Conflict Archives - Page 22 of 40

TAIWAN UNIFICATION & PLA MODERNISATION: GOALS TO WHAT END?

8Jan

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TAIWAN UNIFICATION & PLA MODERNISATION: GOALS TO WHAT END?

Chinese President Xi Jinping signed a mobilization order for the training of the armed forces for 2022 sparking off speculation about the fate of Taiwan, even as he addressed the nation on television hoping for reunification with Taiwan under his long-term vision to realize the "great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." The mobilisation of the armed forces is the first order of the new year by the Central Military Commission of which Xi is the chairman. There was a similar order last year as well as part of the modernisation of the People’s Liberation Army forces. The order says the entire rank and file of the armed forces are required to resolutely implement the plans and instructions of the Party leadership and the CMC, and accurately understand the changing landscape of na

28Dec

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Chinese spies in Taiwan’s military

TAIPEI: Hong Kong business man, Xie Xizhang is accused of espionage in Taiwan for China. For more than 20 years he has been doing this. On one trip in 2006, Xie met a senior retired Taiwanese navy officer, Chang Pei-ning, over a meal, according to official documents accusing the pair of espionage. Chang would become one of Xie's agents, the documents allege, helping him penetrate Taiwan's active military leadership as part of a long-running Chinese operation to build a spy ring among serving and retired military officers. The Taiwanese officers and their families were allegedly lured by Xie's offers of all-expenses-paid trips abroad, thousands of dollars in cash payments, and gifts such as silk scarves and belts for their wives. In June 2019, counter-espionage officers moved ...

Digital sanctions are latest Pakistani tools for persecuting Ahmediya Muslims

10Dec

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Digital sanctions are latest Pakistani tools for persecuting Ahmediya Muslims

Pakistan’s religious intolerance against Ahmediyya Muslims has graduated to another level with state institutions clamping down on the community using digital tools and sanctions. Ahmadis number about 4 million in Pakistan, but the community has been forbidden to call itself Muslim since 1974. Ironically, it is the only country to label them as non-Muslims. Here, Ahmadis are not even allowed to call their houses of prayer “mosques,” while basic religious practices associated with Islam are forbidden for them. The followers are subjected to different forms of discrimination including hate speech. Institutional apathy is matched by societal hatred on ground which is reflected in frequent incidents of killing of the Ahmadis on the ground. Motivated by lopsided interpretation of Islam in f

Chinese jet in Taiwan Air Defense Zone for 159 times

7Dec

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Chinese jet in Taiwan Air Defense Zone for 159 times

According to the Agence France-Press data, the Chinese plane has entered 159 times in Taiwan’s Air Defence Zone in last month which counts second highest. Beijing has ramped up pressure on Taiwan since President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) took office in 2016. Over the past 14 months, the sabre-rattling has reached new peaks after Beijing began sending an increasing number of warplanes into the zone, which Chinese military aircraft had previously largely avoided. The escalatory moves have heightened fears among Western allies that China could order an invasion of Taiwan, even if they consider it unlikely for now. On Tuesday, the Pentagon unveiled plans to reinforce deployments and bases directed at China, upgrading and expanding military facilities in Guam and Australia. In Ta

Lithuanian ties with Taiwan, China removes it from its custom list

6Dec

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Lithuanian ties with Taiwan, China removes it from its custom list

TAIPEI: China has removed Lithuania from its custom’s registry list because of it making ties with Taiwan. Now a lot of Lithuanian goods is stranded at sea. On Thursday (Dec. 2), 15min.lt cited a Lithuanian wood exporter as saying their company's products were barred from entering Shanghai port because Lithuania is no longer in the computer system. Vidmantas Janulevicius, president of the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists, told the news agency that “Lithuania has been crossed out ... it seems that there's no such country in China's customs system." This means that firms such as the wood exporter, which has 300 containers sailing to China, now have their products floating in limbo. The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry confirmed with the Baltic News Service (BNS) that th

