China

BEIJING, April 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday held talks with President of the Gabonese Republic Ali Bongo Ondimba, who is on a state visit to China. 

Both leaders have decided to elevate the comprehensive cooperative partnership between the two countries to a “comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.”

Calling President Bongo “an old friend” of the Chinese people, Xi said President Bongo’s visit fully demonstrates the importance and high level of China-Gabon relations.

BEIJING (AP) — China’s foreign minister stepped up threats Friday against the self-governing island of Taiwan, saying any who go against Beijing’s demand to exert control over the island are “playing with fire.”

Qin Gang’s remarks Friday came at the end of a speech espousing China’s contribution to the global economy and the interests of developing nations, in which he repeatedly praised Communist Party Secretary General Xi Jinping’s Global Security Initiative.

BEIJING, April 19 (Reuters) - The European Union has said it is seriously concerned about the arrest of two prominent Chinese human rights activists and has called for their immediate release after they were detained in Beijing last week en route to a meeting with EU officials.

The detention of Yu Wensheng and Xu Yan shortly before their meeting with visiting EU officials last Thursday was "already not acceptable", an EU spokesperson said in an emailed response to Reuters late Tuesday, adding that their "formal arrest on Saturday is a matter of serious concern".

BEIJING (AP) — China’s foreign minister told his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts that his country is ready to help facilitate peace talks between the two sides, in its latest effort at mediation in the region.

In separate phone calls to the two officials on Monday, Qin Gang expressed China’s concern over intensifying tensions between Israel and Palestinians and its support for a resumption of peace talks, the Foreign Ministry said in statements issued late Monday.

BEIJING (AP) — The death toll from a fire at a Beijing hospital has risen to 29, including 26 patients, authorities said Wednesday. A nurse, a medical assistant and a family member also died, said Li Zongrong, deputy head of the Fengtai district.

The fire at the private Changfeng Hospital that broke out Tuesday afternoon forced dozens of people to evacuate and prompted some of those who were trapped to escape from windows using bedsheets tied together.

Beijing, Apr 18 (PTI) Twenty-one people were killed on Tuesday when a hospital building caught fire in China's national capital.

A hospital admissions building in Beijing's Fengtai district caught fire at 12:57pm (local time) on Tuesday, leaving 21 dead and 71 patients displaced, state-run China Daily reported. The cause is currently under investigation, the report said. PTI KJV ZH AKJ.

BEIJING, Apr 17 (APP):At Haikou Fullsing Internet Industrial Park in the capital city of China’s Hainan Province, a young Pakistani entrepreneur has displayed some products imported from Pakistan for potential local and foreign buyers.

“We are importing Basmati rice, pinenuts and pure honey from Pakistan and sell them to the local as well as foreign buyers,” Waheed Yaseen, Operational Director, Hainan Raman Technology told APP on Monday.

BEIJING, Apr 16 (APP): China calls on the two sides in Sudan to stop fighting as soon as possible and prevent the escalation of tension, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Sunday.

“We call on the two sides to stop fighting as soon as possible and prevent the escalation of tensions,” he said in a statement while commenting on situation in Sudan.

He hoped the parties in Sudan will increase dialogue and jointly move forward the political transition process.
China is closely following the latest development of the situation in Sudan, he said.

BEIJING, April 13 (Reuters) - China's Foreign Ministry on Thursday sanctioned chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Michael McCaul for visiting Taiwan, saying he had sent a "serious wrong signal to Taiwan independence separatist forces".

China views democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory and strongly objects to all high-level engagements between foreign and Taiwanese officials, especially if it involves Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen.

BEIJING/TAIPEI, April 13 (Reuters) - China will ban vessels from an area near Taiwan on Sunday because of the possibility of falling rocket debris, its maritime safety agency said on Thursday, which Taiwan's Central News Agency said would be from a weather satellite launch.

The disruption comes during tension in the region over Chinese military exercises around Taiwan, a show of force in response to a meeting last week in Los Angeles between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy.