VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi will postpone an expected trip to China to meet with his counterpart Wang Yi to late January or later due to the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the country, TV Asahi reported on Wednesday.

Hayashi had previously been making arrangements to travel to China this month, public broadcaster NHK reported last week. (Reuters)

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said on Wednesday reforming practices in the labour market should be a top priority for his government's drive to improve the way the country works.

"We should significantly change labour market practices in step with the fast-changing industrial structure and changes in labour demand," Yoon said, adding that the rule of law should be firmly established in labour practices.

The conservative Yoon, who took office early this year, has repeatedly said his government would strictly apply the law to labour relations in a country with a long record of fractious industrial relations.

Yoon, speaking at a finance ministry briefing on next year's economic strategy, also said the education system and public pension service were areas that needed reform.

The tax burden on the owners of multiple homes should be lowered to ease the burden on renters, he said. (Reuters)

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong met with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on Wednesday, following messages between the country's leaders, as the trading partners seek to stabilise their frosty diplomatic relationship.

Ties between Australia and its major trading partner China had deteriorated in recent years, with Beijing imposing sanctions on Australian exports after Canberra called for an international inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong met with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on Wednesday, following messages between the country's leaders, as the trading partners seek to stabilise their frosty diplomatic relationship.

Ties between Australia and its major trading partner China had deteriorated in recent years, with Beijing imposing sanctions on Australian exports after Canberra called for an international inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The meeting followed a message from China's President Xi Jinping sent earlier in the day to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promising China will work to promote a comprehensive strategic partnership, state media reported.

Before meeting Wang, Wong addressed staff at the Australian embassy on a video link from Diaoyutai, where she will stay for the duration of the overnight visit as part of a so-called "closed loop" system that will isolate her and her entourage amid China's COVID-19 outbreak.

Albanese thanked Xi for his telegram commemorating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries in which he said, "I attach great importance to the development of China-Australia relations and am willing to work with the Australian side", according to CCTV.

Albanese told a news conference in Sydney, "It is important that we deliver better relations with our major trading partner in the future."

The rapprochement between Australia and China ends years of frozen relations. Wong's visit is the first by an Australian minister since 2019 and the first formal talks in Beijing since 2018.

In addition to the call for an investigation of COVID's origins, Beijing was also angered by the previous Liberal government in Canberra effectively banning Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei from Australia's 5G network.

A meeting between Albanese and Xi on the sidelines of the G20 in Bali last month signalled a thaw in ties, although China's trade sanctions remain in place.

Wong's meeting with Wang took place as part of the sixth Australia–China Foreign and Strategic Dialogue. (Reuters)

India's government has asked the country's states to keep a sharp lookout for any new variants of the coronavirus, citing an increase in COVID-19 cases in China and other parts of the globe.

Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya met senior government officials on Wednesday to discuss the matter, with all those present wearing masks - a practice that has not been mandatory in most parts of the country for several months.

China has seen a surge in infections after ending strict COVID restrictions, while data from the World Health Organization shows infections have risen in countries like Japan, South Korea and the United States in recent days.

"In view of the sudden spurt of cases being witnessed in Japan, the United States of America, Republic of Korea, Brazil and China, it is essential to gear up the whole genome sequencing of positive case samples," Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote in a letter to the states on Tuesday.

"Such an exercise will enable timely detection of newer variants, if any."

The government has asked all states to ensure that samples of positive cases are sent to the country's 54 designated genome sequencing laboratories.

Some opposition leaders and Twitter users in India have called for a suspension of flights to and from China. A government source, who was not authorised to speak to media and declined to be identified, said there was no such plan.

Mandaviya also asked participants in a cross-country march organised by the opposition Congress party to ensure they are vaccinated and follow safety measures like wearing masks.

With more 44 million COVID cases to date, India has reported the most in the world after the United States. Its number of confirmed infections has, however, fallen sharply in the past few months, with about 1,200 cases being reported every week at present. (Reuters)