This is People's Daily Tonight, your news source from China.
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AIIB investments top $4.2 billion in 2017: report
Funds for projects provided by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank tops $4.2 billion in 2017.
That’s a sharp increase from the previous year's $1.7 billion.
The bank has approved 23 projects in transport, energy and telecommunication.
A report says the bank's priorities are sustainable infrastructure, cross-border connectivity and private capital mobilization. (Xinhua)
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Mattis to make first China visit as Pentagon chief
US Defense Secretary James Mattis will visit China from June 26 to 28 at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe.
Top Chinese leaders will hold talks with Mattis to exchange views on bilateral military ties and issues of common concern.
Mattis told reporters that he will seek to determine possible areas of military-to-military cooperation during his first China visit as Pentagon chief. (People's Daily app)
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Erdogan secures Turkey election victory
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wins his country's presidential election.
But the opposition party refuses to accept the results until all ballots are counted.
With more than 95 percent of the votes counted, Erdogan leads with 52.72 percent, with his nearest rival far behind at 30.75 percent. (People's Daily app)
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Xi Jinping meets French PM Edouard Philippe
President Xi Jinping meets French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe in Beijing.
He says China is willing to work with France to enrich the content of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
He added that the world is undergoing profound and complicated changes.
But he says China is ready to work with France to make the bilateral relations continue to serve as a model for mutual respect, win-win cooperation, and exchanges and mutual learning between countries. (Xinhua)
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At least 86 killed in central Nigeria attack
Simultaneous attacks in Nigeria kill at least 86 people.
The attack by suspected gunmen late Saturday also left six people severely injured and 50 houses, two cars, and 15 motor-cycles completely burned.
A dusk-to-dawn curfew has been imposed for fears of more violence.
A police spokesman says the cause of the attack remains unknown. (Xinhua)
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China overtakes Japan as world's biggest natural gas importer
China has overtaken Japan as the world’s biggest importer of natural gas.
Chinese customs data shows 7.41 million tons of natural gas was imported through ocean tankers and pipelines last month, bringing total imports in 2018 to 34.9 million metric tons.
The Japanese Ministry of Finance says Japanese imports for the first five months of the year were slightly behind at 34.5 million metric tons.
China is looking to increase the use of natural gas as part of its fight against pollution, with a nationwide cut on the use of coal and other polluting energy resources. (CGTN)
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Direct flights to link Xi'an, Pyongyang
And North Korea’s flag carrier adds a new route to China.
Air Koryo says it plans to open flights between Pyongyang and Xi'an, capital of northwestern China's Shaanxi Province.
This, to meet the rising demand from Chinese tourists to visit North Korea.
Xi'an will become the fifth city on the Chinese mainland with direct flights to Pyongyang.
The others are flights from Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang in northeastern Liaoning Province and Chengdu in southwestern Sichuan Province. (China Daily)
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And that’s People’s Daily Tonight. Thanks for joining us.
(Produced by David Nye, Chen Lidan and Liang Peiyu)