Taiwanese and US officials have discussed how Taiwan can “meaningfully” participate at the United Nations just days before Chinese president Xi Jinping will give a speech to mark his country’s half century since accession to the global body. Taiwan, using its formal name the Republic of China, held the Chinese seat at the UN until 25 October 1971, when it was voted out as representative of the country in favour of the People’s Republic of China, whose communist forces had won a civil war in 1949 and forced the republican…
Day: October 23, 2021
What’s next after the release of Meng Wanzhou?
Meng Wanzhou was no ordinary executive, but the chief financial officer of Huawei, the world’s largest telecoms equipment maker and a poster child for the country’s tech sector. She is also the daughter of the firm’s founder, Ren Zhengfei, who was once a member of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. BBC
Australia wants deeper energy ties to help Taiwan decarbonise, amid China tensions
The Australian government says it wants to help Taiwan decarbonise its economy, flagging this as the next area of cooperation with the democratically ruled island, amid ongoing tensions with China. The trade minister, Dan Tehan, said he saw “real opportunities” to deepen energy ties with Taiwan, while arguing there was bipartisan recognition in Australia of “the greater assertiveness that we’re seeing from China”. Tehan also confirmed he had been aware of the former prime minister Tony Abbott’s plan to travel to Taiwan prior to his departure, but reiterated that “all…
China passes law to reduce ‘twin pressures’ of homework and tutoring on children
China has passed a law to reduce the “twin pressures” of homework and off-site tutoring on children. The official Xinhua news agency said on Saturday the new law, which has not been published in full, makes local governments responsible for ensuring that the twin pressures are reduced and asks parents to arrange their children’s time to account for reasonable rest and exercise, thereby reducing pressure and avoiding internet overuse. The law will come into force on January 1 next year. China’s education system requires students to take exams from an…
She Is Breaking Glass Ceilings in Space, but Facing Sexism on Earth
Col. Wang Yaping is a pilot in the People’s Liberation Army’s Air Force. She is a space veteran, now making her second trip into orbit. She is set in the coming weeks to be the first Chinese woman to walk in space as China’s space station glides around Earth at 17,100 miles per hour. And yet, as she began a six-month mission last week at the core of China’s ambitious space program, official and news media attention fixated as much on the comparative physiology of men and women, menstruation cycles,…