The former Australian prime minister Paul Keating has accused two of the country’s biggest newspapers of “the most egregious and provocative news presentation” in five decades, after they published front-page stories warning the country faced war with China within three years. The former Labor leader, who has long argued Australia should not be drawn into a war over the status of democratically governed Taiwan, took aim at the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age on Tuesday. The papers published a special report based on assessments of five national security experts…
Day: March 6, 2023
China foreign minister warns of potential for conflict with US, and hails Russia ties
The US and China are heading towards inevitable conflict if Washington does not change its approach, China’s new foreign minister has said in a fiery press conference in which he defended his country’s strengthening relationship with Russia. In his first media appearance as foreign minister, held on Tuesday on the sidelines of the “two sessions” political gathering, Qin Gang outlined China’s foreign policy agenda for the coming years, presenting China and its relationship with Russia as a beacon of strength and stability, and the US and its allies as a…
Canadian Official to Examine Chinese Election Interference
Toronto — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday he will appoint a special investigator to decide whether there should be a public inquiry into reports of Chinese interference in Canada’s elections. Trudeau also is having a Parliament national security committee examine classified information on the matter. The Globe and Mail, citing unidentified intelligence sources, reported last month that China preferred to see Trudeau’s Liberals re-elected in the 2021 election and worked to defeat Conservative politicians considered unfriendly to Beijing. Opposition parties have been demanding a full public inquiry. Trudeau declined…
Kim’s sister Warns N. Korea Ready to Act Against US, South
Seoul, South Korea — The influential sister of North Korea’s leader warned Tuesday that her country is ready to take “quick, overwhelming action” against the United States and South Korea — one day after a nuclear-capable B-52 flew over the peninsula. The United States flew the bomber to the Korean Peninsula for a joint drill with South Korean warplanes, and the allies’ militaries are also preparing to revive their largest field exercises later this month. Kim Yo Jong didn’t elaborate on any planned actions in her statement, but North Korea…
US speaker McCarthy plans to meet Taiwan president Tsai in US – reports
Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, plans to meet US House speaker Kevin McCarthy on a visit to the United States in coming weeks, according to sources speaking to the Reuters news agency. The Financial Times first reported the plans to meet in California, a move that could replace the Republican speaker’s anticipated but sensitive trip to the democratically governed island claimed by China. When asked about Beijing’s possible reaction to a reported meeting, Taiwan’s defence minister, Chiu Kuo-cheng, said he was not aware of a planned meeting, but would not allow…
How a rabbit god became an icon for Taiwan’s gay community
During a quiet mid-week afternoon on the eighth floor of an office building, A-wei is meditatively separating flower petals to make an offering to Tu’er Shen the rabbit god, a spiritual guardian of LGBTQI people. The small Taoist temple where 24-year-old A-wei sits is a humble room with views across New Taipei city, made cosy by the smell of incense and the mews of two noisy cats. At one end of the room is the main altar, with three cushions for prayer and gold prints of deities on the wall.…
China’s ‘two sessions’ 2023: Foreign Minister Qin Gang makes his NPC media debut
This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing and get 25 per cent off an annual plan. Promoted two months ago, Qin Gang is holding his first annual press conference as foreign minister at this year’s “two sessions”. He picked up the baton passed by his predecessor Wang Yi, who held the position for nearly a decade and has been promoted to be director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission. Qin is known as…
Bring your own gas masks to biochemical weapons drills, North Korea tells citizens
North Korea last week conducted nationwide civil defense drills, forcing residents to march long distances to drill sites, and requiring that they prepare personal emergency kits, including gas masks, to protect themselves against potential U.S.-launched biochemical weapons attacks, sources in the country told Radio Free Asia. During the five-day drill that ended March 3, residents had to show up every day early morning at a training site as far as 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) away, a source in the northeastern province of North Hamgyong told RFA’s Korean Service on condition…
White House Said to Consider Pushing Congress on Dealing With TikTok
The Biden administration is considering pushing Congress to give it more legal power to deal with TikTok and other technology that could expose sensitive data to China, five people with knowledge of the matter said, as it comes under growing pressure to resolve security concerns about the Chinese-owned video app. White House officials are weighing whether to support legislation being developed by Senator Mark Warner, Democrat of Virginia, that would give the government more authority to police apps and services that could pose a risk to Americans’ data security or…
Justin Trudeau to appoint special rapporteur to probe foreign interference in elections
Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, has said he will appoint a special rapporteur to probe allegations of Chinese interference in recent elections amid mounting political pressure to push back against Beijing and to maintain public confidence in democratic institutions. “We believe deeply in the values of freedom, openness, and dialogue. These values are not universally shared by every government around the world,” Trudeau said at a press conference on Monday evening. “Indeed, I don’t know if in our lifetime, we’ve seen democracy in a more precarious place. Many state actors…