China

‘Let’s each manage our own business’: Top Chinese diplomat on US’ remarks on human rights abuses
7Feb By Mike TrudellNo Comments
China, World

‘Let’s each manage our own business’: Top Chinese diplomat on US’ remarks on human rights abuses

In a sharp response to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling out Beijing for its gross human rights violations in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, the top foreign policy aide to Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Yang Jiechi has said “let’s each manage our own business.”Yang told Blinken during their Friday call that the US should “correct recent mistakes, and work with China to promote the healthy and stable development of China-US relations by upholding the spirit of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation,” according to a statement released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.Yang said that both sides should respect the other’s core interests, as well as political systems and developmental paths of their own choosing, according to the statement.“Each side should focus ...
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Quad countries working to arrange first meeting amid China’s growing influence
7Feb By Mike TrudellNo Comments
Asia, China, World

Quad countries working to arrange first meeting amid China’s growing influence

Amid China’s growing influence, members of the Quad countries - the US, India, Japan and Australia - are working to arrange the first meeting of their leaders, according to media reports.This comes as the US President Joe Biden’s new administration has expressed its eagerness to build on renewed attention to the grouping of the four major Indo-Pacific democracies. National security adviser Jake Sullivan even called it “a foundation upon which to build substantial American policy in the Indo-Pacific”.According to a source, the US has already proposed to other countries the idea of holding an online meeting of the Quad leaders.During the envisioned meeting, the Quad members are expected to discuss cooperation for the realisation of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” amid concerns over China’s ma...
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Taiwan accuses China of ‘bullying’ after Guyana calls off agreement
5Feb By Mike TrudellNo Comments
China, World

Taiwan accuses China of ‘bullying’ after Guyana calls off agreement

Taipei has lashed out at China for “bullying” and “suppression” after Guyana terminated an agreement with Taiwan to set up a representative office in the South American country.Taiwan’s remarks come after the Guyanese Foreign Ministry issued a statement announcing the termination of the agreement soon after China called the accord a “mistake”.On Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin responded to the “agreement,” urging Guyana to “earnestly take steps to correct their mistake.”There is only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, said Wang.“We hope the relevant party will abide by the one-China principle, refrain from any form of official exchanges and establishment of official institutions with Taiwan, take concrete actions to correct the er...
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COVID-19 batters Asia’s already-struggling democracies
3Feb By Team FPNo Comments
Asia, China, Singapore, World

COVID-19 batters Asia’s already-struggling democracies

Over the past 15 years, democracy across Asia has regressed. Although the region still has strong democracies like South Korea, Japan and Taiwan, many other leading Asian democracies and countries with democratic potential have slid backwards, turning into near-autocracies or outright authoritarian states. While Thailand had been one of the freest states in Asia in the late 1990s and early 2000s, it has suffered two military coups in the past decade and now is run by a parliamentary government that took power after a seriously flawed election in 2019. Bangladesh had built itself into a shaky but increasingly vibrant democracy by the early 2010s, but in the past decade has deteriorated into a de facto one-party regime, with opposition activists, civil society leaders and journalists jailed...
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Asia’s rise doesn’t necessarily mean the West’s decline
3Feb By Team FPNo Comments
Asia, China, Singapore, World

Asia’s rise doesn’t necessarily mean the West’s decline

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a growing geopolitical perception of Asia’s rise and the decline of the West. To a large extent, East Asian countries have managed to control the number of infections and particularly the number of virus-related deaths proportional to population. By contrast, case totals are between 50 and 100 times higher in Europe and the United States. Even in Germany, which has put up the best fight against the virus in Europe, the COVID-19 fatality rate is almost 20 times higher than that of Japan or South Korea. While the pandemic has dealt a devastating blow to economic activity in both the East and West, East Asia has a much easier path to recovery. China is acting as an engine of growth. Japan has seen an increase in capital investment (including planned i...
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Poland President signs off on legal cooperation pact with Taiwan
2Feb By Mike TrudellNo Comments
China, World

