Trade war: China to send Liu He to US to sign phase one deal next week but phase two talks remain remote

China’s Ministry of Commerce confirmed on Thursday that Vice-Premier Liu He will travel to Washington on Monday to sign the phase one deal with the United States

Spokesman Gao Feng said there was no information to provide regarding talks over a phase two deal

China has confirmed it will send a delegation led by Vice-Premier Liu He to sign the phase one deal with the United States next Monday, but showed progress on the second phase of negotiations would not materialise any time soon.

Ministry of Commerce spokesman Gao Feng said at a press conference in Beijing on Thursday that Liu “will lead a delegation to visit Washington from January 13 to 15 to sign the phase one deal with the US”. At the same time, Gao said China has “no information” to provide on the phase two talks.

https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3045352/trade-war-china-confirms-liu-he-will-travel-us-next-week-sign

Indonesian police charge activist for defending ChristmasRights defender charged with hate speech for online criticism of West Sumatra villages banning Christmas Mass

Indonesian police have named a 45-year-old activist, who defended the right of Christians in West Sumatra province to celebrate Christmas publicly last December, as a suspect in a hate speech case.

West Sumatra Police spokesman Stefanus Satake Bayu Setianto said Sudarto, an activist with the human rights group Pusaka, is accused of uploading hate speech on Facebook.

He said Sudarto, who like many Indonesians only uses one name, was arrested in the provincial capital Padang on Jan. 7.

https://www.ucanews.org/news/indonesian-police-charge-activist-for-defending-christmas/86943