Trade talk progress buoys Asian markets

ASIAN MARKETS rode a wave of optimism to end higher on Wednesday, following several positive developments in US-China relations.

First, Canada granted bail to Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, relieving worries that her arrest would jeopardise the truce between the US and China reached at the G-20 Summit earlier this month.

US President Donald Trump also told Reuters that he might intervene in the Huawei case if it would help achieve a trade pact with China, even though US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has insisted that Ms Meng's arrest is a criminal justice matter entirely separate from the ongoing tariff negotiations.