Xi extends condolences to Chad's CMT head over death of President Deby

Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a message of condolences to the head of Chad's transitional military council (CMT) over the death of President Idriss Deby Itno.

Xi Jinping spoke highly of Deby's efforts to safeguard national security and territorial integrity, promote national economic and social development, maintain regional peace and stability as well as develop relations with China.

The Chinese president called on both sides to push forward their bilateral relations.

Deby died earlier this month from injuries sustained on the frontline of a fight against rebels.

The transitional military council headed by his son Mahamat Idriss Deby was set up following his death.

Premier Li calls on China, Germany to set example for open, mutually beneficial, win-win cooperation

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is calling on China and Germany to set an example for open, mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation.

He has co-chaired the sixth China-Germany inter-governmental consultation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel via video link in Beijing.

The premier suggested both sides need to respect each other's core interests and major concern and set sight on the bilateral cooperation in the next five decades.

Merkel said Germany is ready to advance its cooperation with China on vaccine production and mutual recognition.

She said the Comprehensive Investment Agreement between the EU and China is transparent and reciprocal, and will provide more safeguards for economic and trade cooperation between the two sides.

China says U.S. easing COVID-19 restrictions on int'l students a 'positive step'

China says it is "a positive step" for the U.S. to ease COVID-19 restrictions on Chinese and other international students traveling to the U.S. this fall.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian says China hopes that the U.S. can make proper arrangements for Chinese people to go to the country.

The U.S. State Department earlier confirmed that students from certain countries attending an academic program commencing August 1 or later can enter the U.S. without applying for an individual National Interest Exception (NIE) within 30 days prior to the start of their academic studies.

China adjusts tariffs on steel products

China will adjust tariffs on some steel products to lower import costs next month as part of efforts to upgrade and transform the industry.

An official circular says a provisional zero import tax rate will be applied on some ferrous commodities.

Beginning of May, import tariffs will be waived for products such as pig iron, crude steel, recycled steel raw materials and ferrochrome.

Export tariffs on ferrosilicon will be raised to 25 percent, ferrochrome up to 20 percent and high-purity pig iron increased to 15 percent.

Russia expels diplomats from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia

Russia has ordered the expulsion of seven diplomats from Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in retaliation for the expulsion of Russian envoys.

The Russian Foreign Ministry gave the three Slovak and two Lithuanian diplomats, as well as an envoy from Latvia and another from Estonia one week to leave Russia.

Moscow accused the four countries of showing "pseudo-solidarity" with the Czech Republic, which ordered most Russian diplomatic staff in Prague to leave last week after accusing Russian secret service agents of being behind a 2014 blast at an ammunition depot.

Russia has dismissed the accusations as absurd.

European Parliament ratifies EU-UK trade deal

The European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly in favor of the post-Brexit trade deal between Britain and the European Union, clearing the last hurdle towards full ratification of the accord.

EU lawmakers backed the trade and cooperation agreement by 660 votes to five, with 32 abstentions.

The consent brings to an end over four years of acrimonious negotiations and debate and lingering mistrust as Britain ended 47 years of EU membership.

Japan approves RCEP agreement

The Japanese parliament has approved the world's largest free trade deal, signed by 15 Asia-Pacific countries.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, signed in November 2020, groups ten ASEAN members as well as China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

The 15 countries are home to nearly 2.3 billion people, with a total gross domestic product of 26 trillion U.S. dollars and total exports of 5.2 trillion U.S. dollars.

China, 40 plus countries launches Group of Friends on Safety and Security of UN Peacekeepers

The Group of Friends on the Safety and Security of United Nations Peacekeepers has been launched under the joint initiative of China, Brazil, Indonesia and Rwanda.

The group brings together 49 countries and regional organizations. It aims to provide a platform to strengthen information sharing, policy coordination, and capacity building so as to make substantive progress in enhancing the safety and security of UN peacekeepers.