Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has met with Myanmar's President as part of his diplomatic efforts at this week's ASEAN-China Expo taking place in Guangxi's capital, Nanning.

Speaking with Thein Sien ahead of the official start of the Expo, Li Keqiang has told Myanmar's President it's of great importance to shore up ties between Myanmar and China in the current complex global and regional situation.

Li Keqiang has also told Myanmar's President the Chinese government is speeding up its development plans for southwest China, which borders Myanmar.

For his part, Thein Sein says Myanmar is hoping to expand its cooperation with the Chinese side.

This week's ASEAN-China Expo in Nanning runs through Friday.

 

France not to vote on Syria in parliament: PM

NATO has said that the Allience will not commit itself to any military action in Syria.

However, NATO's Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says the decision could change if Turkey, a NATO member, comes under attack.

The announcement comes after calls proposed by the opposition for a parliamentary vote on any French military action in Syria were rejected by the government.

Meanwhile Russian president Vladimir Putin has announced plans to send a delegation of Russian lawmakers to the US to disuade the US Congress from endorsing US military intervention in Syria.

China earlier confirmed that the United States has offered the Chinese side its evidence about the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria.

The Foreign Ministry says China maintains any action taken by the international should abide by the principles of the United Nations.

UN stats show that now some one third of population in Syria has been forced to be displaced by the ongoing Syrian unrest.

 

Egyptian judiciary wants the Muslim Brotherhood be dissolved

An Egyptian judicial panel has advised the courts to dissolve the Muslim Brotherhood as a legally-registered, non-governmental organisation.

The Brotherhood operated in Egypt for decades as a formally outlawed organisation until former President Hosni Mubarak stepped down in 2011.

The recommendation comes a day after Egypt's interim authorities decided to refer deposed President Mohamed Mursi to trial on charges of committing and inciting violence.

Morsi is accused of inciting the violence which left a dozen people dead outside the presidential palace in December.

Fourteen other high-ranking members of the Muslim Brotherhood are also to stand trial on the same charges.

 

Indian upper house passes Food Bill

India's upper house of parliament has passed what is said to be the largest welfare program in the world.

The upper chamber of the Indian parliament has passed the controversial Food Bill.

The bill now moves to the President for approval.

Under the new legislation, the Indian government is going to provide 5-kilograms of wheat for around two-thirds of the population per-month for virtually free.

The program is going to cover around 800-million people, including around 75-percent of the population in India's rural areas.

The move is part of the current government's broader spending programs which are going to cost the Indian government tens-of-billions of US dollars a year.

 

Georgian PM plans to resign after presidential poll

Georgia's billionaire prime minister has announced plans to step down before finishing his term.

Bidzina Ivanishvili says he intends to step down after the October 27th presidential election.

In an open letter to the nation, he says his resignation will allow him to focus on the developent of civil society in Georgia.

Ivanishvili says he wants to contribute to a European-style, democratic and citizen-oriented state.

Ivanishvilli's 6-party coalition only took power just under a year ago.

It was shortly thereafter the billionaire announced his intention to step away from the office in a matter of months.

Ivanishvili had to recieve a special exemption to form his government from the country's President after he had his Georgian citizenship revoked shortly after announcing his intention to run in the election.

 

Toure forms new gov't after appointed Senegal PM

Senegal's new Prime Minister has formed her new government.

Aminata Toure has put together her new administration just a day after being appointed by the country's President.

Toure is replacing Abdoul Mbaye as the Prime Minister.

He was unexpectedly sacked by President Macky Sall over the weekend.

There's still no word as to why Mbaye was relieved of his position.

Toure, Senegal's former Justice Minister, is the West African nation's 2nd female prime minister.

 

CFFEX Releases Finalized Contract and Trading Rules for Government Bond Futures

The finalized contract and trading rules for the trading of government bond futures has been released.

Securities regulators have approved the trading of 5-year government bond futures, with the margins being set between 2 and 5 percent.

The range was originally set at 2 to 4 percent in the draft.

Trading on the first day of a new contract is going to be limited to one-thousand bonds.