Page 4 - Chinese Government

Chinese hackers attacking Taiwanese organisations: Cybersecurity firm

A suspected Chinese state-sponsored hacking group has stepped up its targeting of Taiwanese organisations, particularly those in sectors such as government, education, technology and diplomacy, according to cybersecurity intelligence company Recorded Future. In recent years, relations between China and Taiwan, a self-governed island across the Taiwan Strait that Beijing claims as its territory, have deteriorated. The cyberattacks by the group known as RedJulliett were observed between November 2023 and April 2024, during the lead up to Taiwan's presidential elections in January and the subsequent change in administration. RedJuliett has targeted Taiwanese organisations in the past, but this is the first time that activity was seen at such a scale, a Recorded Future analyst said, speaking on condition of anonymity out of safety concerns. The report said RedJuliett attacked 24 organisations, including government agencies in places like Laos, Kenya and Rwanda, as well as Taiwan. It a

China's fiscal revenue drops 2.8% in January-May as weak demand drags

Fiscal expenditure rose 3.4 per cent in the first five months, versus a 3.5 per cent gain in the first four months

What is China's panda diplomacy; everything you need to know about it

Since its founding in 1949, the People's Republic of China has used panda diplomacy to boost its international image, either by gifting or lending panda to foreign zoos as goodwill animal ambassadors

Taiwan alert after China's nuclear submarine surfaces in Taiwan Strait

Taiwan Defence Minister Wellington Koo said they have a "grasp" of the intelligence situation, but declined to say how they were monitoring it or give details

Chinese Premier Qiang, Oz PM Albanese agree to resolve differences amicably

Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and senior ministers of both administrations met at Parliament House on Monday to discuss thorny issues, including lingering trade barriers, conflict between their militaries in international waters and China's desire to invest in critical minerals. Li, China's most senior leader after President Xi Jinping, arrived in the South Australian state capital of Adelaide on Saturday and the national capital of Canberra late Sunday in the first visit to the country by a Chinese premier in seven years. Li planned to underscore China's interest in buying a bigger stake in Australia's critical minerals sector, which is essential to the global transition to renewable energy sources, by visiting a Chinese-controlled lithium processing plant in Western Australia state Tuesday. Li visited New Zealand before Australia and is scheduled to stop in Malaysia before returning to China. Bilateral relations have improved markedly since

Recovery in overseas travel by Chinese lags due to costs, visa snags

The Chinese currency has fallen more than 2% against the dollar since the start of the year, raising costs in yuan terms for Chinese travellers abroad

Chinese premier Li Qiang flies to Australia after New Zealand visit

Chinese Premier Li Qiang is due to arrive in Australia on Saturday on a relations-mending mission with panda diplomacy, rock lobsters and China's global dominance in the critical minerals sector high on the agenda. China's most powerful politician after President Xi Jinping is expected to visit Adelaide Zoo and a Chinese-controlled lithium processing plant in the Kwinana Beach industrial estate, as well as Australia's Parliament House, during a visit that will end on Tuesday. Li's visit is the first by a Chinese premier in seven years and is expected to pave the way for Xi's first journey to Australia since 2014. China initiated a reset of the bilateral relationship after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's center-left Labor Party was elected in 2022. The relationship collapsed during the previous conservative administration's almost decade in power over legislation that banned covert foreign interference in Australian politics, the exclusion of Chinese-owned telecommunications giant

Chinese military books sold for less than $1; spy agency issues warning

Chinese national Zhang came across military-themed books at the recycling station, and purchased four of them for six yuan ($0.83)

Xi has few options to retaliate against Europe without sparking trade war

China has also signaled it's considering tariffs as high as 25% on imported cars with large engines

China solar panel makers seek government action to halt freefall in prices

Financial incentives and a government push have helped China become the solar panel factory of the world

China's central bank to resume gold buying as prices ease, analysts say

After adding to its gold reserves for 18 consecutive months, official data from the People's Bank of China (PBOC) showed its holdings were unchanged in May

Hong Kong invokes new law to cancel passports of 6 overseas-based activists

The Hong Kong government on Wednesday cancelled the passports of six overseas-based activists under the new national security law, stepping up its crackdown on dissidents who moved overseas. Those affected were former pro-democracy lawmaker Nathan Law, unionist Mung Siu-tat and activists Simon Cheng, Finn Lau, Johnny Fok and Tony Choi all accused of endangering national security by the authorities. The government said they have absconded to the UK. Last year, police offered rewards of 1 million Hong Kong dollars (USD 128,000) each for information leading to their arrests and drew sharp criticism from Western governments. According to the official statement, authorities also banned anyone from providing funds or economic resources to the six, leasing properties to them or forming any joint venture with them, among other restrictions. Doing so without authorisation would carry a penalty of up to seven years in prison. The government said it acted because the six were continuing to .

Japanese govt launches dating apps as birth rates hit record lows

A stable population demands a fertility rate of 2.1. Yet, Japan has struggled to meet this benchmark for over five decades, a trend exacerbated by the 1973 oil crisis

Pak PM, Chinese prez agree to upgrade CPEC, boost development in 2nd phase

The two leaders also affirmed their consensus on CPEC's upgradation and advancing the mega project's development in its second phase, according to Dawn

China recruiting US fighter pilots to boost air defence: US intelligence

The Five Eyes bulletin added that the Chinese recruitment efforts seem to be targeting current and former military pilots from Five Eyes countries and those from France and Germany

US to sell F-16 parts worth $300 mn to Taiwan amid China threats

The Pentagon announced on Wednesday that the US Department of State had cleared two possible sales to Taiwan of F-16 parts and supporting equipment, valued at a total of USD 300 million for Taiwan.

Chinese AI chip firms downgrading designs to secure TSMC production

Two top Chinese AI chip firms, MetaX and Enflame, submitted downgraded designs of their chips to TSMC in late 2023 to comply with US restrictions

China's Chang'e-6 spacecraft makes historic landing on far side of moon

The China National Space Administration announced that Chang'e-6 "successfully landed at the designated landing area," the Xinhua News Agency reported

PM Sharif calls Sino-Pak relations 'unshakable' during China visit

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday emphasised that Pakistan's all-weather relationship with China was "unshakable" as he embarked on a five-day official visit to Beijing to further bolster bilateral ties and to launch the second phase of the multi-billion dollar CPEC projects in his country. Sharif will be in China from June 4 to 8 at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. The 72-year-old leader embarked on his first visit to China after he took over as prime minister for the second term after his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party-led coalition government assumed power in March. During his visit, Sharif will hold talks with Chinese President Xi and jointly draw a blueprint for the growth of China-Pakistan relations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in Beijing last week. During Sharif's visit, the two countries are expected to launch the second phase of the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The CPEC, which connects Gw

Zelenskyy accuses China of pressuring countries to skip Ukraine peace talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused China of helping Russia to disrupt a Swiss-organised peace conference on the war in Ukraine, speaking at Asia's premier security conference on Sunday. In a news conference at the Shangri-La defense forum in Singapore, Zelenskyy said that China is pressuring other countries and their leaders not to attend the upcoming talks. Russia, using Chinese influence in the region, using Chinese diplomats also, does everything to disrupt the peace summit, he said, according to a simultaneous translation of his remarks. Regrettably this is unfortunate that such a big independent powerful country as China is an instrument in hands of Putin. In a speech earlier in the day, Zelenskyy urged top defence officials to attend the upcoming summit, saying he was disappointed at the failure of some countries to commit to joining. Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun spoke earlier in the day at the Shangri-La conference but he did not appear to be in the room wh