Asia opens higher as China sanctions 11 US citizens

Asian stock indices opened the second session of the week higher, shrugging off mounting US-China tensions after China sanctioned 11 US citizens including lawmakers such as Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio. 

The step came after Washington sanctioned 11 Chinese officials because of their roles in suppressing Hong Kong protests and democracy. 

US-China officials will conduct talks on August 15 to review the first phase of the trade deal amid frayed relations between both sides. 

Earlier Japanese data showed the current account up to 1.05 trillion yen in June from 0.82 trillion in May. 

An index tracking current conditions rose to 41.1 from 38.8, while future conditions fell to 36.0 from 44.0. 

Earlier Australian data showed an index tracking business confidence down to minus 14 from 1 in June, while confidence in current conditions came at zero, up from minus 7. 

Japan's TOPEX rallied 2.13%, while Nikkei 225 climbed 1.7% to 22,710. 

China's CSI 300 rose 0.74%, while Shanghai rose 0.45% to 3,394. 

Hong Kong's Hang Seng rallied 2.18% to 24,908, while South Korea's KOSPI rose 1.63% to 2,425. 

New Zealand's NZX 50 rose 0.08% to 11,692, while Australia's S&P/ASX 300 rose 1.07% to 6,175.