Beijing

China anti-tobacco NGO condemns persuasive branding

China anti-tobacco NGO condemns persuasive branding Beijing - A Chinese anti-tobacco group is petitioning the country's trademark authority, asking it to ban the use of the name of the country's leadership compound as a cigarette brand, state media reported. Zhongnanhai, the name of the central leadership's quarters in Beijing, is also the name of one of China's most popular cigarette brands.

Anti-tobacco lobbyists say using the name on a cigarette pack can mislead consumers, and submitted a petition to the trademark authority on Tuesday, the state-run China Daily said.

China announces human rights action plan

China announces human rights action plan Beijing - China has published an action plan to protect the rights of its citizens, including protecting detained crime suspects from torture and forced confessions, the official Xinhua news agency reported Monday. In addition, the 54-page plan is to extend citizens' rights to express complaints against injustices and arbitrary treatment, the report said.

China to pump 25 billion dollars in south-eastern Asia cooperation

China to pump 25 billion dollars in south-eastern Asia cooperation Beijing - China has unveiled plans for upwards of 25 billion dollars' worth of aid and credits in boosting its trade and commercial ties with the South-East Asian region, the Chinese agency Xinhua reported Monday. Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi outlined the plans at a meeting on Sunday with envoys of 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members, the agency said.

China publishes national human rights action plan

China publishes national human rights action planBeijing, Apr. 13 : "China has a long road ahead in its efforts to improve its human rights situation," though unremitting efforts have been made to promote and safeguard human rights since the founding of the People''s Republic of China in 1949, which "fundamentally" changed the fate of the Chinese people.

The country published its first working plan on human rights protection Monday, pledging to further protect and improve the country''s human rights conditions in an all-round way.

China's foreign exchange reserves impacted by reduced exports

China's foreign exchange reserves impacted by reduced exportsBeijing - The growth rate of China's foreign exchange reserves has significantly slowed, according to latest figures from the country's central bank. The reserves, the world's largest, rose 16 per cent year-on-year to 1.95 trillion dollars by the end of March, the Peoples' Bank of China indicated on Saturday.

This represents an increase of 7.7 billion dollars for the first quarter, but is 146.2 billion dollars lower than the same period last year.

China's economy showing positive changes, says premier

Chinese President Wen JiabaoBeijing - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said the economy showed better than expected improvement in the first quarter, according to state media on Sunday. Speaking to reporters in Thailand, the premier said that while down on last year's figures, imports and exports were growing on a month-on-month basis, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

Domestic demand and investment in fixed assets also rose, Wen said, indicating that some sectors and enterprises in China were starting to show gradual recovery.

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