People's Daily Tonight: Podcast News (8/24/2018 Fri.)
By David Nye and Wang Xiangyu
People's Daily app
1535109387000

15191433pajj.jpg

This is People's Daily Tonight, your news source from China.

_____

China, US have 'constructive, frank' trade talks, to keep in touch for next step

WechatIMG270.jpeg

China says it had constructive and frank talks with the US on economic and trade issues of mutual concern.

China's Ministry of Commerce says the two sides will maintain contact regarding the next steps.

A Chinese delegation led by Vice Minister Wang Shouwen are in Washington for two days of talks. (People's Daily app)

_____

 Mourning ceremony held for Chinese tourists killed in boat accident in Thailand's Phuket

WechatIMG274.jpeg

Thailand's Phuket province held a religious ceremony to mourn the Chinese tourists killed in last month's tourist boat tragedy.

The ceremony was held at the Saphan Hin public park in Phuket's provincial capital and presided over by Deputy Provincial Governor.

He expressed condolences to the death of 47 Chinese tourists after the tourist boat they were riding Phoenix capsized in a storm on July 5. (Xinhua)

_____

Scott Morrison selected Australia's new prime minister

WechatIMG271.jpeg

Australia chooses a new prime minister.

Treasurer Scott Morrison was chosen after a Liberal party coup in a stunning upset against key challenger Peter Dutton.

Morrison is an ally of deposed leader Malcolm Turnbull.

He won a party-room ballot, 45-40.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was also in the running but was eliminated in the first round of voting.

Environment and energy minister Josh Frydenberg was chosen deputy Liberal leader. (AFP)

_____

Indonesian earthquake death toll reaches 555

WechatIMG276.jpeg

A string of deadly earthquakes that rocked Indonesia's Lombok island this summer killed 555 people and injured nearly 1,500.

It was hit by two deadly quakes on July 29 and August 5. 

On Sunday, it was shaken by a string of fresh tremors and aftershocks, with the strongest measuring magnitude-6.9.

Indonesia's disaster agency said most of the deaths occured in the northern part of Lombok, with several also killed in neighboring Sumbawa island. (AFP)

_____

US State Department says no plans for Pompeo-Kim meeting

WechatIMG275.jpeg

The US State Department the US has neither plans nor expectations for a possible meeting between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Kim Jong-un, during Pompeo's upcoming visit.

US President Donald Trump said he would "most likely" meet with Kim for a second time and believes Pyongyang had taken specific steps toward denuclearization, adding that he has "great chemistry" with Kim. (Xinhua)

_____

China, Mongolia to launch FTA feasibility study

WechatIMG273.jpeg

Chinese and Mongolian officials announced that the two countries have agreed to officially launch a feasibility study on a free trade area next month.

Mongolian Foreign Minister Damdin Tsogtbaatar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that the two sides will jointly promote free trade and resist protectionism in order to preserve global multilateral trade, which is at the core of the World Trade Organization. (Xinhua)

_____

S.Korean appeals court raises sentence of ousted president Park to 25 years in prison

WechatIMG272.jpeg

And a South Korean appeals court raises the sentence of ousted President Park Geun-hye to 25 years in jail.

The court increased the bribes Park received from Samsung in exchange for assistance to the management control transfer to the company’s vice chairman from his ailing father.

Park was fined $18 million. (Xinhua)

_____

And that’s People’s Daily Tonight. Thanks for joining us.

(Produced by David Nye and Wang Xiangyu)