At the Oceania Island Leaders' Forum meeting currently underway in Palau, agreement was reached on a text that, while not specifically naming Beijing, criticizes the test conducted in July. The meeting was also marked by Chinese attacks over the invitation to Taiwan's Foreign Minister.
For Taiwan, this is the first of eight domestically built subs. China will soon be able to deploy its new air carrier, the Fujian, in the Taiwan Strait; the vessel is more advanced than the two already in operation. Tensions remain high between the two sides. In 2022 China almost doubled its incursions into Taiwan’s air defence zone.
He was 97. Ordained in 1991 in communion with the Holy See and the approval of the Chinese government, he was sent to a labour camp for his beliefs in 1966 and released in 1980. In 2011 he removed the rector of Shanxi’s major seminary for corruption, clashing with religious authorities linked to the Communist Party of China.
The death of the Pope Emeritus has also landed on the website chinacatholic.cn, controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. At the head of the 'official' body is the archbishop of Beijing, Monsignor Joseph Li Shan, who was appointed in 2007 with the assent of Benedict XVI. The Taiwanese government, meanwhile, has designated the former vice-president, the Catholic Chen Chien-jen, to attend the funeral in the Vatican as its official representative.
Today's headlines: Israeli security forces killed two Palestinian youths near Jenin; after two years, the Japanese emperor returns to greet citizens on New Year's Eve; Islamabad and Delhi exchange lists of nuclear sites and prisoners; Pyongyang shops flooded with luxury goods - counterfeits - of Chinese origin; Uzbekistan blocks the sale of Indian medicines.
The two leaders meet via videoconference. As Moscow grapples with repeated setbacks in the war against Ukraine; Beijing is under increasing pressure over its mismanagement of the pandemic. Although the two partners reiterated their desire to boost bilateral cooperation, it is highly unlikely that Xi will agree to visit Russia if Putin continues to suffer defeats in Ukraine.
He served in the archdiocese of the Taiwanese capital from 1989 to 2004. The faithful express admiration for his work, which coincided with a period of major political and social change on the island. His successor, Msgr. Joseph Cheng Tsai-fa, passed away last September.
On December 29, 1922, the first apostolic delegate landed in the Chinese capital. The anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on the legacy bequeathed to Chinese Catholicism in terms of inculturation and promotion of a Church with an authentically Chinese face.
They join 12 other countries that have initiated checks. Tokyo has lodged a formal complaint with the Chinese government. According to Safeguard, there are 102 illegal facilities in 53 countries. Beijing retorts that everything is in order and that these offices perform bureaucratic tasks. The Netherlands has already closed two posts.
Since the authorities lifted tight restrictions following mass protests, only seven people have reportedly died from the virus; yet, hospitals are full, medicines are running low, and ventilators are in short supply. Chinese authorities appear to be minimising the mortality rate for political reasons. Xi Jinping’s mistake was to focus resources on quarantine rather than hospital care.
The EU accuses China of "coercive" trade policies against Lithuania and violating the rights of European companies operating in its territory. In January, the EU will challenge China's veto in two special legal cases before the WTO. Relations between the two sides are increasingly difficult.
According to local sources, the prelate died in Shaanxi, aged 77. Secretly ordained in 2005 as coadjutor of Mgr Liang Xisheng, who passed away two years later, Bishop Gao was never recognised by Chinese authorities. The "official" see of the Archdiocese of Kaifeng (Henan) has been vacant since the death of its illegitimate bishop in 2001. Home to PIME missionaries until they were driven out by communist persecution, its history goes back a long way.
A study by Oxford University notes that only few Asian countries have met the 2020 targets. Thus, the continent will find it hard to meet the commitments made in Montreal. Chaired by China, the conference ended with an agreement to protect 30 per cent of land and restore 30 per cent of degraded areas by 2030. Clashing with African countries, China opposed setting up a special fund.
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