China

BEIJING (AP) — China has appointed a new military commander in restive Xinjiang where authorities have locked up more than a million members of Muslim minorities in what they call a bid to curb terrorism and radicalism. Lt. Gen. Wang Haijiang will oversee a massive military presence in the sprawling northwestern region that borders on several unstable Central Asian states, along with Pakistan and Afghanistan, from which U.S. troops are withdrawing. Like Xinjiang’s hardline Communist Party chief Chen Quanguo, Wang previously served in Tibet, which also hosts large numbers of troops to suppress anti-government sentiment among the native Tibetan population and guard the disputed border with India, where the two nations had a deadly clash last year. Wang’s unannounced appointment was reveal

Covid returns to China's Wuhan as global Delta variant woes mount Long believed to have beat the worst of the pandemic, cities across China has been forced to reintroduce lockdowns and begin mass-testing millions. BEIJING: Authorities in China's Wuhan said Tuesday they would test the city's entire population for Covid-19, as the virus returned to the place where it first emerged and the highly contagious Delta variant drove tightening lockdowns worldwide. A resurgent virus has returned with a vengeance, buoyed by stalling vaccination rates and deadly new mutations even in places which had long touted their successes in overcoming the worst of the pandemic. China brought domestic cases down to virtually zero after the coronavirus first emerged in Wuhan, allowing the economy to rebound a...

HONG KONG (BLOOMBERG) - For two decades, Chinese tech firms have flocked to the US stock market, drawn by a friendly regulatory environment and a vast pool of capital eager to invest in one of the world's fastest-growing economies. Now, the juggernaut behind hundreds of companies worth US$2 trillion (S$2.72 trillion) appears stopped in its tracks. Beijing's July 10 announcement that almost all businesses trying to go public in another country will require approval from a newly empowered cyber security regulator amounts to a death knell for Chinese initial public offerings in the United States, according to long-time industry watchers. "It's unlikely there will be any US-listed Chinese companies in five to 10 years, other than perhaps a few big ones with secondary listings," said Profess...

Ministry ready for more mini-FTAs Mr Jurin, centre, presides at the MoU signing between Thailand and Kofu city — the first mini trade agreement inked by the International Trade Promotion Department and Kofu City to increase trade, investment and economic cooperation. Thailand aims to clinch deals to form deeper trade partnerships through "mini-FTAs" with Hainan, China and Telangana, India by August after the country on Monday inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to form a mini free trade agreement (mini-FTA) with Kofu city in central Japan. Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit, who presided over the MoU signing on Monday, said the government is also pursuing similar mini-FTAs with other places including Gyeonggi province in South Korea. "We are accelerating this partnership proces

In a secret visit to Tibet on 21-22 July, China’s President Xi Jinping delivered a harsh message to Tibetans “follow Communist party”, the development raised eyebrows across the world. Xi emphasized the ethnic assimilation policies that have drawn international criticism, calling for officials to promote ethnic harmony and to actively guide Tibetan Buddhism to adapt to a socialist society. Xi instructed local provincial officials to work towards making people in Tibet identify more with the "great motherland, Chinese people, Chinese culture, the Chinese Communist Party and socialism with Chinese characteristics", according to its state-run media Xinhua. He also said that only when the people "follow the party" can the "rejuvenation of the Chinese nation" be realised. The message was lo

HONG KONG (AP) — Marking the anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese control, a top city official defended the national security law imposed by Beijing to crush pro-democracy rallies and said Thursday it would be used further in the coming year to ensure stability. Police sealed off Victoria Park — until recently the site of annual pro-democracy rallies marking the 1997 handover — and put up flags warning people that they could be prosecuted if they enter or remain in the enclosed area. Police said there were online calls encouraging people to take part in an unauthorized protest. The security law was implemented one year ago as authorities cracked down on dissent after Hong Kong was rocked by massive anti-government protests in 2019. Critics say Beijing has reneged on a promise to