China

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said Friday the island will not cede an inch of its territory, as China maintains military pressure on Taipei to accept its claim of sovereignty. Lai made the remarks during a visit to the Kinmen islands off China for the 75th anniversary of a victory over communist forces in the Battle of Guningtou. It followed a fortnight of intense military activity …

washington — Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with key negotiators Thursday during a frenetic four-day exercise in Middle East shuttle diplomacy that aims to relaunch talks to pull the grinding war in Gaza to a close. On Thursday, he announced $135 million in additional U.S. aid for Palestinian civilians. He also reiterated President Joe Biden’s stance that the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar last …

kazan, russia — Russian President Vladimir Putin told BRICS leaders on Thursday that the Middle East was on the brink of a full-scale war after a sharp rise in tension between Israel and Iran, though the Kremlin chief also faced calls to end the war in Ukraine. The BRICS summit, attended by more than 20 leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi …

In rebel-held Syria, many people celebrated the deaths of Hezbollah leaders in Lebanon last month, even as they mourned the deaths of families in Gaza. As VOA’s Heather Murdock reports from Istanbul with Moawia Atrash and Ahmad Fallaha in Idlib, Syria, war in the Middle East is growing increasingly complex, with loyalties divided, even within individuals. …

State Department — In a latest diplomatic push to end the conflicts in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that negotiators will meet “in the coming days.” He also announced $135 million in additional U.S. aid for Palestinian civilians. “In referring to negotiators coming back together, that was referring specifically to negotiations on the return of hostages and a …

A bilateral meeting between the Indian and Chinese leaders held Wednesday on the sidelines of the BRICS summit is expected to pave the way for improving political and economic ties damaged by a border standoff four years ago. Analysts say lingering mistrust in India could hamper quick normalization. Anjana Pasricha has a report from New Delhi. …

JAKARTA, Indonesia — A Chinese coast guard vessel was driven out of Indonesia’s waters for a second time this week after it initially disrupted a survey by state energy firm Pertamina in the South China Sea, Indonesia’s maritime security agency said on Thursday. While Chinese coast guard vessels have been spotted numerous times in Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone, the most recent incidents came just days after …

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Thursday with Qatar’s ruling emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani as part of a tour of the region in which Blinken has focused discussions on ending the conflicts in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. Blinken is also meeting Thursday with Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed Al Thani ahead of talks with Arab officials Friday in London. While one …

Manila, Philippines — Tropical Storm Trami has killed at least 26 people and forced more than 150,000 to flee their homes in the Philippines, officials said on Thursday, as it made landfall on the northeastern coast. Trami, locally known as severe tropical storm Kristine, dumped heavy to torrential rain on the main island of Luzon triggering widespread flooding and landslides. With maximum sustained winds of 95 …

TOKYO — Taisei Hikage is fighting a losing battle at his Tokyo ramen shop – not to attract customers, but to keep a lid on the price he charges for Japan’s national comfort food in the face of an incessant rise in ingredient and fuel costs. Since opening his shop in the west of the capital a year and a half ago, Hikage, 26, has raised …

WASHINGTON — U.S. officials are becoming increasingly concerned about the emerging partnership among China, Russia, Iran and North Korea – a bloc being talked about by some in Washington as a new “axis of evil.” Those worries got a major boost on Wednesday with confirmation by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during a trip to Rome that North Korean troops are now present in Russia, presumably …

Prague/Washington — In the lobby of an upscale hotel in Prague, Sikyong Penpa Tsering talked about death — specifically, the eventuality that China’s Xi Jinping will one day die. “Nothing is permanent. Even our life is not permanent. We are born, and we have to die. So even empires rise and fall. Governments rise and fall. Xi Jinping will also have to die. So, these are …

While Hong Kong’s economy remains open, observers say Beijing’s heavy-handed political interventions risk the city-state’s status as an international business hub. …

taipei, taiwan — Taiwan is stepping up efforts to strengthen its capabilities to respond to a potential military blockade by China, as Beijing increases military pressure on the democratically ruled island. In a report outlining Taiwan’s wartime food plan, which was submitted to parliament on Tuesday, the Ministry of Agriculture said it had maintained a three-month rice stockpile and ensured food and critical supplies were stored …

A top Chinese official has urged tech giant Apple to deepen its presence and investment in innovation in the world’s second largest economy at a time when supply chains and companies are shifting production and operations away from China. As U.S.-China geopolitical tensions simmer and tech competition between Beijing and Western countries intensifies, foreign investment in China shrunk in 2023 to its lowest level in …

Ankara — Assailants set off explosives and opened fire in an attack Wednesday on the premises of the Turkish state-run aerospace and defense company TUSAS, killing four people and wounding several, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said. At least two of the attackers died, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said. “We have four martyrs. We have 14 wounded. I condemn this heinous terrorist attack and wish mercy …

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that Israel’s killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar presents a “real opportunity” to achieve an agreement to free the remaining hostages still being held by the militant group in the Gaza Strip. Speaking to reporters in Tel Aviv before flying to Saudi Arabia, Blinken said Israel has achieved a number of successes in the war against Hamas, …

Taipei, Taiwan — A Chinese aircraft carrier group sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, Taiwan’s defense minister said, a day after Beijing held a live-fire exercise near the self-ruled island. China considers Taiwan to be part of its territory and has ramped up military activity around the island in recent years to pressure Taipei into accepting its claims of sovereignty.  “The Liaoning is passing through …

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited missile bases to examine their readiness to undertake actions of “strategic deterrence,” while calling U.S. nuclear capabilities a growing threat to the country, state media reported on Wednesday. The U.S. strategic nuclear arsenal poses an “ever-increasing threat” to North Korea’s security environment, which demands that Pyongyang maintain a strict counteraction posture of its nuclear …

bangkok — Myanmar journalists are being offered resources including equipment and training as part of a new initiative. Set up by Reporters Without Borders, or RSF, and the Exile Hub, which supports human rights defenders who fled their home countries, the Myanmar Press Freedom Project will work to support journalists from Myanmar who are in exile or still reporting under harsh conditions inside the country. “Through …

washington — Hezbollah is seeking to quickly boost sales of illegal drugs in Europe, former U.S. officials tell VOA, as the Iran-backed Lebanese militia reels from a weekslong Israeli offensive that has destroyed and disrupted its key sources of cash in Lebanon.  International law enforcement officials tell VOA, though, the U.S.-designated terror group faces some challenges in ramping up its European drug trafficking operations.   Hezbollah …

Baghdad — Iraqi forces have killed nine Islamic State group commanders, including the militants’ top figure in the country, Baghdad announced Tuesday, with the Pentagon saying two U.S. troops were injured during the raid. Iraq’s Joint Operations Command said in a statement that counterterrorism forces “killed nine terrorists, among them the so-called governor of Iraq” for IS, naming him as Jassim al-Mazroui Abu Abdel Qader. The …

United Nations — A group of Western nations called on China Tuesday to release all arbitrarily detained Uyghur Muslims and Tibetans and to allow independent human rights observers to visit sites to make assessments. “Transparency and openness are key to allaying concerns,” said Australian Ambassador to the United Nations James Larsen, during a U.N. General Assembly committee meeting on human rights. “We call on China to …

Russian President Vladimir Putin called Chinese President Xi Jinping his “dear friend,” amid growing cooperation between Moscow and Beijing, as the leaders met at the BRICS summit in Kazan.  Xi also expressed his gratitude at the meeting regarding the increasing partnership between Russia and China, saying the “profound relationship” between the two countries has “continuously deepened and expanded comprehensive strategic coordination and practical cooperation.”  Since …