Francesco Graffagnino

The world’s biggest online community is three times that of the United States. The number of people who made purchases online jumped 30.1 per cent over last year. Internet growth grows along with government censorship. In 2017, virtual private networks, which allow access to banned sites in China, have also been blocked.

The skin of the pack animal is used to produce ejiao, an elixir able to cure insomnia, chronic fatigue, anemia and boost libido. The donkey population in China has shrunk within a few years. In Africa it has halved in as many years. To produce 5,000 tons of ejiao (the annual requirement in China) 4 million skins are needed.

Despite high costs, many choose to travel to the former British colony for safe treatment. The Politburo Standing Committee sacks and sanctions 51 top provincial and national officials. Changsheng Biotech employees, including chairwoman Gao Junfang, will be indicted.

“If true, this has disturbing national security implications”, MP wrote on twitter. Many want the government to clarify the matter, worried that financial sovereignty is shared with China, with which India almost clashed over the Doklam plateau.

Since the start of this year, the printing presses of state-owned companies are working at full capacity. Company sources are saying that only a small part of their work is printing yuan. Thailand, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, India, Brazil and Poland are among the countries that rely on China. “Currency is a symbol of a country’s sovereignty. This business helps build trust and even monetary alliances,” one expert says.

The work of "sinicisation" of religions continues with the aim of eliminating foreign influences. Ethnic Muslim Hui fear repression like in Xinjiang. “They want to secularise Muslims, to cut off Islam at the roots,” said an imam. “These days, children are not allowed to believe in religion: only in communism and the party.”

The number of suicides among people aged 60 and over is up. As the population ages, more and more people live alone. Fear of becoming a burden to family, social disconnection, solitude, physical impairment and deteriorating mental health are the most common factors.

Mae Sai District chief personally hands over the naturalisation papers during a ceremony. The event highlights the fate of stateless tribal communities in northern Thailand. A veteran missionary, Fr Corti, notes that “At the social level, tribes are not fully protected, as their rights.”

The Indonesian island continues to shake. According to military sources, the death toll now stands at 381, plus 165,000 displaced persons. Medical facilities for the wounded are inadequate and food for survivors is in short supply. The National Disaster Management Authority has appealed for international aid.

The application of several members of the clergy was also turned down. Participation in the event required a letter of recommendation from Card Joseph Coutts to guarantee that the applicant would not seek asylum in Europe. The Irish consulate explained that their decision was based on applicants' family circumstances, economic situation and social conditions.

Taiwan blocks imports of the active ingredient Valsartan made in China. Carcinogenic contamination is 200 times higher than allowed. Lab testing continues in Europe and the United States. Changsheng Biotech mixed anti-rabies vaccines with expired products.

In the province of Jianxi, the authorities decide for a "zero tolerance" policy against those who decide to be buried. Everyone in China must be cremated. Funeral rituals also forbidden. The cult of the dead resists in rural areas. Burial is prohibited because it subtracts land from agriculture.