News about Li Keqiang

MARK ALMOND: MARK ALMOND: The agreement is designed to strengthen the West's military presence in the eastern Pacific at a time when Beijing's sabre-rattling over Taiwan is getting more popular by the day. Tensions between China and the United States are at their highest level in decades, with America's decision to shoot down a Chinese spy balloon in its airspace.

In the fear that it will launch an invasion of Taiwan, China revealed that it would raise its military spending by nearly $230 billion this year. President Li Keqiang said the funds would boost military readiness and capabilities ahead of a national people's Congress draft budget. It means that China's military spending will rise at its fastest rate in four years and account for a larger share of the country's economy, indicating the reversal of a two-decade trend that has seen the country prioritizing increasing security over its defense capabilities. Defense spending in 2023 will rise by 7.2 percent, or $224 billion, which is a step ahead of the 5.7 percent increase in general public expenditures. The step will no doubt sway the US government, which is concerned about Beijing's strategic intentions in the midst of rising tensions with Taiwan.

In May, Jean-Pascal Tricoire (pictured) will be replaced by Peter Herweck, the firm's industrial automation manager and now Aveva chief executive. It comes after Tricoire, who will remain as Schneider's chairman until 2025, concluded the long-running takeover of Cambridge-based Aveva in December.

As world leaders arrived together for the East Asia and ASEAN summits, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (left) met with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang (right) at a dinner. It's a major change as the scenes to secure a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (inset). The dinner was hosted by King Norodom Sihamoni and Prime Minister Hun Sen for leaders attending the East Asia and ASEAN summits in Phnom Penh. Mr Albanese and the prime minister were seated at the head table next to each other and had a brief chat.

Since being named as General Secretary at a later date at yesterday's party convention, the 69-year-old will lead the world's most populated nation for another five years. In a sign of absolute power, ringing alarm bells around the world, he snuckled the two-term limit and promoted devoted loyalists to the Politburo Standing Committee instead of acknowledged veterans.