Joe Biden is expected to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a summit in San Francisco in November for “constructive” talks, the White House said on Tuesday. The comments came days after China’s foreign minister made a rare visit to Washington to pave the way for Xi to meet Biden at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit. China has not yet confirmed that Xi will come. “We’re aiming to have a constructive conversation, meeting between the leaders in San Francisco in November,” the White House press secretary,…
Month: October 2023
As China gets older, innovative elder-care scheme forms twilight communities – but are they sustainable?
Xinsi village is located in Fengxian district, Shanghai – one of China’s fastest-ageing municipalities, where the average life expectancy was over 83 years in 2022, according to official figures. The average Shanghai resident lives more than a half-decade longer than the national average of 77.93 years. Lu Fengying, 84, is among the residents of a small village-based elder-care facility in Shanghai. Photo: Mandy Zuo Among Xinsi’s 3,500 residents, 1,400 are older than 60, village party secretary Ye Feiyu told the Post. Throughout China, the ageing trend is intensifying at a…
Israel-Gaza war: what China can and should do for peace in the Middle East
Chinese support for the Palestinian cause goes back to the days of Mao Zedong. At the same time, China has developed robust economic ties with Israel starting from the 1980s. Tel Aviv has said it was disappointed that Beijing did not denounce Hamas directly in the wake of the October 7 attacks. But, as foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning put it, Beijing considers itself a friend to both Israel and Palestine. Since the latest outbreak of violence, Beijing has made phone calls, provided humanitarian aid and sent an envoy to…
Added US funding essential for Ukraine, Israel and countering China, White House officials tell Congress
China is closely watching how much endurance and commitment Washington has in defending its democratic allies Ukraine and Israel, with an eye to future aggression in the Indo-Pacific, top White House officials told the US Congress on Tuesday. The Senate Appropriations Committee hearing came amid growing divisions in an already deeply divided Congress. At issue was a contested White House request for US$106 billion in supplemental funding to aid Ukraine and Israel in their military and humanitarian struggles, contain China and strengthen US border security. “What happens in Ukraine, what…
Joe Biden ‘aiming’ for ‘constructive’ talks with China’s Xi Jinping in San Francisco
US President Joe Biden is expected to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a summit in San Francisco in November for “constructive” talks, the White House said on Tuesday. The comments came days after China’s foreign minister made a rare visit to Washington to pave the way for Xi to meet Biden at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit. China has not yet confirmed that Xi will come. “We’re aiming to have a constructive conversation, meeting between the leaders in San Francisco in November,” Press Secretary Karine…
Candlelight Party officials vote for alliance with Khmer Will Party
Top officials from the opposition Candlelight Party voted on Tuesday to align with the smaller Khmer Will Party as it prepares for upcoming district and Senate elections. The move will allow the Candlelight Party – which has been stymied in its efforts to regain official status – to register candidates under the Khmer Will Party name in next year’s district elections. The Khmer Will Party did not appear on the ballot in the July general elections, but it maintains a recognized registration status with the Ministry of Interior. “The Candlelight…
Vietnam sentences Facebook user to 3 ½ years for videos
Authorities in Vietnam on Tuesday sentenced a Facebook user to three and a half years in prison for his live-streamed videos that were critical of the government, state media reported. Le Thach Giang, 66, of the southern coastal province of Ninh Thuan, was found guilty of violating Article 331 of Vietnam’s penal code for “abusing democratic freedoms to violate the State’s interests, legitimate rights and interests of organizations and individuals.” Rights groups have said that Article 331 is a vaguely written law that is often used by the government to…
MHI plans global defence sales push after Japan expands military budget
Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. Japan’s defence industry needs to step up its sales effort and reduce costs to become a global player in the fiercely competitive arms exports market, according to an executive at the country’s biggest military contractor. Masayuki Eguchi, head of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ defence and space business, said in an interview with the Financial Times that the group plans to double hiring of defence-related staff to expand weapons production in the…
China lets loose armies of catchers as dog killings spread
Local governments in China have stepped up dog-catching operations after a 2-year-old girl was mauled by a Rottweiler earlier this month in the southwestern city of Chengdu, sparking huge online reactions as some responded by beating animals to death or hauling away beloved pets. Ranged on one side of the issue are people who have been bitten or frightened by one of China’s estimated 55 million stray dogs. They mostly blame irresponsible pet owners for abandoning animals they can no longer care for, according to social media comments seen by…
Australia news live: fires in Queensland and NSW threaten homes amid strong winds, high temperatures
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