Poland President signs off on legal cooperation pact with Taiwan

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday announced that with the signature of Polish President Andrzej Duda, an agreement between Taiwan and Poland on legal cooperation on criminal matters will soon take effect.“The agreement was approved unanimously by both houses of Poland's parliament, before being sent to the country's Presidential Office”, MOFA said in a press statement. "MOFA sincerely welcomes the signing of the important bilateral agreement by Poland President Andrzej Duda on Jan. 28", it added.The agreement covers five major areas -- criminal matters, extradition, prisoner transfer, exchange of legal and practical insights, and sharing of information for crime prevention, the ministry said adding that it will help strengthen the transnational anti-crime efforts and judicial ...
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Tibetan community in France protest against Tibetan monk’s brutal killing in Chinese prison
1Feb By Mike TrudellNo Comments
China, World

Tibetan community in France protest against Tibetan monk’s brutal killing in Chinese prison

Condemning the horrific death of a monk in a Chinese prison, the Tibetan community held a demonstration outside the Chinese embassy in Paris calling for the freedom of Tibet from Chinese rule.Tenzin Nyima, the 19-year-old monk died of injuries sustained from beatings and “torture” in a Chinese prison in Sichuan’s Kardze prefecture after being released in a comatose state by his jailers.The protest was organised by Students for Free Tibet on Saturday.The demonstrators called for freedom of Tibet from Chinese rule, stating that they would not be silenced due to oppression by China. They carried Tibetans’ flags and placards and raised slogans against the Xi Jinping government.Though local authorities in Paris had advised the organisers that they should adhere to the covid-19 guidelines and re...
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US State Secy, EU Representative discuss ‘strong cooperation’ on China
30Jan By Mike TrudellNo Comments
China, World

US State Secy, EU Representative discuss ‘strong cooperation’ on China

While discussing ways to further US-EU bilateral ties, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell agreed to continue 'strong cooperation' on issues related to China."Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission Josep Borrell today to discuss ways to repair, revitalize, and raise the level of ambition in the US-EU relationship," the State Department said in a statement."The Secretary and the High Representative also agreed to continue strong US-EU cooperation on issues related to China," the statement said.Blinken thanked Borrel for the European Union's leadership in various areas and emphasized the United ...
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Nepalese businessmen protest against ‘undeclared blockade’ by China
30Jan By Mike TrudellNo Comments
China, World

Nepalese businessmen protest against ‘undeclared blockade’ by China

Suffering huge loses, local businessmen in Nepal have launched a protest in Rasuwa against China’s ‘undeclared blockade’ of cross-border trade.During the demonstration, businessmen gathered in front of the Rasuwagadhi Customs Office holding placards with messages such as “ensure smooth movement of containers”, “ensure the safety of Nepalis living at the border”, “abide by international trade laws”, “abide by trade and transit agreements”, “take initiative for easy trade with China”, and “end undeclared blockade”.They said that importing Chinese goods through the crucial Rasuwagadhi border was very difficult. Nepali businessmen have also complained that they had to pay a hefty bribe to Chinese agents to import goods across the border.Earlier, locals had staged a protest against China at Tat...
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IMF projects 11.5% growth rate for India in 2021
27Jan By Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, China, Market

IMF projects 11.5% growth rate for India in 2021

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday projected a strong rebound in the Indian economy with an impressive 11.5 per cent growth rate in 2021.The IMF’s growth projections for India in its latest World Economic Outlook Update released on Tuesday makes India the only major economy of the world to register a double-digit growth this year amidst the coronavirus pandemic.“In its latest update, the IMF projected an 11.5 per cent growth rate for India in 2021. This makes India the only major economy of the world to register a double-digit growth in 2021,” it said. “China is next with 8.1 per cent growth in 2021 followed by Spain (5.9 per cent) and France (5.5 per cent).”The IMF said that in 2020, the Indian economy is estimated to have contracted by eight per cent. China is the only majo...
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