Page 28 - China

Top headlines: Revellers celebrate New Year, China Covid fight in new phase

Business Standard brings you the top headlines at this hour

Covid fight in new phase, tough challenges ahead for China, says Xi Jinping

China's President Xi Jinping on Saturday acknowledged that the current wave of COVID-19 sweeping across the country has entered a new phase and tough challenges remain as the World Health Organisation (WHO) has asked Beijing to provide more data about the coronavirus variants amid India and other countries ramping up measures to screen travellers from the Communist nation. We have now entered a new phase of COVID-19 response where tough challenges remain, Xi said in his New Year address to the nation, adding that it has not been an easy journey as the country has to face unprecedented difficulties and challenges. Speaking on national television from behind a desk in a wood-paneled office, Xi said that China's extraordinary efforts have helped it prevail over unprecedented difficulties. With extraordinary efforts, we have prevailed over unprecedented difficulties and challenges and it has not been an easy journey for anyone, he said without providing much information about the dire .

RT-PCR test report must for travellers from China, 4 other countries

A pre-departure RT-PCR negative test report will be mandatory from January 1, 2023 for passengers coming in all international flights from China, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, Thailand and Japan. From January 1, 2023, airlines are directed to modify their check-in functionalities to incorporate the changes and issue boarding passes only to those international passengers travelling from these five countries who have submitted self-declaration forms on the Air Suvidha portal. The Ministry of Civil Aviation on December 30, issued revised Covid guidelines for passengers arriving in international flights. RT-PCR testing should have been done 72 hours prior to undertaking the journey. The current practice of random testing of 2 per cent of arriving passengers in each international flight will also continue. These decisions have been taken amid rising cases of coronavirus infections in various parts of the world and reports regarding the circulation of variants of SARS-CoV

China's economic activity at slowest since 2020 as Covid-19 spreads

China's abrupt reversal of its Covid Zero policy pushed economic activity - its service sector in particular - to the slowest pace since February 2020, as the virus swept through major cities

WHO again urges China to regularly share data on Covid-19 situation

The World Health Organization has again urged China to regularly share specific and real-time data on the COVID-19 situation in the country, amid a surge in coronavirus cases after Beijing relaxed its strict "zero-COVID" policy. The global health agency has asked Chinese health officials to share data on genetic sequencing, hospitalisations, deaths and vaccinations. A high-level meeting took place between officials from WHO and China on the current surge in COVID-19 cases to seek further information on the situation, and to offer WHO's expertise and further support, a WHO statement said on Friday. WHO again asked for regular sharing of specific and real-time data on the epidemiological situation including more genetic sequencing data, data on disease impact including hospitalisations, ICU admissions and deaths and data on vaccinations delivered and vaccination status, especially in vulnerable people and those over 60 years old, it added. WHO reiterated the importance of vaccinatio

China factory activity worsens in Dec after sudden reversal of Covid Zero

The official manufacturing purchasing managers index fell to 47 this month from November's 48, the National Bureau of Statistics said Saturday

Covid-mutation risk drives rush to test travellers from China across world

Covid-19 testing requirements for passengers traveling from China highlight mounting concerns about the potential for undetected new strains of the virus spawned by the country's burgeoning outbreak

Covid-19 strategy was 'optimised', says Chinese premier Xi Jinping

Country approves Merck's Covid-19 antiviral as drug shortage continues

China appoints US envoy Qin Gang as new foreign minister to succeed Wang Yi

China has appointed its envoy to the US Qin Gang as the new foreign minister to succeed incumbent Wang Yi, who has been elevated to the Political Bureau -- the ruling Communist Party's top policy body. It is, however, not clear whether Qin, 56, will take over the post immediately. Wang, 69, has been elevated to the high-power Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Congratulations to H.E. Qin Gang @AmbQinGang for his appointment as China's new Foreign Minister! Looking forward to a splendid new chapter in China's diplomacy, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson and Assistant Foreign Minister Hua Chunying tweeted. The announcement was a surprise as the new administration to be headed by the new Premier is scheduled to take over during the annual Parliament session slated to be held from March 5 next year. A new central cabinet called the State Council, replacing the present one headed by Premier Li Keqiang, will take charge during the annual session of the country's

MoCA asks airlines to modify check-in systems from China, 5 other countries

The civil aviation ministry on Friday asked airlines to modify their check-in systems for international passengers coming into India as part of the revised Covid guidelines, which makes a negative Covid test report a must for travellers coming from China and five other countries from Sunday. The ministry's direction comes a day after the health ministry decided to make RT-PCR negative test reports compulsory for passengers coming on all international flights from six high-risk countries --China, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, Thailand and Japan. The new rule will come into effect from January 1, 2023, amid rising coronavirus cases in these six countries and some other parts of the world. Airlines are directed to modify their check-in functionalities to incorporate the changes and issue boarding passes only to those international passengers travelling from the six countries who have submitted self-declaration forms on the Air Suvidha portal, the Ministry of Civil ...

