The Chinese government is considering plans to subsidize the use of energy-efficient materials and renewable energy technologies in new buildings and is encouraging provincial and municipal governments to impose stricter efficiency standards than the national minimums, Chinese officials said Wednesday.

• June 15, 2011

Talks on visa regime facilitation between Azerbaijan and the European Union will begin in the near future, Head of EU Delegation, Ambassador Roland Kobia told journalists on Tuesday.

• June 14, 2011

There was a great scope and enormous potential for the "unique" energy cooperation between Russia and China, Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko told Xinhua in St. Petersburg

• June 14, 2011

Ambassador Akitaka Saiki took over as Japan’s envoy to India in early March 2011. Though the eminent diplomat has a distinguished career spanning about 35 years, it is the first time he has been given the task of managing Japan’s relations with India.

• June 14, 2011

Russia is voicing concern about a U.S. warship now just off its shores in the Black Sea.

• June 13, 2011

The United States Navy intercepted a North Korean ship it suspected of carrying missile technology to Myanmar two weeks ago and, after a standoff at sea and several days of diplomatic pressure from Washington and Asia nations, forced the vessel to return home, according to several senior American officials.

• June 13, 2011

Chinese President Hu Jintao said Friday that China is willing to work with Kazakhstan to achieve new progress in bilateral ties.

• June 11, 2011

Bulgarian Energy Minister Traicho Traikov met on Thursday with his Turkish counterpart Taner Yildiz in Kayseri, Turkey, where they took part in the signing of the Project Support Agreements (PSAs) between Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GmbH and the responsible ministries of the pipeline's five transit countries.

• June 11, 2011