Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, Nov. 29

HONG KONG -- China's Hong Kong is well placed to navigate through challenges given its strong buffers and robust policy frameworks, including ample fiscal reserves, strong financial regulatory and supervisory frameworks as well as the Linked Exchange Rate System (LERS), an International Monetary Fund (IMF) Staff Mission said in its latest assessment published on Wednesday.

The assessment, which was made in the Concluding Statement of the IMF Mission following its 2017 Article IV Consultation with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), noted that Hong Kong's economy has gathered momentum, with real gross domestic product projected to grow at 3.5 percent in 2017, amid robust domestic demand and recovering external demand. (HK-IMF-Economy)

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JAKARTA -- The Indonesian Transport Ministry on Wednesday decided to resume the operation of International Ngurah Rai airport in Bali island after three-day closure as flight alert triggered by volcano eruption has been lowered one level from the highest, an official said.

The airport was reopened at 15: 00 p.m. local time (0900GMT) as the air space around the airport has been free from volcanic ash, director general for air transport at the Transport Ministry Pramintohadi Sukarno said. (Indonesia-Volcano-Airport)

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WELLINGTON -- The New Zealand government on Wednesday issued a directive letter that sets out the policy approach to overseas investment in rural land in order to make clear "it is a privilege to own or control New Zealand's sensitive assets".

The announcement raises the bar for overseas investments in sensitive land, with a new and much broader, rural land directive which applies to "all rural land larger than five hectares other than forestry," Minister for Land Information Eugenie Sage said in a statement. (New Zealand-Land-Overseas Investment)

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MANILA -- The Philippine military will build a "counterterrorism training complex" inside an army camp in Nueva Ecija, a province north of Manila, an army spokesman said on Wednesday.

Lt. Col. Ray Tiongson, the military spokesman said the complex will be put up in Fort Magsaysay to improve the skills of soldiers, especially the army's Light Reaction Regiment, on urban warfare counterterrorism strategy and tactics. (Philippines-Terrorism) Enditem