Tag: China

<strong>Satellite images show Chinese outposts within Bhutan, matter of concern for India as well</strong>
Asia

Satellite images show Chinese outposts within Bhutan, matter of concern for India as well

The talks between Bhutan and China held in October 2023 to formally demarcate their borders has not prevented Beijing from continuing illegal construction in north Bhutan's Jakarlung Valley. This is taking place despite the fact that in 1998, China had inked a formal agreement with Bhutan to not to alter the status quo in disputed areas. Jakarlung lies only 50km from Bhutan’s eastern border with Arunachal Pradesh in India. Jakarlung adjoins Beyul Khenpajong, an important cultural and religious area for Bhutanese. In fact, the royal Bhutanese family traces its ancestral heritage to Beyul Khenpajong. Satellite images available in public domain after the border talks have shown China’s scaled-up presence in Jakarlung over the last two years. At present, one can see ongoing construction
UK unveils package to support Hong Kong families escaping Beijing’s draconian law
Business, China, World

UK unveils package to support Hong Kong families escaping Beijing’s draconian law

For the people who are escaping Hong Kong due to China’s draconian National security law, the UK government has announced a 43 million pound (USD 59.6 million) package with an aim to support British National (Overseas) families that settle in the country, funding local councils nationwide to help the new arrivals from Hong Kong with housing, education and employment.The scheme, announced on Thursday, comes after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to four Hong Kong families that moved to the country on a special visa for those with BN(O) status last month.Under the new programme, 30.7 million British Pounds will go to councils across England, to provide help for the arrivals, covering English language and housing support for those in need. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will delive
Flattered to be recognized by China for calling out genocidal crimes: USCIRF Chair
China, World

Flattered to be recognized by China for calling out genocidal crimes: USCIRF Chair

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Chair Gayle Manchin has said that he feels flattered to be recognized by "Communist China" for calling out genocidal crimes against religious and ethnic minorities in the country."I feel flattered to be recognized by Communist China for calling out genocidal crimes against religious and ethnic minorities in the country," USCIRF Chair said in a tweet while taking a jibe at the Chinese government over the issue of rights abuses in Xinjiang."While I don't have plans to travel to China this summer, I won't stop speaking out when egregious violations of religious freedom are taking place as they are in China," said Manchin.His remarks came after China on Saturday announced sanctions against American and Canadian officials ...
Taiwan terms incursion by Chinese warplanes ‘unnecessary’, ‘thoughtless’
China, World

Taiwan terms incursion by Chinese warplanes ‘unnecessary’, ‘thoughtless’

After close to 20 Chinese warplanes entered Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADZ) on Friday, Taiwanese premier Su Tseng-change deemed the incursion as "unnecessary" and "thoughtless."This comes a day after Taipei and Washington signed an accord to strengthen maritime cooperation.Air defence identification zones are early warning systems that help countries detect incursions into their airspace.Friday's show of force was the biggest in terms of the number of planes deployed since Taiwan began to make public PLA aircraft's movements near Taiwan in mid-September.Taiwan's premier and foreign minister discussed the issue on Saturday. Taiwan foreign minister Joseph Wu condemned the act in a tweet but said the country will not submit under pressure."This dangerous provocation by autocrat
NATO chief raises concern about China’s military investment
China, World

NATO chief raises concern about China’s military investment

Raising serious concerns about China’s heavy investment in military equipment, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Chief Jens Stoltenberg said that Beijing’s actions will have a direct consequence on our security.At a media conference, Stoltenberg said, “the military alliance does not regard China as an adversary, but of course, the rise of China has direct consequences for our security.”“China is investing heavily in military equipment, including nuclear-capable missiles,” he added.“More importantly, China is a country that doesn’t share our values. We see that in the way they deal with democratic protests in Hong Kong, how they suppress minorities in their own country, the Uyghurs, and also how they actually try to undermine the international rules-based order,” he added.Earlier th
Chinese hackers used Facebook to target Uighurs in Australia, elsewhere
China, World

Chinese hackers used Facebook to target Uighurs in Australia, elsewhere

A group of hackers in China who used Facebook to target Uighurs living abroad, including in Australia, with links to malware that would infect their devices and enable surveillance were blocked, the social media company, Facebook, said on Thursday.It said the hackers, known as Earth Empusa or Evil Eye in the security industry, targeted activists, journalists and dissidents who were predominantly Uighurs.Facebook said there were fewer than 500 targets, who were largely from the Xinjiang region but were primarily living abroad in countries including Turkey, Kazakhstan, the United States, Syria, Australia and Canada.It said the majority of the hackers’ activity occurred away from Facebook and that they used the site to share links to malicious websites rather than directly sharing the malware
Biden administration views India as important partner in countering China: Experts
Asia, China, World

Biden administration views India as important partner in countering China: Experts

With China’s growing aggressiveness in the Indian Ocean region, the Joe Biden administration in the US sees India as its most important partner to counter Beijing’s ambitions, according to experts.Recently, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on his first foreign trip in the role as the two sides concluded talks on defense cooperation. Austin also visited Japan and South Korea last week.Austin called India an “increasingly important partner among today’s rapidly shifting international dynamic”, saying the bilateral relationship is a “stronghold of a free and open Indo-Pacific region”.“It’s important that the secretary of defence has made a trip to India on his first trip to Asia, along with Japan and South Korea,” said Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive
China aggressively building new villages in disputed borderlands in Himalayas: Report
Asia, China, Conflict

China aggressively building new villages in disputed borderlands in Himalayas: Report

China is aggressively building many new villages in disputed borderlands in the Himalayas to extend or consolidate its control over strategically important areas that India, Bhutan, and Nepal maintain fall within their national boundaries, according to a report by Center for Policy Research.In an article titled ‘China’s Himalayan salami tactics’, Brahma Chellaney, professor of strategic studies at the New Delhi-based Center for Policy Research said that the strategic implications of China’s drive to populate these desolate, uninhabited border areas is its major buildup of new military facilities.The new installations range from electronic warfare stations and air defence sites to underground ammunition depots.“China’s militarised village-building spree has renewed the regional spotlight on
Taiwan facing tough battle to curb talent poaching by China
Business, China, World

Taiwan facing tough battle to curb talent poaching by China

Taiwan is facing a tough battle with China right now as the latter is reportedly poaching talent from Taipei in its bid to become self-reliant in manufacturing computer chips.For some time now, Taiwan’s engineers are being lured to the mainland.On March 9, Taiwanese prosecutors had raided the offices of two companies who were alleged to have been funded by a chip design firm based in the Chinese mainland.The firm was suspected to have financial links to Bitmain technologies in Beijing, the world’s largest manufacturer of cryptocurrency-mining equipment.“We suspect that the two companies – WiseCore Technology in New Taipei City and IC Link in Hsinchu – were set up by the Chinese company and that their top executives had in the past three years illegally recruited several hundred local engin
We consider India to be a great partner: US Secretary of Defense
Asia, China, World

We consider India to be a great partner: US Secretary of Defense

The United States considers India to be a great partner, and both Washington and New Delhi are promoting peace and stability in the region and providing for a free and open Indo-Pacific region, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Saturday.Austin, who arrived in Delhi on Friday, is on a three-day official visit to India. It is the first visit to India by a top official of the Biden administration.During a press conference, he said: “We consider India to be a great partner and again I think we have done a number of things to work well together. There’s just a lot of opportunity there to strengthen that partnership and to do some things, additional things to make sure that we’re promoting peace and stability in the region and providing for a free and open Indo-Pacific region, as well