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Creating regional free trade zones in Asia-Pacific top priority — Chinese official

Agreement on common free trade zone in the whole region would present an alternative to the Trans-Pacific Partnership project promoted by the US

© AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko

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China to open more economic sectors for foreign investment, says premier

BEIJING, March 5. /TASS/. China plans to create several regional free trade zones in 2015, Chinese State Council premier Li Keqiang said Thursday at the 3rd session of the National People’s Congress of the 12th convocation.

"We will have to protect the international trade system. We intend to speed up creating several free trade zones, facilitate the process of economic globalization," the official said.

Chinese strategy of creating integrated trade structures in the Asia-Pacific aims at reaching agreement on common free trade zone in the whole region, which would present an alternative to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) project promoted by the US.

"We will try to sign an agreement as soon as possible on free trade zone between China and South Korea, China and Australia, step up negotiations on free trade zone in the format China-Japan-South Korea. We will also try to make an agreement on creating a free trade zone between China and ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] in the new format," he added.

Around 3,000 delegates participate in the State Council session. They will work out measures on sustaining the country’s development in the conditions of slowing economic growth and consider a draft law on fighting terrorism, which has already drew criticism from the US.

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Russian forces gain foothold in Chasov Yar’s industrial zone — expert

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Kremlin confident Putin's statement got through to US administration

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Russian air defense deflects attacks with Western missiles — Putin

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North Korean leader warns of growing risk of nuclear war — KCNA

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Press review: US lets Kiev use anti-personnel mines and Iran may halt uranium enrichment

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Russia’s steel production plunged in October — WSA

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Weapons supplied to Ukraine cannot reach Russian territory, Spanish defense minister says

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Houthis say they attacked Israeli military base with hypersonic missile

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US to impose export restrictions against up to 200 Chinese firms — agency

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Russian embassy warns UK about dangers of calling for Moscow’s ‘defeat’

According to th statement, London is promoting new rounds of escalation

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Russian military to warn Ukrainian civilians of future Oreshnik attacks — Kremlin

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Press review: Russia fires missile at Ukraine plant and Biden forgives Kiev $4.65 bln debt

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, November 22nd

Russia’s Oreshnik has no analogues worldwide — Putin

"We know what kind of developments are being carried out there, but this will happen tomorrow or in a year or two, but we have such a system already today," the president said

US, West have no capabilities to intercept new Russian hypersonic missile — expert

"There is more in the Russian arsenal than many believe," said Karin Kneissl, the former Foreign Minister of Austria

Captives, Ukrainian losses: situation in Kursk Region

Over the day, the enemy lost more than 150 people, while five Ukrainian servicemen surrendered

Russia forced to roll out new weapons as West fuels conflict, Minsk says

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Russia not obliged to notify anyone about launch of intermediate-range missile — Kremlin

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Ukraine should consider territorial concessions to Russia in return for peace — magazine

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West beginning to realize only part of Ukraine will remain — Lavrov

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Russian strategic missile forces to be equipped with advanced weapon by 95%

"A large-scale investment program for expanding production capacities at defense sector organizations is being implemented", Vasily Tonkoshkurov said

US decision to allow missile strikes deep into Russia fuels global escalation — Slovak PM

Robert Fico also rejected the belief that this escalation would not impact "those living far away, in Spain, England, or America"

US admiral says Washington should be ready for talks with Russia, China

The Department of State and other US agencies "should continue to engage our competitors in real and substantive dialogue," Rear Admiral Thomas Buchanan said

Putin says Oreshnik missile system cutting-edge innovation by Russia, not Soviet byproduct

The Russian Defense Ministry announced earlier in the day that the country’s latest Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile hit all the targets at a major Ukrainian military-industrial enterprise in Dnepr (Dnepropetrovsk) with its MIRVed warheads

Commissioning of Oreshnik and new developments: Putin’s meeting with defense specialists

Here are the key statements, made during the meeting

US missile defense base in Poland long among Russian army’s targets — Foreign Ministry

Maria Zakharova stated that the US-NATO construction project, ongoing for nearly a decade with complete disregard to Russian security concerns, has consistently been a focus of Russia's attention

NATO enters conflict, Russia has every right to attack its targets now — expert

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Putin stays open to contacts to reach 'peaceful track' — Kremlin

