Türkiye’s president and opposition have high stakes in local elections

Washington — Millions of Turkish citizens will go to the polls on Sunday to elect mayors and local administrators in their respective cities and regions. The election comes less than a year after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was reelected to a five-year term last May. Erdogan said in his victory speech: “Now that we … Read more

How Taiwan breaks through censorship barriers

Breaking down censorship barriers in China, Myanmar and North Korea is a difficult task because these countries have built nearly impenetrable firewalls against outside news and information. But Taiwan Radio International successfully achieved a breakthrough using shortwave broadcasting. “We probably have 70 million to 1.2 billion listeners who rely on shortwave for their information [from] … Read more

A senior Communist Party official says China will drive world economic recovery

China aims to boost world economic recovery this year by advancing reforms and making technological innovation a new growth driver, despite domestic economic headwinds, a senior Communist Party official said on Thursday. The comments by Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, come as foreign investment in China is declining and the … Read more

Chinese diplomat Liu Jianchao meets with Singaporean leaders

Singapore – “The world needs connectivity, not decoupling,” Liu Jianchao, a senior diplomat who is widely tipped to be China’s next foreign minister, said during a four-day visit to Singapore. Liu He, the head of the Communist Party of China’s International Affairs Department, met with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and the country’s incoming leader, … Read more

Philippine president condemns China’s “attack” and vows to take “appropriate” countermeasures

The Philippines said it would retaliate against what President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called on Thursday “dangerous attacks” by China on its ships in the South China Sea, the latest example of escalating tensions between the two countries. While the Philippines views the dispute with China as a violation of its sovereignty, Beijing has accused Philippine … Read more

Russia vetoes UN oversight of North Korea sanctions

United Nations – Russia on Thursday vetoed a U.N. resolution that effectively abolished a U.N. panel of experts overseeing U.N. sanctions on North Korea. A U.S.-sponsored Security Council resolution would extend the panel’s mandate by one year, but a Russian veto would halt its operations. The vote by the 15-member council was 13 in favor, … Read more

Japan leader seeks to meet North Korea and end deflation to boost public support

Tokyo- Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reiterated on Thursday his determination to work towards a summit with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un to achieve the return of Japanese believed to have been abducted by North Korean agents in the 1970s and 1980s. “I remain committed to achieving this goal for Japan,” he told reporters, but … Read more

China lifts steep tariffs on Australian wine as ties improve

China said on Thursday it would lift tariffs it imposed on Australian wine three years ago, a sign of improving relations between the two countries. China’s Ministry of Commerce said the decision would take effect on Friday. In 2020, China imposed tariffs on Australian wine amid a diplomatic spat over Australia’s support for a global … Read more

Jakarta mosque becomes a haven for Indonesian Chinese to practice Islam

Jakarta, Indonesia – Located on Jakarta’s bustling Lautze Street, surrounded by ordinary gray shops, this building with a yellow exterior is particularly eye-catching. The red overhang echoes the roof profile of a traditional Chinese temple, and the red arched wooden door hints at the welcome inside. At first glance, the building could be mistaken for … Read more

Japanese lunar probe survives second lunar night

Tokyo- Japan’s unmanned lunar lander woke up after a second cold two-week lunar night and beamed new images back to Earth, Japan’s space agency said Thursday. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) posted on the official X account of its Lunar Smart Lander (SLIM) probe: “We received a response from SLIM last night and confirmed … Read more