Trump administration reaches a trade deal to lower Taiwan’s tariff barriers
WASHINGTON: The Trump administration reached a trade deal with Taiwan on Thursday, with Taiwan agreeing to remove or reduce 99 percent of its tariff barriers, the office of the US Trade Representative said. The agreement comes as the US remains reliant on Taiwan for its production of computer chips, the exporting of which contributed to […]
Read MoreWhy Takaichi’s Japan election victory has sparked North Korea’s ‘childish’ fury
By Julian Ryall North Korea’s claim that Japan has crossed a diplomatic “red line” by deepening its security partnerships is less about Tokyo’s defence policies than Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s decisive election victory, analysts say, as a weaker mandate may have pushed her towards negotiations with Pyongyang. With a commanding majority secured in Sunday’s poll, […]
Read MoreWhat is China’s Central Military Commission and how does it operate amid anti-graft drive?
By Liu Zhen The Central Military Commission, the top decision-making body overseeing the People’s Liberation Army, is set for a leadership reshuffle after the downfall of most of its members. President Xi Jinping is now in his third term as chairman of the commission. But now five of the other six members of the commission […]
Read MoreChina Drastically Scales Back Humanitarian Aid to Tajikistan
China has sharply reduced its humanitarian assistance to Tajikistan, marking a notable shift in Beijing’s engagement with one of Central Asia’s most aid-dependent economies. In an analysis published by Eurasianet, journalists Carly Brant and Sean Kearin examine how the scale-back reflects broader changes in China’s regional priorities, evolving financial strategy, and growing expectations that partner […]
Read MoreTaiwan to send team to assess US rare earth deposits
TAIPEI: Taiwan plans to send officials to assess US rare earths deposits with a goal to have such minerals refined on the island, Economy Minister Kung Ming-hsin said on Wednesday. President Donald Trump’s administration has stepped up efforts to secure US supplies of critical minerals after China rattled senior officials and global markets last year […]
Read MoreWhat will headline the Xi-Trump summit? Former US envoy weighs in
By Cao Jiaxuan in Beijing Economic issues are expected to take centre stage at the US-China summit in April but regional security will also feature, according to former US ambassador to Beijing Nicholas Burns. Speaking via a video link to the Yale Centre Beijing on Tuesday, Burns said US President Donald Trump would be “right […]
Read MoreChina has executed several Myanmar criminals. What does that say about their regional influence?
By Sylvie Zhuang in Beijing In less than a week, China has carried out executions on a scale rarely seen in recent decades. Sixteen key members of a mafia-like crime syndicate have been sentenced to death for crimes ranging from murder to fraud and human trafficking. While all of the victims in the case were […]
Read MoreA very Chinese time? How memes are paving the way for a soft power shift
By Meredith Chen Drinking hot water, eating warm congee and dressing in red to pray for good luck are daily rituals shared by social media users across the globe who have embraced a new lifestyle trend, declaring: “You met me at a very Chinese time in my life.” The phrase has been popularised over the […]
Read MoreFirst China-Philippines talks in over a year: is a South China Sea thaw in the offing?
By Laura Zhou A war of words between Chinese diplomats and Philippine politicians over the disputed South China Sea has prompted calls in Manila to declare the Chinese ambassador persona non grata – the second such call in three years. While Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has rejected the idea, the latest spike in tensions […]
Read MoreChina condemns Islamabad mosque attack, pledges support for Pakistan
China condemned an attack on a Shi’ite mosque in Islamabad, pledging support on Sunday for the Pakistan government’s efforts to “maintain national security and stability”. China is “deeply shocked” by Friday’s attack, the foreign ministry said in a statement. An attacker opened fire at the gates of the mosque before setting off a suicide bomb […]
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