Tag: South&Central Asia

Appointment of Ambassador Signals China’s Ambition in Afghanistan, Experts Say

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washington —  Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi attended talks Friday in the Russian city of Kazan, where he praised China for sending a new ambassador to Afghanistan and urged other countries to follow China’s example. The newly appointed Chinese ambassador to Kabul signals China’s continued interest in Afghanistan, analysts say. The Taliban’s deputy prime minister, Abdul Salam Hanafi, said the new development “will play an effective role in strengthening the relations between Afghanistan and China.” During a meeting in Kabul last week, Hanafi and Chinese Ambassador Zhao Xing “exchanged…

Taliban Weighs Using US Mass Surveillance Plan, Met with China’s Huawei 

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KABUL —  The Taliban are creating a large-scale camera surveillance network for Afghan cities that could involve repurposing a plan crafted by the Americans before their 2021 pullout, an interior ministry spokesman told Reuters, as authorities seek to supplement thousands of cameras already across the capital, Kabul. The Taliban administration — which has publicly said it is focused on restoring security and clamping down on Islamic State, which has claimed many major attacks in Afghan cities — has also consulted with Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei about potential cooperation, the…

China Wins First Gold Medals of Asian Games

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Hangzhou, China —  The first gold medals at the Asian Games were all won by host nation China on Sunday in rowing, shooting and wushu after President Xi Jinping opened the two-week multisport extravaganza in a colorful ceremony. China claimed the first gold when Zou Jiaqi and Qiu Xiuping dominated the women’s lightweight double sculls rowing final to kick off an expected medal rush for the hosts in Hangzhou. The Chinese pair finished in 7 minutes 6.78 seconds, with Uzbekistan’s Luizakhon Islamova and Malika Tagmativa taking silver, almost 10 seconds…

Asian Games Open Saturday in China

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The Asian Games are an attention grabber. For starters, they involve more participants than the Summer Olympics. Organizers say more than 12,000 will be entered when the opening ceremony takes place Saturday in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou. That is more than the 10,500 expected for next year’s Paris Olympics. The giant numbers are partly due to the staggering array of events with many regional specialties, sports, and games you won’t find in the Olympics. And there’s also cricket, which appears headed to the Olympics as soon as 2028…

On International Peace Day Women’s Critical Role Highlighted

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On this International Day of Peace, and on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, the United States announced new initiatives to help consolidate the role women play in building peace and strengthening security around the world. VOA’s Veronica Balderas Iglesias has the details. Camera: Veronica Balderas Iglesias Voice of America

Competing Interests for UN Spotlight at Annual Meeting

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The war in Ukraine is likely to be the big topic for a second year when leaders gather at the U.N. General Assembly next week, but many developing countries are hoping to shine a light on issues important to them, including development, the economy and climate. This year’s general assembly will take place after Asian countries met in Indonesia for the ASEAN summit, G20 leaders gathered in India, and developing countries in the Group of 77 plus China met in Cuba. After a busy September, several high-profile leaders are skipping…

China Appoints Ambassador to Afghanistan for First Time Since Taliban’s Return

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ISLAMABAD —  China has sent a new ambassador to Afghanistan, marking the first time a foreign envoy has been appointed at the ambassadorial level since the Taliban regained power in Kabul two years ago. On Wednesday, the Taliban-led foreign ministry said that Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund had accepted Ambassador Zhao Xing’s credentials at a ceremony in the Afghan capital. Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi joined Akhund in welcoming the Chinese envoy at the presidential place. Beijing did not immediately signal if Zhao’s appointment could lead to formal recognition…

Biden Meets Chinese Premier on G20 Sidelines

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Hanoi, Vietnam —  U.S. President Joe Biden said Sunday he still intends to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping after a 10-month gap in communication, while saying that he had met with Xi’s deputy in New Delhi earlier in the day. “My team, my staff, still meets with President Xi’s cabinet,” he said at a news conference in Hanoi in response to a question from VOA. “In fact, I met with his No. 2 person … in India today.” “It’s not like there’s a crisis if I don’t personally speak”…

Tropical Maldives Heads to Polls Closely Watched by India and China

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MALE, MALDIVES —  People in the Maldives were voting on Saturday in a closely contested election for president of the Indian Ocean archipelago, seen as a battle for influence between India and China. President Ibrahim Solih, seeking a second five-year term in the Indian Ocean tourist destination, has championed an “India-first” policy during his time in power. He appears to be slightly ahead in the polls. The coalition backing his main rival, Mohamed Muizzu, has a record of being close to China and has launched an “India out” campaign, promising…