TAIPEI, Taiwan – The Philippines lifted a decades-old policy that tightly restricted official engagement with Taiwan in a move an expert says signals a recalibration of its China policy as tensions simmer. Under the new policy, introduced on April 15, Philippine government officials – except for the President, Vice President, Foreign Affairs Secretary and Defense Secretary – can now visit Taiwan for economic, trade or investment-related activities, provided they travel on regular passports and do not use their official titles. Previously, Philippine officials were barred from visiting Taiwan or meeting…
Category: RFA
Trump now says China tariffs will come down substantially, but won’t be zero
TAIPEI, Taiwan – U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that recently imposed tariffs on Chinese goods will “come down substantially,” but won’t be zero, in the latest zigzag for Washington’s stance on global trade. The U.S. and China are waging a tit-for-tat trade battle, which threatens to stunt the global economy. The U.S. imposed tariffs of 145% on Chinese imports, prompting China to retaliate with tariffs reaching 125% on American goods. The U.S. also has imposed new tariffs on most other countries. Trump told a White House news conference that…
China’s hog farmers fear costs will soar over tariff on US farm imports
Hog farmers are bracing for costs to soar after China slapped a 135% tariff on imports of U.S. soybeans, a key ingredient of animal feed, even as Beijing looks to producers like Brazil to meet its demand for the legume amid a greater push for self-sufficiency. Soybeans – which feed the production of China’s 435-million-strong pig industry – remains America’s top agricultural export, selling more than 27 million metric tons or over half of the $24.6 billion in total U.S. agricultural products Beijing imported in 2024. The steep tariff hikes…
Thailand arrests Chinese executive linked to Bangkok building collapse
BANGKOK – Chinese investments in Thailand are facing intense scrutiny as the host country made the first arrest of a Chinese enterprise official allegedly accountable for the collapse of a building that killed over 100 workers after an earthquake in late March. The 30-story government audit building was the only major structure to collapse in Thailand due to the 7.7-magnitude tremor with the epicenter in Myanmar 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) away. It raised questions about its design, construction controls, materials used, and allegations of bribery and official corruption. As many…
Myanmar rebel army hands northern city back to junta
Read RFA coverage of this topic in Burmese. Myanmar’s junta re-entered a northern city near the Chinese border on Tuesday abandoned by a rebel army after months of occupation, residents told Radio Free Asia. The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, or MNDAA, is one of many insurgent groups fighting the junta that seized power in a 2021 coup for autonomy and democracy. It controls parts of northern Shan state and until recently, the long-embattled town of Lashio. Frequent conflict and airstrikes have forced much of the population to flee and…
South Korea eyes Yellow Sea countermeasure to Chinese structure in disputed waters
TAIPEI, Taiwan – South Korea said it’s considering setting up a “necessary facility” in overlapping territorial waters with China in the Yellow Sea as a countermeasure to Beijing’s installation of a steel structure in the area. South Korean media reports say the structure, which is 50 meters (164 feet) in both height and diameter, is the latest of three Chinese installations in the waters. Beijing has said all the structures are for aquaculture. “Regarding the proportional measure, we are taking this matter very seriously from the perspective of protecting our…
PHOTOS: Pope Francis and his many travels to the Asia-Pacific region
Asia is mourning the passing of Pope Francis on Monday, who died aged 88 after a 12-year papacy. He had traveled extensively across Asia since becoming leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics in 2013. During his visits, Francis drew large crowds in countries such as the Philippines, which is predominantly Catholic, but also Indonesia, Bangladesh and Thailand where Muslims and Buddhists were in the religious majority and Catholics were in the minority. He also visited South Korea, Japan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Timor-Leste and Singapore. Here are moments captured during…
Tibetan Buddhist leader secretly cremated in Vietnam, sources say
The body of an influential Tibetan Buddhist leader, said to have died while in custody in Vietnam, was secretly cremated in Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday, despite pleas by activists to allow his remains to be taken back to Tibet, two sources from the region and rights groups told Radio Free Asia. Global Tibetan rights groups on Monday condemned the cremation and called on governments to pressure Vietnam and China to clarify the circumstances of Tulku Hungkar Dorje’s death. The 56-year-old monk was the 10th abbot of Lung Ngon…
Myanmar junta kills 50 civilians in 3-day countrywide air raids
Read RFA coverage of these topics in Burmese. A three-day onslaught of junta-launched airstrikes across four major areas spanning much of Myanmar’s central plains killed 50 people and injured nearly 80, sources told Radio Free Asia. Myanmar’s junta, which seized power in 2021, faces resistance from dozens of militias seeking autonomy. In response to insurgent attacks, the military has bombed villages suspected of sheltering rebels, often killing dozens of civilians. In the latest assaults, the junta killed 20 people in Singu township’s Kyi Tauk Pauk village and Thabeikkyin township’s Leik…
China accuses US of new pressure campaign on global trade
TAIPEI, Taiwan – Beijing accused the United States of “pressuring other countries” to curb trade, following media reports that the Trump administration will use tariff relief as leverage to push nations to scale back their economic ties with China. More than 70 countries have expressed interest in negotiating trade deals, according to the U.S., after U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this month announced a 90-day pause on his “reciprocal” tariffs on imports from dozens of countries. “China firmly opposes any party striking a deal at the expense of China’s interests,”…