Top diplomat says China, ASEAN pushing ahead with free trade area talks

BEIJING (Reuters) – China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are pushing ahead with talks on a third version of a free trade agreement at an ASEAN summit in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, China’s top diplomat Wang Yi said on Thursday. Wang, who was attending the forum with foreign ministers from several…

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Chocolate maker Barry Callebaut’s sales fall on low demand

(Reuters) -Barry Callebaut, the world’s biggest chocolate maker, on Thursday reported lower nine-month sales volumes than a year ago as customer demand dropped in an inflationary environment. Barry Callebaut’s volumes have been hit by growing inflationary pressures, with cocoa trading at around a 46-year high, which dampens demand for chocolate around the world. “Our volume…

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Big companies toughen banking partner screening after crisis – survey

By Laura Matthews NEW YORK (Reuters) – Large companies are spreading out their counterparty risk and increasing screening of their banking partners in response to the recent banking crisis that has been a “wake-up call”, according to an industry survey to be released on Thursday. Worried that possible future bank failures could leave them unable…

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NATO allies offer Ukraine security assurances as Biden hits out at ‘craven’ Putin

By Steve Holland, Andrew Gray, John Irish and Sabine Siebold VILNIUS (Reuters) -President Joe Biden accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of having a “craven lust for land and power” at the end of a NATO summit on Wednesday where Ukraine won new security assurances from the U.S. and its allies for its defence against Moscow….

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China’s US envoy makes rare Pentagon visit for security-related talks

By Phil Stewart and David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) -China’s ambassador to the United States held a rare meeting at the Pentagon on Wednesday with the top U.S. defense official for Asia, the Pentagon said, in talks that followed U.S. criticism of Chinese reluctance to engage in military communications. A brief Pentagon statement said Chinese Ambassador…

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