Hong Kong, China | AFP | Hong Kong saw a net outflow of 113,200 residents over the past year, census data showed Thursday, setting a new record in population decline as the city maintained strict pandemic curbs. The finance hub’s population started shrinking in 2020 for the first time since the SARS epidemic in 2003 — and the drop-off showed no signs of stopping, according to government figures. Mid-year estimates put Hong Kong’s population at […]
Tag: china
Taiwan holds military drill after China repeats threats
by Catherine Lai Agence France-Presse TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — Taiwan’s army held another live-fire drill Thursday after Beijing ended its largest-ever military exercises around the island and repeated threats to bring the self-ruled democracy under its control. Beijing has raged at a trip to Taiwan last week by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — the highest-ranking elected American official to visit in decades — staging days of air and sea drills around the island that […]
China warns it will not tolerate Taiwan ‘separatists’
by Jing Xuan Teng Agence France-Presse BEIJING, China (AFP) — China on Wednesday vowed zero tolerance for “separatist activities” in Taiwan and reaffirmed that it would take the self-ruled island by force if necessary. The warning from Beijing, which considers Taiwan its territory, came after days of unprecedented Chinese military drills around the island sparked by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip. Pelosi last week became the highest-ranking US official to visit Taiwan in decades […]
Taiwan accuses China of preparing invasion, holds defense drill
by Amber Wang Agence France-Presse FENGGANG TOWNSHIP, Taiwan (AFP) — Taiwan held an artillery drill Tuesday simulating defense against an attack as its top diplomat accused Beijing of preparing to invade the island after days of massive Chinese war games. China launched its largest-ever air and sea exercises around Taiwan last week in a furious response to a visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking American official to visit the self-ruled island in […]
Taiwan holds artillery drill simulating defense against China attack
by Amber Wang Agence France-Presse FENGGANG TOWNSHIP, Taiwan (AFP) — Taiwan’s military held a live-fire artillery drill Tuesday simulating a defense of the island against an attack after days of massive Chinese war games. China launched its largest-ever air and sea exercises around Taiwan last week in a furious response to a visit by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking US official to visit the self-ruled island in decades. Taiwan lives under the constant […]
Hong Kong reduces Covid quarantine for arrivals
HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Hong Kong will cut mandatory hotel quarantine for international arrivals from one week to three days from Friday, Chief Executive John Lee announced in an easing of Covid restrictions that have severely curbed travel. Once a global logistics and transportation hub, Hong Kong has been largely cut off from the rest of the world for more than two years under its strict adherence to China’s zero-Covid policy. Under some […]
China’s largest-ever Taiwan military drills draw to a close
by Poornima Weerasekara, with Catherine Lai in Taipei Agence France Presse BEIJING, China (AFP) — China’s largest-ever military exercises surrounding Taiwan were drawing to a close on Sunday following a controversial visit last week to the island by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Beijing has raged at the trip by Pelosi — the highest-ranking elected US official to visit Taiwan in decades — ripping up a series of talks and cooperation agreements with Washington, […]
China ending cooperation with US on multiple issues
BEIJING, China (AFP) — China on Friday said it was cancelling several defence meetings and suspending key climate talks with the United States after a visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan this week. Beijing will “suspend the China-US climate change talks” and nix plans for a call between military leaders as well as two security meetings, the foreign ministry said, citing Pelosi’s “disregard of China’s strong opposition and stern representations” on […]
Analyst weighs in on Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan and its impact on ASEAN
Foreign policy & security analyst Lucio Blanco Pitlo weighs in on the recent visit of US Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan and its impact on ASEAN, specifically the Philippines. Factors like the Philippines’ proximity to Taiwan, our large OFW population, our trade & investment relations with China, our mutual defense agreements with the US entangle us in this potential diplomatic & geopolitical powderkeg.
Chinese fighter jets and warships crossed median line, says Taiwan
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — Taipei’s military said Chinese fighter jets and ships crossed the median line that runs down the Taiwan Strait on Friday, calling Beijing’s latest military drills “highly provocative”. “As of 11am, multiple batches of Chinese warplanes and warships conducted exercises around the Taiwan Strait and crossed the median line of the strait,” the defence ministry said in a statement. “This Chinese military exercise, whether it be the launch of ballistic missiles or […]
Pelosi says US will ‘not allow’ China to isolate Taiwan
by Katie Forster / Tomohiro OSAKI Agence France-Presse TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday that the United States will “not allow” China to isolate Taiwan, after her visit to the self-ruled island infuriated Beijing. “They may try to keep Taiwan from visiting or participating in other places, but they will not isolate Taiwan by preventing us to travel there,” she told reporters in Tokyo. “We had high-level visits, senators in […]
China to hold fresh drills around Taiwan despite US condemnation
by By Sebastien Ricci with Beiyi Seow in Beijing and Amber Wang in Taipei Agence France-Presse PINGTAN, China (AFP) — China was set to press ahead Friday with its largest-ever military exercises encircling Taiwan despite firm statements of condemnation by the United States, Japan and the European Union. Beijing’s decision to fire ballistic missiles and deploy fighter jets around Taiwan saw Washington lambast what it said was a gross overreaction to a visit to the […]





