Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, March 24

NEW DELHI -- A trade promotion group organized by China' s Ministry of Commerce is visiting India to strengthen economic and trade ties and pragmatic cooperation between the two countries.

The group, which arrived here Friday and will stay until Tuesday, is composed of officials from the Ministry of Commerce and more than 30 representatives from various sectors including textile, pharmaceutical, petrochemical industries as well as commercial trading, agriculture and others.(India-China-Trade)

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DHAKA -- A Malaysia-bound flight of Bangldeshi private US-Bangla Airlines with 164 passengers and crew onboard made a safe emergency landing 15 minutes after taking off at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Saturday morning.

US-Bangla spokesman Kamrul Islam told journalists that the plane's pilot got a false signal from the aircraft after taking off at 8:45 a.m. local time.(Bangladesh-Plane-Emergency landing)

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TOKYO -- An 88-year-old woman was conferred doctorate on Saturday at a university in Kyoto, making her the oldest person in Japan to get such a degree, according to the university.

Kiyoko Ozeki, a visiting researcher at Ritsumeikan University, was conferred the doctorate for her thesis on origins and characteristics of cloth culture in ancient Japan.(Japan-Oldest doctor)

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KABUL -- President Ashraf Ghani said here on Saturday that the Afghan school system had seen a significant progress but more efforts were needed to improve the quality of education in the poverty-stricken country.

"There have been significant progress in terms of quantity in Afghan education in recent years but the government is firm to develop all ways and means to boost education, and improve quality in education system in Afghanistan," Ghani said in his address to inaugurate the new educational year.(Afghanistan-President-Education) Enditem