China's services sector continued to expand at a modest pace in October, with the general services business activity index standing at 50.8, according to survey data released on Wednesday by RatingDog, a Shenzhen-based financial technology and credit research firm.
The index, which tracks operating conditions across the services industry, remained above the 50-point threshold that separates growth from contraction, though its slip from 51.6 in September marked the slowest pace of expansion in three months.
The RatingDog Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index came in at 52.0 in October, maintaining expansion for the 11th consecutive month, while the Composite Output Index also edged down to 52.0 in October from 52.4 in September.
China's services PMI eases to 50.8 in October
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday that Russia has never closed its door to the West and remains ready to cooperate with Western countries that abandon hostile thinking towards it.
Meanwhile, Lavrov stressed that Russia does not want or plan to wage war with Europe, but is prepared if Europe decides to initiate conflict.
The prospect for direct dialogue with Europe remains unclear, Lavrov said, noting that the West is departing from the objective trend toward multipolarity globally.
Lavrov made the remarks at the fourth Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security that opened in the Belarusian capital on Tuesday.
The event hosted by the Belarusian Foreign Ministry brought together more than 600 representatives from around 50 countries and regions.
In his opening speech, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko noted that building a sustainable security and development model in Eurasia is a practical necessity that will benefit the world.
He said that the high level of protests across Europe should raise caution, and urged EU nations to seek avenues for cooperation.
The Belarusian president also said that the Ukrainian crisis could potentially trigger another major war and expressed hope that a peaceful resolution will be found swiftly to the conflict.
The agenda of the two-day Minsk conference includes arms control, the role of new technologies in security, and the development of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, which has six members: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.
Russian FM says ready to cooperate with West, but well prepared in face of conflict
