CHINA

China's aggressive expansion into Africa may have solved some of the problems of the old continent while enriching the country's construction companies in the process. But it has yet to help solve China's growing economic problems.

The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense said there was no evidence to confirm a submarine sinking in the Taiwan Strait. Chinese officials neither confirmed nor denied the claims, true to their reputation of staying silent in such situations.

Indian company ONGC Videsh Ltd. (OVL) has secured its eighth contract to explore oil and gas in a Vietnamese block in the South China Sea, despite not having found hydrocarbons in years. An expert said that energy may not be the sole criterion for India-Vietnam deals.

The BRP Sierra Madre is a dilapidated World War II-era ship that is now used as a military outpost on the Second Thomas Shoal in Manila's exclusive economic zone. China calls this area the Renai Reef and claims it as its sovereign territory.

This year, traders and investors on Wall Street will pay close attention to figure out whether rising bond yields and China's woes will give the Fed a good reason for a dovish message — a pause in interest rate hikes in fighting inflation.

It is reportedly unlikely that tensions would dissipate while the border remains disputed because both India and China are taking different approaches to the issue.

The temporary changes will benefit Indians applying for business, tourism, short-term family visits, transits and crew visas, the Chinese embassy in India announced.

One subject that is likely to be discussed is the expansion of the BRICS group, as countries like Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Egypt and many others have shown interest in becoming members.

A Foxconn facility in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu has begun the process of making Apple Inc's next-generation iPhone 15.

India has increased force levels and assumed a military posture designed to anticipate and deter Chinese aggression at their shared border.

"India doesn't have to add new coal-based power plants, and all future growth in demand will be met by efficient usage of existing assets and new renewable energy sources," Sunil Dahiya from Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) said.

The U.S. is reputed to possess some of the most elusive submarines, equipped with intricate acoustic and vibration-dampening mechanisms.

Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Anna Kwok said Wednesday that her parents were "questioned, harassed and intimidated" by authorities, weeks after officials accused her and seven others of endangering national security.

"I think we're very far from really understanding the scope of Chinese propaganda in the world. In our research work, every time we do a new research project, we unveil more and more projects, funds and initiatives aimed at spreading Chinese propaganda abroad," said Marius Dragomir, the Founding Director of the Media and Journalism Research Center.

China last month suffered its biggest drop in exports for more than two years, according to official figures Tuesday. The data will likely ramp up calls for leaders to do more to revive growth, having laid out a series of stimulus measures in recent weeks.

China Tuesday renewed calls for the Philippines to remove an ageing ship from a reef which Manila uses to press its stake in the Spratly Islands in defiance of Beijing's claim to nearly the entire South China Sea.

A Chinese invasion of Taiwan "would diminish U.S. credibility, and create a psychological shock for many countries around China's periphery," Frédéric Grare told International Business Times. "It would potentially cut off the sea lines of communications between these countries and therefore impede mutual and in some cases U.S. support. It would also increase global polarization."

"Given the rigid Chinese stand on border issue, I would consider this is a golden opportunity for India to slowly disengage Indian economy from Chinese supply chain. India should look for alternative trading partners," said Sanjib Pohit, author and professor at the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), India.

Berlin has expressed its plans to simplify regulations pertaining to the export of defense products to South Korea, Seoul's arms procurement agency has revealed.

Countries like India and China — the two largest consumers — saw coal demand grow by more than 5% in the first half of 2023.

"The issue today is: how to walk back (from the BRI) without damaging relations [with Beijing]. Because it is true that China is a competitor, but it is also a partner," Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said.