The Malaysian Prime Minister states that Taiwan is part of China and supports Beijing’s right to use force for reunification. Taipei was quick to criticise, warning that investments are at risk. At stake is the delicate balance in Kuala Lumpur’s relations (and trade) with both sides.
Today's news: protests continue in Pakistan over alleged electoral fraud; Tension between Taiwan and China after a fatal accident involving a Chinese boat; As lessons in South Korea approach, Kim Jong Un increases missile tests; The war against Hamas erodes Israel's economy; Japan, in recession, loses its place as the world's third largest economy to Germany; In Leningrad, all open-air demonstrations are banned, including ecological and sports events.
Beijing intensified its military activities during the Lunar New Year. Balloons floated over the Taiwan Strait for two consecutive days. For experts, it is a warning, part of the mainland’s psychological warfare against the rebel island. For the first time, armed soldiers performed at the national Spring Festival gala.
The Pacific archipelago is one of only 12 countries in the world to diplomatically recognise Taiwan and is now caught in the middle of the growing rivalry between the US and China.
Until now, citizens from the southern African kingdom could travel to Hong Kong visa-free for up to 90 days, like for many other countries. No official reason has been given, but the measure comes a few days after Nauru gave in to pressure from Beijing and dropped Taipei.
Today's news: China tries to push Iran to curb Houthi attacks in the Red Sea; Under threat of going underwater within the next 25 years, elections are held in Tuvalu;Taiwan initiates compulsory conscription extended to one year in response to the Chinese threat; The earth continues to shake on the border between Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and China; The precision landing of its space lander on the Moon boosts the ambitions of Japan's space programme.
Today's news: progress on the ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages, but Hamas wants an end to the war; In Islamabad, a Belucian garrison was removed and protesters were booked; As Beijing forges alliances in the Pacific, Taiwan asks Biden to join the US-led 'Indo-Pacific economic framework'; Modi's India expels French journalist Vanessa Dougnac, correspondent of the Catholic newspaper La Croix.
Today's news: Taiwan says it has detected six more Chinese spy balloons flying over the island; In May, construction will begin on a new mosque in Ayodhya, India; Putin says he plans to visit Pyongyang soon; Israeli Foreign Minister Katz and his Palestinian counterpart al-Maliki will attend the EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels separately: Tajikistan continues the work of "de-Russification" of its civil code.
Today's news: Two of the three hostages featured in the Hamas video dead; North Korean hackers share clandestine money laundering networks with fraudsters and traffickers in Southeast Asia; An Iranian court handed down an additional 15-month sentence to Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi; Tajikistan and Uzbekistan 'do not recognise' the outcome of the vote in Taiwan.
William Lai's victory, the electorate's clear stance for maintaining the "status quo," Beijing's increasingly insistent threats in Oceania today cashing in on Nauru's "rupture" of diplomatic relations with Taipei. Fears of escalating tensions with a leader willing to do anything for "reunification."
Outgoing vice-president William Lai is credited with over 40% of the vote. This is a clear advantage over the 33.4% and 26.5% of rivals Hou Yu-ih and Ko Wen-je (and 65% of the ballots counted). Weighing on the vote, however, is the unknown of the results in parliament, where there is more balance and the TPP votes will be decisive. High turnout at over 70%,
Some 19.5 million voters are called to choose Tsai Ing-wen’s successor in a three-way race that will also test relations between the island, Washington, and Beijing. The first results will be available already tomorrow evening. The race is much more uncertain than four years ago, when the Democratic Progressive Party achieved a clear victory. Voters will also cast their ballots for Taiwan’s parliament, the Legislative Yuan.
Today's news: 462 Chinese citizens arrested in Laos. Freedom of the press is increasingly squeezed in Malaysia. Taiwan tries again to join the CPTPP. Afghanistan gets the release of some funds from the World Bank. There is an ongoing measles epidemic in Russia. The New Zealand government wants to abolish the use of the Maori language
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