Increasingly, the focus of new possibilities opened up by melting ice, polar routes have become a place of geopolitical confrontation. Although Russian officials continue to project an image of equal cooperation with China, Russia actually finds itself in a vulnerable position.
Pyongyang sends a long, enthusiastic message to the new leader of China. Seoul sends greetings, but waits for the new president to decide which way to go. A source tells AsiaNews: "Kim Jong-un wants to reopen negotiations with China and obtain better conditions than those imposed by Hu Jintao."
Jailed for decades, the father of China's pro-democracy movement, now in exile in the US, analyses the CCP meeting. Dominated by party oligarchs and gerontocrats, the congress blocked reforms to protect the interests of China's ruling class and system of state capitalism. The country, however, needs a fully developed market economy, but is the free world interested in a democratic China?
Archbishop John Hung Shan-chuan, talks to AsiaNews about the challenges facing his Church in the Year of Faith proclaimed by Pope: "This is a rich country, where many believe they can buy anything. They do not understand that their inner emptiness can only be filled by Christ. We are grateful to the Pope for the enormous motivation and continuous support”. Relations with other churches, the crisis of vocations and a personal memory of the late Cardinal Shan.
The Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China, tells AsiaNews: "I am convinced that nothing in China may change with the election of one man, given that the decisions are made with committee consensus , but I hope that Xi Jinping will positively evaluate the peace that exists in the Strait. "
After months of delays and denials, yesterday an agreement between the political forces: in exchange for electoral reform, Prime Minister Noda will dissolve the House. Everything is ready for a new Liberal government led by Prime Minister Abe.
He will lead the new Politburo Standing Committee, with seven people (not nine). Hu Jintao also hands over the direction of the Central Military Commission. The new leadership group is very close to Jiang Zemin, head of the "Shanghai Gang". Xi Jinping enhances the role of the Party to ensure a "better life" for the people, a "stronger" nation, a "more powerful” China.
The Standing Committee of the Politburo includes the new General Secretary of the Communist Party Xi Jinping, Deputy Premier Li Keqiang; North Korea-educated Zhang Dejiang; Shanghai party chief Yu Zhengsheng; propaganda boss Liu Yunshan; party discipline chief Wang Qishan; and Tianjin City boss Zhang Gaoli.
Xi Jinping suffered during the Cultural Revolution; Yu Zhengsheng saw six members of six family die. However, the new leader proudly extols the party's achievements in the past years. Promising to fight corruption and red tape, he forgot advice about internal democracy, sharing the wealth and support from the private sector. He owes his election to the 'Shanghai clique,' which defends the interests of the princelings and corporate monopolies.
The Pyongyang regime, with the active help of China is circumventing international sanctions that prohibit buying and selling weapons. It also continues long-range missile tests. The military cargo intercepted from South Korea, was on a ship from Shanghai.
The Taiwan government is really doing a lot to limit CO2 emissions, but for future sustainable energy it "must use, in spite of everything, the nuclear power plants. Pending the discovery of a clean and safe source". The opinion of the director of the Academia Sinica, a Taipei based institution of the highest levels in the world's scientific community.
People in Asia are four times more likely to be affected by natural disasters than in Africa, and 25 times more likely than in Europe or North America. Unfettered development, urbanisation and climate change are among the main causes. As the rural-to-urban exodus continues, experts warn that conservation and prevention policies are needed.
The traditional festival of lights, which symbolises the victory of good over evil, also marks the start of the Hindu New Year. Lamps, candles and fireworks bright up the Indian sky. Because of high prices, gold jewellery sales have dropped and imports of Made-in-China decorations jumped 45 per cent.
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