INSIDER
Chinese Premier Li and New Zealand’s Luxon hail close ties as they sign trade deals in Wellington
Read full article: Chinese Premier Li and New Zealand’s Luxon hail close ties as they sign trade deals in WellingtonChinese Premier Li Qiang has met with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Wellington, where the two leaders played up the ability of “good friends” to respectfully disagree — while publicly diverging on little.
Chinese gather and lay flowers despite heavy security as former Premier Li Keqiang is laid to rest
Read full article: Chinese gather and lay flowers despite heavy security as former Premier Li Keqiang is laid to restHundreds, possibly thousands, of people have gathered near a state funeral home in Beijing as China's former second-ranking leader, Li Keqiang, was put to rest.
Remains of former Chinese premier Li Keqiang to be cremated and flags to be lowered
Read full article: Remains of former Chinese premier Li Keqiang to be cremated and flags to be loweredState media report the remains of former Chinese premier Li Keqiang are to be cremated on Thursday, with flags around the country to be flown at half-staff to mourn the official who helped guide the world's second-largest economy for a decade.
China holds major financial conference as leaders maneuver to get slowing economy back on track
Read full article: China holds major financial conference as leaders maneuver to get slowing economy back on trackChina’s leaders are expected to search for ways to mend the country's fractured property market, create jobs for millions of unemployed youths and spur faster growth in a meeting that reportedly began Monday in Beijing.
China's chief epidemiologist Wu Zunyou who helped drive the anti-COVID fight dies at age 60
Read full article: China's chief epidemiologist Wu Zunyou who helped drive the anti-COVID fight dies at age 60China's chief epidemiologist who helped drive anti-COVID-19 measures in the country that suspended access to cities and confined millions to their homes has died.
Chinese planners promise 12 million jobs, economic rebound
Read full article: Chinese planners promise 12 million jobs, economic reboundChinese economic officials have expressed confidence they can meet this year’s growth target of “around 5%” by generating 12 million new jobs and encouraging consumer spending.
China Premier Li Keqiang bows out as Xi loyalists take reins
Read full article: China Premier Li Keqiang bows out as Xi loyalists take reinsChinese Premier Li Keqiang is taking his final bow in a departure that marks a shift from the technocrats who have helped steer the world's second-biggest economy in favor of officials with unquestioned loyalty to President Xi Jinping.
China sets this year's economic growth target at 'around 5%'
Read full article: China sets this year's economic growth target at 'around 5%'China’s government has set this year’s economic growth target at “around 5%” as it tries to rebuild business activity following the end of anti-virus controls that kept millions of people at home.
New leaders, economy to dominate China's legislative session
Read full article: New leaders, economy to dominate China's legislative sessionThe installation of new leaders and the need to shore up a flagging economy will dominate the annual session of China's rubber-stamp parliament that kicks off Sunday.
Cambodia's Hun Sen has COVID-19 at G-20 after earlier summit
Read full article: Cambodia's Hun Sen has COVID-19 at G-20 after earlier summitCambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Tuesday he has COVID-19 and is leaving the Group of 20 meetings in Bali, just days after hosting President Joe Biden and other world leaders for a summit in his country’s capital.
Myanmar tops Asian summit's agenda as global issues loom
Read full article: Myanmar tops Asian summit's agenda as global issues loomSoutheast Asian leaders are convening in Cambodia, faced with the challenge of trying to curtail escalating violence in Myanmar while the country’s military-led government shows no signs of complying with the group’s peace plan.
Germany's Scholz urges Xi to exert influence on Russia
Read full article: Germany's Scholz urges Xi to exert influence on RussiaChinese President Xi Jinping has called for peace talks over Ukraine and warned against the conflict going nuclear in a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who urged China to exert its influence on Russia.
Germany's Scholz makes difficult visit to assertive China
Read full article: Germany's Scholz makes difficult visit to assertive ChinaChancellor Olaf Scholz is making his first visit to China as German leader this week, a diplomatically delicate trip while Germany and the European Union work on their strategy toward an increasingly assertive and authoritarian Beijing.
