China

US probes North Korea's willingness to talk

Washington has opened channels to North Korea to find out if the regime is ready to talk about giving up its nuclear weapons, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Saturday.His office in Washington quickly clarified that North Korea has shown no interest in such discussions.Speaking after a day of talks with China's President Xi Jinping and top diplomats, Tillerson told reporters that US officials are in touch with Pyongyang.The disclosure follows an escalating war of words between US Pr

1 October 2017
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Tillerson in China to pile pressure on North Korea

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with China's foreign minister in Beijing on Saturday to discuss efforts to curb North Korea's nuclear ambitions and prepare President Donald Trump's November visit.Tillerson, whose arrival was delayed due to technical problems with his plane in Tokyo, was greeted by Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Great Hall of the People at Tiananmen Square.Tillerson told Wang that he looked forward to an exchange "on issues important to us and in p

30 September 2017
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Leaving no trade deal behind

The TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) may be dead in the water for the US (United States) after President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order in January rescinding his country’s commitments to the trade deal. However, the remaining 11 members are keen on pushing forward with the trade agreement even without the superpower in its fold.“None of the TPP members have declared the agreement to be dead and it is very likely that it will keep going.

29 September 2017
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Thai Ambassador: Kra Canal is a no go

“The return on investment is not attractive enough to go ahead with the plan. International canals like Panama and Suez have been effective because they are essential to trade, cutting off weeks and months of travel," Damrong Kraikruan, Ambassador of Thailand to Malaysia, said in a special media briefing held in Kuala Lumpur.“The most Kra Canal would save shippers is only a few days. Another factor to consider is would west-going ships use it or will they go down to Singapore?

29 September 2017
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Formula One: Malaysian GP '200%' cancelled, says circuit chief

The Malaysian Grand Prix is "200 percent" cancelled after this weekend's final race, the circuit's head told AFP, adding that the loss-making event had been hit hard by competition from neighbouring Singapore.The high-speed Sepang International Circuit, with its tough, tropical recipe of steamy heat and unpredictable rain will disappear from the Formula One calendar after 19 races dating back to 1999. And Asia's second-oldest race after Japan is not likely to return a

29 September 2017
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US-China ties on an upswing as Trump plans trip

The often difficult relations between the world's greatest powers, China and the United States, appear to be improving again as the pair work to resolve the North Korea nuclear stand-off.Washington, and in particular US President Donald Trump, have until very recently been critical of Beijing's cautious approach to its belligerent and nuclear-armed neighbour.But, with a new round of UN-backed sanctions in place, the mood has improved, and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson set off

29 September 2017
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Two giant pandas from China landed in Indonesia

Two giant pandas from China arrived in Indonesia on Thursday in an act of "panda diplomacy" aimed at celebrating 60 years of bilateral ties.Cai Tao and Hu Chun, both aged seven, arrived from Sichuan province and will be housed at a safari zoo in Bogor, a city near the capital Jakarta.The pandas were lent by Beijing to mark the diplomatic anniversary despite recent tensions between the nations, with a number of clashes between Chinese and Indonesian vessels in the South China Sea.The

28 September 2017
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Trump ignores pleas to calm North Korea tensions

Donald Trump on Tuesday accused North Korea of torturing a captive US student "beyond belief," spurning pleas from allies and foes in east Asia to tone down his warlike rhetoric.Trump urged nations to "isolate the North Korean menace" as his administration introduced new sanctions and warned that its "nuclear weapons and missile development threaten the entire word with unthinkable loss of life." The comments, in the White House Rose Garden, came after the US Tre

27 September 2017
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Gadfly: SoftBank can't count on perpetual fans in Asia

Masayoshi Son has found a new breed of believers: yield-hungry Asian investors.SoftBank Group has already issued 7.9 billion dollars of dollar-denominated bonds this year, but there's a key difference versus other offerings.These notes are unique in that they cater specifically to Asian investors.

26 September 2017
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The dragon's acquiescent viceroy

Despite silencing the opposition by arresting opposition icon, Kem Sokha, controversially shutting down an English daily and facing immense criticism for his actions, Hun Sen – Cambodia’s Prime Minister – still sleeps well at night knowing that he has got the resolute backing of a regional superpower.China has continually supported Hun Sen’s actions to protect its national security from Western powers as well as vowing to cooperate and assist the frontier nation in all circumstances.In respon

25 September 2017
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Indonesia: Asia's maritime gateway to the west

Much like how the ancient trade functioned when the Western civilisation of the Roman Empire began to trade with the Chinese Empire in the first century for wool, silver and gold, the maritime silk road in the 21st century is named OBOR (or One Belt, One Road) as it is poised to become a passage way that would contribute to the widespread of trade across the world, while a coherent blueprint is set to interconnect international infrastructures in order to maintain the national interest of the

22 September 2017
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Rail connections: A major boon for ASEAN's economy

Rail connection projects that are currently taking place in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries are expected to be a major boon and catalyst for the region’s economic growth in the coming years. Infrastructure development is vital for developing economies as it promotes and sustains economic growth.

22 September 2017
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