Tag: Beijing
Taiwan swears in Tsai Ing-wen as first female president
TAIPEI , Taiwan (AFP) — Taiwan swore in Tsai Ing-wen as its first female president Friday as relations with rival China rapidly cool. Beijing-sceptic Tsai took the oath of office at the presidential palace in Taipei after winning a landslide victory in January signalling the end of an eight-year rapprochement with China. Public support for outgoing president Ma Ying-jeou plunged as voters felt he moved too close to Beijing, which still sees the island as […]
US warship sails by South China Sea reef, irking Beijing
BEIJING, China (AFP) — The US on Tuesday sailed a warship close to a disputed South China Sea reef Beijing has built up into an artificial island, officials said, prompting China to express “dissatisfaction and opposition”. Guided-missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence navigated within 12 nautical miles of the Fiery Cross Reef, occupied by China and also claimed by Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines, the Pentagon said. “This operation challenged attempts by China, Taiwan, and […]
China trains ‘fishing militia’ to sail into disputed waters
(Reuters) The fishing fleet based in this tiny port town on Hainan island is getting everything from military training and subsidies to even fuel and ice as China creates an increasingly sophisticated fishing militia to sail into the disputed South China Sea. The training and support includes exercises at sea and requests to fishermen to gather information on foreign vessels, provincial government officials, regional diplomats and fishing company executives said in recent interviews. “The […]
Philippine Embassy in Beijing officially opens 2016 overseas voting
MANILA, April 19 – The Philippine Embassy in Beijing commenced the Overseas Voting (OV) for the 2016 National Elections on April 09. Philippine Ambassador to China Erlinda F. Basilio led Embassy officials and staff in the casting of ballots on the first day of voting. The Embassy is presently conducting postal voting wherein ballots are either mailed directly to the voters or to the Embassy address for pick-up by the voters. A total of 899 […]
Beijing deploys missiles on disputed island: Taiwan
by Ben Dooley BEIJING, China (AFP) — China has deployed surface-to-air missiles on a disputed island in the South China Sea, Taiwan said Wednesday, as Beijing insisted it had a right to build “self-defence” systems in the strategic region. Taiwan’s defence ministry confirmed the facility’s existence after Fox News reported missile launchers had arrived on Woody Island, part of the Paracels chain, in the past week. The report came as President Barack Obama called for […]
China says U.S. seeks “hegemony” after South China Sea sailing
(Reuters) — China’s foreign ministry in Beijing accused the United States on Monday (February 1) of seeking maritime hegemony in the name of freedom of navigation after a U.S. Navy destroyer sailed within 12 nautical miles of a disputed island in the South China Sea. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion of world trade is shipped every year. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Taiwan have […]
Newly-established theater commands to build joint battle command system
The newly established theater commands of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army undertake the mission of safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, safeguard regional stability and world peace, said Yang Yujun, spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense at a press conference on Monday in Beijing. He told reporters that the five theater commands are: the Eastern Theater Command, the Southern Theater Command, the Western Theater Command, the Northern Theater Command and the Central […]
Thick smog shrouds parts of northern China
Heavy smog continued to engulf Beijing and some of the other provinces in parts of China on Wednesday (December 9), a day after the capital city issues its first ever “red alert”, the highest of the four-color warning system for air pollution. China’s capital issued a “red alert” late on Monday (December 7), predicting that Beijing would be shrouded in heavy smog from Tuesday (December 8) to Thursday (December 10). A red alert means that […]
Taiwanese demonstrators protest revision of textbooks that promote “One China” policy
(Reuters) — Taiwanese demonstrators marched through the streets of Taipei on Sunday (August 2) to protest against the revision of textbooks they say are aimed at promoting Beijing’s “one China” policy. Hundreds of people, mainly students, chanting and holding banners, marched along the streets around Taiwan’s education ministry on Sunday afternoon, demanding for the withdrawal of the revised curriculum. Some parents participated to support their children. “So we think parents, fathers and mothers, should […]
Beijing to host 2022 winter Olympic Games
(Reuters) — Beijing was chosen by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to host the 2022 Winter Olympics on Friday (July 31), becoming the first city to be awarded both summer and winter Games. The Chinese capital beat Almaty, Kazakhstan in a secret ballot of 85 IOC members, held at a convention centre in downtown Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with IOC president Thomas Bach opening an envelope to announce the decision. Beijing bid officials, towered over […]
Trading halted on NYSE floor
Trading in all securities were halted on the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday following earlier reports of technical difficulties, although NYSE-listed issues was still trading on other exchanges. After the halt, U.S. stocks extended their losses, but in low volumes, with the S&P 500 hitting a session low and the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq both falling more than 1 percent. “It’s under control. We’re just waiting for word. There’s no sign […]