Questions swirl after China's former leader Hu leaves event
Read full article: Questions swirl after China's former leader Hu leaves eventQuestions abound after former Chinese President Hu Jintao was suddenly escorted offstage at an important moment during the tightly choreographed ruling party congress.
China's Xi gets chance to tighten hold on economy at meeting
Read full article: China's Xi gets chance to tighten hold on economy at meetingPresident Xi Jinping, China’s most influential figure in decades, gets a chance to stack the ranks with allies who share his vision of intensifying pervasive control over entrepreneurs and technology development at a meeting of the ruling Communist Party that starts this weekend.
Live update: King Charles III vows life of service to others
Read full article: Live update: King Charles III vows life of service to othersColombia, Ecuador and Venezuela offered condolences to the United Kingdom on Friday following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning British monarch.
China's youth face bleak job market as COVID slows economy
Read full article: China's youth face bleak job market as COVID slows economyChina’s 11 million university graduates are struggling in a bleak job market this summer as repeated shutdowns under China’s zero-COVID lockdowns forced companies to retrench and driven many restaurants and other small employers out of business.
Australia's government urges China to remove trade barriers
Read full article: Australia's government urges China to remove trade barriersAustralia’s new government has urged China to lift trade sanctions if it wants to reset a bilateral relationship that plumbed new depths under the previous administration.
Solomon Islands leader defends new security pact with China
Read full article: Solomon Islands leader defends new security pact with ChinaThe Solomon Islands prime minister has confirmed that his government has signed a new security agreement with China, but told lawmakers it would not undermine the peace and harmony of the region, as has been feared by the opposition and countries including the United States and Australia.
China's economy grows still-weak 4.8% in January-March
Read full article: China's economy grows still-weak 4.8% in January-MarchChina’s economic growth edged up to a still-weak 4.8% over a year earlier in the first three months of 2022 as a wave of coronavirus outbreaks led to shutdowns of major industrial cities.
Document indicates China could boost military in Solomons
Read full article: Document indicates China could boost military in SolomonsA leaked document indicates China is looking to boost its military presence in the Solomon Islands — including with ship visits — in a development raising alarm in nearby Australia and beyond.
China tries to calm markets by pledging support for economy
Read full article: China tries to calm markets by pledging support for economyChina’s leaders are trying to calm jittery investors by promising more help for its struggling real estate industry, internet companies and entrepreneurs who want to raise money abroad.
China's premier promises 13 million jobs to reverse slump
Read full article: China's premier promises 13 million jobs to reverse slumpChina’s No_ 2 leader says the government hopes to generate as many as 13 million new jobs this year to help reverse a painful economic slump but faces “many difficulties and challenges."
Premier Li offers China's help for 'grave' Ukraine situation
Read full article: Premier Li offers China's help for 'grave' Ukraine situationChina’s premier is calling the situation in Ukraine “grave” and offering Beijing's help in playing a “positive role” for peace while continuing to refrain from criticizing Russia.
Human trafficking case sparks government response in China
Read full article: Human trafficking case sparks government response in ChinaPublic anger over a particularly egregious case of human trafficking in China has prompted a government response, elevating it as one of the most visible issues at the annual session of China's rubber-stamp legislature.
China calls Russia its chief 'strategic partner' despite war
Read full article: China calls Russia its chief 'strategic partner' despite warChina is calling Russia its “most important strategic partner" as Beijing continues to refuse to condemn the invasion of Ukraine despite growing pressure from the U.S. and EU to use its influence to urge Moscow to pull back.
China cuts economic growth goal as it tries to reverse slump
Read full article: China cuts economic growth goal as it tries to reverse slumpChina has cut its annual economic growth target to its lowest level in decades as Beijing tries to reverse a slump at a time when Russia’s war on Ukraine is pushing up oil prices and roiling the global economy.
China's legislature to meet with economy, Ukraine backdrop
Read full article: China's legislature to meet with economy, Ukraine backdropChina’s 3,000-member ceremonial parliament will open its annual session Saturday with the government facing a slowing economy and international pressure over its refusal to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In opening of Winter Olympics, chances at politicking abound
Read full article: In opening of Winter Olympics, chances at politicking aboundFor all the talk of a diplomatic boycott, Chinese leader Xi Jinping has managed to attract a globe-spanning roster of presidents, royals and other dignitaries to the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics.
Chinese leaders promise more economic support after slowdown
Read full article: Chinese leaders promise more economic support after slowdownChinese leaders have promised tax cuts and support for entrepreneurs to shore up slumping economic growth as the country grapples with a wave of bankruptcies and defaults among real estate developers caused by a campaign to rein in surging debt.
EXPLAINER: How power and ideology define Xi's rise in China
Read full article: EXPLAINER: How power and ideology define Xi's rise in ChinaChinese leader Xi Jinping emerges from a party conclave this week not only more firmly ensconced in power than ever, but also with a stronger ideological and theoretical grasp on the ruling Communist Party's past, present and future.
Asian shares rise after Fed says economic aid will wind down
Read full article: Asian shares rise after Fed says economic aid will wind downAsian shares are rising, boosted by the U.S. Federal Reserve's announcement on winding down the extraordinary aid for the economy it has been providing since early in the pandemic.
Summer storms were a climate-change wake-up call for subways
Read full article: Summer storms were a climate-change wake-up call for subwaysTransit officials and experts say this summer’s storms were the latest reminders that more needs to be done to prepare the East Coast’s vital transit systems in the face of more extreme and unpredictable weather caused by climate change.
China's Xi leads Martyr's Day ceremony amid patriotism drive
Read full article: China's Xi leads Martyr's Day ceremony amid patriotism driveChinese leader Xi Jinping has paid respects at a commemoration for those who died in the struggle to establish Communist Party rule as he leads a drive to reinforce patriotism and single-party authority.
UK fraud agency probes Liberty Steel owner's Greensill links
Read full article: UK fraud agency probes Liberty Steel owner's Greensill linksBritain’s Serious Fraud Office says it's investigating suspected fraud, fraudulent trading and money laundering within the business empire of Liberty Steel owner Sanjeev Gupta, including its financing arrangements with bankrupt Greensill Capital U.K. Because this is an ongoing investigation, the fraud office said Friday it will not be providing any further comment into its probe into the activities of businesses within the Gupta Family Group Alliance.
China legislature endorses reducing public vote in Hong Kong
Read full article: China legislature endorses reducing public vote in Hong KongIt adds to a crackdown against a protest movement in Hong Kong calling for greater democracy. Hong Kong news reports said earlier the committee will pick one-third of the members of the Legislative Council, or LegCo. AdBeijing wants to see “patriots ruling Hong Kong,” the premier said. “The Hong Kong people will be disenfranchised” under the latest changes, said Emily Lau, a former Hong Kong legislator. ___AP writers Zen Soo in Hong Kong and Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report.
EXPLAINER: What's happened so far at China's annual congress
Read full article: EXPLAINER: What's happened so far at China's annual congressBEIJING – Midway through its annual session, China’s ceremonial parliament is focusing on boosting the economy, building self-reliance in technology and further squeezing room for political opposition in Hong Kong. SETTING AN ACHEIVABLE GROWTH TARGETThe party set a growth target of “over 6%”, as the world’s second-largest economy shrugs off the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. AdBEEFING UP THE MILITARYThe government announced a 6.8% rise in military spending to 1.4 trillion yuan ($217 billion), continuing a tradition of roughly tracking the economic growth target. WHAT'S NEXTThe annual session, which has been reduced from two weeks to one because of the pandemic, finishes on Thursday. Li will give the premier's annual news conference after the congress closes.
Chinese exports surge as global demand recovers from virus
Read full article: Chinese exports surge as global demand recovers from virus(AP Photo/Andy Wong)BEIJING – China’s exports surged 60.6% over a year earlier in the first two months of 2021, after factories reopened and global demand started to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. AdForecasters say the Chinese export surge should decelerate as demand for masks and other medical supplies eases and overseas competitors return to global markets. Then, global exports tumbled 17.2% in 2020's first two months from the previous year. This year, China’s global trade surplus for January and February was $103.3 billion, compared with a $7.1 billion deficit in the same period last year. China’s trade surplus with the United States narrowed by 17.7% from the same time last year to $20.9 billion.
