This is People’s Daily Tonight, your news source from China.
Xi pays tribute to national heroes at Tian'anmen Square
Chinese President Xi Jinping led other senior Chinese leaders in presenting flower baskets to deceased national heroes in Beijing on Monday, the country's sixth Martyrs' Day on the eve of National Day.
The ceremony was held in Tiananmen Square as the People's Republic of China celebrates the 70th anniversary of its founding.
Xi straightened the red ribbons on the baskets and led a group of senior officials in a walk around the Monument to the People's Heroes to pay tribute. (Xinhua)
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China's Yuanwang-3 sailing to Pacific Ocean for satellite monitoring missions
China's spacecraft tracking ship Yuanwang-3 is sailing to the Pacific Ocean to carry out maritime monitoring missions for the BeiDou-3 and other satellites.
It is the ship’s third voyage this year.
Yuanwang-3, China's second-generation space tracking ship, mainly undertakes maritime tracking and monitoring tasks of high-, medium-, low-orbit satellites, spacecraft and space station.
Since it was launched more than 20 years ago, the ship has made 52 voyages and completed 83 missions on the sea, including maritime tracking of the Shenzhou spacecraft, the Chang'e lunar probe and BeiDou satellites, maintaining a 100 percent success rate. (Xinhua)
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Ministry eyes high-quality growth in foreign trade
China will enhance its protection of foreign enterprises, step up efforts in facilitating foreign investment and try to open up more in certain areas in order to improve its business environment.
The country’s Ministry of Commerce also said it will continue its efforts in stabilizing foreign trade and will achieve this year's trade growth goals, contributing to the healthy and stable development of the national economy.
Commerce minister Zhong Shan said China's foreign trade faced unprecedented challenges and that the ministry had taken a series of measures to stabilize foreign trade and promote the sector's high-quality development. (China Daily)
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Conservatives win Austria election as far-right tumbles
Austrian conservatives won the most seats in snap elections Sunday, putting their 33-year-old leader Sebastian Kurz on track to retake power but forcing him into tough coalition negotiations after a corruption scandal sent his erstwhile far-right allies preparing for opposition.
Kurz's People's Party gained 37 percent, up almost six percentage points from the last election two years ago, but not enough to form a government on its own, according to projections based on partial results.
Kurz, a former law student, has enjoyed a rapid ascent through the ranks to become the youngest-ever chancellor in 2017. (AFP)
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French bid farewell at coffin of ex-president Chirac
Thousands waited in line to view the remains of former French president Jacques Chirac ahead of a national day of mourning and a memorial service expected to be attended by dozens of world leaders.
Chirac's death on Thursday at the age of 86 prompted a flood of tributes to a man whose high-profile political career spanned three decades capped by 12 years as president from 1995-2007.
But it also sparked questions about how much he had actually achieved during a long spell in office.
It also threw the spotlight on a 2011 conviction for graft over his time as Paris mayor.(AFP)
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China sees stronger trade, investment ties with BRI countries
China's trade and investment with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) have flourished over the past few years, a senior official said Sunday.
China's investment in BRI countries has exceeded $100 billion so far, while China has received $48 billion of investment from those countries, Qian Keming, vice-minister of commerce, said at a press conference.
China has established multiple economic and trade cooperation zones in BRI countries and generated over 300,000 jobs for local people, Qian said.
China will increase imports from BRI countries to promote balanced trade and help BRI companies and countries to use e-commerce, he added. (Xinhua)
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South Korea to launch satellites from Australia in 2020
And South Korea will launch satellites from Australia next year.
Under the deal, South Korean company Perigree Aerospace will be able to use Southern Launch to launch small satellites from the second half of 2020.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews announced in December that the headquarters of the Australian Space Agency, Australia's first national space agency, will be established in Adelaide. (Xinhua)
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And that’s People’s Daily Tonight. Thanks for joining us.
(Produced by David Nye and Jenny Huang)