Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 0615 GMT, March 19

Foreign and defense officials from China and Japan kicked off a high-level security meeting here on Thursday, the first one between the two sides in more than four years.

Liu Jianchao, China's assistant foreign minister, told the meeting that international security situation has changed dramatically in the four years and the situation around China and Japan is also getting more sophisticated during the period. (Japan- China-Meeting)

----

SINGAPORE -- Singapore's former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew still remained critically ill in the intensive care unit (ICU), the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said on Thursday.

Lee's worsening condition was announced on Tuesday, when the PMO said he had an infection and was being treated with antibiotics. Doctors were monitoring his condition. (Singapore-Ex PM)

----

WELLINGTON -- New Zealand's economy grew by 3.3 percent last year, the highest annual increase since 2007, the government statistics agency announced Thursday.

The retail and accommodation sectors led a growth rate of 0.8 percent in the last three months of 2014, but it was the combination with real estate services and manufacturing that drove the annual growth, according to Statistics New Zealand. (NZ- Economy)

----

BANGKOK -- The Thai Supreme Court on Thursday accepted a criminal lawsuit filed against former Thai leader Yingluck Shinawatra.

The first hearing in court for the case involving duty- negligence charges against the deposed premier is scheduled for May 19. (Thailand-Yingluck) Endi