Day: June 24, 2023

Flood of Packages from China Prompts Congress to Look at Duty-Free Limit

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WASHINGTON —  Conservatives eager to counter America’s leading economic adversary have set their sights on a top trade priority for labor unions and progressives: cracking down on the deluge of duty-free packages coming in from China. The changing political dynamic could have major ramifications for e-commerce businesses and consumers importing products from China valued at less than $800. It also could add to the growing tensions between the countries. Under current U.S. law, most imports valued at less than $800 enter duty-free into the United States as long as they…

Beijing Slams US Indictments of Chinese Firms Over Fentanyl

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Beijing, China —  Beijing criticized U.S. authorities Saturday for charging four Chinese companies and eight individuals with trafficking chemicals used in manufacturing fentanyl, calling the arrests “arbitrary detention.” The U.S. Justice Department is intensifying a crackdown on the synthetic opioid responsible for hundreds of thousands of overdose deaths in America over the past decade. Its latest move is the first time Washington has charged Chinese firms for trafficking fentanyl precursor chemicals to the United States, rather than Mexico, the origin of most fentanyl found in America. Two of the eight…

Hong Kong’s International Dragon Boat Races Return After 4-year Hiatus

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HONG KONG —  Thousands of paddlers descended on Hong Kong on Saturday to take part in the financial hub’s International Dragon Boat competition, held for the first time in more than four years after they were halted due to anti-government protests and COVID-19. The two-day event, organized by Hong Kong’s tourism board and the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association, drew more than 4,000 paddlers from 160 teams including from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan and internationally, its tourism body said. “It’s a great place to come back to, especially after…

US only has itself to blame for dangerous incidents in Taiwan Strait, South China Sea

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The incident highlighted each side’s position and willingness to back it up with force. The Chinese destroyer changed course and signalled to the US warship that it should move or there would be a collision. A US statement described the Chinese warship’s manoeuvre as illegal, unprofessional and unsafe. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the close encounter is “part and parcel of an increasing level of aggressiveness” by China’s military. In response, Defence Minister Li Shangfu said that “we must prevent attempts that try to use those freedom of…

Northern China swelters in record temperatures

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Beijing and parts of northern China are experiencing record temperatures, with authorities urging people to limit their time outdoors. The Nanjiao observatory in southern Beijing on Saturday for the first time recorded temperatures above 40C (104F) for a third consecutive day, according to the newspaper Beijing Daily, citing the national weather bureau. Temperatures have also soared above 40C in recent days in nearby Hebei province and the port city of Tianjin, prompting authorities to issue red alerts for extreme weather. In China’s four-tier weather alert system, red indicates the most…

Getting rich during China’s boom – then fleeing as prospects darken

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As President Xi Jinping began a third term in office pledging “Chinese-style modernization” in October 2022, commentators expected him to steer China further in the direction of a state-dominated, planned economy. Xi’s ideology sounded an ominous note for the private sector, as well as for private individual wealth and influence. Meanwhile, three years of China’s zero-COVID policy sounded the death knell for many private companies, prompting an exodus of wealthy and middle-class Chinese who had previously benefited from the post-Mao economic boom. Meng Jun, a former vegetable salesman-turned-flight charter agent-turned-rubber…

China’s Extreme Floods and Heat Ravage Farms and Kill Animals

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The downpour began in late May, drenching the wheat crops in central China. As kernels of wheat blackened in the rain, becoming unfit for human consumption, the government mobilized emergency teams to salvage as much of the harvest as possible. In a viral video, a 79-year-old farmer in Henan Province wiped away tears as he surveyed the damage. The unusually heavy rainfall, which local officials said was the worst disruption to the wheat harvest in a decade, underscored the risks that climate shocks pose to President Xi Jinping’s push for…

Uyghur News Recap: June 17-23, 2023 

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washington —  Here’s a summary of Uyghur-related news around the world from the past week: Fast Retailing, Inditex and Skechers Face Lawsuit Over Xinjiang Human Rights Abuses Apparel firm Uniqlo’s parent company, Fast Retailing, along with Zara-owner Inditex and Skechers are facing a lawsuit filed by the European Uyghur Institute in Paris, accusing them of human rights abuses in China’s Xinjiang region. The institute alleges the companies are involved in surveillance and camp construction and benefiting from forced labor. The lawsuit follows the dropping of a previous inquiry by French…

Four Arrested Over China Restaurant Blast That Killed 31

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Beijing, China —  Chinese police arrested four people on Saturday linked to a restaurant explosion that killed dozens, state media reported. At least 31 people were killed and seven others injured when a gas explosion ripped through a barbecue restaurant in the northwestern city of Yinchuan on Wednesday. It happened on the eve of the three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday when many in China go out and socialize with friends. The suspects included the restaurant owner, two shareholders and the manager, state news agency Xinhua reported. They were arrested for…

Singapore Holds First LGBTQ Rally Since Gay Sex Decriminalized

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Singapore —  Hundreds of people wearing pink attended Singapore’s annual “Pink Dot” LGBTQ rally on Saturday, the first to be held since the city-state decriminalized gay sex last year. Brandishing rainbow flags and sporting glittery makeup, participants gathered in a downtown park — the only place in Singapore where protests are allowed without a police permit. “I’m celebrating today because it’s been a really long fight,” said Ernest Seah, a gay 58-year-old artist and teacher, while sitting on a pink inflatable couch. “And you know, it’s great that love wins…