Taiwan fruits shown on a trade fair on Sept 28, 2015, in Nanjing International Expo Center, Jiangsu province, attract visitors. [Photo/VCG] TAIPEI -- Taiwan's exports slumped for the fifth consecutive month in March as weakness in global demand weighed on its electronics products, according to the latest trade data. Exports fell 4.4 percent year on year in March to 28.68 billion US dollars, while imports rose 6.6 percent from the previous year to 25.56 billion US dollars. For the first quarter, exports fell 4.2 percent from a year earlier to 76.36 billion US dollars, snapping a rallying streak of 10 quarters, while imports shed 0.8 percent to 67.41 billion US dollars in the first three months, trimming trade surplus to 8.95 billion US dollars. Trade authorities warned of further decline in exports due to weak global growth. In March, declines were reported in most of Taiwan's main export products -- ranging from electronic components, metals and their products, to plastic and rubber prodcuts. The Chinese mainland and Hong Kong remained the biggest destination for Taiwan exports, followed by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the United States, Europe, and Japan. fibromyalgia bracelet siliconewholesale personalized braceletscustom silicone bracelets canadarubber braceletsrubber band wristband maker
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (left) attends a news conference with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday in Palm Beach, Florida, US. [Photo/Agencies] US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he hoped his May or early June summit with Kim Jong-un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, would lead to lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. I hope to have a very successful meeting (with Kim), Trump said at his Mar-a-Lago retreat in Florida during a joint news conference with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. We hope to see the day when the whole Korean Peninsula can live together in safety, prosperity and peace. China's Foreign Ministry said Beijing welcomed the direct contacts and talks between the US and the DPRK and hopes their dialogue will go smoothly and achieve a positive outcome. We hope that all relevant parties will begin and continue with their talks, accumulate mutual trust and build up consensus, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a news conference in Beijing. We expect them to follow the 'dual track' approach to advance the political settlement process of the Korean Peninsula issue, so as to promote and achieve the denuclearization on the one hand and establish the peace regime of the Peninsula on the other hand. Hua also said that as a close neighbor in the Peninsula, China is willing to continue its constructive role in promoting the settlement of issues in the region. Trump tweeted earlier on Wednesday that a smooth meeting had already taken place between his CIA chief Mike Pompeo and the DPRK top leader and a good relationship was formed, and details of summit are being worked out now. In his talk with the media, however, Trump reiterated that the summit might not happen. If I think that it's a meeting that is not going to be fruitful, we're not going to go, he said, according to Reuters. If the meeting when I'm there is not fruitful, I will respectfully leave the meeting.
