01. Xi meets Malaysian PM, calling for better ties in new era

August 21, 2018 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in Beijing. Xi expressed his appreciation for the great importance Mahathir has attached to advancing ties between the two countries and his support for the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, as well as his contributions to accelerating regional cooperation within Asia. China and Malaysia, as major rising forces in Asia,are cooperating in providing development opportunities for each other, Xi said, voicing his hope that the two countries can strengthen strategic communication to promote bilateral ties,the rejuvenation of Asia and prosperity of the world.

02. China, ASEAN arrive at single draft negotiating text of COC in South China Sea

August 2, 2018 (Xinhua) — China and ASEAN have arrived at a single draft negotiating text of the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at the China-ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting. The draft text will serve as the basis of future COC negotiations, and it is another significant progress on the negotiation of COC. Facts will prove that China and ASEAN member states are capable of maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea and reaching regional rules adhered to by all through negotiations, Wang Yi said.

03. Chinese state councilor calls for closer China-ASEAN community with shared future

August 3, 2018 (Xinhua) — Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for building a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future at the China-ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting. Over the past 15 years since the establishment of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership,Wang Yi said China-ASEAN relations have developed from growth to maturity, thus entering a new phase of all-round development. China will continue to regard ASEAN as the priority of its neighborhood diplomacy and be committed to good neighborliness and friendship, mutual benefit and winwin cooperation, he said, adding that China supports ASEAN community building as well as ASEAN’s central role.

04. Myanmar to renovate Chinatown in Yangon

August 9, 2018 (Xinhua) — Myanmar will renovate the wellknown Chinatown in the commercial city of Yangon with the help of China’s Nanning municipal authorities. Having busiest streets, the Chinatown lies west of the famous Sule-Pagoda in the center of Yangon. Under the project,buildings along the roadside of Chinatown will be renovated and painted, and pavements, power cables and street lamp posts will also be repaired with the aim to recreate a clean, modern area in the downtown. Authorities are inviting proposals or suggestions from the residents for the renovation project.

05. Tanzania to attend China-ASEAN Expo

August 14, 2018 (China Daily) — The China-ASEAN Expo will welcome Tanzania as a special partner of the upcoming 15thexpo. It will be the first time for an African country to participate in the annual gathering hosted by China and 10 countries from ASEAN. Mbelwa Kairuki, Tanzania’s ambassador to China,said the participation of an African country is a clear indication of China’s commitment to the continent. He said the country hopes to promote trade between Tanzania and China as well as ASEAN countries, and to attract more investment and promote tourism and related investment projects. Seif Ali Iddi,a Tanzanian parliamentarian who once served as ambassador to China in the 1990s, will lead a team and attend the event.

06. Philippine’s Cebu airport to unveil Chinese language signages

August 14, 2018 (Xinhua) — The growing number of Chinese visitors passing through Mactan-Cebu International Airport(MCIA) in the central Philippines will soon see directional signs and informational signage in Chinese text or Mandarin.According to the local Cebu Daily News, MCIA authorities want to make sure that Chinese and other foreign tourists visiting Cebu will have a seamless experience when flying in and out of the airport. And these measures to be implemented include the installation of way-finding and informational signages in both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 with Chinese language translations. These are just some of the upgrades that MCIA authorities are doing in anticipation of an influx of Chinese tourists as airlines launch more flights to China.

07. Cambodian PM vows to work closely with China after winning election

August 16, 2018 (Xinhua) — Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen expresses his full commitment to working closely with China after his ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) won a sweeping victory in a recent general election. In a thankful letter in response to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s congratulatory message on the CPP victory, Hun Sen showed his full commitment to working closely with Xi to promote party-to-party, government-to-government and people-to-people exchanges. He also vowed to enhance the bonds of fraternal friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between Cambodia and China for the benefits of the two nations and for peace and shared prosperity of the region and beyond.

08. Asian Games open in Jakarta amid grand ceremony

August 18, 2018 (Xinhua) — The 18thAsian Games opened amid a spectacular ceremony in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia on August 18, 2018, a day after the 73rdanniversary of Indonesia’s independence. The Jakarta Asiad will stage 465 events out of 40 sports, among which 330 events from 32 sports will feature in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The Indonesian martial art of pencak silat will be among the 10 events making their Asian Games debut. China sent a relatively young delegation, and they will be competing in 376 medal events in 38 sports.