Covid travel curbs against Chinese visitors 'discriminatory': Report

Some places have been taken aback by the scale of outbreak and expressed scepticism, with the US, S Korea, India, Italy, Japan and Taiwan imposing Covid tests for travellers from China

RT-PCR report mandatory for intl' arrivals from 6 countries from Jan 1

The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Friday issued revised Covid guidelines for passengers arriving in international flights, ahead of RT-PCR negative test report being made compulsory for travellers from six countries, including China and Thailand. From January 1, 2023, a pre-departure RT-PCR negative test report will be mandatory for passengers coming in all international flights from China, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, Thailand and Japan. Airlines are directed to modify their check-in functionalities to incorporate the changes and issue boarding passes only to those international passengers travelling from the six countries who have submitted self-declaration forms on the Air Suvidha portal, the ministry said in a communication. "Air Suvidha portal self-declaration has been made operational for passengers travelling in all international flights from China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Republic of Korea, Thailand and Japan, with a provision to allow these international ...

China drafts rules for overseeing trust firms to curb shadow banking

The once-freewheeling trust industry, at the heart of a vast shadow banking sector, for years helped channel funds into companies that struggle to obtain bank credit via opaque structures

China face-off, Assam border dispute hog news in Arunachal Pradesh in 2022

The face-off between the Indian and Chinese soldiers along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the frontier state, efforts for early resolution of disputed areas along its boundary with Assam, the state public service commission paper leak case, dominated news from Arunachal Pradesh through the year. The northeastern state was also in the news for helicopter crashes, flood and landslides. The state government earmarked 2022 as the year of e-governance with 22 people-centric initiatives, making the state a leader in e-governance across the nation. Indian and Chinese troops clashed along the LAC in the Tawang sector in early December and the face-off resulted in "minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides". The incident took place near Yangtse along the LAC in the sensitive Tawang sector amid the over 30-month border standoff between the two sides in eastern Ladakh. The clash took place within a month of the anniversary of the 1962 border war between India and China. The ...

Chinese intercept over South China Sea could have caused air collision: US

The US military says a Chinese navy fighter jet flew dangerously close to an Air Force reconnaissance plane over the South China Sea earlier this month, forcing the American pilot to maneuver to avoid a collision. US Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement Thursday that the incident occurred December 21 when the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy J-11 flew in front of and within 6 metres (20 feet) of the nose of an RC-135, a type of large reconnaissance plane operated by the US Air Force. The US plane was lawfully conducting routine operations over the South China Sea in international airspace, the statement said. Its pilot was forced to take evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision," it said. China frequently challenges military aircraft from the US and its allies, especially over the South China Sea, which China claims in its entirety. Such behaviour led to a 2001 in-air collision in which a Chinese plane was lost and pilot killed. The US Indo-Pacific Joint Force is dedicated t

China's economic activity rebounds in cities where Covid-19 peaked

While mobility still remains well below pre-pandemic levels, the quick rebound in activity in cities like Beijing - where the outbreak was most severe - suggests the economy could recover faster

China could face deluge of Covid deaths in new year without pandemic curbs

By the end of April 2023, China may see 1.7 million deaths from this wave of infections, Airfinity said

Philippines President Marcos seeks agreements in China amid tensions

The Philippines says President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. hopes to sign a number of agreements during a visit to Beijing next week that comes amid ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea. A statement from the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs on Thursday said a number of projects were under discussion, including in agriculture, renewable energy, nickel processing, tourism, and bridge construction. Marcos is due to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during his January 3-5 visit at the head of a large business delegation. China accounts for 20 per cent of the Philippines' foreign trade and is also a major source of foreign direct investment. Despite those economic ties, the sides have repeatedly feuded over China's claims to islands and waters in the strategically key South China Sea, referred to by Manila as the West Philippine Sea. During the visit, the sides plan to sign an agreement to boost communication between diplomats at various levels to avoid miscalculation

iPhone supplier Foxconn's China factory to offers $718 subsidy to workers

Apple iPhone maker Foxconn is offering a $718 subsidy to employees with an aim to retain workers at its main China factory that was affected by Covid-related protests.

China's lack of Covid transparency ignites fear of new virus variants

Moves by the US, Japan and others to mandate COVID-19 tests for passengers arriving from China reflect global concern that new variants could emerge in its ongoing explosive outbreak and the government may not inform the rest of the world quickly enough. There have been no reports of new variants to date. But given the country's track record, the worry is that China may not be sharing data on any signs of evolving strains that could spark fresh outbreaks elsewhere. The US, in announcing a negative test requirement on Wednesday for passengers from China, cited both the surge in infections and what it said was a lack of information, including the genomic sequencing of the virus strains in the country. Wang Pi-Sheng, the head of Taiwan's epidemic command centre, said on Thursday that uncertainty about the situation in China has his government worried. Authorities will start testing everyone arriving from China on January 1 ahead of the expected return of about 30,000 Taiwanese for th