China sets moderate new energy goals for climate change
Read full article: China sets moderate new energy goals for climate change(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)BEIJING – China, the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, announced generally moderate new energy and climate targets on Friday that give little sign that it will step up its pace in combatting climate change. The 18% target is the same as in the previous five-year economic plan. The country uses carbon emissions per unit of economic output, or carbon intensity, instead of absolute emission reduction targets. Government planners offered a few more specifics in a summary of the new five-year plan. It sets a target for non-fossil energy to account for 20% of total energy consumption by 2025, which will require further investment in solar and wind energy.
Tech rebound pulls stocks out of a slump and to weekly gain
Read full article: Tech rebound pulls stocks out of a slump and to weekly gainThe S&P 500 gained 2% after clawing back from a 1% skid that followed a 1% surge at the start of trading. "The bad thing being higher interest rates and the good being an improvement in the economy.”The S&P 500 rose 73.47 points to 3,841.94. That may have helped ease some bond investors inflation worries, at least for now. By Friday afternoon, the vast majority of stocks in the S&P 500 had rebounded. Five Big Tech stocks alone make up more than 21% of the S&P 500 by market value, so weakness for tech can hold back S&P 500 index funds even if many stocks within it are rising.
China boosts defense spending by 6.8% amid debt, pandemic
Read full article: China boosts defense spending by 6.8% amid debt, pandemicChina is increasing its defense spending by 6.8% in 2021 as it works to maintain a robust upgrading of the armed forces despite high government debt and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)BEIJING – China is increasing its defense spending by 6.8% in 2021 as it works to maintain a robust upgrading of the armed forces despite high government debt and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. A national budget report issued Friday said China would spend 1.355 trillion yuan ($210 billion) on defense in the coming year. AdThe government says most of the spending increases go toward improving pay and other conditions for troops while observers say the budget omits much of China’s spending on weaponry, most of it developed domestically. The People's Liberation Army exercises a strong political role as the military branch of the ruling Communist Party.
China sets growth target 'over 6%,' tightening HK control
Read full article: China sets growth target 'over 6%,' tightening HK control2 leader set a healthy economic growth target Friday and vowed to make the nation self-reliant in technology amid tension with the U.S. and Europe over trade and human rights. Another official announced plans to tighten control over Hong Kong by reducing the public's role in government. But he avoided aggressive targets that might weigh on economic growth. ___AP writers Huizhong Wu in Taipei, Taiwan, and Zen Soo in Hong Kong contributed to this report. Ad___This story corrects the current size of the Hong Kong legislature to 70 members, not 35.
The Latest: Tennessee won't mandate vaccines in its schools
Read full article: The Latest: Tennessee won't mandate vaccines in its schools(AP Photo/Oded Balilty)NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee’s governor says that once coronavirus vaccines become available, they will be optional in the state’s K-12 public schools. It’s just going nowhere,” Dr. Thomas Dobbs, Mississippi’s state health officer, said Monday during a meeting with members of the Mississippi Senate. State health officials said fatality updates on Tuesday are typically higher because of lag in reporting from the weekends. That includes more than 1,000 on intensive care units and more than 570 on ventilators, according to state Health Department data. —-MADRID — Spain is reporting a new daily record of 537 coronavirus deaths since the resurgence of the pandemic.
Trump skips Southeast Asia summit for third year in a row
Read full article: Trump skips Southeast Asia summit for third year in a rowU.S. President Donald Trump skipped a virtual summit with his Southeast Asian counterparts on Saturday, the third year in a row that the U.S. is being represented at a lower level. (VNA via AP)HANOI – President Donald Trump skipped a summit with his Southeast Asian counterparts for the third year in a row on Saturday, with rival China set to expand its influence with a massive free trade deal in the region. National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien said Trump regretted he was unable to attend the online summit with the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, but stressed the importance of ties with the region. Trump attended the ASEAN summit in 2017, but sent only representatives during the last two meetings. At the separate summit later Saturday, China, Japan and South Korea sought deeper regional cooperation to battle the pandemic.
