But he said that he had told<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/there-is-no-clash-between-different-civilisations-says-president-xi-amid-us-china-trade-war-218993"> Chinese President Xi Jinping</a> before the most recent rounds of talks that any deal could not be "50-50" between the two countries and had to be more in favour of the United States because of past trade practices by China.

Trump&nbsp;also said that Democratic presidential candidate and former US vice president Joe Biden should be investigated over a conservative author's allegation that Biden's son Hunter Biden took advantage of his father's position to sign a lucrative business deal with state-controlled Bank of China. The allegation was made in Peter Schweizer's 2018 book "Secret Empires."

Asked if this should be investigated,&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;said,&nbsp;"100 per cent. It’s a disgrace and then (Joe Biden) says China’s not a competitor of ours. China is a massive competitor of ours. They want to take over the world."

The US President Donald Trump said his tariffs on Chinese goods are causing companies to move production out of China to Vietnam and other countries in Asia and added that any agreement with China cannot be a "50-50" deal.

The US President Donald Trump said his tariffs on Chinese goods are causing companies to move production out of China to Vietnam and other countries in Asia and added that any agreement with China cannot be a "50-50" deal. In an interview with Fox News Channel recorded last week and aired on Sunday night, Trump said that the United States and China "had a very strong deal, we had a good deal, and they changed it. And I said that's OK, we're going to tariff their products." No further trade talks between top Chinese and US trade negotiators have been scheduled since the last round ended on May 10 - the same day Trump raised the tariff rate on $200 billion worth of Chinese products from 10 per cent. Trump took the step after China soured the negotiations by seeking major changes to a deal that US officials said had been largely agreed. Since then, China has struck a sterner tone in its rhetoric, suggesting that a resumption of talks aimed at ending the 10-month trade war between the world's two largest economies was unlikely to happen soon. Trump, who said the interview with Fox News host Steve Hilton had taken place two days after he raised the tariffs, said he would be happy to simply keep tariffs on Chinese products because the United States would be taking in $100 billion or more in tariffs. But he added that he believed that China would eventually make a deal with the United States "because they're getting killed with the tariffs, China' getting totally killed." But he said that he had told Chinese President Xi Jinping before the most recent rounds of talks that any deal could not be "50-50" between the two countries and had to be more in favour of the United States because of past trade practices by China. Trump also said that Democratic presidential candidate and former US vice president Joe Biden should be investigated over a conservative author's allegation that Biden's son Hunter Biden took advantage of his father's position to sign a lucrative business deal with state-controlled Bank of China. The allegation was made in Peter Schweizer's 2018 book "Secret Empires." Asked if this should be investigated, Trump said, "100 per cent. It’s a disgrace and then (Joe Biden) says China’s not a competitor of ours. China is a massive competitor of ours. They want to take over the world."

Trump says tariffs making companies leave China, a deal can't be '50-50'

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