China

CHENGDU, Dec 28 (Reuters) - Chinese hospitals and funeral homes were under intense pressure on Wednesday as a surging COVID-19 wave drained resources, while the scale of the outbreak and doubts over official data prompted some countries to consider new travel rules on Chinese visitors.

In an abrupt change of policy, China this month began dismantling the world's strictest COVID regime of lockdowns and extensive testing, putting its battered economy on course for a complete re-opening next year.

BEIJING (AP) — China says it will resume issuing passports for tourism in another big step away from anti-virus controls that isolated the country for almost three years, setting up a potential flood of Chinese going abroad for next month’s Lunar New Year holiday.

BEIJING, Dec 27 (APP): Deputy Secretary-General, Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Sohail Khan said that banking sector representatives needed to seek and assess optimal and mutually acceptable mechanisms for financing project activities within the SCO.

SHANGHAI, Dec 27 (Reuters) - Tesla (TSLA.O) plans to run a reduced production schedule at its Shanghai plant in January, extending the reduced output it began this month into next year, according to an internal schedule reviewed by Reuters.

Tesla will run production for 17 days in January between Jan. 3 to Jan. 19 and will stop electric vehicle output from Jan. 20 to Jan. 31 for an extended break for Chinese New Year, according to the plan seen by Reuters.

BEIJING (AP) — Foreign companies welcomed China’s decision to end quarantines for travelers from abroad as an important step to revive slumping business activity while Japan on Tuesday joined India in announcing restrictions on visitors from the country as infections surge.

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese authorities are going door to door and paying people older than 60 to get vaccinated against COVID-19. But even as cases surge, 64-year-old Li Liansheng said his friends are alarmed by stories of fevers, blood clots and other side effects.

“When people hear about such incidents, they may not be willing to take the vaccines,” said Li, who had been vaccinated before he caught COVID-19. A few days after his 10-day bout with the virus, Li is nursing a sore throat and cough. He said it was like a “normal cold” with a mild fever.

BEIJING, Dec 26 (APP):Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson on Monday congratulated Pushpa Kamal Dahal on his appointment as the new Prime Minister of Nepal.

We have noted the smooth and successful general elections in Nepal. We congratulate Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda on his appointment as the new Prime Minister of Nepal, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Mao Ning said during her regular briefing held here.

Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal was sworn in as the new Nepali prime minister on Monday.

BAZHOU, China (AP) — Yao Ruyan paced frantically outside the fever clinic of a county hospital in China’s industrial Hebei province, 70 kilometers (43 miles) southwest of Beijing. Her mother-in-law had COVID-19 and needed urgent medical care, but all hospitals nearby were full.

“They say there’s no beds here,” she barked into her phone.

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese authorities are going door to door and paying people older than 60 to get vaccinated against COVID-19. But even as cases surge, 64-year-old Li Liansheng said his friends are alarmed by stories of fevers, blood clots and other side effects.

“When people hear about such incidents, they may not be willing to take the vaccines,” said Li, who had been vaccinated before he caught COVID-19. A few days after his 10-day bout with the virus, Li is nursing a sore throat and cough. He said it was like a “normal cold” with a mild fever.

BEIJING, Dec 25 (APP):The China-Pakistan Youth Exchange Community paid a three-day visit to the Gilgit-Baltistan region and distributed 1,700 packages of food, tarpaulins, quilts, blankets and other supplies among the local people.

Following the recent floods, a significant number of GB people are living in tents and makeshift wooden houses as their homes have been devastated by the deluge.