Information

01. Chinese State Councilor visits King of Cambodia in Beijing

May 9, 2020 (Xinhua) — Entrusted by President Xi Jinping, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on May 8 visited King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia, who came to Beijing for a physical examination. Wang conveyed the cordial greetings from President Xi and his wife Professor Peng Liyuan to King Sihamoni and his mother, former Queen Norodom Monineath Sihanouk. Wang said China will bear in mind that Cambodia offered China firm support at a crucial moment in Chinas fight against the COVID-19 epidemic and expressed Chinas willingness to enhance the exchange of epidemic prevention and control experience with Cambodia.

02. China-ASEAN trade to blossom in hard times

May 7, 2020 (China Daily) — Economic complementarity, lower shipping costs and the upcoming Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will substantially expand bilateral trade between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year, experts and officials said. The experts comments came after the General Administration of Customs said that the ASEAN had replaced the European Union as Chinas largest trading partner during the first quarter of this year. Chinas foreign trade with ASEAN member states rose to RMB 991.34 billion yuan (US$ 139.77 billion) during the first quarter, up 6.1% on a yearly basis, and accounting for 15.1% of Chinas total global trade volume during the period.

03. Chinese medicine against COVID-19 gets market entry to Singapore

May 8, 2020 (China Daily) — A key Chinese medicine against COVID-19 has been approved for sale in Singapore, according to the drug producer Yiling Pharmaceutical. The pharmaceutical firm based in Shijiazhuang, capital of northern Chinas Hebei Province, said Lianhua Qingwen Capsule has been officially listed as Chinese Proprietary Medicine by Singapores Health Sciences Authority, which means the Chinese medicine has been granted market access to Singapore. Clinical observation in designated COVID-19 hospitals in China has shown that traditional Chinese medicines are effective in the treatment of over 90% of all confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland.

04. China-Laos railway keeps extending north

May 12, 2020 (Xinhua) — Resisting risks from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chinese and Lao engineers and workers are working around the clock to extend the China-Laos railway north to the border. In Lao capital Vientiane, the early Mays scorching sun has not dispersed the risks of the pandemic, while the Chinese and Lao railway builders on the outskirts of the city have been sweating like bulls, struggling to lay rails towards China, as to ensure the completion on time. The project started in December 2016 and is scheduled to be completed and open to traffic in December 2021.

05. Over 200 cooperation projects inked under China-Singapore connectivity initiative

May 13, 2020 (Xinhua) — A total of 211 cooperation projects have been inked under the framework of a China-Singapore connectivity initiative, authorities said. The value of the projects totaled US$ 31.8 billion, said Han Baochang, head of the management bureau of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity, which was officially launched in November 2015. Cooperation was mainly conducted in four major areas, including financial services, air transportation, logistics and information and communications technologies.

06. Brunei receives anti-COVID-19 medical donations from the Chinese military

May 15, 2020 (Xinhua) — Brunei officially received medical donations from the Peoples Liberation Army of China on Thursday, aiming to enhance bilateral cooperation in fighting the COVID-19 outbreak. Haji Awang Halbi, Bruneis Second Minister of Defense and Yu Hong, the Chinese Ambassador to Brunei, attended a handover ceremony of the anti-COVID-19 medical supply donations from the Chinese military at Bruneis Ministry of Defense. Major General Seri Aminan, Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Force and Senior Colonel Li Jianzhong, the defense attache of the Chinese Embassy to Brunei also attended the ceremony.

07. The 2nd batch of medical supplies from Chinese govt handed over to Malaysia

May 16, 2020 (Xinhua) — The second batch of medical supplies from the Chinese government to Malaysia was handed over to the Malaysian government on May 15 as a joint effort between the two countries to fight the COVID-19 outbreak. Receiving the medical supplies, Malaysias Minister in the Prime Ministers Department Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by China, including the assistance from the government and companies. The second batch of supplies include 1.3 million surgical face masks, 150,000 laboratory testing kits, 70,000 personal protective equipment (PPE) and 70,000 N95 face masks.

08. China-constructed hydroelectric station powers Cambodias development

May 17, 2020 (Xinhua) — Located in the jungles in Koh Kong Province, southwestern Cambodia, the Chinese-built lower Stung Russei Chrum hydropower station has kept normal running since the outbreak of COVID-19. With a total installed capacity of 338 megawatts and a designed annual output of 1.2 billion kilowatt-hours, the hydroelectric station, built by giant power company China Huadian Corporation Ltd, has generated more than 6.2 billion kilowatt-hours since 2013. Although COVID-19 has caused problems such as a shortage of hands and delayed supplies, the operation and maintenance of the power station have been running well.