China

China was one of the biggest stories of 2021 — from its plans to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in the face of criticism about its human rights records in the Xinjiang region, Tibet and Hong Kong to questions about how it would wield its economic power in a delicately balanced world. Not to mention the always relevant issue of how it deals with the United States — this year, under a new president, Joe Biden. In 2021, the country’s ruling Communist Party officially revised history for the third time in its existence, elevating leader Xi Jinping to a level alongside only Mao Zedong, the founder of the people’s republic, and “reform and opening-up” architect Deng Xiaoping. That could allow him to stay in power even longer — does it venerate him as politically beyond reproach? Here, the Assoc

Beijing, China: China’s Communist Party (CCP) controls the media — through rigid censorship; an army of civil servants who post, like, share on behalf of the CCP; and through social media such as Weibo, WeChat and other outlets that were created specifically for the domestic market and are tightly controlled, according to Deutsche Welle. As a result of this overbearing control, missing tennis star Peng Shuai’s posting disappeared in no time causing embarrassment to China. Further, CCP also controls the economy, it controls the courts, it controls science and education. Ultimately, all walks of life are monitored right down to the last detail which puts a question on its credibility.As a result, the CCP acts against Chinese citizens. It subjects hundreds of thousands of Muslim

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has angered the Saudi Arabians, yet again, by the way he hosted a recent meeting on December 28, 2021 with Saudi envoy. It underscores a given that demeanour and even sitting position can impact diplomacy. Receiving Ambassador Nawaf bin Said al-Malki, in Islamabad, Qureshi can be seen sitting with one leg crossed and the other pointing in Al-Malki's direction. This was deemed offensive by many Saudis who think Qureshi ‘insulted’ their envoy, The New Arab reported (December 30, 2021). Many Saudis took to social media to express their disapproval of the Pakistani FM's seating position stating his demeanour was 'the height of foolishness and ignorance'. "Pakistani foreign minister receives Saudi ambassador in Pakistan with unmatche

WASHINGTON: China and Hong Kong have been told by USA to immediately release the staff members of Stand News which is a pro-democracy media outlet. Antony Blinken U.S. Secretary of State called on China and Hong Kong for the same. "We call on PRC and Hong Kong authorities to cease targeting Hong Kong's free and independent media and to immediately release those journalists and media executives who have been unjustly detained and charged," Blinken said in a statement, referring to the People's Republic of China. "By silencing independent media, PRC and local authorities undermine Hong Kong's credibility and viability," he said. Stand News, set up in 2014 as a non-profit organization, was the most prominent remaining pro-democracy publication in Hong Kong after a national security ...

Hong Kong: Hong Kong media company members have been arrested. Among the arrested people some were working media professionals and some were former senior staff. These arrests were made after more than 200 national security police officers were deployed to raid the offices of Stand News, Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP) reported. The arrests were made on suspicion of breaching the colonial-era Crimes Ordinance by conspiring to publish seditious publications, the publication added. Hong Kong police said they conducted a search on the office of the online media company for relevant journalistic materials. This development comes a day after Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai and six other former staff members of the tabloid Apple Daily are set to face an additional sedition charge, und...