China

Chinese threats to Uighurs goes beyond Xinjiang

Chinese threats to Uighurs goes beyond Xinjiang

After three long years, Abdujelil Emet, an Uighur activist living in Germany, received a call from his sister in China’s Xinjiang. The call was anything but joyous. It was made at the direction of Chinese security officers. Emet’s sister begged him to stop activism. The Chinese official then took the phone and said, “You’re living overseas, but you need to think of your family while you’re running around doing your activism work in Germany”. China's atrocities on Uighur Muslims, living in Xinjiang are known to the world. But now, reports have emerged which show that across Europe, exiled Uighurs report surveillance by Beijing and threats of harm to their relatives in the region if they make noise about Chinese repression.In a similar incident, France-based outspoken critic of Chinese polic
​ Pakistan bans political party critical of CPEC

​ Pakistan bans political party critical of CPEC

A political party, which is critical of financially dubious China's Belt and Road Initiative has been banned by Pakistan government.  Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz-Arisar (JSQM-A), a party based in the southern province of Sindh highlighted Pakistan’s the country's reliance on Beijing for political and economic support.Pakistan's interior ministry outlawed the JSQM-A along with two militant groups in the same province -- the Sindhudesh Liberation Army (SLA) and the Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army (SRA) -- citing "reasonable grounds" that the organizations have ties to terrorism.Pakistan has been regularly banning a variety of organizations, including al-Qaeda-linked jihadi militants as well as secessionist insurgent groups. The list however has expanded since the launch of the China-Pakistan Econom
China mobilizes global media machine to counter criticism over coronavirus crisis

China mobilizes global media machine to counter criticism over coronavirus crisis

With experts and government officials in the United States and Europe are accusing China of stoking that confusion over coronavirus crisis, the Asian superpower mobilizing its global media machine in the coronavirus war of words.Rod Wye, an associate fellow at the Chatham House think tank in London and former head of Asia research at the UK Foreign Office says China is trying to push three main messages about the outbreak.First, Beijing is seeking to spread its claims of being successful at controlling the virus, and show off the supplies and medical experts it is sending around the world. Second, it wants to obscure the origins of the virus. According to Wye, the timeline of the "Chinese narrative begins with the lockdown in Wuhan and the resolute action of the party to control it," not b...
Hong Kong protests might have serious impact on its special status ending in 2047: China

Hong Kong protests might have serious impact on its special status ending in 2047: China

China has warned that widespread demonstrations might have a serious impact on the Hong Kong's special status which will end in 2047 under Beijing's 'one country, two systems' principle, especially at a time when pro-democracy protests in the city are showing no signs of abetting."Many people in Hong Kong have been thinking about the future of one country, two systems after 2047. We also need to think of this -- what kind of record is Hong Kong going to bring, to win a new mandate from the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese people that it represents at that time," Zhang Xiaoming, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) was quoted as saying.In the name of strengthening the 'one country, two systems', Chinese authorities have recently revealed that the...
Myanmar’s auditor general cautions own govt against Chinese loans

Myanmar’s auditor general cautions own govt against Chinese loans

In a startling announcement, Myanmar’s auditor general has cautioned government officials about continued reliance on Chinese loans both pre-BRI and BRI loans that come with high rates of interest."The truth is the loans from China come at higher interest rates compared to loans from financial institutions like the World Bank or the IMF [International Monetary Fund]," Auditor General Maw Than said. "So, I would like to remind the government ministries to be more restrained in using Chinese loans."Myanmar's current national debt stands at about $10 billion, of which $ 4 billion is owed to China, Auditor General Maw Than told reporters in Naypyidaw on Monday. This can push Myanmar to debt trap like Sri Lanka and some African states. The country has to repay as much as $500 million annually t
China reports 57 new virus cases, highest daily count since April

China reports 57 new virus cases, highest daily count since April

China reported 57 new cases of the coronavirus on Sunday, the highest daily figure since April, as concerns grow about a resurgence of the disease.Through strict lockdowns, the domestic outbreak in China had been brought largely under control early this year – but a new outbreak has been linked to a meat and vegetable market in south Beijing.The National Health Commission said 36 of the new cases were domestic infections in the capital, Beijing.The other two domestic infections reported on Sunday were in north-eastern Liaoning province, and local health officials said they were close contacts of the Beijing cases.“The capital should expand the scope of nucleic acid testing for the virus”, a city government spokesman said on Sunday.  He told a news conference that Beijing has entered an “ex
Counter China on all fronts, not just on borders, say experts

Counter China on all fronts, not just on borders, say experts

As tensions continue to rise between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Indian strategists and experts said that India needs to build up its own capabilities in order to counter China on all fronts and not just on the border.“The tensions between the US and China will certainly either put us in a sweet or in a delicate position in the time to come. India needs to build up its own capabilities in countering China – not just on the border, but we need to take them on all other fronts,” President of Centre for China Analysis and Strategy Jayadeva Ranade said.He was speaking at webinar titled, "Revisiting One China policy: Economic and Political Options for India: Hong Kong, Tibet, Taiwan, and Xinjiang" jointly organized by the Law and Society Alliance and Defense Capital
Parts of Beijing locked down, wholesale market shut after fresh COVID-19 cluster

Parts of Beijing locked down, wholesale market shut after fresh COVID-19 cluster

Beijing has returned to “wartime” footing and banned tourism, locked down 11 residential estates and shuttered a wholesale market after a fresh cluster of COVID-19 cases sparked fears of a new wave of infections.Chu Junwei, an official of Beijing's southwestern Fengtai district, told a briefing on Saturday that the district was in "wartime emergency mode".“Throat swabs from 45 people, out of 517 tested at the district's Xinfadi wholesale market, had tested positive for the new coronavirus, though none of them showed symptoms of COVID-19”, Chu said.A city spokesman told the briefing that all six COVID-19 patients confirmed in Beijing on Friday had visited the Xinfadi market.The capital will suspend sports events and inter-provincial tourism effective immediately, he said.“One person at an a
Hong Kong government rejects UK criticism of new security law as “biased”

Hong Kong government rejects UK criticism of new security law as “biased”

In a sharp response to Britain’s report criticizing China’s imposition of national security legislation, the Hong Kong government said that the report is “inaccurate and biased” and that the legislation will not curb the freedoms of anyone.The British government said the proposed security law was a clear violation of China's international obligations and a breach of the "one country, two systems" formula that has governed the former British colony since its handover to Chinese rule in 1997."There is still time for China to reconsider, to step back from the brink and respect Hong Kong’s autonomy and respect its own international obligations," British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab wrote in the foreword to his government's six-monthly report on Hong Kong.Raab said a solution to the unrest fom
A look at China’s military amid COVID-19-induced economic slowdown

A look at China’s military amid COVID-19-induced economic slowdown

Due to the coronavirus induced economic slowdown, thousands of demobilized People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers in big and medium-sized cities are currently facing unemployment or under-employment.Most of them, sources said, were demobilized between 2015 and 2018. Their number is said to be close to 300,000. Because of the 2016 decision, most of them were given only a lump sum payment.They were working as delivery boys, or as bearers in hotels, restaurants and salespersons in malls and shops etc. The technically qualified ones joined manufacturing units.There have been small size demonstrations asking for special help from the government by these ex-soldiers in various cities. “While not yet alarming, local authorities see these agitations as generators of negative sentiments against go
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