Latest news with #XinhuaBEIJING
The Star
21-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Vietnam, China plan first joint army drill amid US tariffs
FILE PHOTO: Soldiers from China and Vietnam carry out a joint border patrol in 2015. - Xinhua BEIJING: China and Vietnam plan to hold their first joint army training exercise this month, a sign of deepening military ties as the two countries grapple with US tariff policies. The exercise aims to strengthen practical cooperation between the two militaries, the Chinese defence ministry said in a Sunday (July 20) statement. It will take place in southern China's Guangxi region, which borders Vietnam. China and Vietnam have carried out joint naval patrols in previous years, but the coming exercise would be the first such exchange between their armies. Vietnam, an export powerhouse that last year had the world's third-biggest trade surplus with the US, is seeking to persuade Washington to lower tariffs on Vietnamese goods. The South-East Asian nation was caught off guard by President Donald Trump's announcement earlier in July that they had agreed to a 20 per cent tariff, Bloomberg News reported. Vietnam is also striving to balance relations with its largest trading partner China, which has warned nations against cutting deals at Beijing's expense. After Trump announced the pact with Vietnam in July, China's commerce ministry said it was "assessing' the situation. Chinese President Xi Jinping called for joint efforts with Vietnam to oppose "unilateral bullying' during his visit to the country in April. - Bloomberg
The Star
09-07-2025
- Climate
- The Star
Five missing in landslide as rain lashes China's south and east
This cellphone photo taken on July 8, 2025 shows a view of Dongtou District of Wenzhou City after Typhoon Danas made its landfall in east China's Zhejiang Province. - Xinhua BEIJING: Five people are missing after a house was buried in a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall in south-west China on Wednesday (July 9), authorities and state media said. The landslide in Xuyong county in Sichuan province occurred after more than 150 millimetres of rain fell in just three hours overnight, the local government said in a statement. A rescue operation has been launched. China has endured a summer of extreme weather, with downpours battering much of the south for weeks. The most recent deluge forced the evacuation of more than 6,000 residents in Sichuan's Yibin city and 556 in nearby Chongqing, state media said on Wednesday. Typhoon Danas also made landfall in China's east on Tuesday night, lashing Zhejiang province with rain and high winds. Some areas of Zhejiang recorded 260 millimetres of rainfall in just 24 hours as Danas approached. China's National Meteorological Centre predicted the storm could bring winds of up to 117 kilometres per hour. Authorities suspended local rail services and warned that the heavy rainfall could bring flooding and more landslides. Danas is expected to weaken as it heads west but could still bring flooding risks to already sodden inland regions. Six people were killed and more than 80,000 evacuated due to floods in southern Guizhou province in June, according to state media. A landslide on a highway in Sichuan province last week also killed three people after it swept several cars down a mountainside. Another two people were killed in flooding in central Henan province this month. - AFP
The Star
27-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Indonesia reaches major milestone with high-speed rail developed by China,
A cabin crew member greeting passengers at Halim Station in Jakarta, Indonesia, June 19, 2025. - Xinhua BEIJING: South-East Asia's first high-speed railway has surpassed 10 million passenger trips as of Wednesday (June 25), marking a major milestone in China-Indonesia infrastructure cooperation, according to China Railway International. Since launching operations in October last year, the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway has run nearly 30,000 passenger train services, safely covering more than 4.63 million kilometres. The service has maintained stable operations and delivered a fast, efficient and comfortable travel option that has been widely embraced by both commuters and tourists, the company said. The rail line, a flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative jointly developed by Chinese and Indonesian partners, links the capital city of Jakarta with the tourism hub of Bandung. With trains reaching speeds of up to 350km per hour, the line has cut travel time between the two cities from more than three hours to just 46 minutes. Passenger traffic has shown strong growth, especially during major holiday periods such as Christmas and Ramadan, the company said. Daily train services have increased from 14 to 62, boosting seating capacity from about 8,400 to more than 37,000. Peak daily ridership has reached 25,000 trips, with some trains recording occupancy rates of up to 99.6 percent. The high-speed rail has become a game changer for many