Chinese Defense Ministry denies PLA at level-2 combat readiness
China's Defense Ministry has denied reports that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) units had entered level-2 combat readiness.
Online media reports say the PLA's Guangzhou Military Area Command and the South China Sea Fleet have entered Level II combat readiness.
A brief press release published by the ministry's official website Saturday says those reports are not true.
China has maintained a monthlong maritime standoff with the Philippines in the South China Sea over the dispute of the Huangyan Island.
Trade ministers of China, Japan, ROK conclude ninth meeting
Trade ministers of China, Japan and South Korea have concluded their ninth meeting in Beijing after exchanging ideas on a range of trilateral trade issues.
During a press conference, the three ministers announced they would submit a proposal to the fifth meeting of the leaders of the three Asian neighbors on signing trilateral investment agreement and initiating negotiations of setting up a free trade area within this year.
Saturday's meeting was the first to be held in Beijing.
4 NATO soldiers die in southern Afghanistan
Four NATO soldiers have lost their lives during separate incidents in restive southern Afghanistan.
The military alliance confirmed in press releases which did not mention the nationalities of the victims.
Over 150 foreign soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan so far this year.
Greek president to make last push for coalition gov't Sunday
Greek President Karolos Papoulias will make on Sunday a final push for the formation of a coalition government following the May 6 national polls that gave no party parliamentary majority.
The statement came after Papoulias met with socialist PASOK party leader Evangelos Venizelos who returned the exploratory mandate he had been given on Thursday.
Papoulias will hold a series of meetings with leaders of all seven parties that enter the new assembly, according to the constitution.
Greek media reports say a second round of polls could take place on June 10 or June 17.
Israel responds to Abbas' political letter
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has responded to a political letter Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas gave to Israel on April 17, concerning the stalled peace process in the Middle East.
Netanyahu's advisor Yitzhak Mulkho arrived on Saturday evening in the West Bank city of Ramallah to hand Abbas the Israeli response.
Abbas will chair a meeting of the PLO executive committee on Sunday to debate the Israeli response and decide on what will be the next Palestinian political steps.
China to cut reserve requirement ratio by 0.5 percentage points
China will lower banks' reserve requirement ratio (RRR) by 0.5 percentage points starting May 18.
The cut, the second of its kind this year, will drop the reserve requirement ratio for the country's large financial institutions to 20 percent and the medium- and small-sized financial institutions to 16.5 percent, according to the People's Bank of China.
Analysts say the central bank's move is to further release liquidity against the backdrop of current slowdown in economic growth.
The cut will release an estimated 400 billion yuan (over 63 billion U.S. dollars) in capital into the market.
China had previously lowered the reserve requirement ratio by 0.5 percentage points on Feb. 24.
Death toll rises to 40 in NW China storms; 18 still missing
The death toll has risen to 40 and 18 others remained missing after hail and torrential rains battered a mountainous county in northwest China.
The storms have affected 358,000 people in Minxian county, Gansu province, forcing the evacuation of nearly 30,000 local residents. Another 87 people have been hospitalized.
A total of 950 tents, over 1,200 beds and a great deal of relief supplies have been sent to the disaster-stricken area, but the local residents are still in need of relief supplies.
4 people are missing after a flash flood
Four people were missing after a flash flood hit a shed at a construction site in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region early Saturday morning.
Local officials say rescuers are looking for the missing in Wanggao township in the city of Hezhou where the flood occurred.
China upgrades warning level for rainstorm in south
China's national observatory has upgraded the warning level from blue to yellow for a new round of rainstorms expected to hit the country's southern regions over next three days.
The National Meteorological Center urged local authorities in south China to strengthen monitoring and guard against possible geological disasters such as landslides.
Taiwanese social groups propose promoting cross-Strait ties
The second forum of social groups of Taiwan compatriots has adopted a proposal of contributing to the peaceful development of relations between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.
The proposal was made by more than 240 representatives of social groups of Taiwan compatriots from around the world at the closing ceremony of the two-day forum held in Beijing.
The proposal calls on the social groups of Taiwan compatriots worldwide to assume more responsibilities for cross-Strait relations development, provide better services for the Taiwanese people and give more consideration to cross-Strait exchanges.