Asia Today: 39 new cases in S. Korea; China defends record
Read full article: Asia Today: 39 new cases in S. Korea; China defends record(AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)SEOUL SEOUL, South Korea (AP) South Korea on Friday reported 39 new cases of the coronavirus as infections continued to spike after rigid social distancing rules were relaxed. The additional figures released by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took the countrys total to 11,668 with 273 deaths. In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region: FIVE NEW CASES IN CHINA: China on Friday reported five new confirmed coronavirus cases, all of them brought by Chinese citizens from outside the country. China has reported 4,634 deaths among 83,027 cases since the virus was first detected in the central city of Wuhan late last year. Despite criticism of its initial handling of the outbreak and allegations it withheld crucial information, China has repeatedly defended its record.
Trump strikes China over virus, Hong Kong and student visas
Read full article: Trump strikes China over virus, Hong Kong and student visasPresident Donald Trump speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House, Friday, May 29, 2020, in Washington. He noted that the U.S. contributes about $450 million to the world body while China provides about $40 million. Tensions over Hong Kong have increased over the past year as China has cracked down on protesters a nd sought to exert more control over the former British territory. Trump said the administration would begin eliminating the full range of agreements that had given Hong Kong a relationship with the U.S. that mainland China lacked, including exemptions from controls on certain exports. Still, the country has insisted that its control of Hong Kong is an internal matter, and it has disputed that it mishandled the response to the virus.
Wall Street up as recovery hopes overshadow virus worries
Read full article: Wall Street up as recovery hopes overshadow virus worriesAsian shares are rising as some regions in Japan resume near-normal business activity, with hopes for economic recovery overshadowing worries over the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)TOKYO Stocks surged on Wall Street in morning trading Tuesday, driving the S&P 500 to its highest level in nearly three months, as hopes for economic recovery overshadow worries about the coronavirus pandemic. The S&P 500 was up 2% to 3,015 points. The S&P 500 was coming off a solid week and is on track for a second-straight month of gains. Fears of a crushing recession due to the coronavirus sent the S&P 500 into a skid of more than 30% from its February high.
Key points about China's legislative session
Read full article: Key points about China's legislative sessionZhang Youxia, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission, attends the opening session of China's National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Friday, May 22, 2020. The National Peoples Congress session is more a chance for the authoritarian ruling Communist Party leadership to directly communicate its message than an occasion to debate or pass laws. The premier traditionally caps off the session with his sole annual news conference broadcast live nationwide. Discussion may be more limited this year by social distancing requirements, although it isnt clear how strictly they are being enforced. At Thursdays opening session of the CPPCC, rank-and-file members wore masks but sat in rows as usual with little space between them.
Wall Street ends a choppy day mostly higher; crude oil falls
Read full article: Wall Street ends a choppy day mostly higher; crude oil falls(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)BANGKOK Stock indexes finished mostly higher Friday as Wall Street shook off an early slide, closing out a solid week of gains for the market. Energy stocks fell the most as crude oil prices closed lower after six straight gains. Benchmark U.S. crude oil fell 2% to settle at $33.25 a barrel. Brent crude oil, the international standard, fell 2.6% to settle at $35.13 a barrel. The choppy trading on Wall Street followed a downbeat day in Asia.
The Latest: Nevada's shuttered casinos could reopen June 4
Read full article: The Latest: Nevada's shuttered casinos could reopen June 4(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)The Latest on the coronavirus pandemic. Steve Sisolak has set a tentative June 4 date for reopening the states shuttered casinos, including the famous glitzy casinos of Las Vegas. Tate Reeves says he is adding another week to his statewide safer at home order because of the coronavirus pandemic. ___ROME All residents of nursing homes in Lombardy, Italys worst-stricken region in the COVID-19 pandemic, have now been tested for the infection. State health officials plan another round of testing at the facility next week.