Taiwan is capable enough to respond to Chinses military actions

3Dec

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Taiwan is capable enough to respond to Chinses military actions

TAIPEI: Chinese military activity has increased nearby Taiwan to wear out the country’s military. Taiwan defence minister responds to the attacks as Taiwan is capable enough to answer them. Taiwan scrambled fighters again on Sunday after 27 Chinese air force planes again entered its air defence identification zone, or ADIZ. "Their intention is to slowly exhaust, to let you know that we have this power," Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng told reporters on the sidelines of a parliamentary briefing for lawmakers, when asked about the latest incursion. "Our national forces have shown that, while you may have this power, we have countermeasures." Taiwan has complained for a year or more of repeated missions by China's air force near the democratically governed island and in

Gwadar protests show the basic exploitative nature of Chinese investments

29Nov

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Gwadar protests show the basic exploitative nature of Chinese investments

Massive protests have rocked Gwadar, the ‘jewel piece’ of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Angry locals have demanded basic governance, even as authorities continue to divert resources to construct the port and overlook the locals’ grievances. These protests have again brought to fore the exploitative nature of Chinese investments in Pakistan, which have only benefitted China and the Punjabi elite of Pakistan while impoverishing the locals. No wonder the CPEC is often ridiculed as the China-Punjab Economic Corridor, designed to serve only the interests of Punjab province and ensure its domination over other provinces. Since November 15, the port city of Gwadar has witnessed frenzied protests by workers of some political parties, civil rights activists, fi

Taiwan preparing military as China increases pressure

25Nov

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Taiwan preparing military as China increases pressure

Taipei, Taiwan: In a recently released white paper, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said the PLA had developed the ability to blockade Taiwan’s major airports and harbours, while the Pentagon said they would have the capacity to “compel Taiwan’s leadership to the negotiation table” as early as 2027. Since taking office in 2016, President Tsai Ing-wen has focused on improving the armed forces’ capabilities and gone on an extensive weapons buying campaign from the United States as her government’s relationship with Beijing has darkened. In August, the administration of US President Joe Biden approved its first sale of $750m in weapons to Taiwan, after predecessor Donald Trump approved $5.1bn in sales in 2020. The Taiwanese defence ministry is now asking for an extra $9bn over th

Philippine’s supply boats faces water cannons of Chinese Coast Guards in Ayungin Shoal

21Nov

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Philippine’s supply boats faces water cannons of Chinese Coast Guards in Ayungin Shoal

Manila, Philippines: China fires with its water cannons on Philippine’s army boat which were delivering supplies to Philippine army personnel in Ayungin Shoal. Philippines Foreign Ministry has asked China to “back off”. The ministry condemned the incident. The Western Command in Palawan reports that on 16 November 2021, three (3) Chinese Coast Guard vessels blocked and water cannoned two (2) Philippine supply boats en route to transport food supplies to Philippine military personnel in Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal),” the ministry tweeted. “Fortunately, no one was hurt; but our boats had to abort their resupply mission. I have conveyed in the strongest terms to H.E. Huang Xilian, Ambassador of China and to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing our outrage, condemnation an

If allies tried to protect Taiwan it’ll be a war said former Chinese official

19Nov

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If allies tried to protect Taiwan it’ll be a war said former Chinese official

If Taiwan is protected by diplomatic allies in the military conflict US and Australia will be all-out war, threatens former Chinese official Victor Gao, who was once communist leader Deng Xiaoping's translator and now serves as a mouthpiece for the government, warned western powers to stay out of China's quest to annex the disputed territory, 180km off its coast. The island nation, backed by the US and Japan, broke away from the mainland in 1949 after the civil war. It has democratically-elected leaders and fiercely opposes reunification and the totalitarian rule of Beijing. But President Xi Jinping has repeatedly stated he plans to take over Taiwan by 2027 as part of the 'great rejuvenation of China' using military force if necessary. US President Joe Biden ...