Aso to visit Australia for talks with Downer, Rice
January 4, 2006Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Aso will visit Sydney from Tuesday to Friday next week for talks with his Australian counterpart Alexander Downer and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the Japanese Foreign Ministry announced Wednesday. During their first trilateral security dialogue on Jan. 11, the three are expected to exchange views over the creation of an East Asia community and the current situation of Iraq, to which the three countries have deployed their troops, the ministry said.
China central bank releases yuan central parity at start of trade
January 4, 2006China's central bank said Wednesday morning it has set the central parity of the yuan against the dollar at 8.0702, marking the first time for it to make the announcement at the start of trade at its foreign exchange center. The figure, released on the People's Bank of China website, is the same as that recorded at the close of trade last year.