This is People's Daily Tonight, your news source from China.
China is modernizing PLA to handle new security threats: official
China is devoted to modernizing its defense forces to handle new security threats.
That's according to Wang Yang, the military attache at the Chinese Embassy in Kenya.
Wang stressed that Beijing has no intention to pursue hegemony, but would rather promote peaceful development and win-win partnerships.
He said Beijing has been on the frontline of humanitarian assistance in global hotspots and has also dispatched troops to protect critical shipping routes. (Xinhua)
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Chinese enterprises purchase US agricultural products: MOC
Some Chinese firms, including both state-owned and private companies, have inquired with US suppliers about the new purchases of US farm produce including soybeans, cotton, pork and sorghum since July 19, the Ministry of Commerce said Thursday.
Currently, a batch of deals have been made in line with market conditions, the ministry spokesperson Gao Feng said at a news conference.
The Chinese enterprises involved have applied for the lifting of additional tariffs on some of the US farm produce, and the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council will handle their applications according to stipulated procedures. (Xinhua)
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Iranian FM rebuffs U.S. sanctions on him
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif dismissed the U.S. decision to put sanctions on him.
The Trump administration announced Wednesday that the imposition was because Zarif "acted or purported to act for or on behalf of" Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was put under sanctions by the United States on June 24.
It also said any foreign financial institution that knowingly conducts or facilitates a significant transaction for or on behalf of Zarif would also face punishment by the U.S. Government. (Xinhua)
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China's 5G base station construction in full swing
China's 5G base station construction is in full swing, with the country's three major telecommunications network operators having made their construction plans in dozens of cities.
China Mobile plans to build more than 50,000 5G base stations nationwide and provide 5G commercial services in more than 50 cities by the end of this year.
China Telecom also announces that it will complete 5G commercial deployment in more than 40 cities at the same time.
China Unicom has launched a 5G network project to provide customized private networks in more cities.
Compared with 4G, a 5G base station is smaller but with a larger capacity. It has advanced from four channels of 4G to 64 channels, while the new base station weighs only less than 40kg.
The Global System Mobile Association predicts China's communication operators will invest more than $145 billion in 5G by 2025. (People's Daily app)
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DPRK top leader guides test-firing of new-type rocket system
The top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Kim Jong-Un guided the test-firing of what the country calls a newly-developed "large-caliber multiple launch guided rocket system.
A report said Kim was briefed about the development of the rocket system before watching the test-firing.
Kim expressed satisfaction over the result of the test, and emphasized that the system has "a great strategic significance" for boosting the combat capability of the country's army.
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S. Korea warns Japan to drop 'white list' trade threat
South Korea warned Japan on Thursday that it would be forced to review security cooperation between the two countries if Tokyo pushes ahead with plans to remove Seoul from its "white list" of trusted trade partners.
The squabble between the East Asian neighbours follows a decades-long quarrel over Japanese forced labour during World War II.
Japan last month unveiled tough restrictions on exports of chemicals vital to Seoul's world-leading chip and smartphone industry.
Tokyo has also said it will remove South Korea from its preferential trade status as early as Friday, a move that could affect hundreds of key items imported to the South and punch a hole in its economy. (AFP)
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New port will host sea-based space launches
And State-owned space conglomerate China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation is working with the eastern coastal province of Shandong to construct a port for sea-based space launches before the end of the year.
When completed, the port will consist of support facilities for sea-based space missions and four research and production centers for carrier rockets, satellite equipment, sea-launch platforms and satellite data and applications.
The project is expected to benefit industries like smart manufacturing, logistics apparatus and new materials. (China Daily)
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And that's People's Daily Tonight. Thanks for joining us.
(Produced by David Nye and Jenny Huang)