Japan has lodged a protest with Beijing over its decision to suspend the issuance of visas to Japanese citizens in retaliation for Covid testing requirements for travellers from China. Chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno characterised the move as an act of revenge rather than a public health measure and requested China reverse the decision. “It is regrettable that China unilaterally has taken visa suspension action for reasons other than steps for the coronavirus,” he said on Wednesday. China’s government suspended processing of the visas on Tuesday after the suspension of…
Day: January 10, 2023
Fourth Generation of Chiang Kai-Shek’s Family Takes Office in Taipei
Taipei, Taiwan — Wayne Chiang Wan-an, the ostensible great-grandson of Chiang Kai-shek who was sworn in as mayor of Taipei City late last month, is the latest scion of an Asian political dynasty to assume public office. From President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the Philippines to Hun Manet, the son of longtime leader Hun Sen, in Cambodia and even Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar, second, third and even fourth generation legacies wield major political influence across the region. Analysts say Chiang Wan-an cuts a slightly different image from other…
Australian Cardinal George Pell, Acquitted of Child Sexual Assault, Dead at 81
Rome — Australian Cardinal George Pell, a leading Roman Catholic conservative and former top Vatican official who in 2020 was acquitted of sexual abuse allegations, died Tuesday at the age of 81, his private secretary said. Father Joseph Hamilton told Reuters that Pell died in Rome on Tuesday night. Archbishop Peter Comensoli, the archbishop of Melbourne, said Pell had died from heart complications following hip surgery. “Cardinal Pell was a very significant and influential Church leader, both in Australia and internationally, deeply committed to Christian discipleship,” he said in a…
FM: Bangladesh wants good ties with US, China but it’s a challenge
Dhaka wants good relations with both Beijing and Washington but striking a balance between the two superpowers is a challenge, Bangladesh’s foreign minister said Tuesday after meeting new Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang. China’s top diplomat was making a stopover at Dhaka’s international airport as he headed to Africa for his first official trip in his new position. His brief visit took place amid tensions between Washington and Beijing – rival powers competing for influence in Asia. When asked about Bangladesh foreign policy in such a situation, Foreign Minister A.…
North Korea bans cellphones from public propaganda lectures
North Koreans are no longer allowed to bring their cellphones into propaganda lectures, which are a regular, mandatory part of life there, sources in the country say. While no explicit reason has been given, the sources told Radio Free Asia they suspect the government wants to prevent them from recording the content and sending it abroad. When entering a public hall before a special study session reviewing recent government policy, one resident in South Pyongan province said she had to give up her cell phone for the first time. “The…
‘An Appetite for Risk’: Colleagues Recall Life of Journalist Nate Thayer
Colleagues of the late Nate Thayer paid tribute to a “fearless” American journalist who went “further than all of us” in his search for answers about Khmer Rouge atrocities in Cambodia. “He was fearless in terms of his work style, and he was uncompromising when it comes to pursuing the truth,” said Ker Munthit, who worked with Thayer at The Phnom Penh Post in the 1990s. “On a regular basis, he scooped the world with his stories on Cambodian political conflicts,” Munthit told VOA shortly after Thayer’s death in early…
Covid will complicate China’s efforts to re-engage with the world
IN HIS ANNUAL New Year’s Eve address, President Xi Jinping struck an unusually measured tone. There was no call for unification with Taiwan, unlike the previous year, and none of the dark warnings about external forces that he voiced at a Communist Party congress in October. “We cherish peace and development and value friends and partners,” he said on December 31st. At home, meanwhile, it is “only natural for different people to have different concerns or hold different views on the same issue,” he added. Some detect a similar timbre…
Restoration of the Ozone Layer Is Back on Track, Scientists Say
Under the protocol, assessments like the one issued Monday are required at least every four years. In addition to NOAA scientists, contributors included researchers with NASA, the World Meteorological Organization, the United Nations Environment Program and the European Commission. The new assessment also considered, for the first time, the effects on ozone of a potential type of climate intervention, or geoengineering. The method,known as stratospheric aerosol injection, is meant to cool the atmosphere by using airplanes or other means to distribute sulfur aerosols to reflect some of the sun’s rays…
Philippines sea exploration deal with Beijing, Hanoi ruled unconstitutional
The Philippines Supreme Court on Tuesday declared a 2005 South China Sea oil exploration agreement with China and Vietnam unconstitutional because it allowed foreign corporations to prospect for natural resources belonging to the Filipino people but without proper safeguards. The ruling went against the Joint Seismic Marine Undertaking deal, which was signed 18 years ago by the Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC), the China National Offshore Oil Corp., and the Vietnam Oil and Gas Corp. (PETROVIETNAM). “The court ruled that the JSMU is unconstitutional for allowing wholly owned foreign corporations…
Chinese Top Diplomat Arrives in Africa to Strengthen Cooperation
Nairobi, Kenya — China’s new foreign minister, Qin Gang, has begun a five-nation tour of Africa aimed at bolstering Chinese-African ties. Qin, who had been ambassador to the U.S. until December, will visit African Union headquarters in Ethiopia before traveling to four other African countries. Analysts say trade and investment are the top priorities for both sides as China and the U.S. compete for influence in Africa. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed welcomed Qin to Addis Ababa as the Chinese foreign minister began his week-long tour. After visiting African Union…