by admin | May 25, 2021 | Muslim World
Latakia : A total of 1,000 tonnes of rice donated by China has been delivered to Syria’s northwestern city of Latakia, the Chinese Embassy in Damascus said.
The donation was part of a larger supplies aid to be delivered to the war-torn country in batches in the near future, Xinhua news agency reported.
The statement issued on Monday by the Chinese Embassy in Damascus said the 1,000 tonnes of rice is part of 5,404 tonnes of rice China is pledging to deliver in the near future.
“China is working hand in hand with the Syrian side to secure the rice to be delivered to the Syrian people as soon as possible.”
A delegation from the Chinese Embassy in Damascus on Monday visited the port of the coastal city of Latakia in northwestern Syria, where the first shipment arrived.
Latakia Governor Ibrahim Khudr Salem escorted the delegation to the port of Latakia, expressing gratitude for the Chinese food aid.
“Thanks for the aid donated by China and for the supportive stance of the Chinese government and people to the Syrian people in their confrontation of terrorism and the regional schemes to divide Syria,” Khudr said.
Chinese Ambassador to Syria, Qi Qianjin, said that Beijing aimed to help the Syrian people in the difficult time the country is passing through.
“We would like, through this food aid, to help the Syrian people in the difficult time of war and this food aid is a clear sign of the firm relations and friendship between the governments and peoples of China and Syria and we will continue to offer all humanitarian and economic help to the Syrian people.”
China has been supporting Syria in the humanitarian field since 2011. In May, China declared that it would provide food aid to the developing countries, as part of the Belt and Road Initiative.
The Belt and Road Initiative was proposed by China in 2013 with the aim of building a trade, investment and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes.
Apart from the cooperation with the humanitarian organisations, China has also made direct donations in Syria.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | World
Beijing : A rights group on Monday asked the Chinese government to stop building big data policing platforms to store personal information of its population, calling it a violation of privacy rights.
The Human Rights Watch’s statement said the “Police Cloud” was designed to track and predict the activities of activists, dissidents and ethnic minorities, and does not comply with international privacy standards, reports Efe news.
“It is frightening that Chinese authorities are collecting and centralizing ever more information about hundreds of millions of ordinary people, identifying persons who deviate from what they determine to be ‘normal thought,’ and then surveilling them,” said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch.
The Chinese government, according to the HRW, has stored citizens’ information for years, and is now exploring new technologies to gather personal information more efficiently, and to share it across departments at both the national and local levels.
Various applications used to analyse texts, videos and security camera images in real time or near real time are aimed at suppressing crimes, however, the HRW said these methods also allow police to arbitrarily obtain information about ordinary people.
International privacy standards require the collection, retention, and use of the personal data of individuals for policing purposes be allowed only if there was a genuine threat to a public interest; the laws in China did not meet these requirements, said the HRW.
“Preventing crime is a legitimate state interest, but predictive tools often point to the same old patterns, making it likely for policing to replicate old mistakes or biases such as targeting of people of lower socio-economic status.
“This throws into doubt whether the use of these predictive tools adds much new, and whether they are either a necessary or proportionate intrusion on the rights of individuals,” the HRW added.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Business, World
Beijing : Companies from China and the US signed on Wednesday 19 deals worth a total of $9 billion on the first day of the US President’s visit to the Chinese capital.
The agreements, which encompass sectors such as energy, aeronautics and agriculture, were signed at a ceremony presided by Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang and US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross at the Great Hall of the People, Efe reported.
US President Donald Trump reached Beijing on Wednesday for a visit that includes meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and a business summit where both leaders will participate.
Trump was accompanied by officials from some 30 big companies from sectors such as aviation, agriculture, biotechnology and machinery.
Ross said in a brief statement that Washington aims to reduce the massive trade deficit with China.
Wang said that the agreements were a warm-up ahead of the favourable outcomes that await in Thursday’s bilateral talks.
China on Wednesday published data related to foreign trade during the first ten months of 2017 that showed that the country’s trade surplus with the US stood at $223 billion during the period, meaning a year-on-year increase of eight percent.
Trump had made his country’s trade deficit with China one of the focal points of his electoral campaign in 2016.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | World
London : A call has been made for priority to be given to more direct airlinks between Britain’s northern England and China, a media report said.
It follows new research which shows how direct flights between Beijing and Manchester have delivered significant benefits to the north, Xinhua news agency reported.
The study showed that trade and tourism between Britain’s North and China has boomed since 2015 thanks to the direct flight service.
The report has called for the prioritisation of further direct links to China and other key growth markets to help drive Northern prosperity and balance the British economy.
The study “The China Dividend: One Year On” by economic consultants Steer Davies Gleeve is the most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken into the economic and social impact of a brand new direct, long haul route between two countries.
The study revealed the Manchester-Beijing air route, operated by Hainan Airlines, has driven a significant increase in exports, inward investment and international student numbers into the north.
It also delivered a substantial increase in inbound tourists to the north, with many lured by the region’s natural and historic attractions, luxury shopping sites and Premier League football teams.
“In just one year the Hainan route has brought such significant rewards to the Northern Powerhouse that I feel there is a real appetite in exploring launching airline routes from Manchester to other regions in China,” said Jake Berry MP, Minister for the Northern Powerhouse and Local Growth.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | World
Beijing : China on Thursday said it hoped that US President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to Beijing would help boost bilateral relations.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry formally announced Trump’s visit next week, along with some details of his agenda, as part of the President’s Asia tour from November 4 to 14, reports Efe news.
Trump will arrive in Beijing on November 8 and the following day he is expected to be a busy one in the Great Hall of the People, seat of the legislative and ceremonial activities of the Chinese government.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump will participate in a welcoming ceremony there, attend business and bilateral meetings and finally appear jointly before the press.
The two leaders will discuss bilateral relations and international issues, said ministry spokesperson Lu Kang.
He said China stands ready to work with the US to achieve important results during Trump’s visit in order to inject new and strong impetus into the development of bilateral ties.
Trump’s first official visit to China will conclude on November 10, after which he will travel to Vietnam to participate in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.
—IANS