Indonesians. Rahmanda, who runs a transportation consultancy in Jakarta, said the service has helped him reach clients on time. "The punctuality and reliability of the train ensure that I can meet clients without worrying about traffic delays," he said. To improve the passenger experience, the operator has expanded online ticketing options with flexible refund and rescheduling policies, while maintaining offline counters and offering multiple payment methods. Stations are equipped with fast-food outlets, convenience stores and beverage bars, and onboard amenities include cafes, snacks and facilities for passengers with disabilities. Operations are managed by the Sino-Indonesian Operation and Maintenance Consortium, which has applied China's advanced experience in scheduling, safety risk management and emergency preparedness. Special protocols have been adopted to ensure operations continue safely during earthquakes, heavy rain and landslides. A key focus of the project has been localising operations. More than 600 Indonesian trainees have completed qualification programmes, with 263 receiving certification from Indonesia's Ministry of Transportation. Among them, 34 train drivers can now operate trains independently under the guidance of Chinese experts. Another 20 emergency responders and 20 station control staff have also become fully operational. Agus Dewiono Widodo is one of Indonesia's first certified high-speed train drivers. "I am proud to be part of this historic achievement," he said, crediting the mentorship of his Chinese colleagues, including high-speed train driver Zhang Yue. The successful transfer of knowledge and skills has laid the groundwork for Indonesia to independently manage and operate the rail line in the future. China Railway International said the two countries' railway companies will continue optimizing services and expanding capacity to ensure the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway remains a reliable and high-quality transportation option. - China Daily/ANN
The Star
05-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Burned-out China influencer duo with 15 million fans, quit after 1,000 live-streams in five years
A burned-out influencer couple in China with 15 million fans online have decided to quit after 1,000 live-streams over a five-year period. -- Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin/Xinhua BEIJING (SCMP): A Chinese couple with 15 million online followers have announced they are quitting live-streaming due to burnout after 1,000 appearances over five years. The couple in southwestern China's Sichuan province, who use the handle @caihongfufu, announced on April 20 that they decided to quit live-streaming until they figure out how to 'balance work and life'. The wife, Sun Caihong, said they were burned out from 'endless' live-streaming sessions, each of which lasted more than eight hours. She said she had no time to keep her family company, and no time to treat damage to her vocal cords. Guo Bin and his wife Sun Caihong say constant live-streaming has left them exhausted. -- Photo: Baidu Sun said she never stopped working, even while she was giving birth to four children over the past five years. The 35-year-old said she had told her team to stop arranging new live-streams, and would learn to rest and enjoy life together with her 32-year-old husband, Guo Bin. The couple worked in insurance sales before they became influencers. In 2020, they began sharing their love story on social media, attracting 3 million followers in a year. They set up their own company and began selling daily necessities online. In a 2022 video, they revealed that they could generate a sales volume of 230 million yuan (US$32 million) and earn four million yuan in a single day. The couple said they used to live in an eight-square-metre rented room while making a living doing part-time jobs. The couple were married in 2018 and have had four children together. -- Photo: Baidu They made an annual income of one million yuan (US$140,000) selling insurance and bought their first flat and car. They got married in 2018, and thanks to their success at live-streaming sales, they bought a 260-square-metre flat worth six million yuan, and invited their parents and siblings, who were migrant workers, to live with them and help them run their business. Sun gave birth to three boys and a girl between 2019 and 2024 to fulfil her husband's wish to have a daughter. The couple said they worked hard to seize the opportunity they had, but later realised they should not be greedy. 'We were from the underclass. We should be content with what we have already earned,' they said. The couple said they would spend more time with each other and their family and restart live-streaming after figuring out how to work without burning themselves out. 'They have made enough money,' one online observer said of the couple's situation. 'It is wise to stop when you feel it is enough. It is a simple truth that many do not see,' said another. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
