China's Ministry of Commerce is warning of a "quite grim situation" for the country's foreign trade as new global uncertainties weigh on the world's second largest economy.

Ministry spokesman Shen Danyang was speaking after China's exports slowed to 17.1 percent year-on-year growth in September from 24.5-percent growth in August.

He predicts trade growth will retreat later this year due to such factors as rising costs, exchange rate changes and carryover effects.

 

 

Taiwan delegation arrives in Tianjin for cross-strait talks

A delegation from Taiwan has arrived in Tianjin for the next round of cross-strait negotiations.

Speaking head of the talks, Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation head, Chiang Pin-kung, says the cross-Strait peace is hard-earned and should be treasured. 

Chiang and Chen Yunlin, president of the Chinese mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, are set to sit down for their seventh round of talks since the two organizations resumed discussions in June 2008. 

The two sides are expected to sign agreements connected to cross-strait nuclear power cooperation, as well as an investment protection deal.

 

 

Stranded Chinese sailors returning from Thailand after deadly attack

Altogether 96 Chinese sailors and their 14 ships have returned home, after being stranded in northern Thailand for nearly two weeks.

They are back in Yunnan province in southwest China, after being forced off the Mekong river, which was shut down to shipping traffic following the murders of a dozen Chinese sailors earlier this month.

There are still 12 more Chinese ships waiting to return home.

The authorities say those vessels and their 68-sailors should be arriving back in China within the next few days.

 

 

Rising flood waters endanger urban Bangkok

The governor of Thailand's capital Bangkok is warning that the city may soon be overwhelmed by flood waters as a huge amount of water from the north threatens to deluge inner parts of the city. 

During an inspection tour north of Bangkok, Sukhumbhand Paribatra said it will be more difficult to control the water from the north among the scattered rivers and water channels.

To date, floods have ravaged some low-lying areas in the capital and aroused fears among local residents.

More sandbags and water pumps have been prepared to shore up defenses along Bangkok's northern perimeter to brace for the country's worst flooding in more than 50 years.

 

 

S. Korea presses Japan for efforts to address wartime crimes

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has urged Japan to make more efforts to address Japan's colonial atrocities as the two countries seek forward-looking relations. 

He was speaking after talks with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.

The talks came at a time when Seoul is pressing Tokyo to compensate Korean women forced into sexual slavery during World War II. 

Tokyo has rejected Seoul's recent proposal for talks over the issue, angering South Koreans.

 

 

Chinese army sends medical team to flood-hit Pakistan

The Chinese armed forces will send a 50-member medical team to assist with humanitarian relief work in flood-hit Pakistan.

The Defense Ministry says the medical team is leaving on Thursday and will work in Pakistan for about 10 days.

The team will head to the country's most devastated areas to assist Pakistan's armed forces.

Nearly 7 million people in southern Pakistan have been affected by floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains in August and September.

 

 

Police bust cross-border ring trafficking guns to China's Tibetan regions

Chinese police have busted a ring that smuggled guns from northern Myanmar and sold them to several predominantly Tibetan regions in southwest China

17 people were arrested during the operation that started in March. 

Nine guns, including eight pistols and a rifle, along with more than 260 bullets were confiscated.

The nationalities of the ring members have not been disclosed.

 

 

Queen Elizabeth II arrives in Australia for 10 day visit

Queen Elizabeth II has arrived to Australia for a 10-day visit during which she will travel to four cities and open a meeting of leaders of mostly former British colonies. 

The 85-year-old monarch and her 90-year-old husband Prince Philip were given a warm welcome despite the ruling Labor Party's desire for the British monarch to be replaced by a president as Australia's head of state.

Australians rejected a proposal to make the country a republic at a referendum in 1999.

The queen will open next week's meeting of the 54-nation Commonwealth in the western coastal city of Perth.

 

 

100-year-old man completes marathon

A 100-year-old runner has become the oldest person to complete a full-distance marathon when he finished the race in Toronto on Sunday.

Indian-born Fauja Singh earned a spot in the Guinness World Book of Records for his accomplishment.

It took Singh more than eight hours to cross the finish line and the last competitor to complete the course.

The run was Singh's eighth marathon. He ran his first at age 89.