JAKARTA -- Indonesian authorities have tightened security measures across the archipelago in a bid to prevent terrorist attacks and other crimes ahead of Christmas and year-end holidays.

Early this month, a suicide bombing occurred at Astanaanyar Police Station in the city of Bandung in West Java province, with an officer killed and several others injured in the assault. The attack was carried out by a 34-year-old local man affiliated with the ISIS-inspired group Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD). (Indonesia-Security)

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HONG KONG -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Thursday welcomed a ruling made by the panel established under the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) that the origin marking requirement imposed on Hong Kong products by the United States is inconsistent with WTO rules.

Algernon Yau, secretary for commerce and economic development of the HKSAR government, told reporters that the ruling has once again confirmed that the United States has disregarded international trade rules, attempted to impose discriminatory and unfair requirements unilaterally, unreasonably suppressed Hong Kong products and enterprises, and politicized economic and trade issues. (Hong Kong-U.S.-WTO Ruling)

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TOKYO -- The Japanese government on Thursday revised upward its economic growth forecast for fiscal 2023 to a real 1.5 percent on expectations for increased capital spending and private consumption.

The upwardly revised forecast is a 0.4-point increase from the government's previous projection of a 1.1-percent growth made in July. (Japan-GDP Growth-Revision)

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HONG KONG -- The Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has strongly disapproved of and firmly rejected the letter sent by a few U.S. senators to the U.S. government with the third anniversary of the so-called "Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act" as an excuse, which defamed the national security law in Hong Kong and interfered in China's internal affairs including Hong Kong affairs.

The enactment of the so-called "Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act" three years ago was a gross interference in China's internal affairs with U.S. domestic laws, said a spokesperson of the office on Wednesday night. (Hong Kong-Commissioner's Office-U.S. Politicians)

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JAKARTA -- The track-laying equipment accident last week has no impact on the operation safety of the Jakarta-Bandung High Speed Railway and the overall construction period of the railway, Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Lu Kang said on Wednesday.

During a press conference held by the Chinese embassy, Lu said the brake of construction equipment for track laying of Jakarta-Bandung HSR failed while the equipment was going down a big ramp at about 4:30 p.m. local time on Dec. 18. In consequence, the equipment derailed and skidded off the subgrade, killing two Chinese workers and injuring two others. (Indonesia-China-HSR Accident)

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PREAH SIHANOUK, Cambodia -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said here on Thursday that using the Chinese-invested Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway would save both money and time.

The 187-km expressway, connecting the capital city of Phnom Penh with the international deep-water seaport province of Preah Sihanouk, has been open to the public since October after being under construction for more than three years. (Cambodia-PM-Expressway) Enditem

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