The Washington Post reports: "Denouncing what they see as outside interference in the South China Sea and Korean Peninsula, the foreign ministers of Russia and China voiced mutual support Friday as they seek to counter the influence of Washington and its allies, particularly in Asia. Following talks in Beijing, Russia's Sergey Lavrov and China's Wang Yi expressed opposition to the U.S. deployment of an anti-missile system in South Korea and said non-claimants should not take sides in the dispute over maritime territorial claims in the South China Sea."
Reuters reports: "China's securities regulator on Friday urged commodity futures exchanges to curb excessive speculation following a surge in prices that has sparked fears markets were heading for a dangerous boom-and-bust cycle. The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) said it would not allow the futures market to become a 'hot-bed' for speculators....The futures market should stick to its fundamental purpose of serving the real economy, and regulators will 'adamantly prevent the futures market from becoming a hotbed for short-term speculators,' the CSRC said in a statement on its official microblog. 'We will continue to guide the exchanges to take appropriate actions against excessive speculation and illegal behaviors,' the regulator said."
The New York Times reports: "American leaders and interest groups have sharply criticized a new law in China aimed at controlling and limiting the work of foreign nongovernmental organizations in the country, saying it will lead to the deterioration of ties between the Chinese and people from abroad....'The United States is deeply concerned that China's new law on the management of foreign NGO activities will further narrow space for civil society in China and constrain contact between individuals and organizations in the United States and China,' the White House said in a statement on Thursday....The new law is to go into effect on Jan. 1. It will also apply to groups from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan."