Page 7 - Beijing

Hong Kong holds first 'patriots only' local elections after overhaul

Residents went to the polls on Sunday in Hong Kong's first district council elections since an electoral overhaul was implemented under Beijing's guidance of patriots administering the city, effectively shutting out all pro-democracy candidates. Turnout is expected to be much lower than in the last elections, held at the height of the 2019 anti-government protests. Some pro-democracy voters, dismayed by the drastic rule changes, including the elimination of most directly elected seats, are turning their backs on the polls. Members of the League of Social Democrats, one of the city's remaining pro-democracy political parties, had planned to stage a small protest to express their discontent over the electoral rule changes. But their members were arrested by the police after being stopped and searched, the group said. The police said three people were arrested on suspicion of intending to incite others to disrupt the elections, but did not provide names. The final turnout in the vote

China effectively tackling air pollution while India continues to choke

China has made strides in scrubbing the once-foul air that had become a fact of life each year in major cities like Beijing and industrial towns across the country

Chinese authorities open probe into troubled shadow bank Zhongzhi

Police urged investors to report cases or provide leads to the authorities, including filing complaints online

Russia, IOC clash at UN before states pass Olympic Truce for Paris Games

Russia clashed with the International Olympic Committee on the floor of the United Nations before 118 member states voted to adopt a traditional truce around the 2024 Paris Summer Games. Two years ago, Russia voted for the previous Olympic Truce resolution then flagrantly breached it by invading Ukraine four days after the 2022 Winter Games closed in Beijing. Relations between Russia and IOC President Thomas Bach have not recovered since though the Olympic body eased its initially tough stance of exclusion by urging sports bodies to let some athletes compete as neutral individuals with no symbols of national identity. Such conditions are completely unacceptable, Russian diplomat Maria Zabolotskaya said Tuesday speaking immediately before Bach in the Olympic Truce debate at the UN in New York. The height of hypocrisy and cynicism the likes of which we have not seen in recent history has been the illegal barring of Russian athletes from international sporting competitions, said ...

Biden urged to press Beijing to return to direct dialogue with Tibetans

Expressing concern that the issue of Tibet did not come up during the Joe Biden-Xi Jinping meeting, the International Campaign for Tibet has urged the US president to press Beijing to return to direct dialogue with the representatives of the Tibetan people. "Xi's meeting with President Biden takes place at a critical moment as the Chinese leader has ruthless control in Tibet, including intensive securitisation of the Tibetan Plateau and unprecedented Sinification of the Tibetan people. It is most important to raise these concerns directly with President Xi, the International Campaign for Tibet said in a statement. Tibetans, Uyghurs, and many other groups, including the Chinese people themselves, have been denied the freedom to raise their grievances and seek redress from the Chinese government. Xi and his officials must hear their voices too, and the Biden administration has an opportunity to push them to listen, it said. In particular, President Biden should press Beijing to return

US depends on China for its modern way of life, says Vivek Ramaswamy

The US cannot "get tough" with China because it depends on it for a modern way of life, Indian-American Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has said, asserting that Washington needs to declare economic independence from Beijing. The 38-year-old multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur made the comment on Wednesday during the Republican Party's third presidential debate in Miami, Florida. Indian-American presidential candidate Nikki Haley, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott participated in the debate. Former US president Donald Trump, who is leading the race, did not participate in the debate again. Here's why we can't get tough with China. It's because we depend on them for our modern way of life. And we have to declare economic independence from our enemy," Ramaswamy said. "That's the Declaration of Independence that Thomas Jefferson, at the age of 33, would have signed. And today, if he were ..

Australia's Albanese calls for free trade with China on visit to Beijing

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is calling for the full resumption of free and unimpeded trade with China in a meeting with his counterpart Li Qiang on the first first visit by an Australian leader to China in seven years. Climate change, food security and transnational crime are areas in which the two nations can cooperate, Albanese said Tuesday. The sides should discuss ways to shape a regional and global order that is peaceful, stable and prosperous, where countries respect sovereignty and meet their obligations under international law and conventions, Albanese said. Geostrategic competition must be handled through dialogue and through understanding, he said, in apparent reference to heightened tensions between China and the United States, a key Australian ally. "We can grow the relationship while advancing our respective interests, if we wisely navigate when there are differences," Albanese said. Li was quoted by the Australian foreign office as acknowledging that ..

China's spy agency vows crackdown on weather stations with foreign links

Foreign embassies and research groups gather weather data in China, activity that becomes more important as the nation deals with bouts of extreme weather such as flooding in the Beijing area

China prods Bhutan to establish diplomatic ties and settle border issues

China has asked Bhutan to establish diplomatic ties with it and resolve the boundary issue as soon as possible to transform the relations between the two neighbours into legal form. Bhutanese Foreign Minister Dr Tandi Dorji who is currently visiting Beijing to take part in the boundary talks between the two countries met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday during which Wang said restoration of diplomatic ties will serve the long-term interests of both countries, a Foreign Ministry press release here said. The conclusion of boundary negotiations and the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bhutan fully serve the long-term and fundamental interests of the country and nation of Bhutan," Wang said. China is ready to work with Bhutan in the same direction, seize the historic opportunity, complete this important process as soon as possible, and fix and develop China-Bhutan friendly relations in legal form," Wang, also a member of the powerful Political Bureau of

Putin's visit to Beijing underscores China's economic support for Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to meet this week with Chinese leaders in Beijing on a visit that underscores China's economic and diplomatic support for Moscow during its war in Ukraine. The two countries have forged an informal alliance against the United States and other democratic nations that's now complicated by the Israel-Hamas war. China has sought to balance its ties with Israel with its economic relations with Iran and Syria, which are strongly backed by Russia. Putin's visit is also a show of support for Chinese leader Xi Jinping's signature Belt and Road drive to build infrastructure and expand China's overseas influence. The Russian leader will be among the highest profile guests at a gathering marking the 10th anniversary of Xi's announcement of the policy, which has laden countries such as Zambia and Sri Lanka with heavy debt after they signed contracts with Chinese companies to build roads, airports and other public works they could not otherwise ...

China to hold third edition of Belt and Road Forum in Beijing from Oct 17

China will hold the third edition of the Belt and Road Forum here from October 17 to 18 and President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony, it was announced on Wednesday. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a multi-billion-dollar initiative launched by President Xi when he came to power in 2013. It aims to link Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Gulf region, Africa and Europe with a network of land and sea routes. Under the ambitious BRI, China provides funding for major infrastructure projects around the world, in a bid to speed Chinese goods to markets further afield. The USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the flagship project of the BRI. India has strongly protested to China over the CPEC as it is being laid through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). In July, India once again refused to endorse China's ambitious BRI, becoming the only country in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation not to support the project. A declaration issued at the end of

Peace only option to resolve political differences: Taiwan Prez on Beijing

Peace between Taiwan and China is the only option, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said Tuesday, while strongly asserting the self-governing island's defences against Beijing's threats to invade. Tsai said in a National Day address that the international community views stability in the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable component of global security and prosperity. China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has been increasingly sending ships and warplanes across the Taiwan Strait in an effort to intimidate the population of 23 million, who strongly favour the status-quo of de-facto independence. Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party will seek to maintain power in elections next year against the Nationalists, who officially support unification between the sides that divided amid civil war in 1949. "Let me reiterate that peace is the only option across the Taiwan Strait," said Tsai, who will step down after two terms in office. Maintaining the status quo, as the largest common ...

EU announces plans to better protect sensitive tech from foreign snooping

The European Union announced plans on Tuesday to better protect its cutting-edge technologies from foreign snooping that might threaten its economy and security in the wake of repeated warnings that the bloc needs to de-risk its relations with China. Technology is currently at the heart of geopolitical competition and the EU wants to be a player, and not a playground, European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova said. To better protect its relatively open market, the European Commission wants the member states to immediately carry out risk assessments of its most sensitive industries, including advanced semiconductor, artificial intelligence, quantum and biotechnologies. Those are considered highly likely to present the most sensitive and immediate risks related to technology security and technology leakage and are up for the highest level of protection. Even though the European Commission refrained from putting the onus on any specific country, the EU itself has repeatedly said

Combat ability key for Taiwan to defy Beijing's unification agenda: Report

At the same time, CCP is also pushing for peaceful unification by extending economic benefits to Taiwanese businesses and introducing other preferential policies, it added

Australian lawmakers call for warmer relations with 'self-ruled' Taiwan

On a visit to Taiwan, a delegation of six Australian lawmakers called on Tuesday for warmer relations with the self-ruled island increasingly threatened by Beijing. The visit comes as Australia has been working at recalibrating its relationship with China, which had been tense in the past few years over disputes on the origin of COVID-19. China in response had imposed tariff barriers on several Australian exports, such as barley. Paul Fletcher, a lawmaker with Australia's Liberal Party, lauded the fact that the lawmaker delegation crossed party lines. The two major parties in Australia are both represented and we are here to further the warm relationship between Australia and Taiwan, Fletcher said. They also discussed strengthening economic cooperation with Taiwan, particularly in clean energy, and expressed an interest in Taiwan's semi-conductor industry. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory. Taiwan, with a population of 23 million compared to China's 1.4 billion, has ne

Nepal, China sign 12 agreements during PM Prachanda's visit to Beijing

During the meeting, the two leaders comprehensively reviewed the bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction over the close and cordial ties subsisting between the two countries

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping to meet in Beijing in October, says Russia

Putin will attend the third Belt and Road Forum after an invitation by Xi during a high-profile visit to Moscow in March

China's unexpected trading tax cut forces Hong Kong into hard choice

The aggressive moves by Beijing to support markets are speeding up plans for Hong Kong to come up with its own measures to revive activity of trading and initial public offerings

China objects to US hosting G20 summit in 2026, Russia backs Beijing

G-20 members rotate their presidency of group, including annual summit of world leaders, and US has said it will take it on after India, Brazil and South Africa complete respective yearlong stints

Xi to welcome debt-burdened leaders in China as he skips G20 Summit

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema will visit China from Sept. 10-16, while Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro will arrive on Friday for a seven-day trip, the Foreign Ministry in Beijing said