Day: April 15, 2023

VOA Immigration Weekly Recap, April 9–15

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Editor’s note: Here is a look at immigration-related news around the U.S. this week. Questions? Tips? Comments? Email the VOA immigration team: ImmigrationUnit@voanews.com. Growing Number of Migrants from China Arriving at US-Mexico Border According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 4,366 migrants from China encountered Border Patrol officials after crossing the southern border without authorization from October 2022 to February 2023. That compares with the 421 migrants who were encountered during the same period in 2021 and 2022. VOA Mandarin Service’s Tracy Wen Liu and VOA’s immigration reporter Aline Barros…

China unveils electromagnetic gun for riot control

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Additionally, by using electromagnetic force instead of traditional gunpowder firing methods, the firing power can be adjusted according to distance or the nature of the target. According to the video, the guns have a simple and sleek design with no extra parts, making them easier to handle and use. The barrel is designed so that a scope can easily be fitted and a display screen at the front provides information such as the battery level, rail temperature, bullet capacity, frequency, and firing mode. A double-chamber magazine allows for continuous firing…

War Would Bring Disaster to China, Too, Taiwan Vice President Says

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taipei, taiwan —  War over Taiwan would bring about a “global catastrophe” that China would find hard to bear, the presidential candidate for Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, William Lai, said on Saturday. China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, staged war games around the island this month, expressing its anger at a meeting in California between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy. China said it had tested precision strikes and a blockade of Taiwan, whose government denounced the drills and rejects Beijing’s…

China Protests US Sanctioning of Firms Dealing with Russia

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Beijing —  Beijing Saturday protested U.S. sanctions against additional Chinese companies over their alleged attempts to evade U.S. export controls on Russia, calling it an illegal move that endangers global supply chains. The U.S. Commerce Department on Wednesday put five firms based in mainland China and Hong Kong on its “entity list,” barring them from trading with any U.S. firms without gaining a nearly unobtainable special license. Washington has been tightening enforcement of sanctions against foreign firms it sees as aiding Russia in its war against Ukraine, forcing them to…

US leaks say Taiwan’s air force is ill-prepared for China attack: report

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Taiwan’s air force is vulnerable if mainland China decides to attack the island, a US media report said on Saturday citing leaks from US intelligence. The Washington Post newspaper said it had scoured the leaks of confidential information on the internet and they show that Taiwan officials doubt that the air force can accurately detect incoming missiles. Only a little over half of Taiwan’s jets are conflict-ready, the Post added, meaning mainland China would have much better chances than previously believed to establish air superiority. 02:28 ‘Preparing for war’: China…

China’s New Approach to Europe

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Advertisement Earlier this month, French President Emmanuel Macron visited China for in-depth talks and discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping, over topics including the state of Sino-European relations, the war in Ukraine, and the future of bilateral economic relations. Macron was joined on the first day of the trip by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, though it quickly emerged that the two, whether by design or in inadvertent disjunction, did not see eye to eye over the crux of the Sino-European relationship. Von der Leyen viewed China with…

Grassroots efforts in border areas address mental anguish for Myanmar refugees

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Every Tuesday morning, a handful of Myanmar refugees visit her office in the Thai border town of Mae Sot to talk about the terror of fleeing violence and their anxiety about the future. The psychiatrist, who asked not to be identified, is familiar with the trauma her patients share, having fled Myanmar herself.  As the only Burmese-speaking psychiatrist in town, she hears their stories free of charge about their journey to Thailand, where they then face new stresses – risk of arrest by Thai police, the struggle to support themselves…

Chinese exporters upbeat as Canton Fair opens to foreign visitors for first time in 3 years

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The Canton Fair, which started in 1957, remains a key platform for Chinese exporters to showcase products even in the era of e-commerce. Advertisement The expo, which runs until May 5, is the largest trade event held in China since it relaxed its border restrictions and coronavirus curbs. However, despite large crowds, exhibitors said on the first day, the number of foreign buyers is visibly less compared with pre-pandemic years. Qin Yurong, an exporter of TV antennas to Southeast Asia, said she had invited many clients but some could not…

Why China’s trade outlook has its industry workers worried that the ‘good days’ are gone

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Hua Yuting, a manager with the China Ocean Shipping Agency in Shanghai, said the shipping industry, a barometer for global trade, has witnessed some pickup since March, but more time is needed to see substantial improvement. “Due to disruptions caused by Covid-induced lockdowns in the past couple of years, many companies have shifted to Southeast Asia to source goods. The US route is doing especially badly,” she said. Advertisement “The impact is long-term, because when a client is lost, it’s not like you can [easily] win them back once the…

Why China’s Leader Hasn’t Called the President of Ukraine

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The last time President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, spoke, they celebrated 30 years of diplomatic ties, hailing their “deepening political mutual trust” and their people’s “profound friendship.” That was in January of last year. Less than two months later, Russia, one of China’s closest partners, invaded Ukraine. Mr. Xi has not spoken since to Mr. Zelensky, despite the latter’s repeated requests. And the “sound and stable” relationship they touted seems like a distant memory. The question of when and whether Mr. Xi will speak…