China boosts spending for virus-hit economy, takes up HK law
Read full article: China boosts spending for virus-hit economy, takes up HK law2 leader on Friday promised higher spending to revive its pandemic-stricken economy and curb surging job losses but avoided launching a massive stimulus on the scale of the United States or Japan. Also Friday, legislators took up a proposed national security law for Hong Kong that activists complain might be used to suppress political activity. That is in line with expectations for higher spending but a fraction of the $1 trillion-plus stimulus packages launched or discussed by the United States, Japan and Europe. Also Friday, the government announced the military budget, the world's second-biggest after the United States, will rise 6.6% to 1.3 trillion yuan ($178 billion). Wang said Beijing had to take action because activities in Hong Kong threatened national security, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
New infections show virus accelerating across Latin America
Read full article: New infections show virus accelerating across Latin America(AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)BEIJING The coronavirus pandemic accelerated across Latin America on Friday, bringing a surge of new infections and deaths, even as curves flattened and reopening was underway in much of Europe, Asia and the United States. Brazil reported more than 20,000 deaths and 300,000 confirmed cases, making it the third worst-hit country in the world by official counts. Armando Sepulveda, manager of San Cristobal Mauseleum in the massive Mexico City suburb of Ecatepec, said his burial and cremation business has doubled in recent weeks. With almost 109,000 confirmed cases and more than 3,100 dead as of Thursday night, Peruvian media showed images of patients slumped in wheelchairs receiving oxygen. ___Sherman reported from Mexico City.
China focused on jobs as national legislature meets
Read full article: China focused on jobs as national legislature meetsAs job losses surge, China is joining the United States and other governments in rolling out stimulus spending to revive its virus-battered economy. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)BEIJING As job losses surge, China is joining the United States and other governments in rolling out stimulus spending to revive its virus-battered economy. One closely watched indicator: Whether Beijing will skip for the first time setting an economic growth target given uncertainties over what lies ahead. Banks that lent to finance stimulus spending after the 2008 global crisis have a mountain of nonperforming loans. The final economic impact will be mainly determined by the development of the epidemic in Europe and the United States, Ma said.
Stocks end lower on Wall Street as US-China tensions weigh
Read full article: Stocks end lower on Wall Street as US-China tensions weighAsian stock markets are mixed after Wall Street rose amid Chinese trade tension with Washington and Australia. Oil prices closed higher, extending a string of gains. Oil prices closed higher for the sixth day day in a row. European stock indexes closed broadly lower after shedding some gains. Asian stock markets finished lower.
China considers bill limiting Hong Kong opposition activity
Read full article: China considers bill limiting Hong Kong opposition activitySuch legislation was last proposed in 2003 under Article 23 of the Basic Law, Hong Kong's mini-constitution, bringing hundreds of thousands of the territory's citizens out in protest. Opposition in Hong Kong's Legislative Council, however, made it unlikely such a bill could pass at the local level. Hong Kongs South China Morning Post newspaper said a draft resolution would be brought before the National People's Congress on Friday afternoon and voted on at the end of its session on May 28. The decision to circumvent Hong Kong's Legislative Council to enact the security legislation is an unprecedented and highly controversial intervention," Johnny Patterson, director of the non-governmental organization Hong Kong Watch, said in a statement. Thursday saw the opening session of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, an advisory body.
China's economy struggles as consumers tighten belts
Read full article: China's economy struggles as consumers tighten beltsChinese leaders are counting on consumers to power the economy, replacing trade and investment as Beijing fights a tariff war with Washington. Communist leaders are counting on consumers to power China's economy, replacing trade and investment. But shoppers, spooked by the tariff war and possible job losses, are cutting spending on cars, real estate and other big-ticket purchases. Economic growth sank to a three-decade low of 6% over a year earlier in the quarter ending in September. Chinese leaders don't want to use credit-fueled stimulus and "leave themselves vulnerable to future economic and financial sanctions," he said.
Caught between human rights and trade, Angela Merkel lands in China
Read full article: Caught between human rights and trade, Angela Merkel lands in ChinaBEIJING - Angela Merkel was welcomed by Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing on Friday amid calls for the German Chancellor to take a stronger line on China's human rights record. According to state-run CGTN, Merkel is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the trip. China is one of Germany's largest trading partners, buying almost $100 billion of German exports in 2017. In a letter to Merkel ahead of her visit, prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong also wrote to her to ask for help. Speaking in Beijing on Friday, Merkel said the rights of Hong Kong citizens "must be respected."