Chinese President issued a call for joint efforts to deliver a brighter future as he made his keynote speech via video link at the APEC CEO Dialogue.
Xi Jinping expressed his wish that the Asia-Pacific business community work to promote openness and development, as well as explore innovation-driven growth.
He says that in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, meeting challenges through cooperation is the only choice for the international community.
"All countries should act in the spirit of partnership and get through this tough time together. We need to step up policy communication and coordination, intensify all-round global cooperation against COVID-19 and keep the global economy open. By doing so, we can defeat the virus at an early date and achieve robust, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth for all."
The president adds that China will get more involved in global industrial, supply and value chains, and continue to support the multilateral trading system.
The 17th China-ASEAN Expo later this month will hold a series of investment and trade promotion activities to facilitate the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
The event will also help integrate the market advantages and resources of ten ASEAN members with the capital and technical advantages of the other RCEP members.
Shanghai's Pudong New Area will pilot an integrated license reform program.
Authorities say multiple licenses will be combined to help reduce the cost of industry access.
25 administrative licensing items under the responsibility of central government departments will be processed by the authorities in Pudong New Area.
An official statement says the pilot reform will last till the end of 2022, aiming to accumulate experience for similar practices to be implemented across China.
The mayor of New York City says that it's just a matter of time before the city will enter an Orange Zone designation forcing indoor dining and gyms to close.
An orange zone means the city is under the second highest level of COVID-19 alert, with a red zone being the highest.
Bill de Blasio says it's very likely to happen in the next week or two, calling on all people to get tested for the virus.
New York City has so far confirmed over 280-thousand COVID-19 cases including more than 24-thousand deaths.
The Tokyo metropolitan government has decided to raise its COVID-19 alert to the highest level.
This comes as the Japanese capital reported over 530 new cases on Thursday, renewing its record for daily infections.
It's also the first time that Tokyo reported more than 500 cases in a single day.
Governor Yuriko Koike says daily infections in the city are expected to reach 1000.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced the country's largest military investment in 30 years.
He says defense spending will increase by 16.5 billion pounds, or about 21.9 billion US dollars, over the next four years.
The new money will fund space and cyber-defense projects, including building a Space Command capable of launching the country's first rocket in 2022.
The United Nations refugee agency says more than 31,000 people have now fled fighting in Ethiopia's Tigray region.
About 4,000 people per day have been crossing into Sudan since the clashes between federal and regional forces started.
The UNHCR says the agency and its partners are doing their best to provide immediate humanitarian aid.