Leo XIV: “Continuity for the Church in China, but also respect for those who have suffered oppression”

Today's headlines: Journalists and diplomats prevented from attending the new trial of blogger Zhang Zhan in Shanghai; Trump says he wants to regain control of the Bagram base in Afghanistan; President of the Maldives ratifies restrictive media law; Technocrats in key ministries of Thailand's new government. Hidden under joint ventures on gas and oil supplies of arms from Vietnam to Russia.

VATICAN - CHINA

Pope Leo spoke about the relationship between China and the Vatican, specifying that in the short term the Holy See will follow the line traced by his predecessors in an interview with Elise Ann Allen published in the book “Leone XIV: Citizen of the World and Missionary of the 21st Century” released yesterday However, recognising the importance of the so-called underground Church, the pontiff added: ‘I am trying to better understand how the Church can continue its mission, respecting both the culture and political issues that are obviously of great importance, but also respecting a significant group of Chinese Catholics who for many years have experienced some form of oppression or difficulty in living their faith freely and without taking sides.’

CHINA

In Shanghai, foreign journalists and diplomats were turned away by local authorities as they attempted to attend a new trial of Chinese blogger Zhang Zhan, which according to some reports is scheduled to take place today. Initially arrested in 2020 for her coverage of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 42-year-old has already served four years in prison on charges - often used against political dissidents - of ‘causing unrest,’ and was then re-arrested in August last year on the same grounds. The trial was supposed to take place this morning, but human rights defenders have been unable to confirm whether the journalist was present or not, or even whether the hearing actually took place.

AFGHANISTAN

During a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, US President Donald Trump said he wanted to regain control of the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan. This is a historic airstrip built by the Soviets and then used as the main base for US forces after 2001 until their withdrawal in 2021. However, the Taliban authorities have said they are not willing to hand it over and, in the meantime, have removed books written by female authors from university curricula.

INDIA – USA

The US Embassy in New Delhi has revoked and subsequently denied visas to several Indian business executives due to their involvement in the trafficking of fentanyl precursors. This was announced yesterday by the embassy itself. Before imposing a 50% tariff on Indian exports, Trump had also imposed additional duties on China, Mexico and Canada, claiming that they were countries that facilitated the flow of fentanyl into the United States.

MALDIVES

Yesterday, Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu ratified a controversial media law that imposes very high fines on those who violate provisions on respect for the Constitution, Islam or national security. The law also allows authorities to suspend media licences until investigations are completed or to interrupt service if they are deemed to be in violation of the rules.

THAILAND

The King of Thailand, Maha Vajiralongkorn, has approved the creation of a new government led by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. According to the list published in the Royal Gazette, several technocrats have been chosen to fill roles in key ministries, such as Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Suphajee Suthumpun, former CEO of the Dusit Thani hotel company, who holds the position of Minister of Commerce, and Auttapol Rerkpiboon, former CEO of energy giant PTT, who heads the Ministry of Energy.

RUSSIA – VIETNAM

According to an Associated Press investigation, Russia and Vietnam have developed a method of concealing payments related to arms sales in order to avoid sanctions by the United States and other Western countries. The system uses profits from joint ventures in the oil and gas sector to settle defence contracts without any transfer of money through international banking systems. For example, Vietnam purchased military equipment from Moscow, including fighter jets, tanks and ships, and then repaid the credit with its share of profits from a joint oil company operating in Siberia.

BELARUS

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned another 25 political prisoners convicted of “extremist tendencies”, a few days after the release of 52 other individuals following negotiations with Washington envoys during the “Days of People's Unity”. The government did not specify the names of those pardoned, who are 12 women and 13 men taken to the border with Lithuania without passports, effectively exiled from the country.

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