Day: February 20, 2024

China calls for mindset change to grow, end ‘lying flat’ bureaucracy

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A directive from a Chinese provincial government seen as aiming to further shore up the ideology of Chinese President Xi Jinping and break away from late leader Deng Xiaoping’s reformist thoughts has stirred up heated debate. The campaign by Hunan officials called for “large-scale discussions on emancipating the mind” throughout the province, known for its red propaganda. It was launched on the eve of the 27th anniversary of Deng’s death. The notice of “emancipating the mind” was a reference to the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts to introduce economic reforms after…

China affirms Fukushima stance in rare ministerial meeting for Japan’s new envoy

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The Fukushima nuclear plant water releases were raised in one of the first ministerial-level meetings attended by Japan’s new ambassador to China, suggesting the row between the two countries over the issue is likely to continue. Kenji Kanasugi has met relatively few ministers since he arrived in Beijing in December, but at a meeting with China’s environment minister on Tuesday was told that Japan should “take responsibility” for the situation. According to a readout from the ecology and environment ministry, Huang Runqiu reiterated Beijing’s position on Japan’s release of treated…

Taiwan chases Chinese coast guard boat away from frontline islands amid heightened tensions

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Taiwan on Tuesday drove away a Chinese coast guard boat that entered waters near its sensitive frontline islands, one day after China’s coast guard boarded a Taiwanese tourist boat amid an escalating dispute sparked by a fatal capsize last week. A Chinese coast guard boat, numbered 8029, entered Taiwan’s waters near Kinmen on Tuesday morning, Taiwan’s coast guard said, adding that it dispatched a boat and used radio and broadcast to drive away its Chinese counterpart, which left the area an hour later. Taiwan’s coast guard said it will continue…

UN Urges Papua New Guinea to Tackle Tribal Bloodshed

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GENEVA —  The United Nations on Tuesday urged Papua New Guinea to take immediate steps to address the root causes of tribal violence and work towards reconciliation following deadly clashes. Dozens of bloodied bodies were discovered in the PNG Highlands following a clash early Sunday between rival tribal fighters. “We urge the government of Papua New Guinea to effectively address escalating tribal violence and to engage with provincial and local leaders in a dialogue to achieve durable peace and respect for human rights in the Highlands region,” U.N. human rights…

Apple operating chief Jeff Williams makes rare Taiwan visit to attend gala of iPhone maker Foxconn

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Apple’s chief operating officer Jeff Williams is on a rare visit to Taiwan to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Foxconn, the company that helped build the iPhone empire by assembling those devices to exacting standards in factories across China. In Taipei on Tuesday night, Williams was joined by Apple’s senior vice-president of operations, Sabih Khan, as a guest of honour at a gala celebration. Also present were SoftBank Group chief executive officer Masayoshi Son and Arm Holdings boss Rene Haas, according a statement by Foxconn on Wednesday. The occasion was…

Wives of jailed Vietnamese activists claim constant harassment

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While Vietnamese activists Bui Van Thuan and Bui Tuan Lam serve long prison sentences, their wives have told Radio Free Asia they face constant harassment by local authorities. Trinh Thi Nhung, wife of Bui Van Thuan, said she was questioned by police in Thanh Hoa province about a Facebook account which used her husband’s photo as her profile picture. Her husband was arrested at the end of August 2021 for a series of Facebook posts, in which he wrote about the internal fighting of state officials, which he dubbed the…

Fight for talent: Hong Kong’s banker salaries top Singapore peers by up to 46 per cent

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Finance and technology professionals are generally better paid in Hong Kong than in Singapore, with investment-banking analysts earning 46 per cent more than in the Southeast Asian city-state, according to a report from Bloomberg Intelligence. Analysts make an average of US$92,149 a year in Hong Kong, compared with US$63,305 in Singapore, according to a BI report published Wednesday. The trend extends to associates, who make almost US$123,000 (HK$961,967), or 36 per cent more than peers in Singapore, BI said, citing figures from recruiting firm Michael Page. Executive directors at investment…

Seoul’s Diplomatic Ties With Havana Seen as Diplomatic Setback for Pyongyang

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washington —  Seoul’s newly forged diplomatic ties with Havana are a diplomatic setback for North Korea, which views Cuba as a brother country, according to analysts. North Korea has had diplomatic relations with Cuba since 1960, and Cuba maintains an embassy in Pyongyang. South Korea did not have diplomatic ties with Cuba for 65 years, but the South Korean Foreign Ministry announced it agreed with Cuba to set up ambassador-level diplomatic relations between the two when their respective representatives to the United Nations met in New York on Feb. 14.…

Samsung and LG join forces against Chinese rivals in battle for display dominance

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South Korea’s leading display makers LG and Samsung are closing ranks as they cede more ground to Chinese manufacturers of TV and smartphone screens and face being undercut on their leading-edge OLED technology. In what has become a battle for survival for the once-dominant companies in the sector, Samsung closed its last liquid crystal display factory in China in 2021 and is set to rely this year on its domestic rival to produce more of its panels there. The unusual level of co-operation comes as LG seeks to sell its…

How China’s Communist cadres target hearts and minds in Taiwan

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Days after Taiwan elected a new government intent on preserving de facto independence from China last month, Tim Chen and other students from the country were enjoying a trip to wintry north-east China, paid for by Beijing. Chen experienced snow for the first time as he visited museums and factories and made new friends in China. “I quite liked it,” said Chen. “At some point, I want to study or work there.” That is very much the desired outcome for his hosts — the United Front Work Department of China’s…