WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin issued an internal directive calling for several initiatives to counter China, U.S officials said on Wednesday, but few specifics were provided on how they would be different from efforts already underway.

The United States has put countering China at the heart of its national security policy for several years now, with both countries at loggerheads over issues from technology and human rights to Chinese military activities in the disputed South China Sea.

The directive is the result of recommendations

PALO ALTO, U.S. -- U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday withdrew a series of executive orders that sought to ban new downloads of WeChat and TikTok and ordered a broad security review of apps connected to "foreign adversaries," including China.

"Certain countries, including the People's Republic of China ... seek to leverage digital technologies and Americans' data in ways that present unacceptable national security risks while advancing authoritarian controls and interests," the administration said in a statement.

Biden

TOKYO -- China's bullish gold market has cooled this month after Beijing's proposal for stricter rules targeting money laundering touched off a sell-off.

Gold traded in Shanghai was routinely fetching a "Chinese premium" price of roughly $18 per gram over the global benchmark. But that spread began crashing June 2, and the price now sits in discount territory.

"There is a widespread view that stronger monitoring against money laundering by Chinese authorities will spill over to precious metal trades, which has sparked a

Henny Sender is a managing director at BlackRock in Hong Kong, and a senior adviser to the BlackRock Investment Institute.

The 2008 Beijing Olympics were the ritualistic coming-of-age party for Asia's biggest nation, comparable to the proud celebration of economic achievements seen at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and the 1988 Games in Seoul -- just played out on a far larger stage.

In retrospect, the sentiments of both the host country and those of its visitors at that time

YANGON/BANGKOK -- Myanmar's military on Feb. 1 detained State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint in the country's first coup since 1988, bringing an end to a decade of civilian rule.

The Suu Kyi-led National League for Democracy had won a landslide in a general election in November . But the military has claimed the election was marred by fraud.

For all our coverage, visit our Myanmar Coup page.

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HANOI -- Samsung Electronics and Toyota Motor are among Vietnam's leading international investors that have made contributions to a new COVID-19 vaccine fund launched by Hanoi, a key link in the global tech supply chain.

As the country fights a rise in coronavirus infections, multinational manufacturers from South Korea, Japan and Taiwan with operations in Vietnam are on the list of major foreign donors that have heeded a call from Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh for donations from foreign and domestic organizations and individuals.

As of Tuesday, the

HO CHI MINH CITY -- Facebook is taking lessons from rural Vietnam as part of its advertising business becomes more difficult and online merchants embrace video and chat to connect with customers.

Vietnam's increasingly prosperous rural population is adapting quickly to smartphone use and especially to video and chat functions, according to the U.S. social media giant whose business relies almost entirely on advertising.

Facebook told Nikkei Asia that Vietnam, along with Thailand, leads the world in the use of chat functions in online retail, as measured by

BEIJING/ULAANBAATAR -- Voting in Mongolia's presidential election began Wednesday. Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, who led the government as prime minister until January, is running on the ruling Mongolian People's Party's record in extending public aid through the economy's pandemic-driven slowdown against two challengers.

The role of foreign investors in the development of the country's mineral resources remains a key issue as well. Results are expected by Thursday.

Khurelsukh, 52, has used the extensive organization of the People'

PALO ALTO, U.S. -- U.S. food delivery giant DoorDash launched its Japan operation on Wednesday, a move that is expected to further intensify the already fierce competition for a slice of the country's food delivery market.

Based in San Francisco, DoorDash provides delivery services in the U.S., Canada and Australia. Japan will be the first Asian country in which it operates.

Starting Wednesday, customers in Sendai, a major city in northeastern Japan, can order from hundreds of local