The World Health Organisation again urged China’s health officials to regularly share specific, real-time information on the country’s Covid surge, as the UK joined other countries in bringing in travel restrictions, citing a lack of data as the reason. WHO Covid experts met Chinese officials on Friday and “again stressed the importance of transparency and regular sharing of data to formulate accurate risk assessments and to inform effective response”, said the WHO chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. In particular, WHO requested more genetic sequencing data, data on hospitalisations, intensive care unit…
Day: December 30, 2022
More Countries Tighten COVID Rules for Chinese Travelers
France and Britain on Friday became the latest in a growing list of countries requiring COVID-19 tests from travelers arriving from China following a surge of infections in the Asian nation. Britain said Friday that Chinese travelers would need to show a negative COVID-19 test taken within two days of departure. The measures will take effect January 5. France announced a similar policy Friday, saying its new rules are set to go into place on Sunday. It also said that passengers on flights from China to France will be required…
China economy 2022 review: another turbulent 12 months as coronavirus weighs heavy
Chinese mothers gave birth to 10.62 million babies in 2021, representing an 11.5 per cent drop from 12 million in 2020. The national birth rate also fell to a record low of 7.52 births for every 1,000 people in 2021, from 8.52 in 2020. China also cut its benchmark lending rate for the second consecutive month in the latest move to shore up the cooling economy, while also lowering a mortgage reference rate for the first time in nearly two years. February China and Russia began the month by strengthening…
Lao prime minister resigns amid soaring inflation, criticism over mining concessions
Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh resigned on Friday for health reasons, retiring after serving in the position for less than two years amid a tanking economy, with soaring inflation and a sharp drop in the value of the currency, the kip. Viphavanh, 72, submitted his resignation to the National Assembly earlier in the day. He took office in April 2021 following a general election. “In the current situation, our country is experiencing a lot of hardships. I’m not able to do this difficult job any further,” he said in a…
China Promotes its US Envoy Qin Gang to Foreign Minister
BEIJING/WASHINGTON — China has appointed Qin Gang, its ambassador to the United States and a trusted aide of President Xi Jinping, to be its new foreign minister, as Beijing and Washington seek to stabilize rocky relations. Qin, 56, replaces Wang Yi, who has been foreign minister for the past decade. Wang, 69, was promoted to the politburo of the Chinese Communist Party in October and is expected to play a bigger role in Chinese foreign policy. In solving challenges common to all of mankind, China’s diplomacy will offer “Chinese wisdom,…
Share Data, WHO Urges China at COVID Surge Talks
GENEVA — The World Health Organization met Chinese officials for talks on Friday about the surge in COVID-19 cases, urging them to share real-time data so other countries could respond effectively. The rise in infections in China has triggered concern around the globe and questions about its data reporting, with low official figures for cases and deaths despite some hospitals and morgues being overwhelmed. The talks came after WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged Beijing to be more forthcoming on the pandemic situation in the world’s most populous country. The…
Tech war: China’s push to forge a chip coalition in Asia falters as Washington expected to tighten the screws in 2023
“On the one hand, we can’t be blindly optimistic and believe that we can do everything – the concept of ‘Amazing China’ is certainly out of fashion,” Wei said in published comments. “[However] we don’t have to be depressed or belittle ourselves.” Amazing China is the title of a Chinese propaganda movie from 2017 which hailed the country’s economic and technological achievements. Washington moved quickly in 2022 to deny China access to advanced chips. With the Chips and Science Act, the US is luring chip manufacturing back to American soil…
North Korea Ends 2022 With 1 More Missile Launch
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — North Korea capped off its record year of missile tests by sending three more ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast Saturday, according to South Korea’s military. The North fired three short-range ballistic missiles from North Hwanghae Province starting about 8 a.m. local time, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. Japan’s Coast Guard earlier reported that two North Korean missiles were launched. The reason for the discrepancy was not immediately clear. It is North Korea’s 37th launch event this year…
Analysts: As 2023 ASEAN chair, Indonesia must dial up pressure on Myanmar junta
Much is expected from next year’s ASEAN chair Indonesia, especially in resolving the post-coup crisis in Myanmar, but analysts say that little will change unless Jakarta spearheads a hardline stance against the Burmese junta. Navigating geopolitical rivalries between superpowers will pose another challenge, say analysts. Some predict that Indonesia will likely focus its 2023 chairmanship on regional connectivity, economic recovery, and preventing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations from being used as a pawn in the U.S.-China tug-of-war. Last month, Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said that the situation in…
Myanmar’s junta ignored condemnation of its rule in 2022
The people of Myanmar suffered as the anti-junta armed resistance took on the military in 2022. It was a year in which not only democracy and human rights eroded in the aftermath of the February 2021 coup, but also one that saw an acute loss of civilian lives and destruction of private property. But widespread condemnation of the junta’s policies largely fell on deaf ears, as the military regime continued to rule with impunity. These were some of the most significant political developments in Myanmar this year: Ko Jimmy and…