IN BRIEF (Page 12)

China Daily | Updated: 2019-01-18 07:52

South Korea

Chinese missing as boat catches fire

One Vietnamese sailor was found dead and one Chinese sailor went missing after a South Korean fishing boat caught fire in waters off the southwestern coast, Yonhap news agency reported on Thursday. The 85-ton vessel caught fire at around 8:26 am in waters off Goheung, South Jeolla province. The 23-year-old Vietnamese sailor was found dead inside the toilet in the stern, while the 29-year-old Chinese sailor remained unaccounted for. The Chinese sailor was believed to have jumped off the fishing boast after the fire broke out. The coast guard was conducting a search operation, mobilizing five patrol ships and eight private rescue vessels. The authorities were investigating the exact cause of the incident.

Afghanistan

Peace talks with Taliban will be 'soon'

The US special envoy for peace in Afghanistan on Wednesday said talks with the Taliban will "happen very soon" but if the insurgents continue to fight, then US forces would support Afghan forces in the war. Talks between the Taliban and US officials have hit a roadblock after the hardline militants canceled the fourth round of peace talks last week and rejected the involvement of the Afghan government in the dialogue. On Tuesday, the Taliban threatened to pull out of the peace process with the United States if they diverted from the issue of foreign force withdrawal from Afghanistan, a key demand of the insurgents to end the 17-year war.

Xinhua - Ap

(China Daily 01/18/2019 page12)