Verna Yu
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/ 4 November 2006

China pledges to double aid to Africa

China celebrated its friendly relations with Africa on Saturday by pledging to double aid to the continent over the next three years in a summit aimed at deepening political and trade ties with nearly 50 African nations. Chinese President Hu Jintao touted ”the common pursuit of friendship, peace, cooperation and development” with Africa”.

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/ 9 February 2006

Japan, North Korea talks end in stalemate

Japan and North Korea ended five days of talks in Beijing on Wednesday unable to make progress on normalising relations, with sharp differences remaining over kidnappings, security and wartime history. Japan insisted throughout the talks that no progress would be made unless the issue of North Korea’s abductions of Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 1980s was addressed.

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/ 6 February 2006

Japan says abductions key to North Korea relations

Japan and North Korea wrapped up a third day of talks on Monday hoping to make progress on normalising ties, but the Stalinist regime’s abduction of Japanese citizens remained the major stumbling block. North Korea declared the abduction question settled after repatriating five kidnap victims following a landmark summit in 2002.

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/ 11 January 2006

Chinese FM’s African visit to boost energy ties

China’s foreign minister began a six-nation African tour on Wednesday, which analysts say will focus on boosting energy ties and forging stronger global political alliances to counterbalance United States dominance. Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing will visit Cape Verde, Senegal, Mali, Liberia, Nigeria and Libya during the trip, set to end on January 19.

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/ 30 November 2005

Chinese govt blames mine chiefs for disaster

China’s central government on Wednesday blamed managers of a north-eastern mine for a huge explosion that killed at least 150 people, saying obvious signs of danger emerged days before the blast. As rescue efforts wound down, the government’s work-safety watchdog turned its focus to the cause of the blast.

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/ 17 October 2005

Chinese astronauts make safe return to Earth

Two Chinese astronauts returned safely to Earth on Monday, touching down to a hero’s welcome as China’s second-ever manned space mission marked another step in its drive to becoming a space power. Astronauts Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng came back from a five-day flight, parachuting softly onto a field in Inner Mongolia in the the capsule of their <i>Shenzhou VI</i> spacecraft.