As pro-democracy publisher Jimmy Lai spoke in his defense at a Hong Kong court Tuesday, his son Sebastien Lai was in Geneva calling for the United States and other world leaders to help secure this father’s release. Speaking on Tuesday at the latest hearing in his national security trial, Lai, 77, denied any intention to…
Taipei, Taiwan — China has launched a new round of diplomatic outreach to European countries amid rising tension between the United States and its European allies. While top U.S. officials and European leaders clashed over issues such as values, democracy and Ukraine at the Munich Security Conference over the weekend, Chinese foreign…
TAIPEI, TAIWAN — China and the Cook Islands on Friday signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement, but the lack of transparency around the details has alarmed New Zealand, the South Pacific state’s closest democratic ally. While details of the agreement remain unclear, public statements from Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown and the islands’ Seabed…
Hong Kong national security police have taken in two relatives of pro-democracy activist Carmen Lau, a former district councillor now based in the United Kingdom, for questioning. Lau is among six overseas activists wanted under the draconian National Security Law (NSL) and is accused of inciting secession and colluding with foreign forces. At 7 a.m….
TAIPEI, TAIWAN — The Philippines is increasing efforts to strengthen defense cooperation with several like-minded democracies amid ongoing tensions with China in the disputed South China Sea. Manila is trying to conclude major defense pacts with Canada and New Zealand and explore possibilities of expanding joint military drills with the United States, its main defense…
WASHINGTON — A newly released report from the United Nations’ International Labor Organization states that authorities in China are not only using “vocational skills training and education centers” for forced labor in Xinjiang and Tibet, but also the large-scale transfer of “surplus” rural workers to state-led labor programs across the country. China called the report…
SINGAPORE — China started construction on 94.5 gigawatts of coal-fired power in 2024, the highest volume of new builds since 2015, hampering the country’s transition away from fossil fuels, researchers said in a report published on Thursday. The world’s biggest coal consumer and emitter of climate-warming greenhouse gases had vowed to “strictly control” coal power…
WASHINGTON — After the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba last week, the two nations voiced alignment on Trump’s “peace through strength” approach toward countering China in the Indo-Pacific region, analysts said. “The prime minister and I will be working closely together to maintain peace and security — and…
BEIJING — China’s top economic planning agency said on Sunday it was taking steps to scale back subsidies for renewable energy projects after a boom in solar and wind power installations. China broke its own records for new solar installations in 2024 with installed capacity up 45% from the previous year. China now has almost…
TAIPEI, TAIWAN — Thailand’s prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, vowed to deepen cooperation with China to tackle the cyber scam centers that have troubled both countries, and she signed more than a dozen agreements to elevate bilateral economic ties between the two nations at the conclusion of her visit to China on Saturday. Some analysts say…