Xi meets Indian PM

    Chinese President Xi Jinping met with visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Xi’an, capital city of Shaanxi Province and Xi’s hometown, on May 14.

    The Indian prime minister updated his social media status on Weibo hours after he arrived in Xi’an.

    The visit highlights warming ties between the rising Asian powers, the world’s two most populous nations with a combined population of 2.6 billion.

    9 arrested over kidnapping

    Nine suspects have been arrested on the Chinese mainland and in Hong Kong related to a kidnapping case involving millions in ransom*, police said on May 14.

    Queenie Rosita Law, granddaughter of late textile tycoon Law Ting-pong, was kidnapped from her house in Hong Kong on April 25 and later released after a ransom of HK$28 million (US$3.6 million) was paid.

    The Public Security Department of Guangdong Province said eight suspects were captured while Hong Kong police netted another trying to flee to the mainland.

    Police added that they had also recovered HK$2.8 million, as well as watches and jewelry.

    Four held over bus plunge

    Police are holding four people as part of the investigation into a fatal bus accident in northwestern China’s Shaanxi Province that claimed 35 lives.

    A bus carrying 46 people fell into a ravine* some 30 meters deep near a forest park in Chunhua County on Friday afternoon.

    Twenty-five people died instantly and 10 died at a hospital. The rest are being treated for injuries.

    Economic reform unveiled

    China’s State Council on Monday unveiled this year’s priorities for economic reform.

    The reforms aim to streamline administration and relegate power to lower levels, promote the yuan’s convertibility* under a capital account and launch a trial scheme to connect the Shenzhen and Hong Kong stock exchanges.

    (SD-Agencies)