Conflict Archives - Page 23 of 40

President of City University of Hong Kong not to renew his contract, vice-president looks for his replacement worldwide

16Nov

By Desk TeamNo Comments

President of City University of Hong Kong not to renew his contract, vice-president looks for his replacement worldwide

The president of the City University of Hong Kong is not renewing his term as president after it expires in 2023. The vice-president of institution announces that they are looking for his replacement worldwide. The news that Professor Way Kuo, who has been with CityU for over 13 years, would be quitting as head of the institution came just two days after the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology revealed that its president, Professor Wei Shyy, would be stepping down 11 months before his contract was set to end. Neither Kuo nor Shyy disclosed their reasons for leaving, or what they planned to do next. City University vice-president Matthew Lee Kwok-on confirmed both Kuo’s departure, and the initiation of a global search for a replacement. A City University council memb

Pakistan arm-twisting Taliban on Durand Line

5Nov

By Nectar GanNo Comments

Pakistan arm-twisting Taliban on Durand Line

Pakistan is said to be arm-twisting the Taliban government in Kabul to accept the Durand Line and to stop opposing the fence being constructed along the border. Pakistan has threatened to stop transit to Afghans across the Durand Line ifthe Taliban government failed to accept the proposition. The Taliban government is reportedly miffed at this Pakistani blackmail and has made it clear in no uncertain terms that such conditions on the Durand Line were unacceptable. The Taliban government, like the previous governments, is historicallyopposed to the Durand line and has expressed unhappiness over the borderfence being constructed by Pakistan. The Pashtuns believe that the DurandLine divides their homeland. Pakistan has viewed the Durand Line as critical to its survival as a Punjabi-...

China making world believe in its military power to win over minds.

27Oct

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China making world believe in its military power to win over minds.

Hong Kong: Beijing's most serious border tensions exist with India, and the two sides have repeatedly failed to reach consensus after violence erupted last year. On 23 October, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress approved China's first national law concerning its 22,000km-long land border with 14 different countries to better maintain national security. The law promulgates dispute management mechanisms based on the "principle of equality, mutual trust and friendly consultation". However, the latest round of talks with India broke down as the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has no intention to back down from its aggressive encroachment. The Land Border Law states that China "shall take measures to resolutely safeguard territorial integrity and land border security...

China’s security law: London based rights organisation forced to shut

27Oct

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China’s security law: London based rights organisation forced to shut

Hong Kong: London based rights organisation to shift its two offices from Hong Kong to Asia-Pacific region because of the China’s security law.“Amnesty International will close its two offices in Hong Kong by the end of the year … The local ‘section’ office will cease operations on 31 October while the regional office – which is part of Amnesty’s global International Secretariat – is due to close by the end of 2021. Regional operations will be moved to the organization’s other offices in the Asia-Pacific,” the rights group said in a statement. Anjhula Mya Singh Bais, chair of Amnesty’s International Board, said that this decision has been driven by Hong Kong’s national security law, which has made it effectively impossible for human rights organizations to work freely and without fear

Taiwan suspecting over China about testing hypersonic missiles, Beijing denies

21Oct

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Taiwan suspecting over China about testing hypersonic missiles, Beijing denies

Taiwan’s defense ministry spokesperson Shih Shun-wen said that the military will find ways to deal with this threat after the Chinese hypersonic missile test. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Monday declined to comment on a report claiming that China tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile in August. "I'm not going to comment on the specific report," Psaki said when asked if she could confirm the report that China tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile this summer that surprised US officials. Psaki reiterated Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's earlier statement about the matter, underscoring US concerns about China's military capabilities it continues to pursue. Moreover, Psaki said the United States welcomes stiff competition but does not want that competition

An illegal protest from last year put 7 Hong Kong activist behind bars

19Oct

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An illegal protest from last year put 7 Hong Kong activist behind bars

Hong Kong: Seven activists from Hongkong has been imprisoned for 12 months for taking part in protest China’s new national security law from last year by a Hong Kong district court. Figo Chan, a convenor of the now defunct Civil Human Rights Front, was given the toughest sentence for playing a leading role in the July 1 protest, the Hong Kong broadcaster RTHK said. Former lawmaker Wu Chi-wai and ex-district councilor Tsang Kin-shing were each handed a 10-month jail term, given their social status, while the rest received six to eight months. The illegal demonstration was called a day after China imposed security rules on the former British colony to punish subversion, secession and terrorism. It coincided with the 23rd anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover.

18Oct

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Dual task: Save Asean, save Myanmar

Dual task: Save Asean, save Myanmar Never before in the 54-year history of Asean had its members encountered such a bitter debate about the situation in Myanmar as they did last Monday when they unknowingly nearly tore down the founding fathers’ commitment to keep the Asean roof over all countries in Southeast Asia. Indonesia, deemed the most powerful member of Asean, viewed Myanmar’s growing intransigence as unacceptable and threatened Myanmar with expulsion. On the other hand, Malaysia, which recently appointed a new cabinet, wanted the Asean chair to bar Myanmar from attending the upcoming Asean-related summits due to the junta’s non-cooperative attitude. Their foreign ministers told the whole world about the unyielding nature of Nay Pyi Taw but have not offered better ideas or ways o

Do not give land to Chinese farmers: Laos farmers

16Oct

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Do not give land to Chinese farmers: Laos farmers

Vientiane, Laos: Chinese farmers were given land in the off season in Laos, but the people of Laos have urged the local government to not to lease the Chinese farmers their land in off-season. This came as the NAMPheung company has been leasing at least 180 hectares of land in Ngeun district to the Chinese farmers who grow watermelons on this land from December to April and then returns it to the villagers before the rice-planting season, Radio Free Asia reported. "The land is damaged, when they return the land to us for rice planting, yields are down and of lesser quality," a farmer informed. "The Chinese investors dig into the land so deep so the farmers have to fill up the land before planting. It's a waste of money labour and time," the villager said, adding that the villager...

15Oct

By Desk TeamNo Comments

Myanmar crisis shows Asean’s limits

Myanmar crisis shows Asean's limits An anti-coup protester holds a placard criticising the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, in Mandalay, Myanmar, on June 5. (Photo: Reuters) It is often said that Asean's brand of regionalism is uniquely its own. In any discussion about the Asean way, the principles of non-interference and consensus are constantly invoked, though unfortunately, not always for the right reasons. Rather, the Asean way should be viewed for what it has achieved. And the notion of Asean centrality is certainly not a mere slogan but neither is it a given. It has always rested on Asean's capacity to resolve problems and manage the affairs of the region. The fact that Asean has been able to demonstrate that it remains central and relevant on matters of regional peace and...

Chinese billionaire Wang Xing got its antitrust investigation of Meituan closed by govt

13Oct

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Chinese billionaire Wang Xing got its antitrust investigation of Meituan closed by govt

Beijing: Chinese government has again slammed a big businessman from their estate. The businessman blocked his 18,000 public posts days before government issued him a fine of a US$533 million on him. Wang Xing founded the Chinese group-buying site Meituan in 2010. Meituan was hugely successful and merged with Dianping in 2015. Online checks made by the South China Morning Post found that Wang has hidden from the public all of his 661 posts on popular Chinese microblogging service Weibo and 17,105 posts on Fanfou, a now-obscure microblogging platform that he launched in 2007 during his early days as an entrepreneur. Fanfou has served as Wang’s de facto online fan club, where he has posted about three times a day on average for 14 years, reporter Coco Feng wrot