Vietnam claims that one of its fishing boats was sunk by a Chinese vessel in disputed waters. Last year, the same happened to a Philippine boat. The Chinese are increasing their presence in waters claimed by the Philippines. Despite this, Duterte wants to reduce tensions with China.
Wake-up call for Europe: cooperation with China is not working
by Emanuele Scimia | CHINA – EUROPEAN UNIONProtests cause turmoil in Hong Kong police with many leaving, few joining
by Paul Wang | HONG KONG – CHINAFor the first time since January 23, residents of the pandemic epicenter can move freely. Quarantine remains for some city neighborhoods. Restrictions in Beijing. The Party investigates Ren Zhiqiang, the billionaire who called the Chinese president a "clown". The drama of the dissidents.
Taiwan appears to be engaging in its own "coronavirus diplomacy," striking a partnership with Czechia to manufacture testing kits and a possible vaccine. Taiwan has also provided aid to Italy. For Marc Cheng, Taiwan is “not competing with China” but Beijing is irritated. The US is pushing for Taiwan’s to be accepted in the WHO.
This is the first time since January when the authorities began reporting deaths. Quarantine remains in some Wuhan residential compounds. Hong Kong extends airport closure to foreign travellers indefinitely.
The well-known human rights lawyer served a sentence of over four years. His wife Li Wenzu fears that the new restrictive measure will be used as an excuse to keep him in custody for a long time. Wang helped political dissidents, underground Christian communities, members of Falun Gong and expropriated peasants. European Union asks for checks on whether he was subjected to torture in prison.
The pandemic emergency, far from under control, forces priests to celebrate mass without the people. On the night of the resurrection the tomb in Jerusalem was dominated by the same silence and lack of participants. The world resembles one great tomb that puts our pretension to happiness at all costs with its back to the wall. The announcement of the resurrection in empty churches needs prophets to bring this hope to the global grave.
Fr. Huang Jintong, 60, does not want to sign up for membership in the "independent Church". He will be held for about a month. At least 6 parishes have been closed. Archbishop Guo Xijin forced to live without water, electricity and gas.
In the Land of the Rising Sun, the measure affects large centers. Singapore quarantines 20,000 migrants. In Indonesia, there are fears that official estimates cover only 2% of actual infections. Surge in cases in India and Pakistan. Russia and Saudi Arabia postpone meeting for agreement on oil production.
Xi Jinping is using this opportunity to go after China's nascent civil society and to favour his protégés. Intellectuals and activists are speaking out. Whenever the one-party state makes a mistake, it gives the Chinese people a chance for greater emancipation.
With her, the list of regime critics has been incommunicado during the crisis is getting longer. There is also no news about the billionaire who called Xi Jinping a "clown", and a student from Shandong who told China’s president to resign. Xu Zhiyong, Xu Zhangrun and He Weifang have suffered the same fate.
50,000 dead in Europe; almost 6 thousand in the US. China focuses on imported cases. Numbers remain low in Taiwan. Pyongyang: no case in our country. Nightly curfew imposed in Thailand. GDP growth in Asia-Pacific will slow down to 2.2%.
Priests remain close to their infected flock. Some conduct eucharistic blessings in streets. Others gave up ventilators in favour of younger patients. Although Chinese authorities have lifted quarantine restrictions in most of the country, churches remain closed and gatherings are still banned.
Chinese authorities fear a second wave of contagions. Possible infections in a hospital in Jia County. The news from the area clashes with government data on the number of infected. Restrictive measures in Henan come as the economy shows signs of recovery.
No funeral in the city martyred by coronavirus. Elders who mourn dead children. Children who sign their parents' death certificates. The generosity of ordinary people and Catholics. Disabled people who collect money for the inhabitants of Wuhan. The Chinese want to live again.
The National Health Commission reports over 1500 cases on 30 March. Domestic and foreign pressure changes the regime's approach. WHO calls for all positive patients to be counted. Between 18% and 31% of infected patients in China are healthy carriers of the virus; 60% in Wuhan. Sino-American study: asymptomatic cases could increase the calculation of coronavirus-positive cases by 59%.
