East Asia

The biennale of the Starry Starry Night Foundation – which in China promotes the artistic creations of people with disabilities by raising public awareness of their potential – has made a stop in Florence. This project reflects the significant progress made in recent years in the People's Republic on school inclusion.

On 24 May, more than 400 faithful from Chinese Catholic communities across Italy gathered in Padua to mark the Day of Prayer for the Church in China, established by Pope Benedict XVI. At the same time, at the Marian shrine of Our Lady of Sheshan in Shanghai, many of the faithful took part in Mass despite heavy rain. The celebration was presided over by Bishop Shen Bin, with prayers offered for peace and prosperity in the country.

In May 1956, the hospital near the factory reported an “unknown illness” that was later found to be caused by mercury discharges from the Chisso Corporation. Decades later, the wound remains open in this Japanese city. PIME missionary Fr. Ferruccio Brambillasca, now the community’s parish priest, describes a society still marked by stigma and social divisions, while the memory of the tragedy risks being erased even from school textbooks.

A priest living in the People's Republic of China writes a letter on the "administrative regulations" that prevent people under 18 from participating in religious activities. China’s constitution protects religious freedom, with no reference to their age. Instead, children today can enter a shopping mall unaccompanied but not a church. Meanwhile, teenage depression, bullying, and a lack of values are hot societal topics.

The Tajik president’s trip has confirmed just how strategic a region Central Asia is for China today, a strategic importance made all the more vital by the various geopolitical fault lines. Beijing is banking on the gas pipeline running through the region, but also on its significance for the security of its own borders. And in relations with local governments, its proximity – not just geographical – gives it an advantage over its Western rivals.

Today, Pentecost Sunday, Pope Leo XIV spoke about the Shrine of Sheshan, Shanghai, on the day the Church dedicates to China. He invited Chinese Catholics to pray as a sign of "communion with the universal Church”. He also mentioned the Christian communities in the Middle East. Commenting today’s Gospel, he said: “The Spirit opens the doors of the Church so that it can be welcoming and hospitable to all”.

Created 40 years ago, the association contributes to the development of the Diocese of Shanghai in the current context. The goals set out in its latest assembly include research on prominent Catholic figures and improving members’ skills to help vulnerable groups.

On the occasion of the centenary of the unification by Pope Pius XI of two different Italian institutes into PIME in 1926, the Archdiocese of Lucca commemorated two of its great missionaries, Father Allegrino Allegrini and Father Fedele Giannini, who carried out their ministry in the Land of the Rising Sun. For Cardinal Tagle, their story shows that God leads the mission, even through unexpected paths.

The unexpected success of "Dear You”, a film produced on a small budget and in a local dialect, is reviving interest in China about the important role played by letter writing, which for over a century migrants used to send money and news to their families back home. These letters played a decisive role in China's current economic development, but were often accompanied by expressions of nostalgia and pain, written by local scribes. Beijing, however, is giving them a patriotic twist.

Data on the performance in the first quarter of 2026 confirm the difficulties of China’s southern coastal province, which was the laboratory of the reforms initiated by Deng Xiaoping but is now suffering from the downsizing of Hong Kong and the crisis of the manufacturing sector. Jiangsu and Zhejiang are currently leading the country, with Hangzhou emerging as China's artificial intelligence hub. Meanwhile, differences between the various parts of the country are growing.

At yet another summit in Beijing, just a week after Donald Trump's visit, the Russian and Chinese presidents discussed strategic cooperation, calling US policy "irresponsible”. But once more, negotiations have stalled regarding the Power of Siberia-2 pipeline, which is vital for Moscow but not China.

Tensions are rising around Samsung Electronics in South Korea. Some 48,000 workers are set to go on strike for 18 days after negotiations with the company over semiconductor profits fail. The government wants to avoid repercussions on the domestic and global economies, reopening the debate on its controversial special powers in such cases.