A decade ago, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) introduced the Belt and Road Initiative to the world to promote countries’ economic development along the historic Silk Road. This plan was viewed as Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s signature economic plan under his “Major Country Diplomacy” strategy. Lured by the disguise of economic development, more than 100 countries around the world joined the initiative. Over the past decade, many countries have incurred huge debts as a result, and the CCP has been able to engage in an implicit rivalry with the United States. However, the CCP’s ambition to dominate the world using its communist ideology through the Belt and Road Initiative has failed to materialize....Read more https://www.theepochtimes.com/china/chinas-stealthy-challenge-to-us-military-power-5514781
On Oct. 16, China’s A-share market was in shock throughout the day as the three major stock indexes in China fell collectively. The Growth Enterprise Market (GEM) index fell 2 percent, hitting a 3.5-year low. Semiconductor chip stocks, including storage chips, fluorine chemicals, photoresists, lithium, and other new energy track sectors, fell across the board. The so-called king of China’s new energy tech company, Ningde Times, is a leading supplier of batteries and parts for electric vehicles. Its shares fell more than 3 percent that day, hitting a new low in two and a half years. In August, the company’s stock had risen in price as foreign investors bought into it....
Plant-based milk has become a new trend in recent years, but it may not completely replace dairy milk in terms of nutrition. The Hong Kong Consumer Council evaluated five types of prepackaged plant-based milk on the market and found that coconut milk, without added nutrients, has the lowest amount of calcium and protein. It takes about 125 and 34 cups, respectively, to get the equivalent nutritional value of calcium and protein from one cup of low-fat milk. The test results were published in the Oct. 16 issue of the Council’s monthly magazine “Choice.” The Consumer Council collected 39 samples of prepackaged plant-based milk, including 12 soy milk, ten0 oat milk, seven almond milk, five coconut milk, and five rice milk. The price of the samples ranged from HK$1 to HK$8.5 (US$0.13 to US$1.1) per 100 ml (3.4 fl. ounce) pack. Among them were 19 samples that received an overall score of 4 points or above, six on 4.5, including three almond milk, two soy milk, and one oat milk....
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed that he will travel to China from Nov. 4 to 7, where he is scheduled to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. The prime minister said the visit will build on the previous discussions and increased ministerial engagement with Beijing over the last 12 months. “I look forward to visiting China, an important step towards ensuring a stable and productive relationship,” he said. “I welcome the progress we have made to return Australian products, including Australian wine, to the Chinese market. Strong trade benefits both countries.” China accounts for for almost one-third of total Australian trade....