Shanghai - With Rafael Nadal in injury crisis and missing the Masters Cup, healthy contenders began finding their form in smoggy Shanghai under the closed roof at the Qi Zhong stadium for the season-ending classic starting on Sunday.

Andy Murray, playing the eight-man wrap-up event for the first time in his career, has been keeping a relatively high profile, attending the midweek draw ceremony and earning praise from former great John McEnroe.

Taipei - Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou met Thursday with Chinese envoy Chen Yunlin for five minutes to express his appreciation for Chen's efforts in promoting exchanges between the two rival sides on the Taiwan Strait.

The historic meeting was held amid protests by hundreds of Taiwan independence supporters, who shouted from the other side of the heavily barricaded meeting venue, "Taiwan is Taiwan, China is China," and "No selling out of Taiwan."

Taipei - Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou on Thursday condemned the mobbing of Chinese envoy Chen Yun-lin, telling the Taiwan public that his efforts toward reconciliation with China is not selling out Taiwan to Beijing.

"Assembly and demonstrations must be legal," Ma said at a news conference and, referring to the head of the opposition DPP, added, "The Democratic Progressive Party chairwoman promised to abide by the law, but what happened at the Regent Hotel yesterday is regrettable."

Taipei - Chinese envoy Chen Yunlin, the highest level Chinese official to visit Taiwan in more than half a century, Thursday escaped a protest barricade that had pinned him down for six hours.

Chen was escorted under police protection from the Regent Hotel, where he had attended a banquet Wednesday evening only to find the building under siege by hundreds of anti-China protestors when he tried to leave.

Riot police were unable to disperse the protesters. He was finally escorted to safety at 2 am Thursday.

A leading car maker from China is likely to set up a car manufacturing plant in West Bengal. The state government hopes that the company would set up the plant at the site, vacated by the TATA Motors after stiff opposition from Trinamool congress led opposition parties.

A team of officials from Chinese company, First Automobile Works (FAW), would soon visit the different locations in the state for the the project. It would tie up with Ural India for Rs 1,500-crore automobile manufacturing unit in Bengal. 

Taipei - Hundreds of anti-China protesters clashed with riot police Wednesday evening when the protesters tried to prevent Chinese envoy Chen Yunlin from leaving a Taipei hotel where he was attending a banquet.

The banquet at the Regent Hotel ended at 8:30 pm (1330 GMT), but the siege continued until after midnight, despite riot police's effort to disperse the protesters.