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.
Due to rising political tensions and diversification strategies, only 11.4 per cent of Taiwan’s foreign investment went to mainland China last year, down from 83.8 per cent in 2010. Chinese investments in the island are also down. In 2022, China accounted for 34 per cent of Taiwan’s overall foreign investment, down from two thirds a decade ago. US lawmakers start visit in Taiwan.
Going by the nickname Plato, he posted in November an hour-and-17-minute video on YouTube titled "Urumqi Middle Road," named after the street where protesters gathered. The events in the video began spontaneously, but soon turned into a wider protest movement against the Chinese government.
Most of the evacuees from the New Year's Day earthquake that hit Ishikawa Prefecture in particular are still housed in hotels, but spring and the opening of the new high-speed train route are speeding up the time for their departure from hotels
They are protesting over the increase in the number of students admitted to university faculties, a measure that has been talked about for some time in a country that has one of the lowest rates of doctors in relation to its population. But health workers claim that other deficiencies such as overcrowding in hospitals are not being addressed. Preceptions were ordered while the police investigated the protesters.
The balance of trade between the two countries has increased by 10% in the past year, exceeding USD 1 billion. Tajiks import machinery and equipment of all kinds from China and export raw materials. There are currently 580 companies with Chinese capital working in the country. But the other side of the coin is the 60% of foreign debt now in Beijing's hands.
The outrage over the death in custody of Putin's opponent should not make the world forget that the number of political prisoners in Hong Kong is on rise with Beijing insists on "non-interference in internal affairs". On the Beijing Spring online platform, a Chinese dissident draws parallels with the fate of Liu Xiaobo and Peng Ming who died in Chinese prisons.
Today's news: In Russia more than 400 protesters arrested for taking to the streets in the wake of Naval'nyj's death; A survey reveals that nearly 70 per cent of Japan's 108 tsunami-prone coastal municipalities would be unprepared for the disaster; The police forcibly keep protesting farmers out of New Delhi; Thaksin Shinawatra returned to freedom; After Cop28 the United Arab Emirates set a record for non-oil exports.
A book published in Italy traces the story of the missionary bishop of Zhengzhou, the immediate predecessor of one of three recently appointed bishops in the People's Republic of China. Paul VI praised him for his extraordinary example of courage and fidelity to the Gospel in communist imprisonment and for the love he always kept alive for the flock that had been entrusted to him, even in exile.
Today's headlines: Thousands of young men try to leave Myanmar after conscription is introduced. A few weeks before India’s elections, the opposition Congress party has its bank accounts frozen. Satellite photos show Egypt is building a wall next to the Rafah crossing. Japan successfully launched the new H3 space rocket. US and China agree to hold follow-up talks on North Korea and the Middle East.
Stephen Chen Yueli was arrested as he entered mainland China on charges of "illegal business operations" for his involvement in printing children’s Sunday school materials. According to China Aid, he is in solitary confinement and cannot even see his lawyers. With him, eight other Christians were also arrested.
Today's news: Egypt on the Gaza border sets up camps for Palestinian refugees; South Korean trainee doctors resign from their hospital posts; Ukrainian drones hit one of Russia's largest and most modern landing ships; Thailand boosts tourism from abroad with anti-accident insurance policies.
Turquoise Roof reports that Tibetans are forced at checkpoints to install an "anti-fraud" system that actually sends personal data to the police. A database powered by US IT giant Oracle analyses millions of messages to block any assertions of local identity.
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