People's Daily Tonight: Podcast News (2/28/2018 Wed.)

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

______

China to take measures against US aluminum duties: official

China vows to respond to a US investigation and import duties on its aluminum products.

Beijing says these violate WTO rules and seriously damage the interests of Chinese companies.

The US has stiffened anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on Chinese aluminum foil.

______

Chinese mainland promotes cross-Straits exchanges, cooperation

The Chinese mainland releases new measures on exchanges and cooperation with Taiwan.

The measures take effect immediately.

The 31 measures cover several areas of industry, finance and taxation, land use, employment, education, culture and health care.

_________

6.0-magnitude quake hits 111km SW of Porgera, Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea suffers another powerful earthquake.

The US Geological Survey measured the latest quake at 6.0 on the Richter scale.

The latest quake comes just two days after the country was hit by a 7.5-magnitude tremor.

At least 15 people were killed on Monday.

______

Taliban attack kills 2, wounds 3 in N. Afghanistan

Taliban militants launch a deadly attack in Afghanistan.

Two people were killed and three others were injured when the militants ambushed a patrol team of pro-government militias in the restive Faryab province.

Officials say Taliban insurgents opened fire, killing two people on the spot.

________

Trump Aide Kushner loses top-secret security clearance

President Trump's son-in-law loses top-level security clearance.

Jared Kushner's security clearance was downgraded from "top secret" to "secret".

That means he can no longer view the most classified materials from the White House. 

This comes after a former senior White House official kept his interim security clearance despite accusations of physical abuse by two former wives.

_______

China's economy on firm footing, stronger growth driver for world: communique

China says its economy is sound and experiencing quality growth.

A National Bureau of Statistics report says China's contribution to world economic growth stood at around 30 percent in 2017. 

It adds the country’s economy remains an important growth driver for world economic recovery.

World Bank data shows China contributed 34 percent to world economic growth from 2012 to 2016.

That's more than the US, European Union and Japan combined.

________

Beijing to Xiongan intercity rail under construction

And a new economic development zone will soon link to Beijing.

This, after the start of construction of a new train station for a high-speed rail service between Beijing and the Xiongan New Area.

The 92-kilometer line will reduce travel time between the two to half an hour.

______

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

(Produced by David Nye, Han Xiaomeng and Zhao Dantong)