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BEIJING — Top Chinese and US negotiators held telephone talks today to exchange views on the timetable of trade talks, the Chinese commerce ministry said. Vice Premier Liu He spoke with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer 10 days after presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed to a trade war truce. A 90-day deadline was set to reach an agreement, but no date has been set for the next round of talks and tensions have risen anew following Canada’s arrest of an executive of Chinese telecom giant Huawei at the behest of the United States. The commerce ministry said in a statement Liu and the US officials "exchanged views on the implementation of the consensus" reached by Trump and Xi as well as on the timetable for the next round of negotiations. The brief statement did not provide more details. Lighthizer said on Sunday that March 1 was a "hard deadline" for the two sides to reach an agreement that would prevent an … [Read more...] about Chinese, US negotiators discuss trade talks timetable

SEOUL — A cross-border power grid system that would connect South Korea with China, Russia and Japan is expected cost over 7 trillion won (US$6.2 billion) to build, a state-run utility firm said today. In a feasibility report submitted to parliament, the Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) said connecting the electricity system between the four nations for the so-called Northeast Asia super grid would cost around 7.2 trillion to 8.6 trillion. KEPCO estimated 2.9 trillion won for connecting China’s eastern port of Weihai with South Korea’s western port of Incheon via undersea power cables that will cover some 370km. It also estimated 2.4 trillion won to link Vladivostok in the Russian Far East, via North Korea, to the northern part of Gyeonggi Province using land cables, which would cover approximately 1,000km. To connect with Japan, the report proposed linking Goseong in South Gyeongsang Province with either Kitakyushu or Matsue, both on the northern coasts of … [Read more...] about Northeast Asia power grid to cost at least $6.2b: KEPCO

LONDON — British Prime Minister Theresa May will visit Germany’s Angela Merkel on Tuesday as she works to salvage her Brexit deal, the day after delaying a parliamentary vote on it to avoid a crushing defeat. May will first go to The Hague for talks with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte before meeting Merkel in Berlin, as she struggles to unite British lawmakers behind her faltering plan. The embattled leader is facing a rebellion in her own party and from parliamentary allies that threatens to sink both the agreement and her leadership. "I will now do everything I possibly can to secure further assurances," May told mutinous MPs on Monday on her planned dash to Europe ahead of an EU summit later this week. "I will discuss with them the clear concerns that this house has expressed," she said. But European Council president Donald Tusk warned the bloc would not reopen the agreement secured in November after months of negotiations, with Brexit looming on March 29. "We … [Read more...] about May heads to Europe in bid to save Brexit deal under fire

Netflix’s vice president of international originals said the streaming company planned to develop more "local content" throughout Africa. — AFP PhotoViet Nam News JOHANNESBURG — Streaming giant Netflix announced on Monday that it will launch the platform’s first original series made in Africa in 2019, adding that it planned further investment in productions on the continent. "#QueenSono – Africa’s first Netflix original! A thrilling story about a kickass female spy. Can’t wait for you guys to see what we have in store for you!" wrote South African actress Pearl Thusi on her Twitter account. Netflix South Africa’s verified account reposted her tweet, writing: "That’s right! A Netflix first for Africa. Pearl Thusi as #QueenSono coming to your screens in 2019." Netflix told South African news site Independent Online that the new series would be directed by local actor and director Kagiso Legida who directed Thusi in South African … [Read more...] about Netflix will debut first African original in 2019

YEREVAN — The electoral bloc of Armenia’s acting prime minister Nikol Pashinyan won a landslide victory in Sunday’s snap parliamentary elections, which were triggered by the reformist leader seeking to cement his political authority in the country. The bloc led by Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party had 70.45 per cent of the vote, and trailing in distant second place with 8.37 per cent was the Prosperous Armenia party, according to results from 90 per cent of precincts, the central election commission said. The centrist My Step bloc also includes the Mission Party headed by rights activist Manuk Sukiasyan. A small liberal pro-Western party, Bright Armenia, also cleared an electoral threshold with 6.33 per cent of the votes, the commission said. Pashinyan became prime minister in May after spearheading weeks of peaceful anti-government rallies that ousted veteran leader Serzh Sarkisian. The … [Read more...] about Armenia PM’s bloc wins by landslide in snap polls