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Russia hammers Ukrainian military-industrial facilities, energy sites over week

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Russian forces successfully advancing in all areas in special military op zone — Putin

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Oreshnik missile to go into serial production, Putin says

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Putin's speech shows West that Russia won’t waver, is ready for any scenario — expert

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Russia uses aerial bombs to destroy Ukrainian positions near DPR’s Konstantinovka — source

According to the report, at least 15 Ukrainian servicemen were killed as a result of the attack

Ukrainian defense line in Donbass may soon collapse — expert

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Illegal decisions on Russian property in Finland will not go unanswered — diplomat

Maria Zakharova noted that the Russian Embassy in Helsinki has sent requests to clarify the situation

Enemy losses, mercenary intrigue, humanitarian aid: situation in Kursk Region

Over the day, the enemy lost 150 troops, four motor vehicles, an artillery piece and two mortars

US not seeking confrontation with Russia, but will continue assistance to Kiev — Pentagon

Department of Defense Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh also claimed that Washington, while helping Ukraine, is not attempting to turn the conflict into a large-scale regional confrontation that spills beyond the country’s borders

Russia’s reaction to Austrian OMV’s failure to pay for gas justified — MFA

The company stated it would seek damages amounting to 230 million euro for failing to receive the contracted volume of gas from the Russian company for delivery to Germany

Zelensky’s actions make Ukraine vulnerable to coup, says politician

"Democratic institutions in the country have been destroyed, rendering dialogue between the government and the people impossible," Viktor Medvedchuk said

Zelensky shook up by Russia’s response to permission to attack it — Lavrov

According to the Russian foreign minister, the West is directly involved in the use of long-range weapons against Russia, as not a single missile could be launched without its involvement

Defense ministers of five European nations to meet in Berlin on November 25

The French interior ministry said earlier that an emergency meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council will be held on November 26 following Russia using its new missile against a Ukrainian defense sector facility

Oreshnik missile to change course of Ukrainian conflict, Medvedev believes

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said it in an interview

Japanese lawmaker praises Putin's restraint amid decision to strike deep into Russia

Top EU diplomat Josep Borrell confirmed that the US administration had lifted restrictions for US-supplied missiles to be used for strikes up to 300 kilometers inside Russia

WIPO members adopt Riyadh Design Law Treaty

The treaty is aimed at harmonization of national and regional laws and at unification of formal requirements to designs registration

China against double standards in international law — Foreign Ministry

Spokesman Lin Jian highlighted Washington's use of double standards in handling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict within the United Nations

Eliminating best enemy units: Defense Minister visits special op area

Andrey Belousov stressed that Russian troops have accelerated their advance in the special military operation zone and have effectively disrupted Kiev's 2025 military campaign

Decision on strikes inside Russia seals US puppet Zelensky’s fate — commentator

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Trump to name investor Bessent as Treasury Secretary

Janet Yellen currently holds the position

Russia’s re-election to UNCITRAL confirms its global reputation — Foreign Ministry

Russia got the support of 129 countries in a November 20 vote in New York at the 40th plenary session of the UN General Assembly

Russian servicemen control 30% of Chasov Yar in DPR — expert

According to military expert Andrey Marochko, 10% of the territory is the so-called grey zone

Oreshnik can reach targets across entire Europe — missile troops commander

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Kremlin clarifies notification process for Oreshnik missile launch

"An automated warning was sent 30 minutes before the launch," Dmitry Peskov said

Ex-German chancellor never expected Russia to tolerate Ukraine’s NATO membership — memoir

Angela Merkel added that another fallacy was the belief that the status "would act as a deterrent," and that Moscow "would accept these developments without taking action"

State Department says Russia, China maintain forward momentum in bilateral relationship

Moscow and Beijing 'have maintained forward momentum in their bilateral relationship', Kurt Campbell said

State Department says US-India relations hit some headwinds due to Russia, BRICS

Kurt Campbell said that it is important to 'keep attention on the horizon'

Russia fires ballistic, non-nuclear-tipped missile at Ukrainian aerospace plant — Putin

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Tehran to launch new centrifuges in response to IAEA anti-Iran resolution — statement

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Western nations should take Putin's statement seriously, warns Hungarian PM

Viktor Orban recalled that Russia has "one of the most powerful armies in the world, which boasts the most advanced, most powerful weapons"