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Welcome to Fresh Start.
This is People’s Daily app.
Here are today’s picks from our editors.
China firmly opposes US tariff hikes on Chinese imports
China is firmly opposed to the US announcement that it will further raise the tariffs on about $550 billion of Chinese imports, said a spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) Saturday.
"Such unilateral and bullying acts of trade protectionism and extreme pressure run counter to the consensus of the heads of state of China and the United States, and run counter to the principles of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit," the spokesperson said.
The US announcement Saturday will seriously damage the multilateral trading system and the normal order of international trade, the spokesperson said, warning the US side is bound to bear the consequences of its own actions. (Xinhua)
HKSAR chief executive calls for dialogue to solve problems
Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam on Saturday called for dialogue, pointing out that "the continued confrontation is not the way out."
Lam made the appeal on her Facebook page with regard to the current situation in Hong Kong.
The appeal comes after she invited a group of people who seek to solve the current situation to meet on Saturday morning at Government House, the official residence of the HKSAR chief executive, to share their ideas on how to build a platform for dialogue.
It's most important for the whole society to share the same belief and work together through communication, Lam said, adding that if there is a civil platform for dialogue, she and other officials will be happy to attend. (Xinhua)
China recalls ships, evacuates residents as Typhoon Bailu nears
East China's Fujian Province said Saturday 48,000 people have been evacuated and 9,926 fishing vessels had been recalled to harbor as it braces for the coming Typhoon Bailu.
Authorities in Fujian have also closed 149 seaside scenic spots and 1,318 construction sites out of safety concerns. The typhoon also halted ferry services between Xiamen and Kinmen.
Typhoon Bailu is supposed to make landfall on the eastern coast between Guangdong and Fujian provinces in the early hours of Sunday. (Xinhua)
Brazil military begins operations to fight Amazon fires
Backed by military aircraft, Brazilian troops on Saturday prepared to deploy in the Amazon to fight fires that have swept the region and prompted anti-government protests as well as an international outcry.
Some 44,000 troops will be available for “unprecedented” operations to put out the fires, and forces are heading to four Brazilian states that asked for federal help to contain the blazes, Defense Minister Fernando Azevedo said.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has previously described rainforest protections as an obstacle to Brazil’s economic development, sparring with critics who say the Amazon absorbs vast amounts of greenhouse gases and is crucial for efforts to contain climate change. (AP)
US to open Greenland consulate amid increased interest
The United States is planning to open a consulate in Greenland for the first time in decades amid increased strategic and economic interest in the Danish territory.
The State Department says in a letter to Congress that re-establishing a consulate in Nuuk is part of a broader plan to increase US presence in the arctic.
President Donald Trump sparked a diplomatic dispute with US-ally Denmark this week after he proposed that the US buy Greenland and the Danish government rejected the idea. (China Plus)
Costco launches first Chinese mainland store
The US membership-only warehouse retailer Costco is launching its first brick-and-mortar store in the Chinese mainland on August 27.
The Costco store will be located in the Minhang District of east China metropolis Shanghai. The yearly membership fee for both family and corporate consumers is priced at 299 yuan (about $42).
The product range available at the Shanghai store will focus on large-size imports geared to families and small businesses, also high-quality domestic products such as seasonal fruits. (CGTN)
Scarlett Johansson tops Forbes best-paid actress list for second year
Scarlett Johansson is the world's highest paid actress for the second year in a row, according to Forbes's annual ranking published Friday.
Johansson, 34, earned $15.5 million more than she did in 2018, primarily due to the immense global success of "Avengers: Endgame" – the final chapter of the saga – for which she earned $35 million.
The actress will take up the Black Widow mantle again in 2020 for an eponymous spinoff film. (AFP)
Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.
And now for the Question of the Day:
If you wanted to visit the baseball hall of fame, where would you go?
(Answer: Cooperstown, New York.)
Today’s quote is from English poet Robert Browning (1812-1889).
"Take away love and our earth is a tomb."
(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Ryan Yaoran Yu, Brian Lowe, and Paris Yelu Xu. Music by Eugene Loner.)
